All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Book was great. Never bothered to see the movie with tom cruise.

I mean, it’s not so far from the truth. Based on many metrics, it is a Third World country

The President is very much a figurehead - he wields no real power whatsoever. He is apparently chosen by the government, but the qualities he is required to display are not those of leadership but those of finely judged outrage. For this reason the President is always a controversial choice, always an infuriating but fascinating character. His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.

https://hitchhikersguidetoearth.fandom.com/wiki/President_of_the_Imperial_Galactic_Government