National Assembly of Walneria
|
National Assembly of the Confederacy of Walneria Nacionálfŕzamlunk Rósberisses Aidgenosënssaftes | |
|---|---|
| 28th Convocation of the National Assembly | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | January 1, 1988 |
| Preceded by | |
| Leadership | |
President | Dítmar Fissŕ, LPR |
Deputy Presidents | |
Minority Caucus President | Andrej Młućik, LPR |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 130[b] |
Political groups | Government (80)
Opposition (49) |
Minority Caucus political groups | Government (7)
Opposition (5) |
| Committees | Interim Legislative Committee |
Length of term | 4 years |
| Elections | |
| Imperiali quota | |
| Hare quota | |
First election | 5 May 1902 |
Minority Caucus first election | 8 May 1999 (Indirect) 26 February 2000 |
Last election | 26 June 2020 |
Next election | Before 10 August 2024 |
| Motto | |
| Régi pravnik ai virtess strenk | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Junkmenss Academy, Tyrámen | |
| Website | |
| www.nfras.wn | |
| Footnotes | |
| |
The National Assembly of the Confederacy of Walneria (Walnerian: Nacionálfŕzamlunk tes Rósberisses Aidgenosënssaftes) is the unicameral parliament of the Confederacy of Walneria.
Elections
Elections are to be held every 4 years, electing the assembly as a whole. A total of 130 representatives is to be elected by the populace. There is a total of 6 multi-mandate electoral constituencies, two of which have a defined minimum of possible mandates, with the rest having a distribution using a mandate number. If a proportional seat distribution would entitle one or both of the autonomies to more than 6 mandates, they are by law allowed to keep the overhang seat.
| Constituency | Regions | Max candidates | Mandates reserved | Current mandates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I - Tyrámen |  Tyrámen |
45 | 0 | 31+P[1] |
| II - Eastern |  Cízaren Starbov Olmón Bítënberk (Gryngebirge NP area) |
39 | 31 | |
| III - Central | Bítënberk (except Gryngebirge NP) Lómane Lubov (east of the river Pilava) |
42 | 33 | |
| IV - Western |  Ŕezënfeld Égënáŕ Lubov (west of the river Pilava) |
28 | 22 | |
| V - Ustokan |  Ustokan Settlement Area |
17 | 6 | 6 |
| VI - Malenik |  Malenik Settlement Area |
17 | 6 | 6 |
Mandates are distributed using a three-scrutiny system. First, the Imperiali quota in each region (Hare quota for the autonomies) is applied. If there are any remaining undistributed seats, those are then moved to the second scrutiny. Parties are asked to provide a numbered list of regions, from which the most successful candidates, that have not reached a mandate yet would be drawn in the respective order using a nation-wide implementation of the Hagenbach-Bischoff quota. If still some seats remain unfilled, the rest is distributed in the third scrutiny using the Imperiali method.
Before the first scrutiny is implemented, each electoral constituency is given the number of mandates, which are to be distributed in there, based on the voter turnout in the respective constituencies. The two autonomies are given 6 seats by default, and can not recieve less, even if the proportional representation would mandate as such.
Snap elections
The National Assembly may at any time vote to shorten its electoral period and run snap election. These are the legal ways in which snap election may be called:
- The Government passes a vote with more than 3/5 majority (78 votes) calling for early elections. This may be used after a change of the electoral law. In both cases this has happened in the past, the government agreed, that they would call a snap election if they can keep the power instead of an establishment of a caretaker government.
- A motion of no confidence passes and the prime minister fails to form a majority government within 30 workdays. If this motion is passed with a more than 3/5 majority (78 votes), a caretaker government is assembled from all political parties represented in the National Assembly, which serves to lead to a snap election, which must happen in 3 months or less.
- One of the cabinet members is convicted of treason. In this case, a state of national emergency is declared and the President and the National Assembly Speaker are given some of the rights of the Prime minister in order to coordinate a snap elections, which must happen in 3 months or less, unless the situation disallows such procedure (such as the state of public safety danger or a state of civil defense). In the case the President or the National Assembly speaker have a direct relation to the party from which the traitor has come, their position is taken over by a snap caretaker government representant and/or a representant of the supreme court (expectably one of the Supreme Justices).
- Prime Minister resigns or dies - in this case, the caretaker government is declared, while the National Assembly Speaker formerly takes over some of the administrative functions originally done by the Prime Minister. The elections must happen in 3 months or less. In case the death was violent and a change in the governance may pose a threat to national security, such as if the death was caused by a beginning conflict, the National Assembly Speaker can assume the post of the Prime Minister as a "Prime Minister pro tempore", which can run the government in a state of national emergency or in a state of war.
Rights
The National Assembly's rights differ based on the majority, that passed the legislation. There is a total of 3 different majorities:
- Simple majority - A majority of present deputies. The quorum is 1/3, so the absolute minimal number of deputies, that can hypothetically pass a law is equal to 22 - Is required for passing of most of the laws, declarations and other legislature. It is also required for a cancellation of any decree issued by a president or the prime minister (unless any of the Emergency Acts is declared, in which case the Absolute majority is declared)
- Absolute majority - More than half of all deputies (66 votes) - Is required for the declaration of the state of war, any of the Emergency Acts (except the Martial law), approving the government budget, votes of confidence or of no confidence, ratification and approval of international treaties, calling for a referendum, Citizens' intiative or passing of a petition into a law and changing of the electoral system in a minor way (defined in a constitution)
- Optimal qualified majority - 3/5 majority (78 votes) - Is required for the impeachment of the president, suspension of the government, establishment of a caretaker government, passing the act of surrender or accepting any territorial change of the outer borders of Walneria (such as the 2022 Dazhdin Coastal Area deal). In case of the changing of the Constitution, passing of any constitutional law or constitutional amendment, implementation of a new type of punishment or accepting a major territorial change of the outer borders of Walneria or changing the electoral law in a major way, the two immediately succeeding convocations must each approve of this change using a 3/5 majority
- Immediate qualified majority - 4/5 majority (104 votes) - Is the only accepted constitutional substitute for the decisions of the Grand National Assembly of Walneria or a popular referendum in questions regarding the amendment of the Constitution of Walneria's sections 1 and 9. If one of the previously mentioned laws requiring optimal qualified majority is passed with an immediate qualified majority, the succeeding convocation is not required to pass it again
Under Emergency Acts
Under Emergency acts 3 to 0, the National Assembly has expanded rights to abridge the rights and liberties as set in the Constitution, with the provision, that those laws are automatically suspended after the Emergency act ends.
Legislative process
Laws are passed using three "readings"
First reading
First reading is initiated once a law is introduced. The law may be introduced by:
- One or more of the committees of the National Assembly (Proposed by a simple majority of the committee)
- An citizens' initiative (With at least 250,000 signatures)
- A proposal of an autonomous assembly (Proposed by a simple majority of the assembly)
- A proposal of a regional council (Proposed by a simple majority of the council)
- A proposal of the government (Any member of the cabinet can propose a piece of legislation)
- A proposal of a ministry (Any ministries' commitee can vote to push their specific minister to propose a piece of legislation)
- A presidential imposition of a popular suggestion (President can propose a piece of legislation that does not require a qualified majority)
During the first reading, the proposal can not be discarded or passed into law. The first reading is consisting of the proposing party stating its reasoning behind the proposed legislature, followed by questions and criticism from the MPs, which are in turn answered by the proposing party.
Second reading
Second reading happens at least 14 days away from the first reading. Before this reading, committees and clubs are given the proposed law and are allowed to propose changes to the law. During the second reading, all the proposed changes are discussed and a finialized version of the law is created out of voting on the proposed changes and amendments.
In case of the state of national emergency, in the state of war or in a state of danger, the second reading is merged with the third.
Third reading
The third reading may start no sooner than 48 hours away from the second reading. This reading is the final discussion before the yes-or-no voting on the law. During this meeting, a minority veto can be issued.
Presidential veto
President of Walneria may veto the law if it has been voted in by less than an absolute majority of the MPs. The presidential veto may be overturned by an absolute majority of 65 votes.
Minority Caucus
The set of MPs elected in the autonomous areas form their own assembly within the assembly, named the "Minority Caucus". This caucus has no legislative powers on its own, but in order to prevent majorization, they can impose a so-called "Minority veto" if 2/3 (8 MPs) agree to veto a piece of legislation. They elect their own president, which has the power to organize votes on vetos of the Minority Caucus and can interject the order of speech in the Assembly in order to add in a minorities' opinion (the right to interject has the President as well as all the leaders of other clubs, however, only the President and the Minority Caucus President have the highest priority).
The right to veto is delegated to the Minority caucus by the Ustokan National Council and Malenik National Council, which are in power of the Ustokan Settlement Area and Malenik Settlement Area respectively.
Currently, the caucus consists of 12 representants, 5 ethnic Ustokans, 4 ethnic Maleniks and 3 ethnic Walnerians.
| Party | Ustokan S.A. | Malenik S.A. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Party of Walneria | 2 / 6 |
2 / 6 |
4 / 12
|
| Social Democratic Party of Walneria | 2 / 6 |
1 / 6 |
3 / 12
|
| Christian Democratic Party of Walneria | 1 / 6 |
2 / 6 |
3 / 12
|
| Green Movement | 1 / 6 |
1 / 6 |
2 / 12
|
Traditionally, the two autonomies developed their own yasophonic branches of the national parties, such as the Liberal Party of Walneria having its branch Ústinská strana liberálně demokratická (Ustokan Liberal Democratic Party), which operates independently outside of the federal level, having its own leader and acting as a local representant within the Ustokan Settlement Area.
Grand National Assembly
The Grand National Assembly of Walneria is an assembly of 250 members, that serves as a constituent assembly. It is elected instead of a regular national assembly at least once per five regular convocations. It can be assembled sooner.
The rights of the Grand National Assembly include the overwriting and amending sections 1 and 9 of the Constitution of Walneria. After its session concludes, the 130 most successful candidates elected continue to form the regular National Assembly, while the rest are discharged and sent as representatives to regional assemblies.
As of March 2024, there have been 3 Grand Assemblies, being in 1978, 1996 and 2016 respectively. The next assembly should come no later than in 2036.
History
The Walnerian parliamentary system can be directly traced back all the way to the 1899 Walnerian revolution, in which the autocratic regime has been deposed and a new legislative has been created. Because the first assembly was appointed by the revolutionary leadership, the first free elections in Walnerian history were held in summer of 1902 (and only men were allowed to vote), with a total of three political parties running. From there, a decision was made to establish two chambers in the new parliament, with the second house forming in 1908, creating a bicameral democracy. In 1912, the voting right has been extended to all Walnerian citizens, regardless of gender or nationality, over the age of 21 years.
During the "Years of Dusk" (a Walnerian nickname for the time period between 1912 and 1938, in which the democratic rule was strong and public trust in governmental institutions was at its peak), the governments were formed mostly by one or two parties, allowing strong governmental structures pushing unitary systems and forcing through many ambitious projects (most notably the rearmament projects, massive industrialisation and strict secularist movements). This era was ended abruptly on April 26th, 1938, when martial law was declared in Walneria as a reaction to border incidents with Stedoria (on April 30th, the Stedorian-Walnerian War started). In the duration of the war, many civil liberties were suspended under the martial law and the scheduled 1939 general elections were postponed until after the end of the war, allowing the government under Flórian Klimte a more broad and organized response.
In the general elections of 1940 (which were originally to be held in 1939), an unified political front which formed in the dawn of the war broke apart and 2 of the three former political parties split into multiple wings and factions, each having another plan for the post-war Walneria. As a result, the 1940 elections were the first in which the coalition failed to be formed and the hung parliament resulted in a snap elections of 1941, which again failed to form a stable government. The eventual coalition of 5 different parties caused a massive spike of dissatisfaction in the populace, with protests gaining massive traction.
The only reason Walneria avoided a complete political collapse of the system was the merger of the Liberal and Karminine parties in June 1941, as a direct reaction to the Communist takeover in Dazhdinia (in which smaller parties were taken out one by one by a rising coalition of Social Democrat, Labour and Communist parties, in which later a Communist takeover occured). The 1943 snap elections were probably the most intense elections Walneria has ever seen, with the winning coalition of the Liberal Unity Party and Christian Democratic Party of Walneria forming the slimmest majority possible in the parliament with only 5890 votes deciding the last result.
Since then, the democracy in Walneria was reinforced with further rearmament projects, especially on the border with newly communist Dazhdinia, happened. A string of right-wing bussiness-focused governments in the 1950's and early 1960's caused a strong economic boom, which in turn managed to reintroduce some stability to the bicameral government. In 1967, the lower house elections were won by the Social Democrats, leading to a more centrist coalition which later allowed the creation of a more centrist political climate that is known to Walnerians in the present day.
The last systematic important change was the discontinuation of the Upper House (Senate) in 1988 and a shift towards an unicameral legislative (with the Council of Walneria changing to the National Assembly of Walneria. With the Silent Revolutions and later the Crimson Revolution in Dazhdinia, the long term political direction of isolationism and assertive neutrality was ended, when a political cooperation was declared with the new Dazhdin Government in 2001.
Past elections
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See also
- Government of Walneria
- Grand National Assembly of Walneria
- Minority Caucus of the National Assembly of Walneria
- Evolution of the Parliament of Walneria
- Ustokan National Council
- Malenik National Council
References
- ↑ The president of the National Assembly does not participate in voting except for the cases of being a tiebreaker
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