Government of Arcerion
The Confederate Parliament is the main legislative body of the Cronan nation of Arcerion. However, the Arcer government is comprised of a variety of specialized bureaus, departments, agencies, and offices that function as the federal-level of governance for the former Carnish colony.
| Confederate Parliament of Arcerion | |
|---|---|
| Arcer Parliament Arco Parliament Confederate Parliament | |
 | |
| Overview | |
| Established | 1790 |
| State | Arcerion |
| Leader | Prime Minister (Iain Donnegal) |
| Main organ | Confederate Parliament Arcerion Senate |
| Ministries | Yep |
| Responsible to | Carnish Royal Throne (defunct) |
| Annual budget | Several Billion |
| Headquarters | 1 Red Lion Street, Kurst |
| Website | Template:Parliament.gov.arc |
History
Arcerion Confederated Parliament and the Carnish Crown
Arcerion, as a former Carnish colony, was once considered part of the Carnish Kingdom, and as an extension was under the legal authority and governance of the seated Carnish regent and their delegated representatives. During the Kingdom's early period in Crona, this manifested as the Crown-Governor of Arcerion, or more commonly referred to as the Governor General. Similarly, this verbage is where Arcerion gets its term for its state- or provincial-level bodies, the Governorates. Technically, even though the Carnish government is now a communist state, Arcerion still falls under the authority of the Carnish regent, not the state of Carna. Thus, even though independent, the figurative and former executive head of Arcerion remains the Carnish regent.
This executive power included powers such as royal prerogative, which during Arcerion's colonial and notional independent periods (prior to full independence), included sweeping executive powers from the ability to draft and pass laws without going through the legislature to the ability to levee economic sanctions against a foreign power, and in some cases, even declarations of war.
During Arcerion's limited independence/governance period prior to independence in XXYY, Arcerion's Prime Minister sent regular correspondence and reports through the governmental departments under them to Carna and specifically the King or Queen, reporting on economic and diplomatic initiatives undertaken by their Cronan colony. As well, this included reequests for military assistance, most often ships, as Arcerion's military during this period was engaged in the Border Wars.
During the Colonial Period, many Carnish nobles and landed gentry made their way to Arcerion to stake their claim or expand their already existing dynastic holdings. This meant that up until Arcer independence, there was a noble class within Arco society. This even included a pair of Royal visits, the first in YEAR XXYY by REGENT 1, and the second in YEAR ZZZZ by REGENT 2.
The relationship with nobility was reaffirmed after Arcerion, and specifically the cities of Kinnaird and Kurst, became safe havens for Carnish citizens (commonly referred to in Arco culture as 'Carnish expats'), and within that citizenry included several members of the Carnish Royal family, and some already on vacation in South Crona. These settled in Arcerion, and while their Royal titles and honours did not apply to Arcerion as it had its own gentry and noble class, their titles were kept alive in memoriam of the Carnish Kingdom, and are honourary titles continued to this day.
Ministers and Departments
Senate Affairs
1st Deputy Minister - Rt Hon Elliot Gill, AS
Ministerial Coordination Element (MCE) - Rt Hon Zach White, AS
Treasury Office - Rt Hon Paul Duncan
Ministry of Internal Affairs - Rt Hon Charlie Murray
Office of the Inspector General - Rt Hon Edith Rogers
Domestic Affairs
2nd Deputy Minister - Rt Hon Alexandra Burton, MP
Attorney General's Office - Rt Hon Elizabeth Taylor
Ministry of Finance - Rt Hon Rupert Johnston, MP
Ministry of Industry and Mining - Rt Hon Peter Gardner, MP, AC
Ministry of Education - Rt Hon Nathaniel Hamilton, MP
Ministry of the Environment - Rt Hon Rose Gallagher, MP
Ministry of the Interior (also: Home Office) - (acting) Mr Oliver Hopkins
Ministry of Agriculture - Rt Hon Thomas Hawkins, MP
Ministry of Justice - Rt Hon Isaac Eddis, MP, AC
External Affairs
3rd Deputy Minister - Rt Hon Clark Hart, AS, MP, AMM
Department for International Trade - Mr Timothy Barker
Foreign Office - Rt Hon Timothy Day, MP
Ministry of Defence - Rt Hon Henry Black, MP, AMM
Senate and Parliamentary Relationship
The Senate and Parliament in Arcerion serve as the Upper and Lower Houses of government respectively, with each reporting to a Deputy Minister who manages the government's portfolio for that particular legislative body. The discerning factor or difference between them is in how they are elected and appointed. The Confederate Parliament is elected using a XXYY style election, wherein candidates in multiple ridings are elected to the Lower House, and from there the Confederate Parliament comes to a voting consensus on who will be the Prime Minister. In this case, the Prime Minister is elected indirectly, as he is chosen from within the elected body. Additionally, there is a considerable amount of Blocs and crossing paths for interests, as the formation of formal parties is generally considered fairly taboo and does not reflect the cultural fabric of community that is seen so often in Arcerion.
The Senate, as the Upper House, is chosen from among senior members of Arcerion's academic, military, political, and business populations. Agnostic to political beliefs, they are usually chosen for a long history of excellence in their chosen profession, and while historically appointed by the Carnish Crown-Governor, in modern times this is done with selection by the Prime Minister and approvals made by the Chief Justice of the Arcerion Supreme Court.
The two bodies serve distinctly different functions in the sense that only the Lower House can draft and propose resolutions and legislations they wish to see become law, whereas the Senate can only vote on organically-sponsored intents or directives. The raesoning being that the senior house is a trusted entity of the Arcerion intelligentsia which while itself reflects excellence in its field, does not necessarily represent the will of the people. It is rare for the Senate not to approve of legislation passed through the Confederate Parliament, as the Senate is often seen as redundant and this cold highlight that it is nothing more than an additional legislative due process.
Locations
The government has several main buildings, residences, and historical sites that all directly play a major part of Arcerion's day-to-day governance as well as its cultural heritage. Most importantly, the Confederate Parliament Buildings are located at 1 Red Lion Street, in the nation's capital of Kurst. The Prime Minister's Residence however doubles as the State Offices, where Heads of State or Foreign Dignitaries meet, and is located quite close to Parliament to facilitate what historically was a short walk or carriage ride from the residence to Parliament. The original Parliamentary sitting and residences were a now-destroyed building that served as the Crown-Governor's residence, and had a separate wing added in 1795 to accommodate a 12-person Parliament for the new colony. However in 1799 due to the burgeoning first decade of economic growth the Carnish Crown authorized the construction of a dedicated Parliament, and the current buildings were finished in 1811, with a few additions since the 19th Century to accommodate the considerable growth of Arcerion.
Common Arcer Terminology
Governorates and Special Municipalities
The Arcer sub-federal political levels are separated into Governorates, which are roughly equivalent to states/provinces in other nations, and special municipalities which are usually large cities (ie. Kurst Capital Region). Each of these has their own special representatives who report to the Parliament on expenditures, economics, infrastructure, and security affairs. These special representatives are appointed by the respective legislative assembly of their governorate or municipality, and therefore generally are considered to be subordinate to the federal government's legislative bodies. However, for elections, these organizations and bodies serve as their own distinct entities independent of the federal government, and on different schedules and timelines for such events.
Arcerion is split into the following Governorates:
- Moorden Governorate, Southeastern Arcerion;
- Norham Governorate, Western Arcerion;
- Foxhey Governorate, Malentine Sea;
- Northlea Governorate, Northwestern Arcerion;
- Howland Governorate, Arctic Circle.
Governorates have their own provincial-level parliaments, and are headed by a Lieutenant-Governor.
Elections
Elections in Arcerion are held every four years at the federal level, where the country uses a first-past-the-post voting and ballot system. The party with a majority of seats forms the new government. Historically the Carnish Crown would invite the party with the majority to form a government, however after the Carnish civil war the Arcerion Elections Service became the executive function for assigning an electoral victory.