Politics of Meridon
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Meridon is a federal semi-parliamentary constitutional Republic, whose legislature, the Federal Council, contains the unicameral Meridonian Senate. The senate consists of 364 seats, with seats allocated both for the territories at large and by population counts.
As a semi-parliamentary system, the executive branches are not directly elected by the legislature, but are held accountable to it via votes of no confidence, which can recall any executive officer including the President with a 2/3 majority. The Senate is required by law to meet at least three times in a year, and typically meets for 3-month sessions that last from January-March, May-July, and September-November, though it regularly meets outside of these as needed.
Constitution
Executive and the Presidency
The executive branch of the federal government is organized around the office of the President, who exercises his executive power primarily through the Federal Executive Departments. The President is empowered and charged with conducting foreign diplomacy, signing bills passed by the Senate into law or vetoing them, serving as Commander in Chief of the Meridon Defense Forces, naming the heads of the Federal Executive Departments with Senatorial advice and assent, and offer pardons to criminals. The President is elected to a five-year term by popular vote. Presidents are limited to two terms or ten years of service, whichever is greater.
Legislature
The Federal Council, composed of the Senate, is the unicameral legislature of Meridon. It is composed of 364 seats that are assigned both for the territory at large and by popular representation. Senators are elected by single transferable vote (STV). Senators are limited to four terms or twenty cumulative years in office, whichever is greater. The Senate is chaired by the Speaker of the Senate, who is elected at the beginning of each session of the Senate. Generally, this is one of the more senior members of the ruling party or coalition.
The Senate regularly consists of a variety of parties that form into coalitions or voting blocs. Virtually always, these coalitions are lead by the Federal Party and the Liberal Party in opposition to one another, with members of other parties switching sides as needed. Breaking coalition lines on votes is uncommon, but not unheard of.
The current composition of the senate is a government lead by the Federal Party, who is in coalition with the Agrarian Party and the Meridon Union Party. In organized opposition is a front lead by the Liberal Party, with coalition backers being the Worker's Party, New Meridon Party, and the Green Party. The Tangaran Unity Party.
Judiciary
For more, see Legal System of Meridon
Local government
Political parties
There are currently five political parties in the Magnus Magnatus. In the past, as many as eight parties have had seats in the assembly during a term, but over the past 30 years, it has remained relatively constant at five to seven parties. This is because both the Royalist Party and the People's Party have expanded their platforms to reach a wider electorate and appeal to a larger audience. While the two parties have been the only major contenders in Aquitaynian politics for the last 60 years, it wasn't until the election in 2006 election that the assembly became so polarized to either side.
COALITION 180 OPPOSITION 148
