NationStates

Preamble

The nations, resident in the region formerly called the Peoples' Republic of Lazarus, hereby solemnly and mutually agree with each other, to form themselves into a free, sovereign, and independent body politic, or state by the name of "The Republic of Lazarus".

Article I - On Citizenship

1. Any person may apply for citizenship on the Regional forum by providing their current nation in the region, their current World Assembly nation, and by swearing an oath of citizenship established by law.
2. Any person who have held a World Assembly nation in Lazarus for more than a year consecutively, who are endorsing the delegate, and who have not been convicted of a crime shall be considered a citizen. They may exercise their voting rights either on the forum or through telegramming the Speaker of the Legislature or another nation so designated.
3. Any person who was a citizen of the People's Republic of Lazarus upon its dissolution shall be a citizen.
4. The delegate shall have the power to approve or reject applications for citizenship on the forum. The Delegate must post an explanation for rejection immediately in the Legislature. The Legislature may overturn such rejections with a two-thirds majority vote.
A. Should the delegate be unable to process citizenship applications, they may publicly designate a citizen with forum administrator privileges to do so. Approvals by an appointed individual may also be overturned by the Legislature with a 2/3 majority vote.
B. Should neither the delegate nor a designated individual approve a citizenship application within two weeks, the Legislature may approve it with a simple majority.
5. Citizens shall forfeit their citizenship if they voluntarily renounce it, their nation in Lazarus voluntarily leaves the region or ceases to exist, or the Court Judiciary finds them guilty of a criminal offense and revokes their citizenship as punishment. Citizens who applied for citizenship on the Regional Forum shall forfeit their citizenship if they do not log onto it for twenty-eight days.
6. Citizens may not lose their citizenship for any reason not enumerated in this article.


Article II - On the Rights of the People

1. All persons are entitled to equal protection under the law.
2. All persons are guaranteed freedom of speech, petition, peaceful association and assembly so long as their exercise does not violate the rules of NationStates or the Regional Forum's terms of use.
3. All persons are guaranteed access to the Regional Forum to the extent necessary to exercise their other rights. Access to the Regional Forum may not be infringed except for violations of its terms of service or the law.
4. No person may be banned or ejected from the region without being publicly charged with a crime unless they have violated the rules of NationStates or the policies of the Regional Message Board.
5. No person may be banned from the Regional Forum without being publicly charged with a crime unless they have violated its terms of use.
6. All persons are guaranteed the right to fair representation in a criminal trial and may not be forced to incriminate themselves.
7. All persons are guaranteed the freedom in their nations' domestic affairs, including World Assembly votes and endorsements.
8. All nations shall be permitted to maintain the following endorsements counts.
A. 30% of the Vice-Delegate's endorsement count for all residents of Lazarus.
B. 60% of the Vice-Delegate's endorsement count for nations endorsing the delegate.
C. 70% of the Vice-Delegate's endorsement count for citizens by forum application or extended residency.
D. The legislature may establish a higher cap or revert a cap to the following by simple majority vote.
E. In periods of transfer of the office of Vice-Delegate, this cap shall be calculated from the endorsee with the highest endorsement count.
9. No person may be declared guilty of a crime by law or tried for a crime retroactively.
10. No person shall be considered necessarily deprived of any rights not enumerated here.


Article III - On the Legislature

1. The Legislature shall consist of all citizens and and shall be the supreme governing authority of Lazarus.
2. The Legislature may enact, amend, or repeal laws by a simple majority vote.
3. The Legislature may ratify or repeal treaties with foreign powers negotiated by the executive by a simple majority vote, unless the treaty specifies its method of termination.
4. The Legislature shall have the sole power to amend this Constitution with a two-thirds majority vote.
5. The Legislature shall have the power to recall any official of the government with a simply majority vote, or with a 2/3 majority vote for elected officials or those approved by the legislature.
6. The Legislature may adopt its own procedural rules, and may do so with a simple majority vote.
7. The Legislature shall elect a Speaker to oversee its business.
8. The speaker may appoint deputies to aid them in their duties.
9. The legislature may establish a regional theme by a two-thirds majority vote. The theme may establish names for the offices and bodies prescribed by this Constitution, but such names shall not be construed as changing this Constitution's meaning.
10. The result of any vote of the Legislature shall be determined by counting only citizens who have voted, excluding any abstentions.


Article IV - On the Executive

1. The Delegate shall serve as the chief executive officer of the region.
2. The Delegate shall control the on-site delegacy of the region, and shall exercise its powers only as required or permitted by law.
3. No person may serve more than two consecutive terms as Delegate.
4. The Delegate shall have a Cabinet of ministers to aid them in their duties.
5. The Delegate shall nominate ministers and the Legislature may confirm such nominees by a majority vote.
6. The cabinet shall consist of the General the Army, the Minister of Internal Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Additional ministries may be established by law.
7. The Legislature may pass laws regulating the business of the ministries.
8. The Delegate may veto a proposals of the Legislature to enact, amend or repeal a law within a week of its passage. The Legislature may overturn such a veto by a two-thirds majority vote.


Article V - On the Judiciary

1. The Judiciary shall be composed of at least three justices, though a greater number may be established by law.
2. Justices may not hold an elected office or serve as ministers of the Cabinet.
3. The Delegate shall nominate justices and the Legislature may confirm such nominees by a two-thirds majority vote.
4. Once confirmed justices shall serve for a term of four months.
5. The Judiciary shall try all civil and criminal cases and determine the constitutionality of laws, treaties, and government policies.
6. The Judiciary shall make its rulings by a majority vote of its membership.
7. The procedural rules of the Judiciary shall be established by law
8. The Judiciary shall elect a Chief Justice to oversee its business from amongst its membership by majority vote.


Article VI - On Security

1. The Vice Delegate shall seek to hold the second most endorsements in the region.
2. If the office of Delegate is vacant or the Delegate is absent, the Vice Delegate shall assume the duties of the Delegate.
3. Any citizen who meets the influence and endorsement requirements established by law may apply to be an endorsee. The Legislature may approve an applicant by a two-thirds majority vote.
4. Endorsees shall maintain endorsement counts below that of the Vice Delegate, but may exceed any endorsement cap established by law.
5. A line of succession beyond the Vice Delegate among the Endorsees may be established by law.
6. The Legislature shall vote on confidence in the Endorsees every four months. Any endorse who does not receive the confidence of a majority shall be recalled.
7. Endorsees shall maintain regional security under the direction of the Vice Delegate and enforce decisions of the Legislature to remove the Delegate.


Article VII - On War and Military Affairs

1. The Lazarene Liberation Army shall be the sole military organization based in Lazarus.
2. Citizens of Lazarus are permitted to serve in foreign militaries provided they are not currently in a state of war against the region. The Lazarene Liberation Army may decide to exclude further foreign military organizations from its ranks.
3. The General of the Army shall be the operational commander of the Lazarene Liberation Army and shall serve on the Delegate's cabinet.
4. The General of the Army must be an active duty officer in the Lazarene Liberation Army, unless no officers are willing to serve or have passed confirmation by the legislature.
5. The Lazarene Liberation Army shall have two classes of ranks. These shall be officers and enlisted personnel.
A. Active officers of the People's Republic of Lazarus' Lazarene Liberation Army shall, upon the adoption of this Constitution, become officers of the Lazarene Liberation Army.
B. Officers may establish further ranks within either class by simple majority vote and determine the method of reaching each rank and of promotion to officer status.
6. The General of the Army may dismiss any member of the Lazarene Liberation Army. This may be overridden by a two/thirds majority vote of existing officers at the time of dismissal.
A. Loss of citizenship shall result in dismissal from the Lazarene Liberation Army and forfeiture of an officer commission.
7. Votes among officers shall be tallied based on the number of officers voting.
8. The General of the Army may accept applications to join the Lazarene Liberation Army as an enlisted member.
9. Lazarus shall enter a state of war with a foreign region or organization following a simply majority vote in the legislature or a declaration of war being received by the Delegate.
10. The Lazarene Liberation Army may not raid outside of Warzone regions or regions involved in an ongoing war with Lazarus.


Article VIII - On Elected Offices

1. The Speaker, Delegate and Vice-Delegate shall be considered elected offices.
2. Elections for elected offices shall be held every four months.
3. Any person who is a citizen at the beginning of nominations for an election may vote in it. Any citizen who is has registered on the Regional Forums at the beginning of nominations for an election may stand as a candidate in it.
4. Voters shall cast their ballots for a single candidate. If a candidate has a majority of votes, they shall be elected to the office. If no candidate has a majority of votes, a run-off shall be held between the two candidates with the most votes. The candidate with the most votes in the run-off shall be elected to the office.

Article IX - On the Forum and Lazarene Symbols

1. The regional forum shall be located at http://s15.zetaboards.com/NSLazarus/index/
2. The administration of the forum in matters not addressed in the Constitution shall be the prerogative of its administrators.
3. The regional flag shall be the image located at (INSERT HERE). It may be changed for a period of up to a week at a time for cultural events.
4. The symbol of Lazarus shall be the phoenix.

Pollaetorian wrote:7. All persons are guaranteed the freedom in their nations' domestic affairs, including World Assembly votes and endorsements.

Hmpf. I wish Nationstatesers would have enough political courage to start enforcing this matters. It's the final frontier in the game, forcing people to vote and run their nation a particular way.

Kazmr wrote:
Article I - On Citizenship

1. Any person may apply for citizenship on the Regional forum by providing their current nation in the region, their current World Assembly nation, and by swearing an oath of citizenship established by law.
2. Any person who have held a World Assembly nation in Lazarus for more than a year consecutively, who are endorsing the delegate, and who have not been convicted of a crime shall be considered a citizen. They may exercise their voting rights either on the forum or through telegramming the Speaker of the Legislature or another nation so designated.

Todd McCloud wrote:

Kazmr wrote:
Article I - On Citizenship

1. Any person may apply for citizenship on the Regional forum by providing their current nation in the region, their current World Assembly nation, and by swearing an oath of citizenship established by law.
2. Any person who have held a World Assembly nation in Lazarus for more than a year consecutively, who are endorsing the delegate, and who have not been convicted of a crime shall be considered a citizen. They may exercise their voting rights either on the forum or through telegramming the Speaker of the Legislature or another nation so designated.

Just reading this over, but how do clauses 1 and 2 read together? Does this mean that one must have a WA in Lazarus for one year in order to be considered for citizenship?