Sandbox:Stedoria

Seperatist states in Western Velaheria, are two states, the Veldorian Democratic Republic and the Elbenauer Republic, that were formed with the backing of the Stedorian People's Republic following the Stedorian invasion of Velaheria on 16 July 2024, in which Veldoria and Elbenau, both states under the de jure control of the Republic of Velaheria, were occupied by Stedorian military personnel following the Lily Revolution. Prior to the invasion, the Stedorian government had made unsubstantiated claims of genocide and vigilantism against ethnic Stedorians and former members and supporters of the Velaherian People's Party. The Stedorian government additionally made claims that Stedorian sovereignty had been continually violated by supporters of the Revolution, which the Stedorian government deemed illegal.

Following the Stedorian occupation of the two regions, on 5 October, at an extraordinary congress of the Dolchic Socialist Gemotam Party, the Chief Consul of Stedoria, Tamäj Köseg, announced that referenda would be held on 11 November in both Stedorian-occupied Veldoria and Elbenau, in which the regions' citizens would be given a choice of independence or rejoining the newly-formed Republic of Velaheria. The Second Consul of Stedoria, Djjuràd-Françwa Delvau, announced the formation of the United People's Progressive Front of Elbenau and Veldoria (VVF), a de facto political movement and regional member party of the Dolchic Socialist Gemotam Party. Political experts have widely viewed the VVF as a pro-Stedorian collaborationist political organisation to attract support for Stedoria within the two regions, with many pointing to the appointing of Viktor von Starinburg, the older brother of deposed Velaherian leader Ander von Starinburg, as an attempt to attract support from those in the region still sympathetic to the former Velaherian People's Party regime. Delvau also announced the creation of the of two Stedorian-trained paramilitary forces, the People's Combat Groups of Elbenau and the People's Combat Groups of Veldoria, both unified in command under the Unified Military Command of Veldoria and Elbenau.

The independence referenda, planned for November 11th, although postponed to December 1st, resulted in the two regions voting for independence. According to the official referenda results by the Stedorian government, 82.31% of residents in Veldoria voted in favour of independence whilst 76.77% of residents in Elbenau voted in favour of independence, with a turnout of 71% and 63% respectively. The results of the referenda could not be verified by international observers, who were refused entry into the regions. The Velaherian government, estimated the turnout rate to be approximately 30% in both regions. Int'l recog. of results. criticisms. stedorian resposne.

Veldorian Democratic Republic

Veldorian Democratic Republic Veldorische Demokratische Republik (Dolch) Veldoriänijë Dämokratijë Repüblik (Stedorian Dolch) Repüblik Demokratik Veldoriänik (Stedorian)
Flag
Motto: "Wir wollen bleiben, was wir sind" "Vër vollë bläibön, vot vër sën" "We want to remain what we are"
Anthem: Freiheit / Fräihäit "Liberty"
Status	Partially recognised state
Capital and	Vertia
Official languages	Dolch Stedorian Dolch Stedorian,
Ethnic groups	51% Velaher 48% Stedorians 1% Others
Demonym(s)	Veldorian
Government	Federal presidential republic under a dictatorship
• State President	Viktor Starinburg
• State Secretary	Isaak Jräibër
Legislature	People's Assembly
Establishment
• Stedorian invasion of Velaheria	16 July 2024
• Independence	2024
Area
•	42,060 km2 (16,240 sq mi)
Population
• 2024 estimate	WIP
• 2021 census	WIP
• Density
GDP (nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	$ WIP
• Per capita	$ WIP
Gini (2024)	WIP
HDI	0.401 low
Currency	Stedorian mark (Ḿ) (STM)
Time zone	UTC+0 (UTC)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy CE
Driving side	right
Calling code	+772 (de facto)
Internet TLD	.sd (de facto)

Government and politics

Government

The Veldorian Democratic Republic is a federal presidential republic. The Veldorian government is primarily formed out of citizens who collaborated with Stedorian occupying forces in the early days of the Stedorian invasion of the region. The current State President of the Veldorian Democratic Republic is Viktor von Starinburg who was appointed on 5 October 2024 by the Stedorian government on a provisional basis. The country is considered by geopolitical experts to be under a personalist authoritarian regime, with a cult of personality being formed around Viktor Starinburg, although the Veldorian government has repudiated some aspects of the Velaherian regime under the Velaherian People's Party. International critics have described the Veldorian Government as a puppet administration of Stedoria.

The State President is elected via popular votes in presidential elections.

Legislature

The official legislature of the Veldorian Democratic Republic is the People's Assembly. It has 100 representatives and is elected every 4 years according to the Veldorian constitution.

Military

The country's defence is managed by the People's Combat Groups of the Veldorian Democratic Republic (VkgV); the VkgV was created following an announcement by the Stedorian Government on 5 October 2024 under the guise of allowing citizens of the region to engage in peacekeeping operations alongside Stedorian military units. The VkgV is under the control of the Ministry of Defence of the Stedorian Democratic Republic regarding internal operations within Veldoria. On a wider scale however, the VkgV is under the control of the Unified Military Command of Veldoria and Elbenau, a joint command force made up of Stedorian, Veldorian, and Elbenauer military personnel. Critics have accused the VkgV of being no more than a personal paramilitary force under the direct command of Viktor Starinburg.

Law and order

The maintaining of law and order is under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior.

Human rights

Human rights in the Veldorian Democratic Republic are generally considered to be very poor; the country has been heavily criticised by Mercy International. Human rights experts have noted that the human rights situation remains very similar to the human rights situation in Velaheria under the Velaherian People's Party regime. Mercy International has noted various cases of arbitrary detention, torture, and absence of legal defence, accusing the country of being completely lacking in the rule of law.

Economy

The Veldorian Democratic Republic has a mixed economy organised along national syndicalist and state capitalist lines. Unlike the Velaheria following the Lily Revolution, the Veldorian Democratic Republic has maintained large amounts of state control over industries previously controlled by the Velaherian government. Following the Veldorian Democratic Republic's establishment, these state-controlled corporations were reorganised along syndicalist lines, akin to Stedoria. The Veldorian economy is primarily based on agriculture and textile production. The Veldorian economy is highly dependant on Stedoria, with Stedoria being one of the country's few trading partners. The Stedorian government also controls a significant amount of the region's industrial assets, which were either invested into the region prior to the Lily Regime or were bought at under market prices by the Stedorian government.

The Veldorian Democratic Republic has its own central bank, the People's Bank of Veldoria. The country, however, utilises the Stedorian mark as its currency.

Prices for basic goods are considered to be higher than in the rest of Velaheria owing to the fact that the majority of the country's goods are imported solely from Stedoria. Many of the country's poorest citizens are reliant either on Stedorian aid or aid from the Assembled Nations.

Elbenauer Republic

Elbenauer Republic Elbenauer Republik (Dolch) Älbënauer Repüblik (Stedorian Dolch)
Flag
Motto: "Wir bluten rot" "Vër bludë rot" "We bleed red"
Anthem: Elbenau-Hymne "Elbenau Hymn"
Status	Partially recognised state
Capital and	Grestin
Official languages	Dolch, Stedorian Dolch
Ethnic groups	67% Velaher 32% Stedorians 1% Others
Demonym(s)	Elbenauer
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
• President	Luther Becker
• Volksminister	Yakob Beyër
Legislature	People's Council
Establishment
• Stedorian invasion of Velaheria	16 July 2024
• Independence	2024
Area
•	23,855 km2 (9,210 sq mi)
Population
• 2023 estimate	WIP
• 2021 census	WIP
• Density
GDP (nominal)	2023 estimate
• Total	$WIP
• Per capita	$WIP
Gini (2020)	WIP
HDI	0.508 low
Currency	Stedorian mark (Ḿ) (STM)
Time zone	UTC+0 (UTC)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy CE
Driving side	right
Calling code	+772 (de facto)
Internet TLD	.sd (de facto)

Government and politics

Government

The Elbenauer Republic is a federal parliamentary republic. The Elbenauer government was primarily formed out of citizens who collaborated with Stedorian occupying forces in the early days of the Stedorian invasion of the region. The current President and Volksminister of the Elbenauer Republic are Luther Becker and Yakob Beyër who were appointed on 5 October 2024 by the Stedorian government on a provisional basis. The country is considered by geopolitical experts to be under an illiberal regime. Whilst the Elbenauer Republic has not seen the development of a cult of personality like Veldoria, the country's government is still widely seen as authoritarian. International critics have described the Elbenauer Government as a puppet administration of Stedoria.

Legislature

The official legislature of the Elbenauer Republic is the People's Council. It has 100 representatives and is elected every 4 years according to the Elbenauer constitution.

Military

The country's defence is managed by the People's Combat Groups of the Elbenauer Republic (VkgE); the VkgE was created following an announcement by the Stedorian Government on 5 October 2024 under the guise of allowing citizens of the region to engage in peacekeeping operations alongside Stedorian military units. The VkgE is under the control of the Ministry of Defence of the Elbenauer Republic regarding internal operations within Elbenau. On a wider scale however, the VkgE is under the control of the Unified Military Command of Veldoria and Elbenau, a joint command force made up of Stedorian, Veldorian, and Elbenauer military personnel.

Law and order

The maintaining of law and order is under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior.

Human rights

As is the case with the Veldorian Democratic Republic, human rights are generally considered to be poor in the Elbenauer Republic according to Mercy International, although the organisation has noted that political repression and humans rights violations have occurred on a lower scale than in Veldoria.

Economy

The Elbenauer Republic's economy is a mixed economy organised along national syndicalist lines, similar to Stedoria. Unlike Veldoria, however, small scale privatisation has occurred in Elbenau following the Stedorian invasion, with the region considered to be slightly more economically free than Veldoria. The Elbenauer economy is primarily based on mining of iron and copper, and the processing of these resources. Some of these mining operations, however, have remained in limbo following the Republic's establishment, as some of the region's mines are invested in or owned by the government of Great Xio. As is the case with Veldoria, the Elbenauer economy is highly dependent on Stedoria for trade.

The Elbenauer Republic has its own bank, the Republican Bank of Elbenau. Like Veldoria, Elbenau uses the Stedorian mark as its official currency.

Prices for basic goods are considered to be higher than in the rest of Velaheria owing to the fact that the majority of the country's goods are imported solely from Stedoria. Many of the country's poorest citizens are reliant either on Stedorian aid or aid from the Assembled Nations.