Hennehouwe

Hennish Republic Hennische Republiek
Flag Emblem of State
Motto:  Eendracht Maakt Macht Unity makes strength
Anthem:  De Musketier The Musketeer
Hennehouwe (dark green) in Euclea (light green and light grey) and in the Euclean Community (light green).
Capital and largest city	s'Holle
Official languages	Hennish
Recognised regional languages	Petois, Hoeltish
Ethnic groups (2016)	Hennish (81%) Petois (8.1%) Hoeltish (7.7%) Other (3.2%)
Demonym(s)	Hennish
Government	Federal parliamentary republic
• Stadtholder	Adriaan Wilhelm Paulus
• Premier	Rupert van Bleiswijk
Legislature	States-General
Independence  from Gaullica
• Kingdom	1452
• Hennish Partition	1537
• Grand Duchy of Flamia	1719
• Annexation by Gaullica	1749
• Second Republic	1855
• Third Republic	1935
• Founded the EC	1 January 1948
Area
•	75,828 km2 (29,277 sq mi)
Population
• 2018 estimate	17,130,000
• 2014 census	17,125,503
• Density	225.85/km2 (584.9/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2015 estimate
• Total	$831.41 billion
• Per capita	$48,548
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$791.73 billion
• Per capita	$46,300
Gini (2015)	23.7 low
HDI (2015)	0.934 very high
Currency	Euclo (EUC (€))
Time zone	Euclean Standard Time
Date format	mm-dd-yy
Driving side	right
Calling code	+555

‭The Hennish Republic (Hennish: Hennische Republiek), commonly known as Hennehouwe (Hennish: Henehouwe), is a sovereign state and federal republic on the westernmost coast of Euclea. It borders Gaullica to the south, Kesselbourg and Swetania to the west, and Estmere to the north. It covers an area of 75,828 km2 (29,277 sq mi) and has a population of more than 17.1 million. The capital and largest city is s’Holle; other major cities are Zilverzee, Herxen and Wapenvald.

Weranic peoples have inhabited Hennehouwe since prehistoric times, emerging into history as the Hennish and the Hoeltish. The region was a part of the Solarian Empire, making up the majority of the Province of Flamia. When the Solarian Empire collapsed in 418, the Verliquoian Empire retained control over much of Flamia. Northern regions of the province were lost due to lack of control and conquest by Weranic tribes. The Kingdom of Reek was established in the north. It was conquered by the Verique and became a part of the Verliquoian Empire.

The modern-day state is descended from the Kingdom of Hennehouwe, a medieval kingdom founded on New Year's Day, 1352 in Zilverzee by delegates rebelling against Gaullica from the Hennish Counties. The rebellion was part of the War of the Jeans, which saw the Verliquoian Empire collapse and evolve into the Empire of Gaullica. The Hennish counties were able to successfully secure their independence, establishing the Kingdom of Hennehouwe in 1401. During the Amendist Reformation, the teachings of Johan Kasper became mainstream, particularly in the northern counties. The country was embroiled in religious strife. During the Amendist Wars, the country was partitioned by sectarian lines by Estmere and Gaullica. The Kasperist northern counties were organized into the Estmerish-backed First Hennish Republic while the Catholic southern counties became part of the Gaullican-backed Duchy of Flamia in 1537. In 1637, the First Republic was reformed into the Sotirian Commonwealth, a puritanical Kasperist theocracy.

During the 17th century colonised Nuvania in Asteria Minor. Religious strife in Euclea eventually led to the Gilded Wars which led to the south’s victory over the north and unification of Hennehouwe under the Grand Duchy of Flamia. The Estmerish-Hennish War saw the Grand Duchy’s defeat and the loss of Nuvania to Estmere in 1747. Hennish independence would be lost in 1749, when Gaullica annexed the Grand Duchy outright. Hennish revolutionaries would assist the anti-Gaullican alliance during the War of the Triple Alliance, through the Hennish Revolution, which resulted in restored independence under the Second Hennish Republic.

In the lead up to the Great War, Functionalist Gaullica annexed the ethnically Petois regions in the south, in addition to neighbouring Kesselbourg. The Gaullicans installed a new independent government led by functionalists and Gaullican sympathizers. The legitimate Hennish government fled s'Holle for the northern counties, bringing the country's gold reserves with them. The government went into exile in Ashcombe after fleeing north into Estmere in 1927. Following the war's end Hennehouwe's government was restored under the Third Republic. In 1949, the country became a founding member of the Euclean Community. Economic and political reforms in the post-war era significantly aided Hennish reconstruction and development, seeing it become one of the wealthiest states in Euclea by per capita, with a high level of human development and low inequality.

The country has a tradition of pillarisation and a long record of social tolerance, having legalised abortion, prostitution and with maintaining a progressive drug policy. Hennehouwe ranks among the highest in international indexes of press freedom, economic freedom, human development, and quality of life, as well as happiness. Hennehouwe is a founding member of the Euclean Community, a member of the Community of Nations, GIFA, NAC and the ITO.

History

Partition era (1537-1719)

See also: First Hennish Republic, Sotirian Commonwealth, and Duchy of Flamia

Following the death of King Adriaan-Willem I of Hennehouwe in 1537 and the lack of legitimacy and authority around his son, Adriaan-Willem II, the Kingdom fell into outright civil war, with the Kasperist north and Catholic south splitting into two separate camps, along the Zwartwater River. Moving to consolidate the division and establish a buffer zone, the Amendist Kingdom of Estmere assisted in the establishment of the First Hennish Republic in the Kasperist north, while Catholic Gaullica aided King Adriaan-Willem II proclaimed himself as the Duke of Flamia.

Soldiers of the Sotirian Commonwealth attacking Duchy forces during the War of 1666.

Between 1537 and 1600, the two Hennish states remained at peace and relatively prosperous. However, the Kasperist north was gripped by increasing religious fervour and an emergent new identity defined by its Kasperist religion. During the first half of the 17th century, the North would be further gripped by the rise and domination of the Puriteinen (translates into Puritans), a radical Kasperist movement that sought to free the North of real and percieved Catholic traditions, but also to ensure “Godly living”. The north’s States-General would see the infiltration of Puriteins, backed by the Fellowship of Saint Jacob, this culminated in the overthrow of the First Republic in 1642 and the establishment of the Sotirian Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth saw a theocratic regime emerge, which pursued the colonisation of Nuvania with great zeal and resources, while domestically it constructed a ultra-religious society, with numerous laws which banned music, Christmas and Easter celebrations, strict conditions on clothing and pursued often extremely violent repressions against non-conformists and Catholics. The intensity of the Commonwealth eventually led to conflict with the south during the Amendist Wars, which ultimately led to the unification of Hennehouwe by the Gaullican-backed South in 1719, which restored a monarchical government.

Geography

Hennehouwe is located in northern Euclea, it is bordered by Estmere to the north, Kesselbourg and Swetania to the west, Gaullica to the south and the Gulf of Assionaire to the east. It has a total land area of XXXX km2 (XXXX sq mi), making it the Xth largest country in Euclea and the Xth largest in the World.

Tarweland fields.

Hennehouwe is dominated by low-lying flat plains and small rolling hills. While, some stretches of the coastal plain fall below sea-level. The interior is mostly dominated by farmland and forested areas, dissected by waterways and canals, to further aid fertile regions. Further inland lies a smooth, slowly rising landscape irrigated by numerous waterways, with fertile valleys and the northeastern sandy plain of the Tarweland (Wheatland). The thickly forested hills and plains of the Grotevlatke are more rugged and rocky with caves and small gorges. The highest point in Hennehouwe is Wachterspunt at 694 m (2,277 ft). Hennehouwe's only major waterway is the Zwartwater River, which disects the country from west to east.

A polder of coastal Hennehouwe.

The country has a maritime temperate climate with significant precipitation throughout all four, like most of northwest Euclea.

Government and politics

Hennehouwe is a constitutional federal parliamentary republic with the Hennish political system operating under a framework laid out in the 1938 constitution known as the Algemene Wet (General Law). Hennehouwe has a unicameral legislature, the States-General with the executive being the cabinet led by the Premier which relies on the confidence of the States-General. The head of state is the stadtholder who is elected by an electoral calendar. Hennehouwe has a multi-party system.

Stadtholder Adriaan Wilhelm Paulus

Premier Rupert van Bleiswijk

Amendments to the Algemene Wet generally require a two-thirds majority of the States-General; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, republicanism and the rule of law are valid in perpetuity.

The stadtholder is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the Staten Conventie (states convention), an institution consisting of members of county legislatures, divided in equal number, who elected one of the number to the office. The stadtholder is based on the historical position that emerged during the first republic when the position was more akin to an elected monarch. However in a trend that started with the second republic and more codified under the third republic is that the position has become ceremonial in nature akin to the position of president in parliamentary republics such as Estmere. The stadtholder nevertheless continues to appoint ministers, including the premier, that have the confidence of the States-General to form the federal government. The current statdholder is Adriaan Wilhelm Paulus who has been in office since the 19 March 2012 and re-elected in 2018. Stadtholders under the second republic held the position for life but since the inception of the third republic serve a six year term that they can renew once. Stadtholders have to serve in office as an independent but can previously have been a member of a political party.

The premier is the head of government and exercises executive power through their Cabinet. Premiers have to command the confidence of the States-General and often as such lead coalition governments. Premiers tend to be more a first-among-equals in Hennehouwe compared to other Euclean heads of government with collective cabinet responsibility heavily emphasised. The current premier is Rupert van Bleiswijk who has been premier since the 14 June 2018. Van Bleiswijk leads a coalition of his own Socialist Labour Party, the Progressive Democrats and the Environmentalist Alliance (nicknamed the "purple government").

Federal legislative power is vested in the States-General, which constitutes the unicameral legislature. The States-General is elected through direct elections by party-list proportional representation every four years. The proportional representation system which maintains a 4% electoral threshold often results in a large amount of parties being elected in the States-General. The States-General used to be bicameral but the second chamber was abolished in 1987.

Under the second and third republics pillarisation has been a prominent factor in Hennish politics. The main three pillars historically was the Sotirian pillar (grouped around the National People's Party), the liberal pillar (grouped around the Progressive Democrats) and the socialist pillar (the Socialist Labour Party). Since 1953 however all premiers have been either from the NVP and its predecessors or the SAP. Due to the proportional representation system every government since 1934 has been a coalition of different parties.

Since the 1970's the old pillarisation system has broken down as new parties and political currents have emerged. The most notable of these include the green Enviromentalist Alliance and more recently the right-wing populist Patriot's March, the latter of which emerged as the fourth-largest party in the 2018 elections. Others currently represented in the States-General include the syndicalist United Syndicalist Movement, the Sotirian right Party of Values and regionalist Free Party of the Petois.

Hennehouwe's political culture is noted both for its consensus based approach as well social tolerance, being one of the most historically progressive states in Euclea adopting female suffrage, proportional representation, divorce, abortion and prostitution liberalisation, LGBT+ rights and a non-punitive drug policy earlier then other Euclean nations. However recently issues such as multiculturalism and eucloskepticism have challenged this social tolerance and led to more divisive attitudes in the Hennish population.

Administrative divisions

Hennehouwe has twelve federal states which are collectively known as Provincies (Counties). Each state has its own state constitution and has jurisdiction over its internal organization. Two of the states are city-states consisting of just one city: the national capital of s'Holle, and Zilverzee.

Because of the differences in size and population, the subdivisions of the states vary. For regional administrative purposes four counties, namely Grotevlakte, Flamia, Stedum and Niawier, consist of a total of 19 Government Districts (Overheidsdistricten). As of 2019 Hennehouwe is divided into 101 districts (Districten) at a municipal level; these consist of 194 rural districts and 47 urban districts.

County (Provincen)	Administrative centre	Population
s'Holle	s'Holle	3,586,990
Zilverzee	Zilverzee	2,081,531
Tergracht	Westernijtsjerk	1,300,321
Niawier	Coevorden	1,112,957
North Stegeren	Hessum	750,118
South Stegeren	Emmen	1,000,406
Flamia	Herxen	2,924,111
Grotevlakte	Wapenveld	1,751,032
Stedum	Wissel	1,422,100
Reek	Niersen	368,039
Groenland	Tongeren	600,745
Weijerswold	Terneuzen	‭227,153‬

Armed Forces

Main article: Republican Hennish Armed Forces

Hennehouwe has one of the oldest standing armies and navies in Euclea; both first established as such by Albertus of Zilverzee in the early 1500s. Following unification under the Grand Duchy of Flamia, the Hennish army was used throughout the Flamian Empire, while the Navy was utilised to expand and trade routes. The failure of the Flamian Army during the Gaullican invasion and annexation in 1749 provoked strong feelings of nationalism and humiliation led to the Hennish Revolution during the War of the Triple Alliance. Following independence, the Second Republic turned to a conscripted army to defend the nation, however the army would be defeated by Gaullica in the Great War despite heavy resistance.

RLS s'Holle patrol vessel of the Republican Hennish Navy.

The Hennish saw action in the Solarian War aiding United Nations of Euclea forces against Etruria. In 1949, with the creation of the Euclean Community, the Hennish military became a partner in its defence. In 1999 conscription was suspended, and the Hennish armed forces was once again transformed into a professional force. Since the early 2000s, the Hennish Army has provided soldiers to Community of Nations and EC peacekeeping missions.

As of 2018, the Hennish Armed Forces had 111,583 active military personnel and 58,642 reservists.

Soldiers of the Republican Hennish Army during military exercises in Estmere.

The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefix Republikeins (Republican):

• Republikeins Landmacht (RL), the Republican Hennish Army;
• Republikeins Marine (RM), the Republican Hennish Navy, including the Naval Air Service and Marine Corps;
• Republikeins Luchtmacht (RLu), the Republican Hennish Air Force;
• Republikeins Marechaussee (RMar), the Republican Marechaussee (Military Police), tasks include military police, domestic policing duties and border control.

Demographics

Hennehouwe had an estimated population of 17,130,000 as of January 2018. It is one of the most densely populated country in Euclea, except for very small states like Montecara and Tibernium. It is the XXrd most populous country in the world. Between 1900 and 1950, the country's population almost doubled from 5.1 to 10 million. From 1950 to 2000, the population further increased, to 15.9 million, while in 2014 it reached 17 million, though this represented a lower rate of population growth. The estimated growth rate in 2013 is 0.44%.

The fertility rate in Hennehouwe is 1.78 children per woman (2018 estimate), which is high compared with many other Euclean countries, but below the rate of 2.1 children per woman required for natural population replacement, it remains considerably below the high of 5.39 children born per woman in 1879. Hennehouwe subsequently has one of the oldest populations in the world, with the average age of 42.7 years. Life expectancy is high in Hennehouwe: 82.2 years for newborn girls and 79.9 for boys (2018 estimate).

The country has a migration rate of 2.0 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants per year. The majority of the population of Hennehouwe is ethnically Hennish. According to the 2014 census, the population was 81.1% Hennish, 8.1% Petois, 7.7% Hoeltish and 3.2% Other. Those who constitute Other are mostly drawn from Coius, Hyndana and Bahia.

Religion

Sint Johannus Cathedral in Zilverzee was a former Catholic church before being seized by Amendists in 1666. It is the largest Amendist church in Hennehouwe.

Hennehouwe's historic division along sectarian lines during the Amendist Wars continues to have a lasting effect to this day. As such, Hennehouwe remains split north-south by religion, with Amendism dominating the northern counties and Solarian Catholicism dominating the southern counties. Following independence in 1855, Hennehouwe became a largely secular country as the laicist constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the government generally respects this right in practice. Between 1855 and 1926, Hennehouwe's governments were mostly dominated by Amendists, though in the post-war era the religious makeup has generally equalised between Amendists and Catholics.

The Basilica of the Holy Virgin Mother in Hexen, is the largest Catholic church in Hennehouwe.

As of the 2014 Census, roughly 42% of Hennish identified themselves as Amendist; with the Amendist Union of Hennehouwe (Unie van Wijzigenisch Kerken; UWK) being the largest denomination, followed by the Kasperist Hennish Reformed Church (Hennische Hervormde Kerk; HHK). 33% of the population identified as Solarian Catholic, with the entire Catholic population being found south of the Zwarte River. 19% of the population identify themselves as Non-religious, among the lowest in Euclea. Of the remaining 6%, 2.9% identify themselves as Atudite, 1.99% identify themselves as Kwarker, the largest community found in Euclea and 1.11% as other; with 0.88% identifying as Irfanic and 0.23% as Krishinava, both were brought to Hennehouwe by immigration during the 1970s.

Healthcare

Healthcare in Hennehouwe is financed through both social security contributions and taxation. Health insurance is compulsory. Health care is delivered by a mixed public and private system of independent medical practitioners and public, university and semi-private hospitals. Health care service are payable by the patient and reimbursed later by health insurance institutions, but for ineligible categories (of patients and services) so-called 3rd party payment systems exist. The Hennish health care system is supervised and financed by the federal government, the County governments; have (indirect) oversight and responsibilities.

The University Hospital of Annasdorp, is one of the largest medical institutions in Hennehouwe.

The Hennish enjoy good health, with one of the lowest rates of obesity rates in Euclea. Death in Hennehouwe is mainly due to heart and vascular disorders, neoplasms, disorders of the respiratory system and unnatural causes of death (accidents, suicide).

Education

Education in the Hennehouwe is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16. If a child does not have a "startqualification" (HAVO, VWO or MBO 2+ degree) they are still forced to attend classes until they achieve such a qualification, further hinderances to education can incur some of the highest fines applied in education across Euclea.

All children in Hennehouwe usually attend elementary school from (on average) ages 4 to 12. It comprises eight grades, the first of which is facultative. Based on an aptitude test, the eighth grade teacher's recommendation and the opinion of the pupil's parents or caretakers, a choice is made for one of the three main streams of secondary education. After completing a particular stream, a pupil may still continue in the penultimate year of the next stream.

The Science Academy of Zilverzee is one of the oldest universities in Euclea.

Doctoral candidates in Hennehouwe are generally non-tenured employees of a university. All Hennish schools and universities are publicly funded and managed with the exception of religious schools that are publicly funded but not managed by the state even though requirements are necessary for the funding to be authorised. Hennish universities had a tuition fee of about 2,000 euclos a year for students from Hennehouwe and the Euclean Community until 2017, when the Hennish government made university tuition free for Hennish students. The amount is about 10,000 euclos for non-EC students.

Culture

Arts and literature

The Abyss of the Black River by Johannus van de Zwartewater depicts the sectarian divide of Hennehouwe, with the Amendists on the left bank and Catholics on the right.