Democracy and Freedom Index (CLOSED)

[The Great Imperator Jeffrey]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected?: The God-Imperator (both head of state and government) was not selected and came to power in a coup trillions of years ago
How is the national legislature selected?: The powerless legislature filled with 100 puppets is elected by male, human landowners in a completely rigged election
Are elections considered free and fair?: No
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 50% of eligible humans voted, voting is optional

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory?: The God-Imperator has full control over everything (though he isn't elected as said before)
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?: The legislature has no power. The God-Imperator passes all laws
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)?: The God-Imperator passes all laws, and also exercises the ability to do a dissolution of the Senate
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated): 1, accepting bribes is considered treason
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 1, the government has no responsibility to report anything to the public
Is there an independent judiciary? No, the God-Imperator interprets his laws, for his word is law.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?: No, all media is controlled by the government
Is there freedom of religion?: No, you must worship the God-Imperator
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?: No, education is full of indoctrination
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution?: No, dissent is punishable by death
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?: No, protests are punishable by death
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice?: No, due process doesn't exist and there is no trial by jury.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?: No, international travel is not allowed. However, they may freely move within the country.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)?: No, marriage partners must be approved by the government (and your choice could get you arrested based on a few factors). Freedom over appearance is mostly given as well as freedom of family size. Domestic violence is not very common.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?: Yes, however, the government reserves to right to take property without compensation.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined?: Species (we do have aliens here) and nationality (human immigrants are usually considered second-class citizens)
Who is able to vote in elections?: Male human landowners vote for the Senate
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally?: Women are not allowed to vote, aliens (usually referred to as xenos) are enslaved, LGBTs are executed, xeno-human hybrids (usually referred to as half xenos) are executed, and immigrants are considered second-class citizens
Are the above groups well represented in government?: Not at all

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group?: The government does ethnic cleansing all the time. Half xenos and LGBTs are executed, being viewed as impurities in the master race. Xenos are also often killed in order to control their population.
[hr]
Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Islaevia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The head of state is elected through a majority vote in the unicameral legislature (the People's Council). The head of state tasks the leader of a parliamentary coalition (usually the largest one) with the formation of a government, that must be approved through a majority vote in the People's Council. If it receives enough support, the leader of the coalition becomes head of the government.
How is the national legislature selected? Elected at least every 5 years through proportional representation.
Are elections considered free and fair? Elections have been described by international observers as "mostly free, but grossly unfair". The authoritarian Islaevian Socialist Party (ISP) enjoys substantial advantage over all other parties, including gerrymandered electoral constituences, abuse of state administrative resources, disproportionate and opaque access to funding, overlap of official and electoral activities, lack of media impartiality, and outright control of most institutions. Crude electoral violations, such as ballot stuffing, are rare.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Voting is not mandatory. Turnout was 41%.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? National representatives are not freely elected. All policy is crafted by the ISP behind closed doors and then rushed through parliament.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Amendments to the Constitution need the support of 2/3 MPs. The legislature has no other major restrictions when it comes to lawmaking.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? The legislature is effectively a rubber-stamp.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 7
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 3
Is there an independent judiciary? The judiciary is corrupt and subject to political pressure.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Independent media does exist at the local and regional levels, but at the national level the media market is overwhelmingly dominated by state-owned progovernment outlets.
Is there freedom of religion? There are a number of restrictions around religion, such as bans on certain religious clothing and punitive taxation. Authorities closely monitor places of worship, particularly of minority religions, and many have been closed with little justification or avenues to challenge the decisions. Nontraditional groups are harassed, and objection of conscience is not recognized, leading many to face arrest if they evade conscription on religious grounds.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Political activity within university campuses is illegal. The ban is enforced through permanent security presences, but is largely ignored by the ISP with impunity. Students have been arbitrarily expelled or arrested for expressing dissent, and professors and academics face legal harassment if they refuse to follow the government's narrative on political issues.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes in private, not in public spaces, including the Internet.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Freedom of assembly is harshly restricted. Massive security presences in major cities, and police blockings and crackdowns discourage unauthorized demonstrations, even if public permits are not formally required for public gatherings. Demonstrations that support the ISP or pose little threat to the authorities are generally allowed to proceed.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Due process is routinely disregarded in cases with political overtones. Abuse in custody remains a problem, but the government has made several attempts at addressing it.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Freedom of movement is subject to important restrictions, particularly in major cities at night, where secret police officials and informants are known to patrol the streets and threaten, illegally detain or forcibly disappear those deemed to be engaged in drug trafficking, "unapproved nightlife" or opposing the government. Authorities reportedly keep a secret blacklist of people banned from leaving the country.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Same-sexual activity is illegal. The government provides some protection to victims of domestic violence but has also supressed civil society's efforts to raise awareness of the issue. Sexual harassment of women in public spaces and in the workplace is rife.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?The state dominates most of the economy, making it difficult for the small, marginalized and overregulated private sector to compete. Private enterprise is outright banned in key sectors, and where it is permitted it is generally dominated by ISP-loyal cronies.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Either parent is a citizen or 5 years of legal residency in the country. "Legal residency" is a bit ambiguous which at times allows for arbitrary denial of citizenship to immigrants.
Who is able to vote in elections? All citizens aged 18 or more.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Women enjoy formal legal equality, but protections from discrimination are only nominal and largely cosmetic. In practice, they face societal and governmental discrimination. The LGBT community is criminalized and faces harsh treatment from authorities and social hostility and stigma; LGBT people are particularly vulnerable to illegal secret police raids and enforced disappearences. Unequal treatment of ethnic and religious minorities persists.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at all levels of the government. The LGBT community is criminalized, precluding its open participation in politics, and parties and organizations defending their interests are frequently subject to politically motivated reprisals.

[Plaetopia]

Updated, except Narvatus as the questionnare is not fully filled at the moment. EDIT: Narvatus's questionnare seems now completed, and the nation was consequently ranked.

There's a problem with your application: Q17 "Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?" is unreplied. Provisionally, the North German Realm will be assigned the maximum possible score, based on all other replies and assuming a score of 1 in Q17.

Apologies. Edited.

No problem. North German Realm's definitive score is 5.83.

[Dushan]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Imperatrix Zelina Mandakh suceeded her late husband Lord Kalan II. on the throne as by ancient custom. Her sucession was later and retroactively approved by the Great Council. De-jure Dushan is an elective constitutional monarchy.
How is the national legislature selected? The Great Council is assembled by representatives of the various Banners of the Dushan, of whom each does represent a realm, noble houses, order, settled worlds or other kind of political entity.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes; however each Banner has their own ways in choosing their representatives who have also usually imperative mandate. The concept of competitive popularity contests in the western democratic sense is unknown to the political system of the Dushan. Among the closest system to the dushani form of governance in european history would be the Most Serene Republic of Venice.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? N/A, voting is not mendatory

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Limited, due the nature of imperative mandate. Most of them are directly answering to their respective Banner of whom they are representing interests.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The Great Council has the primary legislative initiative, despite some functions thereof are techncially delegated to other bodies, specifically the Permanent Regency Command Council which is an extension of the Great Council and de-facto acts as a executive equivalent.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? Yes, the ruler has wideranging powers and can issue decrees and the likes. He or she cannot, however, pass permanent laws (they have ultimatively to be ratified) and has very limited power over the imperial budget. Such is the privilege of the Great Council. A dissolution is not technically possible. The Great Council however rarely meets, and most day-to-day business is taken care by the local governors and magistrates. Some of its powers have therefore been delegated to specific other bodies who take care of it in it's name.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 4.2 - Despite several safeguards against corruption exist, this hasn't prevented repeated attempts of influence of political process by powerful cabals of aristocracies, oligarchies, secret cults and various organs of the state itself.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 4.4 - Dushani governance techniques are notoriously complicated and intransparent, less by design and intent but rather by their arcane workings, are often for outsiders difficult to understand.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes. Theres various private and public media outlets across the realms, though the details vary depending on the jurisdictation.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, though some religions may be looked down upon with suspicion.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Education is traditionally free of political interference and propaganda
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes; as the dushani believe that oppression thereof does lead to worse
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Theres relatively few restructions on those matters. Details vary on the jurisdiction.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes, except in cases where national security is endangered
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Generally yes. However a few areas are off-limits or require special permit. Though this is rare.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes, dushani enjoy a high degree of freedom in their individual lives. Arranged marriages are not uncommon in many of the realms however, but ultimatively the decision rests with the individual. Domestic violence is relatively uncommon and it is seen as dishonorable and embarassing occurance.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes, theres stringent and reliable legislation in place for those matters.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? By blood and service (that means either ancestry or service in the Dushan Armed Forces or another military formation. Acquisition of citizenship is also possible through marriage and in some cases naturalization, or when it is being granted or acquired otherwise)
Who is able to vote in elections? All dushani are usually able to vote their own respective constitutencies... and thus indirectly up to the Great Council.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? For the most part, yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No
[hr]
Any suggestions for future editions of the index? A additional misc field

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? A additional misc field

What questions would fit in a misc field? Or would it be just for additional notes (in which case scoring can be difficult)?

[The Great-German Empire]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected?
Head of State - Emperor, hereditary. Head of Government - Imperial Chancellor, elected by Reichstag majority.
How is the national legislature selected?
The Reichstag is elected by a type of mixed-member proportional representation. Suffrage is universal over 18, ballot is direct and secret.
The Bundesrat (Equivalent to the US Senate or the [OOC]German Bundesrat) is composed of delegates sent by each German federal state and utilizes degressive proportionality to determine seats held by each state.
Are elections considered free and fair?
Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory?
Turnout for the September '18 election was 84.5%. Voting is voluntary.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory?
Yes and yes.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
The Reichstag has the initiative. Any law passed in the Reichstag can be put to a referendum either via a petition (Limited to six such laws per three-month period, highest signature count given priority) or via Emperor's decree (Unlimited; may be blocked by 2/3 of the house). Constitutional amendments require a two thirds' majority in both houses.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)?
Yes. The Emperor has the ability to dissolve the Reichstag through a regular decree, but this also means that Reichstag can block its own dissolution by 2/3 vote. The Reichstag cannot dissolve itself, however.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
2. There have been several re-organizations of the bureaucracy recently, so corrupt schemes have not formed there at this point; And, of course, all actions and transactions done in the name of the government are monitored and checked. The War Office and Office for the Interior constantly spy on each other, as well, so nobody gets far.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
8. The government and military keeps a rather large amount of secrets about recent conflicts such as the Civil War in 1994 and the Transvaal War in '04-'05, and new military tech is also kept sercet; The civil government is very open, however, with public budgets, acts, etc. There are seldom any 'Cabinet meetings' because the government is non-collegiate, and thus the Chancellor and Emperor usually communicate with each other and the Secretaries of State (appointed ministers) one by one.
Is there an independent judiciary?
Yes, there is. Notably, the German Supreme Court has recently become less dependent on the other branches because the judges are appointed by states and not by the national executive.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes - in fact, there is no longer federally-funded mass media, period.
Is there freedom of religion?
Yes. The federal government is secular, and while some of the states have a designated religion or church, none let it affect the process of government.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
Yes, it is. There are guidelines which apply to private and public schools alike which require political impartiality on the educators' part.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution?
Yes.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?
Yes to all three. Permits to use public space for protests are shall-issue in absence of clear violations.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice?
Yes to both.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
Yes, German citizens have freedom of movement and of international travel, and the Imperial Foreign Office works to ensure the fair treatment of citizens abroad.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearance? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)?
Yes. Apart from adhering to basic decency laws, Germans are free to present themselves however they want. They can choose their marriage (Or union if same-sex) partners freely, as long as said marriage or union is with one person; large families are subsidized.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Yes, and property rights are very well-protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined?
An infant is a German citizen by birth if at least one of his parents is German (regardless of place of birth), OR if he is born on German soil AND one of his parents is a non-tourist resident. Long-term German residents can also go through a naturalization process.
Who is able to vote in elections?
All German citizens, but not a single non-citizen.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally?
The sexes are treated equally, so are races and ethnicities. Nonstandard sexualities have leftover stigma but no government discrimination, while gender reassignment is not recognized as citizens are classified by biological sex.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
Women are well-represented, and so are ethnic minorities where their actual numbers are large (such as Reichstag constituencies located in Germany's federal states that are located in Africa and Oceania). Nonstandard sexualities appear to be underrepresented, but since not all of them have gone public their actual numbers are difficult to estimate.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group?
No, but such a policy used to be in place for the overseas territories - particularly those that have been made into German states. While Africans and native Oceanians are still the majority in both cases, there are plenty of European Germans in all overseas states.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? More on the executive. I mean, the arrangement of power between the Head of State and Head of Government can vary vastly between states.

[Kabzeel]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? After the passing of successor (Queen), democratic election (President - HoS), legislature election (Prime Minister - HoG)
How is the national legislature selected? democratic vote - then winners choose Prime Minister
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 75% and no

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? With over 50% support and Queen's signature, yes
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes - over 50% support and Queen's signature
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? Yes
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? Less than 5, corruption maintains the government's primary focus and is punished accordingly
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? 7+, the government prides itself on its national and international openness to the public
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes, and it is represented by the Queen

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes alongside a predominate state-run media as well
Is there freedom of religion? Yes
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes, in fact it's encouraged - though not too much
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Birthright and naturalization
Who is able to vote in elections? Citizens and immigrants who have lived in the country for 5+ years
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Legally yes
Are the above groups well represented in government?Attempts continue to be met in achieving this

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No
[hr]
Any suggestions for future editions of the index? Not at the moment

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? More on the executive. I mean, the arrangement of power between the Head of State and Head of Government can vary vastly between states.

Agreed. This is particularly relevant in monarchies, because if the monarch is just a largely symbolic head of state, then the fact that it is an unelected office isn't that relevant.

[Gandoor]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The Prime Minister, who is both head of state and head of government of the Democratic Republic, is, traditionally, the leader of the largest party in the Forum following a National Election, which occurs every six years. It must be stated that there is no requirement that a political party nominate their party leader, the law only requires that the nominee must be a Member of the Forum at the time of the election.
How is the national legislature selected? All 1000 Members of the Forum are elected via the D'hondt method of party-list proportional representation. Our eight administrative divisions are divided into electoral districts, which send between two and ten Members to the Forum, with each administrative division sending a total 125 Members.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Our most recent elections had an 83.2% turnout. Voting is entirely voluntary in the Democratic Republic.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Yes to both questions.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes. Legislation must be signed by the Prime Minister in order to pass into law (this serves as a check, as the Forum is a unicameral parliament), although in the event the Prime Minister refuses to sign a piece of legislation, the Forum can vote to sign in it lieu of them, which requires a 60% vote in favour. Constitutional amendments must pass by a 70% vote in favour in a public referendum.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? No
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 2/10 -Corruption in the Democratic Republic is extremely low, primarily due to long-standing and heavily-enforced laws criminalising it.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8.5 - All government activity, sans activity concerning national security considered to be matters of 'state secrecy' is made available to the public in some form, which can range from publicly available transcripts or recordings to formal requests for the release of information under the auspices of the Access to Public Information Act of 1982.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, although the freedom of religion does not grant rights to discriminate against others as part of your religious beliefs.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes to all questions.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes to both questions.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes to all questions.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes to all questions. Domestic violence is incredibly rare.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes to both questions.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Citizenship by birth is granted to anyone born to at least one parent who holds Gandoorese citizenship, regardless if they were born in Gandoor or not. A child born in Gandoor who would otherwise be stateless at birth is also granted Gandoorese citizenship. Foreigners may earn Gandoorese citizenship following a naturalization process which requires them to have lived in Gandoor for a certain number of years, obtained a permanent residency status for a number of years, demonstrating a fluency in at least one of our three official languages, and passing a citizenship test. (There are, of course, other methods to earning citizenship, a foreign-born child adopted by two Gandoorese parents would automatically be granted citizenship upon turning 20 years of age, as an example)
Who is able to vote in elections? All citizens of the Democratic Republic aged 20 or older who have registered to vote and are not in prison at the time of election. Imprisoned citizens have their right to vote restored immediately upon release.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? No

[Plaetopia]

Updated. Gandoor received the highest score yet.

[Timuria]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The Head of State (The Vizier) is elected by a majority of MPs in the Parliament by a preferential ballot if there are more than 2 nominated candidates. Anyone can be nominated for Vizier so long as they are above the age of 25 and 40 of the 550 MPs nominate the individual. The Head of Government (The Prime Minister) is the individual given the mandate to form a government by the Vizier, usually the leader of the largest party/the party or individual most likely to be able to command a majority in the parliament.
How is the national legislature selected? They are elected in 550 constituencies by the alternative vote method, requiring the winning candidate to have 50%+1 of the vote in their constituency.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Turnout was 81% and no

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Yes to both.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Legislation must be signed by the Prime Minister and the Vizier, if the Vizier refuses to sign a law, it is returned to the parliament to be voted on/amended. If the law is unacceptable to the Vizier a second time, it is sent to the Collective Constitutional Court, who decide if the law violates the constitution or not. If not the law is passed without the consent of the Vizier. Constitutional amendments require a 50% vote in the parliament to go to a referendum or a 66% super-majority to be passed by the parliament though it will go through the same approval process with the Vizier as before, though if he refuses twice it will automatically go to a referendum.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? No
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 2, due to the generous nature of the government and the heavy penalties for getting caught, there is little motivation for corruption.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8 All government activity except those that directly affect security or are deemed "Protected matters" by the 2/3rds of the parliament are available to the public in written and online form.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion? Yes
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Mostly, people may be required to work in "essential" industries if they are currently unemployed or in "unproductive" labour for a short period though they are paid in full for their work and allowed to return to their previous job/lack thereof if they choose not to continue.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes, equal marriage is legal and domestic violence is almost unheard of.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? No, the economy is a combination of direct government and arms length government owned concerns, with full rights of workers to organise democratically and a majority of workers on the boards of the companies. Personal property is protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? By birth, blood or residence of 1 year or more.
Who is able to vote in elections? Citizens over the age of 16
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes, mandated by quotas set out in the constitution.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? No

[The United Chinese Republic]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The head of state (President) is elected in national elections by all citizens, including those under incarceration and those living abroad. The head of government (Premier) is appointed by the President. The Premier then appoints the Ministers.
How is the national legislature selected? The country is divided into numerous provinces, and each province must elect 5 Representatives who must be from the same party, so basically you are voting for a party and not a candidate. There is only one House, the House of Representatives, who is led by the Speaker of the House who is elected by the House.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? The voter turnout for the last election is estimated to be from 85% to 95%. Voting is not mandatory but extremely encouraged.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to successfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Yes and yes, fully.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Constitutional amendments are required to be voted upon by all (or at least most) citizens, while all laws (including constitutional amendments) need the signature of the Speaker of the House and the President to become law. In practice they just sign everything though.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? The President can dissolve the House if a National State of Emergency is declared; however, a National State of Emergency needs to be established by a vote of the Ministers and/or a vote of the House itself. The Supreme Court can also rule a declaration of NSE unconstitutional, though it needs to be an unanimous vote. Basically it's impossible to dissolve the House unless everyone agrees on it.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 0, because while a handful of Representatives have been taking bribes from corporations, it has been recently illegalized and all offenders have been arrested.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8, all government activity except for classified discussions and documents is freely available to the public.
Is there an independent judiciary? As in a separate branch of government, yes. But if you mean a wholly independent one separate from government, then no.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Despite our in-game policies, yes.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, though the government is secular.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Indeed.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Mostly - protest is tolerated, but if the disruption is enough to interfere with government operations and public life, then it can be met with police resistance and the protest leaders can be arrested for public disturbance, though they often get away with it. Of course, declarations of independence are not tolerated at all and will be met with force.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? See above
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Due process of law? Yes.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes, though some certain places may be blocked off if there is high amounts of terrorism or other things detrimental
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Mostly yes - same-sex marriage is currently unrecognized but homosexuality is not a crime. Divorce is currently illegal but there are strong efforts to change that within the government. Domestic violence is very rare.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes, but as we are socialist, large corporations and other businesses are heavily taxed. Property rights are protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Birth or registration (i.e. you need to live in the country before you can become a citizen; this is achieved via a Permanent Residence status, like Singapore).
Who is able to vote in elections? Everyone above the age of 18
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes, but note that minorities are given more autonomy (though not too much, as it has led to rebellion)
Are the above groups well represented in government? While the government is mainly made up of Han Chinese at the moment, there is no discrimination against minorities and others running in government.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? Nope!

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? It's good, thank you for this

[Sajnur]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The President (head of state) is directly elected by eligible voters. The Prime Minister (head of government) is elected by the House of Assembly.
How is the national legislature selected? The House of Assembly is elected by voters under MMP, wherein voters choose a candidate to represent their constituency and also vote for a party which will be represented in proportion to their party votes if they win either 2% of the vote or an electorate. The Senate is elected by STV, with 16 seats in each province.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Turnout averages 80-85%, but voting is not mandatory.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? National representatives can and regularly do develop and implement new policies, and government authority does extend over the entirety of Sajnuran territory
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The legislature has the legislative initiative. The President can veto laws, but the veto can be overridden by a 5/8 majority of both houses. The constitution can only be amended when an amendment is voted for in a referendum by a majority of Sajnuran voters and a majority of votes in a majority of provinces (presently seven). An amendment can be put to referendum by ordinary legislation passed by an enhanced quorum or by a minimum number of signatures by Sajnuran voters.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? Other than the veto, the President's only unilateral power over the legislature is the ability to dissolve it if a Prime Minister has not been selected after six months, and this power has never been exercised in the modern Sajnuran state.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 2/10. While penalties for corruption are not especially harsh, given Sajnur's relative ambivalence towards it, all monetary donations and gifts must be declared within 4 days and will be made publicly accessible and undeclared donations will result in penalties which will in practice seriously damage one's political career.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10/10. All meetings, bills, and votes are recorded by dedicated staff and all records are made publicly available.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes, and yes.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Nationality of parents, birth in Sajnur, naturalisation.
Who is able to vote in elections? All citizens aged at least 16, and those aged at least 16 who have held permanent residency for at least four years.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Plaetopia]

Updated. Both nations classified as Free.

EDIT: Sajnur was too classified as Free, with a record-high score of 9.85.

[The Land of the Ephyral]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? | The head of state and head of government positions are fused into the position of Archon. Archons are elected to decennial terms via national elections through the tribal assemblies.

How is the national legislature selected? | Through the same process as the Archon. The tribal assemblies elect candidates to various political offices on a ladder, upon the completion of which they attain membership into the legislative Senate.

Are elections considered free and fair? | Not as is commonly understood. In the sense of 'free' that who you vote for remains secret, there is no cultural emphasis on the secret ballot and a desire to keep one's political affiliations a secret is seen as subversive and suspicious by the general citizenry. If a citizen cannot be openly proud about his political allegiances then it is believed he is acting dishonestly and negatively. As for 'fair', there are no registered political parties to contest results or hold rallies, though individual candidates are free to do so and campaign by other means.

Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? | Voter turnout is not recorded as the weight of voting is concentrated in the tribal blocs, not the citizens who comprise them. It is however believed to be high for the reason about mandatory voting. There is no mandatory voting in Ephyra but citizens with the right to exercise that vote are considered stupid if they don't do so.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to successfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? | The Freehold does not understand the first question as it is too vague. Government authority extends over all national territory but is delegated to sub-authorities who answer to the central authority.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? | The Freehold must again regrettably inform the surveyor that the first question posed is not sufficiently explained to be understood. The closest concept to a constitution in Ephyral law are the Anomedic Tablets, a series of laws inspired from the Classical Era developed by the first Archon of the SFLE. These, alongside the culturally understood customs, are what proposed laws are measured against to see if they are valid. The Senate's law may be overturned in the event that the presiding Archon is granted excess power in times of crisis. All law must also pass through the tribal assemblies, and if it does not, the law does not become valid even if the Senate has passed it.

Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? | Yes, in some circumstances.

From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? | 3-4. Bribes constitute the most common form but this is not recognised as corruption in Ephyra. We do not solicit bribes, but an exchange of gifts to encourage a mutually beneficial goal is seen as quite acceptable.

From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? | 5.

Is there an independent judiciary? | No.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? | No. Free press is regarded as abhorrent.

Is there freedom of religion? | Yes. So long as the religion in question is not mandating its followers to take hostile actions against the Freehold then residents and citizens may worship whatever they wish.

Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? | No. But there is not a single education system in this universe that is.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? | Dissent yes. Treason no.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? | If permission is received from local authorities and the protests are non-violent, yes.

Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? | Only for citizens, and yes.

Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? | This varies from yes to no depending on the status of the resident.

Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearance? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? | Cross-dressing is illegal. Nudity is also prohibited. Other forms of immoral dress may lead to arrest at the discretion of law enforcement. Marriages in Ephyra are typically arranged by the family, of which there is no maximum size limit. Domestic violence is illegal in Ephyra but we have no database for recording how common it is.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? | If they are citizens, yes.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? | One is an Ephyral citizen if both parents are recognised as married citizens. The mother's status may be beneath that of citizen, but if she holds the right of marriage to a citizen then offspring produced are citizens. Children fathered by a citizen male on a non-citizen woman with whom no contract of marriage exists inherit the mother's status. Children fathered on a citizen woman by a non-citizen man receive citizenship if there is a contract of marriage, but inherit the status of the father if the contract is absent. Citizenship may also be granted by order of the state upon communities or individuals for services rendered.

Who is able to vote in elections? | Freeborn adult citizen men of sufficient property worth. Slaves and freedpersons, children, non-citizens, women, and those who would otherwise meet qualifications but have insufficient property are denied suffrage.

Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? | No, because we do not recognise any such principle. Women are subject to higher paternal authority than their brothers beyond age of majority, and are passive when it comes to the issue of marriage. They do not vote or stand for office or have any legitimate role in the public sphere. They are however afforded greater legal protections from physical harm, murder, and rape. The concept of the 'LGBT community' is itself a lie because the groups listed within have virtually no relation to one another. Homosexuality is not recognised to exist as our sexual dichotomy emphasises only the masculine and feminine roles. A man is expected to fulfil the former and a woman can only ever fulfil the latter. If a man takes the feminine role with another man then he is effeminate and womanly, subject to social scorn. A citizen man's social reputation is not impacted by which sex the feminine partner is, only so long as he retains the masculine.

One might consider this a manifested form of social bisexuality but this is not the position of the people or culture. Female-on-female sexual relations are not noted because by classical definitions of sex, it cannot even take place. Transgenderism is essentially unheard of in the Freehold and is rightly treated as a psychological disorder if it manifests.

Non-Selian ethnic groups are not denied the same opportunities as the native Selians of our culture so long as their social class is suitable, but we will always emphasise that the greatness of our civilisation came from the minds of our sophisticated Selian ancestors, and not barbarians whom we have since elevated.

As for class. There are Ephyral citizens, Lykosian semi-citizens, metic foreigners, provincial subjects, and slaves, listed in their order of hierarchy. Ephyral citizenship is the definition of available rights in the Freehold, and access to them is reduced the further down this chain you go, with slaves lacking even self-ownership.

Are the above groups well represented in government? | We take the position that representation in government is inherently anti-democratic, as it wishes to ensure equal numbers of people who possess a certain characteristic and not the choice of the people of whom they wish to represent them. There are no women in government. There is no tally on how many men in government prefer men sexually, as it is of no issue unless they take the feminine role themselves. Any Senator or member of government who admitted transgenderism would be immediately forced from office to undergo treatment. There are non-Selian Senators, but this is not thought of as important enough to keep tally of.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to successfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? | The Freehold does not understand the first question as it is too vague. Government authority extends over all national territory but is delegated to sub-authorities who answer to the central authority.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? | The Freehold must again regrettably inform the surveyor that the first question posed is not sufficiently explained to be understood. The closest concept to a constitution in Ephyral law are the Anomedic Tablets, a series of laws inspired from the Classical Era developed by the first Archon of the SFLE. These, alongside the culturally understood customs, are what proposed laws are measured against to see if they are valid. The Senate's law may be overturned in the event that the presiding Archon is granted excess power in times of crisis. All law must also pass through the tribal assemblies, and if it does not, the law does not become valid even if the Senate has passed it.

First question: if and only if national representatives are freely elected, are they able to develop and implement new policies succesfully, or are they unable to pass/amend/repeal laws because of severe political deadlock, or lack of government control over the territory?

Second question: does the legislature have the power to start drafting new laws on its own, or does it depend on other offices (such as the executive) to do so?

[The Land of the Ephyral]

Updated.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to successfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? | The Freehold does not understand the first question as it is too vague. Government authority extends over all national territory but is delegated to sub-authorities who answer to the central authority.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? | The Freehold must again regrettably inform the surveyor that the first question posed is not sufficiently explained to be understood. The closest concept to a constitution in Ephyral law are the Anomedic Tablets, a series of laws inspired from the Classical Era developed by the first Archon of the SFLE. These, alongside the culturally understood customs, are what proposed laws are measured against to see if they are valid. The Senate's law may be overturned in the event that the presiding Archon is granted excess power in times of crisis. All law must also pass through the tribal assemblies, and if it does not, the law does not become valid even if the Senate has passed it.

First question: if and only if national representatives are freely elected, are they able to develop and implement new policies succesfully, or are they unable to pass/amend/repeal laws because of severe political deadlock, or lack of government control over the territory?

Second question: does the legislature have the power to start drafting new laws on its own, or does it depend on other offices (such as the executive) to do so?

1A | If by national representatives you mean the executive branch, then yes they are able to implement new policies successfully. If you mean the legislative branch then they are able to pass / amend / repeal laws as per democratic process of Senatorial vote and tribal assembly.

2A | The legislature does have the power to being drafting new laws independently but this does not guarantee their success on the Senate floor nor at the tribal assemblies. The Freehold thanks you for clearing up these questions and hopes the answers are satisfactory.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

First question: if and only if national representatives are freely elected, are they able to develop and implement new policies succesfully, or are they unable to pass/amend/repeal laws because of severe political deadlock, or lack of government control over the territory?

Second question: does the legislature have the power to start drafting new laws on its own, or does it depend on other offices (such as the executive) to do so?

1A | If by national representatives you mean the executive branch, then yes they are able to implement new policies successfully. If you mean the legislative branch then they are able to pass / amend / repeal laws as per democratic process of Senatorial vote and tribal assembly.

2A | The legislature does have the power to being drafting new laws independently but this does not guarantee their success on the Senate floor nor at the tribal assemblies. The Freehold thanks you for clearing up these questions and hopes the answers are satisfactory.

The government of Plaetopia considers the above answers satisfactory, and wishes to further clarify that "national representatives" refers to both the executive and legislative branches. An independent panel has reviewed the Land of the Ephyral's score based on previously saved data and the updated questionnare provided, and, after much deliberation, it remains unchanged at 3.67.

[The Sherpa Empire]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The head of state is a hereditary monarch, the head of government is chosen by the legislature
How is the national legislature selected? Elections. Each province or territory gets a set number of representatives, usually 3 per province
Are elections considered free and fair? there is not much vote-tampering, but there are some dirty campaign tactics
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? About 50%, voting is optional

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory?They can pass new laws. Whether they are enforced effectively is hit or miss. There's a pretty large black market because some officials can be bribed to turn a blind eye.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The hereditary aristocracy and religious authorities can strike down laws or remove legislators, but they only do this rarely. Amending the constitution would require consent from the Dalai Lama and the Emperor, or some kind of revolution.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? They can strike down laws or remove individual legislators, but the legislature controls the budget, and attempting to dissolve the whole legislature would not be accepted. Attempting to dissolve the legislature would trigger a massive political crisis, possibly even civil war.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? 7. Many officials can be bribed to ignore minor crimes, black market activity, and such. However, they do not usually demand bribes from law-abiding citizens, and there are some officials who do not take bribes. It's enough for a large black market to exist, but you have to be somewhat quiet about it because there are a few honest cops, and the authorities will crack down when the sleaze gets visible enough to be embarrassing.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? 5. There is some wrangling behind closed doors, especially negotiating the division of power between hereditary, elected, and religious leaders -- but there are also many things that are out in the open and there are channels for people to contact their representatives.
Is there an independent judiciary?Not really. The lower courts are independent, but the higher ones are under the control of religious and hereditary authorities.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Sort of. There are private publications, but there is also some censorship. Censorship mostly targets obscene content, hate speech, and calls for violence. It is possible to criticize the government publicly.
Is there freedom of religion? Mostly. There is a state religion, but other religions are permitted.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? To some extent. You can write anti-government blog posts till the cows come home, but causing a ruckus in the street or calling for violence may land you in hot water.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Freedom of assembly is not an explicitly protected right, but it's not illegal either. Protesters are sometimes ordered to disperse. If you are ordered to disperse and you don't, the police will sometimes retaliate. But they won't fire into a crowd or start making arrests without talking to the protesters first and giving them a chance to break it up. Protesting itself is not illegal, only refusing to disperse.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Public nudity is illegal. Arranged marriages are not enforced by the government, but they do happen as a result of social pressure. Domestic violence is illegal, but it still happens sometimes.

Marriage laws vary by province. The national law is that marriages must have a minimum of one man and one woman, but you may have up to 4 additional partners. 1 man and 5 women: no problem. 5 men and 1 woman: no problem. 3 men and 3 women: highly taboo, but still technically legal. 2 men and no women: banned.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Anyone born in the Empire is a citizen, and anyone who can prove they are ethnically Sherpa has a "right of return." The right of return is specifically for Sherpas, not the other ethnic groups that live in the Empire.
Who is able to vote in elections? Citizens over 16.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? The hereditary aristocracy have some special privileges, there is a state religion, and "right of return" only applies to ethnic Sherpas. Other than that, everyone officially has equal rights. Unofficially, some discrimination exists.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Women, LGBT, and ethnic minorities are underrepresented -- though it is legal for them to run for office.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No. There are some fringe groups that would like to, but the government cracks down on them if they gain too much traction.

---

[Anollasia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? National elections
How is the national legislature selected? National elections
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Voting is voluntary, voter turnout is usually around 80%

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Yes to both
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes; laws can be passed if the majority of the elected legislature vote in favour of it. Laws may be blocked by court if it violates the constitution. Constitutions can only be amended via national referendum.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? No
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? 1. There are anti-corruption laws which are strictly enforced and due to government transparency, any corruption is often visible to the public.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? 9. Transparency is among the government's principles and strives to keep the people informed about what the government is doing and not do anything dishonest.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion? Yes
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Completely free inside the country, proper paperwork (I.e. passport, visa) required for international travel (easily attainable as long as you don't have any criminal charges and if you don't have any contagious diseases)
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Yes (yes, yes, rare)
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Businesses must be registered with the municipality and must be legal (eg. no gun sales). There are certain businesses that can only be run by the government (eg. drugs). You can own property as long as it's legal (eg. no guns, nothing stolen, etc.) but it may be confiscated if you are convicted (eg. confiscation of car and licence after drunk driving rampage).

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? If someone is born here, they are automatically a citizen. Immigrants/permanent residents can become citizens after passing a citizenship test and saying the citizenship oath. Dual citizenship is also recognized.
Who is able to vote in elections? Citizens over the age of 18
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes
Are the above groups well represented in government? Some groups are represented more than others as there are no quotas for representation, but many different groups are represented.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? No

[The Union of British North America]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected?
The head of state is the President-General of the North American Union (Phillip Northcote, Duke of Hudson). The President-General is appointed by the Crown and serves at His Majesty's pleasure, with the nomination being the binding advice of HM North American Government. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President-General on the nomination (and Westminster norm of commanding the confidence of the legislature) of the Grand Council after an election.
How is the national legislature selected?
The Grand Council is directly elected for four year terms by single member plurality vote.
Are elections considered free and fair?
Yes. There are chief election officers independent and autonomous from government to ensure elections are not interfered with, along with an independent judicial process to appeal and review election petitions.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory?
Voting is not mandatory. The average turnout in the last elections (2017) was 67% of registered voters.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to successfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory?
Yes. The North American Union government operates by the Westminster system, and the party or coalition with the majority of seats chooses the government and thus sets policy
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Private members bills are possible, and conscience votes as well. Constitutional amendments require supermajorites; a 60% percent supermajority of the Grand Council to propose and a 60% supermajority of the provinces to ratify.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)?
Dissolutions can be suggested by the President-General, subject to the Grand Council's approval, within a certain time frame. The federal though Westminster system implies that the Grand Council can legislate on anything enumerated to the general government and interprovincial aspects that individual provinces cannot do. Budgets and supply bills are formulated to fully fund government expenditures though there are debates about debt.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
3. There are concerns about some provincial polices, government contract bidding, and bribery and cutting corners in the civil service.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
9. There is an Access to Information Act (freedom of information legislation), and an independent civil officer to oversee parliamentary ethics and lobbying.
Is there an independent judiciary?
Yes. The general and provincial judiciaries are independent.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes. Lots of newspapers.
Is there freedom of religion?
Yes, at the provincial and general levels
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
The provinces handle education largely, so there are political opinions on what is indoctrination and what is not based on where you are. Locally, there might be biases.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution?
There are protections for freedom of expression, explicitly and implicitly in the constitution.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?
Yes, with some regulations on when and where, permits, etc.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice?
Yes, habeas corpus, fundamental justice, and due process are guaranteed at both levels.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
Yes. Provinces cannot discriminate against people of another province, there are implicitly recognized mobility rights within the Union, and freedom to travel to other countries is recognized.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearance? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)?
Adult men and women can wear what they want generally, and choose marriage partners freely. Domestic violence is somewhat common though there are efforts to combat it with police and social intervention.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Yes. There is always debate of discussion of promoting businesses. Property rights are strongly protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined?
By law, statutory and common. One is jus soli, where one becomes a citizen because of being born within the country. Another is through naturalization, set by statute.
Who is able to vote in elections?
North American subjects (citizens, natural-born and naturalized), North American denizens (foreign nationals living as permanent residents, though may vote only in provincial elections and thus based on provincial law), United Commonwealth citizens (subjects of other United Commonwealth Dominions and territories may vote in any provincial or general election, and North American protected persons (most of the peoples of the native protectorates)
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally?
There is substantial equality among different segments of the population at the general level. At the provincial level, there are some restrictions or different treatment for different segments of the population, such as related to same-sex marriage and adoption, abortion, and related things like that. Racial and ethnic discrimination is outlawed completely.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
There are some de facto reserved seats for Native Americans in the Grand Council, and there is a theme and practice of using executive federalism and intergovernmentalism to better address the problems of the different segments of the population. Also, minorities may be appointed to provincial governorships to better represent minority interests. Provincial governor's councils and the General Council of State are formal advisory bodies, and do include minority members to better represent their interests.

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group?

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)

There is a problem with your questionnaire. Two questions about corruption and transparency remain unreplied.

[Anollasia]

Updated.

From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)

There is a problem with your questionnaire. Two questions about corruption and transparency remain unreplied.

Just edited it.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

There is a problem with your questionnaire. Two questions about corruption and transparency remain unreplied.

Just edited it.

Updated. Anollasia received a score of 9.65, placing it firmly in the Free category.

[Mahrenbach]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The President is elected every four years by both legislative Houses together
How is the national legislature selected? The Federal Assembly is elected every four years based on proportional representation. The Senate consists of representatives of the state governments.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes, universal suffrage from 18 years onwards
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 57%, voting is non-mendatory

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Does government authority extend over the full national territory? Yes they can make initiatives and have free mandates. The Government does have full authority over the entirety of the Federation.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The Federal Assembly can, theoretically, introduce and pass laws on its own.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)? Yes, the President can veto most bills. The President may further more freely choose their vice-president, ministers and may dissolve parliarment and issue presidential decrees. (like executive orders) The President can be impeached with a 2/3 majority of both houses. (No-confidence vote)
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 3 - Corruption does exist at some degree but is kept well in check.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8 - The Mahrenbach Federation is a relative transparent and straightforward Presidential Republic. Most activity and documents are accessible to the public.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes. The judges of the Federal Supreme Court are choosen by the President upon suggestion of the judicary comission. They serve each terms of 8 years.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Theres countless free public and private broadcasters, TV, Radio, Internet, dozen of newspapers. Some of whom are globally rewnowed and respected. Freedom of the Press is important.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes. The MF is a strictly secular state however and public display of religious matters is slightly restricted.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes, though some private schools are more restrictive
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes, however some Megacorps have their own mechanizations and whistleblowers must take those matters into consideration.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes. It is a constitionally protected right.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence? are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family? how common is domestic violence?)? Mahrenbachians have very good degree of freedom.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? The MF follows a Free Market Capitalist economic system with the right to conduct private business and own property being constitionally protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Birthright and naturalization
Who is able to vote in elections? Every Citizen from the age of 18 onwards has full voting rights.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes

OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
Are the government or nonstate groups deliberately and systematically changing the demographics of the country so as to dilute or eliminate a particular group? No

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? Not at the moment