Orleóis

Union of Elyssi States Union der Élyssireiche
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Von Diversité, Einheit — From Diversity, Unity
Anthem: Gloire und Triumph
Capital and largest city	Wyzina
Official languages	Elyssi
Recognised national languages	English
Demonym(s)	Elyssi/Elyssii [Also: Imperial]
Government	Federal semi-presidential union of states
• H.I.M. Empress	Elisabeth of Elsaburg
• High Chancellor	Emilie Berger
Legislature	Imperial Parliamentary Courts
• Upper house	Chambère des Gebiete
• Lower house	Synedrium
Establishment
• Imperial Covenant	1204
• Golden Concordat	1831
• Imperial Constitution	1871
• Digital Reformation	2008
Area
• Total	4,196,783 km2 (1,620,387 sq mi)
Population
• 2023 census	229,766,318
• Density	54.75/km2 (141.8/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Total	US$12.91 trillion
• Per capita	US$56.218,21
HDI (2023)	0.946 very high
Currency	Elyss
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+71
Internet TLD	.ues

Elyssia—officially the Union of Elyssi States, and commonly referred to as the Empire, the UES, or the Union (and sometimes Élyssireiche)—is a federal semi-presidential union of states on the continent of Elyssia. Occupying the entirety of the continent under a single banner, it is a sizeable nation at over four million square kilometres and is inhabited by more than two hundred million residents and citizens.

The modern Union has its roots in the formation of the Empire of Elyssia in the 13th Century, which was functionally a political and economic confederacy of thirteen kingdoms to preserve and protect their sovereignty on the continent. It was not until 1831 that the entirety of the Elyssi continent was united under a single banner, and not until 1871 that the Elyssi Union itself was officially established as a federal political entity. Today, and since 1831, the UES has a total of 32 member states.

The Union is, politically, a relatively unique state, both in its legislative branch as well as its executive branch. The head of government in the Republic is the High Chancellor, elected for five-year terms by the population in general elections via the Synedrium, the Forum of Citizens of the Union.

However, the ‘head of State’ is not embodied any one singular person, but rather, by the Imperial Council, composed of all the heads of state and government of the constituent states of the Union in representation of their respective states. These members then undergo an election process to select the member of the Council that holds the title of ‘Emperor of the Elyssi’; functionally, this transforms the Union into a form of elective monarchy. Currently, the throne is occupied by the House of Elsaburg, the sitting house of Elyssia since 1598.

The Imperial Council often works in tandem with the Imperial Commission, which operates as the Council of Ministers of the Union. The Elyssi Commission currently consists of 21 members, including the High Chancellor, which is the head of government of the Union. The Empress herself also has a seat on the Commission, as the High Chancellor does on the Imperial Council, in order to be able to integrate the functioning of both of these bodies as the executive branch of the Union.

The legislative branch is also rather unique in that, while it operates under a standard two-chamber legislative system, the chambers themselves are not typical. The upper house is titled the Chamber of Territories (officially the Chambère des Gebiete), and is made up of 384 members, twelve representatives for each of the thirty-two member states of the Union. They are chosen in regional elections in each of the member states and represent the interests of their state on the broader agenda of the Elyssi Union. Meanwhile, the lower house is titled the Forum of Citizens (officially the Synedrium) and is a platform for electronic democracy through which all citizens can participate in voting processes for bills that affect the entire Union.

Today, the Union—commonly referred to as the Élyssireiche, is a peaceful and prosperous member of the international political and economic community and is well-known for its preference of diplomacy and nonviolence to settle disputes, as well as consistently pursuing a just and egalitarian redistribution of societal wealth and protection.

Political Structure

Territorial Divisions

Municipalities

The municipality is the smallest constitutionally recognised body of territorial organisation. After the 2008 constitutional reform, they are the second organ of most political participation in the UES, surpassed exclusively by the Forum of Citizens. The municipality, given its constitutional importance, is divided into two branches: its executive and its legislative branches.

The executive branch is represented by the Local Conclave. This is a triumvirate organ of candidates from the municipality elected directly by the people in elections, following a ranked-choice electoral system. Each citizen resident in the municipality will vote for all selected final candidates in a certain order (omitting those candidates they do not wish to vote for). The first to obtain a 50% majority is elected to be the Count of the city, who shall be the head of the Conclave. Their votes are then retired from the count, and the second candidate to reach 50% is the Viscount, with the process repeating once again to elect the Vicar. These three shall then form a government, known as the Local Committee, and will handle the vast majority of local policies for the municipality.

The legislative branch is of the municipality—as with all territorial divisions—is none other than the Forum of Citizens. Because each citizen must notify adequately of their place of residence, they are allotted into appropriate municipal, provincial, and regional groups for the voting sessions in each of those territorial divisions.

It is important to note that, though the legislative branch is a digital platform, the Local Committee is not. As such, this allows for the direct scrutiny, both physically and digitally, of their policies by the citizenship in a respectful and constructive manner. While participation in online sessions requires only an official registration, onsite sessions require the submission of official requests at the office of the Committee two days prior to the session, which occur on four separate days each week while the Committee is in session.

On the day prior to each session, an official Order of the Day is published, with all approved participation, questions, and matters. A citizen that requests to participate on a certain day may not be necessarily approved for that day—unless the object of their intervention is specific to the provisional Order of the Day, which is released a week prior—but must be approved for one in the subsequent week at the latest. Furthermore, the sessions shall be divided into specific subjects, which will allow an individual to connect to a session regarding one subject and not sessions regarding other topics on the Order of the Day.

For particularly large municipalities of populations surpassing 25,000, it is permitted for inframunicipal organs—such as district bodies—to represent the Committee, insofar as the Committee retains public sessions in the district where their office is located. In the Union today, there are 81,403 municipalities.

Provinces

The province is the second level of territorial organisation within the Union. It is the midway point between municipalities and archduchies. In total, there are 243 provinces across the Union, which not only exercise coordination between these levels, but also several executive functions with competences delegated to them by the Constitution.

The province also has two branches of government. The first of these is the executive branch. Much like the municipalities, elections are held across the province to select three members to form the Provincial Cabinet, made up of the Governor, Vice Governor, and Deputy Governor. However, there is a notable restriction for members to be electable in these elections, and it is that they must be a member of the Conclaves of their municipalities (meaning each municipality would have, at most, three possible candidates for the Cabinet). Once these members are elected, they form a government known as the Provincial Committee.

Meanwhile, the legislative branch is, again, the corresponding level of the Forum of Citizens.

Archduchies

The archduchies of the Union are the most important territorial division of the country, representing the utmost federal union of states and serving as the primary guide for all territorial divisions beneath them. They correspond to the historical 32 members states that formed the Union in the 19th Century, and retain much of their historical, cultural, and political identities.

That said, certain modifications have been made to harmonise electoral processes across all territories of the Élyssireiche; one of these, especially, is the decision to harmonise ranked-choice based electoral voting across the country, as well as general legislative and executive structures. As such, the archduchies—as the levels beneath them—have a legislative branch composed of the corresponding level of territorial cohesion within the Forum of Citizens, whilst its executive branch is elected from the eligible members of their respective provinces (which, given the much larger dimensions of provinces versus municipalities, usually results in roughly twenty candidates per archduchy). The resulting electoral body is known as the Regional Presidium and is composed of the Grand Duke or Duchess—acting as the head of the body—the Duke or Duchess, and the Marquess or Marchioness.

It is important to note, however, that there exists yet another political entity within the structure of the archduchies of the Union. Indeed, if the Grand Duke or Duchess exists as the head of government of the archduchy, a total of 26 of the member states of the Union retain their elective monarchies. In this way, these twenty-six member states have a dual system, much like the national system, under which the governance of the archduchy is run by the head of Government, whilst the head of State—which acts in representation of the archduchy both nationally and internationally—is the resultant elected monarch. Since 1871 and the regularisation of the UES’ political structure, these have all been titled ‘Prince’ or ‘Princess’, making them of equal rank to non-heir members of the Imperial family.

Each of these 26 member states has organised the specific workings of the elective nature of their respective monarchies, although they all follow relatively similar rules established under the Treaty of Vollburg. In addition to these, another eight states have established a monocephalous executive, with a single ‘President’ (or other similar title) acting as both head of State and head of Government. This is important most especially as it is these 32 members that form a part of the Imperial Council, as the collegiate heads of State of the Union of Elyssi States.

Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch of the Élyssireiche is known collectively as the Imperial Parliamentary Courts. They are a bicameral organ composed of an upper house, known as the Chamber of Territories, and a lower house, known as the Forum of Citizens. These chambers hold some particularities in comparison to the legislative branches of other countries, most notably with regards to the democratic and participative nature of the Forum of Citizens.

While the Chamber of Territories performs its ceremonies and celebrates its sessions in the Palais des Isidor, nestled in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina, the Forum of Citizens is held exclusively in online forums, video conferences, and other forms of telecommunications. Furthermore, since 2016, these methods now require biometric identification either through facial recognition technology, finger-print identification, or electronic signature technology, at the behest of the citizen themselves. All services are well-protected from hacking to limit the effects on the democratic functioning of the Union, and all forums are protected by two-factor authentication, requiring one of these biometric identification methods and an additional process chosen by the citizen—these can include passcodes, authenticators, secret questions, etc.

Neither the Chamber nor the Forum have political parties, as these were deemed detrimental to the functioning of the civilised Elyssi society. As such, these were replaced by ‘factions’, which are merely representative bodies that each voter may wilfully join or from which they may retire, should they so wish to. The more citizens join a particular faction, the more ‘power’ that faction wields within the Courts; ultimately, however, these factions cannot vote themselves nor control the votes of the citizens that form a part of it. With no figure of the ‘whip’, the citizens will ultimately choose, freely and secretly, to vote on a bill in whichever way they deem appropriate.

There are four types of bills that can be passed in the Courts. These are:

• Public bills. These are bills written and submitted by the Commission, who have the right of priority in terms of submission order.
• Private members’ bills. These are bills submitted by members of the Chamber of Territories to the appropriate parliamentary commission, or by a determined number of factions in the Forum.
• Private bills. These are bills submitted by individual citizens—with the necessary popular support—or by organisations of the civil society—including, but not limited to, trade unions, NGOs, representative organisations, etc.
• Hybrid bills. These are bills submitted by more than one organisation pertaining to different groups, such as Government and factions, individual citizens backing a motion by a senator, etc.

Public bills—after receiving the appropriate support from both the Commission and the Council—are presented to the Chamber of Territories, where a thorough (and televised) debate of the bill between elected officials can take place. This occurs in the Palais des Isidor, in the capital city of Wyzina. Once passed, the bill is presented to the Forum, where citizens will have time to present debates and discussions regarding the bill. After a minimum of seven days of debate, on the closest available Friday, the vote shall take place, with each citizen cataloguing their votes on the digital platform—which can be accessed via personal devices or by proceeding to their closest municipal building to vote at stations available there. Private members’ bills follow this process as well, as they must be submitted first in the Chamber.

Private bills, on the hand, follow a distinctly different process. These bills—which can be presented by individual citizens, factions, or organisations of the civil society—must be presented first to the Forum itself, requiring a minimum of five hundred thousand votes to be considered (or one million votes, in the cases specified by the Imperial Constitution). These votes can be obtained either by explicit consent—which is when a citizen wilfully gives their signature to a particular bill or topic of discussion—or implicit consent—which is that consent given when a citizen forms part a faction that submits a bill to the Forum, or supports a bill presented by a citizen to the Forum, and they do not explicitly withdraw their approval before the end of the allotted time for the process. If the bill is approved in the Forum, it is then transferred to the Chamber for review.

In this case, should the Chamber approve the bill, the Government shall be obliged to present a plan to bring the act into motion within the following three months. This plan does not need to be detailed but should be sufficiently explicative that it is evident that the bill would achieve the objectives identified by the Courts. Should the Chamber reject the bill in its entirety, the Forum can override this rejection with a 60% qualified majority vote. Should the Chamber present amendments to the bill, this bill will return to the Forum, which will require approval of the modifications. Should they be approved, the obligation is then transferred to the government; should they reject these modifications or make amendments to them, the bill will return to the Chamber.

In this final reading, should the Chamber approve of the modifications, the obligation is then transferred to the Government. However, should the Chamber reject the modifications, a special commission must be established between Government, Chamber, and a representative faction of the Forum (chosen by the governing body of the Forum) to reach a consensus. Should a consensus be reached, the bill is presented first to the Forum and then to the Chamber for final approval. If a consensus cannot be reached, the Forum can vote, with two-thirds qualified majority, to push the bill through to Government.

Chamber of Territories

The Chamber of Territories (Chambère des Gebiete) is the upper house of the legislative branch of the Union. The election of the members of the Chamber technically corresponds to the democratically elected governments of each of the regions, but they must be specifically validated and confirmed by the citizens of said region prior to their ascension to the Chamber.

The composition of the Chamber of Territories is undertaken by the regional governments of the archduchies of the Union. Each government will present to the citizens of their respective archduchy a set of twelve candidates, drawn from politically relevant members of the society of that region, to represent them at the Chamber of Territories. These candidates are then questioned and perform live debates with citizens both onsite at various locations or on online platforms, in order to ascertain their political inclinations and make informed decisions regarding their suitability for the position. Once this has been determined, the citizens vote to confirm—as a collegiate body—the set of candidates.

It is very common, in these situations, for factions—both national and regional ones—to support specific candidates. These can include campaigning for or against specific candidates, as well as participating in debates, conferences, and other forms of political scrutiny of public figures.

As the upper house of the Courts, the Chamber must approve the Imperial Budget and perform its reading to the Forum, scrutinise the actions of Government in four weekly sessions, and exercise other competences deposited to it by the constitutional and legal framework of the Union. The Chamber operates in two periods of plenary sessions: the first, between September and December, and the second, between February and June. This allows for a one-month recess in January and a two-month recess in July and August; however, during these periods, a 28-member Permanent Committee is in place to continue with non-urgent dealings of the Chamber.

Elections are called on the 1st of June of every third year by the Council of Territories, the governing body of the Chamber, which is composed of eleven members, chosen by the members of the Senate for the purposes of organisation and moderation of plenary sessions. After the elections have been set, the Chamber itself will be dissolved until a new configuration can be defined.

Forum of Citizens

The Forum of Citizens is the lower house of the legislative branch of the Union. It is the de facto primary chamber of the Courts, largely because of the political discourse of citizens in this body. The Forum is a unique chamber because it does not have voted representatives, but rather, is the direct democratic representation of oneself by oneself in a chamber of free political discussion. In this format, citizens cannot be wrongfully represented by their elected bureaucrats; as such, it becomes integral to the interests of both Government and civil society to make the object of any work of law clear to the citizens, making it accessible to all and easing the democratic process.

The Forum of Citizens is a new creation, born during the Constitutional Reform of 2008. The introduction of the process of Digitalisation of the Imperial State revolutionised the Elyssi political system. Prior to this, the Forum of Citizens was formerly the People’s Assembly, and was a 650-member representative body using ranked-choice first-past-the-post system. This has since been replaced by a sophisticated and digitalised direct democracy system using advanced electronic platforms to allow citizens to participate in the political debate of the Courts from their personal devices or at digital stations available at municipal centres across the Union. They can also be viewed via televised online sessions, as is also the case with the Chamber.

In addition to the bills presented by the Commission to the Chamber, citizens can choose to present private bills to the Forum itself. This requires the backing and support of five hundred thousand citizens, either by explicit consent—usually achieved via digital or physical signing campaigns, including those available on the platform of the Forum itself—or with the backing of the factions of the Forum and their incorporated votes—known as implicit consent. It is common for bills to be presented to the Forum to be debated not only at a wide, national level, but also at lower, local levels.

Voting in the Forum of Citizens, however, is two-fold. It requires not only the approval by simple majority—in most cases—of votes from the citizens, but also of a simple majority of municipalities—which is counted by allotting each municipality a single vote, determined by the overall majority vote in each individual municipality. This is to guarantee that rural municipalities with lower populations are equally represented in the Forum.

The competences of the Forum are extremely varied. On the one hand, they are the utmost representation of the legislative power of the Union, voting on and approving or rejecting bills that affect the political structure and projects of the Union, as well as presenting citizen-led legislative initiatives. Furthermore, they must recognise the final composition of the Imperial Commission on a five-year basis and approve the selection by the Imperial Council of the ruling family and their line of succession. The Forum can also willingly choose to remove any member of Government, requiring 15% of the Forum to request a Motion of No Confidence in the member to the Chamber. Should the Chamber provide backing, the motion is returned to the Forum for a simple majority vote; should the Chamber not provide backing, it shall return to the Forum requiring two-thirds qualified majority.

Despite the lack of political parties, the will of the people is recognised within the Forum by ‘factions’. These factions are legally recognised groups of people that have a specific end in mind, or wish to defend certain ideals, ethics, or ideologies. There is no limit to the number of factions that may exist in the Forum, nor are there limits to the number of factions that a citizen may form a part of—although each citizen shall only ever receive one vote. Factions are of free entry and exit, and cannot have economic quotas, payments, or financial accounts tied to their judicial person. Furthermore, to form a faction, at least 100,000 citizens must sign up to be the founding members, and no faction can have less than 60,000 members.

The Forum of Citizens is led by the Council of Citizens, which are a set of 52 prominent faction leaders elected by the Forum to organise the tasks of the Forum under the supervision of the Chamber.

Executive Branch

The executive branch of the Union is the branch responsible for enacting the various policies of the State and organising the Public Administration to guarantee the basic tenets of the Imperial Constitution are adhered to. The executive branch is headed by the Imperial Commission, which consists of the High Chancellor and the various ministers that form the cabinet. Presiding this cabinet alongside the Chancellor is, habitually, the Empress or Emperor of the Union, in representation of the Imperial Council. Despite the great importance of the figure of the Empress in the Union—most notably in the art of foreign affairs—it is often considered that the Chancellor, who oversees the activities of the government, is a special form of arbiter of the rest of the Government. The Imperial Commission is provided housing at the massive Eleonora Palace (Schloss Eleonora), in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This complex is where most of the meetings of the Commission take place, as well as acting as a temporary home for the Chancellor during their tenure in government.

Imperial Council

The Imperial Council is the body of the Union that acts as a collegiate head of State. It is formed by 32 members, which are the heads of government and state of their respective member states of the Union. Most of these are titled as ‘Princes’ as a result of the elective monarchies that exist in most of the members states of the Union. However, there are currently eight member states that present ‘Presidents’ to the Imperial Council instead of ‘Princes’. Despite this mixed nature, the Imperial Council acts as the basis for what is effectively an elective monarchy: the members of the Imperial Council, be they monarchical or not, elect from amongst themselves a single member who, in representation of their House and family, shall become the throne’s sitting family. This has been the case since before the Golden Concordat of 1831, and the current family—the House of Elsaburg—has occupied the throne since 1598.

Though the Empress is the official representative of the Council and often, in practicality, is the sole head of State of the Union, this is not the formal reality of the Council. The actions undertaken by the Empress require approval by the Council, which is not always simple to come by, given the wide range of views and ideals defended in the Council. Great strides have been made, however, over the course of the history of the Union to simplify and solidify the functionality of the Council itself; whereas it first required unanimous agreement from all members, this is now extremely restricted, and mostly requires either simple majority—in minor cases—or a special majority of 55% of members representing 65% of the population of the Union—in the majority of cases.

Despite this formal reality, the Empress also has a wide range of freedom in the handling of their policies. They are given a great deal of liberty to undergo tasks as they deem necessary, though they are accountable to the Council.

Imperial Throne

The Imperial Throne is the term often used to refer to the sitting imperial House of the Union. The current monarch sitting on the throne is Her Imperial Majesty Empress Elisabeth of House Elsaburg, who ascended to the throne in 2016 at the age of just 25. She is the youngest monarch to occupy the throne since the ascension of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Ferdinand in 1934 at just 24 years old. Despite her young age, her willingness to learn from the experienced members of the Imperial Council and her astute handling of multiple foreign crises and challenges have made her an exceptionally popular monarch within the Union. The current heir apparent to the throne is three-year old Archduchess Emilia, the eldest child of Empress Elisabeth. They currently reside in the Palace Elsaburg (Schloss Elsaburg) in Wyzina.

The Empress and their immediate family undertaken various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, representational, and political duties. The monarchy is constitutional, and as such, the monarch must undertake their duties in a non-partisan manner in the defence of the interests of the Elyssi people. They are also head of the Imperial armed forces, although they are unable to declare war without the support of the Chamber of Territories and Forum of Citizens, nor are they able to order specific military operations without the consent of the Imperial Commission.

The Imperial Throne in the Union is functionally an elective monarchy, although with various hereditary aspects. The elective nature of the monarchy is more to choose the house—of the ruling houses of the various member states of the Union, as well as notable historical houses of the republican member states—that will take the seat of the throne. The members of the Council then control the actions and responsibilities of the ruling monarch, who is accountable to the Council itself, and who requires their consistent validation.

Though the sitting house has been the House of Elsaburg for over 400 years, the theoretical functioning of the elective nature of the monarchy remains. Should a House cease to exist, be removed from the Throne, or otherwise be indisposed for governing the Union, the Imperial Council must determine which of the Elyssi houses must occupy the throne. They do this by selecting a specific member of one of these houses, which is then crowned the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi in a coronation ceremony. The house then presents to the Imperial Council their selected heirs for approval by the Council, which may modify and approve the list without further input from the Empress.

When the Empress passes, abdicates, or is otherwise unable to occupy the throne, the Council must then make a final declaration on whether to approve the selected heir apparent, proceed to additional heirs, or alternatively select a different house to occupy the throne. Should the heir they choose be younger than 23 years of age, an Imperial Regent—oftentimes a member of the Council itself—shall be elected in order to govern alongside the Empress until they reach the stipulated age. Furthermore, an Empress older than 23 can also request that the Council elect an Imperial Regent for a maximum period of eighteen months in order to assist them with integration into the daily workings of the Council.

In order to approve of the ascension of an heir to the throne, a special procedure requiring two-thirds majority vote is required. Should this not be achieved, the Council can either choose by simple majority to hold a Conciliation Commission for a maximum of 21 days in an attempt to secure the ascension of this heir, after which another vote requiring two-thirds majority is also celebrated. Should neither of these prosper, the Council must either select another member of the Line of Succession or select a different house altogether.

Prior to the Digital Reformation of 2008, the approval by the Council of the ascension of an heir to the throne required absolute majority approval by both chambers of the Courts; since 2008, however, this has been replaced by an absolute majority in the Forum of Citizens.

The Imperial Family in the UES refers to Empress Elisabeth and her close relations. There is no strict and precise definition of who is or isn’t a member of the family, and as such, it is the Imperial Household who emits the official list of the members of said family, approved by the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. No member of the imperial family, with their corresponding budgetary provisions, shall be exempt from public duties, except with specific and temporal exemptions emitted by the Imperial Council—or in the case of being physically, mentally, or otherwise impaired from doing so.

The head of the imperial family is Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg. She herself has two children and no grandchildren, given the youth of the current line of the monarchy. She also has two brothers and one sister, three nephews, one niece, one uncle, one aunt, five first cousins, and another eight first cousins once removed. The current list of the Imperial Household includes the Empress, Emperor, and their direct descendants, the Empress’ parents and siblings, her paternal uncle and aunt, her paternal grandparents and great uncle, and her cousins. Habitually, it is considered standard that the ‘imperial family’ are those of up to the fourth degree of relation to the ruling monarch, and up to said fourth degree, can obtain the title of ‘prince’ or ‘princess’. This does mean, however, that it is possible for one sibling to have the title of prince, while a younger one does not.

It is important to note that, as a member of the Imperial Council not only in their representation of the nation but also as the representatives for the Archduchy of Austries, both the Empress herself and her descendants carry a set of additional titles and styles. As such, the Empress’ full style would be Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg, Queen of Austries, Archduchess of Elyssia; her spouse, conversely, is His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Alexander, King of Austries, Archduke of Elyssia. Meanwhile, her heir apparent is styled Her Imperial Highness, Archduchess Emilia of Elsaburg, Archduchess of Austries, Princess of Elyssia. Though not stipulated, it is now understood that, as tradition, the heir apparent to the throne would be styled as the Archduke or Archduchess of Austries, as one of the core foundational territories of the Union, and Prince or Princess of Elyssia.

Imperial Commission

The Imperial Commission is the body of the Elyssi government that oversees the administrative core of the Union. The Commission must have twenty-one members, in addition to the High Chancellor and the Empress. The remaining members shall be Lord Commissioners of the Empire and shall have specific portfolios assigned to them, such as Defence, Education, Labour, Pensions, etc.

The composition of the Imperial Commission is chosen by the High Chancellor upon their election, after having consulted the members of the Imperial Council for their opinion on such matters. Once the Commission has been established by the High Chancellor, they must be confirmed collectively by the Chamber of Territories. Habitually, approval of the composition of the Commission is not specifically requested of the Forum; however, should the Forum submit a special request, it can be put to vote.

The Imperial Commission has legislative initiative, meaning that it is able to put forth to the legislative branch bills on any number of factors ranging from education, internal security, fiscal policy, social security, etc. It also has executive powers, allowing it to exercise these powers freely within the limitations of the legal and constitutional framework of the Élyssireiche. Furthermore, the Imperial Commission has the right of enforcement, allowing it to use a variety of agencies, department, and dependent organisms to ensure that its laws and regulations are adhered to across the Union.

The Imperial Commission are provided office space and facilities at the Eleonora Palace in Wyzina, as well as living quarters for the High Chancellor and a determined number of additional guests, should it be required. The Imperial Commission has also been known to use a variety of other palaces for other events, including the Elsaburg Palace, when dealing with specific matters of foreign affairs, or to entertain state visits by foreign dignitaries. Other such buildings include the Palais des Isidor, the Château d’Arlac, the Hofburg Palace, and even the Wyzin Court Operahouse (the Wyzin Hofoper), most notably during the Wyzin Imperial Ball.

High Chancellor

The High Chancellor of the Union is the official head of government of the Élyssireiche and is a deeply integrated role in the political realm of the country. As in other political systems, the Chancellor is of great importance to the unity and legitimacy of the State, as well as having a key role in directing the political and administrative structures of the State in the direction that they deem necessary.

The Constitution provides the High Chancellor with the right to determine their government, organise their public policies, and grants executive powers to carry out the organisation of the administrative apparatus of the State. That said, however, the political system in the Union follows a similar division as that of most semi-presidential systems, with various powers and duties deposited also in the head of State; in this case, that head of State is elected by the Imperial Council and is titled the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi, in accordance with the historical traditions of the Elyssi.

The competences assigned to the Chancellor are not precisely specific, as they are a product of a political convention at the start of each Chancellor’s new five-year term. That said, various specific duties are inalienably assigned to the Office of the Chancellery. These include: organisation of the Government and of the Imperial Commission; the determination and direction of domestic policy of the Union; and the capacity to modify and change economic and fiscal policy of the Union. Conversely, the head of State—the Empress—will be mostly tasked with: duties related to the definition of the Union’s foreign policy and representation abroad, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission; the definition of the State’s defence and security policy, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. It is important to note that, while both the head of State and Government wield considerable power, they are ultimately counterbalanced by both the other, and the Imperial Council and Commission respectively, to ensure a more uniform approach to policy both domestically and abroad.

Since the signing of the Golden Concordat in 1831, the High Chancellor of the Union has been elected in elections by universal suffrage. The form in which this was carried out was modified during the Digital Reformation of 2008 and the introduction of the Forum of Citizens, although the base format remained relatively unchanged. Instead of general elections via ballot, the Chancellor is now elected via electronic voting system requiring biometric and two-factor authentication of the vote; this is also permitted at any municipal, provincial, or archducal buildings, as well as specialised voting stations prepared on general election days.

The Chancellor is elected on a five-year term, with elections always held on a Sunday and on national bank holidays, granting most ease in the participation of the voting process itself—which, nowadays, can be done rather quickly from personal devices—but also in same-day political debates and discussion on forums, conferences, and other media.

For a candidate to postulate themselves as such for the office of the Chancellor, they require the explicit or implicit support of at least two million citizens. They must also obtain the backing of at least one-twentieth of the members of the Chamber of Territories (or, alternatively, one third of the members of the Imperial Council) . The finalised list of candidates—which cannot number greater than ten—is established nine months before the elections themselves take place. In this time, they will be sponsored by the Forum to participate in debates, campaigns, and other activities to control the promotion of candidates and ensure that all are equally represented.

During the election, all candidates run at the same time, and at least one candidate must obtain 50% of the popular vote. This is done via a ranked-choice based system of electoral voting, allowing for the most approximate representation of a majority of the popular vote. Once the Forum of Citizens has elected a member, the Empress officially bestows upon them the right to form a government, after which the candidate begins their duties as High Chancellor in the formation of their first Imperial Commission.

Structure of Government

The Imperial Commission is composed of several bodies—currently 21—known as ‘Departments’, with a specific ministerial portfolio of duties, tasks, and obligations assigned to each commissioner. The organisation of these ministries is done so in the manner of choosing of the High Chancellor, although there may be input and cooperation with the Imperial Council and the Empress in particular. At the head of each ministry is the Lord Commissioner assigned to said department.

Each Department is further constituted by ‘State Ministries’, which are the highest sub-departmental organ in the UES. They are presided by Lord Ministers and must be selected through rigorous testing processes. These ministries are then divided into ‘directorates’, led by Lord Secretaries. Lastly, these directorates are composed of ‘bureaus’, which can either be the last level or can be divided further into ‘offices’.

It is not obligatory for this structure to be followed, however. A bureau does not necessarily have to be subordinate to a directorate but can be directly dependent of a State Ministry or the Department itself. However, the administrative rank of the person in charge of the body cannot change; a Lord Secretary cannot oversee a Ministry, nor can a bureau officer oversee a directorate. As such, state ministries are often reserved for the most important topics amongst a department’s duties, and some departments do not have ministries if it is deemed that they have no topics requiring a position of such importance.

Each department will also have a technical cabinet, which provides technical assistance to the Lord Commissioner, as well as an Undersecretary of the department for additional organisational support regarding financing, budgeting, human resources, etc.

Shadow Commission

The Shadow Commission is the name given to the ‘Opposition’ Commission. This Commission is formed by the second-most voted candidate during the elections for the High Chancellor, and—in accordance with the Imperial Constitution—must have the same overall structure and ‘shadow’ the competences of the Imperial Commission. This commission acts as a legal counterweight to the administrative decisions of Government and can publish and publicly suggest alternative solutions. They also have the right to obtain information critical to the functioning of the government, including information not released to the general public; as such, they are sworn under the same oaths of secrecy and duty to the State as the High Chancellor and the Imperial Commission. In practice, the Shadow Commission consists of members—approved by the Chamber of Territories—who scrutinise their corresponding government commissioners, develop alternative policies, and hold the Government accountable for their actions.

Members of the Shadow Commission have no executive or legislative powers, and must limit their activity to studying and scrutinising the policies and actions of the Government. This may give them considerable prominence within the political structure of the Élyssireiche, but it must also be noted that they are not necessarily a political representation of any body of the state. As such, the Chamber of Territories may, via absolute majority, remove one or all of the members of the Shadow Commission—except for the ‘Shadow Chancellor’, as they have been elected and validated by the Forum of Citizens and can only be removed by this Forum, although the Chamber may request this measure of the Forum.

Judicial Branch

The Élyssireiche stands as a testament to the principles of justice and the rule of law, with its judicial branch playing a crucial role in upholding these ideals. The intricate system of justice—both at the archducal and national levels—ensures that the rights of the citizens are protected, disputes are resolved, and the stability of the Empire is maintained.

At the archducal level, the judicial branch is structured in a hierarchical manner, mirror the administrative divisions of the Union. Each archduchy has its own network of courts, overseen by esteemed jurists known as Praetors. These praetors, chosen for their legal acumen and unwavering commitment to justice, preside over the Archducal Courts. They are responsible for ensuring that laws are upheld, interpreting legal codes, and resolving conflicts within their jurisdiction.

Beneath the Archducal Courts are District Courts, where cases of civil and criminal natura are heard. These courts are presided over by experienced magistrates who posses a deep understanding of the law and a keen sense of fairness. They meticulously evaluate evidence, hear arguments, and render judgements based on the merits of each case. They serve as guardians of justice, ensuring that the due process is followed and that the rights of all parties are protected.

The judicial proceedings are facilitated by a team of legal professionals, including advocates and legal scholars, who provide expert guidance and support. Advocates, skilled in the art of persuasion and eloquence, represent clients and present their cases before the courts. Legal scholars, on the other hand, engage in scholarly research, studying legal texts and precedent to offer insights and interpretations into complex legal matters.

At the national level, the apex of the judicial branch is the Imperial High Court, located in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This esteemed institution comprises the most distinguished jurists in the Empire, known as Justices. These justices, appointed for life, possess an unparalleled depth of legal knowledge and wisdom. They are entrusted with the task of interpreting the law, resolving conflicts between provinces, and ensuring the uniform application of justice throughout the Élyssireiche. The Imperial High Court serves as the final arbiter of justice, acting as the court of last resort for those seeking redress. It reviews cases on appeal from the Archducal Courts, carefully examining the legal arguments and evidence presented. The judgements of the Imperial High Court carry immense weight, setting precedents that guide future legal interpretations and shape the development of the Union’s legal system.

The support the functioning of the judicial branch and maintain the highest standards of justice, a comprehensive system of legal education and training is established. Aspiring jurists undergo rigorous academic and practical training, studying the principles of Elyssi law, legal philosophy, and courtroom procedures. Renowned academies, such as the Imperial Academy of Law in Wyzina, serve as centres of legal training, nurturing the next generation of legal minds and instilling in them a deep sense of ethical responsibility.

The judicial branch of the Union is not merely a mechanism for dispute resolution, but a pillar of the society that upholds the principles of justice, fairness, and the rule of law. Its commitment to impartiality, integrity, and the pursuit of the truth fosters a sense of trust and confidence amongst the citizenries. Through its steadfast dedication to justice, the judicial branch contributes to the overall stability and prosperity of the union, ensuring that the rights of its people are safeguarded, and that disputes are resolved in a just and equitable manner.