Oath of office

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An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations. Such oaths are often required by the laws of the state, religious body, or other organization before the person may actually exercise the powers of the office or any religious body. It may be administered at an inauguration, coronation, enthronement, or other ceremony connected with the taking up of office itself, or it may be administered privately. In some cases it may be administered privately and then repeated during a public ceremony.

Some oaths of office are a statement of loyalty to a constitution or other legal text or to a person or other office-holder (e.g., an oath to support the constitution of the state, or of loyalty to the king). Under the laws of a state it may be considered treason or a high crime to betray a sworn oath of office.

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[edit] Commonwealth Realms

As the Commonwealth realms are in a personal union relationship, each shares the same person as their individual monarch. However, there is only one coronation ceremony, held in the United Kingdom, wherein the Coronation Oath is taken. The Oath includes elements pertaining to the monarch's] role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England as well as the oath-taker's separate roles as monarch of his or her other realms.

[edit] Coronation Oath

The Coronation Oath (from the Order of Service for the Coronation of the sovereign, here presumed to be a Queen) is administered in the form of questions:

Archbishop of Canterbury: Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and of your Possessions and the other Territories to any of them belonging or pertaining, according to their respective laws and customs?
Queen: I solemnly promise so to do.
Archbishop: Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgements?
Queen: I will.
Archbishop: Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the Laws of God and the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of your power maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law? Will you maintain and preserve inviolably the settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine, worship, discipline, and government thereof, as by law established in England? And will you preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England, and to the Churches there committed to their charge, all such rights and privileges, as by law do or shall appertain to them or any of them?
Queen: All this I promise to do.

Then the Queen, arising out of her chair, supported by peers and with the Sword of State being carried before her, goes to the altar to make her solemn oath in the sight of all the people to observe the premises by laying her right hand upon the Holy Gospel in the great Bible (which was before carried in the procession and is now brought from the altar by the archbishop, and tendered to her as she kneels upon the steps), saying:

Queen: The things which I have here before promised, I will perform and keep. So help me God.

Then the Queen kisses the Bible and signs the Oath.

[edit] United Kingdom

See also: Oath of Allegiance (United Kingdom)

[edit] Oath of Allegiance and Official Oath

The Oath of Allegiance and the Official Oath, as set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 are required to be taken by various office-holders.

The Oath of Allegiance is in the following form:

"I, NAME, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God."

The Official Oath is in the following form:

"I, NAME, do swear that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in the office of .... So help me God."

The Oath of Allegiance and Official Oath shall be tendered to and taken by each of the following office-holders as soon as may be after his acceptance of office:

The Oath as to England is to be tendered by the Clerk of the Council, and taken in presence of Her Majesty in Council, or otherwise as Her Majesty shall direct.

The Oath as to Scotland is to be tendered by the Lord President of the Court of Session at a sitting of the Court.

[edit] Parliamentarians

Section 84 of the Scotland Act 1998 requires members of the Scottish Parliament to take the Oath of Allegiance at a meeting of the Parliament. Members of the Scottish Executive and junior Scottish Ministers are additionally required to take the Official Oath.

Section 20 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 requires members of the National Assembly for Wales to take the oath of allegiance. A Welsh form of the Oath is prescribed by the National Assembly for Wales (Oath of Allegiance in Welsh) Order 1999.

[edit] Judicial Oath

"I, NAME, do swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth in the office of ...., and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will. So help me God."

The Judicial Oath and the Oath of Allegiance (see above) are to be taken by each of the following-

[edit] Military Oath

All recruits to the British Army and Royal Air Force must take an oath of allegiance upon joining these armed forces, a process known as "attestation". Those who believe in God use the following words:

“ I swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors and that I will as in duty bound honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs and successors in person, crown and dignity against all enemies and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors and of the generals and officers set over me. ”

Others replace the words "swear by Almighty God" with "solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm".

[edit] Canada

[edit] Oath of Allegiance

Main article: Oath of Allegiance (Canada)

The oath of allegiance is as follows:

"I, NAME, do Solemnly swear (affirm) that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Queen of Canada, Her Heirs and Successors according to law, forever. So help me God"

The Oath of Allegiance shall be tendered to and taken by each of the following office-holders as soon as may be after his acceptance of office:

[edit] Governor General

The Letters Patent 1947 stipulate that the Governor General must take the following oath:

""I, NAME, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King George the Sixth, His Heirs and successors, according to law. So Help me God"

The name of the Sovereign changes accordingly with the incumbent monarch.

The Governor General is also required to take the "Oath for the due execution of the Office of Our Governor General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Canada, and for the due impartial administration of justice."

[edit] Parliamentarians

Section 128 of the Constitution Act 1867 stipulates that anyone taking their seat in the Canadian House of Commons, or any of the Legislatures of the provinces, must take the following oath:

"I, NAME, do swear, that I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Victoria.

Again, the name of the Sovereign changes accordingly with the incumbent monarch. Failure to take the oath results in the member not being permitted to sit or vote in the House.

In 1905 a provision was made allowing those who do not wish to take the above oath for religious reasons may take the following affirmation:

"I, NAME, do solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm and declare the taking of an oath is according to my religious belief unlawful, and I do also solemnly, sincerely and truly affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second."

[edit] Belarus

The Constitution of Belarus requires the president-elect to recite the following oath before taking office:

"Assuming the office of President of the Republic of Belarus, I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of the Republic of Belarus, to respect and safeguard the rights and liberties of man and citizen, to abide by and protect the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, and to discharge strictly and conscientiously the lofty duties that have been bestowed upon me".[1]

[edit] Brazil

The affirmation required by the Constitution of Brazil to be taken by the president-elect upon entering into office is as follows:

"I promise to preserve, defend and uphold the Constitution, observe the Laws, promote the general welfare of the Brazilian people, and to sustain the union, the integrity and the independence of Brazil."

The vice-president is required to take the same pledge.

The affirmations of office required of members of the National Congress of Brazil are specifyed in the rules of procedure of each house (the Chamber of Deputies and Senate)

The internal rules of the Supreme Federal Court sets out the affirmation that must be taken by justices upon their investiture. Other judges make different affirmations, as provided for by law or in the internal rules of each Court.

The Constitution and laws of the several states and the organic laws of the municipalities also specify affirmations that must be made by the key officers of those entities.

[edit] Fiji

In Fiji, the oath of office for the President of Fiji and Vice-President of Fiji are set out in Chapter 17 of the Constitution of Fiji.

[edit] Finland

[edit] General oath of office

In Finland, the oath of office[1] is sworn by

The oath of office is:

I N.N promise and swear before allmighty and all-knowing God that I will, in the fulfilment of my office, follow the constitution and other laws, acting rightfully and impartially for the sake of the citizens and the society.

Those who do not want to swear the religious oath may give an affirmation. In this case, the words "promise and swear before allmighty and all-knowing God" are replaced by "promise and affirm by my honour and by my conscience".

Policemen and some other persons executing justice make a written affirmation of office instead of an oath. The text of the affirmation is

I N.N promise and affirm by my hounour and by my conscience that I will, in the fulfilment of my office, follow the constitution and other laws, acting rightfully and impartially. I will fulfill my duties carefully and as well as I can. Furthermore, I will not divulge to third parties knowledge which I have gained in my office, and which must be kept secret.

In Finnish practice, the oaths of office are given only once. If the person who has given an oath or affirmation moves to another duty where such oath is required, the oath is not given anew.

[edit] Presidential affirmation of office

The President of Finland gives the following affirmation of office[2]

I, , elected by the people of Finland as the President of the Republic, hereby affirm that in my presidential duties I shall sincerely and conscientiously observe the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, and to the best of my ability promote the wellbeing of the people of Finland.

[edit] Oath of Judge

Finnish judges and justices of all courts are required to give the following oath[3]

I, <insert name>, do promise and swear by God and His Holy Gospels that to the best of my understanding and conscience I wish to and shall in all judgments render justice to poor and rich alike and render judgment in accordance with the laws and lawful rules of God and country: I shall never, under any pretext, pervert the law nor promote injustice because of kinship, relationship, friendship, envy, hatred or fear, or for the sake of gifts or presents or other reasons, nor shall I find an innocent person guilty or a guilty person innocent. Furthermore, I shall not, before pronouncing a judgment or thereafter, reveal to the parties or to anyone else anything about the deliberations that the Court has held behind closed doors. All of this I wish to and shall fulfil faithfully, honestly and as an earnest judge, without deceit and intrigue, so help me God, in body and mind.

Those taking an affirmation do not use the parts involving God.

All Finnish cabinet ministers are required to give both the general oath or affirmation of office and the oath of judge, unless they have given these oaths and affirmations before. Like the general oath of office, the oath of judge is given only once.

[edit] Military oath

All Finnish conscripts are required to give the military oath or affirmation. The oath or affirmation is given in the end of the basic training using the formula:[4]

"I, N. N. promise and affirm before the allmighty and all-knowing God (in affirmation: by my honour and by my conscience) that I am a trustworthy and faithful citizen of the realm of Finland. I want to serve my country honestly and, to my best ability, seek and pursue her edification and advantage. I want everywhere and in every situation, during the peace and during the war, defend the inviolability of my fatherland, her legal system of government and the legal authority of the realm. If I perceive or gain knowledge of activity to overthrow the legal authority or to subvert the system of government of the country, I want to report it to the authorities without delay. The troop to which I belong and my place in it I will not desert in any situation, but so long as I have strength in me, I will completely fulfill the task I have received. I promise to act properly and uprightly, obey my superiors, comply with the laws and decrees and keep the service secrets trusted in me. I want to be fortright and helpful to my fellow servicemen. Never will I due to kinship, friendship, envy, hatred or fear nor because of gifts or any other reason act contrary to my duty in service. If I be given a position of superiority, I want to be rightful to my subordinates, to take care of their wellbeing, acquire information on their wishes, to be their councillor and guide and, for my own self, set them a good and encouraging example. All this I want to fulfil according to my honour and my conscience.

[edit] Germany

The oath of office of the President, Chancellor, and the members of the federal government of Germany is as follows:

I swear (or affirm) that I will dedicate my efforts to the well-being of the German people, promote their welfare, protect them from harm, uphold and defend the Basic Law and the laws of the Federation, perform my duties conscientiously, and do justice to all. So help me God.

The religious affirmation may be omitted. The first chancellor to do this was Gerhard Schröder in 1998.

Each of the 16 Länder (states) has its own oath of office for the Governors and Ministers, also for the state employees.

The oath for soldiers in Germany reads as follows:

I swear (conscripts: vow) to serve loyally the Federal Republic of Germany and to defend bravely the justice and freedom of the German people. So help me God (the religious affirmation is not added for conscripts since the vow is not an actual oath).

Depending on the oath's interpretation, the following translation is also possible:

I swear (conscripts: vow) to serve loyally the Federal Republic of Germany and to defend bravely justice and the freedom of the German people. So help me God (the religious affirmation is not added for conscripts since the vow is not an actual oath).

The oath for federal employees:

I swear to protect the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany and all valid laws within the Federal Republic and to fulfill my duties of the office faithfully, so help me God.
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[edit] Ghana

The oath of office of the President of Ghana is as follows:

I, (name), having been elected to the high office of President of the Republic of Ghana do in the name of the Almighty God swear (or do solemnly affirm) that I will be faithful and true to the Republic of Ghana; that I will at all times preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and that I dedicate myself to the service and well-being of the people of the Republic of Ghana and to do right to all manner of persons.
I further solemnly swear (or solemnly affirm) that should I at any time break this oath of office I shall submit myself to the laws of the Republic of Ghana and suffer the penalty for it.

For members of the Parliament of Ghana, the oath is:

I, (name), having been elected a member of Parliament do in the name of the Almighty God swear (or do solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Ghana as by law established; that I will uphold, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana; and that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge the duties of a member of Parliament.
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[edit] Hong Kong

The oath of office for the Chief Executive is as follows:

I, [Name], swear that, in the office of Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity, and be held accountable to the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The oath of office for the Principal Officials is as follows:

I swear that, in the office of [OFFICE] of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity.

The oath of office for the unofficial members of the Executive Council is as follows:

I swear that, being appointed to the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity.

The oath of office for the members of the Legislative Council is as follows:

I swear that, being a member of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity.

The oath of office of judges is as follows:

I swear that, in the Office of a Judge of the Judiciary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, I will uphold the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, bear allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, serve the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region conscientiously, dutifully, in full accordance with the law, honestly and with integrity, safeguard the law and administer justice without fear or favour, self-interest or deceit.

[2]

[edit] India

The oath of office for the President of India is as follows:

I, [Name] , do swear in the name of God/solemnly affirm that I will faithfully execute the office :of President (or discharge the functions of the President) of Repulic ofIndia and will to the best of my :ability preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law and that I will devote myself to :the service and well-being of the people of Republic of India.

The oath of office for the Vice-President of India is as follows:

I, [Name] , do swear in the name of God/solemnly affirm that I will bear true faith and allegiance :to the Constitution of India as by law established and that I will faithfully discharge the duty :upon which I am about to enter.

Form of oath or affirmation to be made by the Judges of a High Court:

“I, [Name], having been appointed Chief Justice (or a Judge) of the High Court at (or of) ..........do swear (or affirm) that the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, that I will duly and faithfully and to the best of my ability, knowledge and judgment perform the duties of my office without fear or favour, affection or ill-will and that I will uphold the Constitution and the laws.”

[edit] Iran

The oath of office for the President of Iran is as follows:

I, as the President, upon the Holy Qur'an and in the presence of the Iranian nation, do hereby swear in the name of Almighty God to safeguard the official Faith, the system of the Islamic republic and the Constitution of the country; to use all my talents and abilities in the discharge of responsibilities undertaken by me; to devote myself to the service of the people, glory of the country, promotion of religion and morality, support of right and propagation of justice; to refrain from being autocratic; to protect the freedom and dignity of individuals and the rights of the Nation recognized by the Constitution; to spare no efforts in safeguarding the frontiers and the political, economic and cultural freedoms of the country; to guard the power entrusted to me by the Nation as a sacred trust like an honest and faithful trustee, by seeking help from God and following the example of the Prophet of Islam and the sacred Imams, peace be upon them, and to entrust it to the one elected by the Nation after me.

For members of the Majlis of Iran, the oath is:

In the presence of the Holy Qur'an I swear to God Almighty and undertake upon my human dignity to protect the sanctity of Islam and safeguard the achievements of the Islamic Revolution of Iranian people and the essentials of the Islamic Republic, to uphold the trust placed in us by the Nation as a just trustee, to observe piety and honesty in the discharge of my functions as a representative of the people, to remain always faithful and true to the independence and dignity of the country, protection of rights of the Nation and service to people, to defend the Constitution, and to uphold the independence of the country and the freedom and interests of the people in words, writings and comments.

According to the Iranian Constitution, MPs belonging to religious minorities may swear by the holy books of their respective faiths.

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[edit] Italy

The oath of office of the President of Italian Republic is:

Giuro di essere fedele alla Repubblica e di osservarne lealmente la Costituzione.
Italian for "I swear to be faithful to the Republic and to loyally observe its Constitution."

[edit] Lebanon

In Lebanon, the president must take the following oath before the Parliament: I swear by Almighty God to observe the Constitution and the Laws of the Lebanese Nation and to maintain the independence of Lebanon and its territorial integrity.

[edit] Mexico

Article 87 of the Mexican Constitution provides that the incoming president of Mexico should raises his/her right arm up to shoulder-level before the Congress of Mexico and say the following oath of office:

Prometo guardar y hacer guardar la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos y las leyes que de ella emanen, y desempeñar leal y patrióticamente el cargo de Presidente de la República que el pueblo me ha conferido, mirando en todo por el bien y prosperidad de la Unión; y si así no lo hiciere que la Nación me lo demande.
Spanish for I promise to make and to keep the political constitution of the United Mexican States and the laws that came from it,and with loyalty and patriotism the position of the Republic that the the public has givin me, looking above all for the good and the prosperity of the Union; and if i dont do it as such that the nation should demand it from me.

Afterwards, the outgoing President passes him the Mexican flag (the Banda Presidential), which is worn from his/her left shoulder to his/her right rib, to the new President.

[edit] Netherlands

[edit] King

The oath of office for the monarch of the Netherlands, which in accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution is to be declared as soon as possible after the King or Queen takes office in a public united meeting of the States-General in the capital of Amsterdam, is as follows:

I swear (affirm) to the peoples of the Kingdom that I will always observe and uphold the Statute for the Kingdom and the Constitution.
I swear (affirm) that I will defend and preserve, with all My power, the independence and territory of the Kingdom; that I will protect the freedom and the rights of all Dutchmen and all residents, and will employ for the maintenance and promotion of the welfare, all the means which the laws place at My disposal, as a good and true King should do.
So help me, God Almighty!
(This I affirm!)

After this declaration the chairman of the States-General, in the name of the States-General, the States of the Netherlands Antilles and the States of Aruba, pronounces the following solemn declaration:

We receive you and do homage to you as King in the name of the peoples of the Kingdom and by virtue of the Statute for the Kingdom and the Constitution; we swear (affirm) that we will uphold your inviolability and the rights of your crown.
We swear (affirm) that we will do everything that good and true States-General, States of the Netherlands Antilles and States of Aruba should do.
So help us, God Almighty!
(This we affirm!)

The declaration shall then be sworn or confirmed by each of the members individually.

[edit] Ministers, state secretaries and members of Parliament

The oath of office for ministers and state secretaries, which shall be administered by the King, and for members of Parliament is as follows:

I swear (declare) that in order to be appointed minister / state secretary / member of the States-General, I have not promised or given, directly or indirectly, any gifts or presents to any person under whatsoever name or pretext.
I swear (declare and affirm) that in order to do or refrain from doing anything whatsoever in this office, I have not accepted and will not accept, directly or indirectly, any promises or presents from anyone whomsoever.
I swear (affirm) allegiance to the King, to the Statute for the Kingdom and to the Constitution.
I swear (affirm) that I will faithfully perform all the duties which the office lays upon me.
So help me, God Almighty!
(This I declare and affirm!)

[edit] Civil servants

The oath of office for civil servants is as follows:

I swear/affirm allegiance to the King and that I will recpect the Constitution and all other laws of our country;
I swear/declare that in relation to my appointment, I have not provided, directly or indirectly, any false information whatsoever;
I swear/declare that in relation to my appointment, I have not given or promised and will not give or promise anything to any person whatsoever;
I swear/declare that in relation to my appointment, I have not accepted or promised and will not accept or promise any gifts or presents whatsoever;
I swear/affirm that I will faithfully perform all the duties which the office lays upon me and that I keep secret everything which, in relation to my office, is told me confidentially or in which I should see the confidential character, to others than whom I obliged to inform by virtue of my office;
I swear/affirm that I will behave as a good civil servant should do, that I will be careful, honest and reliable and that I will do nothing that harms the prestige of the office.
So help me God Almighty! / This I declare and affirm!

[edit] Norway

As soon as the King, being of age, accedes to the Government, he shall take the following oath before the Storting:

"I promise and swear that I will govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its Constitution and Laws; so help me God, the Almighty and Omniscient."

If the Storting is not in session at the time, the oath shall be made in writing in the Council of State and be repeated solemnly by the King at the first subsequent Storting.

[edit] Philippines

The oath of office of the President of the Philippines is as follows:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God. (The last sentence is to be omitted if making an affirmation.)
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[edit] Poland

[edit] President

Obejmując z woli Narodu urząd Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, uroczyście przysięgam, że dochowam wierności postanowieniom Konstytucji, będę strzegł niezłomnie godności Narodu, niepodległości i bezpieczeństwa Państwa, a dobro Ojczyzny oraz pomyślność obywateli będą dla mnie zawsze najwyższym nakazem.[5]
Polish for Assuming, by the will of the Nation, the office of President of the Republic of Poland, I do solemnly swear to be faithful to the provisions of the Constitution; I pledge that I shall steadfastly safeguard the dignity of the Nation, the independence and security of the State, and also that the good of the Homeland and the prosperity of its citizens shall forever remain my supreme obligation.

"So help me God" (Tak mi dopomóż Bóg) formule at the end is optional.

[edit] Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister

Assuming this office of Prime Minister (Deputy Prime Minister, minister) I do solemnly swear to be faithful to the provisions of the Constitution and other laws of the Republic of Poland, and that the good of the Homeland and the prosperity of its citizens shall forever remain my supreme obligation.
Obejmując urząd Prezesa Rady Ministrów (wiceprezesa Rady Ministrów, ministra), uroczyście przysięgam, że dochowam wierności postanowieniom Konstytucji i innym prawom Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, a dobro Ojczyzny oraz pomyślność obywateli będą dla mnie zawsze najwyższym nakazem.[6]

"So help me God" (Tak mi dopomóż Bóg) formule at the end is optional.

[edit] Sejm Members and Senators

I do solemnly swear to perform my duties to the Nation diligently and conscientiously, to safeguard the sovereignty and interests of the State, to do all within my power for the prosperity of the Homeland and the well-being of its citizens, and to observe the Constitution and other laws of the Republic of Poland.
Uroczyście ślubuję rzetelnie i sumiennie wykonywać obowiązki wobec Narodu, strzec suwerenności i interesów Państwa, czynić wszystko dla pomyślności Ojczyzny i dobra obywateli, przestrzegać Konstytucji i innych praw Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej.[7]

"So help me God" (Tak mi dopomóż Bóg) formule at the end is optional.

[edit] Portugal

The Constitution of Portugal requires that the following oath be taken by the President-elect upon entering into office:

I swear by my honour faithfully to discharge the functions in which I become invested and to defend, uphold, and see to it that the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic be upheld

[edit] Russia

The oath of office of the President of Russia is prescribed in the Constitution of Russia, in Chapter 4 (The President of the Russian Federation), Article 82:

1. When taking office the President of the Russian Federation shall take the following oath of loyalty to the people:
"I swear in exercising the powers of the President of the Russian Federation to respect and safeguard the rights and freedoms of man and citizen, to observe and protect the Constitution of the Russian Federation, to protect the sovereignty and independence, security and integrity of the State, to faithfully serve the people."
2. The oath shall be taken in a solemn atmosphere in the presence of members of the Council of the Federation, deputies of the State Duma and judges of the Constitution Court of the Russian Federation.[8]

[edit] Singapore

The oath of office of the President of Singapore is as follows:

I, (name), having been elected President of the Republic of Singapore, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as such to the best of my ability without fear or favor, affection or ill-will, and without regard to any previous affiliation with any political party, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic, and that I will preserve, protect, and defend its Constitution.

For members of the Parliament of Singapore, it is:

I, (name), having been elected as a Member of the Parliament of Singapore, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully discharge my duties as such to the best of my ability, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Republic of Singapore, and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.
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[edit] South Africa

The oath of office of the President of South Africa is as follows:

In the presence of those assembled here and in full realisation of the high calling I assume as President in the service of the Republic of South Africa I, (name), do hereby swear (or solemnly affirm) to be faithful to the Republic of South Africa, and do solemnly and sincerely promise at all times to promote that which will advance and to oppose all that may harm the Republic; to obey, observe, uphold and maintain the Constitution and all other Law of the Republic; to discharge my duties with all my strength and talents to the best of my knowledge and ability and true to the dictates of my conscience; to do justice to all; and to devote myself to the well-being of the Republic and all its people. (So help me God)

For members of the Parliament of South Africa, the oath is:

I, (name), do hereby swear (or solemnly affirm) to be faithful to the Republic of South Africa and solemnly promise to perform my functions as a member of the National Assembly/National Council of Provinces to the best of my ability. (So help me God)
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[edit] Spain

The Spanish Constitution requires the King to take the following oath as soon as practicable after ascending to the Throne and before performing any other official duty:

Juramento de desempeñar fielmente sus funciones, guardar y hacer guardar la Constitución y las leyes y respetar los derechos de los ciudadanos y de las Comunidades Autónomas.
Spanish for I swear faithfully to discharge My functions, to sustain and see to it that the Constitution and the Laws are sustained, and to respect the rights of the citizens and of the autonomous communities.

The heir to the Crown, upon becoming of age, and any Regents, upon taking office, are required by the Constitution to take the same oath, adding to it a vow of allegiance to the King.

[edit] United States

Further information: Oath of office of the President of the United States

In the United States, the oath of office for the President of the United States is specified in the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 1):

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

The oath may be sworn or affirmed. Although not present in the text of the Constitution, it has become a standard practice for modern presidents to add "so help me God" at the end of the oath.

The Constitution specifies in Article VI, clause 3:

"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several state legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."

For other officials, including members of Congress, it specifies they "shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation to support this constitution." At the start of each new U.S. Congress, in January of every odd-numbered year, those newly elected or re-elected Congressmen - the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate - must recite an oath:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.[9]

This oath is also taken by the Vice President, members of the Cabinet, and all other civil and military officers and federal employees other than the President. While the oath-taking dates back to the First Congress in 1789, the current oath is a product of the 1860s, drafted by Civil War-era members of Congress intent on ensnaring traitors.

In 1789, the First United States Congress had reworked the constitutional requirement into a simple fourteen-word oath: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States." It also passed the Judiciary Act of 1789, which established an additional oath taken by Supreme Court justices and district court judges:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent on me, according to the best of my abilities and understanding, agreeably to the Constitution, and laws of the United States. So help me God.

The outbreak of the Civil War quickly transformed the routine act of oath-taking into one of enormous significance. In April of 1861, a time of uncertain and shifting loyalties, President Abraham Lincoln ordered all federal civilian employees within the executive branch to take an expanded oath. When Congress convened for a brief emergency session in July, members echoed the president's action by enacting legislation requiring employees to take the expanded oath in support of the Union. This oath is the earliest direct predecessor of the modern version of the oath.

When Congress returned for its regular session in December 1861, members who believed that the Union had as much to fear from northern traitors as southern soldiers again revised the oath, adding a new first section known as the "Ironclad Test Oath." The war-inspired Test Oath, signed into law on July 2, 1862, required "every person elected or appointed to any office ... under the Government of the United States ... excepting the President of the United States" to swear or affirm that they had never previously engaged in criminal or disloyal conduct. Those government employees who failed to take the 1862 Test Oath would not receive a salary; those who swore falsely would be prosecuted for perjury and forever denied federal employment.

The 1862 oath's second section incorporated a different rendering of the hastily drafted 1861 oath. Although Congress did not extend coverage of the Ironclad Test Oath to its own members, many took it voluntarily. Angered by those who refused this symbolic act during a wartime crisis, and determined to prevent the eventual return of prewar southern leaders to positions of power in the national government, congressional hard-liners eventually succeeded by 1864 in making the Test Oath mandatory for all members.

The Senate then revised its rules to require that members not only take the Test Oath orally, but also that they "subscribe" to it by signing a printed copy. This condition reflected a wartime practice in which military and civilian authorities required anyone wishing to do business with the federal government to sign a copy of the Test Oath. The current practice of newly sworn senators signing individual pages in an oath book dates from this period.

As tensions cooled during the decade following the Civil War, Congress enacted private legislation permitting particular former Confederates to take only the second section of the 1862 oath. An 1868 public law prescribed this alternative oath for "any person who has participated in the late rebellion, and from whom all legal disabilities arising therefrom have been removed by act of Congress." Northerners immediately pointed to the new law's unfair double standard that required loyal Unionists to take the Test Oath's harsh first section while permitting ex-Confederates to ignore it. In 1884, a new generation of lawmakers quietly repealed the first section of the Test Oath, leaving intact the current affirmation of constitutional allegiance.

The oaths of state and local officials are largely patterned on these. Typical would be the oath taken by all New York government officials:

I solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of New York, (and the Charter of the City of New York, e.g.), and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of (mayor of the City of New York, e.g.) to the best of my ability. (So help me God is traditionally added.)

[edit] Federal judicial oaths

In the United States, federal judges are required to take not just one, but two oaths. The first oath is this:[10]

I, XXX XXX, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as XXX under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God.

The second oath that federal judges must take is this:[11]:

I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Federal statute specifically says that the latter oath "does not affect other oaths required by law."[11]

[edit] Religious bodies - Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church requires all of its clergy before ordination and most of those promoted to positions of authority to make a "Profession of Faith," as below. It is very similar to the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed (referred to as the Symbol of Faith).

I, N., with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the Symbol of Faith: namely:
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the Word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgement or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.
I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.
Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.

Further, all of those promoted to positions of authority (vicars general, judicial vicars, episcopal vicars, pastors of parishes and superiors within religious orders) or with teaching responsibilities (rectors of seminaries, professors at seminaries, heads or Catholic universities or professors on the faculties of Catholic colleges and universities who teach subjects involving religion), and all those ordained deacons (and therefore all those who will also later be ordained priests) to take the following "Oath of Fidelity"

I, N., in assuming the office of __________, promise that in my words and in my actions I shall always preserve communion with the Catholic Church.
With great care and fidelity I shall carry out the duties incumbent on me toward the Church, both universal and particular, in which, according to the provisions of the law, I have been called to exercise my service.
In fulfilling the charge entrusted to me in the name of the Church, I shall hold fast to the deposit of faith in its entirety; I shall faithfully hand it on and explain it, and I shall avoid any teachings contrary to it.
I shall follow and foster the common discipline of the entire Church and I shall maintain the observance of all ecclesiastical laws, especially those contained in the Code of Canon Law.
With Christian obedience I shall follow what the Bishops, as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith, declare, or what they, as those who govern the Church, establish.
I shall also faithfully assist the diocesan Bishops, so that the apostolic activity, exercised in the name and by mandate of the Church, may be carried out in communion with the Church.
So help me God, and God's Holy Gospels on which I place my hand.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ The part concerning the oath of office follows the decree on oath and affirmation of office and oath and affirmation of judge. ([Asetus virkavalasta ja virkavakuutuksesta sekä tuomarinvalasta ja tuomarinvakuutuksesta 23.12.1987/1183 Asetus virkavalasta ja virkavakuutuksesta sekä tuomarinvalasta ja tuomarinvakuutuksesta 1183/1987]). Retrieved 1-9-2008. (Finnish)
  2. ^ Finnish constitution. Section 56. Retrieved 1-9-2008.
  3. ^ Code of judicial procedure (4/1734), 1st Chapter, section 7. Retrieved 1-9-2008
  4. ^ Decree on conscription (Valtioneuvoston asetus asevelvollisuudesta (1443/2007). Retrieved 2008-01-09. (Finnish)
  5. ^ [http://www.sejm.gov.pl/prawo/konst/angielski/konse.htm#5 The Constitution of the Republic of Poland
  6. ^ Konstytucja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
  7. ^ The Constitution of the Republic of Poland
  8. ^ Chapter 4. The President of the Russian Federation | The Constitution of the Russian Federation
  9. ^ Oath of offie in the US : Title 5,3331. Oath of office
  10. ^ 28 USC 453.
  11. ^ a b 5 USC 3331.