United Soltenish Republics

United Soltenish Republics Repubbliche Soltenitiche Unite
Flag
Motto: Per Dio e la Patria For God and Country
Anthem: Marzo Nazionale (National March)
Capital	Carez
Largest	Ad Novas
Official languages	Soltenish
Recognised regional languages	Irassian Almaran Solerian Aestas Islander Liberocolpese Sulman
Recognized Minority Languages	Vultic Riamese Common Gassasinian Arabic Kowy
Ethnic groups (2015)Soltenish National Census Bureau	70.1% Soltenish Canterian 9.4% Vultic 8.1% Culmian 5.1% Riamese 2.6% Kowy 1.1% Gassasinian 3.6% Various Other Groups
Religion (2015)Soltenish National Census Bureau	60.1% Soltenish Orthodoxy 11.1% Irreligious 8.2% Vultic Orthodoxy 8.1% Protestant Christian 7.9% Culmian Paganism 1.5% Jewish 3.1% Other
Demonym(s)	Soltenish
Government	Federal Dominant Party Semi-Presidential Republic
• President	Aurelio D'Libero
• Secretary of the Senate	Cristoforo Giacomo
• Chair of the High Court	Azelia Capo
Legislature	Senate
Formation
• Colonization by Canterians	Early 17th Century
• Unification under Almaran Kingdom	19 June 1732
• Soltenish Confederation Established	4 July 1756
• New Year's Constitution	1 January 1894
• Election of Ottavio Volpe	23 June 1912
• Declaration of Victory	11 March 1972
• First Free Elections	29 June 1980
• Sovereignty dispute with Culmia	Ongoing
Population
• 2021 estimate	147,069,420 (??)
• 2015 census	Soltenish National Census Bureau
Currency	Bronzella (฿) (SBR)
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy and yyyy-mm-dd AD
Driving side	right
Calling code	+71
Internet TLD	.st

Soltenia, officially the United Soltenish Republics (Soltenish: Repubbliche Soltenitiche Unite), is a sovereign nation located on a large island, off the Eastern coast of Merredone. The majority of the state’s territory is naturally defined by coastline, with the Republic bordering the Trident Union to the south and south east, Stivichia to the east, and Latvia to the north East. Soltenia's mainland population is estimated around 147 million citizens; amongst the most populous nations in Eastern hemisphere. The state’s capital is the coastal metropolis of Carez, with its own population estimated at approximately just over ten million permanent residents. The largest city is Ad Novas, which sits at the Novas River Delta and has a population of just over fourteen and a half million.

The majority of the nation is culturally and ethnically Soltenish Canterian - belonging to the eponymous linguistically distinct Canterian ethnogroup. The nation's mercantile history means that significant minorities of Vultic and Riamese populations exist, with multiple coastal cities having Vultic or Riamese speaking neighborhoods. Liberal immigration policies during the 1880s have also resulted in a large influx of Gassasinians. The geographic location of Soltenia has also left the state with a large Culmian indigenous minority and Kowy immigrants. The total non-Soltenish population makes up just under thirty percent of the population at fourty four million.

A variety of regional languages exist but are mutually intelligible. A standard form of Soltenish, called "Standard Soltenish", based off of literary Almaran from the mid nineteenth century, exists and is the lingua franca of the state and government. Though most of the population is able to speak and understand Standard Soltenish, several groups, particularly minority groups, speak one of the several recognized minority languages. While the greater Soltenish state will not use a recognized minority language, local authorities will. Notably, Culmian is not recognized in any capacity by the Soltenish government.

Various Culmian tribes inhabitated the area which is now Soltenia as early as 100 AD. A region named "Solt-En-Ia" was documented in Canterian ship maps as early as 1557 AD. During the early 17th century, migrants from what is now Prybourne began to establish several colonies in the region. During the late 17th century, no less than four colonies had been established on the coastal areas of the island of Normerra; Sulma, Liberocolpi, Almara, and Soleria. Other colonies, such as Irassia in Olivacia and the various settlements in the Aestas Islands, would take root by 1700. At some point, the largest colony, Almara, would break off from the Catholic Church and form the basis of what would become Soltenish Orthodox Christianity. Following the Soltenish Unification Wars and the dissolution of the Double Union in 1722, the Almaran Kingdom was formed in 1732.

In 1756, King Alfonso II stepped down and instituted a republic, the Soltenish Confederacy. The Confederacy would become a merchant republic under and oligarchic government. The Confederacy dominated trade in the region and formed valuable and profitable links to Vultesia and Riamo. The Confederacy would also absorb Irassia and the Aestas Islands. The Soltenish interior, which was mostly unexplored in the 1750s, would be colonized and explored by the late 1880s, primarily by Solerian and Almaran speaking colonists who established the Amonte Republic, Republic of Granacasta, and State of Terrenero. These states, junior partners in the Confederacy dominated by the four coastal states, had become agricultural and mining powerhouses and united into the "Triple Alliance. The Alliance demanded a rebalancing of power in the Confederacy. This rebalance resulted in the Soltenish Federation being established in 1894.

The Parso seizure of power in 1912 led to the replacement of the relatively free Federation with a totalitarian communist dictatorship and decades of repression. After the end of the Soltenish Civil War, the Socialist government was dissolved and replaced by a provisional government that would later form the United Soltenish Republics in 1972. After decades of misrule and corruption, the Soltenish Miracle led Soltenia from an impoverished and authoritarian state to being a relatively free democracy with high rates of growth for both GDP and income, moving from a low income economy to an upper-middle income economy by 2000.

The nation is renowned for the rugged natural beauty of its interior and its coastal towns and cities in particular are amongst the most visited tourist destinations in Merredone. Destinations such as the Riamese district of Queenstown, located in Ad Novas, or the Wur Kaneid Waterfalls attract thousands of tourists every year. The nation's mixed model economy is dominated by the extraction of its vast reserves of natural gas, precious metals, and expanding industrial and service sectors; both of which contain considerable government shares. Though the nation has been praised since its nominal transition to democracy, Soltenia still lags behind many of its peers on the Human Development index, with experts rating the United Republics at 0.69 to 0.71. Other issues that have impeded progress have been identified as military pervasiveness in the democratic system, governmental and industrial corruption, overpopulation, strained public and health care services, national debt and a considerable wealth divide. Additionally, terrorism as a part of the Culmian conflict has resulted in political changes and public safety measures that have been criticized as leading to democratic backsliding. Aurelio D'Libero, the Republic's president, has been particularly controversial in his consolidation of power. Soltenia has been criticized for its intervention in the Culmian Dispute. Soltenia claims to have intervened to protect Sulman (a dialect of Soltenish) speaking minorities in the region, but critics claim that Soltenia merely used these minority groups as an excuse to seize and control territory in the region.

The nation is currently lobbying for Association status within the Saltstil Pact. It is also a member of the Anterian World Assembly.

Government and Politics

Soltenia is a federal, semi-presidential republic. The Soltenish political system operates under a constitutional document called the Soltenish Articles of Unity. Amendments generally require a two-thirds majority of the Senate; the fundamental principles of the constitution (as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the state structure, and the rule of law) are valid in perpetuity. The Senate consists of 61 members elected to three year terms.

The President of the United Republics serves as the head of state and is elected by popular vote for a six year term. The President has the power to dissolve the Senate or circumvent it by submitting referendums directly to the people; the President also appoints judges and civil servants, negotiates and ratifies international agreements, as well as serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Importantly, the president is also invested with veto power and may send legislation to the courts for review. The President may suspend the Senate in "times of emergency" but with the caveat that the Prime Minister or another member of the Council of Ministers, takes control of the government.

Unlike the President, the role of Prime Minister is determined by statute and not the Articles. The Prime Minister is elected by the Senate for a potentially indefinite term, leaving office upon losing the confidence of the Senate. The Prime Minister determines public policy and oversees the civil service, with an emphasis on domestic matters. The Prime Minister has the power to appoint the Council of Ministers, although the President is required to approve any appointments. While the President cannot dismiss the Prime Minister, only the Senate can, the President can dismiss members of the Council of Ministers. Additionally, since 2017 the Prime Minister has also ex officio served as the Senate Speaker and ultimately has control over the legislative calendar of the Senate and the recognition of elected members.

Following almost four years of FND and PUF rule under Aurelio D'Libero, Soltenia has been criticized for what external sources have called "autocratization". Several reports by multiple sources, both government and NGOs, have called for Soltenia to be reclassified from a democracy to a "competitive authoritarian" government. While opposition parties exist and criticize the government, state-controlled media, electoral fraud, and corruption are extremely common in Soltenish politics. The D'Libero government has also been criticized for its willingness to go against the rule of law and eliminate oversight over the government.

One particular trend that has been called "worrying" is the consolidation of power under President D'Libero. Initially elected as Prime Minister in 2012, D'Libero successfully abolished the Senate Speaker as an independent role in 2014 and merged its powers with that of the Prime Minister, giving him control over all legislation and its domestic execution in the country. In March 2018, President Antonio DeCocco died of cancer. Several days later, a string of terror attacks prompted a declaration of martial law and the "temporary" assumption of the powers of the presidency by Prime Minister D'Libero. This state of martial law continued until after the 2019 elections, which returned a massive landslide for D'Libero. D'Libero successfully pushed for him to be simultaneously appointed as Prime Minister, arguing that the Prime Minister was a member of the executive and the Articles only forbid the holding of multiple offices in different branches of government.