Presidency

"The Presidency" was a term for the Lord President of the Homeworld, the High Council, and their other assorted advisors. According to The Book of the War, the term was common due to the static nature of the Great Houses and lack of individual initiative on the part of most presidents. Within this terminology, the Lord President was known as the Head of the Presidency, at least until the term gained another connotation during the War in Heaven. (PROSE: The Book of the War)

In order to suspend his own trial for the murder of the Lord President and delay the sentence, the Fourth Doctor invoked Article 17, offering himself as a candidate for the Presidency. (TV: The Deadly Assassin) Upon his return, he claimed "the Presidency of the Council of Time Lords.". (TV: The Invasion of Time) Later, the Sixth Doctor suggested to Melanie Bush that he was "rash" in turning down an offer of the Presidency from the Inquisitor. (TV: The Ultimate Foe)