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iOctagon
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President Goldberg announces waiver of Act Of Peace, allows possible Auran League accession
Today, President Paul Goldberg announced that he signed a waiver of the Act Of Peace yesterday. The Act Of Peace, though not officially included in the Santo-Dominian Constitution, wields the same power as the Constitution, and officially codifies strict, unconditional Santo-Dominian pacifist neutrality. However, this has grown increasingly unpopular as Santo-Dominians demand participation in international events and friendly diplomacy with neighbouring nations. The 2nd TWP Rugby World Cup, held a few weeks ago, made this sentiment skyrocket in popularity, and Santo-Dominians are more eager than ever to interact with the world on a greater scale never seen before.
The Federal Republic has historically remained neutral in Auran and Andolian conflicts and events, choosing to stay out and observe on the sidelines. This desire for peace and pacifism famously led to founding President Bill Mulberry's "All In Us" tourism and culture programme, which encouraged Santo-Dominians to visit their own country's attractions instead of foreign ones and experience Santo-Dominian culture instead of their neighbouring counterparts. Though the country's stance slowly softened over the years, the resurgence of the lobbying firm Santo-Dominian Neutrality Association(SDNA) led to President Goldberg's signing of the Act Of Peace, formally codifying Santo-Dominian pacifist neutrality.
However, the SDNA has since enjoyed a dramatic decline in support, with scandals and infighting plaguing its ranks and the national neutrality movement. The President, weary of public outcry against neutrality and bent on SDNA, appears to have granted the public their wish. The waiver allows the Federal Republic to bypass Sections 15B and 17A of the Act Of Peace, greatly expanding the Government's powers to conduct diplomacy and make the country participate in world events, including but not limited to sports tournaments and cultural exchanges.
But the waiver has a crucial section, one that would include permission for the Federal Republic to officially join the Auran League. Santos-Dominius has always viewed the Auran League with mistrust, and when it was first founded, Santos-Dominius refused to follow other Auran countries and join it. Instead, it watched the League with suspicion and observation for years, preferring to look at its proceedings and see if it was safe to join. However, it now looks like the Federal Republic may finally consider joining the Auran League for its benefits.
President Goldberg gave a speech about the waiver outside the National Senate Building in Friberne, saying: "This waiver is a historic moment for our Federal Republic. With this waiver, we will finally be able to interact with our neighbours, other countries and participate in international affairs, including but not limited to sports events, diplomatic talks and more. This waiver will also allow our Federal Republic to apply for membership of the Auran League and similar organisations. It is time for Santos-Dominius to learn about the world, and it is time for the world to learn about Santos-Dominius."
The move has wide political support. President Goldberg's own party, the centre-right Democratic Coalition Party(DCB), supported the bill after intense debate within its ranks. The centre-left Country Liberal Party(CLP), the main opposition party, also supported the President's decision in a rare moment of praise. Vice President Donald Verbloem expressed his personal support. The CLP's presidential ticket, Sens. Jeremy Maxson and Art Bernstein, also supported the decision. The waiver is expected to come into effect in a few days, and the President's administration is reportedly making preparations for the passage of the waiver.
- Giovanniland, Zoran and Sufys
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Democracy survives in Santos-Dominius, Goldberg calls for snap election
Today, President Paul Goldberg conceded to the general strikes happening in the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius. At a press conference in the capital, Friberne, the President announced that he would be asking the National Senate to end their current session and trigger a snap election. Though the act is officially a "request", the National Senate usually follows prior precedent and agrees to the request, making it certain that a snap election will indeed by triggered. This major concession, a disastrous political defeat for President Goldberg, comes after increased pressure put on him by striking workers across the country threatened to tear the country apart and enter it into civil war.
Fortunately, the renowned Santo-Dominian democracy and constitution have survived. Although President Goldberg stated that would seek re-election, opinion polls suggest that it would be close to impossible, given his dismal approval rating of 8% nationally, including traditionally supportive areas and strongholds. The centre-right Democratic Congress Party(DCB), under the President's leadership, is also expected to lose big in the elections, though not as bad as the President himself. Opinion polls have the DCB at approximately 29%. On the other hand, this call for a snap election has positively benefited some parties.
The centre-left Country Liberal Party, the DCB's main electoral opponent, received a big bump in popularity, with their opinion poll numbers jumping from 52% to 61%, a 9-point jump. They announced their presidential ticket today, with party leader Senator Eliot Klein(SN) unexpectedly absent from the ballot. Instead, Sen. Jeremy Maxson(WS), an outspoken left-wing moderate, will be the Country Liberals' presidential candidate. In the vice presidential race, incumbent Vice President Donald Verbloem, of the DCB, will face off against Sen. Art Bernstein(LM), the Country Liberals' first democratic socialist candidate. The Maxson-Bernstein ticket has reason to smile: the Goldberg administration's failure to appease the strikers or restore order have given both challengers boosts in the polls, with Maxson-Bernstein now at 64% compared to 22% for Goldberg-Verbloem.
Extraordinarily, the two other major parties have united and thrown their hat behind the Country Liberals. The far-left Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx(SDCP) has chosen not to front a presidential ticket and instead endorse Sens. Maxson and Bernstein, while the far-right Split Conservative Union(SCU) has withdrawn its endorsement of the DCB in favour of endorsing the Country Liberals. This leaves the DCB in electoral peril, as it has traditionally relied on support from the SCU as well as the SDCP's tendency to siphon votes from the CLP. Goldberg will also likely be sacked by the DCB and replaced by a more progressive leader so as to appeal to CLP and SDCP voters.
Though President Goldberg and the DCB are likely finished, the pragmatic centrist President has yet to call it quits. He remains in office, and has repeatedly on numerous times that he intends to stay in office for as long as possible. The President is a tough man to beat: though his approval ratings are down the drain, he has a reputation for fighting back and clinching victory in the very end. Now, the race is on: will Jeremy Maxson and Art Bernstein win the Presidency and Vice Presidency, or will Paul Goldberg and Donald Verbloem fight back and hold onto their cushy jobs?
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Section IV: The Electoral and Appointment System
The officials of the Federal Republic shall be duly elected by the people they honorably serve or appointed by the government.
4a. The President of the Federal Republic shall be elected/re-elected every 5 years. An incumbent President shall be able to serve, at most, fifteen 5-year terms, consecutively or non-consecutively. The President shall be removed by two ways.
4aa. The first way to remove the President from office is to hold a vote of conviction in the National Senate. The President shall be able to be convicted of three crimes: treason and/or obstruction of justice and/or high crimes. In the vote of conviction, a simple majority is needed to convict the President of any of the three crimes. If the vote of conviction is passed, the National Senate shall hold a vote of removal. If the vote of conviction is not passed, the current case shall be thrown out, but the National Senate shall be able to immediately hold another vote of conviction. In the vote of removal, a two-thirds majority is required to pass. If the vote of removal is passed, the sitting President is convicted, removed from office, and forever barred from running for elected office. A barring can only be invalidated by a popular referendum. If the vote of removal is not passed, the National Senate shall be able to hold two more votes of removal. If all three votes fail, the case would be passed to the National Court and tried. The President may be removed by the National Court, if the National Justices decide against the President. However, if they do not, the President shall be kept in office, and the National Senate shall be barred from holding votes of conviction and votes of removal for six months.
4ab. The second way to remove the President from office is to hold a vote of no confidence in the National Senate. When either the party/parties in government or the biggest opposition party formal call for the government's removal, the Speaker of the Senate shall allot time for an official vote-of-no-confidence. In the vote, all Senators shall vote whether to remove or keep the government from/in power. Abstain votes are counted as in favor of the government when neither Aye or Nay reaches a two-thirds majority, which is required to pass the vote. If the vote passes, the President and the Cabinet shall be removed, and the largest opposition party shall take office and establish a caretaker government until the next general election.
4ac. If the President resigns from office, the Vice President becomes Acting President automatically, and appoints an Acting Vice President. Both shall serve till the next general election.
4b. The President shall be elected by popular vote. The voting shall be divided into two rounds, provided that there are more than two candidates running for President. In the first round, all candidates shall receive votes, and the top two candidates shall advance to the second round. All other candidates shall automatically be struck out of the race. The candidate with the most votes in the second round shall be elected President. If there is two candidates only, the first round shall be skipped and the second round shall be held directly. If there is only one candidate running for President, the National Senate shall vote whether to appoint him as President or not. A simple majority is needed in this case. If the candidate is not appointed, the largest opposition party shall take office and form a caretaker government until the next general election.
4c. The President shall formally appoint the Vice President after the President has taken office. The Vice President shall be barred from being asked to resign by the President, instead the National Senate shall vote by two-thirds majority to remove the Vice President. If the Vice President is removed, the President shall appoint another Vice President. If the President does not appoint another Vice President in one week within the removal of the incumbent Vice President, the Speaker of the Senate shall be appointed Acting Vice President. However, the Speaker shall be relieved of vice presidential duties once the President appoints a new Vice President.
4d. The Speaker of the Senate shall be elected by fellow Senators of the National Senate. All Senators shall be eligible to run for Speaker. Provided that there are more than two candidates, the electoral process shall be divided into two rounds, held on the opening day of a new senatorial session. In the first round, all candidates shall compete for votes. The two senators with the most votes will advance to the second round, whereas the other senators shall be struck out of the race. In the second round, the senator with the most votes shall be elected Speaker, and shall withdraw his/her right to vote in the National Senate. The Speaker of the Senate shall serve an unlimited number of 5-year terms. The Speaker shall be removed during his/her term if five Senators jointly petition for his/her removal. The petition will be tabled the next day, where a simple majority is needed to remove the Speaker. If the Speaker is removed, the largest party in government shall be eligible to nominate a Senator of their party to become Acting Speaker. The nominee shall then face a vote in the Senate, where a simple majority is needed to appoint that nominee as the Acting Speaker. If the largest government party fails to get their nominee appointed or fails to nominate a Senator within a week, the largest opposition party shall receive the same chance to get their own nominee appointed. If the largest opposition party also fails, the Minister of Order shall be appointed as Acting Speaker immediately. The Acting Speaker shall not be eligible for removal of any kind, and will automatically be removed at the next general election. If a Speaker resigns, the same process is followed.
4e. The Senators of the National Senate shall be elected via a geographical constituency system, where Senators will come from one of ten counties. In each county, all citizens over 18, without a criminal record, shall be eligible to contest a senatorial seat. The candidate that comes in first shall be elected to a seat, and then so on according to the candidates' votes received until all seats are occupied. Senators shall not be eligible for removal until the next general election. If a Senator resigns, a snap election shall be triggered for their specific seat, where the winning candidate shall be elected as Acting Senator, who will be removed automatically at the next general election.
4f. The Cantonal Councillors of each Cantonal Council shall be elected via a geographical constituency system. Each canton shall be divided into constituencies, with each constituency having roughly the same population as other constituencies. The difference in population between constituencies shall not exceed 100 citizens. New constituencies shall be drawn if this limited is breached by a constituency, whereby that constituency shall be divided into several constituencies until no constituency breaches the limit. Each Cantonal Councillor shall be elected from one constituency. Provided that there are more than two candidates contesting for a constituency, the election shall be divided into two rounds. In the first round, all candidates shall compete for votes. If one candidate reaches a two-thirds majority, that candidate is instantly elected, skipping the second round. If no candidate reaches a simple majority, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the second round, and all other candidates are struck out of the race. In the second round, the candidate with the most votes is elected Cantonal Councillor. Cantonal Councillors shall not be eligible for removal during their terms, instead they must be voted out of office. Cantonal Councillors shall serve an unlimited number of five-year terms. If a Cantonal Councillor resigns, a snap election shall be triggered for their specific seat, where the winning candidate shall be elected as Acting Cantonal Councillor, who will be removed automatically at the next general election.
4g. The Head Councillor of each Cantonal Council shall be elected by fellow Cantonal Councillors. All Cantonal Councillors shall be eligible to run for Head Councillor. Provided that there are more than two candidates, the election shall be divided into two rounds. In the first round, all candidates shall compete for votes. If a candidates reaches a two-thirds majority in the first round, he/she is elected Head Councillor. If no candidate reaches a two-thirds majority in the first round, the two candidates with the most votes shall advance to the second round. In the second round, the candidate with the most votes shall be elected Head Councillor. The Head Councillor shall serve an unlimited number of five-year terms. If the Head Councillor resigns, a snap election is triggered, where the winning candidate is elected Acting Head Councillor. If half of the Cantonal Council petitions to remove the Head Councillor, the Head Councillor is removed and the same process is followed.
4h. The Presidential Commissioners shall be nominated by the President of the Federal Republic. Senators or former Senators that have served a minimum of 20 years shall be eligible for nomination by the President. Once a nominee has been nominated, they will face the National Senate. A simple majority is then needed to confirm and thus appoint the Presidential Commissioner. IF the motion to confirm the Presidential Commissioner fails to reach the majority and is struck down, the President shall be able to put forward another confirmation motion two weeks after the defeat or success of a previous confirmation motion. If the same nominee fails more than two times to be confirmed and appointed, the President shall be able to directly bypass the senatorial confirmation process and directly appoint the nominee to the Presidential Commission. Once this is achieved, the National Senate will have to garner a two-thirds majority if it desires to remove the Presidential Commissioner. If this motion of removal succeeds, the President shall be able to veto the motion, striking it down. The National Senate then can attempt to pass an overriding motion of removal with a four-fifths majority to override the veto and remove the Presidential Commissioner. If the overriding motion succeeds, the Presidential Commissioner is removed from office. If the motion fails, the National Senate must wait for one month until Senators can put forward another motion.
4i. The removal of a Presidential Commissioner follows the same process written above, i.e. that a Senator must table a motion of removal. The National Senate must then pass the motion of removal with a two-thirds majority to remove the Presidential Commissioner. Then, the same process listed on Article II, Section IV, Law 4H is followed for any following consequences.
4j. The Lord Mayor of the Federal City shall be directly elected by the citizens of the Federal City. Utilizing a first-past-the-post, two-tiered electoral system, provided that there are more than two candidates, the election shall be divided into two rounds. In the first round, all candidates shall compete for votes. The two candidates with the most votes shall advance to the second round, while all other candidates shall be struck out of the race. In the second round, the remaining two candidates shall compete for votes, and the candidates with the most votes is elected. The Lord Mayor of the Federal City shall be eligible to removal during a term via the process of a recall election. In the recall process, if more than 10000 people in over half of the 22 neighborhoods of the Federal City table a recall petition, the recall process shall advance to the next step. In the next step, all 22 neighborhoods will hold recall referendums, which require a simple majority to be passed. If over half of the 22 neighborhoods pass their respective referendums, the recall process shall advance to the next step. In the next step, a motion of removal shall be tabled in the Municipal Commission, which requires a simple majority to pass. If the motion passes the Commission, the Lord Mayor is removed and barred from running for the office again. If the recall process fails to meet the conditions required to advance to the stage where the motion of removal is tabled in the Commission, citizens shall be unable to initiate the recall process until after two months since the failure of the last recall process. In the third step, if the motion fails to pass the Municipal Commission, the public shall be able to overturn the Commission's decision and directly remove the Lord Mayor by passing a referendum where a simple majority in required. If the referendum fails, citizens shall be unable to initiate the recall process again until after two months since the failure of the last recall process. If the referendum succeeds, the Lord Mayor is removed and permanently barred from running for mayoral office.
4k. The Municipal Commissioners of the Municipal Commission of the Federal City shall be elected by a first-past-the-post, two-round system. Provide that there are more than two candidates running for the same seat, the election shall be divided into two rounds. In the first round, all candidates shall compete for votes. The two candidates with the most votes in the first round shall advance to the second round, whole all other candidates shall be struck out of the race. The remaining two candidates shall compete for votes in the second round, where the candidate with the most votes is elected to the seat. There shall be no legitimate way to remove a Municipal Commissioner from office other than failing to re-elect the Commissioner in a general election.
4la. All ministers of the Grand Council, except for the Secretary of the Impartial Corruption Investigation Agency, shall be nominated by the President of the Federal Republic and confirmed and appointed by the National Senate. All citizens without a crime record and over the age of 23 shall be eligible for nomination. In the National Senate, a simple majority is required to confirm the nominee and appoint the nominee to the office. If the confirmation vote fails, there shall be a minimum period of two months until another confirmation vote can be put forward. Ministers of the Grand Council shall be eligible to removal from office at the President's request or if a motion of removal passes the National Senate with a simple majority, except for the Secretary of the Impartial Corruption Investigation Agency.
4lb. The Secretary of the Impartial Corruption Investigation Agency shall be directly nominated, confirmed and appointed by the Senate. A minimum of 10 Senators are required to jointly nominate a nominee. Then, a two-thirds majority is required for the confirmation vote to pass. The Secretary shall not be eligible for removal from office at the President's request. The Secretary shall be removed if a minimum of 10 Senators jointly table a motion of removal and the motion passes with at least a two-thirds majority.
4m. The five National Justices of the National Court shall be appointed by the National Senate. The Interior Director, representing the President and the executive government, shall nominate a candidate to fill a vacant seat on the court. The nominee will then face the National Senate, where a two-thirds majority shall be required for the nominee to appointed. There shall be no way to electorally remove a National Justice from office, as they shall serve life terms. Only Cantonal Judges who have served at least 10 years can be eligible for nomination to the National Court. Nominees with criminal records shall be automatically struck out.
4n. Judges from the District Courts, Cantonal Courts and the Federal City Court shall be appointed by the courts they are inferior to. Judges from the Cantonal Courts and the Federal City Court shall be appointed by the National Justices of the National Court. Judges from District Courts shall be appointed by judges from the Cantonal Courts and the Capital Metropolitan Court. There shall be no way to remove these judges.
4o. In all electoral systems, provided that there is only one unopposed candidate, that candidate shall be elected to the office that they are competing for immediately on the day of the election they are taking part in. If there is no candidate contesting for a specific office, the previous occupant shall take the office in an acting capacity. If the previous occupant is currently ineligible for that office, the President, Vice President or the Director of the Interior shall reserve the right to appoint an adult (without a criminal record or a bar from occupying public office) to the office in an acting capacity. Once there is at least one candidate seeking that same office in the next election, the acting officer shall be removed, though they have the right to seek re-election. -
Section III: The Judicial Branch
The judicial branch shall be the branch of government that interprets the law. It shall be comprised of judges, the appointment systems of which shall be mentioned in Article II, Section IV.
3a. The judicial branch shall be divided into the national level, the provincial level, the regional level and the district levels.
3b. The district level of the judiciary shall be comprised of District Courts, which will serve all districts in cantons. The number of district courts in different cantons shall be directly proportional to the population of the canton it serves. The District Courts shall be the lowest of all courts, and shall accept all sorts of cases. District Court cases shall be tried by a jury consisting of 7 highly educated members, or by a judge. In the Federal City of Friberne, there shall also be District Courts, 22 exactly, with each District Court serving two neighbourhoods in the Federal City.
3c. The regional level of the judiciary shall be comprised of Cantonal Courts. There shall be 1 Cantonal Court in each canton. The Cantonal Courts shall be higher than the District Courts, and shall accept appeals of decisions made by District Courts. In the Federal City of Friberne, there shall be no Cantonal Court, instead, the Federal City Court shall fill the role. The Federal City Court shall function as the same as Cantonal Courts, that is, it shall accept appeals of decisions made by District Courts serving the Federal City.
3d. The national level of the judiciary shall be comprised of the National Court, which shall serve the entire country. The National Court shall be the highest of all courts, and shall only accept appeals of decisions made by Cantonal Courts. The National Court shall be headed by 5 National Justices, the electoral and removal systems of which shall be detailed in Article II, Section IV. The National Court shall hold the right to dismiss an appealed decision. -
Section II: The Legislative Branch
The legislative branch shall be the branch of government that debates, enacts and repeals piece of legislation, and shall represent the general populace. It shall be comprised of many legislators, the electoral system of which should be mentioned in Article II, Section IV.
2a. The legislative branch shall be divided into regional, urban and national levels, the highest of which shall be the national legislature, and then, under it, the provincial, regional and urban legislatures.
2b. The national legislature is the National Senate, which shall be comprised of 400 legislators, addressed/named as 'Senators'. Each Senator shall represent a geographical proportionally-populated constituency, with 400 constituencies in total in the entire country. It shall debate, enact or repeal laws of national importance, and shall hold the power to make several important decisions, as mentioned in the Articles above and below. It shall be headed by the Speaker of the Senate, the electoral system of which shall be mentioned in Article II, Section IV. The Speaker shall be automatically removed from office after losing re-election, and other ways of removal shall also be mentioned in Article II, Section IV. The Speaker does not vote in any votes held in the National Senate, and only carries out moderation duties.
2c. The cantons of the nation shall each hold a county legislature, named the 'Cantonal Council', with 9 Cantonal Councils in total. They shall function as roughly the same as the national legislature, that is, they shall debate, enact or repeal laws of regional importance. They shall be comprised of many legislators, the number of which shall be directly proportional to the population of its respective canton. The legislators shall be addressed/named as 'Cantonal Councillors'. A Cantonal Council shall be headed by the Head Councillor, the electoral system of which shall be mentioned in Article II, Section IV. The Head Councillor shall be automatically removed from office upon reaching his/her term limits, and other ways of removal shall also be mentioned in Article II, Section IV. All Cantonal Councillors, including the Head Councillor, shall be eligible to serve multiple terms of five years, with no term limits.
2d. In the Federal City of Friberne, the region shall be represented by the Municipal Commission. It shall be comprised of 44 legislators, and they shall be addressed as 'Municipal Commissioners'. They shall debate, enact or repeal laws of importance in the Capital. The Municipal Commission shall be head by the Lord Mayor of the Federal City, who shall act as a moderator in debates. The Lord Mayor shall not vote in the Commission. The electoral and removal systems of the Lord Mayor of the Federal City shall be mentioned in Article II, Section IV.
2e. Superior to the National Senate shall be the Presidential Commission. It shall be an advisory body answering directly to the President. The Presidential Commission's members shall be addressed as "The Right Honorable Presidential Commissioners", or, in short, "The Rt. Hon. Pres. Commissioners". The Presidential Commission shall give advice to the President regarding legislation delivered to the President from the National Senate. It shall propose corrections(if some are needed) to the legislation. The Presidential Commission shall always have 20 Presidential Commissioners. The Presidential Commission shall not be able to reject or veto a piece of legislation, but only propose corrections on the legislation. The system through which Presidential Commissioners are appointed shall be described in Article II, Section IV. -
Article II: The Branches of the State and the Government
Section I: The Executive Branch
The executive branch shall be the branch of government that enforces laws and leads the country during times of exceptional crisis and emergency. It shall be comprised of many officials, the electoral system of which should be mentioned in Article II, Section IV.
1a. The President of the Federal Republic shall be the leader of the executive branch, the government and the nation. He shall be in possession of presidential powers, which shall be listed below:
1aa. The Power to Veto Legislation
1ab. The Power to Enact Presidential Decrees, which are legislation that do not require approval of the legislature to be enacted into law. Presidential Decrees can be overturned once the President who enacted that Decree leaves office.
1ac. The Power to declare High Emergencies, declarations recognising existential threats the Federal Republic faces. High Emergencies cannot be overturned by Presidents, they must be overturned by a 2/3 majority vote in the legislature.
1b. The Vice President of the Federal Republic shall be the primary advisor to the President, and shall be the first-in-line to succeed as President, if and whenever the President is physically or mentally incapable of remaining in office. The Vice President also takes on daily presidential duties in the country if and when the President is not in the country. The Vice President also has the power to issue tiebreaker votes in the legislature if and when a vote in the legislature ends in a tie.
1c. The Cabinet shall be the highest advisory body towards the President and the Vice President. It shall be comprised of 13 Ministers, which would be the highest leaders of their 13 respective ministries. A complete list of ministries and their functions shall be listed below. All ministries, except for one, shall be headed by their respective Ministers. All Cabinet members, except for one, may be removed by the President directly, without the approval of the legislature.
1ca. The Ministry of Order(MO) shall be the most important of all ministries. It shall attend to domestic security matters, and ensure the upholding of law and order in the country.
1cb. The Ministry of Information(MI) shall attend to matters of education, public information and publications.
1cc. The Ministry of Science and Development(MSD) shall attend to matters of general development, construction, science, technology and cyber development.
1cd. The Ministry of Biological, Ecological and Zoological Affairs(MBEZA) shall attend to matters concerning the environment and wildlife.
1ce. The Ministry of Social Services(MSS) shall attend to matters of social welfare, healthcare and other sorts of welfare services.
1cf. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MFA) shall attend to matters of foreign/international diplomacy.
1cg. The Santo-Dominian Intelligence and Investigation Bureau(SDIIB) shall attend to matters of intelligence, investigation of heinous crimes and the planning and execution of domestic and/or international covert operations.
1ch. The Treasury of the State shall attend to matters of governmental finances, economical management, collection of taxes and other fines, control of government spending and revenue management. It shall be headed by the Treasurer of the State.
1ci. The Impartial Corruption Investigation Agency(ICIA) shall investigate all government agencies and rid them of any and all corruption. It shall be headed by the ICIA Secretary, which shall be appointed directly by the legislature by a 2/3 majority, and not by the government. The Secretary may not be removed from office by the President/Vice President, and may only be removed from office by the legislature by a simple majority.
1cj. The Ministry of Defence(MDF) shall attend to matters of home defence.
1ck. The Directory of the Interior(DI) shall attend to domestic matters and supervise and organise electoral affairs.
1cl. The Ministry of Commerce(MC) shall attend to economic affairs.
1cm. The Chancellery for International Development(CID) shall attend to humanitarian aid, relations with developing nations and represent the Federal Republic in foreign affairs concerning development and aid. -
Section II: The Suspension of Freedoms and Rights in Certain Situations
These freedoms and rights as listed in Article I, Section I, shall be entitled to every citizen and/or holder of a Santo-Dominian passport, except for during certain situations worthy of a suspension of one/multiple freedoms and rights, so as to prevent any harm to society and to the nation in general. For a complete listing of these situations, refer to the Santo-Dominian Codes of Law.
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Article I: The Rights of the Citizen and the Puppy
Section I: The Bill of Rights and Freedoms
The incumbent government, or highest ruling body of the nation, recognises the universal basic rights every single Santo-Dominian citizen and puppy are entitled to, including:
1. The Freedom of Speech
2. The Freedom of Demonstration, Striking and Protesting
3. The Right to Vote
4. The Right to Life and Happiness
5. The Freedom of Movement
6. The Right to Organise
7. The Right to Exemption from Slavery, Servitude, Slave Trade, Torture and Human/Puppy Trafficking
8. The Right to Equality under the Law
9. The Right to Exemption from Arbitrary Arrest, Detention, Imprisonment, Persecution and Exile
10. The Right to Nationality and the Right to Exemption from the Arbitrary Deprivation of Nationality
11. The Right of All Genders (and Persons and Puppies that identify as Genderless) to Marry and Establish Families
12. The Right of Persons/Puppies in Marriage to Divorce and Separate
13. The Right to Ownership of Property and the Right to Exemption from the Arbitrary Deprivation of Property
14. The Right to Social Security and Welfare
15. The Right to Believe in Religions and Faiths
16. The Right to Practice Religious and Faithful Practices
And many other human and puppy rights as listed in international treaties and agreements of which the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius is a signatory of. -
The Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius
1435 AF Edition
Contents
Article I: The Rights of the Citizen and the Puppy
Section I: The Bill of Rights and Freedoms
Section II: The Suspension of Freedoms and Rights in Certain Situations
Article II: The Branches of the State and the Government
Section I: The Executive Branch
Section II: The Legislative Branch
Section III: The Judicial Branch
Section IV: The Electoral and Appointment Systems
Article III: The Santo-Dominian Codes of Law
(work in progress)
- Zoran and Giovanniland
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General strikers march on Friberne after referendum repealing "SD-Works" fails by slim margin
Today, chaos broke out in the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius. "SD-Works", centrist President Paul Goldberg's signature employment program, survived after the national referendum repealing it failed. The margin was extremely slim: 50.1% Nay against 49.8% Aye. However, the referendum was the last possible way to appease the nation's furious workers, angry and on general strike, and its failure was the final straw. Rumours of extensive rigging by President Goldberg circulated throughout the capital city, Friberne, as government officials scrambled to contain the strikes and restore order.
At the National Senate Building, all was not well. The centre-right Democratic Congress Party(DCB), under Goldberg's leadership, passed a motion to give concessions to the strikers as their last ditch attempt to hold together the unicameral legislature. It quickly became clear, however, that these concessions were too little, too late. The DCB nosedived in opinion polling, dropping to 24% while the President's approval ratings sunk to a dismal 10%. The DCB was perceived as out-of-touch and insincere by the strikers, who now demanded a snap election to throw Goldberg out. The Fribernese Fortress, housing the presidential residence, was nearly stormed multiple times throughout the day despite increased security personnel and military-grade fortifications.
President Goldberg himself has refused to back down. At a press conference in the Fortress' courtyard, he rejected all calls to hold a snap election, saying: "We will not hold a snap election. I repeat, we will not hold a snap election. The next election will be held in 1425, as the Directory of the Interior suggests. This country will not fall to unrest, violence and unfair elections." When asked about calling a snap election, Director of the Interior Alfred Schweitzmann declined to comment. His spokesman said that "Director Schweitzmann is unavailable at the moment and will not comment on electoral affairs".
While the Goldberg administration refuses to back down and the DCB crumbles into disarray, the opposition has rapidly swelled. The Country Liberal Party(CLP), the DCB's centre-left counterpart, walked out the National Senate in solidarity with the striking workers. The Friberne PD, unable to control the situation, surrendered the National Senate Building to the strikers shortly after. DCB senators were escorted out. The crowd then continued marching.
As the day progressed, the strikers marched slowly but steadily towards the Fribernese Fortress. With the country in disarray and the President unwilling to de-escalate the situation, the survival of Santo-Dominian democracy looks uncertain.
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Popular referendum to be held on "SD-Works" after concessions from President Goldberg
Today, the National Senate of Santos-Dominius passed an initiative to hold a nationwide referendum concerning "SD-Works", the employment program passed by centrist President Paul Goldberg and his Democratic Congress Party(DCB). General strikes are very much continuing throughout the country with workers broadly outraged at the program, which would drastically cut back social security programs, social safety nets and poverty welfare as well as greatly curb the influence and power of all labour unions and organisations of similar nature. The referendum, if passed, would strike down "SD-Works" and repeal it entirely, setting back months of political campaigning and dealing by Goldberg and his staunch allies.
After the passage of the initiative, cheers erupted throughout the city of Louisann, capital of the canton of Lemandie. The city was the location of the first general strike(which galvanised other cities and cantons) and remains the location of the biggest strike throughout the nation, with over 500,000 people, including workers and all sorts of citizens, now on the streets there. The Santo-Dominian left had won a stunning political victory, and it would win a bigger prize if the referendum passes. A scenario where "SD-Works" gets struck down would also mean great political harm for President Goldberg as the program is his signature legislative proposal and the key to realise his most ambitious campaign promise: achieving 100% employment.
The Country Liberal Party(CLP), the DCB's centre-left major counterpart, celebrated the passage. Senator Eliot Klein(SN), CLP leader and former President, said: "The passage of this initiative is a great victory for the people of Santos-Dominius. The message is clear: the populace of this Federal Republic is tired with the shenanigans and incompetence of President Goldberg. He and his party must either repeal 'SD-Works' with a bill in the National Senate or face utter defeat when the referendum passes and the people vote to strike that destructive program down. We will not rest until the President backs down."
Back in the national capital of Friberne, things were very tense. At the Fribernese Fortress, home to the presidential office and residence, President Goldberg held a press conference where he lashed out at the CLP and Sen. Klein's comments. "What they are trying is heinous. What they are doing is unacceptable," Goldberg said. "They are eradicating progress. They are destroying meaningful, needed and rightful reform. What the Country Liberals are doing is kill employment dead in its tracks. The DCB, under my leadership, will not let those crooks get away from it. We must protect 'SD-Works' in the upcoming referendum and teach those obstructive and counterproductive crooks a well-deserved lesson and some more!"
The passage of the initiative to hold the referendum appeased many furious workers: according to a new poll, 82% of interviewed workers on strike said that they would stop striking and vote in the referendum. However, it couldn't please everyone, with the far-left Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx calling the referendum "another political stunt that will achieve nothing". SDCP leader Sen. Jan Lovings(SN) spoke to reporters outside his rural home in the canton of St. Arlaine, saying that "a complete and total overthrowing of the current government is necessary" and that "President Goldberg must be removed from power by any means necessary". Though this drew ire from the President himself, who said that these comments were "a direct, terrorist and insidious threat", many have sympathised with Sen. Lovings and the SDCP.
With "SD-Works" on the line in the upcoming referendum, it remains to be seen whether the program, and the President who champions it, will be struck down.
- Larxia, Fhaengshia and Giovanniland
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General strikes erupt across country to protest "SD-Works", over 1 million workers now on streets
Today, a political crisis months in the making finally exploded. President Paul Goldberg's "SD-Works" employment and jobs program, widely considered to be one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation ever, was passed by the National Senate a few days ago among sharply divided party lines. The Democratic Congress Party(DCB), Goldberg's centrist-conservative party, voted unanimously in favour of the bill, while the centre-left Country Liberal Party(CLP), the far-right Split Conservative Union(SCU) and the far-left Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx(SDCP) all voted against it. Alas, Goldberg could not avoid sparking popular uproar after the passage of the program.
The canton of Lemandie was about an hour's drive away from the Santo-Dominian government in the capital of Friberne. Lemandie was one of the most progressive and socialist cantons in the Federal Republic, and it demonstrated that clearly when its workers, galvanised by the CLP and SDCP, boycotted SD-Works activities and job fairs as well as halting public transport in the cantonal capital of Louisann. As the situation deteriorated and the city was brought to a standstill, President Goldberg asked Louisann Mayor Penelope Chantal(CLP) to disperse the workers. When she refused to do so, Goldberg mobilised the Santo-Dominian military and sent them to quell the workers' march in the canton.
As everyone expected, the military did little to appease and placate the angry workers, and their efforts to forcefully end the protest failed. Reprisals against military servicemen grew common throughout the city as the situation further spiralled into outright violence. By now, the entire canton of Lemandie was disgruntled, dismayed and fed up with the central government in Friberne. The canton's 32 National Senators stood in solidarity with their constituents, walking out of the National Senate in protest of Goldberg's heavy-handed response. It was clear: repression was not working.
By the time of the walk-out in Friberne, public opinion had largely turned against the Goldberg administration and the military. Every labour union in Lemandie and the cantons of Lotharburg, Framboise, Neuenstadt and Roivivion declared general strikes. Workers flooded the streets and highways and almost the entire island of Santos was brought to a devastating halt. Public unrest and violence boiled over as military servicemen attempting to restore order were attacked, harassed and assaulted by furious demonstrators, protesters and workers while crowds chanted: "Down with Goldberg! Down with DCB! Up with liberty! Up with welfare!"
The situation was also circling the drain in the islands of the archipelago of Dominius. The cities of St. Arlaine and Waldburg, in their respective cantons of the same names, erupted in rage as it was reported that SD-Works and further initiatives from Goldberg would slash poverty support by half. In the canton of Sasslen, where Goldberg retained overwhelming support, SCU counter-protesters attacked and shoved workers demonstrating at the cantonal government building. The nation was tearing itself apart piece by piece, and the night continued to get worse and worse for the Federal Republic.
Some say that there might be light at the end of the tunnel. President Goldberg is expected to address the nation soon in a nationally televised speech. However, others offer a more cynical view, saying that the President will destroy the Federal Republic with his increasingly unpopular policies and response to these demonstrations and strikes. Whether President Goldberg's efforts to restore order will work remains to be seen. Whether the Federal Republic can survive these demonstrations also remains to be seen.
- Giovanniland and Zoran
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The Santo-Dominian government greatly funds education, which is one of the most funded fields on the latest government budget. The Santo-Dominian school system grants any and all children free preschool and elementary school. Middle school and high school education, though not free, is usually extremely affordable due to generous education subsidies and government and private scholarships, grants and tuition remission schemes. Public universities generally have low tuition rates while private universities are legally mandated to provide structured support for students in poverty or financial difficulty.
The Santo-Dominian government regularly holds educational tours and cultural exchanges for high school and university students, which are subsidised and usually free of charge. Destinations regularly include but are not limited to major countries in Aura and Andolia, though some events have been held in Doll Guldur and Polaris.
Vocational education is also provided as an equal alternative for students. Around 90% of universities and high schools have vocational and technical education sections and curricula, and they are funded and subsidised on an equal level as normal education. The National Vocational Education Institute(NVEI) is the government-run state vocational university and one of the leading institutes of higher technical education.
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The Santo-Dominian government invests heavily in national infrastructure. On land, a complex network of highways link every part of the island of Santos. On sea in Dominius, high-speed ferry routes link the islands of the archipelago. A high-speed train network links all 8 major cities on Santos, while modern tram networks serve as public transportation on the islands of Dominius. The Bill Mulberry International Airport in Friberne is the country’s gateway to the world, and over 20 million passengers pass through it. Likewise, Sasslen Airport and St. Arlaine Airport serve as the two main hubs of air traffic to, from and through Dominius. The busiest sea port in the Federal Republic is Sorbierra in southern Dominius, followed by Friberne, the capital, and Schwabenburg in northern Dominius.
The Santo-Dominian government also invests in energy and health infrastructure. There are more than 30 medical centres spread across the nation which have ratings of over 8/10. The Ultralight Wind Farm, in the canton of Zentrum-Dominien, is one of the largest wind power generation and processing facilities in the area, with over 30 turbines constantly generating electricity to be supplied to the entire nation. Ultralight Energy has also, with government subsidies, pioneered the Santo-Dominian renewable energy industry by manufacturing and installing affordable and high-power solar panels, some of which are installed in government-built houses in collaboration with local cantons.
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The Santo-Dominian economy is one of the most stable and fastest-growing economies in the Auran-Andolian straits. It is led by the tourism industry, with information technology and furniture restoration being other major contributors. Santos-Dominius is littered with high-end hotels, resorts and entertainment establishments; information technology conglomerates also thrive, including Meteor Telecom, one of the largest telecommunications and technology companies. The financial industry is also prominent, with the Friberne Stock Exchange(FESE) located in its namesake city and Dominion Bank being the biggest banking corporation in the area. Investment group A&A Unlimited have their headquarters in the city of Sasslen, in the canton of the same name, while +238flowers is headquartered in city of St. Arlaine, in the canton of the same name.
The furniture industry is especially prominent in the Federal Republic. Santo-Dominian wood is renowned for its exquisite quality and durability, earning it high praise and equally high exclusivity. SD Logging, the country’s major furniture logger and distributor, is famed for its affordable and sleek flat-pack furniture. Corporate welfare is also extremely high and very generous, with business subsidies regularly included in fiscal reforms and cabinet budget proposals. This balance of high taxes and generous corporate welfare has allowed for the “Santo-Dominian model”: where high taxes on corporations and the rich pay for universal social welfare, while the corporations of which are almost entirely repaid with subsidies. Such a system, offering the best of both worlds, has rarely been replicated in other countries.
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Santo-Dominian culture is a mix of mainland Auran and Andolian cultures incorporated into tropical island culture. The best known national cultural event is the Pineapple Bash, an all-summer mega-festival where Santo-Dominian tropical cuisine, music and customs all shine. Santo-Dominian music is typically divided into two genres: pop music, characterised by infectious melodies and high-energy choruses; and Dominish music, famous for its chill, relaxing and tropical beats and styles.
Santo-Dominian cuisine is full of local ingredients and animals. The Santosian Scorpion Casserole is filled with grilled scorpion meat and residue scorpion venom, though the venom has become more of a spicy flavouring after being rid of its poisonous tendencies during grilling. The casserole can only be consumed by those with a healthy mouth: the venom will rush into any sores and wounds in a damaged mouth and cause possible loss of taste due to overwhelming heat and poison. Other delicacies include the Dominish lamb meatloaf and the Oberandolien clambake.
Santos-Dominius is also home to many architecturally unique buildings. The National Senate Building in Friberne towers over the rest of the relatively low city with its extremely complex, detailed and elaborate facade and the Liberty Spire, which reaches into the sky and is the highest point of the National Senate Building and all of Friberne.
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FEDERAL AND NATIONAL POLITICS
Santos-Dominius is a federal constitutional presidential republic. The head of government is the President of the Republic, currently Donald Verbloem, the 5th to hold this post. The Grand Council is the highest advisory and executive cabinet, serving at the discretion of the President and the Vice President. The President puts forward nominations for the Grand Council, which are then reviewed and confirmed or rejected by the National Senate. The President is elected or re-elected to office every 5 years, with 10 consecutive or non-consecutive five-year terms possible. The Grand Council is composed of 13 Ministers, who head their 13 respective Ministries that form the executive branch of the Federal Republic(this is further explored below). The President can also declare High Emergencies to recognise and combat existential threats, and can sign Presidential Decrees, rare laws that do not require approval from the National Senate that can be overturned by successive Presidents.
President Party Affiliation Tenure Ideology William "Bill" Mulberry (1st) Purified Conservatives 1205-1262 (57 years) Market liberalism Jan Davis Lovings (2nd) Country Liberal Party 1262-1306 (44 years) Social democracy Eliot Klein (3rd) Country Liberal Party 1306-1355 (49 years) Social democracy Paul Rogers Goldberg (4th) Democratic Congress for the Betterment of Santos-Dominius 1355-1421 (66 years) Liberal conservatism Donald Verbloem (5th, acting) Democratic Congress for the Betterment of Santos-Dominius 1421- Market liberalism The National Senate is the unicameral legislature of the Federal Republic, forming its legislative branch. It comprises 400 Senators, elected by their 400 respective constituencies across the archipelago. Any bill or proposal can be put forward by a Senator and requires a simple majority to pass. These bills are then sent to the Presidential Commission, an advisory body appointed by the President who will review them and provide advice to the President on them. The President then has the authority to either sign the bill into law or veto it, whereupon a 2/3 supermajority from the National Senate is required to overturn the veto and directly pass the bill into law.
Constitutional Extensions are laws of extreme importance that require addition to the Constitution. They can be drafted by any Senator, but must be put forward to extensive debate within the National Senate. After debate, a 3/4 supermajority is required to pass the Constitutional Extension, whereupon the President can either sign it into law or veto it. Overriding a veto of a Constitutional Extension requires ratification from 10 of the 20 cantons of the Federal Republic, after which the Constitutional Extension will be made law immediately.
Santo-Dominian politics are dominated by three major parties. Out of these four, the two biggest parties include the centrist, status-quo-protecting Democratic Congress Party(DCB) and the socially progressive Coalition of Roses(CoR). The third party is the far-right Split Conservative Union(SCU). Currently, the DCB, led by incumbent President Paul Goldberg, has a majority in the National Senate.
Name Abbreviation and Colour Position Federal Senate Seats Party Leader Party Status Democratic Coalition for Betterment DCB, blue Centre-right 209 Acting President Donald Verbloem Ruling party Coalition of Roses CoR, light red Centre-left 189 Sen. Art Bernstein Main opposition Split Conservative Union SCU, honey yellow Far right 2 Sen. Dennis Ford Opposition party
GRAND COUNCIL OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC
The Grand Council of the Federal Republic is the principal executive organ and cabinet of the Federal Republic. It consists primarily of 13 executive ministries which tend to specific affairs and the general administration of the country. A full list of the ministries, the corresponding cabinet ministers, the ministerial abbreviations, logos and websites has been provided below.
Common Name Santosian Name Dominish Name Abbreviation Ministerial Head Website Ministry of Order Ministère de l'ordre(ML) Ministerium für Ordnung MO Sen. Robert Banning(DCB-LT), Minister of Order gov.sd/mo Ministry of Information Ministère de l'Information(MLI) Informationsministerium(IM) MI Sen. Terry Melvin(DCB-FE), Minister of Information gov.sd/mi Ministry of Science and Development Ministère de la science et du développement Ministerium für Wissenschaft und Entwicklung(MWE) MSD Sen. Walter Untermann(DCB-NL), Minister of Science and Development gov.sd/msd Ministry of Biological, Ecological and Zoological Affairs Ministère des affaires biologiques, écologiques et zoologiques(MABEZ) Ministerium für Biologische, Ökologische und Zoologische Angelegenheiten(MBOZA) MBEZA Sen. Christelle Chantal(DCB-FR), Minister of Biological, Ecological and Zoological Affairs gov.sd/mbeza Ministry of Social Services Ministère des services sociaux Ministerium für Soziale Dienste(MFSD) MSS Sen. Pierre Theron(DCB-LM), Minister of Social Services gov.sd/mss Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministère des Affaires Étrangères(MAE) Ministerium für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten(MAA) MFA Sen. Diane Hutchison(DCB-YC), Minister of Foreign Affairs gov.sd/mfa Intelligence and Investigation Bureau Bureau du renseignement et des enquêtes(BRE) Geheimdienst- und Untersuchungsbüro(GUB) IIB Sen. Otto von Freuschwick(DCB-SA), National Director of Intelligence and Investigation gov.sd/iib Treasury of the State Trésor de l'Etat(TE) Schatzkammer des Staates(SKS) TS Sen. Jean Camille Lefevre(DCB-RO), Treasurer of the State gov.sd/ts Impartial Corruption Investigation Agency Agence d'enquête impartiale sur la corruption(AEIC) Agentur für Unparteiische Korruptionsuntersuchungen(AUK) ICIA Sen. Cara Apolitianizzo(DCB-OA), ICIA Secretary gov.sd/icia Ministry of Defence Ministère de la Défense(MLD) Verteidigungsministerium(VM) MDF Sen. Avril Josephine Duxelles(DCB-LM), Minister of Defence gov.sd/mdf Directory of the Interior Annuaire de l'intérieur(AI) Verzeichnis des Innenraums(VI) DI Sen. Olivier Beaucourt(DCB-LM), Director of the Interior gov.sd/di Ministry of Commerce Ministère du Commerce Handelsministerium(HM) MC Sen. Francois Aubert Bains(DCB-FR), Minister of Commerce gov.sd/mc Chancellery for International Development Chancellerie pour le développement international(CDI) Kanzlei für Internationale Entwicklung(KIE) CID Sen. Albert Ulrich(DCB-PW), Chancellor for International Development gov.sd/cid Grand Council of the Federal Republic Grand Conseil de la République Fédérale(GCRF) Großer Rat der Bundesrepublik(GRB) - - gov.sd/gcfr CANTONAL AND LOCAL POLITICS
At the regional level, the Federal Republic is divided into 20 cantons, which are semi-autonomous administrative divisions. Each canton has their legislatures, the Cantonal Councils, which are composed of Cantonal Councillors. In the Federal City of Friberne, the Municipal Commission takes on this role. Both make laws of regional importance, and the four national parties dominate these smaller lawmaking bodies as well. A list of the 20 cantons is provided below.
Numeral Name Letters Population Capital 1 Framboise FR 450,373 Romant-sous-Bois 2 Friberne FE 972,886 Friberne 3 Neuenstadt NE 215,044 Neuenstadt 4 Pressen PN 237,609 Myosotine 5 Lotharburg LT 175,641 Lotharburg 6 Lemandie LM 663,297 Louisann 7 Roivivion RO 154,320 Solaceil 8 Yatasailie-Comte YC 108,965 Galioveile 9 Sasslen SA 725,870 Sasslen 10 Niedersasslen NL 413,689 Anheit 11 Sasslen-Vorpalain SV 229,858 Rederburg 12 Palain PL 160,020 Palain 13 Ostpalain-Westrhuin PW 598,771 Ginkgalos 14 Nordrhuin-Theronigen NR 684,032 Arkurter 15 Waldburg-Landschaft WL 435,412 Tagetedel 16 Waldburg-Stadt WS 642,954 Waldburg 17 Oberandolien OA 148,276 Sorbierra 18 Zentrum-Dominien ZD 87,321 Berchstein 19 Schwabenburg SH 580,396 Schwabenburg 20 St. Arlaine SN 112,021 St. Arlaine - Santos-Dominius - 7,796,755 Friberne Additionally, a map of the cantons has been provided below with them labelled by their cantonal abbreviations and with their cantonal capitals marked by dots. Santosian cantons have their capitals marked in red while Dominian cantons have their capitals marked in blue.
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The 1420 Santo-Dominian Census shows that approximately 7,796,755 people live in the Federal Republic. Among that, about 5,435,211 citizens live in the big cities and islands. Most citizens(89%) are Santo-Dominian, with Auran and Andolian minorities also included. The national official languages include Common, Santosian and Dominish, though Santo-Dominians speak a special Santosian dialect of Common called Santosian Common. Dominish is a local language developed in its namesake archipelago, Dominius. Santosian is a Auran-influenced language developed in Santos before Common was spread. Common is the most-spoken language followed by Dominish and Santosian, with 7.45 million, 6.31 million and 5.72 million speakers respectively. The Federal Republic strictly maintains secularism in the government, outlined by the 1st Constitutional Extension, but religious freedom is enshrined in Laws 15-16, Section I, Article I of the Santo-Dominian Constitution. 73% of the population are atheist, while the others believe in a varying mix of religions.
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EARLY HISTORY
The earliest settlers of the Santo-Dominian archipelago came from southern Aura and northern Andolia, around 4500 BF. Its unique position between the two major continents produced a unique mix of ancient Auran and Andolian culture, resulting in a special cultural development and a special prehistoric language: Santosian, native to the island of Santos. The first settlements on Santos were located in modern-day cantons of Framboise and Lotharburg, which both spoke a unique romantic dialect of the ancient Common language, partly due to distance from the Auran mainland.
On the islands of Dominius, ancient Andolian settlers came to look for a comfortable tropical climate and good weather. They built ancient towns and cities that would later become part of the modern-day cantons of Sasslen and Palain, named Saxlonia and Palatinium back then. Both ancient towns would fight several times as the 1st century approached, culminating in the Saxlonian-Palatinian War of 143. After around a year of fighting, neither side could claim victory, and both town-states were annexed by Framboisian invaders in February 144, at a moment when Saxlonia was ill-prepared and Palatinium was near collapse. Both cities folded to Framboise.
FRAMBOISIAN DOMINATION AND FALL
Following the annexation, Framboisian nobility, who were culturally superior, instituted a set of reforms in 159. Dubbed the “Great Step Up” by locals, the reforms standardised the local language, laying the foundation for the Dominish language. Saxlonia and Palatinium were renamed to Sasslen and Palain, and the towns of Theronigen, Waldburg, Schwabenburg and St Arlaine were all founded to divide power and prevent an united Sasslen-Palain uprising against their Framboisian overlords.
Meanwhile, on Santos, Lotharburg emerged as the clear roadblock to Framboisian domination of the island. Following over 200 years of uneasy peace, Framboise declared war on the Lotharburgians, starting the Great Ancient War in August 278. Joan IV, Duchess of Lotharburg, knew that she could not win a direct war. As such, she managed to secure an alliance with the nearby city-state of Friberne, promising massive expansion in return for joining the war against Framboise. At the 1st and 2nd Battles of Altburg, the Lotharburg-Fribernese alliance won against overwhelming odds. The Treaty of Altburg was signed in 282, establishing the Old Santosian Confederation and uniting the three city-states into the archipelago’s first national government.
After the war, Framboisian influence over Dominius was significantly weakened, and a combined uprising led by the leaders of Sasslen, Palain and St. Arlaine liberated the archipelago. All of the Dominian city-states signed the Treaty of Sasslen in 386, joining the Old Santosian Confederation and establishing the canton of Zentrum-Dominien as a buffer state. The following year, the Treaty of Carindorf was signed at the canton of Pressen in Santos, formally renaming the nation to the Santo-Dominian Confederation and establishing the buffer cantons of Roivivion, Lemandie and re-establishing the city-state of Altburg as the canton of Neuenstadt.
THE CONFEDERATION YEARS AND SAINT MARKIAN INVASION
The country thrived under the Confederation, drafting its first constitution, the “Instrument der Regierungsführung”(Dominish for “Instrument of Governance”). Cantons had a direct say in national affairs via the Confederational Diet, which was located in Lotharburg. An unprecedented 500-year peace dawned on the Santo-Dominian islands, with its waters and seas protecting it from invasion and deterring potential attackers. However, this was not to last. Saint Markian invaders from the Auran mainland attacked the Confederation during its annual meeting in 897, taking the nation completely by surprise. Framboise's cantonal capital Romant-sous-Bois fell on 19th March 897, while Lotharburg was besieged and captured on 24th May. In Dominius, Saint Markian sympathisers threw Duke Francis Neusemann to his death in the infamous 897 Defenestration of St. Arlaine. Francis’ death left the strong city without a leader, and St. Arlaine and its Dominian allies surrendered to the invaders on 17th December 898. The Treaty of Solaceil, signed in the canton of Roivivion, ended the Confederation and ditched the Instrument of Governance in favour of the newly-established Santo-Dominian Republic, a puppet state under the Saint Markians' rule.
Though the Confederation became history, a shared sentiment of nationalism pervaded society. The Saint Markian republican government in Friberne clamped down hard on dissent and unrest, squashing the Pressen Rebellions of 1048 and 1055. Hotbeds for underground rebellious activity emerged in the cantons of Lemandie and Roivivion, made obvious by the establishment of the Freedom Association, a secret paramilitary organisation determined to resist the invaders’ colonial rule and re-establish a Santo-Dominian nation. In 1189, tensions boiled over, and Lemandie, Roivivion and Pressen hoisted the Santo-Dominian flag. It was an open rebellion.
THE PATRIOTIC LIBERATION
The Saint Mark-controlled Republican government in Friberne reacted quickly. Soon, the Republic’s military was marching towards Solaceil, Roivivion's cantonal capital. Arthur Chambers, Governor of Roivivion and de-facto leader of the rebellion, knew that a major battle in his home canton was inevitable. He sent out a call to arms to the nearby allies of Lemandie, Pressen, Framboise and Lotharburg, persuading them to join his own army in battle. All four cantons accepted Chambers’ request, but the united force marched extraordinarily slowly, arriving only halfway on 12th November 1189. With the Republican army quickly approaching, Chambers ordered the construction of defences across his canton and prepared for a brutal defence.
In the winter of 1189, the Republican army launched a decisive attack on Solaceil, blasting its walls and sending its citizens into full-blown panic. Chambers’ army resisted bravely, but was unable to slow the advance of the attackers, and was forced to retreat to the cantonal palace. There, the last scraps of his army held out for a painful 2 weeks, constantly repulsing the invaders and scoring victories with heavy losses. Finally, on the night of 24th December 1189, the united rebel army led by Jean Baptiste II, Governor of Framboise, arrived in Solaceil. Morale among the rebels skyrocketed in part to Chambers’ brilliant commanding, and the Republican army was forced out of the canton on 25th December 1189. At the end of the year, the Republican army had been cornered in Friberne and forced to defend against the Santosian army and reinforcements from Dominius. Under attack and severe bombardment, Friberne finally fell to the rebels on 15th January 1190. The Santo-Dominian Republic was gone, and the Saint Markians were ousted. The islands would once again come under rule by its own citizens.
THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC
After the invaders’ repulsion from the Santo-Dominian archipelago, Chambers and Baptiste quickly moved to form a new government and restore order to the war-torn islands, especially Santos. Under Chambers’ advice, Baptiste declared the establishment of the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius in 1205, with 15th January set as Federal Day. An election for the highest post of President was called, and both Chambers and Baptiste emerged as frontrunners. But Baptiste, old and frail, died of health complications in April 1205. Chambers, the only alternative, was assassinated by an Auran terrorist who detonated a bomb placed in Chambers’ train carriage.
Following Baptiste’s death and Chambers’ assassination, Bill Mulberry, Governor of Pressen, rose to prominence as a key revolutionary figure. Mulberry had led the Pressen army and helped clear the way to Solaceil, Roivivion for Baptiste, earning him a great deal of respect among the rebel army. Now, the clear frontrunner, Mulberry was elected as the founding President of the Federal Republic. He founded the Purified Conservative Party, the first ever political party in the nation, and wrote the Santo-Dominian Constitution, one of the longest documents in the nation’s history. Mulberry would create the National Senate, a spiritual successor to the Confederational Diet, and helped with the official formation of the 20 cantons. Friberne was selected as the national capital(“Federal City”, to be precise), now stronger than the cities of Romant-sous-Bois, Lotharburg and the cantons of Sasslen, Palain and St. Arlaine.
After Mulberry retired in 1262, President Jan Davis Lovings founded the Country Liberal Party, a competing party, and won decisively in the following general elections. Lovings would later be forced from office in 1306 by fellow Country Liberal politician Eliot Klein, who would become the 3rd President. Klein instituted many progressive reforms, forming a culture of corporate welfare co-existing along generous universal healthcare and social welfare. Taxation was greatly increased, though this did not stop Santos-Dominius from developing into one of the area’s biggest economic powerhouses. In 1355, Klein was defeated overwhelmingly by Paul Rogers Goldberg, who had reorganised the Purified Conservatives into the Democratic Congress Party(DCB), now the largest in the National Senate. Goldberg was sworn in as the 4th President of the Federal Republic.
Per tradition, Mulberry, Lovings, Klein and Goldberg all pursued Santo-Dominian neutrality, and kept the Federal Republic out of the Auran League. Official diplomatic policy was to pursue friendly relations with every government and nation possible, though alliances and pacts were considered highly taboo. Goldberg, however, flip-flopped on neutrality, first signing the Act of Neutrality in 1420 and then partially waiving it in 1421 to allow for Santo-Dominian participation in the 1st World Cup of Football. Also in 1420, after Goldberg announced the deeply unpopular "SD-Works" employment programme, the Louisann General Strike broke out in the left-leaning city of Louisann in the historically socialist Canton of Lemandie.
While "SD-Works" survived a narrow popular referendum intended to strike it down, the damage to the 4th President was done. After his extremely narrow re-election in February 1421, Goldberg served more and more terms as President, albeit with a greatly weakened governing mandate compared to when he was first elected in 1355. Shortly after, the CLP merged with the left-wing Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx(SDCP) to form the new broad-tent centre-left Coalition of Roses(CoR) so as to enhance leftist unity. Goldberg passed away in 1421, bringing about the end of an era; Vice President Donald Verbloem has been sworn in as Acting President while a snap presidential election is called and organised.
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As its name suggests, Santos-Dominius gets its name from its two regions: the largest island, called Santos, and the archipelago to its south, called Dominius. Santos is decisively more Auran-influenced, while the name Dominius was given by Andolian settlers coming from the south. Santo-Dominian fables, however, claim that the name Santos-Dominius comes from two mythical gods, Santosia and Dominium, but this is heavily disputed by scientists and historians.
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The Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius
(Dominish: Bundesrepublik Santoreich-Dominien)
(Santosian: République de Santosie-Dominigne)
Formal Name: The Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius Motto: "Knees Unbent"
Population: 7,796,755 Capital and Largest City: Friberne Official Languages: Common, Santosian, Dominish Demonym: Santo-Dominian President of the Federal Republic: Donald Verbloem(Acting) Currency: Ophelion(Ω) GDP: 477 trillion Ophelions GDP Per Capita: 143,793 Ophelions National Animal: Rainbow Peacock Time Zone: IAT +0 Driving Side: Left Calling Code: +2 38 Internet TLD: .sd Nicknames: "Pearls of the Yatasail"
"The Junction"
"Big Little Country"
The Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius(commonly called Santos-Dominius) is a federal constitutional presidential republic sitting on an archipelago in the Yatasail Sea, at the southwestern-most tip of the continent of Aura in the West Pacific. Santos-Dominius is divided into 2 islands and 20 cantons, which are semi-autonomous administrative divisions. It is bordered on the west and south by the Yatasail Sea and on the east by the Darkesian Sea. The nearest countries include Bobki to the north and Wyvern and Varanius to the south. Santos-Dominius is a highly progressive democracy with a unique system of governance, which has, combined with business-friendly policies, allowed it to become one of the area’s fastest-rising economic powerhouses. It is a geographical crossroads between the continents of Aura and Andolia and this strategically beneficial position has allowed it to develop at a quick and steady pace.
Map of the West Pacific with Santos-Dominius area circled(above)
Location of Santos-Dominius in circled area on map(below)
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President Goldberg launches "SD-Works" jobs program, aims for full employment
Today, President Paul Goldberg unveiled the biggest project of his administration yet. Facing reporters and politicians on the floor of the National Senate, the President held up a large book with "SD-Works" labelled boldly on the cover. He then walked to the speaking podium, switched on the microphone and announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, my honourable friends of the National Senate, Mr. Speaker, I hereby present to you the 'SD-Works' program, the biggest jobs program yet in the history of this Federal Republic!" Sporadic cheers erupted while one side of the aisle rose up and applauded. The other side sat still.
"SD-Works is an investment in our nation. It's an investment in our dreams. It's an investment for the pursuit of one of our fundamental goals: everyone that needs a good job will get a good job. Gone are the days of low employment. We will stimulate big business and incentivise corporations to hire more. Everyone that wants to be employed will be employed!" President Goldberg continued. "We will transform from a lazy welfare state to a productive economic powerhouse. We will eliminate the need for welfare via good and well-paying employment! We will make our Federal Republic the premier economic nation, a shining example of how welfare states can transform into high productivity hubs."
The program was poorly received. The far-left Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx(SDCP), the smallest of the four big parties in the National Senate, slammed the project. Senator Jan D. Lovings(SN), SDCP leader, made a short, passionate statement against SD-Works: "The only coherent thing in this project is general incompetence. This plan will cut welfare, cut social support, cut pensions, cut elderly care, cut child care and significantly reduce maternity and paternity leave rights. This plan will cut society in half! For the sake of this nation, I urge the National Senate to vote against this bill when it is proposed!"
On the other hand, the Split Conservative Union(SCU), the far-right fringe equivalent of the SDCP, criticised the project for not doing enough. Sen. Dennis Ford(YC), the party's controversial leader, released a statement calling SD-Works "ineffective", "stupid", "wholly unrealistic" and "complete and utter appeasement of the left". This statement was retracted shortly after a reporter found a slur targeting the President. Sen. Ford has not yet issued an apology for the slur.
Political analysts say that it is likely that SD-Works will be passed by the National Senate. Despite widespread outrage from political opponents, Goldberg and the ruling Democratic Congress Party(DCB) have a barebones majority in the National Senate, allowing them to pass the bill by themselves. Though this project will likely alienate and cast away progressive DCB voters, it seems that the President's party has rallied behind him to make one of their biggest political gambits ever.
With SD-Works expected to be tabled for a vote in the National Senate soon, political commentators say that public discontent is highly likely. The chief ministers of 9 predominantly progressive cantons across the country have already said that they will mount legal challenges against the project, with Lemandie, Roivivion and St. Arlaine cantons being the biggest opponents on a sub-national level. Demonstrations have already been planned in the three cantons(the Greater Lemandie region), and Goldberg's approval ratings are rapidly plummeting. Whether the increasingly unpopular centrist can keep his party and himself in power for long remains very much unknown.
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Fortschrittspolitik
A Santo-Dominian Political Quirk
Since the founding of the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius, its politics have enjoyed a remarkable progression unlike that of other countries. Years of four-party dominance and ultra-progressivism have led to the state of the current Santo-Dominian political scene today: Fortschrittspolitik (Dominish for "progressive politics"). Here's a detailed explanation of what that means.
Conservatism and progressivism have been dominant in Santo-Dominian politics as the two main clashing ideological forces. However, unlike other countries, the politics of which formed and came into shape a few years after their foundations, Santos-Dominius was founded and long ruled by progressives, namely founding President Bill Mulberry and the Country Liberal Party. Under their rule, Santo-Dominian progressivism blossomed, and the Federal Republic grew so rapidly that it the first twenty years of the nation was called the "Little Golden Age". Progressive policies, such as LGBTQIA+ rights, universal healthcare, open immigration and abortion rights, were enshrined and considered normal in Santos-Dominius while this was not the case in some other countries. Santo-Dominian politics was practically synonymous with ultra-progressivism in its early years.
Another factor that created Fortschrittspolitik was the uninterrupted nature of the Country Liberals' rule. Unlike other countries, where right-wing conservatism and left-wing progressivism regularly alternated governance and opposition, the progressive Country Liberal Party enjoyed substantial and extreme popularity and governed the country uninterrupted for 20 years, under Presidents Mulberry, Lovings and Klein. Such was the shift leftwards that conservatism no longer meant conservatism and progressivism no longer meant progressivism.
This phenomenon is best explained by political commentator Wilhelm Meier, who wrote in an article: "The modern definition of Santo-Dominian conservatism is no longer that of right-wing, anti-immigration and fiscal conservative populism. It is that of keeping the current, already progressive status quo. Santo-Dominian conservatism can be considered social democracy in other countries, and Santo-Dominian progressivism considered democratic socialism." Meier was the first to coin and popularise the term "Fortschrittspolitik".
Though Santos-Dominius has recently re-elected centrist Paul Goldberg of the "conservative" Democratic Congress Party, Goldberg has promised to expand welfare and increase taxes, placing him in the DCB's far-left wing and comfortably in the good graces of most voters. The only true conservative political party is the Split Conservative Union(SCU), led by Dennis Ford. In a normal country, the SCU would be considered centre-right, though such is the leftward tilt in Santos-Dominius that SCU is regarded as a fringe party in most circumstances, with this reputation of theirs practically making winning impossible for them. With the DCB and CLP alternating control of the presidency and progressive values penetrating the Santo-Dominian electorate, it looks like Fortschrittspolitik is here to stay in the Federal Republic in the foreseeable future.
The Santo-Dominian Post
in The Repository - Local & World News
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1st Presidential-Vice Presidential Joint Debate ends in CLP ticket victory
Today, the 1st presidential-vice presidential joint debate was held in Friberne, Santos-Dominius. The contenders included President Paul Goldberg and Vice President Donald Verbloem, from the ticket of the Democratic Coalition Party(DCB). Facing off against the incumbents were popular Senators Jeremy Maxson and Art Bernstein, from the Country Liberal Party(CLP). Riding a wave of anti-DCB popularity, Maxson and Bernstein were well-positioned compared to Goldberg and Verbloem, who were pummelled in the polls due to their tumultuous term and unpopular policies, including the controversial SD-Works employment programme. As the night went on, it became clear that the burden of their sheer unpopularity was simply too great for the President and Vice President to handle.
The major issues raised during the debate were neutrality, employment and urban development. President Goldberg talked about his recent partial waiver of the Act of Peace a few weeks ago, stating that "Santos-Dominius must and continue treading the fine line between excessive involvement in international diplomacy and complete isolation". However, this was rebuked by Sen. Maxson, who called for "more participation in international affairs" and "strong, sustained efforts to make Santos-Dominius a valuable player in international diplomacy". Maxson argued that "inaction and isolation will not help", and that "a fresh approach to diplomacy should be adopted".
Employment was the hottest issue of the debate. Vice President Verbloem attempted to defend his superior and distract from the DCB administration's poor record, but Sen. Bernstein seized on the moment and blasted him, stating that "the Goldberg administration is the worker's nightmare, the big bosses' puppet". Maxson followed up with further criticism, saying that "the Goldberg administration has shown nothing but sheer contempt and disrespect for the Santo-Dominian labour movement, its unions and its workers". Sen. Bernstein also mentioned the Louisann General Strike back in late November, a major incident which almost threatened to topple Goldberg's presidency and severely plunged the incumbents' popularity to immeasurable lows. The President could not defend himself as time was up and the topic was changed by the debate moderators.
The incumbents fared slightly better in the topic of urban development. "My administration's major investments in inter-island ferries, as well as the rebuilding of dilapidated and heavily used arterial roads, has drastically improved the lives of Santo-Dominians," President Goldberg stated. Sen. Maxson attempted to strike at the President, saying: "The President and Vice President have yet to lay out a sustainable, environmentally friendly infrastructure plan. Santos-Dominius needs a plan now, or you do not deserve another term." President Goldberg brushed off Sen. Maxson's attack, saying that "a plan is in the works" and that "the gentlemen on the other side of the aisle should acquire some patience in politics". Sen. Bernstein fought back, replying: "Santo-Dominians cannot wait, and will not wait for the President. The future is at stake."
Overall, the debate was heated and uncharacteristically fierce. President Goldberg, battered and bruised by Maxson and Bernstein, emerged from the debate more unpopular than ever. Vice President Verbloem also suffered, with DCB supporters criticising him for not defending the President more often. Both Maxson and Bernstein reaped the rewards of their good performance, winning the political commentators' straw poll. The CLP benefitted from an upward trend in the polls immediately after, while the DCB continued its downward dip.
With the presidential election weeks away, the 2nd presidential debate is scheduled on the 15th. If the CLP ticket continues to sustain its momentum and popularity, it will most likely win by a landslide. However, the race is still not over, and the President and Vice President may earn just enough time to fight back and clinch another term in the Fribernese Fortress. This presidential race is expected to be the most heated one ever in Santo-Dominian history, and the DCB's increasingly fragile political hegemony may finally come to an end soon.