Democracy and Freedom Index II (CLOSED)

[Vesteysia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The position is inherited from family, and the emperor has absolute power over the government and the nation.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of government is also inherited by the emperor
How is the national legislature selected? Appointed by the emperor.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? There are no elections.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? No, there is no opposition and there are no elections.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? 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? National Representatives are not elected but appointed and have no power over implementing new policies.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? No, foreign nations attempting to influence the nation is an act of war, and the military has low influence over government.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? No, they are unable to pass any laws as all laws are passed by the emperor, the legislature is controlled by the emperor and other high profile individuals.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? The emperor has absolute power.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 2, the emperor has absolute power and can not be bribed as he has and controls everything, members of the legislature can be bribed though.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 0, the population is restricted from viewing all government activity and cover-ups are published on news.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? It is subject to political pressure.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? No, all media is controlled by the state.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? No, believing in god or a higher power is against the law.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No, education is extremely politically biased and only positive actions or actions benefiting Vesteysia are taught.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? No, if they express dissent from our views they will be punished, surveillance is extremely pervasive to monitor this.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? No, peaceful protests are not allowed and will be dispersed by the police force using any means necessary.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? No, treatment of a citizen depends on their race and political views.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? No, they will be monitored by the state and the police force will take action.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Citizens are free to travel within the country but are restricted from exiting the nation with a few exceptions of Vesteysian protectorates.
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 and sexual violence?)? Citizens mostly have control over their appearance but Western clothing and appliances are outlawed, they are able to choose marriage partners as long as they are not foreigners or a part of the LGBT community, size of families is restricted to 2 children, domestic and sexual violence is rare.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Civilians are free to set up their own business if they follow a few select rules and it is permitted by the government, property rights are not protected.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. If they are born in the country by an ethnic Vesteysian they are granted citizenship, gaining citizenship if you are not Vesteysian is impossible as immigrants are not allowed in the country.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? There are no elections.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? No, ethnic minorities and the LGBT community are never treated equally as the rest of the population.
Are the above groups well represented in government? No.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? Yes, though it would take a lot of time and a lot of hard work.

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

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Any suggestions for future editions of the index? No.

[Anentova]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
Anentova by constitution elects its leader every 8 years by popular vote, however, a coup d'etat was brought before an illegitimate government of Irene.
After the coup, the deceased submitted an election in which by popular vote wins, now, the national leader of Anentova is called Shaira Alumoni.

How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The Head of State has the legislative branch under his power, has the participation in the parliament to be able to create laws and repeal them.
The Executive Power in representing the nation in its diplomatic relations and supports the armed forces as commander.

How is the national legislature selected?
Elected every 8 years through popular votes.

Are elections considered free and fair?
Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?The vote is secured by the National Electoral Department that gives the right to vote in secret and protected.
Any attempt to persuade the voter and offer exchanges for it is prohibited.

Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
The opposition occupies the minority, however the government considers working with them to improve the country through criticism of how the government is being managed.

Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
Voting is mandatory but not forced for all citizens over 20 years.

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 representative Leader is another member of parliament, creates and repeals laws, and also serves as spokesperson for the final decisions.
Its mandate is at national level.

Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
Cases of foreign powers have tried to influence politics, such was the case with the arrival of the Irene government that after a while it was overthrown with a coup d'etat.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Parliament creates, repeals and edits the laws, without the intervention of other powers unless necessary.
In special cases such as the Constitution, the approval of the other powers such as the Supreme Justice and the Head of State is necessary, after their acceptance, at least 2/3 of the parliament may change 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 vetoes)?
The Executive Branch may attend a special session in Parliament to intervene on certain laws such as lack of budget. Always by legal means.
The veto can only be requested by the judiciary.

From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? 7,
Cases of corruption have increased over the years, the government has made several methods to reduce them to the point of reaching the conviction and through propaganda.

From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? 4, The Government by constitution and obligation is subject to make known to the public, all the activities of its politicians with the help of autonomous departments that are equally transparent.

Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?The Judiciary is completely autonomous from the other powers.
To avoid cases of supremacy, the Judiciary consists of 5 Judges Maximum.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?The Government allows free media although it is somewhat limited.

Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?The Constitution guarantees the free cult of non-extremist religions that do not harm the life of the believer or others.

Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?Education is sometimes intervened by the government.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?Free Expression is guaranteed and is free to prove disapproval.
Few cases have been reported of political persecution.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?Meetings, protests and movements are free.

Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?Every citizen is protected to request a defense without violating their rights unless otherwise stated.

Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?They will operate freely when they are informed to the State.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?Citizens are free to leave the country, have a decent residence, receive education guaranteed by the State and have a job.

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 and sexual violence?)?Citizens are free to marry whomever they please as long as it is agreed by both parties.
All people are equal to each other and discrimination is condemned.
Gender-based violence is condemned and through government support, women receive information and are even motivated to defend themselves.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?Every person is free to create and belong to a company as long as it is informed by the government and conforms to the established terms. The government will only intervene in its registration and visits to monitor status.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.Citizenship can be requested by anyone, race, sex, sexual orientation or identity, religion, color or disability are not excuses to be denied.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?Only citizens of Anentova can vote and participate in government positions.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?The State protects everyone equally without distinction. In practice it is the same, all people are treated equally.
Are the above groups well represented in government?Yes, there is diversity in government policies.
To guarantee the voice of minorities, the Diverse Communities are created where each representative of each group participates in Parliament and in the Judiciary.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?Although there have been few cases, the most influential people achieve rapid social status.

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?Recently, the Prime Minister launched a program against religious, and seeks to modify the constitution to intervene in indigenous groups which are protected, to implement progressivism among these communities since according to her the national development should be applied in all the corners of the nation so that we all achieve equality and the good life.

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[Dormill and Stiura]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Head of State is the President, elected by national open-list election for five year terms. The powers of the President as Head of State include but are not explicitly limited to the receiving and appointment of ambassadors, signing of treaties, service as the chief representative of the nation, and the powers conferred as Commander-in-Chief
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Head of Government is technically the Office of the President, a position held nominally by the President-elect but additionally the leadership of the legislature. The chief legislators, one from each house, are elected like all other legislatures for two year terms. The Office of President exercises all powers relating to the federal government, including but are not explicitly limited to the execution of law, ratification of treaties, and collecting taxes.
How is the national legislature selected? By free, direct, secret ballot from an open and proportional list.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? The elections in the United Republics are considered free and fair, and none have suffered from significant anomalies.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Yes, frequently. Though some consider the ten-year cycle of Presidents as vulnerable to the establishment of long-term political dynasties.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is entirely voluntary, with turnout typically in the low 70% range for the five-year Presidential elections and the high 40% range for the two-year Congressional elections.

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, representatives are able and frequently develop their own policies separate from the Federal government. The nation is a Federation, with a clear delineation of powers and freedoms between the Federal government and federal subjects.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? No.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The legislature carries the legislative initiative, the restrictions on passing laws are limited by voting qualifications and legal scrutiny by the Judiciary.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? Yes, but subversion of the legislature is rare and is easily reversed in the case of vetoes.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 4. While corruption in any form is an inevitable consequence of human ambition combined with the powers and honors conferred by a position in government, the Constitution does revoke the privilege from arrest and indictment for felony offenses. Corruption is seen as a cultural sin, and is hardly tolerated by the voting public, with particularly public cases guaranteeing an end of the person's political career.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 7. Almost all affairs of the legislature are recorded in a publically accessible journal, citizens can freely enter any open chamber to witness hearings, request government documents, and otherwise gain information that is not explicitly guarded for national security. Thanks to the Constitution, the actions of the executive are also almost entirely available.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? The Judiciary's independence is explicitly protected by the Constitution.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? Yes, secularism is expected in the government however.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Almost entirely.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Peaceful expression of dissent is protected by the Constitution, and retribution is harshly punished. Surveillance is commonplace across all cities, but the extent varies depending on the security situation. Cities that border or are in proximity of the fascist state of Balnik are subject to more pervasive surveillance for the sake of national security.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Freedom of assembly is explicitly protected and peaceful protests are permitted within reasonable limitations, most often to prevent the serious delay of movement by non-protestors.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Due process is explicitly protected, and all courts are expected to practice it. There are some notable cases where due process was disregarded.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? 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 and sexual violence?)? Yes. Domestic and Sexual violence is common, but there are active campaigns to reduce both across both genders.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Property rights are explicitly protected by the Constitution, and individuals are free to establish and own their own businesses.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Citizenship is conferred by birthright, with limited exceptions in certain cases. Naturalization is applicable to any permanent resident after five years after completing an exam that establishes their understanding of Dormill and Stiura, its government, culture, language, and history.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? Any citizen over the age of 17 may vote.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? All people within Dormill and Stiura are treated equally in both cases.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? 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 time of posting.

[Samudera Darussalam]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of state is the monarch, who comes to power through through hereditary line of succession. In case of the previous monarch doesn't have a direct successor, or doesn't choose one throughout their reign, a council consisted of members of the royal family and senior nobilities will be formed to choose one. A monarch, according to Samudera's constitution, doesn't have any real power and in practice, is a cultural symbol.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of government is the mangkubumi (prime minister), who is elected to power through general election every 5 years. Executive power is concentrated in this position.
How is the national legislature selected? The parliament is bicameral, where members of the upper house act as the representatives of the nobilities and are usually elected among themselves, while members of the lower house are elected by the first-past-the-post system to represent their constituencies.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Yes. Elections are usually considered free and fair and absent of major irregularities in the electoral process.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? The opposition has a chance to secure support and power as evidenced by the previous general election.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is voluntary. The most recent election happened in last August with a turnout of 75.32%.

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, as aside from the constitutional checks and balances, there is nothing that impedes the legislature ability to create new legislation or policies and the government is in full control of the national territory.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? No
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes. A legislation have to be approved by at least 70% of both houses to pass, and the one that have can be challenged by the Supreme Court if it violated 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 vetoes)? The Mangkubumi must sign the legislation for it to be 'formally' passed, and they may refuse to do it. In that case, the legislature can vote to sign in lieu which requires a majority vote (usually at least 60%) in favour of the motion.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 1.5/10. Corruption is extremely rare due to the strictly enforced law against corruption and similar practices.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 8.3/10. All government activity is made available to the public in some forms such as transcripts or reports but matters deemed as concerning 'state security'.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? There is an independent judiciary.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes. The freedom of media is enshrined in the constitution.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? Yes, it is enshrined in the constitution.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Yes, as the freedom of expression is enshrined in the constitution. Surveillance is pretty rare, due to the privacy laws passed by the legislature that limits government surveillance to certain locations and in certain, specified context only.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes. The freedom of assembly and as stated above, the freedom of expression are enshrined in the constitution.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Yes. The right to process is enshrined and protected by law.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? 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 and sexual violence?)? Yes to all questions, and the prevalence of domestic and sexual violence are very low.
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? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Citizenship is determined by the jus sanguinis principle, that a child is born to at least a parent with Samuderan citizenship. It is also granted to child who otherwise would be stateless.

Citizenship by naturalization requires that a person:
a) Have lived in Samudera Darussalam for at least 10 years, with at least 5 years of holding permanent residency status;
b) Demonstrating a fluency in Samuderan;
c) Passing a citizenship test and declaring the Samuderan Oath of Citizenship in front of a government official;

However, the following conditions may make somebody eligible for citizenship status:
a) Holding permanent residency status and marrying a Samuderan citizen

Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? The right to vote is granted to all people with citizenship status regardless of sex or economic status, who are of 19 years old or older at the time of the election and was registered in the local database.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? In principle, Samuderans are entitled to equal treatment under the law. However, in practice, some forms of discrimination by parts of the society towards certain segments of the population, primarily the androids and the wizarding community can still be found
Efforts to counter this have been done by both the government and the various NGOs through campaigns and the criminalization of discriminative practices in workplaces.
Are the above groups well represented in government? The wizarding community has a longstanding cooperation with the government, along with representations in both federal and local level (mainly in Labuan and Cempaka). Meanwhile, the androids are yet to be represented in the government due to the relatively recent domestic policies that entitle them with the same citizenship rights as the other part of the population.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? 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.

[Prozitia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
It would normally be through a technocratic-democratic election between the two superparties and parliament. Universal intelligence merits for voters and vetting for representatives is common.
However, Head of Council Helio is the founding father of Prozitia, therefore a dictator for life, being the only exception.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?
Leaders of parties with enough support and growth may be accepted to the National Council. National Council, as a whole, is the head of government. If the National Council disagrees with the Head of Council as a whole or by a huge majority, they may repeal the decision made by Head of Council.
How is the national legislature selected?
The form of legislature in Prozitia is parliament. The higher house is the National Council, while the lower house is the People's Assembly. People's Assembly is formed by the democratic leaders of worker's unions and are expected to act according to the will of the people.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?
Although there are a lot of restrictions when it comes to Head of Council elections, the elections are still fair and transparent. Corruption is very rare, if not non-existent.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
Yes, they do, and they may end the socialist regime. However, they cannot discard the immortal political philosophy of Prozitia. This doesn't stop them from changing Prozitia by a huge merit, though.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
Yes, voting is voluntary. Everyone may vote, but are not guaranteed to have the same voting power as all the voters. A universal merit will decide their capability.
Taking this fact into consideration, People's Sunlight Party defeated Individual's Development Party in the last elections by 76% to 24%.

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?
Mostly, yes. Though, they still have to act according to the national political philosophy and don't have full power over local authorities. Local authorities are autonomous to a point.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
No. None except Head of Council Helio. Although Bigtopia recently tried to interfere with the elections, they were quickly stamped out.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Prozitian Progressivism is the limit.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?
Yes, to a point where it doesn't break the political structure of Prozitia.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)
1-10. Aside from national emergencies, government procedures are clean and transparent. Business is rarely permitted, so corruption there is impossible.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
9-10. Same as the explanation given above.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?
There is. The government may not intervene with it.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Absolutely.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?
Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
Mostly, yes. No political indoctrination is on purpose or supported by the government, but it seems to happen, albeit rarely.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?
Yes. Surveillance is only in critical areas, where it doesn't infringe on privacy.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?
Of course.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?
Always.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
Yes, mostly supported by the People's Assembly.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
Definitely.
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 and sexual violence?)?
Now, normally, this would easily be a yes. However, a recent national program is experimenting with VATs to create super genes and has cracked down on marriage to stop economical monopolies. This program is expected to fade in a manner of time. When it does, the people will be completely free with their relationships. The power over these super genes will be handed to the populace, according to their own needs.
No, violence in any form is very rare.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Comrade, no. Economical freedom is bourgeoisie propaganda. Although small-scale trades, small family businesses and worker's unions permitted and protected.
About property, yes, as long as it isn't a monopoly. Land may be bought, but only if it isn't on public grounds and the purpose is to make a living place/small family store.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
The borders are mostly open and people usually don't have trouble becoming citizens. This is partly to protect civil rights and partly because we need workforce.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?
Everyone. Although their merits will impact the value of their vote.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?
Always.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
They are seen equally, so yes. They aren't seen as something to be protected, but as one with the people. People don't look twice when voting for them.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?
Yes, it is protected.

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?
Perhaps more details, you do you

[Imeriata]

Please fill the following questionnaire to get your nation assessed:
ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
As the oldest son of the previous high king and lacking any younger brother that was born after his father was crowned did Primus rex Stjärnkhrone ascend to the throne at the abdication of his father. His powers are limited by the same limits that is placed on the state by the laws of the land that protects the commonry and nobility alike but he is otherwise granted full power to act and set policy as he sees fit.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?
Same as above, they are both invested in the same man.
How is the national legislature selected?
Same as above, while there technically are three separate branches, they all are headed by the monarch.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?
Elections are not free but they are fair. While the crown can and does limit the candidates that can run to be elected to the court as advisory rolls are parties banned as a matter of policy. Further more are the rich, the nobility and other higher stratas of society excluded from the elections as they are intended to allow the commonry estate to bring their grievances and representatives as advisers to the crown.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
The government has democratic elements where elected people can oust one another from their rolls as advisers to the king and other estates and religions that also provides advisers in the court are similarly able to replace their own representatives in the higher levels of government through various internal means. However by design is the system built to make it impossible to replace the high king himself.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
Partially, Only the poor are actually granted the right to vote and they are granted different numbers of votes depending on factors such as age, military service, service to the community, and so on. However would they chose not to vote are the commoners allowed to not do so.

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 royal court exist as an advisory body however according to ancient rights and traditions is it expected that the high king take their advise under consideration, but legally is the power still in his hands and not in the advisory.

Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
While there are elected elements in the royal court do they share the spotlight with bureaucrats, representatives of the old noble houses, the three main faiths of the federation, the military, the merchant guild, and the personal appointees of the high king himself, all being mostly undemocratic institutions even if the guild provides at representatives elected from the merchant class by the merchant class.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
The royal advisory of internal affairs is the branch of government that deals with the operation of the state that is further divided into a legislative, and judicial, and executive branch (even if the executive branch is also spread out amongst oligarchical, aristocratic, military, and religious institutions working in concordant with the crown). The legislature with the other branches all are lead by the high king severing the separation at the top, allowing for them to be used as one. All legal reforms and legislation must ultimately be either approved by the high king on the federal level or by his vassal in each realm for them to be implemented on a realm basis.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?
Both branches could get the high king to issue decree on any issue but otherwise lack means to influence one another too much as ultimately are decisions such as budget and other influences left in the hands of the king that are the leader of both branches of the government.

From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)
4. While bribery is common does the federal authorities start to take notice if it starts to impair an officials job making gifts and payments to officials common and generally considered a part of dealing with such individuals. However these positions are all still considered appointments from the high king and overstepping ones authority or letting it hinder one from carrying out one's duties would be seen as a great slight of his honour leaving the official in question in the cross hair of legal and political persecution.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
7 while it does not tell all and keeps a lot of things hinging on exact words is the federation still very honest in general, an attitude based on Scandrean chivalric ideals. A common saying is that the federation might whack you over the head and take your lands as theirs but they will do so to your face and inform you about it beforehand.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes, however there are restrictions on what one can print such as an inability to print information that would be considered rebellious.

Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?
In legal terms yes but people lacking religion would have social pressure put on them, both from society at large but also being hindered in their carriers due to a general suspicion of people like that.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
No, teaching good morals and allegiance to the federation and king are open part of the curriculum.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?
Within reason yes, the federation do keep track of outspoken dissents and attempting to organise resistance would be faced with the full force of the law banning such actions. However merely speaking out or being critical of the government or their policies are generally allowed by federal authorities.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?
This is allowed and groups are allowed to gather but would be investigated if they became too large and active even if direct action would not be taken until they started to become violent.

Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?
Yes.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
They are, however most trade unions are not political but instead religious in nature and as such are protected by the various religions that also carry great influence in the government. political trade unions are tolerated but looked upon with suspicion by the crown and could come under investigation.

Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
People are allowed to move freely within the federation itself.
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 and sexual violence?)?
They are free from the government in such acts. However the federal government do attempt to uphold Scanderan culture as a high culture to be adopted and attempt to have other populations in the federation adapt it as their culture slowly through assimilation and school programs. This is however not the case in social circumstances where fathers and mothers have a lot to say about the partners of their children and often arrange marriages for them when they are quite young.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Yes, they are protected by the law and further more protected by the royal merchant guild, a mercantile body consisting of federal corporations intent to make it harder for foreign companies to operate on federal soil but also to provide protection to it's members in the shape of bailouts and legal support to it's members.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY

How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
Any person born in the federation or born to a federal subject is considered a federal subject, similarly are people able to lay down an oath of servitude to the high king granting them the rank of a federal subject.

Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?
There are elections that provides part of the royal court that is the highest advisory body to the king, all men and women that has reached the age of 16 are allowed to vote if they lack noble title or their income is bellow a set level. This ensures that only the poor commoners are allowed to vote while the nobility and wealthy are represented in this advisory court in other means. However each commoner are not granted one vote as older people, people with children, and military service men all grant additional votes for their wisdom in age and willingness to serve the crown.

Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?
No, the federation makes it clear that certain groups are more civilised than others, such high cultures are given preferable treatment in government positions and carrier opportunities and other groups are expected to assimilate to these majority groups. However otherwise are other groups allowed to continue their lives free of outright harassment from the federal authorities even if they are still expected to learn to speak the language of the federation.

Are the above groups well represented in government?
sort of, they are able to provide nobility to their

Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?
No, by design is the government very aristocratic and society itself tend to be very conservative and keep social mobility stagnant.

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?

[Montevento]

ELECTIONS

How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The Doge of Montevento is elected by popular vote during the National Elections by any citizen above the age of 18 who does not have their citizenship suspended (due to being detained, in jail or any other kind of imprisonment) and is, at the time of the elections, in Montevento (as citizens outside the country are not allowed to vote). To be elected Doge, a candidate must obtain at least 50% of the valid votes during the first round of voting, where any political party can present a candidate. If no candidate obtains said amount, a second round of voting is held, where only the two most voted candidates of the first round can participate. The candidate who gets more votes in this round is declared as the Doge of Montevento.

The Doge has the power to fully exercise the Executive Power and has minor powers over the legislature, as he/she can pass decrees and veto laws created by the National Council. However, all his powers over the legislative branch of the state can be overwritten by a simple majority in the National Council.

How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The head of government and head of state is the same person in Montevento. See above.

How is the national legislature selected?
The 250 members of the National Council are given proportionally to the amount of votes obtained by each political party during the first round of the National Elections.

Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?
Yes, elections are free and fair. Irregularities are extremely rare as the votes are counted in every voting centre in front of representatives from each political party.

Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
Yes, the governing party usually changes due to the elections.

Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
No, 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?
Yes, new policies can be developed and implemented in the entirety of the national territory.

Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
No, the government is not influenced by other entities, but as Montevento is dependant on foreign powers for its protection (Montevento does not have an army), the government might favour the policies of its allies from time to time.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Yes, the legislature has the legislative initiative (and so does all the citizens of Montevento, assuming they can prove that their proposal has enough support to be considered by the National Council). The National Council is free to pass any law with a simple majority (unless the Supreme Court of Justice deems the proposal to be unconstitutional). The Council can start the process to start constitutional amendments, but is not free to approve them on their own, as a public referendum is needed to make any change to the constitution.

A law approved by the Council might be subject to a veto from the Doge of Montevento, but this only means that the Council must reconsider the proposal, amend it to please the Doge (or leave it unchanged, unhearing the Doge's requests) and held a new vote to approve it. The same law cannot be vetoed twice by the Doge.

Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?
The Executive can only apply vetoes as explained above. In theory, the Executive could also assign a low budget for the legislature, preventing its normal functioning, but as all budgets must be approved and can changed by the National Council, it is really unlikely to happen.

From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)
2 - Minor corruption exists as its impossible to control every member of the government, but it is kept well under control due to the existence of several independent organisms tasked to detect corrupt individuals, who get removed of their positions by the National Council or the Doge.

From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
9 - Any action of the government is published for the citizens to see in the web page of the government and all sessions of the National Council are transcribed and archived in the National Archive, as well as being broadcaster live over the internet. (All of this does not apply if the government is treating something that could potentially risk the integrity and security of Montevento)

Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?
The judiciary is independent.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Is there an independent media?
Yes.

Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?
Yes, Montevento is a secular state and freedom of religion is guaranteed in the Constitution as long as the belief does not put the integrity of others at risk with its rituals or traditions.

Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
Yes. Political activity in any educative institution is banned and can be punished with fines and even prison. Public Universities are autonomous and only depend on the government for their budgets.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?
Yes, people is free to express dissent. Montevento has an extensive public surveillance camera system in all public spaces in order to prevent crime. Police officials are also allowed to request any person they deem suspicious to identify itself, but unless proof of criminal activities is registered, no other measures can be applied.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?
Yes, they are allowed, unless they turn violent, go against the freedoms of other people or destroy private or public property. If that happens, the police can intervene and disperse them using force if needed.

Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?
The law is usually enforced as intended.

Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
Yes, but protests or strikes made by any trade union have some regulations to protect those who choose not to be part of them, as trade unions cannot prevent someone who is not interested in participating of the strike/protest to do their job. This implies that trade unions are banned from occupying factories or work places, blocking the entrance to them or damaging private property in any way.

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 and sexual violence?)?
Yes, citizens of Montevento enjoy basic social freedoms and have control over appearence. Arranged marriages are punishable by law. Citizens can have as many children as they wish for, but the State can take their children away if the parents fail to provide them basic needs. Domestic and sexual violence is not common, due to intensive campaigns founded by the government and extensive educative programs.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Yes. Private property in Montevento is very respected, an any attempt to go against it is punishable by law. Eminent domain can be used by the State, forcing a citizen to sell its private property when it is needed for public or civic use or, in some cases, for economic development (for example, building roads, highways and railways)

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY

How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
There are two types of citizenship in Montevento according to the constitution: Natural and Legal citizenship. Both are exactly equal regarding rights and obligations, but differ on how to obtain them:

• Natural Citizenship: It is guaranteed to anyone born inside the territories of Montevento, regardless of the nationality of their parents. It is also given to those born outside of the borders of Montevento but have a parent with Monteventani citizenship.
• Legal Citizenship: It is given to those who do not comply with the conditions for being a Natural Citizen, but have been living legally in Montevento for at least 5 years and as long as their foreign crime record is clean.

Naturalization process is quite simple, as only proof of residence in Montevento for at least 5 years is needed to obtain a legal citizenship. No citizenship tests are needed and speaking Italian (Montevento's official language) is not needed (but is recommended, as all the paperwork must be submitted in Italian and the state will not provide alternatives)

Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?
Mentioned Above.

Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?
Yes, it is guaranteed in the constitution of Montevento and several laws protect their rights.

Are the above groups well represented in government?
It depends if the people of the nation decide or not to elect them to office. The state does not give positions to people only due to their ethnicity, sex or sexual orientation/identity and only offers them according to their capacities. Currently, 48 members of the National Council are women (≈19%), 15 (≈6%) are from the Spanish minority groups of Montevento (who are about 13% of the total population) and the Doge is allegedly bisexual.

Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?
Social mobility is limited, but possible.

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, and it is punishable by law to attempt to do it.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?
No.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?

Your nation could not be scored because this question was left blank.

[Sodara]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The present head of state, Baltasar Nicolás José Benítez, came into power as the acting Consul following a military coup d'etat. He was later declared Protector of Sodara and Consul for Life. The Consul approves of the Prime Minister and the cabinet, as well as members of the Upper Chamber of the CNCS, and has veto power. He is the First Chairman of el Congreso Nacional de la Contrarrevolución Sodareña, the Commander in Chief of the Sodarese Defense Forces, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Sodara.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Prime Minister is nominated by the Parliament and approved by the Protector. The PM is the head of the civil service and appoints the cabinet.
How is the national legislature selected? The Parliament of Sodara consists of the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) and the Senate (upper house). Both are elected by the populace. Members of the Senate must be members of the Upper Chamber of the CNCS.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Rather than rig elections, the government simply reviews candidates and chooses whether to approve them.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? There is no opposition. Sodara is a one-party state.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is voluntary. Voter turnout for Parliamentary elections are 50-60 percent.

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.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? No.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? All legislation must pass through both houses and be approved by the Consul.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? Yes (veto).
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 7. The Protector is aggressively nepotistic, staffing important positions in the SNC with his family. He and his family live opulent lifestyles, and are largely above the law. The government is highly influenced by special interest groups, namely corporate lobbyists. On the other hand, day-to-day corruption as in the civil service is less common.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 6. The government is relatively upfront about its mischief, all things considered.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? No.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? The media are subject to censorship.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? It depends on what is meant by 'indoctrination.'
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Dissent is not tolerated. Surveillance is pervasive.
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 (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? No.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? Unions are outlawed.
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 and sexual violence?)? Residents must follow a basic dress code in most public places to preserve a sensible measure of modesty. Marriage is between a consenting man and woman. Neither reproduction nor contraception is not restricted. Domestic and sexual violence are not commonplace.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes and yes.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. To be considered a citizen, one must be born to a legal resident within the country.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? All citizens of at least 21 years of age.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? Yes, for the most part.
Are the above groups well represented in government? No.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? No less than in any other capitalist country.

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? appearence -> appearance

[The Allied Tribe]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The head of state (our president) is selected by people. There are political parties (although they sometimes form alliances), each has a few debates, and then people who have been proved to be part of that party vote on who they want best to represent their party and be their president. Afterwards, each candidate from each political party debates, and a few months after, people from all political parties vote again. The person with the most popular votes gets elected. A president gets to serve a maximum of 2 terms, and each term is 4 years. The president has the ability to introduce laws, although it has to be approved by both more than half of the House of Chiefs and by more than half of the people.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The head of government is also our president.
How is the national legislature selected?
The House of Chiefs are elected by the people as well. Each Chief represents a tribe in The Allied Tribe, and right now, there are 100 Chiefs in the House of Chiefs.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?
Elections are considered free and fair, voting is private and there is heavy security. There are irregularities in our elections, but there are very few and they are small, so they rarely affect the results.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
They definitely do. The political party in the government right now, the Allied Tribe Party, has 51% support, while the main opposition, the National Party, has 47% support.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
Voting is voluntary. In our last election of the 88% ofpeople that voted, 51% for the Allied Tribe Party, 47% for the National Party, and 2% for the other parties.

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 are able to implement new policies by approving them and also making laws, and government authority does extend over the full national territory, although Chiefs from the House of Chiefs can make local laws for their tribe if more than half of the tribe supports it.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
Definitely not.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Yes, both the president and the House of Chiefs have the legislative initiative, but if a Chief in the House of Chiefs tries to make a law, half of the House of Chiefs and half of the people must support it, and the same thing with the president making a law.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?
The president can veto, but half of the people must support the veto.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)
0, because doing corrupt things, like bribing, results in imprisonment for life without parole (even though the death penalty is outlawed, life sentences still exist)
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
10, government activity is very well known, mostly because the government tells the people what they have done, although sometimes it is released by whistleblowers.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?
There is an independent judiciary.
CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?
Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
Yes.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?
Yes, and surveillance cameras are placed in shopping malls, police stations, and other places that need to be kept safe, but there are none in homes or other places unless they install them themselves.
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 (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?
Yes.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
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 and sexual violence?)?
Yes, and domestic and sexual violence is rare, but obviously it still happens sometimes.
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? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
Citizenship is determined by people taking an oath to be a citizen of The Allied Tribe and to be a strict vegetarians.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?
Anybody that is 18 or older can vote in any elections.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?
Yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
Yes.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?
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?

Well, I’m done.

[Alpes a Septentrionali Imperium]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of state is the Emperor-King(Known natively as Empereur-Roi), they are selected through an absolute primogeniture line of succession. Line of Succession to the throne is based on direct descendants of Henri IV through the line of Roduolf of Courrone and Picardy, whose son is Emperor-King Matthieu XV. Those in the line of Succession are considered to be part of the house of Alpeia.

The Emperor-King has numerous powers, of which they are; The power to appoint, recall or dismiss First Lords and ministers, declare war, peace, alliance, and commerce as well as said treaties, enforce the Droit de Regale, grant and relieve titles and posts of nobility, issue arbitrary orders of decree and reform, issue decrees, and propose, veto, create, promulgate and enforce laws. He also maintains the position of supreme commander of the armed forces and has the duties of managing the affairs of the nation. The Empereur-Roi also has the duty and power regarding state and foregin policy through the first lords.

How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The First Lord of Government is appointed by the Emperor-King. He does not exercise much power other than ordering the Senate and Tribunat to convene as well as dismissing it. He does have many other minor powers and quite a few duties such as presiding over the legislative bodies of the Imperium.

How is the national legislature selected? The Sénat Impérial et Royal is divided into three bodies, l'Chambres(Which were made up of the Chambre des Pairs/Députés) which discuss and vote on matters regarding taxes and regular affairs of nation and empire. The
Sénat constitutionnel and Corps législatif, these bodies are united as simply the Sénat. They act as the law-making and semi-advisory body to the Emperor-King. They vote on laws as well as matters of government and state. Some senators are granted properties and greater powers in exchange for there loyalty. The last body is the Tribunat, which is a consultative body for the other part of the Sénat Impérial et Royal. In l'Chambres there are a total of 810 members with 180 currently in the Chambre des Pairs and 690 in the Chambre des Députés. In the Chambre des Pairs, all seats are held for life by the peers, with three different seats possible. A hereditary peerage has a seat connected to a specific family with it being inherited through said family, the second possible seat is a life peerage in which the peer is appointed by the Emperor-King and has that seat removed from them after death, and there are the prelate peers who hold religious office as well as a peer.

In the Chambre des Députés 600 of the members are voted for from a universal male suffrage vote, these members precede to serve 5-year terms with a 5th of them being renewed every year. These renewals are made by the Emperor-King. The Sénat constitutionnel has a total of 345 senators of which 240 of them are elected for ten-year terms based on census suffrage, well the rest are either sénateurs inamovible or senators who sat for life appointed by the Emperor-King, those eligible to become senators must be over 40 and have an income of at least 45,000 Sestrii. The Corps législatif has a total of 430 members who are elected by universal male suffrage for 6-year terms, but 30 of the members are appointed by the Emperor-King and all can be dismissed at any time and have less legislative power than any of the branches. Of the 30 to 60 members of the Tribunat, they are elected by census male suffrage from a list of notables selected by the senate and monarch.

Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Slightly, well votes are generally free. Vote rigging and irregularities are very common, and they can or will alter results significantly.

Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Generally without the support of the Emperor-King and nobility, no.

Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Yes. The average turnout was 48.6%

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? They are semi-successful in this process, with them able to implement policies that don't contradict the Emperor-Kings order and prerogative. The government has relative success in implementing policy European and Integrated colonies of the Empire, but in other colonies and states the government has little to no control or authority.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? Yes, the military and church, as well as the Emperor-King, have and exercise quite a bit of influence over the government. Some factions of nobles do as well.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? It has some, with it being able to propose a bill in at least 40% support of the house it was proposed in, as well as the approval of the head of government. All laws passed need the approval of at least the head of government to pass, which can be overruled by the Emperor-King
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? Yes, the Emperor-King is one of few with a constitutional right to veto bills or laws, he can also request that the head of government dissolve the senate at any time and call elections. These orders are usually done through.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 7, corrupt well it is trying to be rooted out from the Imperial government has become quite rampant with under the table and closed-door deals quite common with senators and Imperial Family members.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 4, The Imperial Government doesn't like to reveal more than is needed for the general populace to know.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? Yes, but it has faced some pressure before.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes, it is technically independent. But it is known to have been put under great and funding and influence from government.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? No, the state religion is Roman Catholicism, but expectations are made for others in terms of religious beliefs.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? No, generally the education system tries to put into the mind of students generally nationalistic monarchist state of view.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Citizens are legally entitled to perform some form of dissent, but in practice, any protest that the imperial government sees as a threat can be taken down by police and the gendarmerie.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? There is some freedom of assembly, but no groups larger than 500 people are allowed to form at one time without approval. Protest without Imperial approval is illegal.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Yes, but it can be revoked for major crimes with much evidence.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? Not usually, but some exceptions exist.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Most individuals enjoy a freedom to move in and out of the Empire for most reasons. But trying to immigrant out the nation will take quite a bit of paperwork.
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 and sexual violence?)? Individuals enjoy most basic rights, but anti-discrimination laws don't exist practically and most who would be classified in the LGBT community would be classified as mentally ill in the Empire.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Individuals are able to establish their own businesses

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Most citizenship is determined through family history, or ethnic descent or religion. Unfortunately, we can't provide the naturalization process.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? Men(and in some areas women) over the age of 25(In a few provinces 21) are eligible to vote in most elections.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? No, minorites and the LGBT community aren't as well represented or treated as equals.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Generally no.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? For most individuals no, but well educated, meritorious, or just lucky individuals have made it upwards.

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? In some colonial areas, rebelling native populations have been said to be purged, but it is not believed that this is practiced anymore.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Ishijan]

How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? Being an anarchic polity, Ishijan does not have a head of state.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? See above.
How is the national legislature selected? There is no proper legislature, but the Conclave of Boards is a territory-wide forum designed to aid cooperation between Ishijan citizens and to oversee large scale projects; physical and social. Membership in the conclave is voluntary and open to all, although wealthy citizens tend to exert more influence.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? There are no elections, as there is no real government. All citizens are theoretically equally able to participate in the management of the Liberated Territory, but power tends to reside in the hands of the wealthy upper classes.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Should an individual possess sufficient wealth and influence, they will be able to push their views and acquire power. Of course, this is not done electorally.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? There is no voting, as outlined above, and while anyone can participate, most citizens are politically apathetic, leaving control in the hands of the rich.

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 elected, but all citizens can theoretically propose new policies that people could agree on. Ishijan does not have a government and is not a nation in the traditional sense, instead being a collection of sovereign self-governing individuals who have agreed to present a united front. In this sense it inherently controls all the territory it occupies.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? Economic oligarchs are the closest thing the Liberated Territory has to a government.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The Conclave of Boards does not have the ability to make binding decisions, only suggestions that individuals can choose to adhere to. In this way it could theoretically alter the understanding of the constitution, but this has not yet occurred.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? There is no executive authority.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) That depends on how you view corruption, as many activities that would be considered corruption in most polities are tolerated in Ishijan, provided that they do not infringe on the rights of others and their property. So extortion and embezzlement are not tolerated, but nepotism and influence peddling are. Bribery depends on what the person is being bribed to do. I'll say 6/10.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) The Conclave of Boards is the closest thing the Liberated Territory has to a government, and its activities are entirely open to the public. 10/10.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? The courts are independent to the point of being private firms. This does tend to open them up to corruption though.

Is there an independent media? There is no central media group, only a myriad of private corporations with different owners and shareholders.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? All citizens are free to believe in whatever faith they desire.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Education is entirely privatised, so the content tends to vary from school to school. Still, most tend to encourage Ishijist values.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Citizens are legally allowed to express dissent, provided they do not infringe upon the rights of other. Central surveillance is non-existent, although wealthier citizens generally have the resources to surveil anyone they please.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? People are allowed to protest so long as they do not infringe upon personal and property rights.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? No, although most private courts will uphold at least a pretence of due process for fear of going out of business.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? Absolutely.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? People are free to do whatever they can afford to.
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 and sexual violence?)? Individuals have full rights over their body and authority over personal matters. Domestic violence does occur, but not at an above average rate.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? It is supremely easy to set up a business, and property rights are considered utterly sacrosanct.

How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Anyone can in principle declare themselves to be a citizen of Ishijan.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? There are no elections, although anyone can involve themselves in politics.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? Ishijan considers all peoples to be equal, but upholds freedom of association, so individuals may freely discriminate against people of their choosing, refusing to provide them with goods or services.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Some of the wealthier individuals are from minority groups, but their numbers tend to be disproportionally small compared to the population.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? It is very difficult for individuals of a poor background to rise economically, which is the basis of social mobility in the Liberated Territory. The more money you have, the more power and influence you can exert.

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? Genocide is considered an unacceptable infringement on individual freedoms, and as such is not practiced.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index? Not really, no, although this is an even weirder one.

[Plaetopia]

Updated.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?

Unfortunately, your nation can not be scored because a question is missing.

[Aryax]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The National President is both head of state and head of government, and it is elected by the legislature, the People's Assembly. The National President represents the state and directs its general policies; chooses the members of the Cabinet (executive), presides over its meetings and directs them and the development of the activities of the Cabinet; oversees the activities of other central state institutions and is the Supreme Commander of the Popular Army. The current National President is Stanislav Tyrankov, last elected in 2015.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The National President office combines the powers of the head of state and of the head of government, as aligned above.
How is the national legislature selected? The People's Assembly is elected every five years through universal and equal suffrage.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? There are rarely any irregularities in elections, but the general legal framework is carefully designed to prevent any genuine alternative to the ruling (and sole legal party) People's Revolutionary Movement (PRM). All positions in the legislature and the executive, including the National President, are previously decided in the relevant intraparty congresses, so that in election day, all candidates for the People's Assembly are effectively preselected by the PRM and run unopposed. The government also keeps track of voting behavior to punish those who dare reject its preferred candidates.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Aryax is a one-party state where the ruling political elite took power by force and does not accept even minimal challenges to its absolute power. All opposition parties are illegal and dissent can result in extreme penalties. National President Tyrankov has built a cult of personality around him and has firm control over the PRM in general, shielding him from intraparty challenges. Furthermore, subnational representatives are directly appointed in a vertical manner by the head of the superior administrative division, with the Cabinet appointing all provincial Delegates and Delegates in turn selecting all Mayors of every municipality under their control.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is mandatory, so that the government can accurately control the voting behavior of every citizen. As a result, turnouts are artificially high, at over 90%.

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 at any level. Government authority extends over the entirety of the national territory: no areas are under control of rebels or nonstate actors.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? Political participation outside the unelected PRM is largely impossible. Citizens can not influence government decisions, which are made by a small elite centered around Tyrankov that controls all institutions. Regular purges remove officials that fall out of grace with the leadership.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Formally, the People's Assembly has the legislative initiative, but the Cabinet can issue decrees to bypass the legislature. However, this rarely occurs, given the heavy overlap between party and state and the absolute lack of separation of powers, because the People's Assembly is already largely subservient to the executive.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? The People's Assembly plays a minimal role in policymaking, merely rubber-stamping decisions made previously by the PRM and its elites.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 9. Corruption is rampant and prosecuted selectively: loyal elites are rewarded with impunity for economic crimes, while officials deemed disloyal are purged under the excuse of an anticorruption campaign.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 0. Even the msot basic information about government operations is a state secret. The government does release official statistics but they are distorted to match its ideological goals.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? The judiciary is openly controlled by the political leadership both in law and in practice.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? All media is state-controlled, heavily censored, and effectively amount to propaganda. Foreign media is largely inaccessible from within the country. Aryax has its own national intranet and access to a few global internet websites, but any kind of content creation is effectively outside of reach by the general population.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? State indoctrination precludes freedom of religion, and a wide barrage of laws allow heavy government control over religious faiths. In practice, none are tolerated at all. Crackdowns on religious believers are extremely harsh, with a death toll of over a thousand, as the state systematically abducts and murders them.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? The state controls all educational institutions and must approve all curriculums. Education is poisoned by rampant corruption, discriminatory curricula and ideological indoctrination. Government informants closely watch both students and teachers. Bureaucratic obstacles allow for easy denial of education for disloyal citizens, as well as quick closure of educational institutions deviating from the official line.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? A climate of fear pervades daily life. The state operates an enormous surveillance apparatus, supported by the tagging of citizens with unique ID chips that back a Social Credit System, ranking citizens according to their behavior. Cameras with facial recognition technology are omnipresent, and all communications are strictly monitored and isolated from global networks.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? There is no freedom of assembly. Unauthorized groups of more than three people are arrested. Given the extensive scope of surveillance, organizing protests is impossible. Spontaneous protests are also rare in the face of massive security presences and violent responses.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Vague offenses such as "anticonstitutional activities" criminalize an enormous range of activities and are enforced arbitrarily. Almost all detentions are carried abduction-style in conditions that amount to forced disappearences, and the state holds as much as 70,000 political prisoners (1% of the population). The Ministry of State Security (MGB) regularly resorts to extralegal practices in its drive to crush all enemies of the state, and operates underground labor and extermination camps.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? All organizations must be created by the state or the PRM. No NGOs operate in Aryax. Strikes, collective bargaining, or any other organized labor activity are illegal.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? The state decides a citizen's place of residence and its education and employment; the decision is largely based on Social Credit Score. Explicit PRM permission is required to leave the municipality of legal residence; private motorized transport is illegal (ostensibly for environmental reasons, but in practice to limit freedom of movement). A nationwide curfew is in place. International travel requires an exit visa that can be denied for any reason; leaving without authorization is considered treason.
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 and sexual violence?)? Social freedoms are limited, especially for women. Marriage is free as long as it is heterosexual and between two Aryaxian citizens. Marriage to a foreigner requires state approval. Same-sex activity and marriage are strictly prohibited. National dress codes are in place, and sexual objectification and harassment of women is rife.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Private property is not recognized, and the state owns all land and legally controls all economic activity.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. If both parents are Aryaxian citizens, their child is automatically a citizen too. If one parent is Aryaxian, the child will become a citizen upon explicit request from said parent. Naturalization requires 5 years of legal residency and (except for former diplomats) giving up any prior citizenships.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? All citizens aged 18 or more.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? No. Harsh discrimination is prevalent throughout daily life, and it is mainly based on political reliability and ideological conformity. Citizens are classified according to their behavior through a Social Credit System. The state takes an outright genocidal attitude against the LGBT collective. Women do not enjoy legal equality and face widespread discrimination: article 14 of the Constitution calls for gender equality only "within the limits of basic biology", and laws banning "gender supremacy", "false reporting of a crime" and "anticonstitutional activities" are enforced with notorious misogynistic bias.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Not at all. While there are female representatives, their particular interests (such as women's empowerment) are systematically silenced. No open LGBT person can serve in government since the collective itself is illegal.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? Thanks to a command economy, upward social mobility is fully state controlled. Rampant corruption is another significant obstacle.

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 state actively seeks to eliminate religious groups and LGBT people from Aryax, through coordinated crackdowns before major celebrations, forced disappearences, and transfer to extermination camps.

[Alpes a Septentrionali Imperium]

Updated.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?

Unfortunately, your nation can not be scored because a question is missing.

Edited to add question.

[Plaetopia]

Both scored.

[Tomure]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Head of State was elected and holds many of the same powers as the President of the US IRL, although his/her appointments and treaties do not need to be approved by the National House or Senate. He can also dissolve the legislatures of any local authority under Tomure's control as he/she wishes, and may deny a duly elected government official from taking his/her seat if he/she has committed a crime or other act deemed unworthy (and upheld by the courts) of taking office.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Head of State is the Head of Government.
How is the national legislature selected? Both the National House and Senate are elected by Popular vote with the D'Hondt method being used for the 150 international seats to the National House (As Tomureans abroad are able to vote in Tomurean elections)
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Elections are considered free and fair to a point thanks to massive corporate donations and no regulations on new sources, as well as Tomureans from abroad being able to vote. Irregularities have never changed the outcome of an election though they are semi-frequent especially at the local level.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Yes
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is 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? National representatives can develop and implement new policies though most laws and policies are developed at the local levels.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? Religious Organizations especially the Catholic church is the most powerful lobbying group in Tomure with very little happening without their approval.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The legislature is only able to amend the constitution every 10 years if they so choose via a referendum after passage unanimously through both houses and 60% of the local authorities this has only happened twice in 1989 and 2000 with a recently failed attempt in 2015. They have no real restrictions on what laws they can pass however local authorities are allowed to ignore federal law or pass law in direct contradiction to federal law (in which case more often than not local law supersedes federal law).
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? The President is able to Veto legislation, and issue edicts and executive orders (edicts only for budgetary or government spending, executive orders for anything domestic excluding military or police orders). In extraordinary circumstances (failure to pass a budget or a failed vote of no confidence in the President) can the President dissolve the National House and Senate.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 8 Business and Government are practically inseparable in Tomure resulting in certain industries and people getting better treatment then others.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 6.5 in most domestic matters the government is transparent however in international and military matter any word breathed on the matter is borderline treason.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? there is a 3 tiered judicial system in Tomure the lower level (Court of National Well Being) being primarily partisan based and appointed by the National House on advice from elections in local authorities, the middle tier (Court of Appeals and Higher Judgement) is slightly more independent appointed by the Senate though they still have political affiliations and terms, the upper tier (Court of Elders and Saints) is appointed by the President (with advice from the Catholic Church) and is forbidden from any interaction with political parties or politicians they are to be completely independent

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? yes, though non-belief and Violetism are frowned upon
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Free of political interference
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Citizens are mostly free to bad mouth the government, but the government does use phone and wire taps, as well as has a great many teams monitoring all citizens interest activity.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Yes, yes, and yes
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Yes, and yes (especially for the rich)
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? Trade Unions are completely Illegal but NGOs can operate with no restrictions.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Citizens of Tomure are free to travel abroad (though Tomure does believe that even if your renounce Tomure citizenship if you live or have lived in Tomure and you became a citizen you are permanently a citizen of Tomure), Tomure does allow those who are guest workers or entering for educational purposes to remain in the country but those who don't fall under those 2 categories find it hard to immigrate to Tomure.
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 and sexual violence?)? Strict dress rules apply, and while homosexuality is considered legal very few local authorities recognize it, families can be as large as people want. Much like all other crime Domestic and Sexual Violence is incredible rare (and is an automatic death sentence).
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Yes, and for those who can afford a good lawyer yes.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Those born in Tomure or to Tomurean citizens are viewed as citizens, immigrants who apply from being either a guest worker or for educational reasons are given top priority to become citizens all others are required to take history and language classes and pass 3 tests in order to become citizens.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? Any Tomure citizen whether they live in Tomure or not may vote in any Tomurean election.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? Yes and for the most part yes (though religious minorities and those in the LGBTQIA are often discriminated against with no consequences)
Are the above groups well represented in government? Men make up 55% of government officials women 35% ethnic minorities 10%
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? Sort of there is very little stopping Tomureans from advancing on the socio-economic scale outside of taxes which is a flat rate of 79%.

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? Unknown as many different groups claim others are with no real proof.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[New Transeurasia]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of state of New Transeurasia is the Premier, elected every 5 years. The office of Premier exercises the ability to veto legislative motions, and pardon judicial decisions.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of government in NT is the Vice Premier, elected with the Premier every 5 years. The Vice Premier is the speaker of the National Assembly.
How is the national legislature selected? Elected by districts.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Yes. Irregularities are uncommon, and do not usually alter results.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? Yes.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Yes. The turnout in Premier elections in NT in 2030 was 72.1427% of voting population.

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.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? No.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? Yes. The Premier and Vice Premier can veto a legislative vote if the vote is less than a 3/5 majority. These vetoes can be invalidated by the NT Supreme National Court, though.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? No.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) 1. Some small businesses occasionally bribe governments into allowing them to form trusts.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) 6. NT's State News gives a simplified description of all laws and referendums passed by the National Assembly.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? The judicial branch of NT's government is independent from other branches of NT's government.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? Yes.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Yes.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Yes. Only suspicious criminals are allowed to be surveiled by NT's government.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? No. A permit is required to protest, and protests are heavily regulated.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? Yes.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? 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 and sexual violence?)? Yes. Domestic violence is highly illegal in NT, and can count as assault.
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? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Citizenship is determined by parents, place of birth, or naturalization. A person can be a citizen of NT if any one of their parents are New Transeurasian, if they are born in New Transeurasia, or naturalized. Naturalization consists of a citizenship test. Requirements for naturalization include having lived in NT for the prior 3 years.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? All New Transeurasian citizens.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? Yes.
Are the above groups well represented in government? Yes.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? 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? None.

[Cameroi]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? the office is a membership of a council of usually nine persons, and all was some odd number greater then five and less then 13. all issues are decided by their consensus. Their agenda comes from those they serve.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?well depending on the level, all of the members of the next more local level vote for them. They may vote, as at the local level, anyone may vote for anyone, any nine actually. Those elected can only serve on one council, usually but not always, the least local. I avoid saying higher or lower because that might be confusing as government is considered an inverted triangle of service.
How is the national legislature selected?there is not a general legislature as such, but rather each council serves all functions at its level, though each are free to spin off professional bureaucracies to deal with specific issues or areas of interest.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?inaccuracies can happen, but there is no source of motivation, nothing to be gained, by introducing them deliberately. maybe this sounds like a fantasy, but it actually works in the absence of any incentive to intentionally distort the process. at the local level, at each level, local residency within its jurisdiction is an absolute requirement.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?there is no partisanship nor ideology of any sort, also no campaigning, its all individuals choosing individuals, and those individuals voting on issues. at the local level, this is everyone in the community. at each less local level, it is the total membership at that level.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?it varies of course, and from one place to another, but since its all local and between people who have a chance to actually know each other, it tends to be well above 60%, and near total is not uncommon.

SEPARATION OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONING OF GOVERNMENT
In case national representatives were freely elected, are they able to succesfully develop and implement new policies? Within constitutional consistency, yes.
Does government authority extend over the full national territory?each level extends only to the next.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? well there is no individual executive as such. Nor is there a large legislative body. Only councils of councils of councils. Which well, there isn't exactly any real way to influence them with.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)not quite sure how you'd go about corrupting the way our government is constructed and works. Not claiming impervious of course, but highly resistent and difficult to achieve.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)i would say not so much hidden as ignored by those not directly affected by it. At the village and neighborhood level, it is completely participatory. Everything that affects the individual directly takes place there. Other layers of government are elected by and coordinate those immediately more local then themselves.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?there is no political pressure on elected councils which also serve this function.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?yes in the sense that anyone can say anything. I don't know about professional indipendent media. No restriction, but no demand either.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?absolutely yes. There is no single belief that represents more the a third of the population, and several dozzen completely indipendent beliefs are quite common.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
far more so then it was ever able to be among humans.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? well surveillance of public places is quite common, but not the tracking of individuals. People are welcom to their own perspectives, as long as they're not trying to rob others of theirs.
Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?peaceful assembly is intigral to the process of government. As for protest, the only restriction is on any other form of causing harm if any is.
Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?yes
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
while there are no restrictions on 'ngo's, there's little or no actual niche of trade unions.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?certainly, and most relatively local travel is free. Also borders are entirely open to unarmed civilians travelling alone or in small family groups.
Do individuals enjoy basic social freedoms (do they have control over appearence?
Absolutely. Even the genetics of their appearant species. Which may even be one from entirely their own origeonal fantasy.
are they able to freely choose marriage partners and size of family?
Mostly, although causing more children to be born then the number of their living parents is not encouraged.
how common is domestic and sexual violence?)?brutality is rare, but intimate affection which other cultures might consider insestuous or statutory is not unknown.
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? business is kind of a non-concept, but mathom houses and craftufacturing centers, (think public library for tools and work space), are free and readily available. “property rights” are respected culturally, as no one appropriates what anyone is actually using.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
citizenship is determined solely by residence and the process is entirely automatic.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?everyone who has completed lowere school and has a pulse.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?yes
Are the above groups well represented in government?generally yes
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?a qualified yes in that social status is mostly kind of a non-thing.

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?certainly not with that intent, but sometimes people can get passionate about how to improve the entire structure.

---

Any suggestions for future editions of the index?

[Kaedijork]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?
The Head of State is selected in a free and open election at the end of the previous HoS's rule. They theoretically exercise complete power over the military, foreign policy, internal affairs, and the secret service - however, this is functionally limited, and in actuality, it is a news breaking headline if they do step in exercise their authority on anything.
How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? Same as before, but the results are somewhat more influenced by an oligarchic circle around the HoS who must approve of the candidate.
How is the national legislature selected?
Free and open elections at every level of the superstate: local cities, suburbs, states, nations, and then the federation. The highest level representatives of each republic in the federation form the legislature.
Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?
Elections are completely free and fair, however, although all political positions are legal, the parties generally have to not be opposed to the ethnic homogeneity of the population. All other economic and social positions are up for debate and election.
Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?
All legal parties have realistic chances - the nation uses a multi-party system to give platform to a wide variety of different syncretic views. However, if the 'opposition' is minorities or non-ethnonationalists, then no.
Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?
Voting is mandatory; however, if an individual feels as if they do not wish to vote, they are legally able to exclude themselves. Apolitical citizens who do not wish to vote out of ignorance are given free political quizzes to help them figure it out.

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 are, with the exception of anti-racist laws, and the government extends full authority over all its constituent nations.
Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?
No.
Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?
Yes. The only restriction is bills favouring minorities.
Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?
No, with the exception of widespread public outcry causing the oligarchic circle to debate the bill themselves and potentially step in.
From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)
3 - whilst the highest level of government can be somewhat corrupt in ensuring their policies remain in order whilst they are in power, this is mainly due to the use of a secret police service to find ethnic dissidents. The lower levels are functionally extremely clean, existing merely as infrastructure in the state apparatus.
From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)
6 - whilst any legislation and political ideological debates or bills passed in the house is widely accessible, along with all major military action, there is a fairly heavy black curtain in terms of the secret service and international espionage activity behind the scenes.
Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?
Judiciary is independent, only subject to the political pressure of the national laws.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?
Yes.
Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?
Yes, with the exception of arabic religions.
Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?
No. There is a left-leaning bias against traditional capitalism / neoliberalism, reflected in the analysis of the rest of the world and the horrific inequality and failures of wealth distribution in those states. History from after 1901 is taught with a pro-Kaedijork stance most of the time, and history in the ancient Kaedia Empire (300BC) is somewhat mythologised as the nazis mythologised the old German Empires.
Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?
Yes. There is, however, an all-econpassing surveillance system keeping track of all citizen data. This functionally only serves to reduce crime and make sure people do not go missing. In practice, think of it as a 'security guard asleep at a desk full of monitors who wakes up when a comically loud alarm goes off' (it is rarely employed for ideological purposes.)
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 (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?
Yes to both.
Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?
Yes.
Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?
Yes. Any individual deemed 'white' from any nation around the world is also guaranteed a 'right of return' similar to Israel and Jews, in the sense they can be granted citizenship immediately if they so desire to return to what Kaedijork sees as their homeland. Non white individuals are able to travel, seek residence, and employment, but cannot become citizens, and are societally discriminated against in practice in regards to 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 and sexual violence?)?
They do enjoy social freedoms - domestic and sexual violence is extremely uncommon. The national identity is somewhat of a very relaxed and libertarian 'hippie' culture, with mostly any substance, surgery, cosmetics, etc. not only allowed but somewhat encouraged. Citizens can do anything really except sympathise with minorities (which they aren't legally prevented from, but it ostracises them in practice).
Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected?
Small businesses are able to be freely set up. However, they form part of a larger national syndicate in that trade ensuring fair competition and resource allocation - i.e., they are not allowed to become too big. Think about it like Grandma's Deli down the road and Uncle Jo's Bakery on Mainstreet are allowed, but Amazon and BHP are not.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.
Citizenship is guaranteed for any individual without records of what constitute extreme criminal activity in Kaedijork. Low level and pretty criminal histories are allowed, however. Purity of heritage increases speed of naturalisation. The naturalisation process includes cultural teaching and a recommendation to the individual to settle in a specific area best suited to their needs and background. For example, new citizens of Anglo-Saxon descent would be recommended to settle in the republic of Anglomir, whereas mixed white ancestry or highly religious folk may be recommended to settle in the republic of Solheim. The exception of the anti-foreign ethnicity policy is Japan; Japanese individuals or with Japanese heritage are treated as equal, are allowed full citizenship, and are not discriminated against in practice.
Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?
All citizens can vote, even if they are living abroad.
Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?
Pretty much just the ethnic minorities (as in, skin colour below a certain shade). However, Japanese individuals are treated as equal.
Are the above groups well represented in government?
No.
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?
Yep.

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?
Yep.

---

[Plaetopia]

All scored.

snip

Please, do not separate or group questions because it makes scoring much harder.

[Teufelreich]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise?

The Head of State is the High Presbyter, who officially focuses on ecclesiastical matters of the Ashmedean faith. She is chosen by the Forum of Cardinal Presbyters, who are the head Presbyters of each province. Dynastic succession is allowed but not required. While the High Presbyter is a national and media icon, she officially leaves temporal decisions to her Chancellor and the Bund. Thanks to the religious nature of the office, High Presbyters must be presently ordained Presbyters within the Ashmedean faith.

How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise?

The Chancellor is chosen by the Tiefesfrau Bund, the legislature and official political party of Teufelreich. Once a Chancellor dies, resigns, or is impeached, the Bund convenes to either approve of the designated successor or choose someone to succeed the Chancellor. The Chancellor controls all national-level temporal matters, but non-emergency issues must be presented to and approved of by the Bund first.

How is the national legislature selected?

Members of the Tiefesfrau Bund are chosen from each province by the existing Bund itself. Some sort of governmental or religious service (military, police force, civil service, ordination) is required to be chosen as a Bundesfrau, a member of the Bund.

Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly?

No elections occur, at least in terms of those involving the general populace. The Bund votes on new policies by a simple majority vote, however, and may debate any opposition or additional support before the final vote. In addition, if the Chancellor vetoes a bill, a two-thirds majority in the Bund overrides her veto.

Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections?

The Tiefesfrau Bund is the only party recognized by the Reich. However, day to day policy positions are not always uniform, and do often change. The Chancellor can be overriden by a two-thirds majority should she veto a bill that the Bundesfrau want by a supermajority.

Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections?

Bundesfrau may abstain from voting during the legislative process, but habitual absence or abstaining from voting often leads to dismissal from the Bund.

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, as the Bund selects the Bundesfrau. However, the unitary nature of the Reich answers yes to that second part.

Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government?

Foreign intrusion/collusion getting proven for a Bundesfrau? She will likely be facing a long jail sentence. However, the High Presbyter and Ashmedean officials in general hold significant informal sway in policy. Not only must the Bund adhere to blasphemy laws in the bills they pass, but public outcry from the citizenry would occur if they took action against the Cult of Ashmedai or its values.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments?

The main restrictions come from blasphemy laws and the Charter of the Bund, which is the Reich's founding document. Largely, though, bills may be presented either by a Bundesfrau, group of Bundesfrau, or the Chancellor herself. Regardless of the bill's sponsor, the routine debate and voting must commence.

Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)?

If the Chancellor tried, she would likely be impeached and removed from office by the Bund. Meanwhile, the High Presbyter might incite enough social pressure to have the Bund backtrack if she convinces enough of the public that the new law violates the principles of or hinders the Cult of Ashmedai.

From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated)

4. Outright bribes and coercion is simply not tolerated. However, the Bund is strongly influenced by the Cult of Ashmedai and its wishes. This is especially true for the Chancellor, given that a Chancellor who is strongly hated by the High Presbyter likely will not remain Chancellor for long.

From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated)

3. The Bund makes all laws that are passed and vetoed public record, but Reich law prohibits the release of debate and voting footage. (To leak such footage would be a serious felony.) All proposals and votes may only be released after they have fully concluded. The Reichspresse (the Imperial Press) errs on the side of collaborating with the Bund and Chancellor absent grave error or scandal.

Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure?

The Chief Justicar is the head of the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, and must be an ordained Presbyter of the Ashmedean faith and also have a legal or scholarly legal background. However, appellate-level and lower judges only need secular governmental service and a legal background to meet qualifications.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media?

Absolutely not. The media is completely state-sponsored by the federal level, provincial level, and municipal level respectively. This is to prevent sedition against the Reich or blasphemy against Ashmedai. In addition, journalists must take patriotism classes as part of their education.

Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief?

Also absolutely not. All Teufelreichers are enrolled automatically into the Cult of Ashmedai, and blasphemy and apostasy laws exist both on paper and in practice. A portion of all taxed income must be allocated towards the Cult as well.

Is education free of political interference or indoctrination?

No, such is the cost of fully state-funded education.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance?

Video surveillance is not exercised, we promise you. Minor topics, such as the Chancellor's favorite food or how well the national football team, may be freely discussed. However, violation of seditious speech and blasphemy and apostasy laws are severe felonies.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice?

Peaceful protests are fully allowed as long as the protestors sign a form permitting police presence and do not conceal or openly carry weapons of any kind at or near the protest. Protests that do not violate sedition or blasphemy laws are permitted.

Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice?

Yes and yes. It would displease Ashmedai to sentence a woman to death for apostasy that had nothing but love and loyalty for Her in her heart, for example. Capital cases and felonies are subject to beyond a reasonable doubt standard, while misdemeanor and civil offenses are subject to a substantial certainty standard. Warrants are not needed for public searches or emergency public arrest, but are needed for searches and arrests in private areas absent sufficient emergency reasoning.

Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely?

Yes, but they must obey all sedition and blasphemy laws. Violation of these laws may result in the termination of the organization (but only the arrest and jailing of the actual offenders). Workers of unions busted for violations will be provided counseling to create or join a union better suited for them.

Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment?

Overall, yes. Moreso for the middle class, educated elite, and the religious order, however.

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 and sexual violence?)?

All clothing is prohibited, absent items such as masks, hats, glasses, gloves, belts, socks, and shoes/boots. However, makeup and other accessories are permitted. Marriage is solely monogamous, and birth control and abortion (outside of emergencies) are illegal. Domestic and sexual violence are uncommon given the strict enforcement of family violence laws, and this goes for both wives, not just the paternal or maternal wife.

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

Private property is generally respected, and eminent domain must meet fair market value. Private enterprise is allowed but heavily regulated, and state-sponsored industry is preferred. Individuals may begin private businesses, but tend to prefer state-sponsored or state-run businesses.

PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available.

One must be born to Teufelreicher parents, either natural-born or naturalized. One mother may be a non-citizen without ruining the child's citizenship of Teufelreich so as long as she is either a permanent resident alien and/or has a valid and recognized marriage with a Teufelreicher citizen under Ashmedean religious law.

Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all?

Bundesfrau are appointed, but all Bundesfrau enjoy equal voting representation within the Bund.

Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice?

Tieflings receive de facto favorability. Only tiefling women exist, as a "male tiefling" is a work of pure fiction post-Great Gender Wars. (Should a male tiefling exist, KILL IT ON SIGHT.) Non-tieflings may visit and conduct business in Teufelreich, but are subject to close surveillance and scrutiny, especially non-tiefling males.

Are the above groups well represented in government?

No. Bundesfrau must be tieflings.

Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility?

Yes, especially if the State or the Ashmedean Cult favors them. Merit and work ethnic matter much more in education and employment over superficial traits or family lineage.

[Plaetopia]

Done.

[Banija]

ELECTIONS
How was the head of state (or other chief national authority) selected? What powers does the office exercise? The head of state(Kabaka, which means King) is hereditary through Salic primogeniture. The Kabaka has exclusive powers over foreign affairs and questions of national defense.

How was the head of government selected? What powers does the office exercise? The Katikkiro(Prime Minister) is an elected member of the Lukiiko(Parliament). Seven days after any national election, the 500 member Lukiiko will sit, and each member of the Lukiiko will nominate a member of the Lukiiko to the Speaker on who can form a government. The member with the most nominations shall then have a chance to form a government. Once the member is prepared (limit of 2 weeks) to seek the confidence of the Lukiiko, he shall ask the Kabaka to appoint a cabinet, and the whole cabinet shall face an immediate motion of confidence from the Lukiiko. If successful, then that member shall become Katikkiro, effectively immediately. The Katikkiro and the Lukiiko legislate on all matters of domestic policy.

How is the national legislature selected? The 500 member unicameral legislature is elected by the people based on mixed proportional representation. There are 250 seats that are decided via proportional representation on a national basis, and 250 local constituency seats where MLs are directly elected via First Past the Post method. To prevent regionalism, every party must contest all seats in at least 4 of 8 regions to be eligible for the national proportional representation ballot.

Are elections considered free and fair? Are irregularities serious enough that they alter the results significantly? Elections are largely considered free and fair.

Does the opposition have a realistic chance of gaining support and power through elections? The opposition has a chance of obtaining power, and power changes hands frequently between parties across the political spectrum. However, the Guardian Council, which consists of three Royals and three senior members of the national religion, is known to consistently ban parties that A. pledge to make Banija an officially secular state, and/or B. Abolish the monarchy to make Banija a republic.

Is voting voluntary? If so, which was the average turnout in recent elections? Voting is not mandatory. Average turnout hovers around 70% for 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? The Lukiiko is largely able to implement new policies. Of course, foreign policy and national defense are considered the responsibility of the monarch, so these policies are limited to domestic issues. Any treaties signed, however, have to be approved by the Lukiiko. They also have the power of the purse in all situations, and government authority does extend across all of Banija.

Do foreign powers (democratic or not), or unelected entities (the military, religious or economic oligarchies...) exercise undue influence over the government? Like mentioned above, the Kabaka and Guardian Council do exercise authority. The Guardian Council functions as a 'guardian of last resort' of the country's constitution and character. It is a 6 member body, three members being of the Royal Family(though the Kabaka cannot sit on it) and the other 3 being senior clerics in the national religion. While they rarely exercise this authority, if at least 5 of the 6 members of this body are in favor of it, they can declare any legislation passed by the Lukiiko as unconstitutional. They also, if they have at least 5 members in agreement, can serve as a Court of Last Resort and overturn decisions from lower courts in Banija.

Does the legislature have the legislative initiative? What restrictions are placed on its ability to pass laws, including constitutional amendments? The legislature has legislative initiative on all domestic issues. Any constitutional amendments must be agreed upon via a 2/3s super majority from the Lukiiko, a normal 'working' majority on the Guardian Council(the agreement of at least 5 members), plus a super majority of the regions(at least 7 of 9 regional legislatures in the span of two years). No regional Lukiiko, nor the Guardian Council, can propose a constitutional amendment- all constitutional amendments must originate in the Lukiiko.

Is the executive able to subvert the legislature through legal or extralegal means (such as arbitrary dissolutions, lack of an adequate budget, or vetoes)? A simple majority of the Lukiiko, if they are at least 3 years into a 5 year term, can vote to dissolve itself and demand early elections. If it is before the three year mark, the Katikkiro must lose a vote of no confidence in order to force a new election. The annual budget is automatically considered a confidence vote. There are no vetoes afforded to either the Katikkiro or the Kabaka, just the Guardian Council's ability to reject legislation if 5 of 6 members agree to do so.

From 0-10 (0 = clean, 10 = most corrupt), how pervasive is corruption (in government, business, etc.)? (Small explanation appreciated) Between a 3 and a 4. Small scale corruption has mostly been eradicated from the country, and there are strong transparency laws on both members of the Lukiiko, and their candidates.

From 0-10 (0 = completely opaque, 10 = completely transparent), how transparent is government activity? (Small explanation appreciated) Between a 7 and an 8. All sessions of the Lukiiko are public and on both television and radio, and there are extensive record-keeping requirements.

Is there an independent judiciary, or is it subject to political pressure? he judiciary is largely independent, as a judicial commission regulates judicial appointments. However, the Guardian Council is the court of last resort- while a case cannot be appealed directly to them, the Guardian Council can intervene in any court case within the Banijan judicial system and decide to elevate the case to hear it themselves if 5 of 6 members agree to do so.

CIVIL LIBERTIES
Is there an independent media? Yes

Is there freedom of religion, including non-belief? The state religion is Puritan Mormonism. Freedom of religion is allowed, and places of worship of all religions are strongly protected. However, Satanic religions are outright banned, athiesm is heavily restricted, and the ability to evangelize for other religions is heavily restricted.

Is education free of political interference or indoctrination? Education is mostly free of political interference, though of course Banija's education system does emphasize the benefits of the state religion being given its place.

Are citizens able to express dissent in practice, without fearing retribution? How pervasive is surveillance? Yes, though personal and direct insults against the Kabaka could land you a fine.

Is there freedom of assembly? Are peaceful protests allowed, and are they able to proceed in practice? Peaceful protests are largely allowed against elected leadership, but not against the monarchy.

Are there basic guarantees of due process (in civil and criminal matters), and are they upheld in practice? There is due process. Citizens have a right to a speedy trial, a trial by a jury of their peers, and citizens have the right to a lawyer.

Are independent trade unions and NGOs able to operate freely? Independent trade unions are allowed to operate freely within Banija. NGOs face restrictions, but are generally allowed to operate freely within the country.

Do individuals enjoy freedom of movement inside the country and of international travel, including in education, residence or employment? Yes. Citizens are allowed to travel within and outside of the country with ease.

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 and sexual violence?)? Marriage is allowed for adults as long as it is between a man and a woman. Polygamy is legal for males(males can have multiple wives; but women cannot have multiple husbands). While legal, the practice of polygamy is relatively rare. Domestic violence statistics are not tracked by the government.

Are individuals able to freely set up their own business? Are property rights adequately protected? Property rights are strongly protected, and individuals are certainly allowed to set up their own businesses.


PARTICIPATION AND GUARANTEES OF EQUALITY
How is citizenship determined? Include a brief overview of the naturalization process, if available. Citizenship is determined primarily by birth(born in Banija or abroad to at least one Banijan citizen). Foreigners from most countries can earn citizenship in Banija after residing in the country for 10 consecutive years. Foreigners from the Busoga Islands can earn citizenship after living in the country for four consecutive years. Foreigners from Baker Park, Mriin, Cosumar, Valanora, Equestria, and Timuria can earn citizenship after living in the country for 6 consecutive years. Banijan citizens are automatically citizens of the Quebecois Commonwealth(Commonwealth citizens).

Who is able to vote in elections, if they exist at all? The rules for voting in any governmental election, from the Lukiiko down to a local school board election, are set nationally. Regions and localities cannot add or subtract voter eligibility requirements. The basis, of course, is age. There are four categories of citizens who have the automatic right to vote, if they are at least age 18 and they are residents of Banija- Banijan citizens, Commonwealth citizens, Busoga Islander citizens, and Baker Park citizens. The only exemptions to that rule are present prisonsers(ex-prisoners can vote) and Bishops of the Puritan Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints, the national church, who do not vote, though regular clergy can. The only non-residents of Banija who are allowed to vote are Banijan diplomats or Banijan soldiers who are abroad, and their immediate families if they are abroad with their families. So, for example, somebody like Lemuel Bereket, the national team goalkeeper, cannot vote because his full-time residence is in Exton, Apox.

There are rules, however, on these non-Banijan citizens voting. Any non-Banijan citizen who votes in Banija cannot have voted in their country's last national election, as defined by the Banijan foreign ministry. If they vote in their country's last election, they have to wait for another election to occur in their home country, that they do not participate in, before they are allowed to vote in Banija. Any participation in an election in their country of origin shall make them ineligible to vote in Banija again, until they then miss another election in their home country. IT is, of course, to prevent voters from participating in multiple democratic systems at the same time. There is no length of residency requirements for Commonwealth citizens, Busoga Islander citizens, or Baker Park citizens, as long as their full-time residency is in Banija.

There are other groups, based on specific nationalities, that can vote as well. Any citizens of Farfadillis who are registered in the country as refugees can vote, and they are not subject to rules regarding participating in their country's last election. This broad exemption, of course, is subject to renewal once every 5 years in Banija.

There are citizens of other countries that can vote in Banija if they are full-time residents here, and have been for 7 consecutive years. These people, of course, are subject to the same rules about participating in foreign elections. Those countries are as follows: Equestria, Geisenfred, Timuria, Hapilopper, Qasden, Siovanija & Teusland, Valanora, Eshan, Ko-oren, Mriin, and Cosumar. Any citizen of a country that has not been previously listed is not eligible to vote in any Banijan election, no matter how long they have been a resident of Banija, unless they obtain Banijan citizenship. And of course, the overarching rule- accredited diplomats to Banija, and the immediate families of accredited diplomats to Banija, shall not be able to vote in Banijan elections, no matter the circumstances.

Are different segments of the population (men, women, the LGBT community, ethnic minorities...) treated equally in law and in practice? The country is a male dominated society, though women's rights have certainly improved throughout recent years. Thanks to the heavy influence of the church within the affairs of the state, the LGBTQ+ community is heavily ostracized within the country. Ethnic minorities are treated equally.

Are the above groups well represented in government? The government is dominated by males of the Kasanke ethnic group(who make up around 70% of the population).
Do individuals have realistic opportunities for upward social mobility? There are not a ton of opportunities for upward social mobility, though that is certainly improving.

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? Nope. Great questionnaire!