Braqara

República Nacional de Braqara Braqara
Flag Emblem
Administrative center	Alqat
Court language	Oubastine
Leaders
• Premier	Garcia Munmara
• Chief Deputy	Ferdinand Carma
• Captain-General	Valeriano Vegas
Establishment	1986
Population
• 2015 estimate	124,051,270
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Per capita	16,983
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Per capita	15,543
Gini (2015)	31.8 medium
HDI (2015)	0.865 very high
Currency	Dinar

Braqara is a nation in Mundaqar and is the largest member of that Federation. It was originally the same size as the other members--Duero and Las Faldillas collectively--but it has consistently expanded since its formation in the mid 19th century to encompass most of northern and central Mundaqar.

History

During the interregnum following the assassination of Alfonso X, several major cities in the crown lands organized a compact with the Marqués de Chité to ensure the reserve forces stationed in the Lower Astrals would support them in the case of an assault. This was specifically against the wishes of the heir apparent, the Arsene Prince Alfonso XI and in support of the Count of Almodovar, who was contesting the Prince's election in the Cortes and actively subverting the Arsene Guard's movement in the Gombakori frontier. The Marqués de Chité diverted new volunteers into a specially form Republican Guard, which was ostensibly tasked with the protection of internal supply lines from Alqat to the Astrals. In reality, the Republican Guard formed a core of professional soldiers to attract dissidents fleeing the Prince's crackdown. The Republican Guard was one the strongest forces in the civil war and drew the allegiance of many of the municipal governments, though they also eventually executed the Count of Almodovar.

During the negotiation period, the Republican Guard successfully lobbied to allow member states of the confederation to subordinate themselves to other member states. While many cities preferred to retain their autonomy at first, most were drawn into various forms of political and economic unions with Braqara. Through referenda, most of the former crown lands opted to join the National Republic, which was the only secular state in the confederation.

Politics & Government

While Braqara is nominally a republic, as required by the constraints of the federation, it acts effectively as a single party state. The governing party, Guardianes Sindicalistas de la Republica Nacional (Guardian Syndicalists of the National Republic) normally abbreviated as "Guardian", actively suppresses or secretly controls opposition parties. The only other party in the Republican Camera is the Democratic Syndicalists, which mostly endorses the Guardian agenda. Restrictions on the eligibility of citizens to vote are stringent; the right to vote can be suspended for petty crimes, a punishment that is seldom enforced on party members. Membership in the party is distributed evenly between the Yen majority and Fabrian religious minority.

The legislative assembly of Braqara is the Republican Camera, but all acts passed by the Camera have originated in the Guardianship Council, which is the executive office. The Camera has 735 members at large and 17 members elected from specific constituencies. The members of the Camera are elected in a ranked party-list ballot for 5 or 10 year terms depending on their incumbency. The power to appoint executive officers, to appoint judicial officers, to commission officers, and many other legislative powers are vested in the Camera, but very few bills are passed without the direct advice of at least one member of the Guardianship Council.

The Guardianship Council is a group of 17 executive officers appointed by the Camera to assist the Premier in the administration of law. Effectively, however, the Councilors are also the party leaders of the Guardians who are selected by the Campeóncito. Councilors do not have a formal portfolio, but issues are assigned to them by the Premier. The Premier is appointed by the Guardianship Council, but has always also been the Campeóncito,

The Campeóncito is an office which encompasses head of state, commander-in-chief, as well as defacto party leader of the Guardians. Only two individuals have stood as Campeóncito, the first was Captain Plácido Arias Álvarez, leader of the Republican Guard, who accepted an appointment from his supporters in the first Guardianship Council. His chosen successor, Felipe Horacio Lajara, assassinated him in 1996 after Álvarez was diagnosed with lung cancer. Lajara, who had been serving as Captain of the Republican Guard, was not elected Party Leader of the Guardians, and instead one of his rivals, Garcia Munmara, was appointed in his stead. After failing to secure the party vote, Lajara surrendered the names of his co-conspirators who were purged from the party and executed for treason. Lajara himself was exiled to Las Faldillas, where he still lives under the protection of a Republican Guard unit.

Foreign Affairs

Because of the great divergence in foreign policy goals, the confederal government of Mundaqar has never be able to pursue international objectives. Instead, many foreign policy issues, except for those involving the military, have been devolved to the member states. Braqara, as the largest and wealthiest member state, has been the most politically active.

Military

Member states of the federation are not allowed to maintain armed forces, but they are allowed to support paramilitary self defense forces or peacekeeping forces as allowed by the central government. Braqara's Republican Guard, which is the paramilitary arm of the Guardian Party, is the largest of these forces. Concessions have been made by Lad Faldillas and Duero to Braqara to allow the enlargement of the Republican Guard because it is also an approved reserve force for the federal military.

Members of the Republican Guard swear oaths of loyalty to sitting Campeóncito, though they are led by his deputy the Captain-General, and are exclusively drawn from party members, though they must also renew their vows to the party.