Sarrac
 Flag
 Coat of arms
| |
| Motto: "Plus loin" Further Beyond | |
Anthem:  "Chant du départ" (Sarracese) Song of Departure | |
 Location of Sarrac in Berea | |
 Map of Sarrac | |
| Capital and largest city |  Toulogne |
| Official languages | Sarracese |
| Recognised regional languages | Zarautzea Cerdanyá |
| Demonym(s) | Sarracese |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary constitutional republic |
| Jean-Marc de Villers | |
• Premier | Jaqueline Leroux |
| Legislature | Parlement sarraçais |
| Establishment | |
• Telmerian consolidation | 400s |
| 850 | |
| 1431 | |
| 1788 | |
• Current Constitution | 1972 |
| Area | |
• | 610,538.4 km2 (235,730.2 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 42,128,950 |
• 2018 census | 40,035,846 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2020 estimate |
• Total | $1.450 trillion |
• Per capita | $46,096 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2020 estimate |
• Total | $1.942 trillion |
• Per capita | $34,418 |
| Gini (2020) | 27.5 low |
| HDI (2020) | 0.903 very high |
| Currency | Franc (FRS) |
Sarrac, officially the Sarracese Republic (Sarracese: République sarraçaise) is a country in the continent of Berea. It borders Lavaria to the east and the Arthurean Strait to the north. It is home to 42,128,950 inhabitants and its capital and largest city is Toulogne, a major financial, political and cultural centre of the continent.
During most of Antiquity, the territory of Sarrac would be home to antique Erytherian colonies, especially on its west coast bordering the Sian Sea. Farther north, in the regions that surround the Arthurean Strait, Felghnez tribes’ identity would start to form with Foranic influences from Fallish territories, rapidly becoming a threat to these prosperous colonies, often referred to as city-states. During the following centuries, the territory remained subject to Cambran influence. The start of the Middle Ages would see a heavily fractured Sarrac. Cutish migrations over the Fallish territory forced the Foranic tribes to extend, once again, across the Arthurean Strait, forming the first Felghnez independent merchant towns settled mostly on the northern tips of Sarrac. These towns would be the first to unify under a single authority becoming a threat to Fallish kingdoms at the end of the 10th century. During most of the 9th and 10th century, Sarrac would see the development of a proper feudalist society, with the fracture of its territory developing into a decentralised authority. Felghnezs and Sarraceses would later expand across Falland during the 11th century, marking a point of major territorial extension that was going to carry along structural social changes and a development of the Sarracese language, now spread across the whole continent.
Together with the end of the Middle Ages, Sarrac saw an incredible cultural development, becoming the birthplace of painters, authors and religious studies that profoundly changed the spirit of the era. Sarrac would engage in wars over territorial disputes with Lavaria and other surrounding nations during the first half of the century. During 1431, the Queen Marguerite of Sarrac would marry Charles II of Cerdagne, marking the first formal unification between the two crowns and formally forming the Sarracese Kingdom. The rise of absolute monarchism would end with the news of the Fallish Spring, which animated a republican spirit in Sarrac that overthrew the Crown and established the First Sarracese Republic after a crude civil war. The contemporary period is marked by the heavy industrialisation carried out by Sarrac and the incursion into the Great War, during which it fought alongside the Armala Coalition, before falling into a period of regional isolation led by the Fascist leader Maxime Barrault until the 1970s. In 1972, social pressure and the death of Barrault forced a democratic aperture led by Jean-Marc Devereux, which was marked by an important financial impulse that created a large Sarracese welfare state. During the 1990s, economic insolvations took the country to live its largest financial crisis that was tackled down with neoliberal reforms and a rise of poverty and unemployment that marked a later rise of centre-left governments.
Sarrac often performs well in international rankings of education, human development, healthcare, life exectancy and personal freedom. It is a founding member of the Assembly of Nations and a member of the Berean Defence Treaty Association since 1965.
History
Antiquity
Foranic tribes and four kingdoms
Sarracese Kingdom and Treaty of Fauchelles
High and Late Middle Ages
Renaissance and consolidation
Civil War and First Republic
Great War and industrialisation
At the start of the 20th century, the Sarracese Republic encountered itself with a developed industrial capacity and an increased regional influence. With the burst of the conflict in the Berean continent, the republic rapidly became part of the Armala Coalition, with which it fought alongside Mascylla, Falland, Lavaria and Valimia. The Sarracese armed forces became crucial in the common defence of the continent against the threat of the Dulebian Empire and the Central Alliance, having participated in the battles of the Karsk Sea and Auvergne, after the attempted invasion of the islands north of the coast of Sarrac. Throughout most of the course of the Great War, Sarrac remained economical and politically stable; however, approaching the end of the conflict, the country fell in a spiral of financial insolvency, first felt in the Toulogne Stock Exchange and later translated to the industry and Sarracese countryside. The destruction of important crop fields and the repurposing of numerous industries proved catastrophic to the Sarracese economy, which was added to a dense social atmosphere that could no longer wait for peace. The Communist Party became widely popular in the countryside, spreading the voice of a revolution and handing the power to the people back; in the industrial while in more populous urban centres, the Socialist Party counted with the vote of most of the working class.
Before finalising the Great War, in January of 1916, Toulonge declared its withdrawal from the armed conflict as it was entering into a state of civil war. The Socialist Party, of historic anarco-socialist nature, distanced itself from the Communist Part fearing a conflict similar to what was happening in the recently proclaimed Dulebian Federative Socialist Republic; the party remained politically aligned with the Sarracese establishment and being part of Sébastien Géroux's national unity cabinet. The isolation of the Communist Party and the end of the war prevented social unrest from developing into a civil war; however, the Sarracese population suffered a strong polarisation and the rise of regional nationalisms in the Pays Zarautze and Cerdagne. By 1920, the situation took the Premier Jean-Marc Cousineau to rule by decree and with the armed forces being provided with extended powers. The unpopularity of the measure forced Cousineau to lost confidence on the Parliament that declared the populist leader, Maxime Barrault, Premier of the Republic by 1923.
Republic of Barrault
Maxime Barrault became Premier of Sarrac inaugurating a new era of political isolation and social conservatism in what was called the Barraultese Sarrac. Maxime, who until his election had remained as a vocal opponent of the Sarracese establishment, rapidly grew his popularity among the masses. Through the use of a doctrine rooted in what was called national-catholicisme, the regime secured itself in power, imposing traditionalist views, heavily restricting personal liberties and eliminating all political opposition. The Barrault regime is often described as a far-right technocrat dictatorship and although it remained neutral on the foreign arena, it had a clear affinity with similar movements in Cuthland-Waldrich and Erytheria.
Throughout the next decades, Sarrac remained neutral on the events that marked the foreign relations and while at first, the regime was sympathetic to the Mageiros League, this changed dramatically near its end, suffering a poor international projection and the critics from the Assembly of Nations. Economically, the country remained lagged behind other Berean nations, with a slow reconstruction of its industry severely damaged by the war. Although the aim of Maxime Barrault was to encourage family and traditional values over reaching certain economic objectives, by 1949, a cabinet of technocrats of diverse background were formed, with the intention of starting an era of development. During most of the 50s, the country's economy was revived by unprecedented rates of economic growth, which were encouraged by policies of developmentalism that counted with an important focus on the industry. The period marked a moment of enormous changed that defined life in Sarrac like a mass internal migration towards urban centres Toulogne, Martouret and Arguinegui, leaving rural areas empty and encouraging ambitious housing programs. During the decade, Sarrac switched the economic model to one focused in services, heavy industry and the mass tourism industry; as a result, resort cities like Martouret, Ballanzac and Biarritz emerged and the automakers something and another experienced the largest expansions ever.
Although the growth rates proved to be stable at first and allowed the state to actively support the enlargement of a welfare state and the development of infrastructure across Sarrac, rates would start to decrease by the end of the 50s, translating into the first signs of recession by 1961. Social discontent with the regime and a new international panorama increased social movements that started showing themselves openly accusing Barrault. In 1962, the Toulogne Students Protests became a symbol after being severely repressed by officials; one year later, Maxime Barrault died of cerebral hemorrhage and was rapidly succeeded by the Admiral Gilles Lavigne, who declared elections to take place a year later and during which Jean-Marc Devereux resulted victorious, starting a period of social and international aperture.
Contemporary period
During the premiership of Jean-Marc Devereux, Sarrac recovered most of its international projection and diplomatic prestige. The period was marked by decolonisation referendums and the transition to democracy, which translated in a resurge of the political world with Alliance populaire and the Parti socialiste occupying most of the scene. Under Devereux's administrations, Sarrac moved towards its traditional allies, becoming a member of the Berean Defence Treaty Association in 1965; another milestone of his administration was the introduction of the "Statutes of Autonomy" (Sarracese: "Statut d'autonomie"), with which the central government of Sarrac conceded autonomy to its regional sub-divisions. After a period of administrations from the People's Alliance that is commonly referred to in Sarrac as "The Transition" (Sarracese: "Transition démocratique"), in 1975, Philippe Figuier assumed as Premier from the Socialist Party for the first time. Figuier led the country through an explosive moment of radical social changes that affected traditions and customs; the era included the apparition of important civil rights movements and a sexual revolution that forced the surge of LGBTQ movements and the emancipation of the women.
Between the 1967 oil crisis until the 1987 financial crash, the Sarracese economy grew at new record rates, expanding the social welfare state and with an important development of infrastructure. However, at the start of the 1980s, economic growth, although stable, started to stagnate, ending the ten-year-long premiership of Philippe Figuier. In 1985, Pierre-Louis Vigouroux from the right wing faction of Alliance populaire was invested Premier; Vigoroux rapidly faced one of the biggest financial crisis in the continent and Sarrac, which was faced with a series of spending cuts and tax adjustments aimed to lower Sarrac's deficit. During the period, Vigoroux also proposed the privatisation of several remnants of state-owned companies and shares. Although highly criticised by increasing income gaps, the measures are discussed to have been a key factor in the following growth experienced by the republic.
The 21st century has been marked by an increasing integration of Sarrac in the Berean scenario. It has also significantely advanced on progressive policies, such as the recognition and celebration of same-sex marriages in 2006, the legalsiation of abortion to all women in 2010 and the election of the first women as Premiers and Presidents. Most recently, Sarrac discusses the passing of an euthanasia bill and the granting of more devolution to its autonomous communities.
Geography
Vineyards near Gisolles-sur-Prayssac.
Ski station during winter in the highlands of Cerdagne.
Valley of Arrencho in the Pays Zarautze.
Harbour of Hauteaget, northwest of Sarrac.
Coast of the north of Sarrac over the Arthurean Strait and with views to Falland.
Beach and geographical formations in the coast of Arguinegui, Pays Zarautze.
Climate
Politics and Governemnt
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Sarrac is a parliamentary constitutional republic, constituted in the legal framework of the 1972 Constitution of Sarrac. Its Head of State is the President, while the role of the Head of Government is delegated to the Premier. The first constitution of the Sarracese Republic, born from the civil war, was signed in 1788 and described the nation as "indivisible, secular, democratic, and social Republic", having also included the separation of power in the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary branches. The Constitution of Sarrac recognises, among others, Human Rights, freedom of speech and expression and freedom of religion, values that often mark public debate. While the Sarracese population is described as highly political, the country is usually ranked as a "full democracy" with a high level of transparency, accountability and political participation.
The two leaders of the Executive are usually elected through universal suffrage by all citizens over 18 years old, although the constitution allows the legislature to elect a care-taker Premier and government to govern before the celebration of immediate general elections. Presidents are elected for fixed terms of 6 years, which are renewable only once. While Premiers have no term length provided by the constitution, these in remain office usually four years or five years, being able to communicate the President their intentions to hold early elections and dissolve the legislature. In practise, Presidents hold a purely ceremonial position, being restricted to the formal appointment of ministers and premiers, the dissolve of legislatures and the signing of bills after being passed by the Parliament. Although Premiers are voted during general elections, these need to hold the confidence of the Parliament and be appointed by the President after an investiture session. The legislative branch of Sarrac, vested on the unicameral Parlement sarraçais is composed by 350 députés. The Parliament is responsible for passing bills, approving cabinets and providing confidence to Premiers, among some, although it can also retire the confidence, censure ministers and force the resignation of individual members or the entire executive; a primary task of the members of the legislature as representants of the people is the control of the Executive power, which consolidates during control sessions. in which MPs ask directly questions to members of the cabinet and the Premier. The independent judiciary is based upon civil law; it is divided between inferior courts that deal with general jurisdiction, courts that hear cases on appeal from lower courts and the courts of last resort, which are presided by the Court of Cassation.
Since the realignment of the political world during the 1970s, the politics of Sarrac have been dominated by the Popular Alliance (centre-right) and the Socialist Party (centre-left). However, legislatures have gradually seen more participation of third parties, which have become crucial in the formation of governments. Between 2011 and 2015 and again since 2019, the Radical Civic Union governed in coalition with other parties as the first time another party achieved confidence.
Foreign relations
Sarrac is considered an important state in the foreign scenario. Over the years, Sarrac's projection has grown over the years with a mark of prestige surrounding its high diplomacy and contributions on the international law and international human rights law. A traditional ally of Lavaria, Falland and Mascylla, between 1923 and 1964, it remained isolated and with a certain sympathy to close authoritarian regimes in the Mageiros League. Following the death of Maxime Barrault, the aim of Sarracese foreign policies have been directed to establish the country as a major participant in the Berean concert.
Sarrac was a signatory of the Treaty of Lehpold, which made it a founding member of the Assembly of Nations. In 1965, Sarrac broke out with its neutrality and isolationism becoming a full member of the Berean Defence Treaty Association, with which the nation resumed its long-standing relations with other Berean liberal democracies. Its membership to the BDTA is considered a major axis of the Sarracese foreign policy on defence and international security matters, as the nation has preferred to actively coordinate with its partners, strategic moves and joint exercises. In the last years, Sarrac has also been a major player providing assistance and developing cultural ties with other Sarracophone nations and in special, former colonies. Its economic weight has made Sarrac develop commercial ties with a great variety of nations and it currently counts with embassies and consulates in almost all nations of the world.
Administrative divisions
Law enforcement and military
Economy
Sarrac is considered a high-income, social market, developed economy. It has a GDP PPP of $2.080 trillion and a nominal GDP per capita of $44,628, which make it the _th largest and the _th wealthiest per capita. The country ranks very high in Human Development Index rankings (0.903 in 2020) and has a comparably low income inequality as reflected on the Gini index (27.5 the same year). Regarding its labour market, it has undergone several reforms aimed to erase barriers and make it more flexible for both employers and employees; in this context, Sarrac counted with a low union density when compared to other Berean nations (13.4% in 2020) but a very high collective bargaining coverage (90.1% reported the same year). The Sarracese economy is considerably open, although the state still owns considerable shares in key industries related to the energy, telecommunications and transport.
The services sector comprises most of the Sarracese economy and accounts for 78.8% of its total output. It is based around banking and finances, in which the state plays an important role with saving banks, where Kutxa Zarautze, CeCaixa and Caisse-Toulonge stand out in assets. The sector sees large contributions from tourism, which is considered crucial for the economy of several regions of Sarrac. During 2019, the country saw approximately 78.9 million tourists and the country remains highly connected with neighbouring nations and all continents. The tertiary sector is also composed by important contributions from retail. Sarrac has traditionally counted with a considerably large secondary sector, which currently stands at 19.5% of the total GDP; automotive industry, shipbuilding, aeronautics and the energy production lead the sector with companies that count with national, regional and worldwide presence, like cars, Électricité de Sarrac S.A. and PCSA. Non-polluting industries, related to the pharmaceutics industry and the production of technology and software also count with a considerable portion of the secondary sector, with companies like Laboratoires Urgo-Casteaux and Zendaya Groupe. Although small in comparison with the other sectors of the economy, the Sarracese agriculture (1.7% of the total GDP) is a leading sector in the Berean context; it is highly concentrated in the production of diary products, pork, beef, fruits and vegetables and wine, which is a nationally protected product. The central regions of Sarrac are characterized by large wheat farms, while coastal, greener regions count with a higher presence of farms.
The Sarracese national finances are marked by a large welfare state, heavily expanded during the Socialist administration of Philippe Figuier (1975-1985) and previously by the Christian democrats Devereux and Aubert-Arechaga. Between the 1980s and 90s, external financial difficulties and an important bubble created the conditions for one of the deepest economical crisis lived by Sarrac, which was faced with budget cuts and large scale privatisations. Although reformed, the Sarracese labour market is still considered rigid and economists attribute this rigidness to a generally high unemployment rate that is on average 11% of the total workforce.
Labour market and social security
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The labour market of Sarrac is a common discussion topic in politics. During most of the 1990s and early 2000s, the country has undergone several structural reforms to tear down regulations and introduce flexibility for both employers and employees; however, the Sarracese labour market is still considered one of the most limited by regulations in Berea, an issue that is often related to its average unemployment rates of 8.2%. Unemployment numbers tend to vary in the different regions of Sarrac, with a predominance in those areas that were previously industrial and now have directed to the services sector. In general terms, the labour force of Sarrac is highly skilled and has a very high rate of tertiary grade diplomas. Salaries are relatively very high and although trade unions count with a low density (13.4%) these have an important social role channelling discontent and sitting in tripartite negotiations. Sarrac gives, through different concepts and organisms, almost 33.1% of its total GDP in the maintainment of the welfare state and social security systems.
Social security is broadly expanded in Sarrac and has been protected over the years by different political pacts between parties and governments. The system is offered through a healthcare and unemployment insurances, child allowances and other benefits and pensions. The system counts with a large active policty of professional formation during unemployment periods that ensure the return to the labour market of employees.
Transport and infrastructure
Sarrac is profoundly connected through its extensive high-speed rail network, which is one of the largest in Berea and the world. Developed over the years, the network links the main cities of Sarrac through -km (-mi) and counts with several connections to Lavaria by mainland and Falland across the Arthurean Strait, with high average speeds that round 310 km/h (190 mph); the national railway operator, Chemins de fer sarraçaise (CFES), leads the domestic market that since 2019, has been expanded to allow the competition with foreign and private companies. Sarrac has a well developed system of intra-urban connections and cities often count with underground services and tramways. The Sarracese road system is also considered one of the densest of the continent and handles one of the heaviest numbers of national and international cargo. The roads network consists mainly of Autoroutes, which are generally administrated by private companies, and routes nationales. Although the system has been significantly developed to decease centralism in Toulogne, a series of routes radiales exist having their kilometre zero in the city and connecting various points along the Sarracese territory. Over the last years, electric mobility saw a substantial development with state-private initiatives aimed to reduce Sarrac's greenhouse gas emissions; the country counts with an extensive netowork of charging stations and governments often include subsidies to electric cars. The new automobile market is often led by domestic makers such as Lavoie and Thibault.
Although most of travels across the country are done by railway, Sarrac holds an important portion of Berea's air traffic. The Jean-Marc Devereux-Toulonge International Airport is the largest and busiest airport of the country and handles traffic from all continents; the airport has an important position in Berea, which allows it to be connected with most capitals and cities of the region. The history of Sarrac has also been marked by the Port of Toulonge, a crucial seaport capable of being accesible by capesize ships. The port is located in the estuary of Toulonge and has a strategical position in the entrance of the Karsk Sea.
Energy
Energy in Sarrac is almost entirely produced and distributed by Électricité de Sarrac S.A., which inherited a dominant position in the market after its semi-privatisation in the 1990s; however, the country counts with almost 30 national and international companies with presence in the distribution of energy such as HidroZarautze and Electro Zendal. The electricity sector of Sarrac counts with an important production of nuclear power, which accounted for 59.4% of the total production in 2019; the country used to be highly dependant on nuclear power, however, with the impulse from green and ecologist sectors, the sector has seen a gradual decrease since the late 2000s, when the country signed its first pact to reduce fossil fuels and highly contaminating energy production. Sarrac aims to ban nuclear energy by 2050 in a process that requires modifying the eergy mix of the country to substitute the space left by these types of energies. Renewables currently account for 34.3% and count with important contributions from hydro-electrics and wind power, especially encouraged in northern and mountainous areas of the country as well as in the estuary of Tolougne, which has become home of one of the largest offshore wind farms. Fossil fuels, specially coal account for the remaining, the country still holds three operational plants that are scheduled to close by 2024; of these three, only one has a continuous operation while the other two are seasonal