Darona

Federal Republic of Darona Respublica Foederaló Daroná
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Fortitudo in Adminicula" "Strength in Community"
Anthem: "A Patrio, A Omnio"
Capital	Arganti
Largest city	Sobrenna
Official languages	Daronian
Demonym(s)	Daronian
Government	Federal Parliamentary republic
• President	Francisco Arella
Legislature	National Congress
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Independence from X
• Declared	7 May 1819
• 9 August 1832 Expansion	26 January 1943 Dictatorship
• Democracy Restored	29 May 1972
Population
• 2022 census	47,789,890
GDP (PPP)	2022 estimate
• Total	$1.294 trillion
• Per capita	$28,990
GDP (nominal)	2022 estimate
• Total	$781.1 billion
• Per capita	$16,970
Gini (2022)	44.2 medium
HDI (2022)	0.861 very high
Currency	Daronian Quaesta (DQS)
Time zone	UTC-1
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right

The Federal Republic of Darona is a sovereign state in southern !America and shared a border with X to the south, X to the east, X and X to the north. Darona has an extensive coastline to the west along the X Ocean. The capital and largest city in Darona is Arganti which is located in the northern part of the country inland on the Ovenna river on the plain of Ovenna. Other major settlements in Darona include Porto Ferusa, Terlanta and Sabrenno on the south west coast in what is known as the western urban belt and further inland the northern cities of Mareva and Colpera.

Indigenous peoples began to settle what today is known as Darona 12,000 years ago. The first settlers from !Europe explored the region in the early 1600s and the land around the Western coast and what is today known as the Ovenna valley was claimed by X. The colonial stronghold over the territory increasingly became seen as overbearing by the populace of what was then Darona and certain intellectuals in the colony established an ideology centred around a free republican Darona with democratic and liberal ideals. This sparked a series of revolts and revolutions which initially granted further autonomy for the colony however in the early 19th century the revolutionary ideas of the previous century re-emerged in a new generation and this led to what is known to most Daronians as The Great Revolution after which in 1819 full autonomy was achieved. Following independence the already strong economy in the region boomed with cross ocean trade and in 1832 Darona purchased as well as annexed vast swathes of land east of its original colonial territory to its east. This happened over the course of five years and is referred to as the great expansion. Darona began as a democratic state up until 1943 when a severe economic crisis and the subsequent depression occurring in its aftermath leading to violent unrest and the overthrow of the elected government by military leaders. This military dictatorship would last up until 1983 with the peaceful revolution restoring democracy.

Darona is a developed country and ranks highly in measures of human development and has a high standard of living. Following the end of dictatorship in 1983 and emergence from geopolitical isolation Darona has become an increasingly important player on the international stage and a key regional power and influence.

Politics

The politics of Darona function within the system of a Parliamentary Federal Republic built on the ideals of democracy and equality. There are three main branches of the Daronian government. The head of state of Darona acts as a figure head representing the country internationally but in practice is a symbol of the state with real power being vested in the Prime Minister of Darona, their cabinet and the Bicameral legislature the National Congress of Darona.

National Congress of Darona in Arganti

Darona can be described as a full democracy built on a foundation of Liberalism, Egalitariansm and Republicanism. Civil rights and liberties as well as moderate politics and freedom of speech and expression have been long held and important institutions in Daronian politics since the re establishment of democracy in 1983 and the return of the 1819 constitution.

Darona has a Multi-party system which has been dominated by four main parties since the re establishment of democracy in 1983. These are the centre left People's Party, The centrist party Unity!, the conservative centre right party Republic and the Voice of the People Party. There are also provincial parties spread across Darona's 9 Provinces and territorial parties in the two Territories of Darona.

Government

Entrance to the Daronian supreme court in Arganti

Darona has a parliamentary system within the framework of a Federal Republic and three branches of government. Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The head of state of Darona is an elected ceremonial role that has no real executive power but instead serves as a national symbol and figure head representing the country diplomatically overseas. Real executive power is vested in the hands of the prime minister of Darona who is the leader of the largest party elected to the lower house of the National Congress of Darona the House of Deputies. This ususally ranges between the four main parties although out of the four the two main parties are seen to be the centre right and centre left parties with the other two either unable to win enough seats to from a government on their own or helping the other two take a majority by forming a coaltion government. This is the situation currently between the centrist Unity! party and centre left People's Party with Unity! being the first party outside of the traditional two to lead a government since the end of dictatorship in 1983.

The legislative branch takes form in the bicameral legislature the National Congress. The lower house, the House of Deputies is elected by plurality from each of Darona's 298 electoral districts with elections to the House of Deputies occuring every 4 years. Legislative power is also divided between the federal legislators and the 9 autonomous provincial legislatures which are all unicameral as well as the 3 territorial legislatures which have less responsibility than their provincial counterparts. Powers provded to provnicial legslatures include education and municipal government but cannot make decsions on matters that the federal legislature can such as foreign policy, military, currency and banking. Other powers include the punishment of crime, taxes and agriculture. The upper house of the National Congress the Senate of Darona is a group appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and its members are there to represent equally the provinces and territories of Darona with the number of senators from each province being based on their population and there being 2 senators for each territory.

The judiciary of Darona plays an important role in the government. The highest court in Darona is the supreme court whose members are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and the federal cabinet following review from three non governmental bodies. Throughout Darona Civil law predominates. Criminal courts are a devolved provincial matter rather than a federal one with law enforcement in the hands of municipal police forces.

Political parties and elections

Daronian elections happen across several spheres at a federal, provincial and territorial level. During National Federal elections Daronian voters vote for their local member of Congress through Plurality voting who represent that electoral district in the House of Deputies. Almost all members of congress are linked to one of the four main poltical parties and it is the leader of the largest party or the leader with the most confidence from the congress that forms the next federal cabinet. If Congress looses confidence in a government snap elections can be called. Elections in Darona are set to happen every four years.

In provincial and territorial elections follow a similar pattern to their federal counterpart however in certain provinces there are regional parties some with links to a larger federal party and some independent of them completely. All four of the federal parties now have provincial and territorial wings although two provinces and one territory are now ruled by non-federally affialiated parties.

Administrative divisions

Provinces and Territories of Darona

Darona is split into 9 provinces and 3 territories one of which is the Arganti capital territory. The difference between a province and a territory lies in the fact that territories have no inherent sovereignty and have their powers delegated to them by the National Congress of Darona. The two Daronian territories lie in the far east of the Daronian land mass. The 9 provinces all have a high degree of autonomy and all 12 divisions have their own unicameral legislatures. The vast amjority of the population lives in the coatal provinces of Sobrenna, Lindare and Morcalta and the province of Alterra. The most populated territory is the Arganti Capital Territory which is surrounded by the province of Alterra.