Politics of Freice

The politics of Freice takes place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy with aspects of mixed government. The head of state of Freice is Queen Diana II in right of the Riamese Federation. Domestically the Maaita is the local ruler and de facto head of state, serving at the apex of the indigenous government. Both are hereditary positions.

Freice's government consists of a number of committees through which decisions are made. Executive power is exercised by all elected representatives through these committees. The Policy Development Committee is the senior committee and is responsible for the overall direction of government policy; the president of the committee serves as de facto head of government. The council consists of the chairs of each committee and the district mayors.

The constitution vests executive and legislative power in the Representative Council, a unicameral body consisting of twenty elected representatives. Prior to 2009, the Maaita chaired its sessions, but now one of its members is elected president. The Council is elected every three years via universal suffrage. When convened as the executive branch, it is called the "Committees of the Representative Council."

Executive branch

Maaita

Main article: Maaita of Freice

The Maaita of Freice is the local head of Freice, fulfilling most of the duties of head of state. Until 2009, the Maaita was the head of government and presided over legislative sessions, but this power was removed following constitutional amendments. The Maaita is the most senior position amongst the local institutions, and arose from an agreement between three chiefs that the role should rotate amongst them. The descendants of these chiefs continue to hold the office on rotation.

The current Maaita, since 30 January 2023, is Kaana Tenkel, who is the sole inheritor of Tuaa Savou's share of the office.

Policy Development Committee

The Policy Development Committee is the senior committee within the Freician system of government. The committee is responsible for the broad development of policies and programmes and for coordinating the work of the other committees. It's main functions are the co-ordination of the work of committees; fiscal, economic, and financial matters; external relations and constitutional affairs; and any other matters not explicitly vested in another committee.

The committee is presided over by a president, who is elected by the Representative Council. The president of the committee serves as the de facto head of government as the most powerful single political figure. However, unlike in most parliamentary systems, power is decentralised; as such, the president's power is largely determined by their individual relations with other figures and committees. Other members include the chairs of the other committees and the mayors of each district.

Council Committees

Decision-making in Freice's government is undertaken by committees. Instead of government departments or ministries, power is delegated to a number of committees made up of councillors. These committees are tasked with a specific policy area, with a chair elected amongst them to guide its activities and to represent the committee to the wider Council. Each committee has between four and six councillors, with councillors permitted to sit on (but not chair) multiple committees.

The current committees are as follows:

• Economy and Finance Committee
• Education, Sport, and Culture Committee
• Employment and Pensions Committee
• Environment, Fisheries, and Resources Committee
• Health and Medical Services Committee
• Home Affairs and Justice Committee

Legislature

The legislative branch of the Freician government is the Representative Council, which is elected every three years with a universal franchise. Until 2009, senior landowners and district leaders also held seats in the council with voting powers, but constitutional changes removed this automatic right and extended the franchise so that all women, rather than just married women, could vote.

The Representative Council consists of 20 members, including a president who serves as its presiding officer. The council meets for three sessions per year, with each session lasting a minimum of 7 working days. The Representative Council is responsible for passing laws, levying taxes, and maintaining the "peace, order, and good government of Freice."

Riamese federal law does not automatically apply to Freice except from in a small number of cases provided for in constitutional law or in bilateral agreements. No law passed in the Riamese federal parliament has ever been extended to Freice without its consent, with a total of 29 laws having been agreed on since 1972.

Judiciary

The Constitution states that the judiciary is independent of the legislative and executive branches and is subject only to the law. The island's legal system consists of a hybrid of traditional customary law, Riamese legal precedent, and statute law passed in the Representative Council (including the constitution). The courts are responsible for interpreting the law and passing judgement on those who have been found to have breached it.

The court structure is composed of three types of court: appeals courts (Court of Cassation and the High Court), senior courts (District Courts and Land Courts), and junior courts (Summary Courts and open air courts). Judges of all courts are appointed by the Má'ita on the advice of the Home Affairs and Justice Committee of the Representative Council. The independence of judges is protected and it is strictly forbidden for politicians to seek to influence or guide the courts in the exercise of their duties.

Open air courts are semi-formal judicial bodies convened on an ad hoc basis. They operate on a local level and are presided over by honorary justices, elected every four years. Open air courts deal with largely minor civil infractions and anti-social behaviour, and represent a form of community punishment. Open air courts have the status of a court and its judgements are treated like those of any other court.

See also

• Freice

External links

• Official website of the Government