Council of the United Federation of Planets

The Council of the United Federation of Planets was the Federation's principle governing and legislative body.

Councillors were selected by their various Federation member worlds, each according to the method of selection chosen by that member world. Federation members did not have to use representative democracy to select their Councillors, though it was the most common form and each member world still had to rely on the consent of the governed for their representatives to be accepted as Councillors.

Once selected, Councillors then chose amongst themselves which Councillors served on which sub-councils. Those councillors then appointed people to serve in the various council committees and sub-committees, usually appointing the leading figures in that particular area of expertise.

It was composed of eight sub-councils, which were themselves further divided into council committees and council sub-committees, though each of these divisions were generally still referred to as a council, just with the appropriate sub-division replacing the general 'Federation' term.

Individual sub-councils could draft and enact policy and laws related to their area of governance with a majority vote within that sub-council but without the need for a vote of the entire Federation Council. However, a law or policy could be challenged and overturned by a vote of the full Federation Council.

''In an alternate timeline in the year 2375, the Health Council, a part of the Services Council, passed a plan in a closed session to forcibly relocate the people of the planet Ba'ku, in order to harvest the planet's unique anti-aging properties. When the scheme was uncovered by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E), it was quickly overturned by a vote of the Federation Council at large, with several members of the Health and Services Councils forced to resign for their role in the scandal.''

When a policy or law was expected to fall within the jurisdiction of multiple sub-councils and committees, the policy would require a vote from each of the relevant councils and committees. In cases where jurisdiction was disputed, the Oversight Council adjudicated the issue and had final say over which councils had jurisdiction.

Because of its broad role and dual directives of exploration and defense, Starfleet did not fall under the jurisdiction of any single council or committee. Instead, each council had authority over Starfleet activities relevant to their area of governance, with the ultimate decision making authority for Starfleet resting with the Starfleet Commander in Chief. In times of war or other cases where security concerns were paramount, the President of the Federation would assume authority over Starfleet, with Councillors required to defer their own orders and wishes through the office of the President.

In reality, this had the effect of rendering the Starfleet Commander in Chief's job as one of mollifying politicians who each feel their particular issue is the most important in the galaxy. In times of war and other national security emergencies, the Federation President becomes an extra layer of defense between the chorus of politicians and bureaucrats in the Federation Council and more direct operational chain of command present within Starfleet.

Sub-councils:
 * Diplomatic Council
 * Security Council
 * Interior Council
 * Services Council
 * Economics Council
 * Judicial Council
 * Science Council
 * Oversight Council