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Ceristian "Ceris" Olwen is a Human politician, diplomat and lawyer who is currently serving as the 39th President of the United Federation of Planets. Olwen's presidency started when he was elected in the hotly contested 3019 presidential election, defeating incumbent Federation President Saavik. He has been re-elected twice, in 3021 and 3023 respectively. Olwen has served on the Federation Council since its establishment in 3001 and has been a longtime member of the Federation Humanist Society.
Born on the human colony on Cestus III in 2969, Olwen was raised during the intragalactic movement to re-establish the United Federation of Planets, after the democratic revolutions within Imperial Andorian domains. Olwen joined anti-imperial protests on Cestus III, where the Andorian Imperium's outer-domain headquarters was based. He was arrested twice at the age of 17. He spent a number of years on Vulcan in the 2980s as a student of the social sciences, where he grew resentful of the Logic Society, which dominated early reformed Federation politics.
During the Federation-Chisel Enterprises war, Olwen advocated for peace and worried about the implications of the war, which was driven by logical sentiments. Federation President Grand Tarkin's death in 2993 shaped Olwen's views towards corporations, noting them as dangerous, but generally found the phenomenon confined to Terra. Despite being human, Olwen never argued strongly during the war. His focus was, primarily, humanitarian efforts in the wake of the Burn.
Initially elected to the Federation Council to represent the humans on Vulcan, Olwen returned to Cestus III upon its readmission to the Federation in 3005. He led the efforts for Andoria's re-joining the Federation, which was achieved in 3009. Olwen's involvement in politics in the 31st century has been keenly seen through his support of the Federation Humanist Society. In 3001, he nominated Airiam Etor of Betazed to be elected the first Federation President since the Burn, and support his re-election efforts. He later decided not to run for the presidency in 3011, opting to support Zhaban Adami of Bajor. Eventually, it was the extreme-logic policies of the Saavik presidency that encouraged him to stand in 3019. The Humanist Society had struggled in Federation politics since the assassination of Adami, with Olwen's partial retirement leaving the party leaderless for several years.
The presidential election of 3019 saw President Saavik face the Federation Council after the Nouru Disaster, which saw Starfleet ships attempt to re-ignite the warp cores of vessels damaged by the Burn. The disaster cost the lives of thirteen Starfleet officers. Saavik's logical response was branded cold after she cited an "unexpected statistical deviation that rendered the likelihood of success difficult to properly ascertain," thus refusing to accept responsibility. The Council was split, with many supporting a return to Humanist compassion. Olwen narrowly won the vote, defeating Saavik who became the first post-Burn president to lose re-election.
Olwen's presidency has been spent promoting re-admissions to the Federation. He ordered missions to Arcadia, Graxziella, and Harmony IV, the latter two went onto re-join the Federation during his presidency. In addition, Starfleet found significantly more footing in the early 3020s, leading Olwen to sponsor manned missions to Terra and Lunar. Olwen announced in 3024 that he would stand down at the 3025 election, supporting an open discussion among Humanists about the best candidate to face off against the Logic Society's likely candidate.