Party chief

In politics, a party leader is the most powerful official within a political party. The leader speaks to their designated political party, while acting as the party representatives. The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, he or she will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election platforms, to the electorate. He or she is also typically the public face of the party and the principal media contact.

In many representative democracies, party leaders compete directly for high political office. It is thus typical in such states (e.g., in the Westminster system) for the party leader to seek election to the legislature, and, if elected, to simultaneously serve as the party's parliamentary leader.

In Canada, all major parties elect their leaders at a leadership convention.

The leaders of Communist Parties often hold the title of General secretary (e.g. General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and General Secretary of the Communist Party of China) and the officeholder is usually considered the paramount leader of China. On 15 November 2012, Xi Jinping was appointed General Secretary of the Communist Party of China at the 18th Communist Party national congress.

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