Council of Moffs

The Council of Moffs is the fictional governing body of the remaining loyal members of the Galactic Empire and later Imperial Remnant following the death of Emperor Palpatine.

Related Topics:
Galactic Empire - Imperial Remnant - Emperor Palpatine

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It is comprised of one moff from each sector of the Empire (currently eight), and meets to decide matters of national or pan-Imperial importance. Each moff has one vote on the Council, and it appears that only a simple majority vote is needed to pass a resolution. The Council of Moffs, while technically the governing body of the Empire, is chaired by the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces, who is viewed by the populace of the Star Wars galaxy at large as the "ruler" of the Empire. This is not techically correct, as the Supreme Commander is technically subservient to the Council of Moffs (as is depicted in Timothy Zahn's "Hand of Thrawn" books, Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future), but the centrality of the armed forces within Imperial culture ensures a great amount of political clout for the position.

Related Topics:
Moff - Timothy Zahn - Hand of Thrawn

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The Council convenes at the behest of the Supreme Commander, or in order to debate, pass, or dissolve laws of inter-sector jurisdiction and taxation. Laws, regulations, in-sector taxation and the like are all handled by the moffs individually, with few known checks or balances to their authority inside their given sectors. Moffs also have authority over regional forces within their jurisdictions, known as Sector Fleets, which by the time of the Bastion Accords, are centered around a dozen or so Star Destroyers. On the national level, the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Forces commands the remainder of the Empire's military and naval assets through the regular chain of command in both the Imperial Navy and the Imperial Army. In times of emergency, or at the Supreme Commander's discretion, the Sector Fleets that are normally answerable to the individual moffs can be commanded by the Supreme Commander. The process superficially resembles the manner in which the U.S. president can request command of American states' National Guard units.

Related Topics:
Bastion Accords - Star Destroyer - Imperial Navy - Imperial Army - National Guard

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It is unknown how moffs arrive at their stations in the Imperial government. For example, the moffs ruling the Empire at the time of the Bastion Accords all appear to have left their posts by the time of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion some years later. Presumably, a moff can only be removed from his or her position through a vote of the Council or resignation. No term limits are known to exist in the Empire's government.

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