During the Galactic Republic's twilight years, a pro-Republic group known as the Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) emerged as both a populist movement and a lobbying force. At a time when conflict engulfed the galaxy, COMPOR dedicated itself to disseminating wartime propaganda aimed at bolstering Republic support against the Confederacy of Independent Systems throughout the Clone Wars. A director oversaw the organization; this individual held the top position within COMPOR and also participated in the Strategic Advisory Cell. The group's members included a number of artists such as Venthan Chassu, Byno Doubton, Hamma Elad, and Donclode Onstruss. These artists were responsible for crafting various pro-Republic propaganda posters that COMPOR then produced and distributed across the galaxy.
As the war raged on, COMPOR actively pressured the Galactic Senate to grant greater powers to Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, with the belief that a stronger executive branch would pave the way for a decisive Republic victory over the Separatists. By the conclusion of the war, Palpatine proclaimed himself as Emperor of the First Galactic Empire. The New Order integrated COMPOR into its structure, rebranding it as the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR), which then functioned as the Empire's propaganda arm throughout the Imperial Era.
The final chapter of the Galactic Republic was defined by the Separatist Crisis, which transformed into a galaxy-wide conflict known as the Clone Wars – the first major war in a thousand years. Rising to defend the Republic, the Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) was established as a populist organization made up of supporters who backed the Republic against the Confederacy of Independent Systems. COMPOR's formation was triggered by the Republic Navy's discovery of Separatist Shadowfeeds that were broadcasting propaganda via the Holonet. As the civil war expanded across the galaxy, COMPOR's membership and influence grew over time, leading to associations with prominent officers and politicians, such as Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin and Senator Orn Free Taa, as well as Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine.
During the Clone Wars, the Director of COMPOR was among several Republic figures, including Lieutenant Commander Orson Callan Krennic, who attended a meeting organized by the Strategic Advisory Cell at the Republic Center for Military Operations—a military complex situated on Coruscant, the galactic capital planet—before the first anniversary of the First Battle of Geonosis. They convened to discuss the secret plan to construct a mobile battle station.
Although the war concluded with the Confederacy's defeat, the Republic also met its end when Chancellor Palpatine declared himself Galactic Emperor of the First Galactic Empire in 19 BBY. As the new government replaced the previous democratic system, COMPOR was subsequently transformed into the Commission for the Preservation of the New Order (COMPNOR). Throughout the Imperial Era, COMPNOR heavily relied on propaganda to promote the Empire and its Emperor, mirroring the efforts of its predecessor on behalf of the Republic and its chancellor during the Clone Wars.
COMPOR's primary objective was to boost public morale and support for the war effort by presenting and cultivating a favorable image of the Republic. To achieve this, COMPOR was actively involved in creating and distributing propaganda throughout the Galactic Republic. The group strongly supported Sheev Palpatine as the wartime chancellor, and they produced the propaganda work "Do Not Bind His Hands," which advocated for granting the Republic's leader all necessary powers to ensure complete victory. COMPOR also weighed the possibility of highlighting the Republic's connection with the Jedi Order in its propaganda, but ultimately decided against it due to the Jedi's reluctance to be portrayed as military commanders. Consequently, the poster "Jedi Unite for Peace" was never released.
In its support for the war effort, COMPOR promoted not only patriotism but also pride in the Republic's newly-formed armed forces. The clone troopers, the elite soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic after whom the Clone Wars were named, became tools for COMPOR's propaganda, resulting in pieces such as "Unite" and "Support the Boys in White."
COMPOR fostered anti-Separatist feelings among the general population while also promoting civic pride in the Republic. Its propaganda machine produced various pieces designed to ridicule the Confederacy's leadership and generally depict Separatists as malevolent. The poster "Evil Has Its Eyes On You" featured two prominent Separatist leaders, Count Dooku and General Grievous, as grotesque caricatures.
COMPOR was structured as a political movement comprising Republic loyalists from various backgrounds, including artists, communications experts, and writers. Through its members, COMPOR's influence extended to different levels of the Republic's infrastructure, including media, the military, the government, and even the Office of the Chancellor. Its recruitment efforts also proved successful with younger generations, leading to the establishment of SAGroup, a youth-oriented program and sub-branch of COMPOR.
The Commission for the Protection of the Republic (COMPOR) was initially referenced in the 2014 canon novel Tarkin, penned by James Luceno.
The 2016 canon reference book Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy, authored by Lucasfilm Story Group's Pablo Hidalgo, mistakenly refers to COMPOR as the "Commission for the Preservation of the Republic."