An oath of office is an oath or

affirmation Affirmation or affirm may refer to: Logic * Affirmation, a declaration that something is true * In logic, the union of the subject and predicate of a proposition Law * Affirmation (law), a declaration made by and allowed to those who conscienti ...

a person takes before assuming the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a

religious body Religious activities generally need some infrastructure to be conducted. For this reason, there generally exist religion-supporting organizations, which are some form of organization that manages: * the upkeep of places of worship, such as ...

, 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 Powers may refer to: Arts and media * ''Powers'' (comics), a comic book series by Brian Michael Bendis and Michael Avon Oeming ** ''Powers'' (American TV series), a 2015–2016 series based on the comics * ''Powers'' (British TV series), a 200 ...

of the office or organization. It may be administered at an

inauguration In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugu ...

, 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 A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin '' caerimonia''. Church and civil (secular) ...

. Some oaths of office are statements of allegiance and loyalty to a constitution or other legal text or to a person or office-holder (e.g., an oath to support the constitution of the state, or of loyalty to the king or queen) (see

Oath of allegiance An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges a duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to a monarch or a country. In modern republics, oaths are sworn to the country in general, or to the country's constitution. For ...

). Under the laws of a state, it may be considered treason or a high crime to betray a sworn oath of office. The word "oath" and the phrase "I swear" refer to a solemn vow. For those who choose not to, the alternative terms "solemn promise" or "solemnly affirm" and "I promise" or "I affirm" are sometimes used.

Antigua and Barbuda

The Governor-General of

Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda (, ) is a sovereign country in the West Indies. It lies at the juncture of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean in the Leeward Islands part of the Lesser Antilles, at 17°N latitude. The country consists of two maj ...

, before entering into his duties, must make an oath of allegiance and oath of office in the form specified in the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda; the same is required of the Prime Minister, other Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, but they also take the oath of secrecy. Members of the Public Service Commission for Antigua and Barbuda take the oath of allegiance and oath of office, while members of both Houses of Parliament are only required to make the oath of allegiance prior to participating in their respective House (save for the oath-taking itself). Any of these oaths may be taken as an affirmation; when doing so "So help me God" is omitted. The oath of allegiance is set forth as follows: I, ___________, do swear (or solemnly affirm) that I will faithfully bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles the Third, His Heirs and Successors, according to law. So help me God. The oath of office is set forth as follows: I, ___________, do swear (or solemnly affirm) that I will honour, uphold and preserve the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda and the law, that I will conscientiously, impartially and to the best of my ability discharge my duties as and do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. So help me God. The oath of secrecy is set forth as follows: I, ___________, do swear (or solemnly affirm) that I will not on any account, at any time whatsoever, disclose any counsel, advice, opinion or vote given by any Minister as a member of the Cabinet and that I will not, except with the authority of the Cabinet and to such extent as may be required for the proper conduct of the government of Antigua and Barbuda, directly or indirectly reveal the business or proceedings of the Cabinet or any matter coming to my knowledge as a member of (or Secretary to) the Cabinet. So help me God.

Australia

All members of the Australian Parliament are required to take before taking their seat in Parliament an Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance before the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.Australian Constitution The Constitution of Australia (or Australian Constitution) is a constitutional document that is supreme law in Australia. It establishes Australia as a federation under a constitutional monarchy and outlines the structure and powers of the ...

and the wording of the oath and affirmation are set out in a schedule to the Constitution. The oath is: The affirmation is: Upon taking office, the

Governor-General of Australia The governor-general of Australia is the representative of the monarch, currently King Charles III, in Australia.President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, Ministers take their oath of office. The oath is taken in the Bengali.

President

The oath (or affirmation) of the President is administered by the Speaker:

Prime Ministers and other Ministers

The oath of office for the Prime Minister and other members of the cabinet is administered by the President:

Speaker

The Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad, takes the oath of his or her office as well as the presidential oath, since the acts of president is practiced by the Speaker, whenever necessary:

Chief Justice

The oath of office for the Chief Justice is administered by the President whereas the oath of office for other Judges is administered by the Chief Justice:

Others

The Election Commissioners, members of the

Public Service Commission Public Service Commission may refer to: * Public utilities commission ** Alabama Public Service Commission ** Public Service Commission (Indiana) ** Public Service Commission of Utah ** Public Utilities Commission of Ohio ** Public Utilities Com ...

and the Comtroller and Auditor General takes a likely oath of office from the Chief Justice. The representatives of the people in the local government takes oath from the Prime Minister or the minister in charge of the Local Government Division.

Belarus

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

Belgium

King

In Belgium, the King is not crowned but swears the constitutional oath in front of both Chambers of the federal parliament in the

Palace of the Nation The Federal Parliament is the bicameral parliament of Belgium. It consists of the Chamber of Representatives (Dutch: , french: Chambre des Représentants, german: Abgeordnetenkammer) and the Senate (Dutch: , french: Sénat, german: Senat). It s ...

in Brussels in the three official languages: In English: I swear that I will observe the constitution and laws of the Belgian people, preserve the country's independence and protect its territorial integrity. (Article 91 of the Belgian Constitution)

Prime minister, ministers and state secretaries

The prime minister, the ministers and state secretaries of the Belgian federal government swear an oath in front of the Belgian King. Also the minister-presidents of the Flemish government, of the Walloon government, of the government of the French community, of the government of the German-speaking community and of the Brussels-Capital region government swear the oath at the King. The other members of these governments do not take the oath at the King, but in front of their respective parliaments. They may choose to take the oath in one or more of the country's languages. In English: I swear fidelity to the King, obedience to the constitution and to the law of the Belgian people.

Members of the Parliaments

The members of the Chambers of Representatives, the Senate, the

Flemish Parliament The Flemish Parliament (Dutch: , formerly called Flemish Council or ''Vlaamse Raad'') constitutes the legislative power in Flanders for matters which fall within the competence of Flanders, both as a geographic region and as a cultural communi ...

, the Walloon Parliament, the

Parliament of the French Community The Parliament of the French Community (french: Parlement de la Communauté française or PCF) is the legislative assembly of the French Community of Belgium based in the Quartier Royal. It consists of all 75 members of the Walloon Parliament exce ...

, the Parliament of the German-speaking Community and the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region have to swear the following oath: In English: I swear obedience to the constitution.

Public servants

All public servants in judiciary and administration, officers of the civil guards and the army and servants in general of any public office have to swear the same oath as ministers.

Mayors and members of municipal executive and city council

Flemish mayors and the members of municipal executive and the city council in Flanders have following oath: "Ik zweer de verplichtingen van mijn mandaat trouw na te komen" (I swear to fulfill the duties of my office faithfully). In Walloon the following version is used: "Je jure fidélité au Roi, obéissance à la Constitution et aux lois du peuple belge."

Brazil

The affirmation required by the

Constitution of Brazil The Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( pt, Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil) is the supreme law of Brazil. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of Brazil and the feder ...

to be taken by the president-elect upon entering into office is as follows: In Portuguese: In English The vice-president is required to take the same pledge. The affirmations of office required of members of the National Congress of Brazil are specified in the rules of procedure of each

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

(the

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...

and

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

) The Oath taken by the senators (In Portuguese): In English: The internal rules of the

Supreme Federal Court The Supreme Federal Court ( pt, Supremo Tribunal Federal, , abbreviated STF) is the supreme court (court of last resort) of Brazil, serving primarily as the Constitutional Court of the country. It is the highest court of law in Brazil for consti ...

set 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.

Brunei

In Brunei, it is known as Oath or Declaration of Allegiance which any person in the public services may require to take if His Majesty the King and the Head of Government (Yang Di-Pertuan Negara) wishes.

Bulgaria

The members of the

Bulgarian parliament The National Assembly ( bg, Народно събрание, Narodno sabranie) is the unicameral parliament and legislative body of the Republic of Bulgaria. The National Assembly was established in 1879 with the Tarnovo Constitution. Ordina ...

, the prime minister, government ministers, the president and vice president have to swear the following oath before entering office: In English, "I swear in the name of the Republic of Bulgaria to observe the Constitution and the laws of the country and in all my actions to be guided by the interests of the people. I have sworn." The oath is dictated by the chairman of the National assembly and the ceremony is held in the National assembly building. When the president or the prime minister (and cabinet ministers) swears the oath, the Constitution is also on display near the speaking tribune.

Canada

No formal oath is required to be taken by the monarch.

Governor general

The Governor General of Canada is 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", which includes swearing allegiance to the reigning Canadian monarch the viceroy is to represent. This oath must be administered by the Chief Justice of the

Supreme Court of Canada The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC; french: Cour suprême du Canada, CSC) is the Supreme court, highest court in the Court system of Canada, judicial system of Canada. It comprises List of Justices of the Supreme Court of Canada, nine justices, wh ...

or a puisne justice and, though not demanded, this is usually done during a swearing-in ceremony in the

Canadian Senate The Senate of Canada (french: region=CA, Sénat du Canada) is the upper house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the House of Commons, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The Senate is modelled after the B ...

chamber.

Ministers

All Ministers of the Crown, including the Prime Minister of Canada, must be sworn members of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada before taking office. The Clerk of the Privy Council administers the necessary oaths at Rideau Hall in the presence of the Governor General. The first oath taken is always the Oath of Allegiance: The Oath of Allegiance is followed by the Privy Council Oath: Privy Councillors who are Ministers-designate, including the Prime Minister-designate, become Ministers by taking the Oath of Office, which is administered by the Clerk of the Privy Council at Rideau Hall: Ministers who choose to take the oath as an affirmation use ''declare'' instead of ''swear'' and omit ''so help me God''. After leaving Cabinet, former Ministers typically remain Privy Councillors for life, and as such retain the privilege of styling themselves "The Honourable" (or "The Right Honourable," in the case of the Prime Minister), and may use the post-nominals "P.C."

China

Mainland China

On July 1, 2015, the 15th Meeting of the 12th Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the Decision of the National People's Congress Standing Committee Regarding the Implementation of a Constitutional Oath System, with an effective date of January 1, 2016. The Decision requires state civil servants elected or appointed by the National People's Congress, its Standing Committee, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and other central government organs, as well as equivalent local government organs at or above the county level, to publicly swear an oath to the constitution upon formally taking office. As prescribed by the decision, the oath is as follows (as amended in 2018): Unofficial English translation:

Hong Kong

The oath of office for the Chief Executive is as follows: The oath of office for the Principal Officials is as follows: The oath of office for the unofficial members of the

Executive Council Executive Council may refer to: Government * Executive Council (Commonwealth countries), a constitutional organ that exercises executive power and advises the governor * Executive Council of Bern, the government of the Swiss canton of Bern * Ex ...

is as follows: The oath of office for the members of the Legislative Council is as follows: The oath of office of judges is as follows: During the colonial era, the Governors of Hong Kong were required by

Hong Kong Royal Instructions The expression 'Hong Kong Royal Instructions' is most commonly used to refer to the Hong Kong Royal Instructions 1917, one of the principal constitutional documents of British Hong Kong (others being the Hong Kong Letters Patent 1917, the Hong Kon ...

and Hong Kong Letters Patent to take the Oath of Allegiance, the Official Oath and the Judicial Oath of the United Kingdom before assuming the office.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

, the oath of office is administered to the President-elect on Inauguration Day, and to all other public officials on the day of the undertaking of their duties. The oath of office for the President of Costa Rica is administered to him, or her, by the President of the

Asamblea Legislativa de Costa Rica The Legislative Assembly ( es, Asamblea Legislativa) forms the unicameral legislative branch of the Costa Rican government. The national congress building is located in the capital city, San José, specifically in Carmen district of the San J ...

. It is established in the Political Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica (Article 194):

Croatia

Before assuming duty, the President-elect of the Republic takes oath of office before the judges of the Constitutional Court swearing loyalty to the Constitution:

Egypt

Before assuming duty, the President-elect of the Republic and the ministers takes oath of office :

Fiji

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

, 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.

Finland

General oath of office.

In Finland, the oath of office is sworn byAsetus virkavalasta ja virkavakuutuksesta sekä tuomarinvalasta ja tuomarinvakuutuksesta 23.12.1987/1183 Asetus virkavalasta ja virkavakuutuksesta sekä tuomarinvalasta ja tuomarinvakuutuksesta 1183/1987
. Retrieved 2016-04-10. *The Chancellor of Justice and the Assistant Chancellor of Justice *The chief of staff ( fi, kansliapäällikkö) of the office of the

President of Finland The president of the Republic of Finland ( fi, Suomen tasavallan presidentti; sv, Republiken Finlands president) is the head of state of Finland. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the Finnish Government and the p ...

, *the following officials of the Finnish Government, the office of the Chancellor of Justice or of any government ministry: **heads of office ( fi, kansliapäällikkö) ** the secretaries and under-secretaries of state ( fi, valtiosihteeri, alivaltiosihteeri) **heads of section ( fi, osastopäällikkö) *heads of central agencies * provincial governors *heads of diplomatic or consular missions *all career military personnel of Finnish Defence Forces and the Finnish Border Guard * prison governors The oath of office is: Those who do not want to swear the religious oath may give an affirmation. In this case, the words "promise and swear before almighty and all-knowing God" are replaced by "promise and affirm by my honor 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 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.

Presidential affirmation of office

The President of Finland gives the following affirmation of office:

Oath of judges

Finnish judges and justices of all courts are required to give the following oath: 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.

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:

Germany

The oath of office of the Federal President, Federal Chancellor, and other federal ministers in Germany is as follows: The religious affirmation may be omitted. The first chancellor to do this was Gerhard Schröder in 1998, the second was

Olaf Scholz Olaf Scholz (; born ) is a German politician who has served as the chancellor of Germany since 8 December 2021. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, Social Democratic Party (SPD), he previously served as Vice Chancellor of German ...

in 2021. Each of the 16

Länder Länder (singular Land) or Bundesländer (singular Bundesland) is the name for (federal) states in two German-speaking countries. It may more specifically refer to: * States of Austria, the nine federal subdivisions of Austria * States of Germany, ...

(states) has its own oath of office for the Minister Presidents and other ministers, also for the Länder employees. The oath for soldiers in Germany reads as follows: Depending on the oath's interpretation, the following translation is also possible: In both of the above, conscripts say "vow" instead of "swear", and the religious affirmation is not added for conscripts since the vow is not an actual oath. The oath for federal ''

Beamte The German civil servants called ' (men, singular ', more commonly ') or ' (women, singular ') have a privileged legal status compared to other German public employees (called '), who are generally subject to the same laws and regulations as emp ...

'':

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.

The oath for federal judges according to § 38 DRiG is as follows: (State (Länder) judges may have to add a commitment to the state constitution (Landesverfassung) to their oath)

I swear to exercise judicial office in conformity with the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany and with the law, to adjudicate to the best of my knowledge and belief, without distinction of person, and to serve the cause of truth and justice alone – so help me God.

Ghana

The oath of office of the President of Ghana is as follows: For members of the Parliament of Ghana, the oath is:

Greece

Article 59 of the Constitution of Greece states that members of parliament must take the following oath: Article 33 of the Constitution of Greece states that the President of the Hellenic Republic must take the following oath:

Guatemala

Article 181 of the Guatemalan Constitution provides that the incoming president of Guatemala should raises his or her right arm up to shoulder-level before the President of the Congress of Guatemala and say the following oath of office in Spanish: Afterwards, the outgoing President passes him the Guatemalan flag (the Banda Presidential), which is worn from the left shoulder to the right rib, to the new president along with the presidential pin and with the Constitutional Collar.

India

President of India

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

Vice President of India

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

Prime Minister of India and the Union Ministers of India

The oath of office for

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...

and other members of the Union Council of Ministers: The oath of office is as follows: The oath of secrecy is as follows:

Chief Justice of India and Judges of the Supreme Court of India

The oath of office for

Chief Justice of India The chief justice of India (IAST: ) is the chief judge of the Supreme Court of India as well as the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Judiciary. The Constitution of India grants power to the president of India to appoint, in consultation w ...

and the judges of

Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme judicial authority of India and is the highest court of the Republic of India under the constitution. It is the most senior constitutional court, has the final decision in all legal matters ...

is as follows:

Indonesia

President and Vice President

Based on Article 9 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia about the Oath of Office and Promise of the President and Vice President: Before assuming office, the President and the Vice-President shall take the oath of office according to their religions, or solemnly promise before the

People's Consultative Assembly The People's Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, MPR-RI) is the legislative branch in Politics of Indonesia, Indonesia's political system. It is composed of the membe ...

(MPR) or the

People's Representative Council The People's Representative Council of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia, DPR-RI), also known as the House of Representatives, is one of two elected chambers of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), ...

(DPR) session as follows: The President's/Vice-President's Oath of Office (for Muslims): The President's/Vice-President's Promise: In case any sessions can not be held, like one in 1998 when the protesters took control of the parliament building, the oath can be performed before the MPR chairperson and vice chairpersons, as well as the Chief Justice and his/her deputies with presence of the chairperson of every chambers.

Cabinet members and Presidential Work Units (UKP)

In the past, between the pronunciation of God according to each religions and "so help me God" expression, the oath was as follows (note that before the second and third sentence, they will be started with "I swear", regardless of the religions): To refer the god for Hindus, the oath used to use sentence "In the name of Sang Hyang Widhi", and later "Om Swastiastu". There was also a time when Protestant and Catholic ministers said "I swear" instead of promise at the beginning of the oath, only refer God in the last sentence. The verses "to seek the welfare" was removed since it reflected the dictatorial New Order era.

Armed Forces/Police oath of commissioning/enlistment

For officers: For enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces and new cadets to the military academies and the Army Officer Candidate School:

Iran

Hassan Rouhani's second term inauguration 02

The oath of office for the President of Iran is as follows: For members of the Majlis of Iran, the oath is as follows: According to the Iranian Constitution, MPs belonging to

religious minorities A minority religion is a religion held by a minority of the population of a country, state, or region. Minority religions may be subject to stigma or discrimination. An example of a stigma is using the term cult with its extremely negative co ...

may swear by the holy books of their respective faiths.

Oath of Judge

Iranian judges of all courts are required to give the following oath:

Ireland

The Constitution of Ireland specifies, for each of three offices, a "declaration" which the holder must "make and subscribe" before taking office.Constitution of Ireland
, Articles 12.8, 31.4, 34.5.1° The declarations' references to God were criticised in a 1993 report of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. The 1996 Constitution Review Group proposed that the President and members of the Council of State should be permitted to substitute a non-religious affirmation. In contrast, it recommended a uniform non-religious oath for all judges, on the basis that impartiality was more central to the judicial function and would be compromised by providing a choice of words. The "solemn declaration" for members of the

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gover ...

was revised in 2005. Its reference to God may be omitted. Members pledge not to "belong to or subscribe to, any political party or

secret society A secret society is a club or an organization whose activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence a ...

whatsoever". In the Defence Forces, the "Oath or Declaration" differs between permanent and reserve forces, and between commissioned officers and enlisted members. The wording makes no reference to God; it was changed in 1979 when women were first admitted. Members of the

Oireachtas The Oireachtas (, ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the Bicameralism, bicameral parliament of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of: *The President of Ireland *The bicameralism, two houses of the Oireachtas ...

and of the Government do not make any oath. From the foundation of the Irish Free State in 1922, both had to make an oath of allegiance to

the Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

and of fidelity to King George V. This controversial provision of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty contributed to the Civil War of 1922–23. The Oath was abolished by Fianna Fáil in 1932–33. Since then, Oireachtas members are required by standing orders to sign the roll before first taking their seats. The

Governor-General of the Irish Free State The Governor-General of the Irish Free State ( ga, Seanascal Shaorstát Éireann) was the official representative of the sovereign of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1936. By convention, the office was largely ceremonial. Nonetheless, it wa ...

took the same Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office as the Governor General of Canada. This did not take place in public.

Israel

In Israel, the Basic Laws specify oaths of office of high-ranking members of the government. For the President of Israel, there is a "Declaration of Loyalty": In the Knesset, the oath of office (''or'' "declaration of allegiance") is as follows: Each other member of the Knesset, in turn: I pledge myself. The Prime Minister of Israel has to make the following "declaration of allegiance" upon taking office: Each of the other Ministers has to swear:

Italy

Camera dei deputati Aula Palazzo Montecitorio Roma

In Italy, before taking office, the President is required by Article 91 of the Constitution to take an oath of allegiance to the Republic and swear to uphold the Constitution before Parliament in joint session. The oath of office of the President is the following: Also, Article 54 of the Constitution requires public officials to fulfil their functions with discipline and honour, taking an oath to that effect in those cases established by the law. The Prime Minister and members of the

Council A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...

are sworn in by the President with the following oath of office:

South Korea

In South Korea, before taking office, the President is required by Article 67 of the Constitution. As prescribed by the decision, the oath is as follows: Unofficial English translation:

Lebanon

In Lebanon, the president must take the following oath before the Parliament:

Luxembourg

Article 5 of the Constitution of Luxembourg prescribes the following oath for a new Grand Duke: The oath for a Regent is: A Lieutenant of the Grand Duke takes an oath to respect the Constitution, but no exact text is prescribed. Deputies at the

(the Luxembourg parliament) take the following oath upon taking office: All civil servants take the following oath:

Malaysia

Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong

Article 37 of the Federal Constitution requires the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) and his deputy to take the Oath of Office before the Conference of Rulers. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong take the oath of office as follows: Next, the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong take the oath of office as follows:

Executive and legislative members

Federal Constitution requires the various executive and legislative members to take the Oath of Office and Allegiance as follows: The oath is read according to the various section of the Constitution: The Members of Parliament and Senators take the Oath based on Article 59 (1) of the Federal Constitution as follows:

Judicial members

Article 124 of the Federal Constitution requires the Chief Justice, the President of the Appeal Court, Chief Judge of the High Court, higher court justice and judicial commissioners to take the Oath of Office and Allegiance as follows:

Mexico

Article 87 of the Mexican Constitution provides that the incoming President of the Republic must take the following affirmation (called ''protesta'' by the Mexican legislation) before the

Congress of the Union The Congress of the Union ( es, Congreso de la Unión, ), formally known as the General Congress of the United Mexican States (''Congreso General de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos''), is the legislature of the federal government of Mexico cons ...

: The incoming President takes this affirmation whilst standing and raising his right arm up to shoulder level. Afterwards, the outgoing President passes the

Presidential Sash A presidential sash is a cloth sash worn by presidents of many nations in the world. Such sashes are worn by presidents in Africa, Asia, Europe and, most notably, in Latin America. The sash is an important symbol of the continuity of the preside ...

(''Banda Presidential'') to the President of the Congress, who then gives it to the new President for him to wear it as a symbol of his office.

Moldova

Article 79 of the Constitution of Moldova provides that the President, no more than 45 days after his election, and before the Parliament and Constitutional Court, gives the following oath:

Myanmar

The Fourth Schedule of the

2008 Constitution of Myanmar The Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2008) is the third Constitution of Myanmar after 1947 and 1974 constitutions which lost force after military coups. It is part of the seven steps road map announced by then Prime Minist ...

has outlined the text of the legislative oath that freshly elected or military-appointed Members of Parliament must read aloud before joining parliament:

Netherlands

King

As set out by the Swearing-in and Investiture Act, 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: After this declaration the chairman of the States General, in the name of the States General, the States of the

Netherlands Antilles nl, In vrijheid verenigd"Unified by freedom" , national_anthem = , common_languages = Dutch English Papiamento , demonym = Netherlands Antillean , capital = Willemstad , year_start = 1954 , year_end = 2010 , date_start = 15 December , ...

and the States of

Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...

, pronounces the following solemn declaration: The declaration shall then be sworn or confirmed by each of the members individually.

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:

Civil servants

The oath of office for civil servants is as follows:

New Zealand

Governor-General

The chief justice of New Zealand administers the oath of office at the swearing-in of new

governors-general of New Zealand Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

. The oath is as follows: An affirmation may be used instead of this oath.

Norway

As soon as the King, being of age, accedes to the Government, he shall take the following oath before the Storting (article 9 of the

Constitution of Norway nb, Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov nn, Kongeriket Noregs Grunnlov , jurisdiction =Kingdom of Norway , date_created =10 April - 16 May 1814 , date_ratified =16 May 1814 , system =Constitutional monarchy , b ...

): If the

Storting The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

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.

Pakistan

The oath of office of the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=s̤adr-i Pākiṣṭān), officially the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces.Prime Minister of Pakistan is as follows:

Philippines

The oath of office of the President of the Philippines as written in the 1987 Constitution is as follows: The oath from the Filipino language version of the constitution was used for the inauguration of Presidents Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Benigno Aquino III and

Bongbong Marcos Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...

: Prior to the 1987 Constitution the oath of office for the President of the Philippines is as follows: During the second inauguration of President

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...

, a Filipino language version of the 1935 Constitution oath of office was used. During the inauguration of President Corazon C. Aquino, this version was used: The oath of office requirement for all public officers and employees of the government including every member of the armed forces is as follows: The oath of office for all public officials and employees is as follows: Filipino version: If done for personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, instead of ''legal orders/mga katususang legal'', the phrase ''lawful orders/mga utos na ayon sa batas'' is used.

Poland

President

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

Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister

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

Sejm Members and Senators

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

Portugal

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

Romania

President

Article 82 of the Constitution of Romania provides that the President, before the Chamber of Deputies and Senate in joint session, gives the following oath:

Local officials

Article 32 of the Law 215 (23 April 2001) provides that all local officials (Local Councilors, Mayors, County Councilors and County Council Presidents), before the assembled Councils and the Prefect of the county, give, in Romanian the following oath. ro, Jur să respect Constituţia şi legile ţării şi să fac, cu bună-credinţă, tot ceea ce stă în puterile şi priceperea mea pentru binele locuitorilor comunei (oraşului, municipiului, judeţului)... Aşa să-mi ajute Dumnezeu! The religious formula may be omitted.

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: 2. The oath shall be taken in a solemn atmosphere in the presence of members of the Federation Council, deputies of the

State Duma The State Duma (russian: Госуда́рственная ду́ма, r=Gosudárstvennaja dúma), commonly abbreviated in Russian as Gosduma ( rus, Госду́ма), is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, while the upper house ...

and judges of the Constitution Court of the Russian Federation.

Russian Empire

During the Coronation of the Russian monarch, after his anointing, but prior to partaking of Holy Communion, the Tsar recited a coronation oath, in which he swore to preserve the

autocracy Autocracy is a system of government in which absolute power over a state is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject neither to external legal restraints nor to regularized mechanisms of popular control (except perh ...

intact and to rule his realm with justice and fairness.

Singapore

The oath of office of the President of Singapore is as follows: The Prime Minister of Singapore swears 2 oaths: the Oaths of Office and Oath of Affirmation respectively: For Ministers of the Cabinet of Singapore, they swear the Oaths of Allegiance and Execution of Office respectively: For members of the

Parliament of Singapore The Parliament of Singapore is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of Singapore, which governs the country alongside the president of Singapore. Largely based upon the Westminster system, the Parliament is made up of Members of Parliam ...

, it is:

San Marino

The Captains Regent of San Marino are sworn into office by reciting the following oath:

South Africa

Schedule 2 of the Constitution of South Africa specifies the oaths or affirmations of office for the various high offices of state. These oaths are sworn before the Chief Justice or another judge designated by the Chief Justice. The President and any Acting President swears the following oath: The

Deputy President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

swears the following oath: Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filing ...

swear the following oath: Members of the National Assembly, the National Council of Provinces and the provincial legislatures swear the following oath: Premiers, Acting Premiers and Members of the Executive Council of a province swear the following oath: Judges and acting judges swear the following oath:

Spain

Article 61 of 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: The

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...

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. In an inauguration ceremony a new Spanish Prime Minister takes an oath or affirmation of office over an open Constitution, which may be next to a cross and a Bible, and before the King of Spain and other dignitaries. Other ministers take a similar oath.

Sweden

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

, a judge, whether a legally trained judge or a lay judge ( sv, nämndeman) shall take the following oath before assuming the duties of their office:

Switzerland

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

, according to the Federal Act on the Federal Assembly, people elected at the

Swiss Federal Assembly The Federal Assembly (german: Bundesversammlung, french: Assemblée fédérale, it, Assemblea federale, rm, Assamblea federala), also known as the Swiss parliament (''Parlament'', ''Parlement'', ''Parlamento''), is Switzerland's federal leg ...

or elected by it (such as the Swiss Federal Council) have to take an oath in front of the assembly.Federal Act on the Federal Assembly
Federal Chancellery of Switzerland (page visited on 28 March 2016). The oath is as follows: The solemn promise is as follows:

Republic of China (Taiwan)

In the Republic of China (mostly Taiwan and surrounding islands), oath of office is required to be taken by the President-elect before assuming office. The Oath of office for the

President of the Republic of China The president of the Republic of China, now often referred to as the president of Taiwan, is the head of state of the Republic of China (ROC), as well as the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China Armed Forces. The position once had aut ...

is specified in the Constitution of the Republic of China (Article 48):

Turkey

All members of the Turkish Parliament, as well as cabinet ministers that are not members of parliament are required to take the following oath in a parliamentary session before taking office. The Turkish President takes a slightly modified version of this oath: All members of the Turkish Armed Forces should take the following oath before starting their service:

Ukraine

President of Ukraine

In Ukraine, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine administers the oath of office. The President-elect recites the oath with his hand on the Constitution and the Peresopnytsia Gospels. The Ukrainian text of the oath according to the article 104 is: The official English translation:

People's Deputies of Ukraine

Before assuming office, a People's Deputy of Ukraine must take the following oath before the parliament: In original Ukrainian: In English translation: A refusal of taking the oath is followed by the loss of a deputy's mandate.

Members of the Cabinet of Ministers

After being approved by the Parliament, members of the Cabinet of Ministers must take an oath to assume office. In original Ukrainian: Unofficial English translation: Refusal to take an oath on the day of appointment is considered to be the refusal of his/her ministerial office.

United Kingdom

Oaths taken by the monarch

In the United Kingdom, no formal oath is essential to be taken by the monarch in relation to accession. The monarch is, however, required to take an oath regarding the security of the Church of Scotland. At a coronation, the monarch usually takes an oath but as a coronation is inessential, Monarchs need not take a similar oath in order to discharge their duties, as with the case of

Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 19 ...

, who was never crowned during his one-year reign. The exact wording of the coronation oath of various monarchs has altered throughout the years without statutory authority but remain based on the oath as prescribed by the Coronation Oath Act 1688.

Coronation Oath

The following was the oath taken by

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

at her coronation on 2 June 1953:

Oath relating to the security of the Church of Scotland

The following oath was made by Charles III at his

Accession Council In the United Kingdom, the Accession Council is a ceremonial body which assembles in St James's Palace in London upon the death of a monarch to make formal proclamation of the accession of the successor to the throne. Under the terms of the Ac ...

on 10 September 2022, in accordance with the

Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Act 1707 The Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Act 1707 (c 6) is an Act of the pre-Union Parliament of Scotland which was passed to ensure that the status of the Church of Scotland would not be affected by the Union with England. Its long titl ...

Oath of Allegiance and Official Oath

A general Oath of Allegiance and Official Oath, are set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 are required to be taken by various office-holders. Members of the House of Commons or of the House of Lords are required to take the oath of allegiance in the House at the beginning of a new Parliament, as well as after a Demise of the Crown. 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.

Oath of Allegiance

The Oath of Allegiance is in the following form:

Official Oath

The Official Oath is in the following form:

Judicial Oath

The standard form of the judicial oath is set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868: Those choosing affirm simply replace "do swear by Almighty God" with "solemnly sincerely and truly declare and affirm" In Northern Ireland all references to the Sovereign were removed by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002. Section 19(2) provides that the oath is— Section 19(3) provides that the affirmation and declaration is—

Armed forces

All persons enlisting in the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

are required to attest to the following oath or equivalent affirmation:

Privy Counsellors

Privy Counsellors take office on being "sworn of the Privy Council". It was formerly regarded as criminal to disclose the form of Privy Council oath, which includes an undertaking of secrecy as to the proceedings in Council (where the Oath is taken). On 20 July 1998 it was published by the President of the Council in answer to a written parliamentary question:

You do swear by Almighty God to be a true and faithful Servant unto the Queen's Majesty, as one of Her Majesty's Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done, or spoken against Her Majesty's Person, Honour, Crown, or Dignity Royal, but you will lett and withstand the same to the uttermost of your Power, and either cause it to be revealed to Her Majesty Herself, or to such of Her Privy Council as shall advertise Her Majesty of the same. You will, in all things to be moved, treated, and debated in Council, faithfully and truly declare your Mind and Opinion, according to your Heart and Conscience; and will keep secret all Matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of the Counsellors, you will not reveal it unto him, but will keep the same until such time as, by the Consent of Her Majesty, or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance unto the Queen's Majesty; and will assist and defend all Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to Her Majesty, and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as a faithful and true Servant ought to do to Her Majesty. So help you God.

Constables declaration

A person appointed to the office of constable of a police force in Scotland is required to make the following declaration:

I hereby do solemnly and sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of constable.

United States

History of the oath

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

1st United States Congress The 1st United States Congress, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, met from March 4, 1789, to March 4, 1791, during the first two years of George Washington's presidency, first at Federal Hall in ...

created an oath to fulfill the requirement of Article VI of the

United States Constitution The Constitution of the United States is the Supremacy Clause, supreme law of the United States, United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven ar ...

: It also passed the

Judiciary Act of 1789 The Judiciary Act of 1789 (ch. 20, ) was a United States federal statute enacted on September 24, 1789, during the first session of the First United States Congress. It established the federal judiciary of the United States. Article III, Secti ...

, which established an additional oath taken by federal judges: The outbreak of the Civil War quickly transformed the routine act of oath-taking into one of enormous significance. In April 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 Iron Clad oath signed into law under President Johnson's term as mandatory for members of Congress as well as federal employees.

I, A.B., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I have never voluntarily borne arms against the United States since I have been a citizen thereof; that I have voluntarily given no aid, countenance, counsel or encouragement to person engaged in armed hostility thereto; that I have neither sought nor accepted nor attempted to exercise the functions of any office whatever, under any authority or pretended authority in hostility to the United States; that I have not yielded a voluntary support to any pretended government, authority, power, or constitution within the United States, hostile or inimical thereto. And I do further swear (or affirm) that, to the best of my knowledge and ability, 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; and 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.

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.

Federal executive and legislative branch oaths

In the United States, the

oath of office An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before assuming 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 ...

for the President is specified in the Constitution ( Article II, Section 1): The oath may be sworn or affirmed (in which case it is called an ''affirmation'' instead of ''oath''). Although not present in the text of the Constitution, it is customary for modern presidents to say "So help me God" after the end of the oath. For officers other than the President, the expression "So help me God" is explicitly prescribed, but the Judiciary Act of 1789 also explains when it can be omitted (specifically for oaths taken by court clerks): "Which words, so help me God, shall be omitted in all cases where an affirmation is admitted instead of an oath." The Constitution (Article VI, clause 3) also specifies: At the start of each new U.S. Congress, in January of every odd-numbered year, newly elected or re-elected Members of Congress – the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate – must recite an oath: This oath is also taken by the Vice President, members of the

, federal judges and all other civil and military officers and federal employees other than the President.

Federal judiciary oaths

In the United States,

federal judges Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level. United States A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 of ...

are required to take two oaths. The judicial oath is this: The other is the same oath that all other officers of the United States (save the President) take: Federal statute specifically says that the latter oath "does not affect other oaths required by law.", ''Oath of Office''.

Military oaths – federal and state

The military oath is the same as the one taken by members of the Congress, judicial officers, and all other officers except for the President. Members of the United States National Guard, however, take an additional oath as well.

State and local oaths

The oaths of state and local officials are largely patterned on the federal oath of constitutional allegiance. An example would be the oath taken by all New York government officials:

Uruguay

In Uruguay, before taking office, the President and Vice President are required by Article 158 of the Constitution to take an affirmation before General Assembly in joint session: In Spanish:In English:The National Representatives and Senators take the Oath based on the regulations of the respective Chamber: In Spanish:In English:

Venezuela

The

President of Venezuela The president of Venezuela ( es, Presidente de Venezuela), officially known as the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is the head of state and head of government in Ven ...

, upon assumption of the office on his inauguration, is asked by the President of the National Assembly (until 1999, the Senate President, on behalf of the entire National Federal Congress), holding a copy of the Constitution of Venezuela, the following: With the right hand on the shoulder level he answers with a "Yes, I swear" and the President then responds: "If you do so, before God and the Fatherland your duties will be performed, and it will be demanded of you if you not. Therefore, in the name of the Republic and by the authority of the law, I invest you as Constitutional President of the Republic as of this moment for this term period." Then the Presidential Sash (with the colors and coat of arms from the Flag of Venezuela and the collar of the Order of the Liberatiors is turned over to him from the outgoing President, but if the case is that of succession due to death of office of his predecessor both items are cased and are given to him by the National Assembly President instead. If reelected the method is the same as after the sudden death of the President while in office.

Vietnam

According to 2013 Constitution, the President of Vietnam, Prime Minister of Vietnam, President of the National Assembly of Vietnam and

Chief Justice of Vietnam Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

must take the oath every first plenary session of the National Assembly. The following is the oath taken by the President, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly and Chief Justice: ''"In front of the sacred red flag with yellow star of the Fatherland, the National Assembly, and the electors of the whole country, I - as (President, Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly or Chief Justice of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) - pledge thus to be forever absolutely remain loyal to the Fatherland, the people and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. I vow to practice and strive to fulfill the tasks assigned by the Party, State and People to me and my office."'' After the Oath was taken, the President of the National Assembly (Standing Vice President of the National Assembly if the oath taker is the President of the National Assembly) will say: "The National Assembly has confirmed this oath."

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 follows. It is very similar to the Apostles' Creed and the

Nicene Creed The original Nicene Creed (; grc-gre, Σύμβολον τῆς Νικαίας; la, Symbolum Nicaenum) was first adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. In 381, it was amended at the First Council of Constantinople. The amended form is a ...

(referred to as the Symbol of Faith). 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"

Explanatory notes

Citations

External links

U.S. Senate: Oath of Office

U.S. Code, Title 5, Sec. 3331: Oath of Office

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oath Of Office Oaths Inauguration