View source for Republics of Omerica

{{Infobox subdivision type
|name               = Omerican republics<br/>{{native name|fr|Republiques oméricaines}}
|alt_name           = 
|map                = Omerica location map.svg
|category           = {{wp|Federated state}}
|upper_unit         = 
|territory          = {{flag|Omerica}}
|start_date         = {{Start date and age|1 July 1894}}
|current_number     = 25
|number_date        = 1 January 1995
|population_range   = 293,088 ([[New Guernsey]]) – 7,461,993 ([[Mespalia]])
|area_range         = 204&nbsp;km² ([[Romainbourg]]) – 16,044&nbsp;km² ([[New West Flanders]])
}}{{Politics of Omerica}}
[[Omerica]] is a {{wp|federation}} of twenty-five '''republics'''. As the descendants of formerly {{wp|sovereign state}}s, the republics retain a degree of sovereignty and {{wp|self-government}} and maintain administrative independence from the Union government, including independent {{wp|executive}}s, {{wp|legislature}}s and {{wp|judiciary|judiciaries}}.

Under the [[Basic Laws of Omerica|Basic Laws]], certain policy areas, such as foreign affairs and defence, are the exclusive prerogative of the [[Federal Diet of Omerica|Federal Diet]], while others fall under shared authority; the republics retain all other powers not assigned to the Union or expressly denied to them by the [[Basic Laws of Omerica|federal constitution]]. Republics therefore have {{wp|taxation}} power and responsibility over {{wp|healthcare}}, {{wp|Welfare (financial aid)|social welfare}}, {{wp|law enforcement}}, {{wp|public education}}, job training and promotion of the arts and sciences.

Republics form the basis for {{wp|Apportionment|apportioning}} the [[House of Representatives (Omerica)|House of Representatives]] and their legislatures designate the members of the [[House of Plenipotentiaries (Omerica)|House of Plenipotentiaries]]. Additionally, in areas under the republics’ legislative authority, republics have the power to enter into compacts among each other and, subject to parliamentary approval, treaties with foreign states.

==Terminology==
==History==
[[File:Original Omerican republics.svg|250px|thumb|right|A map of the seventeen original republics at the time of [[Federation of Omerica|Federation]]. [[New Flanders]] initially refused to ratify the [[Instrument of Government]] and was therefore not part of the United Republics at its establishment.]]

==Constitution==
All republics are constitutionally required to have a {{wp|Democracy|democratic}} and {{wp|republic}}an system of government, but otherwise, the republics remain free to organise their individual constitutions as they see fit. All republics are governed by a {{wp|parliamentary system}} similar to the federal government, though there is wide variation in its implementation from republic to republic.

Each republic has a {{wp|Unicameralism|unicameral legislature}} of 21 to 111 members, variously referred to as a {{wp|Legislative Assembly}}, {{wp|Legislative Council}} or {{wp|Common Council}}. Legislatures serve three- or four-year terms (depending on the republic) and are generally elected by {{wp|single transferable vote}}, with {{wp|universal suffrage}} for all [[Citizenship of Omerica|Omerican citizens]] over the age of eighteen guaranteed by the federal constitution.

==List==
{{Republics of Omerica}}

==Admission of new republics==
{{main|Enlargement of Omerica}}
With the exception of New Flanders’s accession, all new republics admitted since Federation have been formed by secession from other existing republics. Despite discussions of giving Strathavon and Westavon half votes on constitutional referendums and in the House of Plenipotentiaries to discourage wanton secession, the latter was ultimately admitted with full voting rights, establishing that all new republics enter the federation on equal standing with existing members.

Several new republics have been proposed, mostly secessionist movements within existing republics. The admission of new republics requires a referendum among the affected population, though they are only constitutionally mandated when “major changes” would be made to existing republic boundaries. The splitting of a republic requires a simple majority on {{wp|double majority|both sides}} of the new border, while the merger of multiple republics requires a majority in each republic to be merged. In contrast, the accession of a republic from outside the United Republics or of a federal territory within the United Republics only requires a simple majority to pass.

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

{{Navbox Republics of Omerica}}
{{Omerica topics}}
[[Category:Republics of Omerica| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Omerica]]