Thringat
Sletharine Thringat Σλεθαρη Θρινγατ | |
---|---|
3rd Convocation of the Sletharine Thringat | |
Type | |
Type | |
Leadership | |
Speaker of Thringat | |
Prime Minister | |
Structure | |
Seats | 537 |
Political groups | Political Quorum (447)
Imperial Quorum (90)
|
PKSTh political groups | Political Quorum (65)
Imperial Quorum (15)
|
Length of term | unspecified, but traditionally 6 years |
Elections | |
| |
Indirect modified block combined approval voting | |
First election | 10 August 2007 |
PKSTh first election | October 2007 |
Last election | 10 August 2019 |
PKSTh last election | October 2021 |
Redistricting | unspecified, but traditionally 12 years |
Meeting place | |
Eshtarine Castle, Lōpsus |
The Sletharine Thringat (Sletharine: Σλεθαρη Θρινγατ; romanized: Sletharė Thringat) is the unicameral parliament of the Empire of Slethar. It is the official legislative body, but is in effect only an advisory political body subservient to the Imperial Circle. Some people raise issues with how the system on elections and the functionality of the parliament is established, sometimes classifying the legislature as a toy parliament.
Etymology
The name Thringat (Θρινγατ) comes as a synthesis of two words - Thrinum (Θρινυμ), meaning "Thing" or "Asset", and Ingat (Ινγατ), meaning "Firm" or "Stiff". The explanation of this etymology is, that the original meaning was "Organ that sets things firmly", in Sletharine Αζερυμ βεϛεπ Θρινε Ινγατ, transcribed as Azerum Bestep Thrine Ingat.
Due to the commonality of the term, only the last two words were later used in records. Because of the change in the grammatical case (Θρινε Ινγατ should become Θρινυμ Ινγατ), the suffix was dropped and the term became Θριν Ινγατ. Due to the need to eventually shorten the phrase even more, eventually ending at Θρινγατ. Despite having a suffix used in adjectives, it is a noun, that is not inflected.
History
Early assemblies
First recorded uses of the word are traced back to the 9th century, when multiple thringats were established as organs of administration and legislation of multiple cities and smaller states.
Purple period
First nation-wide assembly, named the "Governing Council", was established in 1732. It had 65 members, and was directly appointed by the Emperor from among the pool of higher nobles. Between 1849 and 1974, th council was disbanded, until it was reinstated under the name "Governing Senate", with 125 members, 100 of which were elected by the nobles and 25 of which were picked by the Emperor. It existed in that form until the Grey Turmoil
Grey period
After the Grey Turmoil, the Governing Senate was disbanded an a new parliament was established. Although the original parliament, know simply as the "Chamber of the Nation" was to be elected, due to a coup d'etat, the elections were held only as a referendum on a yes-or-no basis for the candidates of the single party, that was allowed to run, the Sletharine Party of National Unity.
- A total of 6 elections have been held during the Grey period
- 1909 Sletharine parliamentary election - first ever election, and the only considered to be free during the Grey Period
- 1910 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1915 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1920 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1925 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1930 Sletharine parliamentary election
Red period
After the defeat in the Second World War, the newly established Workers' Party of Slethar quickly gained popularity, caliming the "failure of revolution" and "abandonment of ideals" by the Sletharine Party of National Unity, eventually starting the Red Turmoil. The following 1936 parliamentary elections were free and fair, but eventually, with the Chamber of the Nation moving to the Central Assembly, the Communist Party established a monopoly on the control of the politics and eventually banned participation of all parties in the legislative process.
- A total of 9 elections have been held during the Red period
- 1936 Sletharine parliamentary election - the only election considered to be free during the Red Period
- 1941 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1946 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1951 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1956 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1961 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1966 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1971 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1976 Sletharine parliamentary election
White period
With the collapse of the Socialist Slethar in early 1979 during the White Turmoil, the Central Assembly was occupied, and their members were forced to agree to set up a second house, named the Senate. The first elections were held in 1981, with the establishment of the Senate and renaming of the Central Assembly to the National Congress. The lower house, which was in turn the continuation of the Central Assembly itself, was renamed to the House of Representatives.
- A total of 16 elections have been held during the White period
- House of Representatives
- 1979 Sletharine parliamentary election (indirect through cooptation)
- 1981 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1985 Sletharine House of Representatives election
- 1989 Sletharine House of Representatives election
- 1993 Sletharine House of Representatives election
- 1997 Sletharine House of Representatives election
- 2001 Sletharine House of Representatives election
- 2005 Sletharine House of Representatives election (later overturned)
- Senate
- 1981 Sletharine parliamentary election
- 1984 Sletharine Senate election
- 1987 Sletharine Senate election
- 1990 Sletharine Senate election
- 1993 Sletharine Senate election
- 1996 Sletharine Senate election
- 1999 Sletharine Senate election
- 2002 Sletharine Senate election
- 2005 Sletharine Senate election (self-terminated)
- House of Representatives
Gold period
The decision to abolish the National Congress was pushed by the Emperor in July 2007, less than a year after the Gold Turmoil. Elections were carried out in August, with 90 reserved seats via the Imperial Quorum. The remaining 447 seats were eleced in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post.
Since then, there are only 5 allowed political parties, associated via the Political Quorum. Those parties recieved an approval for candidature from the Imperial Circle. Those parties are:
- His Majesty's Party of Slethar - The biggest and by far most asposed political party, formed in the eve of the restoration of the monarchy
- Sletharine People's Party - Currently the party with the longest history in Slethar, historically indifferent to the ruling system as long as their program is met
- Sletharine Party of Social Monarchists - A splinter group of Social Democrats, who supported the restoration of the monarchy
- Sletharine Patriotic Party - Party formed in 2007 after the restoration of the monarchy as an umbrella corps of all mid- to far-right parties
- National Party of Slethar - Party dedicated to the development of Christian Orthodox values, overall supportive of the monarchy
As of October 2024, elections of the Gold period were held in 2007, 2013 and 2019
Elections
Elections are held once per 6 years. Most of the seats are elected by the general populace with the candiates being selected by parties participating in the Political Quorum (447), the rest is appointed by the Imperial Quorum (90).
Out of the 447 elected seats, 440 are elected through first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies, while the remaining 7 are elected through party bloc voting in a single multi-mandate constituency. Those seven seats are elected by a populace with recognized citizenship outside of Slethar, as well as it covers the military forces and employees and workers at bases under the command of the Sletharine military and the Soltrōs deployed outside of their home constituency.
The election day was picked to be the August 8, one day after the August 7, which is the Day of Sletharine Statehood, a public holiday. The elections are mandatory for all citizens who do not opt out at least 14 days in advance, with a fee up to Ϗ24,000 or the equivalent in Bonluatas with 1:1 conversion rate.
Polling places are open from 7 AM to at least 18 PM. The polling place can remain open longer if there are people waiting until all have voted.
Members appointed by the Imperial Quorum are not elected in a single election, but are gradually replaced by the decision of the Imperial Circle or the Emperor him, at any time they deem fit.
Legislative process
Thringat meets at least once every 6 months, usually meeting about once every 4 to 6 weeks. During the Easter, Christmas and in the Summer break (mid-to-late July to early-to-mid September), the Thringat enters a recess as mandated by the Emperor.
The Emperor has the right to call for the Thringat to meet, to push the Thringat into the recess and to disband the Thringat and call for early election.
The Parliament holds two "readings" about each proposal given by one or more of the bureaus.
First reading
During the first reading, the proposal as worded by the proposing party (usually one of the bureaus, but it can also be one of the quorums or the Emperor himself) and discussed the wording of the proposal. The discussion serves to amend and update the bill in order to solve any problems with the bill. The first reading ends after the Thringat votes with a simple majority in favor of a new wording, or rejects all amendment proposals.
Second reading
The second reading consists of a simple discussion about the fruition of the proposal, and is followed by a simple yes-or-no vote. If the bill is passed, it has to be marked with the Imperial seal in order to become a law. This seal is owned by the Emperor, giving him the right to veto any piece of legislation.