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{{Infobox country
{{Infobox country
|conventional_long_name = Democratic Republic of Eothasia
|conventional_long_name = Union of Elyssi States
|native_name =        <small>''Демократическая Республика Эотазия''</small>
|native_name =        <small>''Union der Élyssireiche''</small>
|common_name =      Eothasia
|common_name =      Elyssia
|image_flag =      CCPEFlag.png
|image_flag =      CCPEFlag.png
|alt_flag =          ''Flag of the DRE''
|alt_flag =          ''Imperial Flag''
|image_coat =        CCPECoA.png
|image_coat =        CCPECoA.png
|alt_coat =          ''Coat of Arms of the DRE''
|alt_coat =          ''Imperial Coat of Arms''
|national_motto =    ''Слава Эотазии!'' — ''Glory to Eothasia!''  
|national_motto =    ''Von Diversité, Einheit'' — ''From Diversity, Unity''  
|national_anthem =    [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U06jlgpMtQs Glory to Eothasia]
|national_anthem =    Gloire und Triumph
|image_map =        CCPEMap1.png
|image_map =        CCPEMap1.png
|capital =            Elessia
|capital =            Wyzina
|largest_city =      Elessia
|largest_city =      Wyzina
|official_languages = Eothasi
|official_languages = Elyssi
|national_languages = English
|national_languages = English
|demonym =          Eothasi/Soviet
|demonym =          Elyssi/Elyssii [Also: Imperial]
|government_type =  Federal socialist republic
|government_type =  Federal semi-presidential union of states
|leader_title1 =      Chancellor
|leader_title1 =      H.I.M. Empress
|leader_name1 = Aema T’Eal
|leader_name1 = Elisabeth of Elsaburg
|leader_title2 =      Central Council
|leader_title2 =      High Chancellor
|leader_name2 = 21 members
|leader_name2 = Emilie Berger
|legislature = ''State Assembly''
|legislature = ''Imperial Parliamentary Courts''
|upper_house =    
|upper_house = ''Chambère des Gebiete''
|lower_house =          
|lower_house = ''Synedrium''
|established_event1 = End of the Peninsular War
|established_event1 = Imperial Covenant
|established_date1 =  January 17, 1672 C.E.
|established_date1 =  1204
|established_event2 = Unification Day
|established_event2 = Golden Concordat
|established_date2 =  April 14, 1681 C.E.
|established_date2 =  1831
|established_event3 = Current constitution
|established_event3 = Imperial Constitution
|established_date3 =  April 14, 1913 C.E.
|established_date3 =  1871
|established_event4 = Digital Reformation
|established_date4 =  2008
|area_label                  = Total
|area_label                  = Total
|area_km2                    = 853,009
|area_km2                    = 4,196,783
|population_census = 229,766,318
|population_census = 229,766,318
|population_census_year = 2021
|population_census_year = 2023
|population_density_km2 = 269.36
|population_density_km2 = 54.75
|population_density_sq_mi = 697.64
|population_density_sq_mi =  
|GDP_nominal = US$12.91 trillion
|GDP_nominal = US$12.91 trillion
|GDP_nominal_year = 2021
|GDP_nominal_year = 2021
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = US$56.218,21
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = US$56.218,21
|HDI =                        0.946
|HDI =                        0.946
|HDI_year = 2021
|HDI_year = 2023
|currency =          Eothasi pound ruby
|currency =          Elyss
|date_format =        dd.mm.age:year
|date_format =        dd.mm.yyyy
|drives_on =        right
|drives_on =        right
|cctld =              .co.eo
|cctld =              .ues
|calling_code =      +7
|calling_code =      +71
}}
}}


Eothasia, officially the Democratic Republic of Eothasia ('''DRE'''; EOT: ''Демократическая Республика Эотазия''), also alternatively referred to as the DRE or simply Eothasia, is a federal socialist republic composed of seven semi-autonomous territorial divisions named Federative Republics, as well as one federal district (the capital city of Elessia). the Republic is a sizable nation at just over eight hundred thousand square kilometers and with a population numbering roughly 110 million. The country occupies a peninsula and is surrounded to the south by the Bay of Isa and, farther south, the Ocean of Sorrow. To the east is the Ocean of Reneria; in the north, the Bay of Vrest and the Ocean of Deris; to the west, the Ocean of Cylësen. In the centre of the peninsula there is a large gulf, known as the Sea of Auriel.  
Elyssia—officially the Union of Elyssi States, and commonly referred to as the Empire, the UES, or the Union (and sometimes Élyssireiche)—is a federal semi-presidential union of states on the continent of Elyssia. Occupying the entirety of the continent under a single banner, it is a sizeable nation at over four million square kilometres and is inhabited by more than two hundred million residents and citizens.


The Republic’s different members were largely known for their isolation to the outside world, preferring to interact amongst themselves — including through war — than interact with the rest of civilisation in anything other than trade. This was set for future change, however, after Duvaineth’s ascension to the throne of the Aterni Empire following its conquests in what is now known as the Peninsular War. Though the United Eothasi Kingdoms did little to cement that change, it laid the groundwork for the establishment of the ''Democratic Republic of Eothasia'', which would significantly change its foreign policy, especially in support of socialist revolutions around the globe.  
The modern Union has its roots in the formation of the Empire of Elyssia in the 13th Century, which was functionally a political and economic confederacy of thirteen kingdoms to preserve and protect their sovereignty on the continent. It was not until 1831 that the entirety of the Elyssi continent was united under a single banner, and not until 1871 that the Elyssi Union itself was officially established as a federal political entity. Today, and since 1831, the UES has a total of 32 member states.


Today, the Republic is a member of the international community and is well-known for its preference of non-violence and diplomacy to settle disputes. Its once large colonial empire, established during the end of the United Eothasi Kingdoms and greatly expanded upon during the first half of the 20th Century under the rule of King Messner III and Queen Valeria V has since been fully decolonised.  
The Union is, politically, a relatively unique state, both in its legislative branch as well as its executive branch. The head of government in the Republic is the High Chancellor, elected for five-year terms by the population in general elections via the Synedrium, the Forum of Citizens of the Union.  


=Etymology=
However, the ‘head of State’ is not embodied any one singular person, but rather, by the Imperial Council, composed of all the heads of state and government of the constituent states of the Union in representation of their respective states. These members then undergo an election process to select the member of the Council that holds the title of ‘Emperor of the Elyssi’; functionally, this transforms the Union into a form of elective monarchy. Currently, the throne is occupied by the House of Elsaburg, the sitting house of Elyssia since 1598.
It is unclear where the term “Eothasia” first emerges, although it has been found that it appears several hundred years prior to the creation of the first entity to occupy the entirety of the territory known as Eothasia today. The first registered appearance of the name is from -21:25, in an epic written by famous classical novelist and poet Fidena. However, historical accounts of her works and their popularity within Eothasi societies at the time indicate that it was unlikely she was the first to coin the name, rather implying she utilised a common phrase to refer to those inhabiting those territories.


Some scholarly studies have (inconclusively) concluded that the term Eothasia originates from Miverkia, today one of the seven Federative Republics of the Republic. It is believed that Miverkia named the continent this way after its leader, Eothomas, who first led Miverkia armies onto the mainland and began conquering what would eventually become the First Miverkian Empire. This is uncertain, as it is believed that certain texts found prior to the ascension of Eothomas to the Miverkian crown already mention this continent, despite their authenticity having been brought into question multiple times.
The Imperial Council often works in tandem with the Imperial Commission, which operates as the Council of Ministers of the Union. The Elyssi Commission currently consists of 21 members, including the High Chancellor, which is the head of government of the Union. The Empress herself also has a seat on the Commission, as the High Chancellor does on the Imperial Council, in order to be able to integrate the functioning of both of these bodies as the executive branch of the Union.


The legislative branch is also rather unique in that, while it operates under a standard two-chamber legislative system, the chambers themselves are not typical. The upper house is titled the Chamber of Territories (officially the Chambère des Gebiete), and is made up of 384 members, twelve representatives for each of the thirty-two member states of the Union. They are chosen in regional elections in each of the member states and represent the interests of their state on the broader agenda of the Elyssi Union. Meanwhile, the lower house is titled the Forum of Citizens (officially the Synedrium) and is a platform for electronic democracy through which all citizens can participate in voting processes for bills that affect the entire Union.
Today, the Union—commonly referred to as the Élyssireiche, is a peaceful and prosperous member of the international political and economic community and is well-known for its preference of diplomacy and nonviolence to settle disputes, as well as consistently pursuing a just and egalitarian redistribution of societal wealth and protection.
=Toponomy=
=History=
=History=
The recorded history of the dozens of kingdoms and empires that spanned the Eothasi territory is rich most notably in war and violence. Tales of glorious conquests of national foes are explicitly depicted in elaborate monuments erected in a variety of different locations, such as those in Iluma, the capital of Miverkia, which vividly show the conquests of the First, Second, and Third Miverkian Empires, or the ruins of ancient cities in modern-day Venza, carefully preserved as national landmarks. Though the Second Miverkian Empire was the first to span from the eastern coast to the western coast (and the Derevian Empire the first from north to south), to date the entirety of the continent has been in control of a single nation only twice with the conquer of the subcontinent of the Aterni Empire and the ''United Eothasi Kingdoms'', which later evolved into the  ''Democratic Republic of Eothasia''.
=Geography=
=Political Structure=
==Territorial Divisions==
===Municipalities===
The municipality is the smallest constitutionally recognised body of territorial organisation. After the 2008 constitutional reform, they are the second organ of most political participation in the UES, surpassed exclusively by the Forum of Citizens. The municipality, given its constitutional importance, is divided into two branches: its executive and its legislative branches.  


==Prehistoric Period==
The executive branch is represented by the Local Conclave. This is a triumvirate organ of candidates from the municipality elected directly by the people in elections, following a ranked-choice electoral system. Each citizen resident in the municipality will vote for all selected final candidates in a certain order (omitting those candidates they do not wish to vote for). The first to obtain a 50% majority is elected to be the Count of the city, who shall be the head of the Conclave. Their votes are then retired from the count, and the second candidate to reach 50% is the Viscount, with the process repeating once again to elect the Vicar. These three shall then form a government, known as the Local Committee, and will handle the vast majority of local policies for the municipality.  
Historical data for the region goes back as far as 35,191 years Before the Common Era. This is when humans were first detected to exist in and around the regions of what is now known as Eothasia. It is unclear from where these humans came, exactly, although it is assumed that they travelled from some other continent through an available landbridge.


The prehistoric Eothasi were largely a nomadic civilisation, with intense organisational structures amongst their tribes based on the merits of the individuals. Hunters, gatherers, and foragers were not separated by gender or other arbitrary features, but rather, but the individual skills young Eothasi demonstrated. This level of meritocratic organisational structure is key to understanding prehistoric Eothasi, as it was from this that they managed to gather, hunt, and feed the large populations that their tribes usually entailed.
The legislative branch is of the municipality—as with all territorial divisions—is none other than the Forum of Citizens. Because each citizen must notify adequately of their place of residence, they are allotted into appropriate municipal, provincial, and regional groups for the voting sessions in each of those territorial divisions.  


There was very little technological progress recorded on the continent throughout this period until roughly 4500 years Before the Common Era. It is in this period that the Neolithic Revolution first arrived in Eothasia, and radically changed the way in which the Eothasi lived. The widespread discovery of agriculture on the continent allowed the tribes to settle in key locations with fertile soil and brought about the increased meritocratic specialisation of the Eothasi populations, which grew exponentially.
It is important to note that, though the legislative branch is a digital platform, the Local Committee is not. As such, this allows for the direct scrutiny, both physically and digitally, of their policies by the citizenship in a respectful and constructive manner. While participation in online sessions requires only an official registration, onsite sessions require the submission of official requests at the office of the Committee two days prior to the session, which occur on four separate days each week while the Committee is in session.


The Neolithic Revolution not only increased Eothasi populations and trade, creating communities where there had previously been hunting groups roaming the land, but it also brought about the first inklings of written language and the first known civilisation, settled near the modern city of Odiria, in Derevia, known only as the Essë. Finally, the Neolithic brought about the beginning of what is known today as the Bronze Age.
On the day prior to each session, an official Order of the Day is published, with all approved participation, questions, and matters. A citizen that requests to participate on a certain day may not be necessarily approved for that day—unless the object of their intervention is specific to the provisional Order of the Day, which is released a week prior—but must be approved for one in the subsequent week at the latest. Furthermore, the sessions shall be divided into specific subjects, which will allow an individual to connect to a session regarding one subject and not sessions regarding other topics on the Order of the Day.  


==Bronze Age==
For particularly large municipalities of populations surpassing 25,000, it is permitted for inframunicipal organs—such as district bodies—to represent the Committee, insofar as the Committee retains public sessions in the district where their office is located. In the Union today, there are 81,403 municipalities.  
The first well-known civilisation in Eothasia was that of the Essë. They occupied lands in the central northern portion of the nation, near the modern city of Odiria. The Essën civilisation expanded from the vast green plains that surrounded them, flourishing under the new agricultural techniques discovered in the Neolithic Revolution. It is believed that the Essë first arose in the 57th Ialë B.U., and it is suggested that they lasted several hundred years, at least until the 34th Ialë B.U. They were first discovered in the early 3rd Ialë by famed archaeologist Vivian Maroto. Evidence suggests that the Essë’s collapse was brought about by the conquest of other, more powerful civilisations.
===Provinces===
The province is the second level of territorial organisation within the Union. It is the midway point between municipalities and archduchies. In total, there are 243 provinces across the Union, which not only exercise coordination between these levels, but also several executive functions with competences delegated to them by the Constitution.  


After the fall of the Essë, dozens of civilisations began to emerge across the continent. Some, much like their earlier counterparts, settled and became traders and promoted the first commercial partnerships on the continent. Others were far more violent and established their dominance over other civilisations through war and conquest.
The province also has two branches of government. The first of these is the executive branch. Much like the municipalities, elections are held across the province to select three members to form the Provincial Cabinet, made up of the Governor, Vice Governor, and Deputy Governor. However, there is a notable restriction for members to be electable in these elections, and it is that they must be a member of the Conclaves of their municipalities (meaning each municipality would have, at most, three possible candidates for the Cabinet). Once these members are elected, they form a government known as the Provincial Committee.  


The most important civilisation to emerge following the fall of the Essë was the Tatamolan civilisation, in the 25th Ialë B.U., settled in the plains of Eothasia, with their capital erected slightly over two hundred kilometers east of the modern city of Viladell. They wrested control over much of Eothasia from other, smaller groups through force, wielding notable military strength against them. They were the first civilisation of somewhat notable size, spanning from their capital in the desert to the shores of Newdell to their north, as far west as Viladell and as far east as the Vyshia Rift, which today forms the border between Vyshia and Dresnia.
Meanwhile, the legislative branch is, again, the corresponding level of the Forum of Citizens.
===Archduchies===
The archduchies of the Union are the most important territorial division of the country, representing the utmost federal union of states and serving as the primary guide for all territorial divisions beneath them. They correspond to the historical 32 members states that formed the Union in the 19th Century, and retain much of their historical, cultural, and political identities.  


Despite their strength and size, however, by the 24th Ialë B.U., the civilisation began a steep decline until it was finally conquered by smaller groups in the early 23th Ialë B.U. This new Ialë was characterised by the beginning of the new Era of Antiquity.
That said, certain modifications have been made to harmonise electoral processes across all territories of the Élyssireiche; one of these, especially, is the decision to harmonise ranked-choice based electoral voting across the country, as well as general legislative and executive structures. As such, the archduchies—as the levels beneath them—have a legislative branch composed of the corresponding level of territorial cohesion within the Forum of Citizens, whilst its executive branch is elected from the eligible members of their respective provinces (which, given the much larger dimensions of provinces versus municipalities, usually results in roughly twenty candidates per archduchy). The resulting electoral body is known as the Regional Presidium and is composed of the Grand Duke or Duchess—acting as the head of the body—the Duke or Duchess, and the Marquess or Marchioness.


==Era of Antiquity==
It is important to note, however, that there exists yet another political entity within the structure of the archduchies of the Union. Indeed, if the Grand Duke or Duchess exists as the head of government of the archduchy, a total of 26 of the member states of the Union retain their elective monarchies. In this way, these twenty-six member states have a dual system, much like the national system, under which the governance of the archduchy is run by the head of Government, whilst the head of State—which acts in representation of the archduchy both nationally and internationally—is the resultant elected monarch. Since 1871 and the regularisation of the UES’ political structure, these have all been titled ‘Prince’ or ‘Princess’, making them of equal rank to non-heir members of the Imperial family.  
The Era of Antiquity, as it is commonly referred to, was intricately marked by a number of important civilisations as well as the continents first imperial powers. These include civilisations such as the First Miverkian Empire, which was the first imperial power, the Derevian Empire, which spanned from the northern coast to the southern coast, the Second Miverkian Empire, which spanned from west to east, and lastly, the Aterni Empire, which became the longest lasting empire in Eothasi history. Other notable powers include the Third Miverkian Empire (which was the shortest lived of the three), the Republic of Venza, and the various republics that confederated in Vrest.


===First Miverkian Empire===
Each of these 26 member states has organised the specific workings of the elective nature of their respective monarchies, although they all follow relatively similar rules established under the Treaty of Vollburg. In addition to these, another eight states have established a monocephalous executive, with a single ‘President’ (or other similar title) acting as both head of State and head of Government. This is important most especially as it is these 32 members that form a part of the Imperial Council, as the collegiate heads of State of the Union of Elyssi States.
The First Miverkian Empire originated in the city of Iluma, the capital of the Republic and the modern capital of the Federative Republic of Miverkia. The civilisation first emerged in the 23rdh Ialë B.U., although the cities that incorporated the Republic had existed for at least another hundred years prior. Under the rule of Empress Arnola, these cities were bound together in the continent’s first empire.
==Legislative Branch==
The Legislative Branch of the Élyssireiche is known collectively as the Imperial Parliamentary Courts. They are a bicameral organ composed of an upper house, known as the Chamber of Territories, and a lower house, known as the Forum of Citizens. These chambers hold some particularities in comparison to the legislative branches of other countries, most notably with regards to the democratic and participative nature of the Forum of Citizens.


Records show that these cities first established a confederation and, initially, maintained their own governance and internal security forces, as well as their own treasuries. However, they all made contributions to a united military, agreed trade with one another, and became intrinsically linked. However, Iluma—because of its considerable size in comparison to the rest of the cities prior to the confederation—was viewed as the strongest. This was most fervently realised under Empress Arnola, who imprisoned the entirety of the united army and marched her own into each of the city states, conquering them all swiftly. Within just a short set of years, she had conquered the entirety of Miverkia. Though it is implied she had plans to eventually begin conquering the surrounding areas and invade the kingdom of Santarrejo, she was killed by her son, Eothomas, before she was able to realise her plans.
While the Chamber of Territories performs its ceremonies and celebrates its sessions in the Palais des Isidor, nestled in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina, the Forum of Citizens is held exclusively in online forums, video conferences, and other forms of telecommunications. Furthermore, since 2016, these methods now require biometric identification either through facial recognition technology, finger-print identification, or electronic signature technology, at the behest of the citizen themselves. All services are well-protected from hacking to limit the effects on the democratic functioning of the Union, and all forums are protected by two-factor authentication, requiring one of these biometric identification methods and an additional process chosen by the citizen—these can include passcodes, authenticators, secret questions, etc.  


Within the first year of being ascended as emperor, Miverkian military forces began conquering new lands, most notably the islands to the north and east of Iluma. Over the following decade, the Miverkian military continued its military campaigns, conquering much of what is now eastern Venza and the southern tips of Vyshia. The Miverkian conquests were swift, and before the end of the 13th Ialë B.U., controlled most of modern-day Dresnia, the eastern half of Venza and all its surrounding islands, and had made inroads into Vyshia.
Neither the Chamber nor the Forum have political parties, as these were deemed detrimental to the functioning of the civilised Elyssi society. As such, these were replaced by ‘factions’, which are merely representative bodies that each voter may wilfully join or from which they may retire, should they so wish to. The more citizens join a particular faction, the more ‘power’ that faction wields within the Courts; ultimately, however, these factions cannot vote themselves nor control the votes of the citizens that form a part of it. With no figure of the ‘whip’, the citizens will ultimately choose, freely and secretly, to vote on a bill in whichever way they deem appropriate.  


The First Miverkian Empire collapsed after the death of Eothomas, who was felled in battle during the First Siege of Torrevilla. Though there had been much tension in Miverkia since the late 14th Ialë B.U., it had largely been suppressed by Eothomas and his armies, whilst others were silenced by the riches arriving from the eastern conquests. His death was followed by a marked increase in insurrectionist activity, which culminated in the murder of Eothomas’ heir apparent during his coronation. This event sparked a civil war, and troops were recalled from Miverkian holdings, leaving behind only token garrisons, which were then themselves conquered by liberationists in the occupied territories.
There are four types of bills that can be passed in the Courts. These are:
* '''Public bills'''. These are bills written and submitted by the Commission, who have the right of priority in terms of submission order.
* '''Private members’ bills'''. These are bills submitted by members of the Chamber of Territories to the appropriate parliamentary commission, or by a determined number of factions in the Forum. 
* '''Private bills'''. These are bills submitted by individual citizens—with the necessary popular support—or by organisations of the civil society—including, but not limited to, trade unions, NGOs, representative organisations, etc.  
* '''Hybrid bills'''. These are bills submitted by more than one organisation pertaining to different groups, such as Government and factions, individual citizens backing a motion by a senator, etc.  


The civil war continued for at least two decades, and at its end, all cities lay in ruin, most intensely of which was Iluma, the first imperial capital, which had been under siege for nearly four years before the war ended.
Public bills—after receiving the appropriate support from both the Commission and the Council—are presented to the Chamber of Territories, where a thorough (and televised) debate of the bill between elected officials can take place. This occurs in the Palais des Isidor, in the capital city of Wyzina. Once passed, the bill is presented to the Forum, where citizens will have time to present debates and discussions regarding the bill. After a minimum of seven days of debate, on the closest available Friday, the vote shall take place, with each citizen cataloguing their votes on the digital platform—which can be accessed via personal devices or by proceeding to their closest municipal building to vote at stations available there. Private members’ bills follow this process as well, as they must be submitted first in the Chamber.


===Derevian Empire===
Private bills, on the hand, follow a distinctly different process. These bills—which can be presented by individual citizens, factions, or organisations of the civil society—must be presented first to the Forum itself, requiring a minimum of five hundred thousand votes to be considered (or one million votes, in the cases specified by the Imperial Constitution). These votes can be obtained either by explicit consent—which is when a citizen wilfully gives their signature to a particular bill or topic of discussion—or implicit consent—which is that consent given when a citizen forms part a faction that submits a bill to the Forum, or supports a bill presented by a citizen to the Forum, and they do not explicitly withdraw their approval before the end of the allotted time for the process. If the bill is approved in the Forum, it is then transferred to the Chamber for review.  
The Derevian Empire emerged following the collapse of the First Miverkian Empire from the Kingdom of Odiria. Prior to its expansionist period, it spanned from the city of Odiria in the east across to the Mistan regions; all of this would be maintained in the Derevian Empire, as would a path through the centre of the land to Venza and occupying parts of Miverkia. It was the first empire in the history of the continent to span from north to south.


To its south, the weakened states that had been occupied by the First Miverkian Empire were left in ruin by the revolutionary conflict that sprouted from the death of Emperor Eothomas. Even before the public murder of Duinenor, the Kingdom of Odiria began minor conquests into Vyshia, starting with the island of Amafiel. When civil war broke in Miverkia, a full invasion began and swept down the entire peninsula. The conquest was brisk, and before the end of the decade, Derevia territory had been almost doubled.
In this case, should the Chamber approve the bill, the Government shall be obliged to present a plan to bring the act into motion within the following three months. This plan does not need to be detailed but should be sufficiently explicative that it is evident that the bill would achieve the objectives identified by the Courts. Should the Chamber reject the bill in its entirety, the Forum can override this rejection with a 60% qualified majority vote. Should the Chamber present amendments to the bill, this bill will return to the Forum, which will require approval of the modifications. Should they be approved, the obligation is then transferred to the government; should they reject these modifications or make amendments to them, the bill will return to the Chamber.


The Derevian Empire achieved its maximum extension under Empress Allethia. By then, the nation had become the single-most powerful empire on the continent and was unrivalled in military project, economic strength and political influence. Its courts held dignitaries from dozens of smaller kingdoms seeking clemency from their strongest neighbour. Its strategic geographical location made it impossible for continental trade to flow without coming into contact with the Derevia tariff authorities, whether it be through land or at sea.
In this final reading, should the Chamber approve of the modifications, the obligation is then transferred to the Government. However, should the Chamber reject the modifications, a special commission must be established between Government, Chamber, and a representative faction of the Forum (chosen by the governing body of the Forum) to reach a consensus. Should a consensus be reached, the bill is presented first to the Forum and then to the Chamber for final approval. If a consensus cannot be reached, the Forum can vote, with two-thirds qualified majority, to push the bill through to Government.  
===Chamber of Territories===
The Chamber of Territories (Chambère des Gebiete) is the upper house of the legislative branch of the Union. The election of the members of the Chamber technically corresponds to the democratically elected governments of each of the regions, but they must be specifically validated and confirmed by the citizens of said region prior to their ascension to the Chamber.  


It was the Derevian Empire that beat down the rebellious republic in Vrest and established puppet states, and threatened Aterni with invasion if it did not withdraw military forces from the Bay of Isa and permitted free travel for all Derevia warships. In every sense of the word, the Derevian Empire became the continental hegemony.
The composition of the Chamber of Territories is undertaken by the regional governments of the archduchies of the Union. Each government will present to the citizens of their respective archduchy a set of twelve candidates, drawn from politically relevant members of the society of that region, to represent them at the Chamber of Territories. These candidates are then questioned and perform live debates with citizens both onsite at various locations or on online platforms, in order to ascertain their political inclinations and make informed decisions regarding their suitability for the position. Once this has been determined, the citizens vote to confirm—as a collegiate body—the set of candidates.


And so, it is especially shocking to historical scholars that the Derevian Empire’s downfall came in less than five years. Very little data exists on the exact circumstances that led to the weakening of the Derevian border, but what is known for certain is that the city of Mista was ransacked and by-then-abdicated Empress Allethia and her successor, Empress Vestelle, were beheaded in the city plaza, as per the tales collected in various poets’ works in the following decades.
It is very common, in these situations, for factions—both national and regional ones—to support specific candidates. These can include campaigning for or against specific candidates, as well as participating in debates, conferences, and other forms of political scrutiny of public figures.


Current theories on the fall of the Derevian Empire centre on its military. Given the size of the Republic, the Derevian population was alarmingly small; as such, the military was also of reduced proportions. The Derevian Empire attempted to circumvent this issue by the conscription of young children from occupied cities of their empire, but even then their military was unable to cope with the large military demands of a country of their size.
As the upper house of the Courts, the Chamber must approve the Imperial Budget and perform its reading to the Forum, scrutinise the actions of Government in four weekly sessions, and exercise other competences deposited to it by the constitutional and legal framework of the Union. The Chamber operates in two periods of plenary sessions: the first, between September and December, and the second, between February and June. This allows for a one-month recess in January and a two-month recess in July and August; however, during these periods, a 28-member Permanent Committee is in place to continue with non-urgent dealings of the Chamber.  


Though there is no data—neither from the Derevian Empire nor from Miverkia—it is unlikely to be a coincidence that the fall of the Derevian Empire coincided with the rapid emergence of the Second Miverkian Empire. Some theories, working in conjunction with how thinly spread the Derevian Empire’s military forces truly were, state that it is likely that the Second Miverkian Empire funded and equipped revolutionary forces in Derevia hoping to weaken their forces enough to conquer the remains with ease. This then explains that not a decade after the fall of Mista, Miverkian forces occupied the city.
Elections are called on the 1st of June of every third year by the Council of Territories, the governing body of the Chamber, which is composed of eleven members, chosen by the members of the Senate for the purposes of organisation and moderation of plenary sessions. After the elections have been set, the Chamber itself will be dissolved until a new configuration can be defined.
===Forum of Citizens===
The Forum of Citizens is the lower house of the legislative branch of the Union. It is the de facto primary chamber of the Courts, largely because of the political discourse of citizens in this body. The Forum is a unique chamber because it does not have voted representatives, but rather, is the direct democratic representation of oneself by oneself in a chamber of free political discussion. In this format, citizens cannot be wrongfully represented by their elected bureaucrats; as such, it becomes integral to the interests of both Government and civil society to make the object of any work of law clear to the citizens, making it accessible to all and easing the democratic process.  


Despite this, the Derevian Empire is the third longest-lasting empire in the history of Eothasia, after the Second Miverkian Empire and the Aterni Empire.
The Forum of Citizens is a new creation, born during the Constitutional Reform of 2008. The introduction of the process of Digitalisation of the Imperial State revolutionised the Elyssi political system. Prior to this, the Forum of Citizens was formerly the People’s Assembly, and was a 650-member representative body using ranked-choice first-past-the-post system. This has since been replaced by a sophisticated and digitalised direct democracy system using advanced electronic platforms to allow citizens to participate in the political debate of the Courts from their personal devices or at digital stations available at municipal centres across the Union. They can also be viewed via televised online sessions, as is also the case with the Chamber.  


==Contemporary Era==
In addition to the bills presented by the Commission to the Chamber, citizens can choose to present private bills to the Forum itself. This requires the backing and support of five hundred thousand citizens, either by explicit consent—usually achieved via digital or physical signing campaigns, including those available on the platform of the Forum itself—or with the backing of the factions of the Forum and their incorporated votes—known as implicit consent. It is common for bills to be presented to the Forum to be debated not only at a wide, national level, but also at lower, local levels.  
===United Eothasi Kingdoms===
In 1674, Emperor Séverine was in ill health. He had been bedridden for weeks and was having trouble coordinating the governance of the country. Finding this unworthy of the Aterni Empire, Emperor Séverine abdicated in his daughter, then Crown Princess Duvaineth, so that she took the throne early and began ruling in his stead. It did not, however, assist him in his fight; in June of that year, after being terribly sick for more than four months, he finally passed away.  


The first few years of Duvaineth’s rule were rather quiet. It wasn’t until December of 1678 that, during a public speech in the capital city from the balcony of the Imperial Palace —and which would later be read in thousands of public squares across the land— she saw it unfit to maintain the institution in the way that it had been thus far, ruling over the exterior territories instead of ruling alongside them. As such, she restructured the Aterni Empire into the United Eothasi Kingdoms, becoming the first time that the country was represented as a whole of Eothasia, instead of just Aterni. Despite this, Aterni, Derevia, and Venza were still considered the core states and other territories were not represented in the creation of a new flag.  
Voting in the Forum of Citizens, however, is two-fold. It requires not only the approval by simple majority—in most cases—of votes from the citizens, but also of a simple majority of municipalities—which is counted by allotting each municipality a single vote, determined by the overall majority vote in each individual municipality. This is to guarantee that rural municipalities with lower populations are equally represented in the Forum.  


This was met with great enthusiasm from thousands of people across the land, mostly in the east, which had been the most oppressed and secluded regions of the Aterni Empire after the Peninsular War. They hoped that, with this, they would be able to break away from the Aterni Empire to form their own government. Their fears were soon realised when Duvaineth roared against their independence thoughts, leaving quite clear that the growing kingdom would unite all of Eothasia, and not just “parts and pieces”.  
The competences of the Forum are extremely varied. On the one hand, they are the utmost representation of the legislative power of the Union, voting on and approving or rejecting bills that affect the political structure and projects of the Union, as well as presenting citizen-led legislative initiatives. Furthermore, they must recognise the final composition of the Imperial Commission on a five-year basis and approve the selection by the Imperial Council of the ruling family and their line of succession. The Forum can also willingly choose to remove any member of Government, requiring 15% of the Forum to request a Motion of No Confidence in the member to the Chamber. Should the Chamber provide backing, the motion is returned to the Forum for a simple majority vote; should the Chamber not provide backing, it shall return to the Forum requiring two-thirds qualified majority.  


However, there was also a general sentiment of agreement. Despite the fact that the United Eothasi Kingdoms would not be the democracy it is today —only those with a minimum amount of lands would be able to vote, for instance, until 1833— many people saw it as a most welcome step forward. This was largely the contrary for citizens of the Aterni Empire proper, who believed that all of Eothasia was theirs to control, as well as many nobles, who saw their preferences over nobles from the east taken away. However, though some attempted to plot against the Empress, nothing ever came of it.  
Despite the lack of political parties, the will of the people is recognised within the Forum by ‘factions’. These factions are legally recognised groups of people that have a specific end in mind, or wish to defend certain ideals, ethics, or ideologies. There is no limit to the number of factions that may exist in the Forum, nor are there limits to the number of factions that a citizen may form a part of—although each citizen shall only ever receive one vote. Factions are of free entry and exit, and cannot have economic quotas, payments, or financial accounts tied to their judicial person. Furthermore, to form a faction, at least 100,000 citizens must sign up to be the founding members, and no faction can have less than 60,000 members.


On April the 14th, 1681, the United Eothasi Kingdoms was declared and Duvaineth herself gave a speech in front of the Imperial Palace in Elessia. She went on to complete her reign, abdicating in favour of her son, King Cyrille, in 1717.
The Forum of Citizens is led by the Council of Citizens, which are a set of 52 prominent faction leaders elected by the Forum to organise the tasks of the Forum under the supervision of the Chamber.
 
==Executive Branch==
===Declaration of a Republic and Revolutionary Era===
The executive branch of the Union is the branch responsible for enacting the various policies of the State and organising the Public Administration to guarantee the basic tenets of the Imperial Constitution are adhered to. The executive branch is headed by the Imperial Commission, which consists of the High Chancellor and the various ministers that form the cabinet. Presiding this cabinet alongside the Chancellor is, habitually, the Empress or Emperor of the Union, in representation of the Imperial Council. Despite the great importance of the figure of the Empress in the Union—most notably in the art of foreign affairs—it is often considered that the Chancellor, who oversees the activities of the government, is a special form of arbiter of the rest of the Government.  
The Union of Eothasi Republics was a short-lived project that attempted to reorganise Eothasia into a republic. Considering that its roots in monarchism were illegitimate, many soldiers of the army undertook a coup d’etat which eventually led to the murder of the incumbent monarch, King Siegmund, and a military junta took over the country. They called themselves the Union of Eothasi Republics, but were anything but, instead actively working against the people’s freedom and liberties.
The Imperial Commission is provided housing at the massive Eleonora Palace (Schloss Eleonora), in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This complex is where most of the meetings of the Commission take place, as well as acting as a temporary home for the Chancellor during their tenure in government.  
 
===Imperial Council===
Established in 1901, it was already a useless project in 1912. An enormous social movement —founded and staunchly defended by socialist Priscilla Poriér— took to the streets in the summer of 1912, demanding retaking the control of the State and pushing a socialist revolution. Many of those that had fought in 1901 were no longer in the military or were in government; the vast majority of the army had become fervently socialist and supported the social movements against some elements of the national police, such as the now defunct “Legionnaires,” who protected the Union of Eothasi Republics. However, in December of 1912, the entirety of the military junta fled the country. Initially running to trade partner Azadistan, the exact location of where they holed up is unknown.
The Imperial Council is the body of the Union that acts as a collegiate head of State. It is formed by 32 members, which are the heads of government and state of their respective member states of the Union. Most of these are titled as ‘Princes’ as a result of the elective monarchies that exist in most of the members states of the Union. However, there are currently eight member states that present ‘Presidents’ to the Imperial Council instead of ‘Princes’. Despite this mixed nature, the Imperial Council acts as the basis for what is effectively an elective monarchy: the members of the Imperial Council, be they monarchical or not, elect from amongst themselves a single member who, in representation of their House and family, shall become the throne’s sitting family. This has been the case since before the Golden Concordat of 1831, and the current family—the House of Elsaburg—has occupied the throne since 1598.  
 
With the military junta defeated and the Legionnaires without political support, Priscilla rapidly climbed and declared the end of the Union of Eothasi Republics, stating that members of the civil society would participate in forming a new constitution by and for the people. Returning to the tradition of April the 14th, the Constituent Assembly finally approved the Popular Constitution in 1913 on that date.  


From then, the first elections were celebrated in July of 1913, though these were for an interim period, as it was stated in norm (though not law) that elections would always be on the 1st of January of the corresponding year. As such, Priscilla was voted as interim president both in July of 1913 and as the first General Secretary of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia on January 1st, 1914.
Though the Empress is the official representative of the Council and often, in practicality, is the sole head of State of the Union, this is not the formal reality of the Council. The actions undertaken by the Empress require approval by the Council, which is not always simple to come by, given the wide range of views and ideals defended in the Council. Great strides have been made, however, over the course of the history of the Union to simplify and solidify the functionality of the Council itself; whereas it first required unanimous agreement from all members, this is now extremely restricted, and mostly requires either simple majority—in minor cases—or a special majority of 55% of members representing 65% of the population of the Union—in the majority of cases.
 
=Geography=
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=Demographics=
Despite this formal reality, the Empress also has a wide range of freedom in the handling of their policies. They are given a great deal of liberty to undergo tasks as they deem necessary, though they are accountable to the Council.
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===Imperial Throne===
The Imperial Throne is the term often used to refer to the sitting imperial House of the Union. The current monarch sitting on the throne is Her Imperial Majesty Empress Elisabeth of House Elsaburg, who ascended to the throne in 2016 at the age of just 25. She is the youngest monarch to occupy the throne since the ascension of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Ferdinand in 1934 at just 24 years old. Despite her young age, her willingness to learn from the experienced members of the Imperial Council and her astute handling of multiple foreign crises and challenges have made her an exceptionally popular monarch within the Union. The current heir apparent to the throne is three-year old Archduchess Emilia, the eldest child of Empress Elisabeth. They currently reside in the Palace Elsaburg (Schloss Elsaburg) in Wyzina.


=Government=
The Empress and their immediate family undertaken various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, representational, and political duties. The monarchy is constitutional, and as such, the monarch must undertake their duties in a non-partisan manner in the defence of the interests of the Elyssi people. They are also head of the Imperial armed forces, although they are unable to declare war without the support of the Chamber of Territories and Forum of Citizens, nor are they able to order specific military operations without the consent of the Imperial Commission.
The executive branch of the federal government of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia is handled by the capital in Elessia, which coordinates with lower-level territorial divisions in the handling of various administrative, political, and economic activities. The DRE is composed of seven Federative Republics, as well as the federal district in which Elessia resides. Despite this, however, each Federative Republic is then divided into states, of which there are a total of 28 in the Republics. Each state can further divide itself into other territorial divisions of their choosing, although the recognition of the municipal area is guaranteed by the Popular Constitution.  


It is important to note that elections have not been used in the Republics since the historically enormous modification of the Popular Constitution that took place in 2008. Since then, positions of political importance —such as the “leader” of the Local Executive Committees or the Head of Government of the Republics”— have been elected via the Political Lottery. Using this system, those people interested in presenting themselves to positions of political importance can only do so by undergoing an extensive examination in which they pose themselves as political candidates. If they succeed in the examination of the level they desire, their name shall be added to the lottery. If their name is pulled from the lottery, they obtain the position for one term, which varies across the different levels (and even different territories) of the Republics, although the modification to the Constitution ensures that the maximum number of years per term be six years. Furthermore, those people pulled from the lottery may not obtain a second consecutive term.  
The Imperial Throne in the Union is functionally an elective monarchy, although with various hereditary aspects. The elective nature of the monarchy is more to choose the house—of the ruling houses of the various member states of the Union, as well as notable historical houses of the republican member states—that will take the seat of the throne. The members of the Council then control the actions and responsibilities of the ruling monarch, who is accountable to the Council itself, and who requires their consistent validation.  


The purpose of this movement was to introduce “direct democracy” into the Republics. This way, bills and motions that would normally be pushed through the representative National Assembly is now pushed towards the people. These, with strict access via their Internet-connected devices —be they mobile phones, laptops, personal computers, or even specialised stations in each municipality for the purpose of voting— can vote for, against, or abstain from voting for the bill being presented. This allows direct intervention from the people in the political administration of the Republics. Furthermore, debate is promoted via the introduction of high-load forums and local conferences to foment the local debate of the bill in question, with all points of view taken into consideration during the drafting and presentation of a bill. In this way, political parties are all but removed, with their only presence remaining as a force of political education and professional formation of political opinions.  
Though the sitting house has been the House of Elsaburg for over 400 years, the theoretical functioning of the elective nature of the monarchy remains. Should a House cease to exist, be removed from the Throne, or otherwise be indisposed for governing the Union, the Imperial Council must determine which of the Elyssi houses must occupy the throne. They do this by selecting a specific member of one of these houses, which is then crowned the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi in a coronation ceremony. The house then presents to the Imperial Council their selected heirs for approval by the Council, which may modify and approve the list without further input from the Empress.  


==Legislative Branch==
When the Empress passes, abdicates, or is otherwise unable to occupy the throne, the Council must then make a final declaration on whether to approve the selected heir apparent, proceed to additional heirs, or alternatively select a different house to occupy the throne. Should the heir they choose be younger than 23 years of age, an Imperial Regent—oftentimes a member of the Council itself—shall be elected in order to govern alongside the Empress until they reach the stipulated age. Furthermore, an Empress older than 23 can also request that the Council elect an Imperial Regent for a maximum period of eighteen months in order to assist them with integration into the daily workings of the Council.
===State Assembly===
As explained above, the representative National Assembly no longer exists. In its stead, the People can now participate in the construction of the political schedule and form debates within the structure of the Republics itself. Although habitual participation in the State Assembly is roughly 70-80%, various controversial bills (such as a bill proposed by the Ugarin Executive Council, a municipality in Vrest, which proposed that the Government restrict what it referred to as “homosexual activity in public”) have summoned participation rates superseding 95%.


In addition to the bills presented by the Council of Ministries to the State Assembly, the People can also choose to present bills to the Assembly and Council, as noted above with the introduction of a bill by the Ugarin Local Community. This means all Local Communities —or superior territorial levels, although this is relatively rare—, via their Local Executive Committees, can present bills to the State Assembly. In doing so, they shall start a series of debates across the country. Firstly, chosen representatives of the Local Executive Committee in question shall be sent to the chambers of the State Assembly in Elessia, where they shall present the bill; they can send a maximum of three representatives to defend the bill in question. Each other Local Executive Committee interested in participating in the initial presentation of the bill may send another two representatives each until the entire chamber of the State Assembly —800 seats, currently— is filled. Should more than 400 LECs request participation in the debate, the calendar of initial debate shall be extended to include various stages of debate including different LECs by the administrative body of the State Assembly (which is entirely composed of public employees and exempt from political intervention).  
In order to approve of the ascension of an heir to the throne, a special procedure requiring two-thirds majority vote is required. Should this not be achieved, the Council can either choose by simple majority to hold a Conciliation Commission for a maximum of 21 days in an attempt to secure the ascension of this heir, after which another vote requiring two-thirds majority is also celebrated. Should neither of these prosper, the Council must either select another member of the Line of Succession or select a different house altogether.  


After this period of debate in the State Assembly, the proposal is sent to all Local Executive Committees for further local debate. Each Local Executive Committee shall debate the proposal in their assemblies, after which they will send one definitive answer to the State Assembly. In a period set by the State Assembly for each bill (which cannot supersede one month in any case), the decision of each Local Community must be compiled and drawn into a vote. Each Local Community shall have one vote, and their votes shall be counted out to a total to determine whether the bill is considered passed.  
Prior to the Digital Reformation of 2008, the approval by the Council of the ascension of an heir to the throne required absolute majority approval by both chambers of the Courts; since 2008, however, this has been replaced by an absolute majority in the Forum of Citizens.


However, the voting in the State Assembly is two-fold. First, the Local Communities in favour of the bill must be higher than those against; however, it is also necessary for the number of individual votes in the State Assembly —information also given by the LECs to the State Assembly— to be above the 50%+1 mark. This is because, of the nearly 14.000 Local Communities in the DRE, roughly 3.000 are urban or suburban areas, whereas the remaining 11.000 are rural areas. However, because of the enormous disparity between them, the Local Executive Committees must submit their votes as commonwealths, previously organised by the State Assembly. As a result of these commonwealths, the total for LECs in the Republics remains at 3.193 urban areas and 3.211 rural areas, which permits larger equality amongst them.  
The Imperial Family in the UES refers to Empress Elisabeth and her close relations. There is no strict and precise definition of who is or isn’t a member of the family, and as such, it is the Imperial Household who emits the official list of the members of said family, approved by the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. No member of the imperial family, with their corresponding budgetary provisions, shall be exempt from public duties, except with specific and temporal exemptions emitted by the Imperial Council—or in the case of being physically, mentally, or otherwise impaired from doing so.  


The functions and powers of the State Assembly are extremely varied. On one end, they are the representation of the legislative power of the Republics: voting and approving or rejecting bills that affect the political structure and projects of the Republics, which is the most common use of their power, as well as the presentation of citizen-led legislative initiatives. Furthermore, they must recognise the selection from the Political Lottery of the 21 members that form a part of the Council of Ministries on a six-year basis, as well as habitually intervene in the administration of the services divided amongst them of their service is deemed to be harmful to Eothasi society. This can go as far as removing the selected “leader” of the Council of Ministries, the Chancellor, if their administration is deemed inadequate —although this must be done through the processes of absolute majority in the State Assembly, as opposed to the simple majority of (for instance) ordinary laws—. It is important to note, however, that the State Assembly does not vote on every administrative action taken by the Council of Ministries; rather, they only must be consulted on the matters of ordinary and organic bills, as well as any additional administrative actions that the State Assembly requests intervention on (with the appropriate solicitation of at least 50% of LECs).  
The head of the imperial family is Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg. She herself has two children and no grandchildren, given the youth of the current line of the monarchy. She also has two brothers and one sister, three nephews, one niece, one uncle, one aunt, five first cousins, and another eight first cousins once removed. The current list of the Imperial Household includes the Empress, Emperor, and their direct descendants, the Empress’ parents and siblings, her paternal uncle and aunt, her paternal grandparents and great uncle, and her cousins. Habitually, it is considered standard that the ‘imperial family’ are those of up to the fourth degree of relation to the ruling monarch, and up to said fourth degree, can obtain the title of ‘prince’ or ‘princess’. This does mean, however, that it is possible for one sibling to have the title of prince, while a younger one does not.  


Because political parties are not permitted within the State Assembly, it was decided that —in order to organise the will of the people in its presentation to the State Assembly— the figure of the “faction” would come to be recognised within the State Assembly. These factions are legally recognised groups of people that have a specific end in mind, or wish to carry out the defence of a specific ideal or ethic. There is no limit to the number of factions that may exist in the Consensus, nor are there limits to the number of factions a particular citizen may form a part of. Factions must be of free entry and exit, and cannot have quotas, payments, or financial accounts tied to their judicial person. However, in order for a faction to be formed, at least 100.000 citizens need to sign up to approve of the creation of said faction. These factions can also present bills to the State Assembly in the same way as Local Executive Committees, and thus start along the same path as indicated for the LECs.  
It is important to note that, as a member of the Imperial Council not only in their representation of the nation but also as the representatives for the Archduchy of Austries, both the Empress herself and her descendants carry a set of additional titles and styles. As such, the Empress’ full style would be Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg, Queen of Austries, Archduchess of Elyssia; her spouse, conversely, is His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Alexander, King of Austries, Archduke of Elyssia. Meanwhile, her heir apparent is styled Her Imperial Highness, Archduchess Emilia of Elsaburg, Archduchess of Austries, Princess of Elyssia. Though not stipulated, it is now understood that, as tradition, the heir apparent to the throne would be styled as the Archduke or Archduchess of Austries, as one of the core foundational territories of the Union, and Prince or Princess of Elyssia.
===Imperial Commission===
The Imperial Commission is the body of the Elyssi government that oversees the administrative core of the Union. The Commission must have twenty-one members, in addition to the High Chancellor and the Empress. The remaining members shall be Lord Commissioners of the Empire and shall have specific portfolios assigned to them, such as Defence, Education, Labour, Pensions, etc.


==Executive Branch==
The composition of the Imperial Commission is chosen by the High Chancellor upon their election, after having consulted the members of the Imperial Council for their opinion on such matters. Once the Commission has been established by the High Chancellor, they must be confirmed collectively by the Chamber of Territories. Habitually, approval of the composition of the Commission is not specifically requested of the Forum; however, should the Forum submit a special request, it can be put to vote.  
===Local Executive Committee===
Local Executive Committees (LEC) are the local governments in place at the various municipalities —known as “Local Communities”— throughout the Republics. These LEC are, in part, the most local level of intervention for citizens, as they occupy the administrative body of each individual municipality, although their possible delegation into districts or other divisions of their choice is still possible.  


Like other governmental divisions within the Republics, there are no elections to the LEC. Instead, these are pulled from the Local Community’s Political Lottery. In accordance with the organisation from the Council of Ministries, the Local Executive Committees consist of 21 members selected at random on a periodic basis from the Local Community. These members divide amongst themselves the competences of the region in accordance with the results of the Political Lottery, with whatever additional modifications they can legally perform. These then administer the services handled by the local administration of the regions in which they operate, as well as present bills to the assembly of the Local Community. Once established, the members of the Local Executive Committee vote on the “representative leader”, which shall be any of the members of the LEC, to act as Deputy Secretary of the Local Community in question.  
The Imperial Commission has legislative initiative, meaning that it is able to put forth to the legislative branch bills on any number of factors ranging from education, internal security, fiscal policy, social security, etc. It also has executive powers, allowing it to exercise these powers freely within the limitations of the legal and constitutional framework of the Élyssireiche. Furthermore, the Imperial Commission has the right of enforcement, allowing it to use a variety of agencies, department, and dependent organisms to ensure that its laws and regulations are adhered to across the Union.  


Though the Local Executive Committee exclusively operates over the territorial boundaries of their soviet, they can also form a type of “commonwealth” with other soviets to jointly operate administrative functions and services.  
The Imperial Commission are provided office space and facilities at the Eleonora Palace in Wyzina, as well as living quarters for the High Chancellor and a determined number of additional guests, should it be required. The Imperial Commission has also been known to use a variety of other palaces for other events, including the Elsaburg Palace, when dealing with specific matters of foreign affairs, or to entertain state visits by foreign dignitaries. Other such buildings include the Palais des Isidor, the Château d’Arlac, the Hofburg Palace, and even the Wyzin Court Operahouse (the Wyzin Hofoper), most notably during the Wyzin Imperial Ball.
====High Chancellor====
The High Chancellor of the Union is the official head of government of the Élyssireiche and is a deeply integrated role in the political realm of the country. As in other political systems, the Chancellor is of great importance to the unity and legitimacy of the State, as well as having a key role in directing the political and administrative structures of the State in the direction that they deem necessary.  


Apart from the Local Executive Committee, each Local Community also has its own assembly, whereby all citizens of the soviet can convene to discuss matters of the municipality in public debate. This is habitually done via online forums, with strict intervention times and schedules to discuss such matters. In order to participate in a session (be it online or one of the biweekly on-site sessions), one must register via an online platform. Alternatively, they can register manually at an office of the municipality. The interested party must register for a session of the Assembly at least two days in advance in order to be able to participate; on the day prior to the session, the official Order of the Day is emitted, with all approved participations, questions and matters. A citizen that requests to participate on a certain day may not necessarily be approved for the selected day (unless the object of their intervention is specific to the provisional Order of the Day for the selected day, which is released a week prior), but must be approved for one in the subsequent week at most. Furthermore, the sessions shall be broken up into specific subjects, which will allow an individual to connect to a session regarding one subject and not the sessions regarding the other topics of the Order of the Day.  
The Constitution provides the High Chancellor with the right to determine their government, organise their public policies, and grants executive powers to carry out the organisation of the administrative apparatus of the State. That said, however, the political system in the Union follows a similar division as that of most semi-presidential systems, with various powers and duties deposited also in the head of State; in this case, that head of State is elected by the Imperial Council and is titled the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi, in accordance with the historical traditions of the Elyssi.  


===Regional Executive Committee===
The competences assigned to the Chancellor are not precisely specific, as they are a product of a political convention at the start of each Chancellor’s new five-year term. That said, various specific duties are inalienably assigned to the Office of the Chancellery. These include: organisation of the Government and of the Imperial Commission; the determination and direction of domestic policy of the Union; and the capacity to modify and change economic and fiscal policy of the Union. Conversely, the head of State—the Empress—will be mostly tasked with: duties related to the definition of the Union’s foreign policy and representation abroad, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission; the definition of the State’s defence and security policy, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. It is important to note that, while both the head of State and Government wield considerable power, they are ultimately counterbalanced by both the other, and the Imperial Council and Commission respectively, to ensure a more uniform approach to policy both domestically and abroad.
The Regional Executive Committee is the one in charge of coordinating the States and Federative Republics of the Republics. The Federative Republic is the largest territorial division into which the DRE is divided, while the states are other various divisions within each Federative Republic to further delegate the functions of the State. Because only the Federative Republics were recognised in the text of the Popular Constitution, the states are not recognised as entities with political autonomy, but rather, administrative delegation; they are included in the Statutes of Autonomy of each Federative Republic and thus exercise the will of the Federative Republic in their designated territories as delegated by the Federative Republic. In this sense, they do not require an Executive Council, but rather, a State Delegated Committee. Each Regional Executive Committee shall have as many State Delegated Committees as is necessary per the number of states in the Federative Republic. These State Delegated Committees must, however, maintain the selection of its members (whose exact numbers vary between communes and Federative Republics) via Political Lottery.


These Federative Republics operate in much the same way as previously indicated for the Local Executive Committee. The 21 members of the Regional Executive Committee are selected at random via Political Lottery, and then operate within the competences established to them by their Statute of Autonomy. However, the important difference between the Regional Executive Committee and the Local Executive Committee is its relationship with its Regional Assembly. Unlike the Local Executive Committee, the REC does not have consistent biweekly assemblies; instead, assemblies are only pulled for debates on specific bills presented for the Federative Republic, which must then be approved or denied; this means the Federative Republic operates more closely to the Council of Ministries and its relationship to the State Assembly than to the Local Communities.
Since the signing of the Golden Concordat in 1831, the High Chancellor of the Union has been elected in elections by universal suffrage. The form in which this was carried out was modified during the Digital Reformation of 2008 and the introduction of the Forum of Citizens, although the base format remained relatively unchanged. Instead of general elections via ballot, the Chancellor is now elected via electronic voting system requiring biometric and two-factor authentication of the vote; this is also permitted at any municipal, provincial, or archducal buildings, as well as specialised voting stations prepared on general election days.


Much like with the LEC and, above it, the CEC, the Regional Executive Committee also selects one of its members to act as president, known as the Premier of the region in question.  
The Chancellor is elected on a five-year term, with elections always held on a Sunday and on national bank holidays, granting most ease in the participation of the voting process itself—which, nowadays, can be done rather quickly from personal devices—but also in same-day political debates and discussion on forums, conferences, and other media.  


In total, the Republics is divided into seven Federative Republics, plus the Federal District of Elessia (which operates in the same way but is distinct because of its nature as the metropolitan area surrounding the capital of Elessia). Below it, the Republics is also divided into a total of 28 states (one of which is also Elessia).
For a candidate to postulate themselves as such for the office of the Chancellor, they require the explicit or implicit support of at least two million citizens. They must also obtain the backing of at least one-twentieth of the members of the Chamber of Territories (or, alternatively, one third of the members of the Imperial Council) . The finalised list of candidates—which cannot number greater than ten—is established nine months before the elections themselves take place. In this time, they will be sponsored by the Forum to participate in debates, campaigns, and other activities to control the promotion of candidates and ensure that all are equally represented.  


===Council of Ministries===
During the election, all candidates run at the same time, and at least one candidate must obtain 50% of the popular vote. This is done via a ranked-choice based system of electoral voting, allowing for the most approximate representation of a majority of the popular vote. Once the Forum of Citizens has elected a member, the Empress officially bestows upon them the right to form a government, after which the candidate begins their duties as High Chancellor in the formation of their first Imperial Commission.
The Council of Ministries is a collegiate body which operates as the head of Government of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia. Its selection is via political lottery, as with other committees, and all 21 members of the Committee must be approved by the State Assembly immediately following the election.  
====Structure of Government====
The Imperial Commission is composed of several bodies—currently 21—known as ‘Departments’, with a specific ministerial portfolio of duties, tasks, and obligations assigned to each commissioner. The organisation of these ministries is done so in the manner of choosing of the High Chancellor, although there may be input and cooperation with the Imperial Council and the Empress in particular. At the head of each ministry is the Lord Commissioner assigned to said department.  


It is important to note that the Council of Ministries is, collectively, the head of Government of the Republics. The political power of the executive branch does not reside in a singular figure, but rather, in the figure of the Committee as a whole. Administration in each Ministry, as the ministries of the Republics are known, is at the behest of the individual selected to lead the Ministry; however, if a particular political decision is at odds with the rest of the Committee, this may vote to counteract that decision by qualified majority of the Committee (and they may even motion to the State Assembly to remove one of the members of the Committee, also by qualified majority).  
Each Department is further constituted by ‘State Ministries’, which are the highest sub-departmental organ in the UES. They are presided by Lord Ministers and must be selected through rigorous testing processes. These ministries are then divided into ‘directorates’, led by Lord Secretaries. Lastly, these directorates are composed of ‘bureaus’, which can either be the last level or can be divided further into ‘offices’.


Nevertheless, the Council of Ministries does vote, after its organisation into Ministries and the division of competences, who of the 21 members shall be Chancellor of the Republics. This position is one of political representation (head of State) and is mostly a ceremonial role, as the head of Government remains firmly in the hand of the Council of Ministries. However, this role is also extremely important; should there be a tie within the CEC, the vote of the Chancellor is tie-breaker.  
It is not obligatory for this structure to be followed, however. A bureau does not necessarily have to be subordinate to a directorate but can be directly dependent of a State Ministry or the Department itself. However, the administrative rank of the person in charge of the body cannot change; a Lord Secretary cannot oversee a Ministry, nor can a bureau officer oversee a directorate. As such, state ministries are often reserved for the most important topics amongst a department’s duties, and some departments do not have ministries if it is deemed that they have no topics requiring a position of such importance.


The Council of Ministries is refreshed every six years via the Political Lottery. However, the CEC may also be partially or totally dissolved by the State Assembly by a qualified majority of three-fifths. The current Chancellor of the Republics is Aema T’Eal. The Council of Ministries meets in the enormous government building in the city of Elessia, the Presidium.  
Each department will also have a technical cabinet, which provides technical assistance to the Lord Commissioner, as well as an Undersecretary of the department for additional organisational support regarding financing, budgeting, human resources, etc.
====Shadow Commission====
The Shadow Commission is the name given to the ‘Opposition’ Commission. This Commission is formed by the second-most voted candidate during the elections for the High Chancellor, and—in accordance with the Imperial Constitution—must have the same overall structure and ‘shadow’ the competences of the Imperial Commission. This commission acts as a legal counterweight to the administrative decisions of Government and can publish and publicly suggest alternative solutions. They also have the right to obtain information critical to the functioning of the government, including information not released to the general public; as such, they are sworn under the same oaths of secrecy and duty to the State as the High Chancellor and the Imperial Commission. In practice, the Shadow Commission consists of members—approved by the Chamber of Territories—who scrutinise their corresponding government commissioners, develop alternative policies, and hold the Government accountable for their actions.  


Members of the Shadow Commission have no executive or legislative powers, and must limit their activity to studying and scrutinising the policies and actions of the Government. This may give them considerable prominence within the political structure of the Élyssireiche, but it must also be noted that they are not necessarily a political representation of any body of the state. As such, the Chamber of Territories may, via absolute majority, remove one or all of the members of the Shadow Commission—except for the ‘Shadow Chancellor’, as they have been elected and validated by the Forum of Citizens and can only be removed by this Forum, although the Chamber may request this measure of the Forum.
==Judicial Branch==
==Judicial Branch==
The Eothasi Supreme Court is the highest judicial body in the Republic. Established by the Popular Constitution, it has ultimate (and discretionary) appellate jurisdiction over central and state court cases involving central law. It is the final interpreter of central law including the Popular Constitution. However, it does not have the power to decide non-justiciable political questions, and the enforcement arm of the judicial branch is, in fact, the executive branch of government.
The Élyssireiche stands as a testament to the principles of justice and the rule of law, with its judicial branch playing a crucial role in upholding these ideals. The intricate system of justice—both at the archducal and national levels—ensures that the rights of the citizens are protected, disputes are resolved, and the stability of the Empire is maintained.  
 
According to the national statutes, the Supreme Court consists of eight associate justices to the Chief Justice of the Republic, nominated by the reigning Governors and approved by the established State Assembly. Once appointed, these justices have lifetime tenure, unless they retire, resign, or are ultimately deemed unfit to serve by the State Assembly. Each justice has one vote, and it is unlikely to witness any number of cases in which the decisions taken are not unanimous, in accordance with their interpretation of the law.
 
The Supreme Court meets in the National Courthouse in Elessia.
 
==Political Lottery==
The political lottery is the system by which, on a periodic basis determined by the appropriate legislation depending on the territorial level at which it takes place, the political positions of importance in the Government’s administrative bodies are filled. The political lottery is extremely difficult to gain access to, largely because the notoriously challenging examination process prior to being added to the political lottery. For the purposes of the following explanation, the Political Lottery adhered to is that of the Council of Ministries of the Republics in Elessia.  


It is important to note that, although it is referred to as a “Lottery”, it is not technically a selection at random on equal terms; a person that has received a 97% mark in the Economics section of the Political Admissions Exam shall have a higher chance of being selected (for economics) than those who obtained the minimum 80% mark.  
At the archducal level, the judicial branch is structured in a hierarchical manner, mirror the administrative divisions of the Union. Each archduchy has its own network of courts, overseen by esteemed jurists known as Praetors. These praetors, chosen for their legal acumen and unwavering commitment to justice, preside over the Archducal Courts. They are responsible for ensuring that laws are upheld, interpreting legal codes, and resolving conflicts within their jurisdiction.  


===Lottery Rounds===
Beneath the Archducal Courts are District Courts, where cases of civil and criminal natura are heard. These courts are presided over by experienced magistrates who posses a deep understanding of the law and a keen sense of fairness. They meticulously evaluate evidence, hear arguments, and render judgements based on the merits of each case. They serve as guardians of justice, ensuring that the due process is followed and that the rights of all parties are protected.
The political lottery is divided into various rounds, each of which corresponds with a specific type of competence within the Council of Ministries. For instance, there is the Defence Lottery Round, the Economics Lottery Round, the Health Lottery Round, etc. These ensure that the people selected for the general competence is able to perform adequately in their selected field. For instance, a person that obtains the minimum 80% mark in the general Political Admission Exam but does not obtain this mark in a certain field (such as, for instance, Economics) cannot be pulled in the “Economic Lottery Round”.  


However, this does not necessarily mean that they undeniably must hold that competence. For instance, if an individual received the minimum mark on all sections of the Political Admission Exam and was chosen for the Health Lottery Round, but wishes to lead the Economic competences, they can suggest this change in competence to the Council of Ministries during its first meeting. However, the person chosen during the Economic Lottery Round has priority in this field; furthermore, if the person chosen for in the Economic Lottery Round cannot perform in the Health competence, then the modification of competence shall require the intervention of a third party (such as whomever was selected during the Justice Lottery Round).  
The judicial proceedings are facilitated by a team of legal professionals, including advocates and legal scholars, who provide expert guidance and support. Advocates, skilled in the art of persuasion and eloquence, represent clients and present their cases before the courts. Legal scholars, on the other hand, engage in scholarly research, studying legal texts and precedent to offer insights and interpretations into complex legal matters.


===Political Admission Exam===
At the national level, the apex of the judicial branch is the Imperial High Court, located in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This esteemed institution comprises the most distinguished jurists in the Empire, known as Justices. These justices, appointed for life, possess an unparalleled depth of legal knowledge and wisdom. They are entrusted with the task of interpreting the law, resolving conflicts between provinces, and ensuring the uniform application of justice throughout the Élyssireiche. The Imperial High Court serves as the final arbiter of justice, acting as the court of last resort for those seeking redress. It reviews cases on appeal from the Archducal Courts, carefully examining the legal arguments and evidence presented. The judgements of the Imperial High Court carry immense weight, setting precedents that guide future legal interpretations and shape the development of the Union’s legal system.  
Every six years, a series of weeks are prepared for the undertaking of the standardised test known as the Political Admission Exam, or PAE. This examination procedure ranges from a variety of topics, from medical knowledge to general administration, economics, political knowledge, diplomacy, international relations, and others. This is coupled with thorough psychoanalysis and psychotechnical examination to ensure the psychological wellbeing of the person being examined. This will determine whether the person is fit, at the moment of examination, for holding a political position of importance; furthermore, depending on test results, it may be possible that a person shall be admitted into the lottery but with restrictions; their name, for instance, cannot be pulled for the “economic” lottery round.


==Flags of the Republic==
The support the functioning of the judicial branch and maintain the highest standards of justice, a comprehensive system of legal education and training is established. Aspiring jurists undergo rigorous academic and practical training, studying the principles of Elyssi law, legal philosophy, and courtroom procedures. Renowned academies, such as the Imperial Academy of Law in Wyzina, serve as centres of legal training, nurturing the next generation of legal minds and instilling in them a deep sense of ethical responsibility.  
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! <big>Flag !! Date in Use !! Representative Role !! Description</big>
|-
| [[File:CCPEFlag.png|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || National Flag of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia|| Full official version of the national flag. Appears on official documentation and monuments. Approved on the 14th of April of 1913, it has remained the solitary flag of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia for over a century. A red background with the Seal of the Republic in the top left corner surrounded by seven stars, representing the seven communes of the Republic.
|-
| [[File:Flag of the Eothasi Republic.png|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || Flag of the federal district of Elessia || Flag of the federal district of Elessia. Designed for the capital after the declaration of the Republic, it is the only flag of the Federative Republics that utilises the main coat of arms of the Republic, designated as such due to its status as the capital of the Republic. Three stripes of black, white, and red symbolise the colours of the Revolution that set about socialism in the country.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfAterni.jpg|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Aterni || Flag of the Aterni Federative Republic. Three stripes of colours red, to signify the blood of Aternis spilled to reclaim the land as a republic, yellow, to symbolise the wealth of the land and the justice in distributing this wealth amongst all its citizens, and purple, which represents the unity of all Aterni people under one flag. The star represents the trust given by the people to the socialist cause.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfVenza.png|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Venza || Flag of the Venza Federative Republic. Blue and white stripes, which represent the valour and purity of the people of Venza, respectively. The red triangle represents liberty, equity and justice, whereas the red star is also a link to the socialist cause.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfAntizon.png|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Derevia || A simple red background with a large star that represents the socialist cause.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfMarsier.png|frameless|center]] || 14th of April, 1913 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Miverkia || White, blue, and red stripes in representation of fraternity, equity and liberty for the people from the plight of the capitalists, with a red star further symbolising the socialist cause.
|-
| [[File:Community of Marsier.png|frameless|center]] || 30th of October, 1915 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Vyshia || Red and white stripes signalling for defence but also peace and purity, with the red star symbolising the socialist fight.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfElvira.png|frameless|center]] || 30th of October, 1915 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Vrest || Simple black and red background representing the struggle to reach a successful socialist revolution in which all peoples were represented, with the gear, star, and machete representing the socialist revolution and the fight that was necessary to bring about its existence.
|-
| [[File:FlagOfEspinar.png|frameless|center]] || 30th of October, 1915 - Present || Flag of the Federative Republic of Dresnia || A red stripe symbolising the blood spilled to liberate Dresnia, and blue to represent the valour and strength of the Dresnian people as a whole. The start represents the values of the socialist revolution and the unity with the rest of the country.  
|}


The judicial branch of the Union is not merely a mechanism for dispute resolution, but a pillar of the society that upholds the principles of justice, fairness, and the rule of law. Its commitment to impartiality, integrity, and the pursuit of the truth fosters a sense of trust and confidence amongst the citizenries. Through its steadfast dedication to justice, the judicial branch contributes to the overall stability and prosperity of the union, ensuring that the rights of its people are safeguarded, and that disputes are resolved in a just and equitable manner.
=Military=
=Military=
The Eothasi armed forces are the services under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence for the protection and both the domestic and foreign interests of the nation as a whole. It is tasked with ensuring the territorial integrity of the Republic as well as the protection of its citizens and residents from foreign and domestic threats. This does not only include operations against hostile foreign militaries or insurgent groups operating within or outside the Republic, but also reacting in the event of great calamities, such as devastating natural disasters, crippling pandemics or other emergencies that put at risk the safety of the Eothasi citizenship that cannot be handled by standard local, communal, republic or even other national organisms (such as the National Security Service and its National Guard regiment). The commander in chief of the Eothasi military is the Federal Conclave, which is to say the three members of the triumvirate that acts as Head of Government of the Democratic Republic of Eothasia. Furthermore, the Government has an integrated organism dubbed the Chiefs of Staff Directive with which the Federal Conclave is provided advice in the face of needing military deployments.
[[File:Eothasi_Marines.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Eothasi marines during a training exercise]]The Eothasi military is headquartered in the home building of the Ministry of Defence: the National Defence Centre in Elessia, the capital of the Republic. This, however, is only the location where the Chiefs of Staff Directive work on a regular basis and where coordination between the different branches of the military take place. However, each branch has a base in accordance with its own field of operation that acts as its “headquarters,” in a manner of speaking. The Unified Eothasi Ground Force operates out of Fort Nicharaysk, the largest ground military base in the country, whilst the Unified Eothasi Air Force is based in Isa Air Force Base and the Navy (and its sub-branch, the Unified Eothasi Marine Corps) operate out of Grozzo Harbour. The Ministry of Defence is also in charge of the National Guard regiment of the National Security Service (which is, in its entirety, otherwise organised by the Home Office, except during wartime and in extreme necessities).
[[File:SovietFlagPatch.png|thumb|right|200px|Patch of the Eothasi flag used by various branches.]]Given the considerably militaristic and imperialistic past of the Eothasi continent, the zealous defence of the armed forces and servicing the country in general is taken care of with enormous pride in the DRE, moreso in the modern day, in which the military is more for the international defence of Eothasi interests (including, when necessary, supporting socialist revolutions abroad). As such, military service in the Republic has been established as compulsory, although the manner in which this is carried out is very specific. Individuals can freely enlist at the age of eighteen (or seventeen, in the event that they have express permission from their parents, tutors or guardians and have completed tertiary education) years of age. Mandatory levying, as it is called in the Republic, begins after the end of tertiary education in the event that the individual in question does not have the intention (or otherwise fails to) inscribe into university.
The main difference between enlisting after tertiary education and being levied is the time; enlisted soldiers will undergo Professional Combat Training. This consists of approximately twenty-one weeks, after which soldiers are transferred to Specialised Individual Training, which can last anywhere from ten to forty weeks, depending on the chosen specialisation. Afterwards, they must serve a minimum of three years active service before being able to solicit their first transfer to the reserve forces of the military. Furthermore, there are no restrictions with regards to the location to which they can be deployed; they can be stationed on bases in the Homeland as well as bases in foreign territories allied with the Republic or even deployed to combat theaters, should the need arise. In contrast, levied personnel undergo a Basic Combat Training regimen of only twelve weeks, after which they are transferred to General Individual Training that lasts another ten weeks in which they obtain general knowledge of the military and then proceed to Advanced Individual Training for another eight weeks. After their training is complete, they are transferred to active service for one year before being automatically retired (unless otherwise stipulated by the individual in question). They are not allowed to be deployed to any territory other than those directly under the jurisdiction of the Eothasi government; in other words, they can only be deployed to bases in Eothasia itself or its colonies abroad.
Compulsory service can be waived in a number of circumstances, the most obvious being the individual in question having some form of physical or medical impediment that disallows their participation in military service. If this is not the case, military service can also be waived if the individual is attending university, as under no circumstances can military service interrupt education. Should the individual in question graduate university and find a job in their respective field (which they have to justify with the appropriate paperwork at the Bureau of Levied Military Service) within six months, they can definitively waive their service. Should they not find a job, they will be immediately required to present themselves to their nearest military recruitment station. Should the individual continue their education and complete a master or doctoral cycle, they can also definitively waive their service if they so request it; should they not, they will be levied, but go through PCT. Individuals that have completed university or doctoral education can also proceed to apply for Eothasi officers academies.
Military spending in 3:37 rounded to just under US$643 billion, approximately 4.98% of the Eothasi GDP.
=Law Enforcement=
=Law Enforcement=
[WiP]
=Economy=
=Economy=
The economy of the socialist DRE is the model of a socialised economy, where collectivism has taken the centrestage and private corporations with stockholders and exploitation of workers has all but been eliminated. With a gross domestic product rising above six trillion universal standard dollars, it is an extremely large economy, with a high productivity level, large labour force and strong currency value.
=Demographics=
 
==Education==
The Eothasi economy is an extremely developed and advanced, high-income economy. The services sector, undoubtedly the largest in the country, contributes approximately 72% of the value of the gross domestic product. Most important amongst these services is the financial sector, which occupies almost a quarter of the services sector in Eothasia. Despite this, the agricultural and industrial centres of the country are not ignored; the aerospace, nautical and automobile industries also carry a significant weight, as does the entire agricultural sector, whose nationalisation was finalised in the early-to-mid 20th Century.
==Language==
 
==Religion==
The most important aspect about the Eothasi economy —and that which, comparatively, makes it most noticeably different from other economies across the globe— is that the conception of company in accordance with capitalist economies, which is to say, that of joint-stock or single owner companies, is not permitted. All companies must be cooperatives, set up with a number of associates that each must put a minimum quantity of money as quota in order to form a part of the company. Furthermore, these partners are also the workers, in such a way that the dividends that would otherwise be rewarded to the owners of the company’s capital are redirected towards the workers.
==Health==
 
However, the Eothasi economy also foresees the arrival of foreign companies into the environment, which would otherwise be difficult, given that many of these foreign companies will not necessarily follow the tendencies of collectivist economic policy. As such, the Eothasi economy only allows the incorporation of these companies in the event that the salary for each of the positions of said company matches the mode salary of the equivalent position in domestic companies of the same industry; furthermore, these workers must be given additional incentives, as well as stock market shares, which must be pacted with the Ministry of Economic Affairs before the companies are allowed to expand into the DRE.
 
The only exception to this rule of the partners necessarily being quotas is by organisations of the Eothasi State. This includes the Eothasi Bureau of Collectivist Entrepreneurship, under the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which not only grants subsidies to nascent cooperative companies, but also is capable of paying ‘quotas’ in companies in exchange for forming a part of the list of partners for a minimum of five years, extendable as per negotiations with the company in question. This also extends to other organisations of the State, such as the  Ministry of Economic Affairs, Defence, Finance or Foreign Affairs. As a subordinate institution to the State, the Bank of Eothasia acts as the central bank of the Eothasi economy, and has competences over monetary policy and other measures of economic interest.
 
Furthermore, the State Ministry of Economics establishes every five years a series of economic plans for production in the country’s strategic economic sectors, which are controlled exclusively by the state. These include such sectors as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, education, defence, and others. These five-year plans must be approved first by the Ministry of Economics, then the Federal Conclave, which will present it to the Federal College of Ministries. Once approved by the federal government, it must invariably be presented to the Council of Ministries for official approval.
 
The currency of the DRE is the Eothasi pound ruby, as it has been since the conception of the country in 1913. It is an extremely well-valued currency, which allows it to import foreign products at easier prices for local consumers and businesses, although it makes exporting domestically produced goods more difficult.
 
==History==
Despite the relatively recent history of the Republic itself, the Eothasi economy dates much farther back. Industrialisation of the economy first took place during the 18th Century, in a time in which it could not be said that the Eothasi economy was particularly equal for all of its participants. In fact, the nature of the exploitation of the working class was far more than prevalent; it was bordering on feral, with subsistence wages reduced to the bare minimum and workers stretched to the very last minute of their capability without regards to their physical (or mental) health. This continued well into the 19th Century, which saw unprecedented growth of the Eothasi economy, although entirely centred on only a few of the agents and disregarding social benefits.
 
The coup d’etat that brought the Union of Eothasi Republics to power did little to change this status quo; the economy was still concentrated into a number of extremely large owners of capital which had accumulated their wealth over the decades. This was fomented, in fact, with the deregulation of economic and labour laws in the country that allowed further exploitation of the working class.
 
The true turning point was after the triumph of the socialist revolution in Eothasia. Massive fortunes were frozen in the country, unable to be taken abroad; nationalisation took place, with appropriate recompense for the owners of the companies, and through extensive taxing of the rich, the wealth they had accumulated was redistributed through society until a more equal footing was reached. Income equality skyrocketed, and new labour protection laws ensured that the working class would not be exploited, largely due to their very own input in the dealings of the companies themselves. This massive socialisation of the modes of production was the true triumph of the revolution, and did not end until the early 1930s, long after Priscilla Poriér had resigned as General Secretary.
 
As the wealth was redistributed through the economy to the working class and equality was reached in terms of income, the Eothasi government slowly but surely began to release the industry it had nationalised, allowing them to be taken over by associations of working class people to establish cooperative companies, as had been dictated by its own internal legal framework. The largest companies —the ones considered multinationals, monopolistic in nature, and otherwise harmful to the status of income equality in the Republic— were broken down into various smaller companies, each of which was assigned an ‘area’ of the country in which they would normally operate. Furthermore, after the collectivisation of the companies took place, the parliament approved a bill that set a maximum number of partners permitted in a company and heavily regulated mergers and acquisitions.
 
Despite these collectivisations, several industries considered essential services for the Eothasi people were kept nationalised. These included the following industries: the healthcare industry, as private healthcare is not permitted in the Republic; the licence to construct homes and residential buildings, as state housing would be secured for all citizens and residents and it would be an exclusive competence of the State; the entire alimentary agricultural sector, which would be put to use with the exclusive purpose of feeding the Eothasi population; education, as private educational institutions would not be permitted except in extremely special circumstances approved by the Eothasi government; arms manufacturing, as weapons exports are absolutely prohibited unless authorised by the Eothasi government, which has never occurred since this prohibition was approved in 1927; and the utilities industry, as the State is the sole provider of water, electricity, gas and, since 2002, Internet. In addition to this, several other sectors are heavily regulated and intrinsically linked with the State, such as the retail industry or the pharmaceutical sector.
 
Today, the aforementioned sectors are the only ones that remain nationalised. All others have been collectivised, although they oftentimes work in close relation with the  Ministry of Economic Affairs as well as the  Ministry of Labour and Civil Rights, as there are multiple regulatory standards that must be followed to ensure that there is no exploitation of workers in the Democratic Republic of Eothasia.
 
=Education=
Public education in the Republic is under the express control of the  Ministry of Education of the Eothasi government. Its main goal is to prepare the alumni professionally so that they may form an integral part of Eothasi society; a secondary goal is to integrate students into the societal behavioural patterns expected of them in Eothasia.
 
The curriculum for the public education system is controlled at a central level in Elessia. This is then transmitted to the seven Federative Republics (as well as the central state of Elessia) that form the Republic, which may then adjust the curriculum with some flexibility.
 
The public education system is divided into cycles.
 
The first cycle through which the student must pass is the Primary Cycle. This cycle encompasses the time span between a student’s arrival into the education system (necessarily having celebrated their fifth birthday) and the rough beginning of their adolescence (at the age of eleven). This cycle is a generalised course to acustom students to mathematics, critical thinking, comprehension, analysis, and other key skills that will be used in future cycles and courses.
 
The second cycle through which the student must pass is the Secondary Cycle. This cycle encompasses some of the important formation years for the student, from the seventh to the tenth year of education. These four years are largely a stepping stone to identify the student’s strongest points and lead them in that direction. It is not precisely professional specialisation, but it is where the options begin to be narrowed down.
 
The third cycle is the Tertiary Cycle, encompassing from the tenth to the twelfth year of education. This cycle is arguably the most important cycle for the student, as it is where they are expected to progress the most. It is the cycle of professional specialisation and where students most fervently search for their individual calling in life. This is also the first cycle from which students may decide to withdraw from further education if they so wish. Deciding to
 
After the Tertiary Cycle, students have two paths. They may accept the mandatory enlistment from the Eothasi military and serve their obligatory service year (excluding training), then returning to civilian life (or remaining if they so choose), or they may proceed to the next cycle of education.
 
This next cycle is known as the University Cycle. The number of years of education undertaken in the University Cycle varies greatly, although the average is roughly five. These are significantly more specialised years than those of the first three cycles of education, as the student will have already chosen a major and will study subjects directly related to that major. This cycle must be completed in order for the student to continue into the next cycles, known as the Master and Doctoral Cycle. It is here where a student achieves the internationally standardised Masters’ or Doctor’s degree, once they’ve completed their thesis.
 
=Culture=
=Culture=
==Calendar==
==Architecture==
Though the Eothasi people and government understand and often use the internationally accepted calendar when speaking to people of another culture, it is widely known that Eothasia itself follows a slightly different calendar.
==Visual Art==
 
==Literature==
The list of months and holidays (called “Annum”s in Eothasia) are as follow:
==Philosophy==
 
==Theatre==
# Verimensis (Annum: First Day)
==Music==
# Pluitanis
==Cinema==
# Nubulis (Annum: Wintersend)
==Fashion & Design==
# Eluviesta (Annum: Unification Day)
==Elyssi Calendar==
# Molioris
# Ferventis (Annum: Summerday)
# Solis
# Matrinalis (Annum: All Soul’s Day)
# Parvulis
# Frumentum
# Umbralis (Annum: Feast of Starlight)
# Cassus (Annum: Satinalia)
 
* '''First Day''': The traditional start of the year, this holiday involves visits to neighbours and family, as well as a town gathering to commemorate the year past, accompanied by drinking and merriment.
* '''Wintersend''': This holiday is a celebration of Lavernia and her accomplishments. It stands for the end of winter in many lands and coincides with tourneys and contests at the Proving Grounds in Mista. In southern lands, this holiday has become a day of gathering for trade, theater, and ceremonies. Most, however, simply participate as a day of mere celebration.
* '''Unification Day''': This holiday is one that dates to Eluviesta 14, 1681 with the proclamation of the new government in the form of the  ''United Eothasi Kingdoms''. In 1913, Eluviesta 14 also served as the date in which the constituent assembly approved the Popular Constitution, thus bringing about the ''Democratic Republic of Eothasia''.
* '''Summerday''': This holiday is universally celebrated as the beginning of summer, a time for joy and, commonly, marriage.
* '''All Soul’s Day''': This holiday is known across Eothasia as All Soul’s Day and spent in somber remembrance of the dead. In some northern lands, the people dress as spirits and walk the streets in a parade after midnight.
* '''Feast of Starlight''': Usually coinciding with the harvest of crops in the Republic, the Feast of Starlight is a week-long feast honouring Auriel and the stars in the sky, which are believed to be symbols of Auriel’s eternal guarding of Eothasia. In secular Eothasia, this tradition is kept exclusively because of its historic importance.
* '''Satinalia''': This holiday is accompanied by wild celebration, the wearing of masks, and carnivals [including games, including races, dancing contests, archery contests, and others] all across Eothasia. This holiday lasts an entire week, with the celebrations starting each night at 8pm and ending at around 4am.
 
The calculation of a year in Eothasia is also quite different. The calendar starts in the year 1681 CE (international calendar), as the beginning of a new century after the decision to unite Eothasia. From then, the calendar began as 0:1. The first digit is the age; every age is one hundred years, and is the Eothasi equivalent to a Century. Specifically, the age counts how many centuries have passed since Eothasia first appeared as a unified nation. The second digit is the year of that Age. In the Eothasia calendar, 3:19 is equivalent to 2000; 3:39 is 2020. This is all designated A.U., for ''After Unification''. For the time before the establishment of Eothasia (or B.U., ''Before Unification''), the digit of the age is set in negatives. For instance, the year 750 would be -9:31 in the Eothasi calendar.

Revision as of 23:46, 18 October 2023

Union of Elyssi States

Union der Élyssireiche
Imperial Flag
Flag
Imperial Coat of Arms
Coat of arms
Motto: Von Diversité, Einheit — From Diversity, Unity
Anthem: Gloire und Triumph
Location of Elyssia
Capital
and largest city
Wyzina
Official languagesElyssi
Recognised national languagesEnglish
Demonym(s)Elyssi/Elyssii [Also: Imperial]
GovernmentFederal semi-presidential union of states
• H.I.M. Empress
Elisabeth of Elsaburg
• High Chancellor
Emilie Berger
LegislatureImperial Parliamentary Courts
Chambère des Gebiete
Synedrium
Establishment
• Imperial Covenant
1204
• Golden Concordat
1831
• Imperial Constitution
1871
• Digital Reformation
2008
Area
• Total
4,196,783 km2 (1,620,387 sq mi)
Population
• 2023 census
229,766,318
• Density
54.75/km2 (141.8/sq mi)
GDP (nominal)2021 estimate
• Total
US$12.91 trillion
• Per capita
US$56.218,21
HDI (2023)0.946
very high
CurrencyElyss
Date formatdd.mm.yyyy
Driving sideright
Calling code+71
Internet TLD.ues

Elyssia—officially the Union of Elyssi States, and commonly referred to as the Empire, the UES, or the Union (and sometimes Élyssireiche)—is a federal semi-presidential union of states on the continent of Elyssia. Occupying the entirety of the continent under a single banner, it is a sizeable nation at over four million square kilometres and is inhabited by more than two hundred million residents and citizens.

The modern Union has its roots in the formation of the Empire of Elyssia in the 13th Century, which was functionally a political and economic confederacy of thirteen kingdoms to preserve and protect their sovereignty on the continent. It was not until 1831 that the entirety of the Elyssi continent was united under a single banner, and not until 1871 that the Elyssi Union itself was officially established as a federal political entity. Today, and since 1831, the UES has a total of 32 member states.

The Union is, politically, a relatively unique state, both in its legislative branch as well as its executive branch. The head of government in the Republic is the High Chancellor, elected for five-year terms by the population in general elections via the Synedrium, the Forum of Citizens of the Union.

However, the ‘head of State’ is not embodied any one singular person, but rather, by the Imperial Council, composed of all the heads of state and government of the constituent states of the Union in representation of their respective states. These members then undergo an election process to select the member of the Council that holds the title of ‘Emperor of the Elyssi’; functionally, this transforms the Union into a form of elective monarchy. Currently, the throne is occupied by the House of Elsaburg, the sitting house of Elyssia since 1598.

The Imperial Council often works in tandem with the Imperial Commission, which operates as the Council of Ministers of the Union. The Elyssi Commission currently consists of 21 members, including the High Chancellor, which is the head of government of the Union. The Empress herself also has a seat on the Commission, as the High Chancellor does on the Imperial Council, in order to be able to integrate the functioning of both of these bodies as the executive branch of the Union.

The legislative branch is also rather unique in that, while it operates under a standard two-chamber legislative system, the chambers themselves are not typical. The upper house is titled the Chamber of Territories (officially the Chambère des Gebiete), and is made up of 384 members, twelve representatives for each of the thirty-two member states of the Union. They are chosen in regional elections in each of the member states and represent the interests of their state on the broader agenda of the Elyssi Union. Meanwhile, the lower house is titled the Forum of Citizens (officially the Synedrium) and is a platform for electronic democracy through which all citizens can participate in voting processes for bills that affect the entire Union.

Today, the Union—commonly referred to as the Élyssireiche, is a peaceful and prosperous member of the international political and economic community and is well-known for its preference of diplomacy and nonviolence to settle disputes, as well as consistently pursuing a just and egalitarian redistribution of societal wealth and protection.

Toponomy

History

Geography

Political Structure

Territorial Divisions

Municipalities

The municipality is the smallest constitutionally recognised body of territorial organisation. After the 2008 constitutional reform, they are the second organ of most political participation in the UES, surpassed exclusively by the Forum of Citizens. The municipality, given its constitutional importance, is divided into two branches: its executive and its legislative branches.

The executive branch is represented by the Local Conclave. This is a triumvirate organ of candidates from the municipality elected directly by the people in elections, following a ranked-choice electoral system. Each citizen resident in the municipality will vote for all selected final candidates in a certain order (omitting those candidates they do not wish to vote for). The first to obtain a 50% majority is elected to be the Count of the city, who shall be the head of the Conclave. Their votes are then retired from the count, and the second candidate to reach 50% is the Viscount, with the process repeating once again to elect the Vicar. These three shall then form a government, known as the Local Committee, and will handle the vast majority of local policies for the municipality.

The legislative branch is of the municipality—as with all territorial divisions—is none other than the Forum of Citizens. Because each citizen must notify adequately of their place of residence, they are allotted into appropriate municipal, provincial, and regional groups for the voting sessions in each of those territorial divisions.

It is important to note that, though the legislative branch is a digital platform, the Local Committee is not. As such, this allows for the direct scrutiny, both physically and digitally, of their policies by the citizenship in a respectful and constructive manner. While participation in online sessions requires only an official registration, onsite sessions require the submission of official requests at the office of the Committee two days prior to the session, which occur on four separate days each week while the Committee is in session.

On the day prior to each session, an official Order of the Day is published, with all approved participation, questions, and matters. A citizen that requests to participate on a certain day may not be necessarily approved for that day—unless the object of their intervention is specific to the provisional Order of the Day, which is released a week prior—but must be approved for one in the subsequent week at the latest. Furthermore, the sessions shall be divided into specific subjects, which will allow an individual to connect to a session regarding one subject and not sessions regarding other topics on the Order of the Day.

For particularly large municipalities of populations surpassing 25,000, it is permitted for inframunicipal organs—such as district bodies—to represent the Committee, insofar as the Committee retains public sessions in the district where their office is located. In the Union today, there are 81,403 municipalities.

Provinces

The province is the second level of territorial organisation within the Union. It is the midway point between municipalities and archduchies. In total, there are 243 provinces across the Union, which not only exercise coordination between these levels, but also several executive functions with competences delegated to them by the Constitution.

The province also has two branches of government. The first of these is the executive branch. Much like the municipalities, elections are held across the province to select three members to form the Provincial Cabinet, made up of the Governor, Vice Governor, and Deputy Governor. However, there is a notable restriction for members to be electable in these elections, and it is that they must be a member of the Conclaves of their municipalities (meaning each municipality would have, at most, three possible candidates for the Cabinet). Once these members are elected, they form a government known as the Provincial Committee.

Meanwhile, the legislative branch is, again, the corresponding level of the Forum of Citizens.

Archduchies

The archduchies of the Union are the most important territorial division of the country, representing the utmost federal union of states and serving as the primary guide for all territorial divisions beneath them. They correspond to the historical 32 members states that formed the Union in the 19th Century, and retain much of their historical, cultural, and political identities.

That said, certain modifications have been made to harmonise electoral processes across all territories of the Élyssireiche; one of these, especially, is the decision to harmonise ranked-choice based electoral voting across the country, as well as general legislative and executive structures. As such, the archduchies—as the levels beneath them—have a legislative branch composed of the corresponding level of territorial cohesion within the Forum of Citizens, whilst its executive branch is elected from the eligible members of their respective provinces (which, given the much larger dimensions of provinces versus municipalities, usually results in roughly twenty candidates per archduchy). The resulting electoral body is known as the Regional Presidium and is composed of the Grand Duke or Duchess—acting as the head of the body—the Duke or Duchess, and the Marquess or Marchioness.

It is important to note, however, that there exists yet another political entity within the structure of the archduchies of the Union. Indeed, if the Grand Duke or Duchess exists as the head of government of the archduchy, a total of 26 of the member states of the Union retain their elective monarchies. In this way, these twenty-six member states have a dual system, much like the national system, under which the governance of the archduchy is run by the head of Government, whilst the head of State—which acts in representation of the archduchy both nationally and internationally—is the resultant elected monarch. Since 1871 and the regularisation of the UES’ political structure, these have all been titled ‘Prince’ or ‘Princess’, making them of equal rank to non-heir members of the Imperial family.

Each of these 26 member states has organised the specific workings of the elective nature of their respective monarchies, although they all follow relatively similar rules established under the Treaty of Vollburg. In addition to these, another eight states have established a monocephalous executive, with a single ‘President’ (or other similar title) acting as both head of State and head of Government. This is important most especially as it is these 32 members that form a part of the Imperial Council, as the collegiate heads of State of the Union of Elyssi States.

Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch of the Élyssireiche is known collectively as the Imperial Parliamentary Courts. They are a bicameral organ composed of an upper house, known as the Chamber of Territories, and a lower house, known as the Forum of Citizens. These chambers hold some particularities in comparison to the legislative branches of other countries, most notably with regards to the democratic and participative nature of the Forum of Citizens.

While the Chamber of Territories performs its ceremonies and celebrates its sessions in the Palais des Isidor, nestled in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina, the Forum of Citizens is held exclusively in online forums, video conferences, and other forms of telecommunications. Furthermore, since 2016, these methods now require biometric identification either through facial recognition technology, finger-print identification, or electronic signature technology, at the behest of the citizen themselves. All services are well-protected from hacking to limit the effects on the democratic functioning of the Union, and all forums are protected by two-factor authentication, requiring one of these biometric identification methods and an additional process chosen by the citizen—these can include passcodes, authenticators, secret questions, etc.

Neither the Chamber nor the Forum have political parties, as these were deemed detrimental to the functioning of the civilised Elyssi society. As such, these were replaced by ‘factions’, which are merely representative bodies that each voter may wilfully join or from which they may retire, should they so wish to. The more citizens join a particular faction, the more ‘power’ that faction wields within the Courts; ultimately, however, these factions cannot vote themselves nor control the votes of the citizens that form a part of it. With no figure of the ‘whip’, the citizens will ultimately choose, freely and secretly, to vote on a bill in whichever way they deem appropriate.

There are four types of bills that can be passed in the Courts. These are:

  • Public bills. These are bills written and submitted by the Commission, who have the right of priority in terms of submission order.
  • Private members’ bills. These are bills submitted by members of the Chamber of Territories to the appropriate parliamentary commission, or by a determined number of factions in the Forum.
  • Private bills. These are bills submitted by individual citizens—with the necessary popular support—or by organisations of the civil society—including, but not limited to, trade unions, NGOs, representative organisations, etc.
  • Hybrid bills. These are bills submitted by more than one organisation pertaining to different groups, such as Government and factions, individual citizens backing a motion by a senator, etc.

Public bills—after receiving the appropriate support from both the Commission and the Council—are presented to the Chamber of Territories, where a thorough (and televised) debate of the bill between elected officials can take place. This occurs in the Palais des Isidor, in the capital city of Wyzina. Once passed, the bill is presented to the Forum, where citizens will have time to present debates and discussions regarding the bill. After a minimum of seven days of debate, on the closest available Friday, the vote shall take place, with each citizen cataloguing their votes on the digital platform—which can be accessed via personal devices or by proceeding to their closest municipal building to vote at stations available there. Private members’ bills follow this process as well, as they must be submitted first in the Chamber.

Private bills, on the hand, follow a distinctly different process. These bills—which can be presented by individual citizens, factions, or organisations of the civil society—must be presented first to the Forum itself, requiring a minimum of five hundred thousand votes to be considered (or one million votes, in the cases specified by the Imperial Constitution). These votes can be obtained either by explicit consent—which is when a citizen wilfully gives their signature to a particular bill or topic of discussion—or implicit consent—which is that consent given when a citizen forms part a faction that submits a bill to the Forum, or supports a bill presented by a citizen to the Forum, and they do not explicitly withdraw their approval before the end of the allotted time for the process. If the bill is approved in the Forum, it is then transferred to the Chamber for review.

In this case, should the Chamber approve the bill, the Government shall be obliged to present a plan to bring the act into motion within the following three months. This plan does not need to be detailed but should be sufficiently explicative that it is evident that the bill would achieve the objectives identified by the Courts. Should the Chamber reject the bill in its entirety, the Forum can override this rejection with a 60% qualified majority vote. Should the Chamber present amendments to the bill, this bill will return to the Forum, which will require approval of the modifications. Should they be approved, the obligation is then transferred to the government; should they reject these modifications or make amendments to them, the bill will return to the Chamber.

In this final reading, should the Chamber approve of the modifications, the obligation is then transferred to the Government. However, should the Chamber reject the modifications, a special commission must be established between Government, Chamber, and a representative faction of the Forum (chosen by the governing body of the Forum) to reach a consensus. Should a consensus be reached, the bill is presented first to the Forum and then to the Chamber for final approval. If a consensus cannot be reached, the Forum can vote, with two-thirds qualified majority, to push the bill through to Government.

Chamber of Territories

The Chamber of Territories (Chambère des Gebiete) is the upper house of the legislative branch of the Union. The election of the members of the Chamber technically corresponds to the democratically elected governments of each of the regions, but they must be specifically validated and confirmed by the citizens of said region prior to their ascension to the Chamber.

The composition of the Chamber of Territories is undertaken by the regional governments of the archduchies of the Union. Each government will present to the citizens of their respective archduchy a set of twelve candidates, drawn from politically relevant members of the society of that region, to represent them at the Chamber of Territories. These candidates are then questioned and perform live debates with citizens both onsite at various locations or on online platforms, in order to ascertain their political inclinations and make informed decisions regarding their suitability for the position. Once this has been determined, the citizens vote to confirm—as a collegiate body—the set of candidates.

It is very common, in these situations, for factions—both national and regional ones—to support specific candidates. These can include campaigning for or against specific candidates, as well as participating in debates, conferences, and other forms of political scrutiny of public figures.

As the upper house of the Courts, the Chamber must approve the Imperial Budget and perform its reading to the Forum, scrutinise the actions of Government in four weekly sessions, and exercise other competences deposited to it by the constitutional and legal framework of the Union. The Chamber operates in two periods of plenary sessions: the first, between September and December, and the second, between February and June. This allows for a one-month recess in January and a two-month recess in July and August; however, during these periods, a 28-member Permanent Committee is in place to continue with non-urgent dealings of the Chamber.

Elections are called on the 1st of June of every third year by the Council of Territories, the governing body of the Chamber, which is composed of eleven members, chosen by the members of the Senate for the purposes of organisation and moderation of plenary sessions. After the elections have been set, the Chamber itself will be dissolved until a new configuration can be defined.

Forum of Citizens

The Forum of Citizens is the lower house of the legislative branch of the Union. It is the de facto primary chamber of the Courts, largely because of the political discourse of citizens in this body. The Forum is a unique chamber because it does not have voted representatives, but rather, is the direct democratic representation of oneself by oneself in a chamber of free political discussion. In this format, citizens cannot be wrongfully represented by their elected bureaucrats; as such, it becomes integral to the interests of both Government and civil society to make the object of any work of law clear to the citizens, making it accessible to all and easing the democratic process.

The Forum of Citizens is a new creation, born during the Constitutional Reform of 2008. The introduction of the process of Digitalisation of the Imperial State revolutionised the Elyssi political system. Prior to this, the Forum of Citizens was formerly the People’s Assembly, and was a 650-member representative body using ranked-choice first-past-the-post system. This has since been replaced by a sophisticated and digitalised direct democracy system using advanced electronic platforms to allow citizens to participate in the political debate of the Courts from their personal devices or at digital stations available at municipal centres across the Union. They can also be viewed via televised online sessions, as is also the case with the Chamber.

In addition to the bills presented by the Commission to the Chamber, citizens can choose to present private bills to the Forum itself. This requires the backing and support of five hundred thousand citizens, either by explicit consent—usually achieved via digital or physical signing campaigns, including those available on the platform of the Forum itself—or with the backing of the factions of the Forum and their incorporated votes—known as implicit consent. It is common for bills to be presented to the Forum to be debated not only at a wide, national level, but also at lower, local levels.

Voting in the Forum of Citizens, however, is two-fold. It requires not only the approval by simple majority—in most cases—of votes from the citizens, but also of a simple majority of municipalities—which is counted by allotting each municipality a single vote, determined by the overall majority vote in each individual municipality. This is to guarantee that rural municipalities with lower populations are equally represented in the Forum.

The competences of the Forum are extremely varied. On the one hand, they are the utmost representation of the legislative power of the Union, voting on and approving or rejecting bills that affect the political structure and projects of the Union, as well as presenting citizen-led legislative initiatives. Furthermore, they must recognise the final composition of the Imperial Commission on a five-year basis and approve the selection by the Imperial Council of the ruling family and their line of succession. The Forum can also willingly choose to remove any member of Government, requiring 15% of the Forum to request a Motion of No Confidence in the member to the Chamber. Should the Chamber provide backing, the motion is returned to the Forum for a simple majority vote; should the Chamber not provide backing, it shall return to the Forum requiring two-thirds qualified majority.

Despite the lack of political parties, the will of the people is recognised within the Forum by ‘factions’. These factions are legally recognised groups of people that have a specific end in mind, or wish to defend certain ideals, ethics, or ideologies. There is no limit to the number of factions that may exist in the Forum, nor are there limits to the number of factions that a citizen may form a part of—although each citizen shall only ever receive one vote. Factions are of free entry and exit, and cannot have economic quotas, payments, or financial accounts tied to their judicial person. Furthermore, to form a faction, at least 100,000 citizens must sign up to be the founding members, and no faction can have less than 60,000 members.

The Forum of Citizens is led by the Council of Citizens, which are a set of 52 prominent faction leaders elected by the Forum to organise the tasks of the Forum under the supervision of the Chamber.

Executive Branch

The executive branch of the Union is the branch responsible for enacting the various policies of the State and organising the Public Administration to guarantee the basic tenets of the Imperial Constitution are adhered to. The executive branch is headed by the Imperial Commission, which consists of the High Chancellor and the various ministers that form the cabinet. Presiding this cabinet alongside the Chancellor is, habitually, the Empress or Emperor of the Union, in representation of the Imperial Council. Despite the great importance of the figure of the Empress in the Union—most notably in the art of foreign affairs—it is often considered that the Chancellor, who oversees the activities of the government, is a special form of arbiter of the rest of the Government. The Imperial Commission is provided housing at the massive Eleonora Palace (Schloss Eleonora), in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This complex is where most of the meetings of the Commission take place, as well as acting as a temporary home for the Chancellor during their tenure in government.

Imperial Council

The Imperial Council is the body of the Union that acts as a collegiate head of State. It is formed by 32 members, which are the heads of government and state of their respective member states of the Union. Most of these are titled as ‘Princes’ as a result of the elective monarchies that exist in most of the members states of the Union. However, there are currently eight member states that present ‘Presidents’ to the Imperial Council instead of ‘Princes’. Despite this mixed nature, the Imperial Council acts as the basis for what is effectively an elective monarchy: the members of the Imperial Council, be they monarchical or not, elect from amongst themselves a single member who, in representation of their House and family, shall become the throne’s sitting family. This has been the case since before the Golden Concordat of 1831, and the current family—the House of Elsaburg—has occupied the throne since 1598.

Though the Empress is the official representative of the Council and often, in practicality, is the sole head of State of the Union, this is not the formal reality of the Council. The actions undertaken by the Empress require approval by the Council, which is not always simple to come by, given the wide range of views and ideals defended in the Council. Great strides have been made, however, over the course of the history of the Union to simplify and solidify the functionality of the Council itself; whereas it first required unanimous agreement from all members, this is now extremely restricted, and mostly requires either simple majority—in minor cases—or a special majority of 55% of members representing 65% of the population of the Union—in the majority of cases.

Despite this formal reality, the Empress also has a wide range of freedom in the handling of their policies. They are given a great deal of liberty to undergo tasks as they deem necessary, though they are accountable to the Council.

Imperial Throne

The Imperial Throne is the term often used to refer to the sitting imperial House of the Union. The current monarch sitting on the throne is Her Imperial Majesty Empress Elisabeth of House Elsaburg, who ascended to the throne in 2016 at the age of just 25. She is the youngest monarch to occupy the throne since the ascension of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Ferdinand in 1934 at just 24 years old. Despite her young age, her willingness to learn from the experienced members of the Imperial Council and her astute handling of multiple foreign crises and challenges have made her an exceptionally popular monarch within the Union. The current heir apparent to the throne is three-year old Archduchess Emilia, the eldest child of Empress Elisabeth. They currently reside in the Palace Elsaburg (Schloss Elsaburg) in Wyzina.

The Empress and their immediate family undertaken various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, representational, and political duties. The monarchy is constitutional, and as such, the monarch must undertake their duties in a non-partisan manner in the defence of the interests of the Elyssi people. They are also head of the Imperial armed forces, although they are unable to declare war without the support of the Chamber of Territories and Forum of Citizens, nor are they able to order specific military operations without the consent of the Imperial Commission.

The Imperial Throne in the Union is functionally an elective monarchy, although with various hereditary aspects. The elective nature of the monarchy is more to choose the house—of the ruling houses of the various member states of the Union, as well as notable historical houses of the republican member states—that will take the seat of the throne. The members of the Council then control the actions and responsibilities of the ruling monarch, who is accountable to the Council itself, and who requires their consistent validation.

Though the sitting house has been the House of Elsaburg for over 400 years, the theoretical functioning of the elective nature of the monarchy remains. Should a House cease to exist, be removed from the Throne, or otherwise be indisposed for governing the Union, the Imperial Council must determine which of the Elyssi houses must occupy the throne. They do this by selecting a specific member of one of these houses, which is then crowned the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi in a coronation ceremony. The house then presents to the Imperial Council their selected heirs for approval by the Council, which may modify and approve the list without further input from the Empress.

When the Empress passes, abdicates, or is otherwise unable to occupy the throne, the Council must then make a final declaration on whether to approve the selected heir apparent, proceed to additional heirs, or alternatively select a different house to occupy the throne. Should the heir they choose be younger than 23 years of age, an Imperial Regent—oftentimes a member of the Council itself—shall be elected in order to govern alongside the Empress until they reach the stipulated age. Furthermore, an Empress older than 23 can also request that the Council elect an Imperial Regent for a maximum period of eighteen months in order to assist them with integration into the daily workings of the Council.

In order to approve of the ascension of an heir to the throne, a special procedure requiring two-thirds majority vote is required. Should this not be achieved, the Council can either choose by simple majority to hold a Conciliation Commission for a maximum of 21 days in an attempt to secure the ascension of this heir, after which another vote requiring two-thirds majority is also celebrated. Should neither of these prosper, the Council must either select another member of the Line of Succession or select a different house altogether.

Prior to the Digital Reformation of 2008, the approval by the Council of the ascension of an heir to the throne required absolute majority approval by both chambers of the Courts; since 2008, however, this has been replaced by an absolute majority in the Forum of Citizens.

The Imperial Family in the UES refers to Empress Elisabeth and her close relations. There is no strict and precise definition of who is or isn’t a member of the family, and as such, it is the Imperial Household who emits the official list of the members of said family, approved by the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. No member of the imperial family, with their corresponding budgetary provisions, shall be exempt from public duties, except with specific and temporal exemptions emitted by the Imperial Council—or in the case of being physically, mentally, or otherwise impaired from doing so.

The head of the imperial family is Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg. She herself has two children and no grandchildren, given the youth of the current line of the monarchy. She also has two brothers and one sister, three nephews, one niece, one uncle, one aunt, five first cousins, and another eight first cousins once removed. The current list of the Imperial Household includes the Empress, Emperor, and their direct descendants, the Empress’ parents and siblings, her paternal uncle and aunt, her paternal grandparents and great uncle, and her cousins. Habitually, it is considered standard that the ‘imperial family’ are those of up to the fourth degree of relation to the ruling monarch, and up to said fourth degree, can obtain the title of ‘prince’ or ‘princess’. This does mean, however, that it is possible for one sibling to have the title of prince, while a younger one does not.

It is important to note that, as a member of the Imperial Council not only in their representation of the nation but also as the representatives for the Archduchy of Austries, both the Empress herself and her descendants carry a set of additional titles and styles. As such, the Empress’ full style would be Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elisabeth of Elsaburg, Queen of Austries, Archduchess of Elyssia; her spouse, conversely, is His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Alexander, King of Austries, Archduke of Elyssia. Meanwhile, her heir apparent is styled Her Imperial Highness, Archduchess Emilia of Elsaburg, Archduchess of Austries, Princess of Elyssia. Though not stipulated, it is now understood that, as tradition, the heir apparent to the throne would be styled as the Archduke or Archduchess of Austries, as one of the core foundational territories of the Union, and Prince or Princess of Elyssia.

Imperial Commission

The Imperial Commission is the body of the Elyssi government that oversees the administrative core of the Union. The Commission must have twenty-one members, in addition to the High Chancellor and the Empress. The remaining members shall be Lord Commissioners of the Empire and shall have specific portfolios assigned to them, such as Defence, Education, Labour, Pensions, etc.

The composition of the Imperial Commission is chosen by the High Chancellor upon their election, after having consulted the members of the Imperial Council for their opinion on such matters. Once the Commission has been established by the High Chancellor, they must be confirmed collectively by the Chamber of Territories. Habitually, approval of the composition of the Commission is not specifically requested of the Forum; however, should the Forum submit a special request, it can be put to vote.

The Imperial Commission has legislative initiative, meaning that it is able to put forth to the legislative branch bills on any number of factors ranging from education, internal security, fiscal policy, social security, etc. It also has executive powers, allowing it to exercise these powers freely within the limitations of the legal and constitutional framework of the Élyssireiche. Furthermore, the Imperial Commission has the right of enforcement, allowing it to use a variety of agencies, department, and dependent organisms to ensure that its laws and regulations are adhered to across the Union.

The Imperial Commission are provided office space and facilities at the Eleonora Palace in Wyzina, as well as living quarters for the High Chancellor and a determined number of additional guests, should it be required. The Imperial Commission has also been known to use a variety of other palaces for other events, including the Elsaburg Palace, when dealing with specific matters of foreign affairs, or to entertain state visits by foreign dignitaries. Other such buildings include the Palais des Isidor, the Château d’Arlac, the Hofburg Palace, and even the Wyzin Court Operahouse (the Wyzin Hofoper), most notably during the Wyzin Imperial Ball.

High Chancellor

The High Chancellor of the Union is the official head of government of the Élyssireiche and is a deeply integrated role in the political realm of the country. As in other political systems, the Chancellor is of great importance to the unity and legitimacy of the State, as well as having a key role in directing the political and administrative structures of the State in the direction that they deem necessary.

The Constitution provides the High Chancellor with the right to determine their government, organise their public policies, and grants executive powers to carry out the organisation of the administrative apparatus of the State. That said, however, the political system in the Union follows a similar division as that of most semi-presidential systems, with various powers and duties deposited also in the head of State; in this case, that head of State is elected by the Imperial Council and is titled the Emperor or Empress of the Elyssi, in accordance with the historical traditions of the Elyssi.

The competences assigned to the Chancellor are not precisely specific, as they are a product of a political convention at the start of each Chancellor’s new five-year term. That said, various specific duties are inalienably assigned to the Office of the Chancellery. These include: organisation of the Government and of the Imperial Commission; the determination and direction of domestic policy of the Union; and the capacity to modify and change economic and fiscal policy of the Union. Conversely, the head of State—the Empress—will be mostly tasked with: duties related to the definition of the Union’s foreign policy and representation abroad, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission; the definition of the State’s defence and security policy, in conjunction with the Imperial Council and Imperial Commission. It is important to note that, while both the head of State and Government wield considerable power, they are ultimately counterbalanced by both the other, and the Imperial Council and Commission respectively, to ensure a more uniform approach to policy both domestically and abroad.

Since the signing of the Golden Concordat in 1831, the High Chancellor of the Union has been elected in elections by universal suffrage. The form in which this was carried out was modified during the Digital Reformation of 2008 and the introduction of the Forum of Citizens, although the base format remained relatively unchanged. Instead of general elections via ballot, the Chancellor is now elected via electronic voting system requiring biometric and two-factor authentication of the vote; this is also permitted at any municipal, provincial, or archducal buildings, as well as specialised voting stations prepared on general election days.

The Chancellor is elected on a five-year term, with elections always held on a Sunday and on national bank holidays, granting most ease in the participation of the voting process itself—which, nowadays, can be done rather quickly from personal devices—but also in same-day political debates and discussion on forums, conferences, and other media.

For a candidate to postulate themselves as such for the office of the Chancellor, they require the explicit or implicit support of at least two million citizens. They must also obtain the backing of at least one-twentieth of the members of the Chamber of Territories (or, alternatively, one third of the members of the Imperial Council) . The finalised list of candidates—which cannot number greater than ten—is established nine months before the elections themselves take place. In this time, they will be sponsored by the Forum to participate in debates, campaigns, and other activities to control the promotion of candidates and ensure that all are equally represented.

During the election, all candidates run at the same time, and at least one candidate must obtain 50% of the popular vote. This is done via a ranked-choice based system of electoral voting, allowing for the most approximate representation of a majority of the popular vote. Once the Forum of Citizens has elected a member, the Empress officially bestows upon them the right to form a government, after which the candidate begins their duties as High Chancellor in the formation of their first Imperial Commission.

Structure of Government

The Imperial Commission is composed of several bodies—currently 21—known as ‘Departments’, with a specific ministerial portfolio of duties, tasks, and obligations assigned to each commissioner. The organisation of these ministries is done so in the manner of choosing of the High Chancellor, although there may be input and cooperation with the Imperial Council and the Empress in particular. At the head of each ministry is the Lord Commissioner assigned to said department.

Each Department is further constituted by ‘State Ministries’, which are the highest sub-departmental organ in the UES. They are presided by Lord Ministers and must be selected through rigorous testing processes. These ministries are then divided into ‘directorates’, led by Lord Secretaries. Lastly, these directorates are composed of ‘bureaus’, which can either be the last level or can be divided further into ‘offices’.

It is not obligatory for this structure to be followed, however. A bureau does not necessarily have to be subordinate to a directorate but can be directly dependent of a State Ministry or the Department itself. However, the administrative rank of the person in charge of the body cannot change; a Lord Secretary cannot oversee a Ministry, nor can a bureau officer oversee a directorate. As such, state ministries are often reserved for the most important topics amongst a department’s duties, and some departments do not have ministries if it is deemed that they have no topics requiring a position of such importance.

Each department will also have a technical cabinet, which provides technical assistance to the Lord Commissioner, as well as an Undersecretary of the department for additional organisational support regarding financing, budgeting, human resources, etc.

Shadow Commission

The Shadow Commission is the name given to the ‘Opposition’ Commission. This Commission is formed by the second-most voted candidate during the elections for the High Chancellor, and—in accordance with the Imperial Constitution—must have the same overall structure and ‘shadow’ the competences of the Imperial Commission. This commission acts as a legal counterweight to the administrative decisions of Government and can publish and publicly suggest alternative solutions. They also have the right to obtain information critical to the functioning of the government, including information not released to the general public; as such, they are sworn under the same oaths of secrecy and duty to the State as the High Chancellor and the Imperial Commission. In practice, the Shadow Commission consists of members—approved by the Chamber of Territories—who scrutinise their corresponding government commissioners, develop alternative policies, and hold the Government accountable for their actions.

Members of the Shadow Commission have no executive or legislative powers, and must limit their activity to studying and scrutinising the policies and actions of the Government. This may give them considerable prominence within the political structure of the Élyssireiche, but it must also be noted that they are not necessarily a political representation of any body of the state. As such, the Chamber of Territories may, via absolute majority, remove one or all of the members of the Shadow Commission—except for the ‘Shadow Chancellor’, as they have been elected and validated by the Forum of Citizens and can only be removed by this Forum, although the Chamber may request this measure of the Forum.

Judicial Branch

The Élyssireiche stands as a testament to the principles of justice and the rule of law, with its judicial branch playing a crucial role in upholding these ideals. The intricate system of justice—both at the archducal and national levels—ensures that the rights of the citizens are protected, disputes are resolved, and the stability of the Empire is maintained.

At the archducal level, the judicial branch is structured in a hierarchical manner, mirror the administrative divisions of the Union. Each archduchy has its own network of courts, overseen by esteemed jurists known as Praetors. These praetors, chosen for their legal acumen and unwavering commitment to justice, preside over the Archducal Courts. They are responsible for ensuring that laws are upheld, interpreting legal codes, and resolving conflicts within their jurisdiction.

Beneath the Archducal Courts are District Courts, where cases of civil and criminal natura are heard. These courts are presided over by experienced magistrates who posses a deep understanding of the law and a keen sense of fairness. They meticulously evaluate evidence, hear arguments, and render judgements based on the merits of each case. They serve as guardians of justice, ensuring that the due process is followed and that the rights of all parties are protected.

The judicial proceedings are facilitated by a team of legal professionals, including advocates and legal scholars, who provide expert guidance and support. Advocates, skilled in the art of persuasion and eloquence, represent clients and present their cases before the courts. Legal scholars, on the other hand, engage in scholarly research, studying legal texts and precedent to offer insights and interpretations into complex legal matters.

At the national level, the apex of the judicial branch is the Imperial High Court, located in the heart of the capital city of Wyzina. This esteemed institution comprises the most distinguished jurists in the Empire, known as Justices. These justices, appointed for life, possess an unparalleled depth of legal knowledge and wisdom. They are entrusted with the task of interpreting the law, resolving conflicts between provinces, and ensuring the uniform application of justice throughout the Élyssireiche. The Imperial High Court serves as the final arbiter of justice, acting as the court of last resort for those seeking redress. It reviews cases on appeal from the Archducal Courts, carefully examining the legal arguments and evidence presented. The judgements of the Imperial High Court carry immense weight, setting precedents that guide future legal interpretations and shape the development of the Union’s legal system.

The support the functioning of the judicial branch and maintain the highest standards of justice, a comprehensive system of legal education and training is established. Aspiring jurists undergo rigorous academic and practical training, studying the principles of Elyssi law, legal philosophy, and courtroom procedures. Renowned academies, such as the Imperial Academy of Law in Wyzina, serve as centres of legal training, nurturing the next generation of legal minds and instilling in them a deep sense of ethical responsibility.

The judicial branch of the Union is not merely a mechanism for dispute resolution, but a pillar of the society that upholds the principles of justice, fairness, and the rule of law. Its commitment to impartiality, integrity, and the pursuit of the truth fosters a sense of trust and confidence amongst the citizenries. Through its steadfast dedication to justice, the judicial branch contributes to the overall stability and prosperity of the union, ensuring that the rights of its people are safeguarded, and that disputes are resolved in a just and equitable manner.

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