Armageddon Clause (Walneria)

Third Amendment Armageddon Clause
National Assembly of Walneria
Additional Clause of the Third Amendment of the Constitution of the Confederacy of Walneria - the Continuity of Government Amendment
Date passed	28 January 1990
Date enacted	11 March 1990
Legislative history
First reading	17 November 1989
Second reading	27 December 1989
Status: Current legislation

The Additional Clause of the Third Amendment of the Constitution of Walneria, colloquially known as the Armageddon Clause is an clause of the Third Constitutional Amendment that stands besides the main text of the constitution, passed on 11 March 1990. It has been called "the most controversial law ever passed" by Mercy International's representative in Walneria and has been attempted to be overturned during all the following sessions of the Grand National Assembly.

The colloquial name refers to the Battle of Armageddon, a cataclysmic event that is to mark the Judgement day. This sunrise clause has been seen as an option of last resort by constitutional lawyers and politicians alike and not only has it never been triggered in Walneria's history, but it was never even discussed in the National Assembly and there has been a general reluctance to discuss or aknowledge the topic by the major political actors, creating a sort of a Cordon sanitaire of parties that understand the existance of the clause but defy engaging it at all costs.

History

The Armageddon Clause was passed into the constitution following the violent crackdown on democratic protesters in countries neighboring Walneria during the Silent Revolutions, which led to Walneria triggering a state of emergency and instituting martial law in 117 municipalities next to the borders of the states in which the military crackdowns were taking place. It was passed with the support of the National party of Walneria and the Christian Democratic Party of Walneria and was signed into law.

The rationale behind this law is, that the general consensus warned of a possible attack on Walneria from three different countries, as well as the general destabilization that may be caused by this revolution, which may spread to a nuclearily-armed nation, possibly causing a thermonuclear war. Forseeing the disasterous results of such a sequence of actions, a constitutional amendment was devised to maintain the continuity of government even in the case of such a cataclysmic event.

"Option of Last Resort"

The Armageddon Clause, if ever triggered, provides for the following changes to the legal code:

• All legislative powers of the National Assembly of Walneria are transferred to the Interim Legislative Committee indefinitely
• The President, if alive, is granted the right to rule by decree
• Local authorities are granted the right to demand unpaid labor from the local inhabitants necessary for reconstruction and maintained stability
• Local authorities are granted the right to confiscate personal property necessary for reconstruction and maintained stability
• Capital punishment is to be reinstated and courts-martial can order executions using hanging, shooting or electrocution; crimes which may be be punished in such a way include murder, treason, mutiny, espionage, desertion, rape, rioting, robbery, battery, assault, looting, theft and impersonation
• The Police and the Guard, along with the military are to be administered by military headquarters of the Central Government; if not accessible, regional headquarters; if not accessible either, local officials; the new combined force is to be referred to as the "National Militia" and be entrusted with carrying out law enforcement without due process
• All elections are to be cancelled or postponed indefinitely and in case of vacancies, new members are to be appointed instead