PREAMBLE
Birthed from the grave need for cooperation amongst the socialists of the globe, the men and women of the United People’s Front for Socialism have set forth upon a pilgrimage to achieve the most perfect manifestation of the will of the people. Being a region dedicated to democratic principles and the will of the people, the Constitution is periodically amended or replaced according to the desires of the Membership.
Articles of the Constitution
ARTICLE 1- On Executive Power
SECTION 1- The Definition of the Founder’s Authority
SECTION 2- The Definition of World Assembly Delegate’s Authority
SECTION 3 - The Definition of the UPFS Scribe’s Authority
ARTICLE 2- On Legislative Power
SECTION 1- The People’s Referendum
SECTION 2- On the Power of the Constitution
SECTION 3- The Tools for Legislative Expediency
CLAUSE 1- The Timed Voting Procedure
CLAUSE 2- Negative Voting
CLAUSE 3- Constitutional Amendments
CLAUSE 4- Tied Vote
ARTICLE 3- On Judicial Power
SECTION 1- Judicial and Investigative Powers
CLAUSE 1- Judicial Power
CLAUSE 2- Investigation
SECTION 2- The Trial
CLAUSE 1- Duties
CLAUSE 2- Structure
CLAUSE 3- Deliberation
SECTION 3- Right to Appeal
ARTICLE 4 - The Committee System
SECTION 1- The Role of the Committees
SECTION 2- The Four Permanent Committees
CLAUSE 1- Recording Committee
CLAUSE 2- Security and Intelligence Committee
CLAUSE 3- Diplomacy Committee
CLAUSE 4- Founder Committee
ARTICLE 5 - On Voluntary Associations
SECTION 1- Voluntary Brigades
SECTION 2 – The Political Party System
ARTICLE 6- On Nations’ Rights
SECTION 1- Banning and Ejection
SECTION 2- Freedom of Speech
SECTION 3- Due Process and Jury Trial
SECTION 4- Voting
ARTICLE 1- On Executive Power
In reflection of the desire to remove all elected offices from the regional structure, all business, and therefore executive power, will be wielded by ad hoc or permanent Committees made up of volunteers – except where prevented by game mechanics or otherwise delineated in this document.
SECTION 1- The Definition of the Founder’s Authority
The founder of the UPFS occupies no more an elevated a place in the region than any of its Member nations. Upon the re-boot of the UPFS in 2013, the founder nation will become a puppet, not to be owned by any one Player. The three oldest non-puppet nations in the UPFS will be granted password access to the Founder nation, provided they accept the responsibilities and duties. If any decline or otherwise become inactive, then access will be extended to the next oldest nation. Those having access will be known as the Founder Committee and the Members comprising it will be publicly known. The Founder Committee shall administer the execution of the following powers as directed by the People's Referendum and Constitution:
- eject or ban nations in the event of a raid/coup/war or outcome of a trial
to make changes to the World Factbook Entries, Tags, Embassies List and to perform any other necessary gameplay administrative tasks
suppress RMB posts which break Nation States rules or are included in a verdict, and remove posts which have been voted to be removed
to bar access to the Regional Admin from the WAD
to rule on any constitutional interpretation disputes
SECTION 2- The Definition of the World Assembly Delegate Authority
Administrative and representative power is to be decoupled from the WAD position since WA and non-WA nations deserve equal voice and influence in the region. The WAD will simply be the nation who has collected the most endorsements. The sole perquisite of holding WAD status will be the game-granted rights: i.e. to vote “in multiple” on WA and SC resolutions and approve WA proposals.
SECTION 3- The Definition of the UPFS Scribe’s Authority
A puppet nation titled some variation of “UPFS Scribe” shall be created in order to have universal editing access to all forum entries emanating from UPFS actions, i.e. the People’s Referendum. The password will be shared with all new Members. Unwanted changes and/or entries can be edited or removed democratically. While any nation will have access, the bulk of the Scribe’s duties will be handled by the Recording Committee.
ARTICLE 2- On Legislative Power
All legislative power is invested in the Member nations except where prevented by game mechanics or otherwise delineated in this document.
SECTION 1- The People’s Referendum
The People's Referendum is defined as the legislative system of UPFS, in which all nations may submit a proposal to be voted on and passed through popular support. The right to submit a proposal may not be taken away on the basis of WA Membership or length of stay in the UPFS. The only time this right may be taken away is when the nation has been both investigated by the Security and Intelligence Committee and convicted by the Members of the UPFS. Proposals are to be submitted to the Recording Committee who will then post the proposal using the Scribe nation. The topics of proposals and edits that are submitted by the Member nations of UPFS may only be restricted by previous Referendums and/or the Constitution. All defensive pacts or treaties must be voted on through the People’s Referendum. There is no matter of regional functionality that is above democracy. The very tenets of direct democracy are to forever pervade the agenda of the UPFS.
SECTION 2- On the Power of the Constitution
The Constitution of the UPFS is the highest law in the UPFS that all Member nations must follow. In other words, the Constitution of the UPFS supersedes the proposals of the People’s Referendum. The Recording Committee is responsible for maintaining and updating the forum containing the Constitution of the UPFS. All powers not mentioned in the Constitution may not be assumed until those powers have been given through a passed proposal in the People's Referendum or an amendment in the Constitution of the UPFS.
SECTION 3- The Tools for Legislative Expediency
CLAUSE 1- The Timed Voting Procedure
Timed voting procedure dictates that voting on a proposal ends at 7 pm ET, 2 days after the proposal has been submitted. If the proposal is edited in any way due to feedback from the region, the vote will start over. All votes will be cast on the RMB. Once the voting period ends, the votes will be counted and the majority of the votes will determine the fate of the proposal and/or edits. The Recording Committee can extend the voting period if the need arises but not decrease it.
CLAUSE 2- Negative Voting
Nations will be able to vote “None of the Above.” Should the most votes be cast towards the "None of the Above" option, the proposal is defeated. This is to prevent our people from being forced into an undesirable situation.
CLAUSE 3- Constitutional Amendments
An amendment has the same procedure as a proposal, with the following exceptions. A vote on an amendment must be carried out through a five day period. This voting period can be extended through a proposal or edit (insert modified roll call Referendum) An amendment is considered part of the Constitution and, therefore, has greater authority than a proposal or edit.
CLAUSE 4- Tied Vote
In the event of a tie at the end of a vote on a proposal, edit, or amendment, the proposal, edit, amendment is given the status of failed and can be brought back to vote through new edits after 10 days.
ARTICLE 3- On Judicial Power
All judicial power is invested in the Member nations except where prevented by game mechanics or otherwise delineated in this document.
SECTION 1- Judicial and Investigative Powers
CLAUSE 1- All trials will be by jury and only after due process has been given. Convictions are determined solely through a trial following an investigation. No judicial power is to be held by any single nation or Committee.
CLAUSE 2- The Security and Intelligence Committee is responsible for monitoring the constitutionality and legality (according to People’s Referendum and Nation States rules) of the actions of all nations in the UPFS. This Committee may carry out investigations at their discretion. Where applicable the Committee is responsible for bringing charges against nations to the attention of the Membership. Charges may also be brought up by any Member on the Referendum, after which the S&I Committee will conduct an investigation.
SECTION 2- The Trial
CLAUSE 1- Each trial will consist of prosecutor and the defendant. The Security and Intelligence Committee will act as prosecutor. Nations charged with the same infractions can be tried as a group. The defendant(s) may engage one other nation to represent them in the trial.
CLAUSE 2- The Committee must ensure that the charges are competent and have been communicated to the defendant. The hearing will be brought to order and timescales laid out for each section of the trial, normally 48 hours for each section. The Committee will make their opening statement laying out all of the evidence to support the charges against the defendant. The defendant (or defendant’s representative) may then make a statement of rebuttal. The prosecution will then be offered to opportunity to rebut the defense arguments. The prosecution may not introduce new material evidence at this stage. Failure to observe this proscription will in every event lead to a mistrial being declared and the defendant acquitted.
CLAUSE 3- After Clause 2 has been fulfilled, the Membership will deliberate before voting to return- a verdict and sentence where applicable. The period of deliberation will be no greater than one week after the trial has been closed. The Recording Committee will administer the trial vote.
SECTION 3- The Right to Appeal
The defendant has the right to appeal the decision by means of a special Peoples Referendum proposal, which must present new evidence. In order for the appeal to be successful, 2/3 of the Membership of UPFS must vote to overturn the decision. This vote will take place no earlier than 14 days after the original verdict.
ARTICLE 4 - The Committee System
It is to be understood that the UPFS is committed to a non-interventionist foreign policy, and that all Committees are to be limited in their actions in that respect.
SECTION 1- The Role of the Committees
Committees are made up of volunteers from UPFS. The purpose of Committee is to carry out the functions of the region. They are representative of the transition to Socialism – power in the hands of the people. . Nations may participate in as many Committees as they deem appropriate. Committees and their actions are bounded to the Constitution and the Referendum. Committees will be ad hoc unless declared permanent by this document, and will be created and dissolved by the People’s Referendum.
SECTION 2- The Four Permanent Committees
CLAUSE 1- Recording Committee
The Recording Committee is tasked with administering any regional forum page or off-site web page, the UPFS Wiki, conducting any and all votes in a timely manner and on the RMB, and directing the Founder Committee to update the WFE, as well as any other routine administrative task not requiring Founder action. This committee will also record in a suitable place any official actions (i.e. treaties, banjections etc.) of the region that are not done so by game itself.
CLAUSE 2- Security and Intelligence Committee
In addition to the duties described in Article 3, this committee is responsible for monitoring and investigating any potential or real threats to the UPFS internal or external. The Committee is permitted to create overt or covert puppets to this end. Any results of investigations or threats will be relayed to the Membership for vote before any action is taken.
CLAUSE 3- Diplomacy Committee
This Committee is authorized to represent the UPFS in all aspects of diplomacy with other nations and regions. They will review monthly the regional embassy list and recommend closure of those that in the interests of the region are no longer useful in maintaining. Any “recruiting” and or public relations activities would also be performed by this Committee.
CLAUSE 4 – Founder’s Committee
This Committee is described in Article 1 Section 1. One Member of the Committee will be responsible for entering a valid email address in the settings for the purposes of notification.
CLAUSE 5 - The activities of a Permanent Committee are suspended if they are comprised of less than two members.
ARTICLE 5 - On Voluntary Associations
SECTION 1- Voluntary Brigades
Voluntary Brigades are defined as groups of individual nations within UPFS that organize to liberate or defend other regions. Voluntary Brigades do not represent the UPFS in an official capacity.
SECTION 2- The Party System
Political parties within the UPFS are defined as organizations that promote a set of issues to better the structure and system of the UPFS. They are organizations that seek to pass legislation to promote their goals, and may structure themselves in any way they individually deem necessary. Political parties may not undermine the rights of nations as defined by the Constitution, nor coerce their Members to vote in specific ways. No nation shall be obliged to seek Membership in a political party.
Political parties are required to create their own Factbook. Links to the Factbook will be provided in the WFE. Political parties may be formed without the consent of the People's Referendum; however, they are restricted by the Constitution. Every political party must submit, on the - People’s Referendum, a Statement of Loyalty pledging that it seeks to build up the UPFS and will do nothing to undermine the security of the UPFS. Nations within political parties are still subject to the law and its consequences. Political parties within the UPFS may take any stand on any issue. Any political party deemed by the People's Referendum to be disloyal to the UPFS shall be prosecuted according to the Constitution.
ARTICLE 6 - On Nations’ Rights
SECTION 1- Banning and Ejection
A Member nation may only be banned or ejected, if it is found guilty by trial, for Nation States rule breaking or unconstitutional actions against the UPFS or UPFS hosted regions. Only the Founder Committee has the authority to ban or eject criminal nations once sentenced. Invader nations are to be banned on sight. Spies may be banned on recommendation of the Security and Intelligence Committee upon presentation of incontrovertible physical evidence. Spamming the message board is against Nation States rules and is subject to ejection. Nations warranting a second ejection will be banned.
SECTION 2- Freedom of Speech
All Member and non-Member nations in the UPFS have the right to discuss any topic on the regional message board or present and future forums hosted by the UPFS. Posts cannot be suppressed, unless they go against Nation States rules. Posts cannot be removed unless voted on.
SECTION 3- Due Process and Jury Trial
All Member nations have equal rights and are to be treated equal under the Constitution. No law or proposal may hinder the rights of individual nations or groups of nations in the UPFS. All Member nations have the right to due process and trial by jury. A jury shall consist of all non-puppet nations save the accused and any plaintiff nations.
SECTION 4- Voting
CLAUSE 1 – All voting nations have no more or less than one vote in any regional legislative decision. All non-puppet nations within UPFS have the right to vote on proposals, unless convicted by trial. External embassy requests shall be voted on by the Membership as well as internal requests to open or close an embassy.
CLAUSE 2 - All nations within UPFS have the right to serve on any Committee, save the Founder Committee, in accordance to its structure, unless convicted by trial.
CLAUSE 3 - No Player is allowed to have a vote be counted twice, especially by puppet. A puppet is defined as a nation residing in the region that is younger than any other owned by the same Player. Intentionally voting with a puppet is unconstitutional. The oldest puppet of nations in other regions is considered a Member.
CLAUSE 4 – The constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of a predetermined quorum to allow for inactive or non-voting Members. A quorum will be determined by roll call beginning 5 days before an amendment vote, only those answering the roll call will be eligible to vote, and that total comprises the quorum.