Democracy and Freedom Index (CLOSED)

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? Add separate results for civil liberties and democracy, in order to differentiate between Liberal Autocracies and Illiberal Democracies in the Hybrid Regime section.

This has been a repeated suggestion that will definitely be taken into account for future editions. The panel in charge of the scoring is already developing a new methodology that will separate "free" countries from "democracies", specifically by adding a separate category for the latter.

[HUElavia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Through Elections held Every 4 years on the first Monday of October
How is the national legislature selected? Half are selected in the Presidential Election, half are selected in the Midterm Election.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes, there are laws that prohibit any abuse or intimidation by civilians and politicians to manipulate and affect the voting process.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 85%

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, it is their job to do so.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? In order for laws to be passed, 51% of the vote has to be done in the House of Representatives and the Senate.
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 laws if there is a lack of budget, but it can only be vetoed for 3 times for every bill.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 1
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10 (It is law for full transparency in the dealings and production of laws by Politicians
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes, there are Independent, Liberal and Conservative media sources.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, as given by the HUElavian constitution.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes, Education must be unbiased and fact-based.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes, as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment of the HUElavian Constitution
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes, as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment of the HUElavian Constitution
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, people are free to do as they please, There are about 2 cases of domestic violence per 10,000 people
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes, people can make their own business as they please, as long as the proper paperwork is submitted.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Through either being born in HUElavia or applying for HUElavian Citizenship
Who is able to vote in elections? Anyone over the age of 16.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes, it is unconstitutional to discriminate someone based on gender, race, sexual orientation or ability/disability.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes, there tends to be a 50/50 representation of gender, different percentages for ethnicity (varies by government).

[Plaetopia]

Up to date.

[Inkopolitia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? As Inkopolitia is an Elective Monarchy, the Monarch/King/Queen/Leader is elected via popular vote, to rule over the nation until the time they either resign or pass away.
How is the national legislature selected? Through national elections.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes, they are, according to international journalists, and Inkling journalists.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? The average turnout was:

-97% (From individuals that can vote, individuals from ages 16 to above) in the last elections to pick the new leader
-96% in the National Assembly elections
-97% average in each individual state's elections

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. The only way a law can not be passed is through direct executive rule by the leader of the country, which requires a national referendum. This has, so far, not happened.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? See above.
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. Doing so is grounds for deposition.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 1. Inklings, as a race, are largely individualistic, but will often come to unite, if something bad happens. This means that the government (Comprised entirely of Inklings) clamps down on any corruption without any sort of mercy.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10. There are many other projects by the government to make the citizens realize the government is transparent, but there's an Annual Inkling Q&A, which is the Government's official way of answering questions from the populace, and the Inkling Budget Reveal, which reveals the budget of each sector. Of course, both the Annual Inkling Q&A and the Inkling Budget Reveal are not the only situations where questions like these can be asked, journalists are welcome to in all situations, be it state meetings, or other situations.
Is there an independent judiciary?

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes. There's only one government news agency, and the rest agencies are private agencies.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes. Every Inkling can practice the religion they wish, as long as it doesn't damage others.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes. Wars that Inkopolitia has involved itself on, and other controversial topics, are mandated to be told from a neutral standpoint, whether the school is public or private.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes. Every individual is free to express what they wish, unless it advocates for direct harm of people.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Peaceful protests are allowed.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes, and they are upheld.
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?)? Domestic violence in Inkopolitia is non-existent.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes. Inkopolitia is largely capitalistic, and the government is pro-business.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? In the case of Inklings, the sole fact of being a member of the Inkling species grants you Inkopolitian citizenship. Even if you were born in another human.

In the case of Humans, being adopted by Inkling parents, being born inside Inkopolitia, or staying 6 months in Inkopolitia will grant you citizenship.
Who is able to vote in elections? Everyone that is over 16.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes. Equality is practiced by most, if not all, of the Inkling population.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes. The leaders are part of the LGBT minority.

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? Nah, it was fine enough.

[LiberNovusAmericae]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Democratic Election
How is the national legislature selected? Democratic election
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? 60% Is voting mandatory? 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? The legislature's only limitation is that it cannot pass laws that violate the constitution, and that it cannot pass constitutional amendments without at least 2/3rds of the state governments approving said amendment.
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, and attempts to do so are an impeachable offense.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? 6. While corruption is down, bribery at various DMVs and some politicians is still an issue. (Small explanation appreciated)
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? 9. Freedom of information has been enacted. All political donors are publicly listed, and whistle blowers are protected. (Small explanation appreciated)
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, but Atheism is encouraged.
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.
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.
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?)? Citizens enjoy basic freedoms, and people can marry whomever they want. The size of the family is of no concern to the government. Domestic violence is low.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes to both.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? By birth or through the naturalization process.
Who is able to vote in elections? Citizens of at least 18 years of age, and who are not currently incarcerated.
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? Any member of a minority who is a citizen can run for public office, so yes they are represented in various governmental branches; however, there are no diversity quotas, leaving some groups slightly over or underrepresented in Congress.

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?

[Kakistopia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The God-Empress rules by killing anyone who challenges her authority.
How is the national legislature selected? There is no legislature. The God-Empress handles legislation.
Are elections considered free and fair? There are no elections.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 0%, since voting is prohibited.

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 weren't freely elected.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? There is no legislature. The God-Empress has absolute power.
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-Empress can do whatever she wants without anyone else's approval.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? 10. Corruption is legal and encouraged by the God-Empress.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? 1. Viewing government activity is punishable by death.
Is there an independent judiciary? No. Anyone accused of a crime is executed without trial.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? There is no media since media is punishable by death.
Is there freedom of religion? All religions except the Church of Eternal Torment are punishable by death.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Education is nothing but indoctrination.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? No. They'll be executed if they protest.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Protesting is punishable by death.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Neither. Upholding due process is punishable by death.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? No. Changing education, residence, employment, or leaving your hometown is punishable by death.
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. All marriages are arranged and having children is punishable by death, and domestic violence is frequent in Kakistopia's few surviving families.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Setting up a business is punishable by death.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Only priestesses of the God-Empress can become citizens.
Who is able to vote in elections? Nobody.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? No. There is rampant discrimination against minorities and men, including many executions.
Are the above groups well represented in government? No.

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 God-Empress is currently trying to exterminate Bigtopians by nuking her own cities.

[Ferlik]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? He is selected by a vote of the legislature every six years, although when there is an incumbent the vote is a formality in his favour
How is the national legislature selected? A portion of seats are selected via elections for single member of seats, being single member in the sense that only one candidate (always from the ruling party) is usually allowed to run. The remaining seats are selected by prominent churches, large businesses, the military, and even by the President himself
Are elections considered free and fair? No
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Average turnout varies between 50-70%. 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? Representatives are not freely elected
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The legislature theoretically has legislative initiative, but most laws are drafted by the President and his cabinet. Laws passed by it must be approved by the President, and the President can pass a wide range of laws via decree.
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 pass decrees without the legislature's consent, and can have members of the legislature that were appointed by himself of the military, or were "elected", arrested if they displease him and do not respond to pressure to resign
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) Between 7-9, depending on the leader. Corruption is "lower" when there is a President with strong ideological stubbornness as he will be less likely to respond to bribes, while a more "moderate" President is often more willing to accept gifts, especially from the business sector, to draft laws in their favour. Below the President, favours and gifts are regularly exchanged with legislators, cabinet members, and state and local level officials to pass laws and to get around them.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 1/10. Laws and decrees are printed in a single newspaper after they are passed, government meetings are closed to the public and heavily guarded, other government activity is hidden from public view, and whistleblowing carries severe penalties
Is there an independent judiciary? No

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? No
Is there freedom of religion? No
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? No
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? No
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? No
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? No
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?)? There is an enforced national dress code, and while choice of partner is theoretically free (as long as it isn't gay), couples who are childless are often pressured into having children or otherwise imprisoned. Domestic violence is common, and divorce is illegal
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Individuals are theoretically able to start their own business, but many businesses will often be destroyed or forced to close by large companies. Property rights are often trampled on by large businesses with impunity and the government can enter private property at any time

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? By birth to Ferlikian citizens
Who is able to vote in elections? Free Ferlikian men who are 22 or older, have completed military service, own land that is either 10,000 sq ft or larger or worth at least $10,000, and who have paid the region's poll tax
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? No
Are the above groups well represented in government? No

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? This has been done in the recent past, and may happen again in the future

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Merconitonitopia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Inheritance.
How is the national legislature selected? The Temple of the Kingdom, the upper house, is elected by the church; the House of Commons is elected from the general public.
Are elections considered free and fair? No.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? In the past three years, the turnouts were: 48.6 percent, 45.1 percent, and 43.8 percent. 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. Legislation can be passed by the House of Commons with the approval of the Temple of the Kingdom and the King (the Great One).
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The King must approve of all legislation.
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? (Small explanation appreciated) 3; not to common, and mostly present at the lower levels of the public sector.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 6.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? No; the media is subject to approval of the Board of Censors.
Is there freedom of religion? No.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? No.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes, unless they express blasphemous ideas.
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?)? In short, not exactly (e.g. the High Temple regulates the dress code).
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? All who are born in the Land of Merconites are citizens. All who are born to Merconites, and who take up residents, are citizens. All who legally reside in this land for five years, and pass a simple test, are citizens.
Who is able to vote in elections? Male citizens of at least 28 years of age.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? No. Men and women each have their roles in this Kingdom, and sodomy is of course forbidden.
Are the above groups well represented in government? No.

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.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
Is there an independent judiciary?

Unfortunately, this question was missed, so Inkopolita could only receive a provisional score.

So far, more than 50 nations were assessed! Here's the average scores by category and by question:

ELECTIONS: 0.62
SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT: 0.67
CIVIL LIBERTIES: 0.80
PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY: 0.71

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? 0.57
How is the national legislature selected? 0.67
Are elections considered free and fair? 0.68
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 0.55

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? 0.66
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? 0.65
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)? 0.57
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 0.69
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 0.73
Is there an independent judiciary? 0.73

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? 0.83
Is there freedom of religion? 0.82
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? 0.69
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? 0.76
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? 0.76
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? 0.83
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? 0.86
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?)? 0.83
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? 0.86

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? 0.84
Who is able to vote in elections? 0.74
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? 0.64
Are the above groups well represented in government? 0.62

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? -0.14

So far, findings are clear: most nations in the multiverse are free, and particularly uphold civil liberties. However, progress is slower in elections and separation of powers, where a bit more effort is required. The best average scores were achieved on freedom of movement and property rights. The lowest average scores correspond to turnout - nations in the multiverse not only need to improve the fairness of electoral contests, but also to encourage people to participate in them.

[The Norden Utopia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The Head of State is the King/Queen and is selected using the concept of primogeniture (no preferred gender) and is replaced when the former dies or resigns.

The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, who is elected by the populace on a 5 year basis.
How is the national legislature selected? By elections (Proportional representation).
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 98.7%, 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 and yes.
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. Most laws can be passed with a referundum.
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) 1, corruption is a serious crime in The Norden Utopia, there are harsh punishments to those who are corrupt. Politicians salary are the same as a ordinary citizen and the Nordian culture itself is extremely honest.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10, all files, spendings, and other general information about the government are avaliable to the public. Anyone may freely criticize the government.
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? 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?)? Nordians may dress anyway they want, marry anyone they want and have as many children as they like, domestic violence has been nearly eradicated. Summarizing, Nordians may do anything they want as long they are not harming others.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Although capitalism is prevailent, setting up a business is not that easy, although any citizen may freely start a business, this business needs to comply with harsh health, safety and vigillance regulation, so corruption and fraud are prevented. Private property rights are adequately protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? The Constituition determines that to get citizenship, the individual must fill one of these requisits:
1. The individual has Nordian blood;
2. The individual has been born on Nordian soil;
3. The individual has passed the naturalization process (the process is avaliable if the immigrant has gained a residency visa and has lived in The Norden Utopia for more than 4 years);
4. The individual has been rescued by Nordian soldiers( refugees, etc..)
Who is able to vote in elections? Any citizen( natural or naturalised) over the age of 17.
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? No, this is perfect.

[Plaetopia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The Head of State is the King/Queen and is selected using the concept of primogeniture (no preferred gender) and is replaced when the former dies or resigns.

The Head of Government is the Prime Minister, who is elected by the populace on a 5 year basis.
How is the national legislature selected? By elections (Proportional representation).
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 98.7%, 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 and yes.
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. Most laws can be passed with a referundum.
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) 1, corruption is a serious crime in The Norden Utopia, there are harsh punishments to those who are corrupt. Politicians salary are the same as a ordinary citizen and the Nordian culture itself is extremely honest.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10, all files, spendings, and other general information about the government are avaliable to the public. Anyone may freely criticize the government.
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? 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?)? Nordians may dress anyway they want, marry anyone they want and have as many children as they like, domestic violence has been nearly eradicated. Summarizing, Nordians may do anything they want as long they are not harming others.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Although capitalism is prevailent, setting up a business is not that easy, although any citizen may freely start a business, this business needs to comply with harsh health, safety and vigillance regulation, so corruption and fraud are prevented. Private property rights are adequately protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? The Constituition determines that to get citizenship, the individual must fill one of these requisits:
1. The individual has Nordian blood;
2. The individual has been born on Nordian soil;
3. The individual has passed the naturalization process (the process is avaliable if the immigrant has gained a residency visa and has lived in The Norden Utopia for more than 4 years);
4. The individual has been rescued by Nordian soldiers( refugees, etc..)
Who is able to vote in elections? Any citizen( natural or naturalised) over the age of 17.
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, this is perfect.

(Spoilered because of length)
Updated.

[Ghost Land]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? He was the founder of the nation in 2014 and has been in charge ever since.
How is the national legislature selected? Appointed and fired by the leader at will.
Are elections considered free and fair? 'Elections? What elections?'
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? The existing leader gets 110% support from 110% voter turnout every election, as they are highly rigged shams.

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? N/A
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? If the leader disagrees with them, they get fired.
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; otherwise they'd get fired.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 10. The leader has the ability to hire and fire whomever he wants, with no consequences or accountability on his part, and he takes monetary and other bribes frequently.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 1. The government issues lots of propaganda and is always hush-hush about where all that tax money (92% income tax) is going.
Is there an independent judiciary? Heck no.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? No; all media is state-run.
Is there freedom of religion? No; all religion is banned in its entirety.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Heck no; all children attend state-run schools until age 12, when mandatory military service begins.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? No; talk smack about the government and your head will roll.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? No, no, and no.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? No; if the cops think you did something wrong, there's little burden of proof on their part. You're guilty unless proven innocent, and immediate execution is most common.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? No. You live where we tell you to live, and no way in heck are we allowing you to leave.
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?)? Not really. Extremely moralistic and conservative; must marry someone of the opposite sex slightly younger than you (if you're male)/slightly older than you (if you're female) and you may not have more than one child. Nudity in public is compulsory.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Private enterprise is banned, and eminent domain is exercised by the government frequently, usually for building new military bases.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? If you're not of pure-bred Ghost Landian descent, you're not welcome whatsoever.
Who is able to vote in elections? What are elections?
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Straight, ethnic Ghost Landian men at least 5'11" (180 cm) tall are the head honchos. Women, LGBTs, and minorities are treated as lesser beings.
Are the above groups well represented in government? They're not welcome in government whatsoever.

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? Yes - the government is currently in the midst of purging all people of non-Ghost Landian descent.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? See my answer below, outside the spoilers.

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The head of government is selected and approved by the legislature.
How is the national legislature selected? Proportionally based on the popular vote.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes; there is little to no voter fraud or corruption.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Voting is 100% voluntary, and the last election had 82% turnout, which is pretty common for 60s Musician elections. Referendum and initiative votes, which tend to happen several times annually, have even higher turnout, typically between 87-89%.

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? Policies are implemented by consensus, often going to referendum. 60s Music is a unitary state, so authority does extend over the full national territory, though it does not claim any colonies.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes; new laws must adhere to the Constitution, and amendments must go through 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)? The Dictator can overrule the legislature's consensus via executive order, though doing this without having a referendum first is strongly frowned upon.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 2. Corruption is routinely stamped out, with politicians who take too many bribes thrown out. People and corporations are not allowed to donate more than USD$50 to any candidate's campaign. The Dictator knows he can be thrown out by referendum if he is too corrupt or acts against the people's wishes, so he too tries hard to avoid being a jerk.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 9. For the most part, citizens know exactly where their tax money (income tax 9%) is going and what government officials are doing.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes, and they are picked by the people on 6-year terms.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes, and there are very few restrictions.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes; all religious beliefs and the lack thereof are permitted without government interference or harassment.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes; public schools are very objective about politics and government.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes; freedom of speech and protest are held dear.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes and yes; people are allowed to protest as long as they don't disturb the peace (block entire thoroughfares, excess noise pollution) or become violent.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes; everyone has the right to a fair trial.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Of course; there are no restrictions as to where citizens may travel, live, or otherwise go as long as they are not trespassing.
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?)? Of course; people's bodies are their own domain that cannot be owned by another person. Domestic violence is relatively rare.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes; entrepreneurship is encouraged, and people have the right to their own property and belongings.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Anyone born in 60s Music is an automatic citizen, as is anyone who has lived in the country for the past two years or more and passed a relatively easy citizenship test.
Who is able to vote in elections? Any adult (17 or older) citizen who is not currently incarcerated for a felony.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes. The government officially takes a neutral, anti-discriminatory stance, and employers are not allowed to factor age, race/ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation in decisions of hiring/firing or wages.
Are the above groups well represented in government? While there are no mandated ethnic or gender quotas, the government is representative of the population as a whole.

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? Heck no.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? See below.

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? The section on elections seems to be biased against nations that are very free but do not have representative democracies, i.e. nations that are direct democracies or benevolent dictatorships, but still guarantee a wide range of civil and political rights.

I'd guess 60s Music will score decently high, and Ghost Land will be way at the bottom of the list.

[First American Empire]

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? The section on elections seems to be biased against nations that are very free but do not have representative democracies, i.e. nations that are direct democracies or benevolent dictatorships, but still guarantee a wide range of civil and political rights.

I'd guess 60s Music will score decently high, and Ghost Land will be way at the bottom of the list.

I was ranked as a "flawed democracy" even though my country is an absolute monarchy. If anything, the problem is that it doesn't distinguish well between democracies with low freedom and autocracies with high freedom.

[Federal Spanish States]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Via the general elections of 2054.
How is the national legislature selected? It's selected via the Spanish Fed Diputee Congress (forgot that never existed). They're selected by the Minister of Defense and Legislation.
Are elections considered free and fair? Most of the time.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? In the most recent General Elections, around 68% of the population voted (validly) in the ballots. No, voting isn't 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? Yes, surprisingly enough. Government authority does extend over the full national territory, thanks to a lack of strong separatist movements.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes, and the legislature has no restrictions whatsoever.
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)? Mostly not.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) It mostly stays around a 6, as the Government's inner workings aren't entirely transparent, and some politicians have been known to be corrupt.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) I'd say around a 4. The Government's inner workings aren't entirely transparent.
Is there an independent judiciary? No. Not at all, since they're selected by the Consejo Mayor del Poder Judicial, which is filled with people of the Govt's choosing.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Well, yes, but actually, no. There are censorship laws when it comes to media, but they're mostly lax (just don't promote anti-Maximum Law values and you should be okay).
Is there freedom of religion? Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Mostly not.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes, actually. A lot of radio shows do criticize the government.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes, freedom of assembly is possible, as evidenced by the Spanish States' many political parties. Peaceful protests are allowed, both in theory and practice.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice?
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
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?)?
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Well, every child born of Spanish Fed parents is already considered a Spanish Fed citizen.
Who is able to vote in elections? Every Spanish Fed citizen that is over 18 years of age.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Legally, they are.
Are the above groups well represented in government? If other people choose people from those groups (which prolly had some initiative to enter the world of Spanish Fed politics)... maybe.

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? Mostly not. If anything, more changes like those described were done against Eastern Spaniards during the Spanish Cold War.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? Not at all, really.

[Plaetopia]

Done.

As a side note, as it seems to be a common misunderstanding, question 5, specifically "Does government authority extend over the full national territory?" refers to governance problems such as inability to implement policy in certain areas because of control by nonstate armed groups, rebel authorities, or lack of effective governance in remote or rural areas, among others. Highly decentralized states do not fall here.

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? The section on elections seems to be biased against nations that are very free but do not have representative democracies, i.e. nations that are direct democracies or benevolent dictatorships, but still guarantee a wide range of civil and political rights.

I'd guess 60s Music will score decently high, and Ghost Land will be way at the bottom of the list.

I was ranked as a "flawed democracy" even though my country is an absolute monarchy. If anything, the problem is that it doesn't distinguish well between democracies with low freedom and autocracies with high freedom.

OOC: Indeed. The problem is clearly identified, and will be fixed in the future editions I'm working on. However, I'm reluctant to change the methodology of this edition of the index as then nations under the "old" and "new" methodology would not be comparable. Launching a second edition of this index right now is premature. As of now, to sort of address this problem, I'll outright kill all references to democracy in category names, with immediate effect.
Part of this design problem is related to the fact that autocracies with a relatively high degree of freedom just don't exist in real life. Or, you can look it from another perspective, and say if a country is an absolute monarchy, its "democracy" is certainly flawed...

[The Niben]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? The Comrade Paramount is nominated by the Supreme Soviet and confirmed by the elected Congress of Deputies.
How is the national legislature selected? The lower house is proportionally elected using an instant-runoff system divided into ridings of near-equal population.
Are elections considered free and fair? There are many irregularities and claims of racial bias among minority populations, but are otherwise considered free to all.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? The first election of the Congress of Deputies recorded a turnout of over 80%. Voting is not mandatory but highly encouraged.

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? Nominally each Commune (province) is autonomous, however the national government holds most executive legislative power. The Congress of Deputies can freely develop legislation for approval by the Supreme Soviet.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes it does. The Congress of Deputies can pass any law, including the removal of government officials, impeachment of Supreme Soviet members and constitutional amendments (subject to national referendum). Its legislation can, however, be unconditionally vetoed by the Supreme Soviet.
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: all of the above.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 6- down significantly since abolition of the monarchy but rising among petty officials and prevalent institutional racism.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 4- the government is accountable somewhat to the people, but the inner machinations of state are exclusive to Red Hand members.
Is there an independent judiciary? All judiciaries are devolved to the Communes, who deal with them variously- some popularly elected, some appointed by legislatures, etc. The Collegium of the Union serves as the nation's supreme court to interpret laws.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes, and it exists mostly free of censorship, though state media is more prevalent and publicly funded.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, though discouraged.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Education has been nationalized by the government, and most city-dwellers receive a patriotic education. The rural half of the population is less educated, so less susceptible to propaganda.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? The government takes a free hand with private dissent, for the most part.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Freedom of assembly is allowed within reason, so long as it is civil. Protests are commonplace in large cities, and seen as an expression of the People's will.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes, and mostly yes, excluding some racial bias against Argonians and Khajiit.
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, family planning was conclusively rejected by the Congress of Deputies. Marriage is free to all sentient beings, and polygamy is completely legal. Domestic violence is an issue, but socially progressive campaigns by the government have been successful at reducing it.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Private property is intact but inadequately protected as the government seeks to gradually abolish the capitalist landlord system. Business is free on a basis of market socialism, where workers are guaranteed a significant portion of executive power. The Guilds and their services have been nationalized.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? By birthright, and by assimilation after five years of residence. There are significant restrictions on citizenship for foreign-born peoples who are not of the three main races.
Who is able to vote in elections? All citizens above the age of 16.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Feminism is a key tenet of the state ideology, thus gender equality is guaranteed and enforced. LGBT rights are completely liberal, with no restrictions on sexual rights, reproductive rights, etc. The government formally recognizes three races (Cyrodiilic, Saxhleel, Khajiit) and holds a policy of triculturalism, but in practice it often manifests as Cyrodiilic supremacy, with significant issues pertaining to the treatment of the other two races by government institutions and society.
Are the above groups well represented in government? The three races have a more or less equitable distribution of power on the national stage, as the Communes are constitutionally required to represent them equally. The Supreme Soviet is split equally between the three races, and the Commissar of the Congress is elected every year on a rotating basis of race.

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 Renrijra Krin terrorist group is a severe problem in the Khajiit-inhabited areas of the eastern Niben, with terror attacks commonplace and sectarian conflict ripping the province apart. They seek the splinter of the east from Nibenay and absorption into the greater state of Elsweyr.

[Terre Septentrionale]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? Elected by the citizens who are able to vote.
How is the national legislature selected? Elected by the citizens who are able to vote.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? 87%, 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? Yes to both.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?Yes, according to what's written in the constitution.
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. Corruption is a crime since the independence and is highly punished. Terre Septentrionale has an independent police force which investigate on corruption.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 9. Every files and spendings are made available to the public.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, as long as they do it in their homes or in cult areas.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Free. Terre Septentrionale once had an "éthique et culture religieuse" course but it was too controversial (some were saying it was indoctrination) and was abolished after a couple of years.
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? 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 they has a lot of freedom. We just passed a laïcity law which bans government officials, teachers and policemen and women from wearing religious signs. This law was necessary to make everyone in the country equals and free. Our citizens are free to marry whoever they want, as long as they're over 16 and domestic violence is very uncommon.
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?
-People born on Terre Septentrionale soil is automatically granted citizenship
-Immigrants can obtain citizenship after 2 years through a citizenship process which includes a French or Polish language test (the two official languages) and a Septentrional values test.
Who is able to vote in elections? Everyone over 18 who has the citizenship.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Yes, everyone is treated equally, though in the township of Texas, LGBTs are frowned upon.
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. We have a lot of historic and non historic minorities and none of them is the victim of such thing.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Greater States of Arstotzka]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? By a line of sucession. The Supreme Leader is the general of the Armed Forces and is the Head of State and Head of Government.
How is the national legislature selected? All are appointed by the Supreme Leader
Are elections considered free and fair? There are no elections.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? N/A (there are no elections)

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? No. The government authority extends over all the territory.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? No. The Supreme Leader needs to approve any and all kinds of legislature.
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? (Small explanation appreciated) 6, although the State is trying to actively combat it, the past theocratic government saw a big rise in corruption levels.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 1, everything about the government are either lies or unknown by the populace.
Is there an independent judiciary? No.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? No.
Is there freedom of religion? The State is Atheist.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? No.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? No.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? No.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? No.
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?)? Arstotzkans need to dress conforming to a strict government list of approved haircuts, outfits, etc.. People may marry anyone they want except for LGBT couples, families can only have one child. Domestic violence is common.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? For now, they are, GSA is extremely capitalistic, although the new Military Junta wants to clap down on this. Property rights are moderately protected, every citizen needs to own a gun, and may kill invasors, although police and military may invade private property without reason.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Anyone born in Arstotzka or with Arstotzkan parents may be Arstotzkan.
Who is able to vote in elections? There are no elections.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? No.
Are the above groups well represented in government? No.

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? Yes. The government has recently mass purged religious dissidents. Also, the LGBT population is persecuted.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Fairviolet Lake]

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, who is elected by the people at-large. The head of government is the Executive Council, which has members appointed by the President, the Legislature, the Judiciary, and elected by local governments.
How is the national legislature selected? Elected by proportional representation.
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? The last election had a turnout of 87.4%. Voting is not mandatory.

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 to both questions.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The National Assembly has the full and exclusive power to create laws. They cannot, however, make laws that violate human rights.
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, but only in the case of a declaration of emergency, and the President can convene the Executive Council to take the place of the National Assembly. The People's Supreme Tribunal can reverse this, however.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) 2. The Civil Service Commission constantly investigates and adopts new regulations to prevent corporations. Fairvioletians are sensitive about corruption, ever since the 1998 scandal involving more than $200bn laundered through the treasury.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10.
Is there an independent judiciary? Yes, the Supreme People's Tribunal.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes, but it is not allowed to promote fascist, racist, sexist, or homophobic ideology.
Is there freedom of religion? Yes, but the Church of Scientology is banned.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Yes, unless they are radically right-wing.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes, police are not allowed to disrupt or disperse peaceful protests.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? Yes, every citizen is entitled to a fair trial.
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. Domestic violence is never tolerated, with perpetrators facing 2 years rehabilitative prison, 2 years community service, 10 years probation, and a lifetime ban on adoption.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes, but they are not allowed to profit from the labor of their workers. Small businesses owned by their workers are allowed and promoted. Hierarchical business structures are usually banned.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? A person is a citizen if they were born in Fairviolet Lake (or is the parent or child of a person who was), have completed the citizenship process, or granted citizenship through executive order.
Who is able to vote in elections? All citizens and permanent residents.
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! In fact, all of the major political parties have adopted proportional representation quotas independently of the 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? No.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Evacillian]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected?
There are no terms. The Supreme Leader is immortal and has been the head of Evacillian since the beginning. Supreme Leader Actium Scarpool was the leader to take over the entire subcontinent before Evacillian even existed as a state.
How is the national legislature selected?
House of Citizens: open to any citizen- Voluntary
House of Politicians: Each Sector(state/province) may have no more than 3, but must have a least 1 person, as an official representative- “Recognized Politician”- in the House. A couple of Sectors choose their RPs by citizen vote. Most are dominated by a dominating party/ organization. Very few are given RPs by the state. All of those who wish to enter the HoP must meet government requirements.
House of Rulers is reserved for Evacillian’s 3 Immortal Leaders and any guests they may invite in. A colloquial term for those invited to be in the House of Rulers from any of the 3 Immortal Leaders is “The Subhouse of Rulers”
Are elections considered free and fair?
There are no National Elections; However, sectors that choose representatives through vote are mandated to have an official state presence to ensure a free and fair election.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory?
Voting is mostly non-existent, and certainly not mandatory. Sectors that give the right to vote for RPs to the people give reports of anywhere between a 45% - 78% voter turnout.

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?
Government authority extends all national territory.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
If the majority of the House of Rulers agree on a decision, the bill may be passed, no matter the response of the lower Houses. If The House of Rulers is apathetic- which is many a time the case-to the Bill of Discussion, there is a vote among the two other houses. The ratio of the vote of House of Politicians to House of Citizens is 1.5:1 no matter how many members are in either House(exclusion if there are no members in The House of Citizens). The Leaders are able to speak up at any time.
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 House of Rulers have that power. The Speaker of House is not permitted to give an opinion or act on any bias.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
4: Corruption is stuck in the lower levels of Politics, such as dominance in House of Politicians. However, corruption is weeded out the higher up you go.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
7: Every Government activity, except high level military and law enforcement activities, have official, assessable-to-the-public reports.
Is there an independent judiciary?
No, the Judiciary Branch is under Executive power.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes, several.
Is there freedom of religion?
Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
The government requires that employees of state-run schools keep politics and manipulation of ideals out of work hours. Private-run do not fall under that requirement.
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. However, Assemblies, marches, and mass protests must go through state regulation and procedure. The state must approve of the when and where of the assembly.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice?
Evacillian upholds a “Innocent Unless Strictly Proven Guilty” policy.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
Yes. However, owners of private property have the right to deny access to any persons, exceptions to those under government authority and approval.
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, Civil and social freedoms are high. Domestic violence is very rare.
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?
Any person born on Evacillian land is a Natural Born Citizen. Any person born outside of Evacillian land whose biological parent, one or both, is an Evacillian Citizen are granted Birthright Citizenship. Naturalization- going through official government processing.
Who is able to vote in elections?
If Sector holds election for RPs, then any citizen who is a resident in the Sector is able to vote. Otherwise, no elections. This is not a democracy.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally?
Yes, However, the transgender community is not large and is frowned upon by the general public.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
Yes. However, Transgenders do not have a firm grip in the country, much less in the political climate.

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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[Independent Pacific Junta]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? He rose through the ranks of the Revolutionary Cohesive Army through gallant fighting and was eventually installed as Supreme Marshal.
How is the national legislature selected? By the upper-echelon of the RCA.
Are elections considered free and fair? No.
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Elections don’t work like that.

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? Elected representatives are non-existent. And government authority does extend over the full national territory
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? There are no restrictions on the RCA Junta’s authority.
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)? He has a good amount of control over the legislature.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated) Non-existent. Corrupt members of the Politically Administrative Junta are executed.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8/10. The outside of war scenarios, the RCA is unsecretive. Their activity is visible, but there’s nothing you can do if you don’t like it, but that isn’t a problem for most.
Is there an independent judiciary? No. The judiciary is managed by the Ministry of Civilian Order, part of the junta.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Outside of the RCA's Ministry of National Mindset, only loyal papers may publish without persecution or even imprisonment.
Is there freedom of religion? To an extent.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? The simple answer is a ‘no’. They are taught Cohesivist values and some military skills.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? Constructive criticism is legal, but anti-Cohesivists are re-educated.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? It depends on their nature.
Are there basic guarantees of due process, and are they upheld in practice? No.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? They are allowed to move freely within the country, but they lose their citizenship if they are educated or employed elsewhere, unless that elsewhere is Fascist Hungary, Azov Battalion Ukraine, North Korea or Ba’athist Syria.
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?)? They can only marry citizens and only sons must have children. If a child is conceived outside of wedlock, the parents must marry. Domestic violence is extremely uncommon.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Businesses are allowed, but must obey the RCA's authority. Non-citizens may not own property or open businesses.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Birth or volunteering in the RCA.
Who is able to vote in elections? The upper-echelon of the RCA.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? Men are expected to be men, and may face punishment if they lapse into femininity, and inverse for women. Besides this, they are both treated well and share civil rights. Homosexuals are executed for high perversion and negros are rewarded for leaving the Area of Governance, will face harsher penalties and my not marry other citizens. Jews forcibly expelled.
Are the above groups well represented in government? The governing Junta is almost exclusively European, and women are well represented in the Young Ladies’ League of the Ministry of National Mindset and the Public Health Division. They may also serve as nurses among the Fighting Regulars.

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? Negros receive benefits for leaving and are unable to own businesses within the country, and Jews are forced to leave, taking what they can carry.

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? None that I can think of.

[Plaetopia]

OOC: Due to real-life reasons, I'll be unable to update the Index for a few days. Will catch up after that.

[Cottony]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected? By direct vote
How is the national legislature selected? By direct vote
Are elections considered free and fair? Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory? Voting is 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? Lol, there's no national government. In any case, yes, but votes by the population affected would be carried out first
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The population affected would have to vote in favour
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) 0
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 10
(Everyone is government)
Is there an independent judiciary? No

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? 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? jus sanguis or naturalisation
Who is able to vote in elections? Every Dirlandic citizen
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally? No; foreigners cannot vote
Are the above groups well represented in government? Considering the population (and reluctance to discuss personal matters such as sexuality in general), 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?

[Sophistan]

Did you recognize my post?

[Ieskarios]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state and the head of government (or other chief national authority) selected?
-Head of state is chosen by monarchic succession.
-Head of government is elected under an instant run-off voting system.
How is the national legislature selected?
The upper house is appointed by the monarch, or gains their position by hereditary means.
The lower house is directly elected by the people.
Are elections considered free and fair?
Yes
Which was the average turnout in recent elections? Is voting mandatory?
61.3%, voting is not mandatory.

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?
Ieskarios is a unitary state, so all territories within the state have the same law and functions (with the exception of the autonomous regions on municipal terms)
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
The legislature cannot pass legislation without a 2/3rds majority, and must also obtain royal assent. (The King has veto power but rarely ever uses it)
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolution, lack of an adequate budget, or strong limits on legislature's powers)?
The King has the power to dissolve the parliament at any time and call for new elections. This power however is restricted most of the time, and only ever is used in the event of instability or a Prime Minister resigning early or in the event of their death.
From 1-10, how pervasive is corruption? (Small explanation appreciated)
3/10. There is a fair amount of bribery in smaller counties and municipal politicians are often convicted for it.
From 1-10, how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
8/10. Government affairs are pretty open to public knowledge, only exceptions being related to Crown affairs.
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?
Due process is used in all cases.
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?)?
Social freedoms are more liberal nowadays, with some minor exceptions. Domestic violence is not very common outside of Varaland.
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?
Citizenship is earned by having at least one citizen parent in the nation, birthright citizenship does not exist in Ieskarios.
Who is able to vote in elections?
All citizens over the age of 18.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally?
No, the LGBT community is still frowned upon by wider society. However, gender equality exists and ethnic minorities enjoy the same rights as the Ieskari Greek population.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
As Ieskarios is pretty homogeneous, the minority share of government is around equal to their population.

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?