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National Assembly (Caphiria): Difference between revisions
National Assembly (Caphiria) (view source)
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Consular elections happen every ''lustrum'' (five-year-period) and are chosen by universal, free, equal, direct and secret suffrage. Consuls are elected by "consular districts", a constituency of proportional representation based on census data. Because of this, the total number of Consulships can change in each election and it is specified when writs of election are issued. The Constitution of Caphiria outlines a "minimum representative quota of: 200 pairs of Consuls per 550,000 Citizens, 100 pairs of Consuls per province, and 50 pairs per Possession. | Consular elections happen every ''lustrum'' (five-year-period) and are chosen by universal, free, equal, direct and secret suffrage. Consuls are elected by "consular districts", a constituency of proportional representation based on census data. Because of this, the total number of Consulships can change in each election and it is specified when writs of election are issued. The Constitution of Caphiria outlines a "minimum representative quota of: 200 pairs of Consuls per 550,000 Citizens, 100 pairs of Consuls per province, and 50 pairs per Possession. | ||
After the General Election, seats are assigned to the electoral lists in each consular district using the D'Hondt method in each district separately; parties receive seats in approximate proportion to the number of votes each received in the district. A strictly proportional system would result in fractional seats. The D'Hondt method resolves this by favoring parties receiving larger votes. | There is no limit to the number of candidates at the start of a consular election. When the first round of voting begins, each citizen will vote for one of the candidates. Abstaining is only an option for those who do not attend the assembly, and that option is strongly discouraged by social pressures. Whichever candidate receives the least votes is booted from the running. Successive rounds of voting dwindle the number of candidates down to two for a final vote where the patrician with the majority of votes becomes Consul for their ''curia''. Few elections have ended with the winning candidate receiving less than 280,000 out of 550,000 votes. Non-voters are viewed with a certain stigma by Caphirian society for failing to participate in its self-government and further discouraged by revoking the privilege of formally voicing complaints to the elected Consul. After the General Election, seats are assigned to the electoral lists in each consular district using the D'Hondt method in each district separately; parties receive seats in approximate proportion to the number of votes each received in the district. A strictly proportional system would result in fractional seats. The D'Hondt method resolves this by favoring parties receiving larger votes. | ||
Parties that are not already represented in the election or Assembly are required to collect signatures to support their candidacy to be able to run in the election. One-tenth of a percent of those registered to vote in a consular district are required to be on the ballot and each citizen can sign only once for a party candidacy. | Parties that are not already represented in the election or Assembly are required to collect signatures to support their candidacy to be able to run in the election. One-tenth of a percent of those registered to vote in a consular district are required to be on the ballot and each citizen can sign only once for a party candidacy. | ||
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Finally, the laws are promulgated by the Imperator's (or Prime Minister's) signature. The Prime Minister may call for a new legislative deliberation of the law or one of its articles in front of the National Assembly, which cannot be denied. | Finally, the laws are promulgated by the Imperator's (or Prime Minister's) signature. The Prime Minister may call for a new legislative deliberation of the law or one of its articles in front of the National Assembly, which cannot be denied. | ||
===== ''Consulus Consultum'' ===== | |||
Once a law is agreed upon with ''majority support'', the bill will be issued by the ''Proconsul Maioris'' as ''Consulus Consultum'' (By Decree of the Consuls)''.'' Once the bill is posted in the ''[[Forum Orumbarca]],'' it is brought to the Imperator the day it gets issued. Senators, Consuls, ''censors'', citizens and the Tribune may review the copy posted in the Forum. Since modern times, ''Consulus Consultum'' have been posted in the main ''fora'' of every provincial capital. More recently, the bills have been available online. Politically aware citizens will be disseminating copies within a day and those who are strongly against enacting the bill may voice their concerns to the Tribune and Imperator through the proper channels. | |||
An absence of objections from the ''Consulus Consultum'' indicates that the bill is constitutional. If the Tribune of the Plebs does not veto the decree, then nothing will be heard from him either. All that remains for the bill is to be signed by the Imperator, for it to become enforceable as part of Caphiric Law. | |||
Bills that get rejected by either the Tribune, Censors or Imperator are rendered ''consultum impotens''. If the Consul who presented it still wants the bill to be considered, he must account for any objections offered by whichever of the three parties vetoed the ''consultum'' and only then may propose it again as a bill in the National Assembly. There are numerous bureaucratic measures in place to prevent the constant return of a bill from a persistent Consul but these are far too mundane to be worth mentioning. | |||
===Committees=== | ===Committees=== | ||
A Consul can attend more than one committee if s/he is not a member of Application Committee or Planning and Budgeting Committee. Members of those committees can not participate in any other committees. On the other hand, s/he does not have to work for a committee either. Number of members of each committee is determined by the proposal of the Advisory Council and the approval of the Assembly. Sub committees are established according to the issue that the committee receives. Only Public Economic Enterprises (PEEs) Committee has constant sub committees that are specifically responsible for a group of PEEs. | A Consul can attend more than one committee if s/he is not a member of Application Committee or Planning and Budgeting Committee. Members of those committees can not participate in any other committees. On the other hand, s/he does not have to work for a committee either. Number of members of each committee is determined by the proposal of the Advisory Council and the approval of the Assembly. Sub committees are established according to the issue that the committee receives. Only Public Economic Enterprises (PEEs) Committee has constant sub committees that are specifically responsible for a group of PEEs. | ||
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There are four main types of committees: Consular, Supervisory, and Investigative committees. | There are four main types of committees: Consular, Supervisory, and Investigative committees. | ||
==== Consular committee ==== | ==== Consular committee ==== | ||
# Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform committee | # Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform committee | ||
# Health, family, employment, social works committee | # Health, family, employment, social works committee | ||
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# Constitutional committee | # Constitutional committee | ||
# Latinic Preservation committee | # Latinic Preservation committee | ||
==== Investigative committee ==== | ==== Investigative committee ==== | ||
These committees are established if any investigation into the Imperator, Prime Minister, and ministers occur and approved by the Assembly through hidden voting. Investigative committees are also formed to investigate any internal problem within the Corcillum. There are three types of investigative committees, and are not permanent committees. | These committees are established if any investigation into the Imperator, Prime Minister, and ministers occur and approved by the Assembly through hidden voting. Investigative committees are also formed to investigate any internal problem within the Corcillum. There are three types of investigative committees, and are not permanent committees. | ||
# Investigations committees | # Investigations committees | ||
# Ethics and Oversight committees | # Ethics and Oversight committees | ||
# Petitions committees | # Petitions committees | ||
==== Supervisory committee ==== | ==== Supervisory committee ==== | ||
# Planning and Budget committee | # Planning and Budget committee | ||
# Procedure and Privileges committee | # Procedure and Privileges committee | ||
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# Drafting Committee | # Drafting Committee | ||
# Political Institutions Committee | # Political Institutions Committee | ||
==Powers and duties== | |||
The majority of the National Assembly's powers are set forth in Proclamation '''xxx''' of the Constitution. These are the ''absolute powers'' of the Assembly. Non-constitutional laws which grant powers to the Assembly confer ''minor powers''. The latter are not protected by the Constitution and are generally beyond the jurisdiction of the Censors to protect. The Imperator has the right to supercede or disregard the minor powers of the National Assembly. | |||
Only the powers to write and legitimize legislation as well as to spend from the treasury are absolute powers of the National Assembly. Signing treaties, employing diplomats, raising legions or fleets, conscripting citizens for the military, and exiling foreigners are examples of the minor powers granted to the National Assembly over the centuries. | |||
===Financial powers=== | |||
===Financial | |||
The National Assembly possesses the power to tax the population to support its finances. However, the funds generated from taxation and public guilds is under the control of the entire government, that is the Corcillum, the Ministries and the Imperator. Public spending requires the presence of an ''aedile'', a magistrate with access to government funds. Neither the National Assembly nor Imperator can appropriate the treasury without one. While the ''aediles'' are vested with the authority for spending money, they lack the ''imperium'' to actually spend anything. The federal budget consists of the planned spending by the government of Caphiria. Funds allocated to provincial governments, dependent nations, government salaries, military salaries, and infrastructure maintenance are detailed in a budget written in January by the ''Mensarius Superbus'' (Supreme Financier) of the Ministry of the Treasury. All other expenditure is at the discretion of the Imperator, National Assembly, and Ministries within their respective jurisdictions. | The National Assembly possesses the power to tax the population to support its finances. However, the funds generated from taxation and public guilds is under the control of the entire government, that is the Corcillum, the Ministries and the Imperator. Public spending requires the presence of an ''aedile'', a magistrate with access to government funds. Neither the National Assembly nor Imperator can appropriate the treasury without one. While the ''aediles'' are vested with the authority for spending money, they lack the ''imperium'' to actually spend anything. The federal budget consists of the planned spending by the government of Caphiria. Funds allocated to provincial governments, dependent nations, government salaries, military salaries, and infrastructure maintenance are detailed in a budget written in January by the ''Mensarius Superbus'' (Supreme Financier) of the Ministry of the Treasury. All other expenditure is at the discretion of the Imperator, National Assembly, and Ministries within their respective jurisdictions. | ||
Taxes, tariffs, and duties are solely set by the National Assembly in a process similar to passing bills but without the involvement of the Senate. A modification to one of these sources of income will be proposed by one Consul then the proposal seconded by another. If a majority of the Assembly supports the change in taxes, tariffs or duties then the ''quaestores'', magistrates tasked with employing public workers to collect money owed to the government, change their protocol for the following year. | Taxes, tariffs, and duties are solely set by the National Assembly in a process similar to passing bills but without the involvement of the Senate. A modification to one of these sources of income will be proposed by one Consul then the proposal seconded by another. If a majority of the Assembly supports the change in taxes, tariffs or duties then the ''quaestores'', magistrates tasked with employing public workers to collect money owed to the government, change their protocol for the following year. | ||
===Administrative | ===Administrative powers=== | ||
Some of the Assembly's non-constitutional powers are: ratification of international treaties, declaration of war against a foreign power, raising armies or navies, commissioning public monuments, military conscription, erecting military facilities, exiling non-citizens, and issuing research grants. Minor powers mirror many of the absolute powers of the Imperator, allowing the Imperium to function in his absence. | |||
One of the most powerful administrative powers the National Assembly has is ''res publica ereptio.'' Proclamation '''xx''' of the Constitution submits the entire collective property of Caphirian citizens to ownership by the government (i.e. under control of the Imperator). This comes with the essential restriction that no item can be removed from a citizen's possession without returning money equal to its market value and providing a reasonable time frame for its procurement. The constitutional laws outlining this process ensure that the exchange is at least to the financial benefit of the citizen. Furthermore, the Senate must also vote in agreement before this measure is enforced. | |||
==Relationship within the Corcillum== | ==Relationship within the Corcillum== | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||