Werania

Land of the Weranic Crown Land der Ostischen Krone
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Unteilbar und untrennbar Indivisible and Inseparable
Anthem: Was ist des Ostischen Vaterland? What is the Weranic’s fatherland? Royal anthem: Kaiserhymne Emperor's Hymn
Capital	Westbrücken
Largest city	Kolreuth
Official languages	Weranian
Recognised regional languages	Ruttish
Ethnic groups	Weranic, Ruttish
Demonym(s)	Weranian
Government	Federal parliamentary elective monarchy
• Kaiserin	Charlotte II
• Chancellor	Otto von Hößlin (PMZ)
• Vice-Chancellor	Viktor Oberhauser (SRPO)
Legislature	Reichstag
• Upper house	Herrstag
• Lower house	Volkstag
Formation
• Unification	1864
• Admission to Community of Nations	12 May 1935
• Foundation of the Euclean Community	1 January 1948
Population
• 2014 estimate	58,579,684
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Total	$2,767,931 million
• Per capita	$44,231
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$2,631,134 million
• Per capita	$42,045
Gini	28.0 low
HDI	0.925 very high
Currency	Euclo (EUC (€))
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+19
Internet TLD	.we

Werania (Weranian: Ostischland) officially the Land of the Weranic Crown (Weranian: Land der Ostischen Krone) is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state in northern Euclea, bordering Vredlandia to the southwest, Estmere to the south, Buckland to the southeast and sharing a maritime border with Ordennya to the north. Its capital is Westbrücken and its largest city is Kolreuth.

Weranian history dates back to the emergence of Weranic tribes during antiquity. The southern areas of Werania, Cislania, became part of the Solarian Empire before Weranic tribes drove the Solarians out by 311CE, resulting in the area to be split between various tribal entities. In 500CE the region became briefly under the authority of King Rudolf the Magnificent. Rudolf's empire splintered after his death, but in 574 CE the kingdoms under the authority of the Kingdom of Cislania formed the Ahnemunde Confederation, a confederation of states wherein they remained independent but united under the authority of the elected Emperor of Ahnemunde. The Confederation would come to attempt to assert hegemony in the area, and as such faced numerous wars with Norday, Glytter and Vredlandia.

The Confederation collapsed into civil war between 1546-1557 following religious reformations and tensions between the dominant Cislania and its main rival, Rötenberg. The war saw the Confederation greatly weakened as Rötenberg and its ally Ruttland starting to dominate the confederation. Despite colonising parts of the Asteria's the confederation continued to weaken, a fact proven first in the Gilded Wars and more dramatically the Pereramonic Wars where the Confederation siding with Florena suffered a crushing defeat to Vredlandia. Bankruptcy, centralisation, feudalism and the unpopularity of Emperor Otto X led to the Weranian Revolution which saw the Confederation dissolved, absolute monarchy repudiated and the Republic of Werania declared under the Declaration of Man and His Natural Rights. The republic was invaded by its neighbours and dissolved in 1760, being succeeded by the Cislanian dominated Kingdom of Werania. The kingdom soon became known for economic instability and political difficulties, leading to the August Revolution which led to a second republic being declared. The second republic however collapsed after a war with Estmere being divided into several kingdoms once again.

During the 1800's the reformed Kingdom of Cislania through a series of conquests, royal marriages and diplomatic annexations was able to unify the disparate states. Under King Sigismund in 1864 the Kingdom of Werania was proclaimed as a federal state. Werania would quickly industrialise and amass a colonial empire in Coius becoming a great power in the process especially after defeating Vredlandia in 1872 and Estmere in 1874 gaining territory in the process. Colonial tensions became high with Gaullica which Werania saw as its main rival; as a result Werania formed a de facto alliance with its old rival Estmere to counter Gaullican dominance. Werania would as a result be heavily involved during the Great War against Gaullica, with the Weranian front being one of the bloodiest of the war famed for its heavy use of trench warfare. Following the war Werania became a founding member of the Community of Nations and the Euclean Community, rebuilding from the war to become of the largest economies in the world. Between 1940-1995 the National Consolidation Party ruled Werania, one of the longest stints of government of a single party in a democracy.

Werania is a liberal democracy, and has a mixed market economy based around finance, industry and agriculture. It also has a welfare state with subsidised healthcare and education. After the Federation of Asteria and Gaullica, it is the 3rd most popular tourist destination in Kylaris. It is a member of the Community of Nations, EC, GIFA, NAC and the ITO and one of the few states to possess nuclear weapons.

Etymology

'Ōsaithaz = Our Oath (originally to an anti-Solarian character I think, I can't quite remember) Ostisch = Modern form of above Exonym origin: Gaullish: Tarchwéran Exonym – Werania Endonym – Ostischland'

History

Main article: History of Werania

Prehistory

Archaeological evidence dates human presence in Werania to at least 600,000 years ago, with the discovery of complete hunting javelins dating to 380,000 years ago in coal mines in Western Weranland. The Goel valley in Werania was the location where the first ever non-modern human fossil was discovered and recognised in 1856; the new species of human was named Goelerthal man.

Solarian Period

Solarian control of Werania was limited to territory south of the river Lahn, the territory there being referred to in historical documents as the province of Cislania. Around 260 SE, Eastern Weranic tribes started to break into Solarian territory, moving further south and west into Estmere, Vredlandian, and Weiderland, while areas of what is known today as western Werania were inhabited by various other Weranic people's such as the Ruttish.

While the Solarian Empire's collapsed allowed Gaullica and a number of other Euclean states to coalesce into kingdoms and petty monarchies, the province of Cislania proved to be an exception- the capital of Tecinum was sacked by Weranic tribesmen in 311 SE, and the provincial government was entirely dissolved, with the governor Publius Cisinus returning to Solaria in disgrace soon after.

Ahnemunde Confederation

Middle Ages

With authority in Gaullica coalescing into the Kingdom, a number of petty monarchies emerged in modern Werania and surrounding territories circa 600 SE, including the Kingdom of Korbia in the west, the Kingdom of Lania in the south, and the Ahnemunde Confederation in the northeast.

Unification

King Sigismund was the first sovereign of a unified Werania

Post-Great War

Following the Great War Weraina underwent a series of short-lived governments. Elections were held in 1940 with the National Consolidation Party (Nationale Konsolidierungspartei; NKP) — a merger of anti-socialist parties — winning a majority in parliament under the leadership of Konstantin Vogel. The NKP's victory was attributed to the pillarised socio-political system that had emerged following the war. The NKP would come to dominate Weranian politics for the next 50 years.

The NKP government created a social market economy that saw Werana's economy strongly rebound, allowing the government the ability to reconstruct the nation which had been devastated by the war and subsequent instability. Rations were gradually scaled back with the last rations (on housing) being repealed in 1952 as the government created a large welfare state. A post-war boom meant that the loss of income from the war and decolonisation (more to be written here) was offset as the country entered its longest period of economic growth in its entire history. The new economy was based on industry emphasising an internationally competitive manufacturing sector of primarily large corporations and strong protections for Weranian workers'.

In 1948 Werania was one of the six founding members of the Euclean Community. The countries strong economic growth meant that during the 1950's and early 1960's there was strong social stability in Werania whilst labour shortages meant the government actively encouraged immigration from Etruria and Florena at first and later from Negara and Akalia, making Werania a multicultural country.

In 1967 student protests over the government's controversial control of the university curriculum led to an escalation by police forces culminating in a general strike by the largest trade union, the Amalgamated Federation of Trade Unions over general dissatisfaction over the government. The 1967 protests resulted in the temporary standstill of the Weranian economy and the resignation of the entire cabinet of Sigmar Welskopf-Henrich with a snap election being held which saw the NKP only narrowly winning re-election. Stagflation and economic slowdown in the 1970's led to more social unrest as depillarisation became a potent force within larger society.

From 1977-1989 under the government of Ludwig Ostermann the government implemented liberal economic reforms that saw the economy return to growth but social divisions become more stark. The government implemented a programme of tax cuts, financial deregulation and housing market reform that led to increased economic growth. However in 1995 due to long running corruption issues and growing inter-factional splits the NKP lost re-election, ending 50 years of their rule with a coalition of the Social Democratic Republican Party of Werania and the Modern Centre Party who enacted several progressive social and economic reforms such as a cap of public borrowing and legalising same-sex marriage.

In 2005 under a NKP government the economy entered its worst recession since the war with the banking and housing systems collapsing. Although the government narrowly avoided a bailout agreement with the EC it was forced to draft an austerity plan to be implemented, which was met with public protests. Werania recorded a budget surplus in 2018, 13 years after the initial crisis.

Government and Politics

Kaiserin Charlotte II

Chancellor Viktor Oberhauser

Werania has since unification in 1864 been a unitary parliamentary de jure elective constitutional monarchy with an independent judiciary, a bicameral legislature known as the Reichstag (with an upper house known as the Herrstag and a lower house known as the Volkstag) and an executive known as the Cabinet. The head of state is the Emperor of the Weranics - the title is an archaic one, initially denoting the authority of the monarch over the entire Weranian Empire and all Weranic people's but has since decolonisation been a holdover. The Emperor is officially elected by the Herrstag but is in practice a hereditary post being held by the House of Schwarzollen-Brücken. The head of government is the Chancellor of Werania who heads the cabinet. Parliament has 75 members of the upper house and 475 in the lower house with the prime minister and cabinet governing with the confidence of the chamber. In practice the Volkstag is the more powerful house.

Werania’s political culture due to the legacy of the Weranian Revolution has been marked by a sharp divide between the monarchist right and the republican left. The Sotirian democratic National Consolidation Party (Nationale Konsolidierungspartei; NKP) is considered the successor of the traditional monarchist right whilst the liberal conservative Modern Centre Party (Partei des Modernen Zentrums; PMZ) is considered to be the traditional party of liberal-republican reformists. The social democratic Social Democratic Republican Party of Werania (Sozialdemokratische Republikanische Partei; SRPO) is associated with the tradition of the revolutionary, socialist left but has since adopted reformism and “soft republicanism”. Other parties are traditionally more ideologically narrow or represent regional-nationalist interests, such as the separatist Ruttish National Party.

Since 2015 Werania has been ruled by a purple coalition of the PMZ and SRPO with the Chancellor Viktor Oberhauser being from the SPRO and deputy Chancellor Veronika Althammer from the SRPO. The current Queen, Charlotte II, has reigned as Queen since 2002 following the death of her father King Otto XII.

Government

The executive government of Werania is the cabinet (Kabinett), which has 15 ministers including the Chancellor (Kanzler). The Chancellor is officially a primus inter pares acting more as the chairman of the government rather than head of government. Traditionally, executive decisions in Werania are driven by consensus. The cabinet relies on the confidence of the Volkstag in order to govern. Since 1987 all cabinets in Werania have been multi-party, giving Werania a tradition of coalition governments.

The current government is based on a “purple government” between liberal conservative and socialist parties (so named because the former uses blue as its colour, the latter red) which has since ascending to power pursued a policy of austerity, cutting the number of ministries from 20 to 14.

Legislature

Werania legislature is known as the Reichstag with an upper house known as the Herrstag and a lower house known as the Volkstag. The Herrstag's 349 members are appointed by provincial governments every six years. The Herrstag’s most important role is to elect the monarch upon the death of their predecessor. The directly elected Volkstag contains 545 members elected via a mixed member majoritarian system with 300 seats elected via first-past-the-post and 245 seats with party-list proportional representation with seat allocation being formulated via the d'Hondt method with there being a 4% electoral threshold to enter the Volkstag. Sitting for a term of four years, the Volkstag officially lends support for the government, but since 1989 it can only dissolve the government it can swear in another government to fill out the previous one’s term — if this is not possible the monarch can appoint a caretaker cabinet to serve the rest of the Volkstag’s term.

There are ten parties currently sitting in the Volkstag. The governing parties are the Social Democratic Republican Party of Werania, a social democratic party that is also linked with republicanism with 157 seats and the Modern Centre Party, a centre-right liberal conservative party with 124 seats within its caucus. The PMZ runs on a joint list with the Sotirian Democratic Homeland (Sotričionių Demokratų Tėvynė) a Ruttish Sotirian democratic party with 36 seats within the PMZ caucus. The main opposition party is the National Consolidation Party, a conservative party with 127 seats. Other parties include the eco-socialist anti-austerity Green Party (Grüne Partei) with 47 seats, the liberal Party of Freedom and Progress (Partei für Freiheit und Fortschritt) with 6 seats, the regionalist Ruttish National Party (Ruttų Nacionalinė Partija) with 14 seats, the right-wing populist Democratic Alternative (Demokratische Alternative) with 33 seats, the democratic socialist Weranic Section of the Workers' International (Ostisch Sektion der ArbeiterInnen Internationale) with 28 seats and the Aldman People's Party (Aldman Volkspartei), a centrist party that represents the interests of Aldman people. 5 members of the Volkstag sit as independents.

Administrative divisions

Werania is divided into two kingdoms (Königreich), two free states (Freistaat; laisva valstybe), a grand duchy (Großherzogtum) three duchies (Herzogtum) a and two free Hanseatic cities (freie Hansestadt). The free cities are officially headed by Lord Mayors (Oberbürgermeister) who also serve as head of government, whilst the free states are technically headed by their legislatures. Aside the free cities each division are led by head of government known as a minister-presidents (Ministerpräsident) who are appointed by the monarch within the territory. Since the 1900's minister-presidents govern with the confidence of directly elected state diets (Landtag; seimas). As with the Volkstag local government's cannot be dismissed unless landtags or the seimas can propose an alternative government; if no alternate government is produced the Ministry of Regional Development can appoint a caretaker cabinet to serve out the reminder of the council's term.

Map	Name and flag	Administrative centre	Population
Kingdoms   Archduchy   Free State   Duchy   Free Cities Elbenweis Cislania Roetenberg Kolreuth Prizen Ruttland Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken Westbrücken Wittislich Wolfsfled Charlotte Island	Subdivision
	Free State of Bonnlitz	Gofkectberg	5,478,632
	Kingdom of Cislania	Wiesstadt	16,589,362
	File:Werania flag.png Duchy of Häfkopf	Innsheim	3,245,864
	Free City of Kolreuth	Kolreuth	4,054,684
	Duchy of Prizen	Frankendorf	4,126,954
	Free State of Ruttland	Lipliškės	10,792,847
	Kingdom of Rötenberg	Bürchaft	8,478,322
	Free City of Westbrücken	Westbrücken	2,075,896
	Duchy of Wittislich	Kotzenberg	1,490,565
	Grand Duchy of Wolfsfled	Malstadt	6,245,874

Armed forces and intelligence

Weranian soldiers conducting a training exercise in 2016

The Reichswehr (Realm Defence) served as the national defence force of Werania, being split between the army (Ostische Landstreitkräfte), navy (Marine von Ostischland), air force (Ostische Luftwaffe) and the military constabulary (Ostische Militärpolizei), a gendarmerie force that is under the authority of the Ministry of Defence.

The monarch serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces whilst the Cabinet via the Ministry of Defence oversees the chiefs-of-staff and manages the army as a whole. As of 2017, there are 365,835 active soldiers and 52,680 in reserve with Werania spending 1.7% of GDP on defence and the minimum age of recruitment being 18. Werania's armed forces are one of the largest in Euclea. Werania is a recognised nuclear power, maintaining an arsenal of around 250-300 nuclear weapons that can be deployed by both air and sea based means.

Werania's foreign policy since the end of the Great War has meant its military has undergone strategic and personnel changes. The Weranian constitution defines Weranian security protocols as being based on the principle of collective security with the army being tasked with protecting the people of Werania and ensuring peace in Euclea. Conscription for all adult males was previously in force until 1980 when it was abolished, with the armed forces being a fully professional army since. Werania maintains a large weapons and aerospace industries.

The main intelligence service of Werania is the General Intelligence Organisation (Allgemeiner Nachrichtendienst; AND) which falls under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. AND handled both domestic and foreign intelligence operations, with the two function being merged in 1973. The Military Intelligence Organisation (Militärischer Nachrichtendienst; MND) handles military intelligence matters being under the authority of the Ministry of Defence.

Economy

Kolreuth's financial district.

Werania possesses a social market economy with partial regulations, low trade barriers and an extensive welfare state. Werania has a GDP PPP of $2,767,931 million and a nominal GDP of $2,631,134 million, making it the third largest economy in Euclea after Gaullica and Estmere. The Ministry of Finance (Finanzministerium) is responsible for setting government expenditure and implementing government financial policy, whilst the Zentralbank acts as the central bank within the Euclozone banking system, with Werania using the Euclo as the national currency formally using the Reichsmark.

Services make up two-thirds of the economy of which finance is the major component, with Werania and its largest city Kolreuth is considered to be the main financial centre of Euclea. Werania's diversified economy also is notable for its pharmaceutical, arms, aerospace infrastructure and automotive industries. Werania's economy also has basis in agriculture, transportation, telecommunication services and tourism. The primary agricultural exports in Werania are maize, sunflowers, barley, sugar beets and wheat. The Weranian government has majority shares in the railway, electricity, aircraft, nuclear power and telecommunications, albeit since the 1990's it has started to corpratise or partially privatise these industries.

During the 1940's the Weranian government managed the economy through Keynesian means, with a strong focus on manufacturing leading Werania into quadrupling its economic growth between 1930-1964. During the 1980's the economy was deregulated with most state run industries privatised, with free trade and deregulation being championed. The government cut corporation tax leading to many companies to move to Werania; investment in science and technology increased substantially as the government sought to make Werania into a technology hub. Werania had a real estate bubble that existed from 1994 (when the capital gains tax was cut from 42.5% to 18.6%) to 2005 when the bubble collapsed leading to Werania to enter recession - the economy remained in recession until 2012 when growth returned.

Demographics

Healthcare

Werania, alongside the majority of the developed countries, maintains a two-tier system of universal healthcare, divided between a single-payer system centred around the Health Assistance Programme (Program zur Gesundheitshilfe; GHP) and a private sector. Created in 1962, the GHP directly manages healthcare personnel and resources in Werania and funded through general taxation. All citizens and legal (taxpaying) residents apply for a GHP card which entitles them to access to GHP services, meaning those who do not possess GHP cards cannot use GHP services. A smaller private sector within the healthcare industry exists for those who wish to pay for private services. Private health providers are arranged around insurance schemes, which pay for healthcare providers either within the existing GHP infrastructure or private hospitals. The GHP only does partial coverage of dental and optic services. Alternative medicine is also available in Werania.

Prior to 1962, healthcare was distributed through entirely private means, mainly through private hospitals, religious groups and charities. In 1960 the government aimed in their program to provide healthcare for all, nationalising private hospitals and creating the GHP through the Health Assistance Act, 1962. Since then successive governments have expanded on the program, which has been credited with eliminating various diseases in Werania. Since the 1990's more private investment in the GHP has been introduced, although moves to privatise the GHP are considered to be widely unpopular.

Life expectancy in Werania is high, with women on average living for 83.8 years and men 78.4, ranking overall at around 81.1. Cancer and obesity are considered the mot pressing issues in relations to Weranian health, with the government heavily advocating weight loss camps. Since the mid-1980's, smoking has been on the decline in Werania.

Religion

Religious composition of Ruttland

  Catholic (34.4%)

  Protestant (25.6%)

  Irreligious (19.8%)

  Reformed (10.5%)

  Salemic (3.2%)

  Atudaists (2.7%)

  Other (3.8%)