Gristol-Serkonos

United Kingdom and Constitutional Union of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Duchy of Serkonos
Flag
Political Map
Location of Gristol-Serkonos within the continent of Norumbia in Ajax.
Capital	Pontiac-Bernadotte
Largest	Garafraxa
Official languages	Nordic, Kanienʼkéha
Recognised regional languages	Enyama, Omiat, Hugonaut
Ethnic groups (2019)	Keu Kahnawà꞉ke Enyama Mixed
Demonym(s)	Gristo-Serkonan
Government	Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Diarchy (de facto) Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Diarchy (de jure)
• Queen of Gristol	Anna
• Grand Duke of Serkonos	Tehwehron
• Chancellor	Kaniehtí:io Fox
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Council of the State
• Lower house	Council of Representatives
Establishment
• Oath of Union	TBA
• Pontiac Accords	TBA
• Constitution	1925
Area
• Total	3,209,600 km2 (1,239,200 sq mi)
Population
• 2019 estimate	64,834,000
• Density	20.20/km2 (52.3/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	NS$1.989 trillion
• Per capita	30,678.85
Gini	31.3 medium
HDI (2019)	0.912 very high
Currency	Gristo-Serkonan Crown (GSC)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left

Gristol-Serkonos, officially the United Kingdom and Constitutional Union of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Grand Duchy of Serkonos is a multinational realm comprised of two countries: Gristol and Serkonos. The two countries have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Griswald and Donnacona, respectively. The union was a result of the Oath of Union and since then, it has been jointly-ruled by the House Eist of Gristol and the Clan of Konwatsi'tsiaienni of Serkonos. Located in the continent of Norumbia in the western hemisphere of Ajax, it is bordered by Skaldafen along its western border and Belfras to the south. The country's proximity between neighbours has produced a long and complex relationship, with a significant impact on its economy and culture.

The country is home to over 65 million people, with 50% of the population living along the river Lautha which separates the two constituent countries. The city of Pontiac-Bernadotte has been a historic meeting place of the two nations and has since been the United Kingdom's capital. Gristol-Serkonos is an industrialized country, with the xth-highest nominal per-capita income globally as well as the xth-highest ranking in the Human Development Index. It is the xth largest economy, bolstered by its natural resources and well developed trade agreements. Its citizens enjoy high levels of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education. It is among the most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of immigration policy encouraged by successive governments.

History

Pre-Unification

Clan Eist originated from the southern coastal territories of modern Keuland. Making landfall on 1150, the clan moved west and extended its domains, bringing petty Hugonaut and the Omiat kingdoms under their control. In 1156, clan leader Griswald Eist styled himself as King and led the formation of the Kingdom of Gristol. Their encounter with minor Runakuna and Kayamuca tribes were initially cordial, eventually leading to their inclusion into the newly forming Kingdom.

O’tara’shón:’a Sha'té:kon, a confederation of Kahnawà꞉ke tribes settle the western banks of the River Lautha. The confederation was known to its southern neighbours as the Atiwandaronk who led the periodic conflicts with the northern territories of the Kayamuca Empire with minor border skirmishes with the Runakunian tribes. Chief Karonghyontye of the Konwatsi'tsiaienni tribe would be elected as the first modern leader of Serkonos. He would led a war to bring a group of petty Haida city-states under its control. The Kahnawà꞉ke would sustain heavy defeats in their first offensive actions against the Haida, but eventually prevail in the four year long conflict. Encounters with Ottonian, Keu, and Latin cultures influenced the Kahnawà꞉ke in 1163 to adopt nobility titles and begun modernization of the country. The confederation adopted the Belisarian word Serkonos, as it is phonetically similar to Sha'té:kon.

By 1170, they would encounter each other in the banks of the Lautha river. Initial misunderstandings would lead to periodic skirmishes that would last 30 years.

• 

  Griswald Eist, the first King of Gristol

• 

  Chief Karonghyontye, first elected leader of the confederated Kahnawà꞉ke tribes

Politics and Government

see also: Parliament of Gristol-Serkonos, High Council of Gristol-Serkonos

Executive

Due to the subsequent Pontiac Accords signed following the Oath of Union, the monarchies of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Grand Duchy of Serkonos also serves as co-Heads of State of the United Kingdom. By protocol, the monarch ascends to the throne of their home country first before ascending to the Thrones of the Union.

The ensure political stability, the two monarchs appoints the Office of the Chancellor to the leader of the party that can command the majority in the Council of Representatives. Political participation of the monarchs in areas of governance is limited. Most of their executive authority is held the High Council, a committee of ministers of the state responsible to the elected Council of Representatives and chosen and headed by the Chancellor, the head of government. Despite the constitutional restrictions in the monarchs, they remain the supreme executive authority in Gristol-Serkonos, as they can dissolve parliaments, veto legislation, or remove elected officials from power at their own will should the actions of the Parliament violate the Constitution and the rights of the People.

Parliament

The legislative arm of the government is the bicameral Parliament comprised of two chambers; the upper house Council of the State and the lower house Council of Representatives. The members of the Council of Representatives is democratically elected, with 810 representatives. The Council of the State consists of 200 senators appointed by the party leaders based on their seats. Members of the Council of the State are given an peerage and serve until age 80. Each 810 members of parliament of the House of Representatives are elected in two ways. 626 members are elected by a simple plurality and represent an electoral riding while the remaining 184 members are elected through proportional representation. General elections must be called by the monarchs either by the advice of the Chancellor or if the government loses a confidence vote in the House.

Federal politics in the United Kingdom has been dominated since the early 1950's by two relatively centrist parties practicing "brokerage politics", a pluralistic catch-all approach by adopting centrist policies and electoral coalitions. These two dominant parties are the centre-left Social Democratic Party and the centre-right Progressive Conservative Party. Nine parties had representatives elected to the Parliament in the 2020 election - The Progressive Conservative Party currently form the government, the Social Democratic Party form the Official Opposition. Minor parties elected in the Parliament are the Moderate Left, the Democratic Socialist Bloc, the Green Party, Patriotic People's Front, National Coalition, Democratic Unionists and the abstentionist Independent Group.

The Office of the Chancellor is one of the most powerful institutions in government, initiating most legislation for parliamentary approval and selecting for appointments by the Crown, such as governor generals of crown lands, federal court judges, and heads of state corporations and government agency administrators. The leader of the party with the second-most seats usually becomes the leader of United Kingdom's Loyal Opposition and is part of an adversarial parliamentary system intended to keep the government in check.

Devolved Administrations

The country also has two devolved legislatures, representing the two states incorporated within Gristol-Serkonos. The authority of the devolved legislatures is limited over their relevant area. Meanwhile the Parliament can overrule sub-national authority, thus the state remains, de jure unitary. Legislation creating devolved parliaments or assemblies can be repealed or amended by central government in the same way as any statute.

Each country have their own government or executive, usually led by a High Minister and a devolved unicameral legislature. Under the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, the Parliament could, in theory, abolish the Diet of Gristol or the Longhouse of Serkonos. In practice, however, it would be politically difficult for the Parliament to abolish devolution to the Diet of Gristol or the Longhouse of Serkonos, given the political entrenchment created by referendum decisions.

Administrative Divisions

There is no consistent system of administrative or geographic demarcation across the United Kingdom. The two constituent regions in Gristol-Serkonos has their own arrangements. These arrangements pre-date the unification and were ensured under the 1925 Constitution.

The organisation of the local government of the Kingdom of Gristol is divided into five crown lands, with a wide variation of both size and population. Below the crown lands, some have county and district councils while others have unitary authorities. Councillors on the local council are elected by either the first-past-the-post system or multi-member plurality system. Organization within the Grand Duchy of Serkonos is divided into ten crown lands. Below these crown lands there are longhouse councils, members of these longhouse councils are elected by first-past-the-post.

Added through the first revision of the Constitution, Ridings are boundaries in which the citizens within that Riding elect one member for the devolved governments and one for the Council of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Gristol-Serkonos. These ridings are adjusted by an independent government agency, which are changed after taking into account the results of a population census held every five years.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement is handled in the national level. There are two national police forces in the United Kingdom which are the Royal Gendarmerie and the Metropolitan Police Service. These two forces has their own areas of responsibility. The Gendarmerie handling smaller towns, rural areas, and due to its military status, it also fulfills a range of military and defense missions as well as policing the military bases of the RGSAF. The Metropolitan Police Service meanwhile is in charge of cities and large towns. These two forces also operate their own specialized forces that act as soldiers in the event of war or security threats, namely the Gendarmerie's 18 Battalion and the Police's Special Tasks Group respectively. These two forces are part of the Office of Internal Affairs.

The existence of two national police forces with similar goals and attributions, but somewhat different zones of activity, has at times created friction or competition between the two. Their merging has sometimes been suggested.

Additional security in government buildings and ports of entry are handled by the operating branches of the State Security Agency. (The SSA is also part of Internal Affairs.)

Incarceration

Prisons are operated and managed by the Office of Correctional Services. There are 51 correction facilities in the Constitutional Union capable of holding 24,000 inmates each.

Military

The Royal Gristol-Serkonos Armed Forces is the professional military of the United Kingdom. The military has five primary commands; the Army (Gristo-Serkonan Army), the Air Force (Royal Gristo-Serkonan Air Force), the Navy (Royal Gristo-Serkonan Navy), the Directorate of Special Operations, the Strategic Arms Operations Group (which handles the country's unconventional arsenal), and the Health Services Command (which fulfills all the military health system functions).

Managed by the Office of National Defence and controlled by the Royal High Command, chaired by the Minister of National Defence. The Diarchy appoints, in the advice of the Chancellor, the Lord High General. The Lord High General serves as Chief of the Armed Forces as the highest commissioned officer.

The RGSAF has an active military strength of 156,340 with the reserve force (the Territorial Army) reaching 47,000. Paramilitaries such as the Royal Militia, Gendarmerie, Coast Guard, and armed units within the State Security Agency reach 57,000.

The government has encouraged domestic development of arms for the military. In addition to their domestic contracts, they export arms through The Office of International Security, Assistance and Acquisition. This government agency is jointly run by the Office of State Affairs and the Office of International Trade with the cooperation of domestic arms contractors.

• 

  The RGSS Kanesatake (LHA-012), flagship of the Royal Gristo-Serkonan Navy

• 

  An F-105 Shrike of the Royal Gristo-Serkonan Air Force

• 

  A Type 97 Main Battle Tank of the Gristo-Serkonan Army

Law

The United Kingdom does not have a single legal system. The Constitution and subsequent revisions provided for the continuation of Gristol and Serkonos' separate legal systems. Today, the country has two distinct systems of law; the Gristol Law, and the Serkonos Law. In 2011, the Supreme Court of Gristol-Serkonos was formed to replace the Supreme Judicial Council of the Council of the State. The new Supreme Court is responsible in all matters under the two systems of law in Gristol-Serkonos. It is the court of last resort and the highest appellate court in the United Kingdom. It also has jurisdiction to resolve disputes relating to devolution in the United Kingdom and concerning the legal powers of the two devolved governments or laws made by the devolved legislatures.

Gristol Law, which is based on common-law principles, subject to statute, the law is developed by judges in courts, applying statute, precedent and common sense to the facts before them to give explanatory judgements of the relevant legal principles, which are reported and binding in future similar cases (stare decisis). The courts in Gristol are headed by the Senior Courts of Gristol, consisting of the Court of Appeal, the Civil Court (for civil cases) and the Criminal Court (for criminal cases). The Serkonos Law is a hybrid system based on both common-law and civil-law principles. The chief courts are the Court of Session, for civil cases, and the Court of Justiciary, for criminal cases.

Foreign Relations

Due to its complicated and violent history, successive governments has maintained anti-communist stance though in recent years has softened as markets and diplomatic relations begun to form. The United Kingdom is regarded as a reliable partner to its allies and in the past supported royalist or democratic causes. While occasional diplomatic flare ups exist with Walzenia due to their tendency to meddle in Gristo-Serkonan internal affairs, relations tend to be positive for most of the time. The country has historically been neutral to its immediate neighbours, though has aligned itself with Belfras in recent years.

Economy

The United Kingdom's mixed economy is the two combined economies of the Kingdom of Gristol and the Grand Duchy of Serkonos. It is the xth-largest economy as of 2019 with a nominal GDP of NS$1.989 trillion. It is one of the least corrupt countries, and is among the heavily trading nations, with a highly globalized economy. The Griswald Stock Exchange is the xth-largest stock exchange in the world by market capitalization, listing over 1,500 companies with a combined market capitalization of over NS$2.8 trillion.

The Royal Office of Finance, led by the Minister of Finance, is responsible for developing and executing the Government's public finance and economic policy. The Royal Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos is the country's central bank and is responsible for issuing notes and coins in the nation's currency, the Gristo-Serkonan Crown. Banks in Serkonos and the Gristol retain the right to issue their own notes, subject to retaining enough Royal Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos notes in reserve to cover their issue.

Since 1997 the Royal Central Bank of Gristol-Serkonos's Monetary Committee, headed by the Governor of the Royal Central Bank, has been responsible for setting interest rates at the level necessary to achieve the overall inflation target for the economy that is set by the Finance Minister each year.

Various government agencies provides statistics regarding its major exports; the country exports zinc, uranium, gold, nickel, aluminum, steel, iron ore, coking coal, lead, copper, molybdenum, cobalt, and cadmium. The Gristol Shield, a resource rich area is home to mines, oil extraction and refinery facilities. The northern frontier regions is home to dense forests which are plentiful sources of lumber. Industrial manufacturing sectors are centred around the <x> river between the two constituent countries, with pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and aeronautics representing particularly important industries.

The country is net energy exporter in the region, exporting x million barrels of oil annually. The northern coastal regions possesses vast offshore deposits of natural gas, and the Gristol Shield has large oil and gas resources. The largest exporters of energy are the Royal Oil Company, a statutory corporation, and GaxaPetro, a private company. Corporations interested in establishing fuel extraction facilities must meet the government's environmental regulations and use the approved methods in extracting the crude oil.

Gristol-Serkonos is also a nuclear energy producer, with over 50 nuclear power facilities across the country. The country is not dependent on oil for energy production and the recent resurgence of fuel efficient vehicles. Recent government environmental policies includes energy conservation and renewable energy commercialisation. Energy efficiency has been improving since the early 1970s; the government aims to meet the country's electricity demands using 40% renewable sources by 2050.

Historically, the United Kingdom was known for its whale oil-producing industries. During its height in the 1895, the country had a whaling fleet of 490 ships. The sudden rise of prominence of petroleum-based fuel during the early 20th century saw the decline of whale oil use.

Science and Technology

Gristol-Serkonos spends approximately NS$ 35 billion on domestic research and development, of which around 7 billion is provided by the central and devolved governments. The country has a high level of Internet access in the region, with over 63 million users, equivalent to around 98% of its 2019 population.

The Space and Aeronautical Research Agency operates an active space program, conducting deep-space, planetary, and aviation research. Gristol-Serkonos designs and constructs satellites, with its own rocket launch facilities in Cape <x>. The government is also in the process of developing its own GPS constellation. The country has also produces affordable and reliable sounding rockets with over 496 Yellowstone Rockets have been launched since its introduction in 1987.

Infrastructure and Communications

The country's vast motorway network is known for its lack of speed limits and is among the largest in the region in terms of length. Gristol-Serkonos also has a network of high-speed trains. Its Royal Railway Network connects all of the United Kingdom's cities as well as neighbouring country with its high-speed trains. Its largest airports are the Pontiac-Bernadotte International Airport and Griswald International Airport.

Gristol-Serkonos has a developed and robust internet infrastructure with an average download speed of 1Gb/second with a penetration rate of 98.9%. In high density metropolitan areas such as Garafraxa, or Pontiac-Bernadotte, VDSL is the most common DSL which allows faster internet speeds. This contrasts greatly in smaller metropolitan areas such as Saari or Kahnawake where ADSL is the standard. In 2006, 98.7% of all mobile phones have internet access. High speed broadband is provided through a communications network built in 2007 consisting of kilometres of optical fibre networks and satellite-based communications.

There are presently four major Internet Service Providers and at least 326 registered minor Internet Service Providers. In major cities, 4G LTE is the most common network technology in the country's wireless broadband network. Many public places and restaurants are mandated by law to provide free WiFi access during business hours. The incumbent government is currently in the process selecting the contractor for implementing the wireless 5G network.

Despite all the measures to advance internet technology, the incumbent government is criticized for its restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. This followed the ban on certain websites and social media accounts containing or accused of spreading anti-royalist, republican and far-left ideologies. With the new legislation designed the curb cyberbullying and increase police powers set to take effect this autumn, several backbencher Patriotic People's Front MPs pushed for a proposal to stamp out anonymity. This proposal however was unanimously rejected by the government and the opposition parties following the first reading.

Transport

The national flag carrier is RGS, a public limited company.

Demographics

65% of the Gristo-Serkonan population is classified as urban. The largest Census Metropolitan Areas are:

• Garafraxa CMA - 4.2 million
• Capital District Region - 3.2 million
• Donnaconna-Saari CMA - 2.1 million
• Tkaronto CMA - 1.8 million

Healthcare

Healthcare in Gristol-Serkonos is handled by the devolved legislatures. Each countries has its own system of private and publicly funded health care. Public healthcare is provided to all of the Sovereign Empire's permanent residents and is mostly free at the point of need, being paid for from general taxation.

Regulatory bodies are organized on a nationwide basis such as the National Medical Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and non-governmental-based, such as the Royal Colleges. However, political and operational responsibility for healthcare lies with four national executives; healthcare in Pontiac-Bernadotte is the responsibility of the Parliament of Gristol-Serkonos; healthcare in Gristol is the responsibility of the Diet of Gristol; and healthcare in Serkonos is the responsibility of the Longhouse of Serkonos.

Each healthcare system uses General Practitioners (GPs) to provide primary healthcare and to make referrals to further services as necessary. Hospitals then provide more specialist services, including care for patients with psychiatric illnesses, as well as direct access to Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. Community pharmacies are privately owned but have contracts with the relevant health service to supply prescription drugs. Each public healthcare system also provides free (at the point of service) ambulance services for emergencies, when patients need the specialist transport only available from ambulance crews or when patients are not fit to travel home by public transport. These services are generally supplemented when necessary by the voluntary ambulance services (Royal Red Cross, and the Saint-Maarten Ambulance Association.)

Drug Policy

A drug policy was enacted by the Parliament in December 2000, taking effect in January 2002. The new law maintained the status of illegality for using or possessing any drug for personal use without authorization. The offence was changed from a criminal one in 2005, with prison a possible punishment, to an administrative one if the amount possessed was no more than ten days' supply of that substance. Cannabis is exempt to this law, as it is legalized in December 1999.

Drug addicts are aggressively targeted with therapy or community service rather than fines or waivers. Even if there are no criminal penalties, the law does not legalize use of drugs (except for cannabis) in Gristol-Serkonos. Possession has remained prohibited by Gristol-Serkonosean law, and criminal penalties are still applied to drug growers, dealers and traffickers.

A study was published in 2009 regarding the decriminalization of drugs. Empirical data from that report indicate that decriminalization has had no adverse effect on drug usage rates. However, drug-related pathologies - such as sexually transmitted diseases and deaths due to drug usage - have decreased dramatically.

Amount Limits

• 10 g Opium
• 2 g Cocaine (Hydrochloride)
• 2 g Morphine
• 1 g MDMA
• 1 g Heroin
• 1 g Methadone
• 1 g Amphetamine
• 0.5 g Pure THC
• 0.3 g Cocaine (Benzoylecgonine)
• 0.1 g PCP
• 500 µg LSD

Culture

The culture of the Gristol-Serkonos has been influenced by many factors including: the nation's conservative policies; its transition to a constitutional democracy; as well as being a political union of two countries with each preserving elements of distinctive traditions, customs and symbolism. The wider culture of Belissarian countries in Ajax has also influenced the country's culture, and Humanism, religion and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture. The power and influence of the aristocracy remains as a major influencing factor in the Gristol-Serkonos politics, with most of its elected politicians with connections to the barons or dukes from their respective constituencies.

Citizens are notable for their personal responsibility and their own determination to set their own path. Despite its conservative policies, the country has provided extensive civil rights for the LGBT community.

Music and Art

Music is heavily influential in the United Kingdom's society, with a rich and varied history. The Pontiac-Bernadotte Royal Conservatoire was opened 1894, which is regarded as one of the best musical academies in the continent. During the 20th century, new musical genres emerged following influences from foreign nations. Today, the country has a lively contemporary music scene that has produced several world-famous artists of countless different genres.