Lihnidos

Empire of Lihnidos Λιχνίδου Αυτοκρατορία (Hellenic)
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Πάντα να υπερέχει ("Ever to Excel")
Location of Lihnidos (dark green) – in Belisaria (dark grey) – in the Belisarian Community (light green)
Capital	Arcadia
Largest	Ikaria
Official languages	Hellenic
Ethnic groups	87.3% Lihnidosi 12.7% Other
Demonym(s)	Lihnidosi
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Empress	Stella II
• Prime Minister	Fotis Raptis
Legislature	National Assembly
Formation
• Founding of Xanthi City-States	900 BC
• Confederation of City-States	356 BC
• Kingdom of Xanthi	154 BC
• Latin Invasions	60 - 70 AD
• Integration into Latin Empire	70 AD
• Independence from Latin Empire	565
• Hellenic Empire	1713
• Lihnidosi Empire	1827
Area
•	484,224 km2 (186,960 sq mi)
Population
• 2017 estimate	72,420,744
• 2014 census	71,394,929
• Density	147.44/km2 (381.9/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$2.977 trillion
• Per capita	$41,109
Gini	38.9 medium
HDI	.870 very high
Currency	Denarius (X)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+57
ISO 3166 code	LS
Internet TLD	.lnd

Lihnidos, officially the Empire of Lihnidos, is a sovereign country located in southern Belisaria. Lihnidos is an island nation in the Periclean Sea. It shares maritime borders to the north with Garima and to the west with Vannois. Southern and eastern Lihnidos is surrounded by the Periclean Sea. With an area of 484,224 square kilometers and an estimated population of approximately 72.5 million inhabitants, Lihnidos is the eighteenth most populous country in Ajax yet also one of the smaller nations in land area.

Lihnidos is a unitary parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. The current and ninth monarch is Stella II, who has reigned since late 2007. The current and twenty-sixth prime minister is Fotis Raptis who leads the Conservative-National government in the National Assembly and who has been in office since early 2010. Lihnidos's capital is the city of Arcadia and the largest city is Ikaria. Other major population centers include the cities of Xanthi and Cephalonia.

Modern humans first arrived in Lihnidos around 35,000 years ago from Scipia. Several tribes made settlements in coastal regions that later led to the development of Hellenic cultures in southern Lihnidos. Settlements consolidated under centralized rule in the form of city-states and later duchies and kingdoms until the region came under Latin rule around 70 AD. After the fall of the Latin Empire in Lihnidos around 600 AD, numerous kingdoms formed and later joined as the United Kingdoms of Lihnidos in 1675.

In 1713 the United Kingdoms of Lihnidos and the Tarsan Empire fell under the same rule and formed the Hellenic Empire. This wide-spanning empire that included lands in Belisaria and Scipia lasted for roughly one hundred years before fracturing into smaller empires and kingdoms. Following Lihnidosi independence from the Hellenic Empire in 1827 the Lihnidosi Empire was declared as the successor state of the Hellenic Empire. The fall of the Hellenic Empire caused instability in parts of Lihnidos and Scipia which lasted in Lihnidos until roughly the mid-1850s.

Presently, Lihnidos is a developed and high income country with the world's 9th largest economy by nominal GDP. The country is a member of the Belisarian Community, Forum of Nations, and Joint Space Agency.

History

Prehistory

A reproduction of Bylyyn cave paintings.

The first evidence of the presence of modern humans in Lihnidos was found in the Bylyyn caves outside the town of Nauros in southern Boeotia. The best known artifacts from this time period are cave paintings and fossilized remains that were created between 35,900 to 21,200 BC. Genetic evidence suggests that the first humans in Lihnidos arrived from the southern continent of Scipia and made their way north into Belisaria.

Lihnidos is home to some of the first advanced civilizations in Belisaria. Many of these civilizations were began by well-established settlements that had been founded as early as 3500 BC. The Hellenes inhabited the southern and eastern coastal areas of Lihnidos before moving further north and west. These civilizations began with the Gythacan civilization on the eastern coast of Lihnidos in Messenia around 3000 BC, the Cyrelean civilization around 2700 BC in Kilkis, and the Iolcippian civilization in the Samos Islands around 1900 BC. These civilizations remained largely independent of one another with limited conflict until around 1000 BC when the Gythacans began a time of regional upheaval by attempting to conquer surrounding civilizations.

City-states and unification

The end of the regional conflicts and transition into a more stable society happened around 900 BC with the creation of numerous city-states across southern Lihnidos. Hellenic city-states stretched as far west as the Latin peninsula and as far east as Tarsas. Many of these city-states were prosperous centers where the arts and sciences were allowed to flourish.

A Hellenic theater in Xanthi.

The most successful city-state in Lihnidos was the city-state of Xanthi that was located on the western coast of Boeotia. Xanthi was the first city-state in Lihnidos to adopt a democratic form of government while many others were ruled as aristocracies or some form of military dictatorship. Xanthi society, varying from its counterparts, put it at a disadvantage in matters of war and there are several instances where it is believed that Xanthi was almost captured by hostile powers.

By 450 BC war was common between varying city-states due to no unifying ideology or goal. During this period there was a significant decrease in the development of sciences and arts as many city-states began to suffer from constant war. The ongoing disputes led to a breaking point around 360 BC when the leaders of Xanthi called for an assembly of leaders from the most prominent and powerful city-states at the time in an attempt to cease the hostilities. The proposal did not gain traction until three years later in 357 BC when several smaller city-states that had not been previously considered proposed the assembly of leaders once again. The increased interest from smaller city-states and Xanthi, which at the time, despite its non-military culture, was one of the more powerful military powers in the region, prompted remaining holdouts who were against such a meeting to accept. The assembly took place in 356 BC in Xanthi. The assembly of city-state leaders brought many concerns, as many of the militaristic city-states believed the assembly to be a ploy by the smaller city-states to eliminate their leadership. Because of this belief, four different city-states brought military contingents that camped outside of the walls of Xanthi for the duration of the assembly. While the exact number of troops camped outside the city was not recorded, writings from people in the city point to a total troop count in the tens of thousands.

Hyeligeneian leader Anastasius, whose conquest resulted in the formation of the Kingdom of Xanthi.

The assembly is believed to have lasted for two weeks as leaders from the city-states debated and negotiated peace. The result of the assembly led to the creation of a confederacy of city-states that would promote mutual defense and resource sharing. The fragile attempt to stop the wars appeared to succeed until 156 BC when the city-state of Hyeligeneia accused the city-state of Aigane of planing war against them. The two were quickly drawn into war as Hyeligeneia marched on the city of Aigane. The war drew other city-states into the fighting and, despite the best efforts of some members of the confederacy, it collapsed shortly after. The fighting led to Hyeligeneia conquering a number of city-states in central Lihnidos and eventually the leadership turned its wrath to Xanthi. In 154 BC Xanthi fell to the Hyeligeneian military. By the time Xanthi had been conquered, a majority of the land in southern Lihnidos was under Hyeligeneian control. Following Xanthi's conquering, the leader of Hyeligeneia proclaimed himself king, using the name of the most recently conquered city-state as his kingdom. The Kingdom of Xanthi under Anastasius I quickly took control of much of what is today the provinces of Boeotia, Serres, Kilkis, Thasos, Pieria, Evros, and Chania.

Latin invasions

The Kingdom of Xanthi continued to expand further east until around 60 AD when it had conquered much of present day western and central Lihnidos. Expansion was halted between 59 and 62 AD when the Latin Empire to the west began to expand further east, encroaching on Xanthi territory. The Latins launched their first invasion into Xanthi territory around 64 AD and quickly moved east, easily defeating the inferior Xanthi military forces. Xanthi military forces attempted several times to halt the Latin move east, but failed to do so on almost all occasions. Xanthi, also the name for the capital of the kingdom, fell in 67 AD and saw the death of the reigning monarch at the time, Anastasius II. Anastasius' death left the kingdom without clear leadership for the remaining years of the invasions as his immediate heirs also died during the war.

The Latin military had defeated the last pockets of resistance in the east by 70 AD. Historical records suggest that Latin military strength was far superior to that of the Kingdom of Xanthi. The ten year time frame of the invasions was significantly longer than historical evidence suggests it could have been. The lengthy period was likely a result of the Latin Empire's attempt to incorporate and assimilate those from Xanthi into their culture, with the Latins taking several several-month-long breaks between periods of expansion into Xanthi.

Latin rule over Xanthi territory lasted for approximately 500 years from 70 to 565 AD. During this time Latin culture and language was widely accepted as the norm and present throughout much of what had been the Kingdom of Xanthi. Despite this there were still holdouts among the Xanthi nobility that sought independence and held on to old traditions and language.

Geography

Lihnidos is located on the southern part of the continent of Belisaria. Lihnidos borders Latium to the west, the Ecclesiastical State to the south-west, Seredinia and Lyncanestria to the north, and shares a maritime border with Eagleland to the east. The western half of the nation is primarily hills and mountains, with a large mountain range spanning part of the border between Lihnidos and Lyncanestria. The eastern half of the nation, while also having hilly regions, is primarily flat, especially along the coast. The flat eastern part of the country has a large coastline with the Perliclean Sea, with the southern half of the coast opening directly into the sea and the northern half of the coast opening into a strait between Lihnidos and Eagleland. Lihnidos holds control over the four Samos Islands off the southern coast of Boeotia. In the center of the country lies a large freshwater lake that is larger than the individual provinces of Pieria, Evros, and Serres.

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  A small bay on the Kilkis coast.

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  Much of the eastern part of the country have lands good for farming.

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  Coast of Ialara, one of the Samos Islands.

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  Cliffs near Arta on Lake Poseidia.

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  Mount Boraros, the highest mountain in the Álpeis, from the Lihnidos side.

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  Small houses along the southern coast of the Boeotia peninsula.

Climate

There are a number of climate zones in Lihnidos when using the Köppen climate classification system. The southern coastal regions of Lihnidos are characterized as having a Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild, wet winters. The conditions in the center and western half of the country can be characterized as halving an oceanic climate with warm summers and cool winters. The mountainous region on the border of Lihnidos and Lyncanestria can be characterized as a subarctic or tundra climate, especially in the higher elevations of the mountains. Snowfall is common along the border of Lyncanestria in the mountainous regions in the fall and winter months, while less common in the other parts of the country. Snowfall is less common but still typical in the central parts of the country while less common in the southern regions where rain is the norm.

Demographics

Population

According to the 2014 census conducted by the Ministry of Local and Regional Governance, the population of Lihnidos at the time was 71,394,929. With continued immigration, emigration, deaths, and new births, it is estimated that the current population is roughly 72.5 million, only an increase of slightly over one million. Lihnidos's estimated population of over seventy-two million makes it the fifth largest nation on Belisaria by population, behind Liothidia, Arthurista, Latium, and Ottonia. According to the 2014 census, a vast majority of the population identify as Lihnidosi, with 87.3% doing so. The second largest group of individuals are those who identify as Vannoisian, which account for roughly five percent of the population. The majority of the remaining eight percent come from other Belisarian countries including Garima, Lyncanestria, and Latium, while some others come from non-Belisarian countries such as Sydalon, Belfras, and Tarsas. The racial makeup of the population is homogeneous in the aspect that 96.2% of the population identify as Caucasian. The other primary racial groups in Lihnidos are Scipian at 1.9%, Oxidental at 1.5%, and Ochran at 0.4%.

Largest Cities

A majority of the population live in rural areas opposed to urban areas like large towns and cities. Only three cities in Lihnidos have populations over one million: Ikaria, Arcadia, and Xanthi. All three cities have deep historical significance and hold a special role in the nation. Ikaria, often considered the financial capital of Lihnidos, has served as home to the headquarters of many of Lihnidos's largest businesses, both domestic and foreign. Arcadia, the capital of Lihnidos, serves as the seat of the government. Xanthi, the original capital of the empire, served as the capital of the Xanthi Confederation of City-States, the Kingdom of Xanthi, and the early Empire of Lihnidos. Due to its historic role, it is often deemed the cultural capital of the nation. Close behind the top three cities is Cephalonia, which ranks fourth with a population only slightly under one million. After Cephalonia the populations of the largest cities begins to drop significantly.

Provinces

Lihnidos is divided into twenty provinces, each of a different size and population. The borders of each province are partially based on the borders of the historic duchies that comprised the three kingdoms of Lihnidos in its medieval history. Serres is the largest province by population, but one of the smallest by land area. With over eight million people, it holds over eleven percent of the population of the nation, over a fourth of which live in the capital city of the province, Ikaria. Many of the provinces are close in terms of population, with half having a population of between three and four million.

Provinces in Lihnidos

Province	Abbr.	Provincial Council Control	Capital	Largest city	Population Estimate as of 2018	Seats in the National Assembly
Serres	SRS	Democratic Coalition	Ikaria	Ikaria	7,775,636	36
Boeotia	BOA	Conservative-National Alliance	Xanthi	Xanthi	6,121,921	30
Pieria	PIA	Conservative-National Alliance	Arcadia	Arcadia	5,629,485	27
Ithaca	IAC	Conservative-National Alliance	Cephalonia	Cephalonia	5,265,946	25
Thasos	TOS	Conservative-National Alliance	Kavala	Phliita	4,718,147	23
Phthiotis	PTS	Conservative-National Alliance	Phocis	Phocis	3,720,195	18
Lasithi	LAS	Democratic Coalition	Rethymno	Epekion	3,419,542	17
Evrytania	EVA	Conservative-National Alliance	Varadinum	Varadinum	3,332,674	16
Chania	CHN	Conservative-National Alliance	Heraklion	Heraklion	3,295,314	16
Rhodope	RHD	Conservative-National Alliance	Arta	Arta	3,195,442	15
Messenia	MES	Conservative-National Alliance	Andros	Sozillai	3,194,349	15
Evros	EVS	Democratic Coalition	Euboea	Euboea	3,161,784	15
Piraeus	PAE	Conservative-National Alliance	Volos	Volos	3,025,102	15
Kilkis	KIL	Democratic Coalition	Imathia	Hion	3,008,978	15
Kalymnos	KAL	Conservative-National Alliance	Karpathos	Karpathos	3,002,938	15
Thefkada	TFA	Conservative-National Alliance	Zakynthos	Zakynthos	2,842,694	14
Chios	CIS	No Overall Control	Chalkidiki	Chalkidiki	2,642,895	13
Corinthia	COR	Democratic Coalition	Laconia	Laconia	2,357,418	11
Preveza	PEZ	Conservative-National Alliance	Thesprotia	Thesprotia	2,000,751	10
Samos	SMS	Conservative-National Alliance	Lesbos	Lesbos	727,533	4

Religion

The Cathedral of Saint John is the largest cathedral in Lihnidos.

Religion is held sacrosanct in Lihnidos and the intermingling of church and state is often criticized by those who believe that religion should not be present in government. The majority of individuals in Lihnidos describe themselves as adherents of Fabrian Catholicism. While Lihnidos does not have a state religion, a number of prominent government officials and nobility are followers of the faith and therefore occasionally may make decisions that follow the teachings of the church. Over thirty-six million individuals in Lihnidos identify as Fabrian Catholic, accounting for almost fifty-two percent of the population.

The second largest religion in Lihnidos is Alban Christianity, which while far behind Fabrian Catholicism, has a significant following in Lihnidos. Almost seventeen million individuals identify as Alban Christian, which accounts for another twenty-three percent of the population. Other religious groups are not as prominent in the nation, with almost seven percent of the population describing themselves as Christians that do not follow either Alban Christianity or Fabrian Catholicism. Those who have no faith or who do not describe themselves as Christians comprise almost nineteen percent of the population.

Religious Demographics of Lihnidos

  Fabrian Catholic (51.3%)

  Alban Christian (23.1%)

  Other Christians (6.7%)

  Other religions or no faith (18.9%)

Prior to Fabrian Catholicism and Alban Christianity being the predominant faiths in Lihnidos, a large number of Lihnidosi practiced a form of polytheistic paganism. This paganism varied in several parts of what is now Lihnidos, but many of the different sects had enough similarities that they could collectively be referred to as one religion. The ancient religion was present in every part of an individuals life and had an extensive mythology that caused followers to see works of the gods in almost everything. Alban Christianity began to take hold in Lihnidos in the 2nd century as it became the dominant faith in the neighboring Latin Empire. Spreading from west to east, the teachings of the Albian church attracted several who were dissatisfied with the teachings of the dominant pagan religion at the time. By the early fourth century Albian Christianity had a substantial following across the Kingdom of Xanthi. In 413 AD the Latin Empire began invasions into the western areas of the Kingdom of Xanthi and by 457 AD had integrated almost all of what had been the Kingdom of Xanthi into the Latin Empire. During and following the invasions Alban Christianity was the state faith of the Latin Empire, which resulted in a push by the Latin leadership to convert to Alban Christianity. Following independence and the creation of Fabrian Catholicism after its split from the Albran church, Fabrian Catholicism slowly rose to become the dominant religion.

The amount of those who identify as not following any religion has risen slightly over the years. In 2004 the percentage of individuals who identified as atheist or agnostic was approximately seven percent. Ten years later in 2014 the percentage had risen to over ten percent. The rise in those who do not identify with any religion has been accompanied by a decrease in church attendance rates in the nation. A survey conducted in 2016 showed that, out of those who consider themselves religion, only 58% attended mass regularly, while 30% only attended on holidays and 12% had not attended a church service in the last year. Church attendance rates have been a concern of clergy members in every religion in the nation, and the Fabrian Archbishop of Arcadia acknowledged in 2017 that people were less likely to attend mass currently due to a shift in the culture of the nation and attitude towards religion in general.

Ethnic Groups

Lihnidosi is the majoirity ethnic group in Lihnidos, with 87.3% of the population identifying as such on the 2014 census. Alongside the Lihnidosi, Vannoisians are the largest minority group, making up roughly five percent of the population. Those who identify as Vannoisian primarily reside in the western parts of the nation, with the largest percentages living in the provinces of Evrytania and Lasithi. Lasithi boasts the highest percentage of Vannoisians living in the nation. Another large ethnic group living in Lihnidos are Latins. The large percentage of those who identify as Latin is often contributed to the almost six centuries that present-day Lihnidos was under the control of the Latin Empire. While the entirety of the country was at one point under Latin rule and therefore exposed to Latin culture, the majority of the areas that are still accustomed to the Latin traditions and cultures are in the east.

There is an additional five percent of the population that do not identify as either Lihnidosi, Vannoisian, or Latin. This percentage is primarily comprised of individuals who identify as Gariman, Lyncanestrian, or Tarsan. Due to Lihnidos's membership in the Belisarian Community and involvement in the Laennes Area, it has been easy for individuals from the neighboring nations to enter the country and establish permanent residence or achieve citizenship.

Languages

The two dominant languages in Lihnidos are Hellenic and Latin. Hellenic is the only official language of the nation. Hellenic is the first language of approximately 80% of the nation while Latin falls behind at approximately 27%. The language of the government is primarily Hellenic, although all documents are translated to Latin. Latin is the primary secondary language taught in primary and secondary education, and a survey taken in 2012 indicates that over half of university-level students are "confident in their ability to understand and converse in Latin." Another language that is somewhat prominent at the university level is Audonais, a language spoken in both Lyncanestria and Vannois.

Government and Politics

Monarch

Main article: Monarchy of Lihnidos

As an executive constitutional monarchy, the head of state of Lihnidos is the monarch of Lihnidos. The monarch retains a significant amount of political and executive power in the Constitution of Lihnidos. As the head of the executive branch of the government, the monarch has the ability to appoint and dismiss individuals in the executive branch. They also has the ability to write Imperial Directives that, while not laws, can direct specific actions of the government, most commonly in the executive branch. The monarch also has the authority to appoint a prime minister after a candidate has been nominated by the National Assembly. If the candidate does not receive the approval of the monarch, the National Assembly would be forced to nominate another individual for the position. This power is granted to them due to her position as the Epitiritís Aftokratorikós, or the Imperial Overseer, of the National Assembly. That position also allows them to effectively veto legislation by refusing imperial assent and to dissolve the National Assembly after consultation with the prime minister. As the head of state, the monarch also has the authority over foreign affairs and is the only individuals to represent Lihnidos abroad unless another is given her permission, which is granted following an appointment to certain positions in the foreign ministry or an ambassadorship.

The current Empress, Stella II, who has reigned since 27 November 2007.

The current monarch is Empress Stella II of House Vasiliou. House Vasiliou has held the throne since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Isidoros in 1827. The popularity of the monarchy has remained high among the citizenry, with most monarchs having steady approval ratings in the high fifties to mid sixties. The only monarch to have a lower approval rating than the norm was Empress Teresa, who earned an approval rating that averaged in the mid forties due to her outspoken nature in regards to her political beliefs. Despite their significant political power, most monarchs opt to remain out of political affairs as much as possible.

Prime Minister

Main article: Prime Minister of Lihnidos

The current Prime Minister of Lihnidos, His Excellency Fotis Raptis.

The Prime Minister of Lihnidos is the head of government and the second most prominent and influential member of the Lihnidosi government behind the monarch. While a constitutional monarchy, the Crown retains special abilities when it comes to the appointment of the Prime Minister and other government officials. Following a general election, the newly sworn in National Assembly will take a public vote in which each member is able to cast a ballot for who they wish to be Prime Minister. Typically, individual parties will select a person who they wish to act as the leader of the party, and that individual is who each party will vote for for the position of Prime Minister. After one person receives a majority of the votes in the National Assembly, the candidate for Prime Minister will attend an audience with the monarch in which they will either appoint the nominee to the position of Prime Minister or decline their appointment. If the monarch declines to appoint the National Assembly's nominee for Prime Minister, the National Assembly will have to vote another time to appoint another person.

Following the appointment of a Prime Minister, the individual will recommend qualified individuals to be appointed to the Cabinet of Ministers whom the monarch must also approve of. The Cabinet is currently comprised of eighteen secretaries of state, the Prime Minister, and eight other individuals who are officials in the ruling party or representatives of the monarch. While the Prime Minister is the head of government, the members of the Cabinet are tasked with carrying out the day to day operations of the ministries that they oversee. Cabinet secretaries and the Prime Minister will ordinarily answer questions during sessions of the National Assembly on their job performance.

Powers of the Prime Minister include recommending individuals for appointment to executive offices and advising the monarch on matters of state and government. The Prime Minister is also allowed to initiate the process of dissolving the National Assembly. By recommending the dissolution to the monarch, they is then able to make the final decision, and if approved, the National Assembly will be dissolved and a general election held.

Prime Ministers will normally stay in office either until resignation or when their party loses a majority. If the National Assembly passes a Motion of No Confidence against the government the Prime Minister and entire Cabinet will be removed from office. It is uncommon for a Prime Minister to be forced out by their own party and almost unheard of for the monarch to force the resignation of a Prime Minister.

National Assembly

Main article: National Assembly of Lihnidos

The National Assembly has acted as the unicameral legislature in Lihnidos since its creation by constitutional amendment in 1803. Prior to its creation there was no legislature that represented the citizenry of the nation. Instead, there was a small, elected council that advised the monarch in matters of domestic policy named the "High Commoner Council." The council was first created in 1785 by Empress Maria II. The Council was created to advise both the monarch, who reigned from Aenonesos in Tarsas, and the monarch's proxy ruler in Lihnidos. The Council took part in drafting the first version of the Constitution of Lihnidos which solidified their power as a part of the government in Lihnidos. In 1803 under Emperor Manuel, the Council submitted a draft amendment to the Constitution that created an additional part of the government, an elected legislature of one hundred individuals who would propose laws for the Council and monarch's approval. Manuel approved of the amendment and the first version of the National Assembly was created. The name National Assembly did not come into use until 1839 when Emperor Isidoros abolished the High Commoner Council and transferred the duties that the Council previously fulfilled to the legislative body and increased its powers.

The National Assembly meets in Eleutherios Hall on Parliament Hill.

Today, the monarch holds the title Epitiritís Aftokratorikós, or Imperial Overseer, of the National Assembly and has a number of powers that can be exercised over the body. The de facto leader of the National Assembly is the Prime Minister, who is a man or woman chosen by the legislature and approved by the monarch. The 350 members of the National Assembly are representatives of individual constituencies, each with an average approximate population of 207,000. As a multiparty system, each Deputy is a member of one of the multiple national parties or an independent.

The National Assembly holds authority over a number of functions of the government. The largest power of the National Assembly is its ability to decide upon the budget and other financial matters. All government spending must be approved by the National Assembly at the beginning of every year, and the allocated money must be used for what it was pledged to in the budget bill. The National Assembly may also pass other laws that it determines are adequately written and that do not violate the constitution. Once bills are passed by the National Assembly they are sent to the monarch who must give imperial assent by signing the bills in order for them to become law. If the monarch refuses to sign the bill, thereby withholding imperial assent, the bill is effectively vetoed and does not become law. This power granted to the monarch makes their personal political views a factor in the drafting of legislation, and the government will typically ask for input from the Imperial Offices before submitting a draft bill for review by the National Assembly.

The National Assembly is divided into twenty different committees that will review and debate bills before they are sent to the full National Assembly for a vote. Each committee specializes in a specific topic and are able to exercise a number of roles. Before bills are voted on by the committee, amendments are permitted to be added by the committee and revisions are able to be made. A simple majority on the committee will send it to the full National Assembly for a vote. Committees are also able to begin inquiries into actions taken by the government. This may include subpoenaing evidence or calling witnesses to testify before the committee. Each committee has a varying number of members of the National Assembly led by a chairman or chairwoman.

Elections

Elections in Lihnidos take place on the second Friday in October. During this day, citizens have the ability, if registered, to travel to their designated polling locations and cast a ballot for a number of elected offices. The most notable elections in Lihnidos are elections for the National Assembly, during which the entire 350 seats of the legislature are up for reelection. Elections for the National Assembly happen every four years, although on rare occasions that the National Assembly is dissolved and a general election called an election could be held sooner. Also, if a majority of the National Assembly are unable to nominate a candidate for Prime Minister, a general election could be held again shortly after one was already held. Voters have a choice to elect candidates from one of several official national parties that are permitted to run candidates during the election or could opt to vote for an independent candidate.

Prior to running in the general election, parties are able to select candidates to run in constituencies in ways that the party deems fit. Most parties will handpick candidates to run while some may choose to have primaries to allow voters to select their candidates. The deadline for parties to submit the name of their candidate for every constituency in the general election is the second Friday in August. Candidate selection and campaigning typically begins on the second Monday in July after the National Assembly is officially dissolved the Friday before. After elections in October, the newly election members of the National Assembly are sworn in on the third Friday in October and the state opening of the National Assembly takes place the following week. Members are elected through a first-past-the-post system where the candidate with the most votes is the winner.

Voters are also able to elect representatives to represent them on provincial councils. Provincial councils have no authority to write and pass laws for their province, but are rather representatives for the province as a whole on the national level outside of the National Assembly. Provincial and local government elections take place on the second Friday in October every four years and are held on a different schedule to National Assembly elections.

Administrative Divisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of Lihnidos

Until 1827 administrative divisions in Lihnidos were still following historic borders for noble lands. Kingdoms, duchies, and counties were the three divisions typically used. While these divisions were rarely used due to total governmental control being exercised in the capital, several of the divisions had a member of the nobility that oversaw the workings of a county or duchy. Following an amendment to the Constitution in 1827, a separate, non-monarchical system was created to divide Lihnidos into manageable divisions. The largest division currently is the province, of which there are twenty. Each province is led collectively by a provincial council. Each council is headed by a provincial chancellor. Provinces have no authority to write or pass laws due to the unitary nature of the Lihnidosi government. Instead, provincial councils are able to decide how funds given to the province by the national government are spent. The council can also represent the province on a national level.

Under provinces are counties, which are headed by county commissioners. Counties have local authority and are able to set local taxes that are then used as the county government deems appropriate. Alongside the county commissioners are county commissions which assist the commissioners in their duties in overseeing the county and its services. Counties are further divided into municipalities, which are able to have mayors, town or city councils, and other representatives.

While not having any local legal status, constituencies are also a level of administrative division used to determine the area that members of the National Assembly represent. The borders of constituencies do not usually follow a prescribed format and often are drawn in order to encompass a certain population. Constituency borders are drawn by provincial councils.

Military

Main article: Lihnidosi Armed Forces

Young members of the Lihnidosi Army during the final days of basic training.

The Lihnidosi Armed Forces are divided into three branches: the Army, Air Force, and Navy. The Lihnidosi Armed Forces are led by the commander-in-chief, a position that is occupied by the monarch. Lihnidos has no mandatory service requirement and entrance to the military is restricted to individuals who can meet certain standards set out by the Ministry of Defense. If an individual wishes to join the Lihnidosi Armed Forces, they must first choose a branch that they wish to enter. Each branch of the military has a separate basic training with different requirements. Any individual who does not meet the requirements during basic training can be removed from the service. As of 2018, the Lihnidosi Armed Forces had an approximate total 187,000 personnel on active duty with another 41,000 in the reserves. Per the 2018 budget, the government allocated a total of 36.94 billion for defense spending, approximately 1.2% of GDP.

Controversy surrounds the Imperial Guard, as it is not officially recognized as a branch of the armed forces. In theory, the Imperial Guard is a contingent of troops that are directed by the monarch and are not overseen by the elected government. The lack of oversight has led many governments to criticize the Guard and question its legitimacy as a lawful entity. Several administrations have attempted to limit the effectiveness of the Imperial Guard by cutting its budget, but subsequent administrations more favorable to the monarch have refunded the Guard at the levels requested by the Imperial Offices. Recruitment for the Imperial Guard is not an open process, as individuals cannot apply to join or enlist in the Guard. Rather, recruits going through basic training for the three branches of the military who show exceptional skill are selected and offered a position in the Guard. The current number of Imperial Guardsmen is approximately 10,000 as of 2018.

Foreign Relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Lihnidos

As the Head of State, the monarch directs the foreign policy of Lihnidos. The monarch has the sole power to appoint ambassadors and other foreign envoys after recommendations by the Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Due to it's membership in the Belisarian Community, Lihnidosi foreign policy is largely formed by the collective member states in the community. Despite this, Lihnidos maintains diplomatic relations with almost all governments in the region through embassies and consulates.

Economy

Energy

A nuclear power plant located in the province of Phthiotis.

Lihnidos has largely been energy independent since the late 19th century following the discovery of large reserves of natural gas in the western regions of the country near the Latin, Lyncanestrian, and Fabrian borders. Following the discovery fracking became essential in the Lihnidosi energy sector and private industry quickly placed bids for government contracts to set up fracking operations on government land. In 1943 an incident at a fracking site in Messenia resulted in the contamination of large amounts of drinking water for surrounding towns. The incident was addressed by the Democratic Coalition government at the time in the form of increased regulations. The increase in regulation and regulatory power in the Ministry of the Environment and Agriculture was described as "strangling" the fracking industry by politicians in many areas where fracking was a large part of the economy. The decrease in the fracking industry at the time was followed by an increase in green or renewable energy in the form of hydroelectric, solar, and nuclear power.

Currently, energy from natural gas accounts for 46% of energy produced in Lihnidos. Regulation on fracking have been scaled back slightly since 1943 to allow the industry to once again grow. Nuclear energy is the second biggest energy source for the nation, with nuclear energy being credited as 44% of the energy production in Lihnidos. The prominence of nuclear energy came after the increased regulations on fracking and the desire by left-wing governments to secure a method of energy creation that was less polluting than natural gas. While being nonrenewable and characterized by opponents as dangerous, it quickly became a large part of the energy sector. Following behind natural gas and nuclear are the forms of renewable, green energy. Hydroelectric power produces roughly 5% of the energy in Lihnidos with solar producing 3% and wind producing 2%.

Subsidies had been available for renewable energy projects and producers, but following the Conservative-National Alliance regaining a majority in the National Assembly in 2006, subsidies were cut. The current government's lack of interest in promoting renewable energy has led to a decrease in its use.