Caucus (Kiravian politics)

In Kiravian politics, a caucus (Kiravic: kadastra) is a political group in the Federal Stanora. Roughly analogous to, each caucus comprises an ideologically-aligned group of state-based parties and independent Delegates. Because political parties, defined as organised groups that both direct the activity of politicians and finance or manage electoral campaigns, are prohibited on the federal level by the Fundamental Statute, the more informal caucus are the most significant political factions in the federal government.

There are currently nine caucuses registered with the Stanora's Recording Secretary:
 * Shaftonist-Republican Alliance
 * Caritist Social Union
 * Caucus of Justice
 * Kiravian Free Alliance
 * Coscivian National Congress
 * New Deal Alliance
 * Kiravia of Regions

Three other caucuses have become defunct in recent memory:
 * Agrarian Cadre
 * Liberty Group
 * Direct Democratic Front

Legal Basis and Distinction from Parties
Article Q of the Fundamental Statute prohibits political parties on the Federal level.

Caucuses are not corporate entities and have no legal personality. They may not hold money or own property, collectively nominate or endorse candidates for office, or coördinate the activity of organisations that do participate in elections. Caucuses are legislative groups that do not exist outside the Stanora, and although executive-branch officials are often ideologically or historically linked to a particular caucus, they cannot be formal members.

Because caucuses cannot own or rent property in their own name, most operate base their headquarters in private homes or condominia in the District of Coïnvra as guests of the owners, who are generally former members or longtime supporters of the caucus. Staff are not employed by the caucus itself, but instead belong to the "legislative strategy staff" of individual members and are "loaned out" to the caucus.

In keeping with the ideal of the caucus as an informal grouping, little formal recognition is given to caucuses in Stanoral procedure. At the beginning of each legislative session, the caucuses may identify themselves and their leaders to the Recording Secretary, and Delegates may declare their caucus affiliation for the record. The Chancellor of the Stanora may call the caucus leaders to convene in a "committee of notables" in order to form a consensus on major pieces of legislation, but otherwise caucus leaders are not formally differentiated from rank-and-file Delegates.

Support Networks
In order to approximate the usual functions of a national-level political party, caucuses rely upon an associated networks of other organisations that are themselves subject to strict regulations regarding which activities they can undertake, how they can be funded, and how they can coördinate with one another. These organisations include:


 * Headquarters Foundations - The buildings in Kartika housing offices for the cadres' loaned staff, policy advisors, associated conferences, and newspapers are privately-owned and host the cadres as "guests". The headquarters of the SRA, CSU, CNC, and NDA are owned by dedicated nonprofit "headquarters foundations", which exist for the sole purpose of maintaining these properties. The CR, Agrarians, LG, and DDF are headquartered in large private homes in Kartika owned by wealthy supporters. Kiravia of Regions does not have a single headquarters, instead running various aspects of its operations from individual KoR Delegates' offices. Its interstate conference has its permanent offices in rented space at №12, 16-ram, K-District, Kartika.


 * Platform Committees - Because caucuses do not exist outside of the legislative branch and the Prime Executure has been a nonpartisan office since the passage of the Xth Amendment under Ivardus Kólsylvar, candidates for Prime Executive and Second Executive do not run on party tickets or ballot-lines. They do, however, make use of "platform committees" made up of other politicians and civil society figures who support their candidacy. Notionally, these committees' are meant to help draft and communicate the candidate's policy plaftorm, but in practice their main function is to signal the candidate's ideological leanings and mobilise partisan voters. Platform committees are often seen as extensions of the caucus with which their candidate is most closely associated, but it is not uncommon for this association to be unclear (such as in the case of independent Governors from states with strict anti-partisan laws) nor for platform committees to attract support from two or more caucuses in an effort to appeal to a larger voter base.


 * UltraPACs


 * Aligned Interests -

Leadership and Structure
Although the internal governance of caucuses is not prescribed by law or by Stanoral procedure, all of the caucuses currently operating in the Stanora share the same administrative structure.

The caucus' affairs are governed by a Political Committee elected from among the caucus membership. The Political Committee is responsible for determining the caucus' platform, policy goals, and membership, and is led by a Secretary-General, who is typically an elder statesman serving as the ideological anchor of the caucus. Legislative operations are overseen by an elected Chairman, who appoints a Whip to enforce caucus discipline.