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Revision as of 19:22, 17 January 2021

Weranian Confederation

Ostischer Bund
Coat of arms of Werania
Coat of arms
Weranialocale.png
CapitalWestbrücken
Largest cityWiesstadt
Official languagesWeranian
Recognised regional languagesRuttish
Ethnic groups
Weranic, Ruttish, Aldman
Demonym(s)Weranian
GovernmentFederal parliamentary elective monarchy
Charlotte II
Otto von Hößlin (NKP)
Käthe Schickdanze (DA)
LegislatureBundestag
Herrstag
Volkstag
Formation
• Unification
17 March 1842
• Ascension to the Euclean Community
1955
Population
• 2014 estimate
58,579,684
GDP (PPP)estimate
• Total
$2,767,931 million
• Per capita
$44,231
GDP (nominal)estimate
• Total
$2,631,134 million
• Per capita
$42,045
Gini33.5
medium
HDI0.925
very high
CurrencyEuclo (EUC (€))
Date formatdd-mm-yyyy
Driving sideleft
Calling code+19
Internet TLD.we

Werania (Weranian: Ostischland [ˈɔstɪʃˌlant]) officially the Weranian Confederation (Weranian: Ostischer Bund) is a constitutional monarchy and sovereign state in northern Euclea bordering Kirenia to the southwest, Estmere to the south, Borland and Azmara to the southeast and sharing a maritime border with Solstiana to the north. Its capital is Westbrücken and its largest city is Wiesstadt.

Weranian history dates back to the emergence of Weranic tribes during antiquity. The southern tribes of Werania would migrate to Estmere and would be credited with causing the collapse of the Solarian Empire. Following the fall of the Solarian Empire these tribes began increasingly organising into petty kingdoms large in reaction to the Verliquoian Empire. In 500CE the region became briefly under the authority of King Rudolf the Magnificent. Rudolf's empire splintered after his death, but in 574 CE the kingdoms under the authority of the Kingdom of Cislania formed the Rudolphine Confederation, a confederation of states wherein they remained independent but united under the authority of the elected Emperor of the Rudolphine Confederation. The Confederation would come to attempt to assert hegemony in the area, and as such faced numerous wars with its neighbours including Solstiana, Caldia and Kirenia. The Confederation would see its constituent states come to conflict in the Amendist Wars with the spread of Amendism in the region leading to the confederation to weaken hugely at the expense of its neighbours, particularly Estmere and Kirenia. This was execerbated when the majority of the confederation fought in the losing side of the Ten Years' War. Bankruptcy, centralisation, feudalism, the unpopularity of Emperor Leopold III and the successful revolution in Etruria led to the Weranian Revolution which saw the Confederation dissolved, absolute monarchy repudiated and the Republic of Werania declared under the Declaration of Man and His Natural Rights. The republic was invaded by its neighbours and dissolved in 1801, being being divided into several kingdoms once again but left a potent legacy of pan-Weranicism.

During the 1800's the reformed Kingdom of Cislania through a series of conquests, royal marriages and diplomatic annexations was able to unify the disparate states. Under King Rudolf VI in 1842 the Weranian Confederation was proclaimed as a federal state. Werania would quickly industrialise and amass a colonial empire in Coius becoming a great power in the process especially after the War of the Triple Alliance. Werania's rise to great power meant during this period it had poor relations with its traditional rival Kirenia and their allies Gaullica and Soravia, with Werania aligning increasingly more with Estmere and Etruria. Werania would as a result be heavily involved during the Great War against Gaullica with Werania playing a large role in defeating Gaullican forces in 1934. Following the war Werania was embroiled with a new rivalry with Kirenia due to anti-socialist sentiments which eventually led to the Kirenian-Weranian War which saw a defeat for Weranian forces. This spurred the decolonisation of the Weranian colonial empire and its entry into the Euclean Community, since retaining its position as one of the world's largest economies.

Werania is a liberal democracy, and has a mixed market economy based around finance, industry and agriculture. It also has a welfare state with subsidised healthcare and education. It is a prominent member of the Community of Nations, Euclean Community, Northern Forum and International Council for Democracy. It also is one of the few states to possess nuclear weapons.

Etymology

'Ōsaithaz = Our Oath (originally to an anti-Solarian character I think, I can't quite remember) Ostisch = Modern form of above Exonym origin: Gaullish: Tarchwéran Exonym – Werania Endonym – Ostischland'

History

Prehistory

Archaeological evidence dates human presence in Werania to at least 600,000 years ago, with the discovery of complete hunting javelins dating to 380,000 years ago in coal mines in Western Weranland. The Goel valley in Werania was the location where the first ever non-modern human fossil was discovered and recognised in 1856; the new species of human was named Goelerthal man.

Antiquity (6th century BCE–5th century CE)

Middle Ages (5th century-15 century)

Reformation (15th century-1785)

Revolutionary period (1785-1842)

The Rudolphine Confederation structural problems in the late 1700's had reached a zenith by 1785. The central imperial government, led by Leopold III, had launched centralisation measures particularly in the raising of revenue which had not been accompanied by a centralisation of military matters nor an end to the particularisms and often complex administrative makeup of the confederations member states. Leopold III had undermined noble privileges which weakened his support amongst the confederations traditional supporters.

Paintining of the declaration of the Weranian Republic during the Weranian Revolution.

In 1785 revolutionaries marched on the palace of Hochgäu inspired by similar revolutions in Rayenne and Etruria; the noble armies that sustained the confederation failed to rally to Leopold III, leading him to abdicate. A National Diet declared the Declaration of the Rights of Man, with the National Diet being mainly dominated by moderate constitutional monarchists. Between September 1785 to January 1786 the revolutionaries had taken control over most of the Confederation.

A failed attempt by the monarchy to return to power known as the March of the 100 was thwarted by the revolutionaries. The moderates in the National Diet were overthrown by the Brotherhood for the Rights of Man, a far more radical grouping that believed in the Cult of Rationalism that amongst other things emphasised republicanism, centralisation, rationalism, intense anti-clericalism and militarism calling for the mobilisation of vast citizen-armies based on republican virtue. The Brotherhood under the influence of Franz Xaver Dobrizhoffer and Sigmund Auerswald soon declared the Republic of Werania which abolished the nobility, seized church landholdings and increasingly advocated for a rationalist state based around the Weranian nation. The republic was the first unified polity considered to be a properly Weranian state.

The republic was soon engaged in conflict with all its neighbours, most prominently Estmere and Kirenia, over its attempts to export the revolution to other countries. The republic successfully through meritocratic officer promotion, the massenaushebung" and a strong sense of nationalism and civic virtue was able to assemble a very large army that successfully was able to dominate north Euclea under the command of Balthasar Hötzendorf. However the envelopment of Euclea in revolutionary wars when Soravia, Estmere, Kirenia and Gaullica all worked against revolutionary Etruria and Werania worked against the republics and by 1801 the Weranian republic had surrendered to occupying forces.

Following the defeat of the Weranian Republic the great powers attempted to restore the pre-revolutionary status quo. However this proved impossible with the republican's abolition of many noble titles and confiscation of their land and the recreation of the Weranian lands along rationalist lines. A partial restoration of several larger kingdoms was undertaken mostly under the influence of Kirenia and Estmere; however many aspects of the republic particularly its civil code remained in place.

A map of the Weranian states following the Congress of Harimisaareke in 1801.

The new collection of kingdoms were unpopular with the increasingly nationalist population despite support from the old elite and Catholic church. During this period the "Weranian Question" emerged which questioned whether the Weranian lands should be united and if so what constituted the Weranian nation. Increasingly both movements that attempted to delineate a common Weranian culture such as Marius Schwerdtfeger's Ostisch Sagen and revolutionary movements that sought to promote a restoration of the republic such as the Septemberists converged to promote Weranian nationalism.

In 1828 a series of revolutions broke out across the Weranian states that declared a confederation. When the monarchs attempted to crush these revolutionaries the latter responding by ousting them; this led to Kirenia to intervene and crush the revolutionary movement. Nationalists however subsequently found a strong ally in Ulrich von Bayrhoffer, the Minister-President of Cislania who had pan-Weranicist goals. In 1836 revolutionaries in Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken, then under a personal union with Solstiana, invaded the province defeating the Solstianan forces and inviting Cislania to replace the Solstianan's; Solstiana responded by declaring war on Cislania which saw Estmere intervene in favour of Cislania, making Cislania the de facto leader of the Weranian cause.

A dispute over the succession of the throne of Prizen in 1841 saw Cislania face off against a coalition of states led by the Kingdom of Roetenberg and backed by Kirenia. The subsequent War of Weranian Unification saw Cislania defeat the other states. Rather then directly annex them the states instead agreed to form a single federation of Weranian states. The Weranian Confederation was subsequently declared on the 17 March 1842 with Westbrücken as the capital and the Cislanian king becoming Rudolf IV, claiming lineage through the old Rudolphine monarchs.

19th century and Great War (1842-1935)

Rudolf VI declaring the Weranian Confederation on the 17 March 1842.

The unification of Werania saw the addition of the Grand Duchy of Wolfsfled and Free City of Kolreuth occur in Spring 1843. The new Weranian state was considered by most to a great power especially due to the increasing decline of Kirenia and to be amongst the more liberal in Euclea; it had a comparatively large franchise, freedom of the press and speech outside lèse-majesté legislation and a seperation of church and state. The dominant figures in the post-unification state were the monarch Rudolf IV and Chancellor Ulrich von Bayrhoffer. Continued pan-Weranicist and revolutionary agitation led to Werania to in 1852 start the War of the Triple Alliance between Werania and Estmere against an alliance of Kirenia, Soravia and Gaullica with the intent of annexing Weranic areas of Kirenia. Although technically inconclusive the defeat of Kirenian and Soravian armies on the field led to the war to be considered an Esmtero-Weranian victory with Werania annexing Ruttland and the Zinngebirge Basin from Kirenia. Following the war radical republicans attempted to overthrow the monarchy under Adalbert; although the attempt failed it led to the political elite to increasingly move away from its more liberal inclinations and towards a more conservative posture. This was encouraged by Adalbert who confirmed a strong alliance between the state and the monarchy. The country was pushed to the brink of civil war with the October Uprising in 1856 when Ruttish nationalists led by Nida Jurgaitytė attempted to declare an independent Ruttland; this was successfully crushed by the federal government despite considerable sympathy for the rebels abroad, particularly in Gaullica.

Werania's foreign policy during this period was focused on maintaining the alliance with Estmere and expanding its political and commercial influence. Werania spearheaded a colonial empire in Rahelia, Bahia and Southeast Coius. The Weranian Empire was marked by settler colonialism particularly in modern day Masari. Werania also began a policy of improving ties with Etruria in south Euclea and Nuxica in the Asterias, whilst relations with the former Triple Alliance powers Soravia, Gaullica and Kirenia remained cold.

The country began to quickly industrialise during the 1850's and 1860's emerging as the world's third largest industrial power after Gaullica and Estmere. The industrialisation was concentrated in the southeast of the country and the Ruttish-Zinngebirge region, with the north of the country remaining predominantly agricultural. This was encouraged by the continued expansion of rail infrastructure within the country. A banking reform in the 1880's saw Wiesstdadt become the second largest financial centre in Euclea after Verlois. By the turn of the century Werania had entered what was considered a golden age. Universal male suffrage was implemented in 1906 which led to a proliferation of new political and social movements, most notably the Weranic Section of the Workers' International. The country was considered to be characterised by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity and technological, scientific and cultural innovations

The 1913 crash of the Wiesstadt stock market led to the beginning of the Great Collapse, thereby hitting Werania early. The collapse of the Weranian economy threw the nation into instability; political polarisation sharply increased between a left divided between reformist gradualism and revolutionary violence and a right similarly advocating for constitutional democracy and reactionary authoritarianism. This heightened due to both the election of the left-wing united front government from 1918 to 1922 and the April Revolution in Kirenia; these events led to the formation of political militia's who often engaged in street fighting. During this period the international rise of functionalist Gaullica led to Werania to entrench its alliance with Estmere as well as support Senria against Xiaodong in south Coius.

The Weranian Army during the Great War.

At the outbreak of the Great War in 1927 Werania joined the Grand Alliance alongside Estmere, Soravia and Senria declaring war on Gaullica and the wider Entente. Following the fall of Morwall in 1929 Gaullica led an invasion of Werania occupying Ruttland and placing under a collaborationist regime whilst the rest of Werania remained under the control of the government. Werania would play the decisive role in the liberation of Estmere in 1933 and with the invasion of Gaullica in 1934 thanks to its highly mechanised army and movement war tactics, with Weranian troops reaching Verlois and forcing the Armistice in spring 1934 heralding the defeat of the Gaullican Empire. Weranian colonial troops in Kuthina and Masari continued to fight Entente forces until the surrender of Xiaodong in early 1935.

In the ensuring peace Werania ensured that large sections of Gaullica remained demilitarised and that Gaullica paid large amounts of reparations to Werania as well as acquiring mandates in Yemet and other parts of northern Bahia. Werania also was a signatory of the Community of Nations charter and became a permanent member of its security council. However despite the victory Werania was devastated from the war - 1.5 million Weranian soldiers (or 4% of the country's population) died during the war, one of the largest casualty rates in Euclea, whilst parts of its industry were destroyed.

Modern period (1935-present)

The aftermath of the war saw a reopening of political tensions particularly following the assassination of Leopold IV in 1936 with right-wing factions taking increasing control of the government marginalising the political left. This also led to Werania's relations with its erstwhile Grand Alliance allies to sour - relations with Kirenia all but collapsed whilst they remained cold with Soravia. Werania attempted to balance between Estmere and Etruria but increasingly came to alienate both particularly following the Legionary Reaction.

The Weranian colonial empire at its height following the Great War.

Post-war Werania saw the nation continue to struggle with economic recession. The government dealt with rising rural to urban migration and overpopulation of cities through encouraging emigration to the colonial empire, particularly Silberküste and the new mandate of Obergond (located in modern day Yemet). These measures helped alleviate the conditions in the metropole but sparked increasing anti-colonialist movements in the empire as white minority rule was increasingly entrenched, leading to a series of colonial wars mostly foguht in modern day Masari. This came in the same context as increasing authoritarianism from the right-wing National Bloc governments that governed the country from the late 1930's to 1950. The National Bloc governments would move Werania to increasingly become a pariah state being friendly with neo-functionalists in Satucin and most dramatically Etruria. Werania would be the only permanent member of the CN Security Council not to participate in the Solarian War, ultimately abstaining on intervention against Etruria.  

The Bader-Schmidt Plan implemented in 1942 led to the revival of the Weranian economy under the großkombinats system, although anti-union legislation led to continued social disruption between the workers' and middle classes. Right-wing conspiracies about Kirenian involvement in the continued colonial struggles and socialist and Ruttish nationalist agitation at home led to an increasing belief by the domestic far-right, military and government in intervention against Kirenia which led to the invasion in Kirenia in 1949 and the start of the Kirenian-Weranian War. The war saw a defeat for Weranian forces and the loss of Western Uschupes and the Zinngebirge Basin to Kirenia. An attempted coup by radical officers after the signing of the peace treaty led to the collapse of the National Bloc and the rise of the Tripartite governments consisting of socialists, social democrats and Sotirian democrats.

The new government continued the corporatism of the previous government albeit with a social element, spearheaded the mass expansion of the welfare state, undertook a radical programme of decolonisation dismantling the Weranian colonial empire and becoming firmly pro-Euclean in foreign policy, with Werania joining the Euclean Community in 1955 alongside Caldia and Solstiana. Although the tripartite government would fall in 1955 to be replaced by three decades of conservative rule under the National Consolidation Party the essential underpinnings of the new social consensus - pro-Eucleanism and social corporatism within the framework of a free market and democratic society - remained the same. Werania would develop nuclear weapons shortly after the Kirenian-Weranian War.

Student demonstrators during the 1972 protests.

The new social contract frayed over time as youth counter-culture and other social and political movements - feminism, environmentalism and LGBT+ activism - became more important in Weranian society, particularly in the late 1960's. The conservatism of the Weranian state led to the 1972 student protests that morphed into a general strike. Although the conservative government prevailed it reinforced the victory of societal forces of individualism, secularism and sexual liberation over the old religious and political authority of the Weranian state. The protests also led to the withdrawal of Weranian troops from the Siamat War. There was also some domestic terrorism from Ruttish groups in this period although this largely faded during the 1980's.

The 1980 recession saw a collapse of the Weranian economy and new political shifts as the left regained power for the first time since 1922. Although this did not result in the creation of a socialist society that many on the left hoped for it did lead to an entrenchment and expansion of social liberalisation measures that had become popular in the 1970's, the dismantling of the corporatist system and a more strident pro-Eucleanism, the latter of which led to Weranian support for the creation of the Euclo. The 1980's and 1990's saw the move to a two-party system between the centre-right NKP and centre-left Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania.

Since the 2005 financial crisis Werania has remained one of the most developed countries in the world with a modern, industrial economy with a particularly prominent financial sector. Since the 1970's immigration into Werania has become particularly prominent mainly from Southeast Coius and Bahia, although immigration from West Euclea and Rahelia has also been prominent. Issues pertaining to Weranian identity both in the national context and Euclean context have come to dominate Weranian society in the past decade. This has been accompanied by increasing economic stagnation in Werania which has been noted as a problem by political and social commentators.

Geography

Biodiversity

Climate

Urbanisation

Administrative divisions

Werania is a federation divided into eleven first-level administrative divisions, often informally referred to as the Bundesländer. They are officially divided into two kingdoms (Königreich), two free states (Freistaat; laisva valstybe), a grand duchy (Großherzogtum) four duchies (Herzogtum) and two free cities (freie stadt). The free cities are officially headed by Lord Mayors (Oberbürgermeister) who also serve as head of government, whilst the free states are technically headed by their legislatures. Aside the free cities each division are led by head of government known as a minister-presidents (Ministerpräsident) who are appointed by the monarch within the territory. Since the 1900's minister-presidents govern with the confidence of directly elected state diets (Landtag; seimas). As with the Volkstag local government's cannot be dismissed unless landtags or the seimas can propose an alternative government; if no alternate government is produced the Ministry of Regional Development can appoint a caretaker cabinet to serve out the reminder of the council's term.

Below the Bundesländer are 74 Regierungsbezirke, whose borders originate from the first Weranian republic. Below the Regierungsbezirke sit over 400 rural districts and 50 urban districts, which are further divided into wards (in urban districts) and municipalities (in rural districts).

Name Coat of Arms Administrative centre Population GDP GDP per capita Leader
Flag of Bonnelitz.png Duchy of Bonnlitz-Ostbrücken
Coat of Arms of Bonnlitz.png
Gothberg 6,679,316 $243,340,840,512 $36,432 Duke
Minister-President
Flag of the Charlotte Island.png Free State of the Charlotte Island
Coat of Arms of Charlotte Island.png
Lapaha 98,645 $1,438,638,680 $14,584 Minister-President
Flag of Cislania.png Kingdom of Cislania
Coat of Arms of Cislania.png
Wiesstadt 14,469,087 $707,368,664,117 $48,888 King
Minister-President
Flag of Häfkopf.png Duchy of Elbenweis
Coat of Arms of Elbenweis.png
Innsheim 3,245,864 $154,759,549,656 $47,679 Duchess
Minister-President
Flag of Kolreuth.png Free City of Kolreuth
Coat of Arms of Kolreuth.png
Kolreuth 254,684 $14,033,088,400 $55,100 Lord Mayor
Flag of Prizen.png Duchy of Prizen
Coat of Arms of Prizen.png
Frankendorf 4,126,954 $158,904,236,816 $38,504 Duke
Minister-President
Flag of Ruttland.png Free State of Ruttland
Coat of Arms of Ruttland.png
Lipliškės 10,792,847 $399,130,274,907 $36,981 Minister-Chairman
Flag of Rötenberg.png Kingdom of Roetenberg
Coat of Arms of Roetenberg.png
Kotzenberg 8,778,322 $356,707,114,470 $40,635 Queen
Minister-President
Flag of Westbrücken.png Free City of Westbrücken
Coat of Arms of Westbrücken.png
Westbrücken 1,075,896 $69,505,033,392 $64,602 Lord Mayor
Flag of the Duchy of Wittislich.png Duchy of Wittislich
Coat of Arms of Wittislich.png
Bürchaft 1,490,565 $68,959,499,160 $46,264 Duke
Minister-President
Flag of Wolfsled.png Grand Duchy of Wolfsfled
Coat of Arms of Wolfsfled.png
Malstadt 7,545,874 $288,365,574,910 $38,215 Grand Duke
Minister-President

Government and Politics

Werania has since unification in 1842 been a federal parliamentary de jure elective constitutional monarchy with an independent judiciary, a bicameral legislature known as the Bundestag (with an upper house known as the Herrstag and a lower house known as the Volkstag) and an executive known as the Cabinet. The head of state is the Federal Presidency (Präsidium des Bundes or Bundespräsidium) the current holder of whom is the Queen of Roetenberg Charlotte II. The head of government is the Chancellor of Werania who heads the cabinet the current of whom is Otto von Hößlin. The Bundestag has 232 members of the upper house and 545 in the lower house with the chancellor and cabinet governing with the confidence of the chamber. In practice the Volkstag is the more powerful house.

Political system

The head of state of Werania is the Federal Presidency, often known as the monarchy abroad. The Federal Presidency is held by one of the five constituent monarchs and is officially elected by the constituent monarchs after the death of abdication of the incumbent, making it a de facto monarchy. Up until 1986 the post was largely hereditary under the House of Schwarzollen-Brücken but after the 1986 Weranian constitutional crisis and the formulation of the Siegberg Convention the post officially rotates between the monarchs. The current holder of the Federal Presidency Charlotte II was the first head of state elected under this system in 1987 being co-currently the Queen of Roetenberg and the first Amendist monarch since 1705. The federal presidency is also the commander-in-chief of the nation as the Bundesfeldherr (federal general).

The executive government of Werania is the cabinet (bundeskabinett), which has 15 ministers including the Chancellor (bundeskanzler). The Chancellor is officially a primus inter pares acting more as the chairman of the government rather than head of government. Traditionally, executive decisions in Werania are driven by consensus. The cabinet relies on the confidence of the Volkstag in order to govern. Since 1984 all cabinets in Werania have been multi-party, giving Werania a tradition of coalition governments.

Werania legislature is known as the Bundestag with an upper house known as the Herrstag and a lower house known as the Volkstag. The Herrstag's has 232 members with 116 seats elected every three years under a single non-transferable voting system with Herrstag members serving six-year terms. The directly elected Volkstag contains 545 members with 300 elected through proportioal representation and 245 through first-past-the-post. Sitting for a term of four years, the Volkstag officially lends support for the government, but since 1989 it can only dissolve the government it can swear in another government to fill out the previous one’s term — if this is not possible the monarch can appoint a caretaker cabinet to serve the rest of the Volkstag’s term.

Political culture

Werania’s political culture due to the legacy of deep political divisions during the 19th and 20th centuries has been marked by a sharp divide between the monarchist, Catholic right and the radical, socialist left. The Sotirian democratic National Consolidation Party (NKP) is considered the successor of the traditional Catholic right having been formed out of a merger of Sotirian democrats, monarchist conservatives and national liberals. The social democratic Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania (SRPO) is associated with the reformist-social democratic and radical tradition of the left whilst the Weranic Section of the Workers' Internationale (OSAI) - the oldest party in the country - is seen as representative of more revolutionary and radical socialism.

The debating chamber of the Volkstag.

Since the 1970's newer parties such as the social liberal Modern Centre Party, environmentalist Green Party and souverainiste Democratic Alternative have emerged. Other parties are traditionally more ideologically narrow or represent regional-nationalist interests, such as the separatist National Coalition for Independence or völkisch Weranic Völkisch Freedom Party.

Werania has since the advent of the early 20th century been marked by a large proliferation of political parties. Although these parties followed various ideologies they tended to either support the republican, socialist tendency dominated by the OSAI and the larger more conservative, monarchist tendency which was represented by a wide array of political parties. The parties of the right merged following the Kirenian-Weranian War into the NKP which would govern in a dominant party system for three decades until the 1980's, when the SRPO emerged as the main party of the left. Since the mid-1980's Werania has had a two-party system with the right led by the NKP and left led by the SRPO compete for power often in coalitions with smaller parties.

The current government is based on a coalition of the NKP and the DA under Chancellor Otto von Hößlin. The NKP under von Hößlin have shifted to a more populist tone, but remain a predominantly conservative party. The NKP-DA coalition however is considered to be the most right-wing Weranian government in several decades.

Foreign relations

Werania is a founding member of the Community of Nations and one of the six permanent members of its security committee. It is also a founding member of the Northern Forum, International Council for Democracy and Euclean Common Defense Treaty Organization. Since 1955 Werania has been a member of the Euclean Community having emerged as one of its most prominent members. Werania tends to shift between multilateralism (predominantly through the EC, NF and ECDTO) and unilateralism in its conduct of foreign policy, although has increasingly relied on the former since the 1980's.

Werania has since unification been noted for its strong bilateral ties with Estmere (known as the the Alte Bruderschaft) with the two maintaining close economic, political and military relations. Werania is also noted for a long-running friendship with Etruria that pre-dates unification. Although traditionally wary of Gaullica since the conclusion of the Great War and entry into the Euclean Community Weranian-Gaullican ties have markedly improved. Throughout its history Werania has enjoyed strong commercial and political links with nations in north Euclea such as Alsland, Azmara, Caldia, Geatland and Solstiana. This has not been extended with Kirenia which Werania has had historically poor relations with both due to the presence of the large Weranian population within Kirenian borders and an antagonistic approach to socialist nations which has also stunted relations with nations in the Association for International Socialism and the Mutual Assistance Organisation. Werania has also since the 1940's maintained cool relations with Soravia and the Samorspi nations, albeit is more positive towards them then other Euclean nations.

Outside Euclea, Werania has maintained an active interest in its former colonies in Bahia and Southeast Coius, particularly Yemet and Masari. It also boasts strong ties with Senria and Nuxica through the North Vehemens Organization and Council for Mutual Security and Development. Werania has traditionally had antagonistic relations with Xiaodong due to ties with Senria but stronger links with Zorasan due to to a shared anti-socialism and Weranian desire for a stable oil supply. However the creation of the Rongzhuo Strategic Protocol Organisation has weakened these links alongside worsening EC-Zorasani relations linked to the Tsabaran Civil War.

Within the EC Werania has been noted to generally support a souverainiste approach, being less supportive of deeper integration. Nevertheless Werania was strongly supportive of the introduction of the Euclo and was heavily involved in the construction of the Euclean single market. Currently Werania is seen to be distrustful of further expansion of the EC since the failure of the 2016 Etrurian membership referendum, limiting the Euclean ambitions of Piraea and Slirnia.

Werania is the fifth largest source of development aid in the world after Estmere, Gaullica, Senria and Halland. Werania's development aid predominantly goes to former colonies in Bahia and southeast Coius. In recent years Werania has increased development aid to Rahelia, notably in Nise.

Armed forces and intelligence

The Reichswehr (Realm Defence) serves as the national defence force of Werania, being split between the army (Ostische Landstreitkräfte), navy (Marine von Ostischland), air force (Ostische Luftwaffe) and the military constabulary (Ostische Militärpolizei), a gendarmerie force that is under the authority of the Ministry of Defence.

Weranian soldiers on parade in 2016.

The monarch serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces (Bundesfeldherr) whilst the Cabinet via the Ministry of Defence oversees the chiefs of staff and manages the army as a whole. As of 2017, there are 365,835 active soldiers and 52,680 in reserve with Werania spending 2.4% of GDP on defence and the minimum age of recruitment being 18. Werania's armed forces are one of the largest in Euclea. Werania is a recognised nuclear power, maintaining an arsenal of around 180 active nuclear weapons that can be deployed by both air and sea based means. Werania has 87 ships in operation (including a single aircraft carrier) and 568 aircraft, of which 209 of which are combat aircraft (primarily Typhoon multi-role jets).

Werania's foreign policy since the end of the Great War has meant its military has undergone strategic and personnel changes. The Weranian constitution defines Weranian security protocols as being based on the principle of collective security with the army being tasked with protecting the people of Werania and ensuring peace in Euclea. Conscription for all adult males was previously in force until 1996 when it was abolished, with the armed forces being a fully professional army since. Werania maintains a large weapons and aerospace industries.

The main intelligence services of Werania is the General Intelligence Service (Allgemeiner Nachrichtendienst; AND) which handles domestic intelligence and the Strategic Intelligence Service (Strategischer Nachrichtendienst; SND) which handles foreign intelligence. Both fall under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Military Intelligence Service (Militärischer Nachrichtendienst; MND) handles military intelligence matters being under the authority of the Ministry of Defence. In 2010 the government created the Counterterrorism Coordination Unit (Koordinierungsbüro für Terrorismusbekämpfung; KBTK) which handles counter-terrorism actions.

Judiciary and law enforcement

Economy

Wiesstadt's financial district.

Werania possesses a social market economy with partial regulations, low trade barriers and an extensive welfare state. Werania has a GDP PPP of $2,767,931 million and a nominal GDP of $2,631,134 million, making it the third largest economy in Euclea after Gaullica and Estmere. The Ministry of Finance (Finanzministerium) is responsible for setting government expenditure and implementing government financial policy, whilst the Zentralbank acts as the central bank within the Euclozone banking system, with Werania using the Euclo as the national currency formally using the Reichsmark.

Services make up two-thirds of the economy of which finance is the major component, with Werania and its largest city Wiesstadt is considered to be the main financial centre of Euclea. Werania's diversified economy also is notable for its pharmaceutical, arms, aerospace infrastructure and automotive industries. Werania's economy also has basis in agriculture, transportation, telecommunication services and tourism. The primary agricultural exports in Werania are maize, sunflowers, barley, sugar beets and wheat. The Weranian government has majority shares in the railway, electricity, aircraft, nuclear power and telecommunications, albeit since the 1990's it has started to corpratise or partially privatise these industries.

During the 1940's the Weranian government managed the economy through dirigisme, with a strong focus on manufacturing leading Werania into quadrupling its economic growth between 1930-1964. During the 1980's the economy was shifted to a social market economy, with a stronger focus on both the welfare state and market competition; the latter drive led to privatisation to be embraced. The government cut corporation tax leading to many companies to move to Werania; investment in science and technology increased substantially as the government sought to make Werania into a technology hub. Werania had a real estate bubble that existed from 2000 (when the capital gains tax was cut from 42.5% to 18.6%) to 2005 when the bubble collapsed leading to Werania to enter recession - the economy remained in recession until 2012 when growth returned.

Economic history

Agriculture

Banking

Energy

Industry

Science and Technology

Services

Transportation

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
180024,840,113—    
184426,573,910+7.0%
186430,673,530+15.4%
188432,593,712+6.3%
190435,557,208+9.1%
191437,583,915+5.7%
192440,567,284+7.9%
193440,273,818−0.7%
194441,483,926+3.0%
195440,958,392−1.3%
196444,583,322+8.9%
197447,849,556+7.3%
198450,684,025+5.9%
199452,492,815+3.6%
200454,674,823+4.2%
201456,548,372+3.4%
2020
(projected)
58,579,684+3.6%
Source:Weranian Statistics Office

Werania has a total population of 58.5 million, the fifth largest in Euclea (after Gaullica, Soravia, Etruria and Ravnia) and the second largest in the Euclean Community (after Gaullica). It has a population density of 99.88 people per square kilometre, considered to be around average by Euclean standards. The majority of people live in the centre of the country around the Frankendorf-Innsheim-Ostdorf am Main region as well as the northeast of the country.

Werania has a fertility rate of 1.6 children born per woman, considered to be below the replacement rate of 2.1, with Werania's death rate having exceeded the birth rate since the early 1980's. Werania has an average age of 41.4 years, one of the higher numbers in the world. Since the mid-2000's increasing immigration has been attributed with raising the birth rate and lowering the average age, but concerns over demographic decline persist. Werania has one of the highest life expectancies in the world at 81.1 years at birth amongst men and women.

Werania's population growth rate is 0.58% per annum, having remained between 0.5-0.6% for the last decade.

Education

Ethnic groups

Weranian censuses have always included censuses within them to track ethnic identity in the country. This was done following the unification of the country to track the dominance of Weranian identity within the country, with successive Weranian governments having promoted a Weranicisation programme that sought to promote the Weranian ethnic group above others. Since the mid-1980's Werania has shifted however to a more multicultural approach.

The majority of Weranian people are of Weranic descent. It is estimated that 70.72% of official residents of Werania (41,427,552 people) are Weranian. This also includes Weranian immigrants from Alsland and Borland, both of which countries have large Weranian populations who often study and work in Werania itself. Regions reflect the diverse heritage of Weranians including Brückeners, Cislanians, Wolfsfleden, Bonnlitzers and Rutto-Weranians. The Weranic Aldman population is generally not counted as Weranian, although some self-identify as such. Witterites are classed as Weranians by federal authorities.

Around 12.48% of the population are ethnically Ruttish (7,310,492 people), who speak a Ruttic-Perovo language. The Ruttish population is mostly located in Ruttland, although there are communities who live across the border in Kirenia. The Ruttish have traditionally been the largest minority in Werania. Both Weranian and Ruttish people are considered to be white. Werania is overall considered to be around 86.9% white (50,905,745 people) which also includes 3.7% of the population (2,167,448 people) that identify as white that are neither Weranian or Ruttish. These people tend to be migrants from other parts of Euclea mainly consisting of Vespasians, Estmerish, Azmarans and Solstianians. The share of the white population has been declining in Werania, being previously measured to be 91.5% white in 2004.

5.2% of the population are black (3,046,143 people). The majority of them are of Banu descent, having emigrated predominantly from former Weranian colonies in Bahia, most prominently Masari and Yemet. A large portion are now second or third generation immigrants. Rahelians make the next largest portion at 3.5% (2,050,288 people) followed by 2.4% Southeast Coians (1,464,492 people). Both are predominantly from former Weranian colonies such as xxx, xxx, Kuthina and Siamat. There are a final 1.9% of the population (1,113,013 people) who are from other groups, including the Charlotte Islanders. This group consists of a mix of mostly more recent immigrants to Werania including Senrians, Xiaodongese, Satrians and native Asterians.

Healthcare

The Royal Kolreuth Hospital, the largest in the country

Werania, alongside the majority of the developed countries, maintains a two-tier system of universal healthcare, divided between a statutory health insurance system centred around the Health Assistance Programme (Program zur Gesundheitshilfe; PzGH) and a private sector. There also a large alternative medicine sector controversially subject to lax regulation.

The PzGH was created in 1986 by merging and restructuring health coverage schemes across Weranic states. Prior to 1986 healthcare coverage was at the discretion of state governments albeit an ordinance from 1957 committed state governments to providing some form of universally-available healthcare. The PzGH works as a single-payer compulsory social insurance plan. Citizens can opt to be covered by the PzGH's insurance plans with the use of a PzGH card which entitles them to access to PzGH services, meaning those who do not possess PzGH cards cannot use PzGH services. The PzGH is financed through premiums based on the payroll tax and is supplemented with out-of-pocket payments and direct government funding. Provision of healthcare however depends on state governments - the Ruttish government for example owns and employs much of the hospital staff in the state whilst in Cislania most hospitals are privately owned with the government contracting their services for patients covered under the PzGH. Unless signed onto a private insurance scheme coverage by the PzGH is compulsory for Weranic citizens. The PzGH only does partial coverage of dental and optic treatment, not covering cosmetic services.

A smaller private sector within the healthcare industry exists for those who wish to pay for private services. Private health providers are also arranged around insurance schemes, which pay for healthcare providers either within state-owned facilities or private hospitals.

The alternative medicine industry in Werania is considered to be controversial due to relatively lax regulation. In 1921 the government passed laws consolidating the role of heilpraktiker's which gave way to a large naturopathic industry with homeopathy being a particularly important component. Alternative clinics often mix legitimate medicinal practice with alternative methods and have been known to offer an unproven but legitimate experimental drugs in their treatment. Many of these clinics have been accused of offering patients expensive but ineffective treatment for conditions such as cancer leading to some of accuse them of health fraud with some states restricting the registration and operation of heilpraktikers.

Life expectancy in Werania is high, with women on average living for 83.8 years and men 78.4, ranking overall at around 81.1. Cancer, alcoholism and obesity are considered the mot pressing issues in relations to Weranian health, with the government heavily advocating weight loss camps. Since the mid-1980's, smoking has been on the decline in Werania.

Migration

It is estimated that 7,263,880 (12.4%) of the Weranian population is foreign-born with 3,807,679 (6.5%) born from outside the Euclean Community and 3,456,201 (5.9%) from EC countries. It's estimated that overall 13,297,588 people and their descendants (22.7%) in Werania are of foreign background.

Language

Religion

Religious composition of Werania

  Catholic (51.4%)
  Irreligious (20.8%)
  Amendist (18.6%)
  Irfanic (4.6%)
  Atudaists (1.7%)
  Badist (0.8%)
  Tulyatan (0.4%)
  Other (1.7%)

Culture

Art

Cuisine

Top row: Wiessen schnitzel and Roetenberger bratwurst sausages with sauerkraut
Bottom row: Spätzle with fried beef and onions and a šakotis spit cake.

Weranian cuisine has been shaped by its position in northeast Euclea, sharing similarity with Kirenia and Estmere. Werania's climate means that the country exhibits strong regional divergences in its cuisine; notably Cislania's warmer climate enables it to grow a much wider variety of foodstuffs and keep larger herds of livestock.

Since the 1950's mass production of meat has led to meat consumption in the country to dramatically increase, with pork, poultry and beef being the most consumed meats in that order. Some of the main foodstuffs grown in Werania include barley, potatoes, rye, beets, greens, berries, and mushrooms. Horseradish and mustard are popular condiments in Werania, whose food as a general rule tends not to use many spices. Sauerkraut is a well-known ingredient in Weranian cuisine.

The main regional cuisines in Werania are Cislanian (including Wiesstadan), Brücken, Bonnlitzer, Roetenberger and Ruttish cuisine. All the Weranian regional cuisines tend to have continuity between them in the heavy use of rye, potatoes and pork and veal as part of many dishes.

Werania is home to some famous dishes. The most famous is schnitzel which is meat (usually veal) butterflied and covered in breadcrumbs; it is alleged to have been taken from a similar Vespasian dish but no conclusive link has been proven. Sausages tend to be a staple food in Werania; the main kind are bratwurst which are made from pork or veal and seasoned with ginger, nutmeg, coriander, or caraway. Spätzle is considered to have been a traditional working-class dish being a form of pasta cooked with eggs. Didžkukuliai dumplings made from potatoes and filled with either cheese, ground meat or mushrooms and šakotis spit cake are considered to be the most famous Ruttish dishes.

A waitress at a volksfest wearing a dirndl and serving maß of beer.

During the 19th century both Weranian and Ruttish cuisine was heavily inspired by Gaullican haute cuisine which has led to many dishes to change to fit such tastes over time. Nevertheless Weranian cuisine was less affected by foreign influences until the post-war period when immigration from southern Euclea, Asteria and Coius led to a surge of new cuisines to take root in Werania. Vespasian food became the first widely available non-north Euclea food in Werania; Kuthinian and Senrian cuisine were some of the earliest non-Euclean cuisine to become popular in Werania in the 1960's which would be later followed by Maririanan, Xiaodongese, Masarian and Tsabaran food.

Werania is well known for its beer industry (considered to be one of the oldest in Euclea) with the highest beer consumption in the world (131.4 litres per year by consumption per capita in 2019). Beer is often made according to the "purity code" that stipulates that only water, hops, and malt can be used as ingredients and that beers not exclusively using barley-malt such as wheat beer must be top-fermented. Although the purity code is not official law it is widely adhered to in Werania. Weißbier and Märzen are considered to be the traditional beers of Werania whilst Schafner is the most popular beer accounting for half of total beer sales. Werania has the most beer breweries in the world. Beer culture in Werania is tied to volksfests which combines a beer festival with a traveling carnival, beer halls and beer gardens. Ruttland also shares the rest of Werania's high beer consumption, but has a more farmhouse brewing tradition and does not share the same cultural acitivties and venues for drinking.

Weranian wines that are mass produced are mostly dry white wines, with sweeter ones often being counted amongst some of the most high-quality in northern Euclea but having far smaller production. Midus is a Ruttish-produced mead popular in the province.

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