Jarlaråd of the United Jarldoms
Jarlaråd | |
|---|---|
| Nasjonalforsamling | |
 Coat of Arms of the Nasjonalforsamling | |
 Flag of the Jarlaråd | |
| Type | |
| Type | Upper House |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 222 112 for a majority |
 | |
Political groups | Government (97)
Regionalist Bloc (27)
Opposition (90)
Unaffiliated (8) |
Length of term | 6 years |
| Elections | |
| Mixed electoral system, 74 are elected via ingle transferable vote, 74 are appointed by jarldom executives, and 74 are appointed by jarldom legislatures. | |
Last election | 2022 |
Next election | 2025 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Jarlaråd House Alna, Tevitheim | |
The Jarlaråd is the upper chamber of the Nasjonalforsamling. The Jarlaråd and Alnating together compromise the federal bicameral legislature of Tevitheim. Together, the two houses have the authority to pass or defeat federal legislation. The Jarlaråd is responsible for confirming appointments to high offices made by the grand chancellor, approve or reject treaties, and try impeachments of the oberjarl or other high offices. In addition, the Jarlaråd is the sole house of the Nasjonalforsamling which can directly recieve proposals for legislation from the oberjarl and grand chancellor. However, the Jarlaråd may not block budgetary bills and the Alnating may override it if the Alnating passes the same bill in two different legislative sessions.
The composition and powers of the Jarlaråd are established by several constitutional clauses in the Tevitheimer Constitution. Each of the 17 jarldoms is represented by a set number of councilors. While this number was originally 3 councilors, it now varies by population. Three jarldoms recieve 18 seats, four receive 15 seats, six receive 12 seats, and four receive 9 seats. Each councilor serves a six-year term, staggered. In total, there are 222 members of the Jarlaråd. From its inception in 1880 until 1993, each jarldom held a direct election for one councilor, an executive appointment for the second, and a legislative appointment for the third. In modern times, though the number of councilors varies, one third of each jarldom's delegation is elected, one third appointed by the jarldom executive, and one thir appointed by the jarldom legislature. Appointed councilors must receive 40% of the vote in their jarldom to be appointed.
As the upper chamber of the Nasjonalforsamling, the Jarlaråd has the power to advise and consent. These include the approval of treaties, as well as the confirmation of Cabinet members, federal judges (including justices of the Supreme Court), flag officers, regulatory officials, ambassadors, other federal executive officials, and federal uniformed officers. If no candidate receives a majority of electors for vice chancellor, the duty falls to the Jarlaråd to elect one of the top two recipients of electors for that office. The Jarlaråd conducts trials of officials who have been impeached by the Alnating.
Unlike the Alnating, which meets in central Alna, the Jarlaråd meets in a separate building in the city's Council Park district of Alna. Despite not being elected or appointed to the body, the oberjarl is ex officio a member of the body, but may only vote in the event of a tie vote. As the oberjarl is usually apolitical, it is rare for them to exercise this power. The Jarlaråd elects a president to preside over the body. In the president's absence, a junior member, rotating by jarldom, is selected by lot to preside over the body, guided by the parliamentarian, as "acting president of the Jarlaråd". In addition to the president, who is to remain neutral during debates, each faction elects leadership positions. The leader of the plurality faction manages and schedules the business of the Jarlaråd, though he may be overruled if his faction lacks a true majority.
Much like in the Alnating, if the plurality or majority faction is aligned with the grand chancellor, it is called a government (if a plurality) or a governing majority (if a majority) while the opposition is simply termed "the opposition". If the majority or plurality faction is aligned against the grand chancellor, it is termed a "majority opposition" while factions aligned with the grand chancellor are termed "executive opposition".