NationStates

Commonwealth of Free Nations

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"Liberty, democracy, and the rule of law."
- Article 1(2) of the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations

Welcome to the Commonwealth of Free Nations! We are a supranational union founded by six member states with the intent of promoting peaceful, open, and constructive relationships between member states and pursuing our mutual interests abroad. In order to achieve this, all member states cooperate, in accordance with the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations, on matters of commerce, foreign and defense policy, and justice and home affairs. Further cooperation between states is achieved through an optional Monetary Union, and treaties created between member states. We conduct both internal roleplaying on our Discord server, as well as engaging as an organization in external NS-side RPs.

Member states of the Commonwealth of Free Nations can resemble different political ideals, and we even have a mixture of capitalist and socialist states. However, all member states are required to uphold certain democratic standards, and - in the case of economic systems - are required to allow for personal property. Any sovereign state which believes they meet our requirements is encouraged to apply for membership. We ask some in-depth questions, but once a state's application is accepted, they're in! We look forward to seeing you!

• Rules and Requirements
• Organization of the Commonwealth
• Members & Discord
• Application

1. Member states must respect the basic liberties of their citizens. These include, but are not limited to: liberty of conscience, freedom of thought, freedom of association, political liberties, freedom of occupation and choice of careers, the right to hold personal property, and the rule of law.
2. Member states must understand that they will be delegating certain powers to the Commonwealth. In particular, they will be entering a free trade and free movement area, with a limited degree of cooperation in regards to matters of commerce, foreign and defense policy, and justice and home affairs. You are not losing all sovereignty, but we do ask for a greater degree of cooperation than several alliances.
3. Member states, save the six founding members, are required to fill out an application. This application is done to make sure that members have an at least somewhat fleshed out nation, and so it is a little more in-depth than many group applications. However, once your application is accepted by at 3/4 of members, you are in!
4. Members are required to be active. Whilst we do not have any explicit attendance requirements, it is expected that you will attend Discord meetings. If you can't attend a particular meeting, we expect that you will tell others that you can't make it beforehand.

1. Above all else, don't act in bad faith. We're perfectly fine with people acting in the manners of internet culture, but deliberately being a jerk will not only get you on the bad side of the admins and mods, but fellow server members.
2. Don't spam or post NSFW or malicious links. This is pretty self-explanatory.
3. Just as with the real rule of law, the mods and admin are not above the rules. If there is a problem with a moderator violating the rules, inform the admin, who will deal with the situation as soon as possible. If the admin is violating the rules, tell him to knock it off.

• the Parliament - consisting of directly elected representatives apportioned based on the population of member states, the Parliament doesn't have the power to initiate legislation, but it does have the power to review it before it goes into effect. This is the primary area where political party RP occurs.
• the Council of Permanent Representatives - the "legislature" of the Commonwealth, the Council of one Permanent Representative from each member state which creates and enacts laws. This is the main area where the overall policy of your member state is RPed.
• the Secretariat - the "executive" of the Commonwealth, the Secretariat consists of the Secretary-General, the High Representative, and various secretaries established by the Council to head the administrative institutions of the Commonwealth.

• The Democratic Republic of the Furbish Island (founding member)
• The Federative Republic of Radimostan (founding member)
• The Constitutional Republic of Stojam (founding member)
• The Great Socialist State of Victores (founding member)
• The United Socialist States of Vymar (founding member)
• The Realm of the Zeljunaar (founding member)
• The Romaian Empire (joined 27 May 2018)
• The United Democratic Republic of Ivelboria (joined 28 May 2018)
• The Unified Republic of Greto (joined 30 May 2018)
• The Irusan Federal Republic (joined 31 May 2018)
• The Western Slavic Kingdom (joined 11 June 2018)
• The Democracy of Merni (joined 17 June 2018)

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: Romaian Empire(Greek: Ρωμαϊκή Αυτοκρατορία)
   2. Common name (if applicable): Romaia
   3. Capital city: Constantinoupoli
   4. Population: 32.018.743
   5. Demonym: Romaian
   6. Type of government: Unitary Constitutional Parliamentary monarchy
   7. Population: above
   8. Head of state: His Majesty, Emperor Ioannis IV
   9. Head of government (if a separate person): Prime minister Leon Sakkellarios
   10. Gross domestic product: $654,343 millions
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system?
      Romaia was an Empire until the disbandment in XVII, and became constitutional monarchy after reunification in XIX because of social consensus that was reached during the unification.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? Government is being appointed by the parliament that was elected. Any legislation is under control of the Council of State (Supreme Constitutional court) in case of compliance with the Constitution
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout?
      Right to vote is guaranteed to any legal age citizen so they could elect any level of legislative power. The average turnout is about 84%
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented?
      Since parties are being created because of neccesarity of their existence it's the only case of that groups to create any parties or unities and be represented.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out?
      No, they can't be recalled.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time?
      Yes, it is. Parliament appoints the government together by the majority of voters.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution?
      Basic and fundamental articles of the constitution can be changed only by referenda. Some ammendments can be appointed only by the agreement by the Council of State (Supreme Constitutional Court)
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system.
      Very low.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office?
      We couldn't disagree that money isn't important to run successfully but, the State law guarantee free access to the debates, public mass media and time even on private mass media since the censorship is illegal.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system?
       Military is highly respected but it's keep out of politics.
   11. Describe the independence of your media.
       Media is considered free and independent.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated? Citizens can create any civil unions or political parties freely. The lobbyism can't be transparent totally, but, law enforcement can control black lobbyism and investigate it succesfully

Commonwealth of Free Nations

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"Liberty, democracy, and the rule of law."
- Article 1(2) of the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations

During the week of 20 May 2018 - 27 May 2018, the following major events occurred within the Commonwealth of Free Nations:

• On 25 May 2018, the first Council of the Commonwealth of Free Nations met to appoint a Secretary-General as well as a Secretariat, and consider various pieces of proposed legislation.
  
  • For the appointments of the Secretary-General and the Secretariat, of the candidates presented by member states, the following officers were agreed to:
    
    • Frederick Checkov, a former Senator in the United Socialist States of Vymar, was appointed Secretary-General.
    • Vlastimil Strnil, the formerly incumbent Chief Federal Prosecutor in the Federative Republic of Radimostan, was appointed Attorney General.
    • Soelgaaz Naahxwaneek, a former Chancellor of Finance in the Realm of Zeljunaar, was appointed Secretary of Economic Affairs.
    • Marinda Chandler, a former Minister of Internal Affairs in the Democratic Republic of the Furbish Island, was appointed Secretary of Home Affairs.
  • The following pieces of proposed legislation were considered by the Council of the Commonwealth of Free Nations:
    
    • The Secretaries Act (COFN-ACT1), which was proposed on 21 May 2018 by the Federative Republic of Radimostan, was considered by the Council, and they instructed their Permanent Representatives in the Council of Permanent Representatives to pass the legislation into law with an amendment, until further consideration by the Parliament.
    • The Act on the Formats, Standards, and Classification of Acts (COFN-ACT2), which was proposed on 22 May 2018 by the Democratic Republic of the Furbish Island, was considered by the Council, and they instructed their Permanent Representatives in the Council of Permanent Representatives to pass the legislation into law, until further consideration by the Parliament.
    • The Act on the Presidency of the Council of Permanent Representatives (COFN-ACT3), which was proposed on 22 May 2018 by the Democratic Republic of the Furbish Island, was considered by the Council, and they instructed their Permanent Representatives in the Council of Permanent Representatives to pass the legislation into law with an amendment, until further consideration by the Parliament.
    • The Universal Aid Act (COFN-ACT4), which was proposed on 22 May 2018 by the United Socialist States of Vymar, was considered by the Council, and they instructed their Permanent Representatives in the Council of Permanent Representatives to pass the legislation into law, until further consideration by the Parliament.
• On 27 May 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the membership of the Romaian Empire and Apportionment Act.
  
  • The accession of the Romaian Empire was considered and approved by the Council.
  • The Act on the Apportionment of Parliamentary and Senate Seats (COFN-ACT5), which was proposed on 27 May 2018 by the Realm of Zeljunaar, was considered and passed into law until further consideration by the Parliament.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: The United Democratic Republic of Ivelboria
   2. Common name (if applicable): Ivelboria
   3. Capital city: Djurma (Seat of Government), La Paz (Judicial Capital)
   4. Population: 295,763,843
   5. Demonym: Ivelborian, Izeri
   6. Type of government: Federal Parliamentary Constituent Republic
   7. Head of state: President Judeau Danma
   8. Head of government: Prime Minister Jabon Meles
   9. Gross domestic product: 10,030,553,720,000 NSD (Nominal)
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system? In the 2nd and 3rd Century, Ivyvyboria was more corrupt and oppressed small minority groups. However, one nation has completely changed this forever - Greater Sheplania. It was huge, and oppressed almost everyone from all lands that it annexed. To this day, Ivelboria is now more democratic and allows for free and fair elections - even for prisoners. Geography has mainly influenced the political borders of the 600 (soon to be 800!) constituencies. For example, the Djurmaian Mountain Range in Western Ivelboria has influenced such borders for constituencies in Washtuse, Fliffue and Manima. It is so that the government can manage more populated areas, and areas that need more attention effectively.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? The federal government is separated into three branches: Legislature (The bicameral parliament - the Senate and the House of Council of Representatives), Executive (the Federal Executive Council, which in practice gives legal effect to the decisions of the cabinet, comprising the prime minister, and the Department Ministers, who advise to the President), and Judiciary (The High Court of Ivelboria, as well as other federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Prime Minister on advice of the Federal Executive Council). A ''Checks and Balances'' System has been set by the government that allows each branch to amend or veto acts of another. An example is the President vetoing a law passed by the Parliament
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout? The requirement for the right to vote is to have applied for citizenship of Ivelboria, or any of the Overseas Territories. Voting is only voluntary. Unless a serious crime has been done, even prisoners may have the right to vote as well. All prisons have readily available voting stations. On average, the voter turnout is between 70 and 80 percent.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented? All provinces are fairly represented. The number of constituencies per province are proportioned to their respective populations, All people, regardless of ethnicity or beliefs, as long as you are experienced in politics and such, are allowed to become MPs.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out? If a member of the legislature does lose their respective constituency support, then they can be voted out if there's a huge demand to do so.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time? The elected legislature of Ivelboria should normally maintain full control of government services, as well as state operations. The Council of Representatives, with it's 600 (soon to be 800) MP's, is the critically important focus for national and political debate, using public opinions to provide useful guidance to the government in making complex policy and law choices. The legislature shall supervise the government consulations in the preparation of new laws. With this, the system would be able to create relatively stable governments that would last a relatively reasonable amount of time.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution? Any bill that is proposed must be passed at a clear majority in both houses of Parliament, in order to become law. Debates and such can be held. Bills that are more complex or controversial may go through longer sessions of debate. As stated in Chapter IX of the Constitution, MPs may submit bills to amend the constitution, should it be passed by the Parliament of Ivelboria, and by both chambers.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system. Levels of corruption in Ivelboria is generally low, and is one of the lowest in Veropa. Such cases of corruption are MPs bribing government officials to exercise and abuse such power. Although extremely rare, the government would set sanctions on people responsible and can set jail time in prison if the case is severe.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office? Citizens of Ivelboria are allowed to access political debates for free, at no cost. If citizens greatly support a certain politician, then the said politician won't have to rely on powerful backers. Money isn't considered unimportant, but free access to political information is to be guaranteed to an extent, but some information is to be censored, as it may threaten national security, or is deemed "classified".
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system? The military is politically neutral and does not contribute to the political system. It is for defense only.
   11. Describe the independence of your media. Ivelboria has a freedom on press, allowing citizens to express their own opinions on such topics, including topics that about the government. Although, the government does demand that Newspaper Networks, TV News Networks, and online sites censor topics that are deemed "classified" (ie. the tracking of SMS phone records and texts, although this was stopped in 2012). This is rare, however.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated? Citizens are free to express their own opinions and share similar interests with other citizens. Citizens of their own respective constituency, can, to an extent, state their own opinions and give feedback to their MP. This means that citizens can further influence what the MP votes for in referendums for passing law, what new laws they wish to propose, what policies and campaigns they support, etc. This may be done through emails. Citizens, however, may not persuade their MPs to support campaigns, new laws, or policies, that are deemed illegal (such as campaigns that support racism and discrimination).

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: Unified Republic of Greto
   2. Common name (if applicable): Greto
   3. Capital city: New Inspire
   4. Population: 986,547,862
   5. Demonym: Gretonians
   6. Type of government: Federal Constitutional Republic
   7. Head of state: President, Edward Snow
   8. Head of government (if a separate person):
   9. Gross domestic product:
   $20.31 trillion
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system? Historically the Unified Republic was founded on democratic and republican ideals, the Republic went through a bloody twenty year civil war that pitted the government against communist separatists. This had lead to decades of uneasiness with communism and other left leaning ideologies, that have overtime dissipated. Much of the population of the Republic rests along the western shores of the nation, many would argue that this gives the western provinces an unfair advantage of representation within the federal government. With a large score of the population in the same geographic region, many share similar political beliefs leading to a general conservative atmosphere within the Republic's political system.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? The Unified Republic is divided between a judicial, legislative, and executive branch. The executive branch enforces legislation enacted by the legislative, and must in turn sign these acts into law. The legislative branch is responsible for ratifying treaties and passing laws that must be signed into effect by the executive branch, the legislature also approves executive position appointments and can over ride an executive veto with a simple majority vote. The legislature itself is divided into a lower and upper house to ensure all legislation that is passed is thoroughly checked and represented before the entirety of the elected officials of the Gretonian people. The judicial branch is responsible for interpreting the Constitution of the Unified Republic and ensuring that legislation passed by the Republic and policies carried out by the executive branch are not in violation of the constitution. Those who abuse their position are brought before an impeachment vote, if the vote passes they are then tried by the Unified Council of the Republic.
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout? Voting is a universal right granted to all Gretonian citizens over the age of 18, the Constitution of the Unified Republic prohibits the governments ability to restrict the voting rights of any citizen regardless of education, sex, race, or sexual orientation.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented? All political beliefs no matter where they stand on the spectrum are open for representation by a political party that can then run for government positions. It is widely argued that due to the Provinces of Inspire and Mombasa having the highest populations, that many matters concerning lesser populated regions are not normally represented or commented upon. All ethnic and religious groups are capable of lobbying for their groups without any government interference.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out? The Unified Republic allows for recall votes of provincial authorities, elected officials within the federal government can only be removed from office by impeachment.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time? The citizens of the Republic vote for the position of the President every four years, meaning that technically a new administration enters power every four years. Senators are voted upon every two years for their district and Councilmen every five years for their state. This process ensures smooth running of the government, and does allow for stability.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution? The Constitution of the Unified Republic can only be changed by referendum, both the upper and lower houses of the Unified Congress must approve, then the provincial legislatures of a majority of the provinces within the Republic must also pass the amendment. It is finally signed or vetoed by the President, if signed then it is brought forward to the Supreme Court for interpretation and if vetoed it is brought before the Unified Congress once more and must pass through both houses by majority votes.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system. The corruption of the Gretonian political system has been described as being the lowest in twenty years, however; it does still exist on both the local, provincial, and federal levels.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office? Money isn't necessary to run as any eligible citizen can run for office, though those with powerful backers are typically more successful in their campaigns.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system? The Unified Armed Forces is prohibited from operating upon domestic soil in any capacity except when approved by the Unified Congress. The Joint Forces Command and Department of State maintain official policies of neutrality upon commenting on domestic issues. Though when either the Secretary of Defense or Chairman of the JFC make "unofficial" comments it is widely respected.
   11. Describe the independence of your media. The Unified Republic cannot make any laws censoring or impeding on the right to free speech which includes the news media.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated? All citizens are allowed to engage their elected officials concerning matters they believe important or on how they should vote concerning legislation that has been presented. Corporations, nongovernmental groups, and unions also typically employ lobbyists to influence government action.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: Irusan Federal Republic
   2. Common name (if applicable): Irusa
   3. Capital city: Farbanti
   4. Population: 95,678,164
   5. Demonym: Irusan
   6. Type of government: Federal semi-presidential constitutional republic
   7. Head of state: Mikael Nordvik
   8. Head of government: Hjalmar Korsgaard
   9. Gross domestic product: $4.012 trillion (nominal), $4.770 trillion (PPP)
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system?
      Since the creation of the Irusveldi (Irus' Dominion) in the 800's, Irusa has relentlessly striven to unify the Barn av Fárbauti ("children of Farbanti"), referring to those considered culturally, ethnically, or historically part of or descendants of the Irus people (North Germanics, Finnics, and Balts), the common ancestors of the modern Irusans. The policy of Enhet ("unity") has historically led to many tensions and conflicts with it's South Germanic and Slavic neighbours, primarily Germany and Russia. Although the modern Irusans originated from Norway, the Danes dominated much of what is modern Irusa in direct competition with the Swedes. Intermixing and cohabitation between the North Germanic and Finnics lead to the decline of individual terms such as 'Norwegian' and the rise of the concept of the unified Irusan people. European colonization in the shape of Portugal (and Spain to an extent) resulted in the concept of civic and cultural nationalism helping to define the modern Irusan, with the settlers that had arrived in Irusa being treated as Barn av Fárbauti by the local people due to levels of assimilation (which even involved the renaming of the capital) and strong mutual experiences of both groups over time.
      
      The predecessor to the modern Irusan state, the Kingdom of Fárbauti, remains a significant influence in modern Irusa due to the first official manifestation of Enhet as the Danish Empire merged itself with its former puppet kingdom (in itself a confederation of several North Germanic states which included Norway). Over time, Fárbauti would rise to incorporate the Swedes and become a powerful empire in Europe and form the first modern Irusan state, the Iruan Empire, however, this is where significant conflicts with Germany and Russia began. Irusa would lose large amounts of Hjemland Territorium ("homeland territory") in the East Baltics, Scandinavia Northern Germany, Poland, and the White Sea Region as Germany and Russia significantly reduced to strength of Irusa for their own imperial ambitions, which had a profound effect on Irusa as it lead to the rebirth of the irredentist Enhet policy. The rebirth of Enhet became most visible in the Second Northern War as Irusa managed to regain most of the Hjemland Territorium.
      
      The Irusan Empire ceased to exist in 1918 after Irusans became discontent with the handling of the Second Northern War, resulting in the foundation of the Second Kingdom of Irusa in an attempt to restore the the glory achieved under the Kingdom of Fárbauti/First Kingdom of Irusa. It was at first supported by those that would later found the modern Irusan state. Failure to achieve total Enhet led to the bolstering of anti-monarchist thought, with the monarchy being portrayed as selfish and manipulative oppressors of the Irusan people, and the strengthening of the "Nasjonalistisk Revolusjonær Kommando" ("Nationalist Revolutionary Command, Nasrevkom"), the first political party of the modern Irusan state (the Irusan Federal Republic) which was founded on the basis of 'national federalism' (the basis of limiting the individual powers of autonomous subjects to allow for a stronger 'national nucleus' [central government] which would 'act as the permanent guide to autonomous subjects'), civil and cultural nationalism, and a mixture of left-right ideologies, giving it a generally third position stance.
      
      Third positionism was reinforced by the fact that the Second Kingdom of Irusa and subsequent Irusan Federal Republic had fought against both against the 'left' (Reds) and 'right' (Whites) during the Second Northern War. Nasrevkom continues to remain one of the most popular parties in Irusa and the bastion of Irusan nationalism in the political sphere, and its policies - despite being modified and adapted as times change - are still generally reminiscent of its founding basis. Due to Irusa's geographical size and diverse ethnic origins compared to other European states,m and the nationalistic need to keep the nation unified in the face of outside forces that seek to break the union of Irusan people has mandated the need for a strong 'national nucleus' whilst the adaptation of some liberal and libertarian views in mainstream society has mandated the need for individual state freedoms and fair representation whilst working in harmony with the 'national nucleus.' This has resulted in the federal system of governance surviving since its implementation in 1919 and resistance to fully unitary systems.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable?
      Irusa has a federal legislative, executive, and judiciary branch, which are responsible for making decisions on a national basis. Individual states have their own legislative, executive, and judiciary branches on a regional basis. It is imperative that laws passed and rulings issued by the state legislative and judiciary do not violate those passed and issued by the federal legislative and judiciary, which in turn must be in line with the constitution of the Irusan Federal Republic. The federal judiciary (FJ) reserves the power to delay or veto the passing of legislation or acts by the federal and state legislative (F/SL) or the federal executive (FE), and also has the right to delay or veto the passing of legislation by the state legislative (SL) and rulings by the state judiciary (SJ) based on the aforementioned. It is standard that the FJ does not intervene in matters of the SL unless the decision of the SJ can be argued as unconstitutional or misguided. In turn, primary responsibility over the SL is in the hands of the SJ, and the SJ cannot intervene veto stuff passed down from the the FE or FL, only delay them.
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout?
      To obtain the right to vote, you must be 18 and a legal citizen of Irusa, and pass a simple test which only consists of a few simple questions to be answered in no more than 250 words on Irusa's each important historical political doings and international political ideology and history (and to supplement this, these facts are taught in school and are part of standardized tests [ie, history, politics]). The government (generally) only refuses to grant voting rights when 50% or more of the test is failed. Prisoners that have faced individual or collective jail terms of more than 10 years are barred from voting and must retake the test due to fears of radicalization. The government provides this test free of charge.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented?
      Due to Irusa's geographical size and diverse ethnic origins compared to other European states, and the nationalistic need to keep the nation unified in the face of outside forces that seek to break the union of Irusan people, it has mandated the need for a strong 'national nucleus' (central government) whilst the adaptation of some liberal and libertarian views in mainstream society has mandated the need for individual state freedoms and fair representation whilst working in harmony with the 'national nucleus.'
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out?
      There is no law which says that government officials on a federal level must resign or must be removed if they lose the people's support, however, all elected officials of the individual state governments can be removed from their position during their term. To do so, a petition signed by at least 30% of the state's population calling for a referendum must be handed to the state's electoral commission (EC). The EC will then hold a referendum in the relevant area, in which at least 60% or more of the population must vote in favour of removing the elected official. Should this be successful, there will be a by-election held in the relevant area within the next month.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time?
      There are only a few parties in Irusa classified as 'inconstantly stable', meaning that they have not had any major internal factionalism or splinter parties throughout their history. Government stability generally tends to depend on the internal policies being perused by party leadership and not the political system as a whole. Democratic centralism in some parties has resulted in great success whilst it has destroyed others. In the end, it generally comes down to ideology, with parties on the more 'extreme' end on the political spectrum generally being unified and stable, whilst more liberal/libertarian-minded parties tend to suffer from varying degrees of internal strife,either consistently or periodically.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution?
      First, federal judiciary must ensure that the proposed amendment is constitutional. Then, all state legislatures must have at least 60% of their members approve amendment. If a state legislature disagree, a referendum may be held amongst the citizens of that state, and if 60% or more of them agree, the state legislature is forced by law to approve the amendment. Once this is done, 70% of the federal legislature must agree to the amendment. If this happens, the amendment is made.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system.
      Corruption is something that will always exist in any nation state, whether it be on a federal or state level. Throughout history, especially in the aftermath of the Irusan Revolution (1919) and its lasting effects on society, the government has taken initiatives to both contain and eliminate corruption within Irusan politics. The National Anti-Corruption Committee is the joint investigative system between state and federal judiciaries and electoral committee's tasked with fighting corruption in the nation since 1919.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office?
      "We will not sell the soul and integrity of Irusa for monetary gain." - Ørjan Kvamme, 1st President of the Irusan Federal Republic, 1919.
      
      Just like lobbying, the involvement of financial backing is regulated by the government. Laws have been put in place which limit party expenditures during campaign season, and although this is circumvented by financial donations to individual members, all party members which receive financial donations or sponsorship from individuals, corporations, etc, are required to submit a log of all their financial transactions related to the cash from the aforementioned to the relevant judiciary, which will then be made public if requested and though the judiciary is not obliged by law to comply, it can if it has 'relative belief' that publishing it will be for the benefit of the legitimacy of the campaign.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system?
       As per the constitution, the military is seen as the 'sovereign vanguard' of the country, allotting it with the responsibility to uphold the values of the constitution, to ensure the internal integrity of the Irusan state. As a result of this, the military maintains a degree of influence in the country, and has historically been at the frontline of efforts to root out corruption, extremism, defend constitutional values and law, and enforce and maintain the rule of law in Irusa. It is seen as the last line of defence should the government fail.
   11. Describe the independence of your media.
       The freedom of the press is allowed in Irusa, however the government may intervene to censor media outlets spreading classified or other constitution-violating information (ie, hate speech), though this is generally left to the state judiciaries to decide whether they are protected by freedom of speech laws. Furthermore, the government only blocks mass-media outlets (ie, news/television stations), whilst radio stations, news papers, websites, are only taken down in extreme circumstances such as terrorism and criminal activity.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated?
       Citizens of Irusa (including individuals in the private sector, corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or advocacy groups) are free to lobby their representatives on both a state and federal level, however lobbying is regulated by the judiciary to ensure that the political system remains 'fair and honest.' Those who are not citizens are banned from lobbying under the 2012 Foreign Agent Law, however nations can have their citizens cleared for lobbying depending on their historic and current political, military, and economic relationship with Irusa.

Commonwealth of Free Nations

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"Liberty, democracy, and the rule of law."
- Article 1(2) of the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations

During the week of 28 May 2018 - 3 June 2018, the following major events occurred within the Commonwealth of Free Nations:

• On 28 May 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the membership of the United Democratic Republic of Ivelboria.
  
  • The accession of the United Democratic Republic of Ivelboria was considered and approved by the Council.
• On 30 May 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the membership of the Unified Republic of Greto.
  
  • The accession of the Unified Republic of Greto was considered and approved by the Council.
• On 31 May 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the membership of the Irusan Federal Republic, and the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations was amended.
  
  • The accession of the Irusan Federal Republic was considered and approved by the Council.
• On 1 June 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the membership of the Monarchy Diarcesia, and the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations was amended.
  
  • The accession of the Monarchy Diarcesia was considered and rejected by the Council.
• On 2 June 2018, the Parliament met to elect a speaker and consider the legislation proposed by the Council.
  
  • The Secretaries Act (COFN-ACT1) was passed by a 79-48 vote.
  • The Act on the Formats, Standards, and Classification of Acts (COFN-ACT2) was passed by a 90-1 vote.
  • The Act on the Presidency of the Council of Permanent Representatives (COFN-ACT3) was amended, and passed by an 89-2 vote.
  • The Universal Aid Act (COFN-ACT4) was passed by a 136-33 vote.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: Western Slavic Kingdom
   2. Common name (if applicable): WSK
   3. Capital city: Warsaw
   4. Population: 292.894.383
   5. Demonym: Western Slavic
   6. Type of government: Constitutional Monarchy
   7. Head of state: King Michal I Mávrimov
   8. Head of government: Royal Prime Minister Jarosław Janek
   9. Gross domestic product:13.759,827 Billion USD
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system?
      The Western Slavic Kingdom lying right at the centre of Europe and between the two old great Empires of Russia and Germany, the history of the Kingdom has been shaped for a vey long time by the confrontation of the WSK either with Germany, Russia, or both. The history of the Kingdom, which disappeared for long decades in the XIXth Century, has therefore been critical when it came to define the WSK's political system. As a starter, the Kingdom's history has largely influenced the way its population thought, with most of the people believing a strong, central government to be needed, one whose primary aims, however, would be to protect the Nation, secure its borders, and enter into relations with other states, while letting most of the remaining services to be dealt with by the public, instead of by the central government itself. In this regard, the Soviet occupation and the period of the Communist dictatorship did play a very important role in shaping the attitude of the people regarding what the roles of the government should be.
      Most likely as a result of the communist dictatorship, a large part of the population identifies as "Patriotic", "Conservative", "Traditionalist" and so on; although the Communist Party remains a large force in the Kingdom, its importance is most likely de to some people's nostalgia of the all-pervasive and "all-caring" government tradition it represents despite the Party's transofrmation.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable?
      The Government is composed by three branches, as in most liberal democracies: the Legislative, the Executive, and the Judiciary branch.
      The Legislative branch is represented by the National Assembly, which itself branches in two, being formed by a 460-seats lower house, the Sejm, and a 100-seats upper house, the Senát. This branch of the government has the task of voting on Acts, which can be proposed by either the Government or the various Commissions of the houses themselves. The legislative process is characterised by a perfect bicameral system, one in which, after a maximum of three times the proposed Act has been amended by the House in which it was not presented in its first copy, a special commission, the Konopráw (Komisja za Nowelizaci Práw, which translates to Acts Amendment Commission in English), enters the legislative process so to mediate between the two Houses, bringing them to a compromise. The Konopráw's intervention is not mandatory, as the Commission has to be called upon by the Government before it can act.
      The Executive branch of the WSK Government is composed by the various Royal Ministries and the other Government Offices; as of now, there are sixteen Ministries in the Government of the Western Slavic Kingdom, and the Prime Minister is Jarosław Janek from the Communist Party. The tasks of the Government's Executive branch include: organising the functioning of the state; preparing the budget; entering into relations with other States; and submitting draft Acts to the Legislative branch. The Ministers are selected by the Royal Prime Minister, who is selected by the population in a nation-wide election, and are then to be accepted by the King; after having been accepted by the King, each proposed Minister it to present themselves before the Houses, which, in a joint session, can either approve or reject the various Ministers on an individual basis: once the two Houses have approved all individual Ministers, they vote on the porposed Executive as a whole, which, if given the Confidence by the two Houses in joint session, can start acting as the Executive branch of the Government.
      The Judiciary branch is composed by local and district courts, acting as the first and second degrees of the judiciary system respectively, and then the Cassation Courts and the Constitutional Court. The Cassation Courts act as a check on the legal and constitutional validity of the rulings of first and second degree courts; if the Voivodeship's Cassation Court deems a certain ruling invalid, it can either decide to overturn it completely (in which case the Court's decision serves as a final and unchangeable verdict) or send it back to the Voivodeship's court for another examination, so that it could be reviewed in accordance with the Law. The Constitutional Court checks the legal and Constitutional validity of Acts, Laws, and government actions.
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout?
      To obtain the right to vote, one must have reached the age of majority, which is 16. Furthermore, one must be a registered voter at the local Electoral Commission.
      Each Electoral Commission (also known as Kovyb or Kowyb, an abbreviation for "Komisja Vyborča", which translates to "Electoral Commission" in English) is responsible for keeping a register of all registered voters in the Voivodeship in which it operates, and for defining the criteria each citizen shall satisfy to qualify for registration; each citizen has to fulfill the criteria of the Voivodeship in which they have their residence registered (therefore, upon changing place of residence, if a person changes the Voivodeship of residence as well, they may not be automatically eligible to vote as they shall rgister once again, this time fulfilling, possibly, different criteria).
      The average voter turnout tends to be between 70% and 80% in National Elections, while falling back to more or less 60% and 65% in local and regional elections respectively.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented?
      There are two different seat-assignment system for the National Assembly: the Sejm's seats are assigned according to a pure proportional system, while those of the Senát are assigned according to a First Past the Post system, with three seats per Voivodeship, and the remaining Senators being appointed by the reigning Monarch.
      The Sejm is representative of the Nation as a whole, while the Senát represents the individual Voivodeships; therefore, the Senát elections could be more accurately described as 32 separate elections, in which each individual Voivodeship elects its national representatives.
      There is no special or fixed representation for specific religious or ethnic groups, as all citizens are equal before the Law.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out?
      If a Government was to lose pubblic support, the Citizens of the Kingdom can submit a popular petition to the National Assembly in order to call for a national referendum regarding the Government. The result of the referendum would be binding, and the King would then have to dissolve the Government and call for new elections, either to replace the Prime Minister or to replace both the PM and the Parliament members. Such events, however, cannor affect an individual MP.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time?
      Yes. Governments very rarely last less than the fixed term for the legislature with which they have been elected: such event has occurred only twice in the history of the WSK after the fall of teh Communist dictatorship.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution?
      Changes to the Constitution require special Laws, such that require article-by-article voting, joint voting sessions of the two Houses, and a National referendum to be effectively enacted.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system.
      Corruption is not an endemic part of the WSK political system, although it used to be after the fall of the Communist dictatorship; anti-corruption efforts in the decades following the end of the regime and of the soviet occupation have, in fact, widely reduced the ammount of corruption in the WSK, which is more similar to the levels of the countries of Western Europe than to those of former-soviet states.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office?
      The quasi-total absence of pubblic funding to political parties makes it almost impossible to be voted into office without monetary supports from third-party supporters.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system?
       The military is politically neutral, and the Commander in Chief is the reigning Monarch. The Monarch being a super-partes figure, just as the President used to be before the referendum re-creating the Monarchy, he or she can utilise the military as a guarantor of the system's stability if democracy, the rule of law, and the individual liberties and freedoms of the citizens are threatened by the rise of a dictator.
       Such usage of the military, however, would require an extreme situation, and is not explicitly supported by the Constitution of the WSK.
   11. Describe the independence of your media.
       The Media in the WSK is free of government interference, although it receives some subsidisation from the central Government, and is completely independent from the interests of any political figure.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated?
       Citizens, Corporations, and any of the Kingdom's legal subjects can lobby in favour of their interests. The lobbying process is transparent and regulated, as a list of all the representatives of any Organisation or Corporation lobbying the MP's to support their interests is present on the websites of the two Houses, as well as on the websites of the local parliaments, when this occurs at a local level; lobbyists must be registered together with the Organisation or Corporation they represent, in order to be able to conduct their operations.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name:
   2. Common name (if applicable):
   3. Capital city:
   4. Population:
   5. Demonym:
   6. Type of government:
   7. Head of state:
   8. Head of government (if a separate person):
   9. Gross domestic product: 20.2 Trillion
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system? Not much. We plowed over rainforests to build factories and expand cities, and left a small amount for natural use. These National Parks, including the Ares Isles', are the main regions dominated by the far-leftist " Collective Party." The rightist " Industry League" is currently dominating the political landscape.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? Ellion Cirrus is the leader, at the position of supreme Dominator. Below him are six administrations that deal with various different public systems, such as law and health. On top of this, a Senate is in place, and each 2 million people get a Senator. The Supreme Dominator can be vetoed by the a simple majority. However, another vote of the people can reaffirm the leader's decision even if the Senate vetoes it.
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout? It's extremely easy to vote, although Corporations often force their employees to vote a certain way. Although against the constitution, it is often overlooked. Voter turnout is 89%
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented? Yes, except the religious side, in which The Holy Concord dominates the polls.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out? Somewhat. Impeachment doesn't exist in East Ares, but the Senate and Supreme Dominator are both voted for every 2 years.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time? It is very effective. Ares' system of government was a dictatorship, and the citizens were against that. That is why the "Liberation of Freedom" happened, and split Ares into West Ares and East Ares. East Ares is successful economically and right-centric, and West Ares is a politically and civilly free society that has a low GDP. It also has had 8 impeachments in the last 45 years.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution? Easy. A Senator, Administator Head, or Supreme Dominator can suggest a bill or amendment.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system. High for Business, low for anything else.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office?
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system? Very influential. There are times where the Military Administator is given more power than the Senate.
   11. Describe the independence of your media. Extremely independent. Ares National and East Ares Network are the only government run media.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated?

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: The Democracy of Merni
   2. Common name (if applicable): Merni
   3. Capital city: Qersi
   4. Population: 139,905,908
   5. Demonym: Mernian (in English)
   6. Type of government: Elective constitutional monarchy (with a parliamentary system having most power and some elements of direct democracy)
   7. Head of state: Emperor Xaranas IV Potenos
   8. Head of government (if a separate person): N/A
   9. Gross domestic product: 841 billion koras (nominal)
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system? The nation consisted of the Kotenian Kingdom and Merni, which unified in 18th century. The provinces and states of those were retained and still are today's provinces. The post of emperor has remained since about the 8th century, however, power swung between the emperor, the nobility in Parliament, and the people of Qersi. The Constitution was created to unify the two countries and concretely define the government structure.
      The geography has also influenced, with the Qersole (south and east) and the Kotenian (north and west) people being divided physically by a mountain range, and socially by language and religion. There are separate political parties as well for northern and southern regions.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? Detailed information available here
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout? All citizens over the age of 18 can vote. To vote, a government issued ID card (usually the unified National ID Card, which is used for almost all government services) is required. The average turnout is 70-75%.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented? In Parliament, apart from the normal constituencies allotted for areas based on population, there are 3 seats for each province elected from the provincial legislatures and 1 seat nominated by the governor. Similarly, in provincial assemblies, each county sends 1 or 2 representatives from county assemblies to the provincial legislature.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out? All MPs including those who are a part of the Imperial Council can be recalled if a petition to do so gets a certain number of signatures in the relevant area.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time? Parliament and provincial assemblies are elected together every five years. County assemblies are elected every year. Usually, governments last their full terms.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution? The Constitution can be amended by the following process, except for the articles dealing with fundamental rights and basic provisions of government:
      1. Parliament must pass an Act to amend the law, and the Act must be approved by the Emperor.
      2. A majority of provincial assemblies, and a majority of county assemblies in a majority of provinces, must approve the act.
      3. The amendment must then be put to vote. If a majority of voters vote for it, it will be passed.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system. Corruption is a problem, however it is currently not very major and significant steps are being taken to combat it.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office? Money plays somewhat of a role in national elections, but there are no parties at the national parliament. At lower levels it plays less of a role. On both levels politicans can get elected without support of powerful backers.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system? It is completely politically neutral and does not take any role in the political system.
   11. Describe the independence of your media. There is freedom of the press, and the only regulations are those against inappropriate or offensive material, as well as prohibition of publication of highly classified materials.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated? Citizens, unions, corporates and other organisations can petition their MPs and provincial and county members for what is necessary. It is regulated to ensure a free political system and prevent harassment. Lobbyists must register themselves with the Secretariat of Parliament or of provincial and county legislatures.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name:The Democratic provinces of Daunlaund
   2. Common name (if applicable):Daunlaund
   3. Capital city:Ronicon city
   4. Population:46 million
   5. Demonym:Daunlaundic
   6. Type of government:liberal
   7. Head of state:Whittakus sharp
   8. Head of government (if a separate person):Whittakus Sharp
   9. Gross domestic product:
2. Political information
   
   1. Daunlaund was influenced by France but recently Daunlaund has started to see more Daunlaundic culture spreading throughout Daunlaund. Daunlaund was an independent nation before France took over and reunited in 1926 after fighting a war of independence the 12 provinces today are the same provinces from 700 years ago a constant discussion in Daunlaund is the environment and the nation has many forests which cause this to be a huge discussion
   2. Daunlaund has been influenced by the French allot. As they were ruled by France for three hundred years. Daunlaund has elections every three years. There is one Senator for every 900 people.
   3. If you are a citizen of Daunlaund you can vote, to become a citizen you must live in Daunlaund for 5 years. Polling stations are spread across the country in every single town city and village. You must register to vote and be over 20
   4. Daunlaund is a multicultural country, there are many ethical groups here and they are well represented. There are many parties in Daunlaund with many ideologies and beliefs and all (except nazism) are accepted
   5. In Daunlaund unlike other nations, if a government loses support citizens may ask the senate to call a snap election
   6. in Daunlaund if parties do not have a majority we have a quick and way system of stabilisation in which parties can form governments together
   7. when any new law is introduced the constitution is updated
   8. The level of corruption in the Daunlaundic government is steadily deacteasing due to new laws and legislation.
   9. Certain parties rely on banks but most do without. The new liberal government is trying to decrease this
   10. Daunlaund has a small military but a strong one, the navy is one of the largest navies in the world and is sometimes used to boost morale
   11. The media is free of all government interference and is run privately
   12. Daunlaund is a modern nation and citizens are permitted to do this. Lobbying must register themselves within the senate

Commonwealth of Free Nations

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"Liberty, democracy, and the rule of law."
- Article 1(2) of the Treaty on a Commonwealth of Free Nations

• On 14 August 2018, the Council of Permanent Representatives met to consider the legislation proposed by the memberstates.
  
  • The COPR Presidency Reform Act was passed by a 6-0 vote.

Commonwealth of Free Nations Membership Application

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1. Basic information:
   
   1. Official name: The People's Socialist Union of Leskya
   2. Common name (if applicable): Leskya
   3. Capital city: Stockholm
   4. Population: 2.6 billion
   5. Demonym: Leskyan
   6. Type of government: Unitary socialist parliamentary republic
   7. Head of state: The State Council
   8. Head of government (if a separate person): "
   9. Gross domestic product: 1,402 trillion valut
2. Political information
   
   1. How has your nation’s history, geography, and population influenced its political system? Leskya's southern third was part of the stock-keeping and agricultural Nordic Bronze Age Culture's area, most of it is peripheral to the culture's Leskya centre. The period began in c. 1700 BCE with the start of bronze importation; first from Ireland and then increasingly from central Europe. Copper mining was never tried locally during this period, and Scandinavia has no tin deposits, so all metal had to be imported though it was largely cast into local designs on arrival. Iron production began locally toward the period's end, apparently as a kind of trade secret among bronze casters: iron was almost exclusively used for tools to make bronze objects. The Nordic Bronze Age was entirely pre-urban, with people living in hamlets and on farmsteads with single-story wooden long-houses. Geological and topographical conditions were similar to those of today, but the climate was milder. Rich individual burials attest to increased social stratification in the Early Bronze Age. A correlation between the amount of bronze in burials and the health status of the deceased's bones show that status was inherited. Battle-worn weapons show that the period was warlike. The elite most likely built its position on control of trade. The period's abundant rock carvings largely portray long rowing ships: these images appear to allude both to trade voyages and to mythological concepts. Areas with rich bronze finds and areas with rich rock art occur separately, suggesting that the latter may represent an affordable alternative to the former. Modern Leskya was first established in 1397, with the formation of the Peninsular Union of Leskya, which united Denmark, Norway (along with Norwegian overseas territories), and Sweden under a single monarch, Karl Eriksson I; this also marked the beginning of Swedish cultural domination over the other two Nordic states. Originally, the countries remained separate sovereign states, but with their domestic and foreign policies being directed by a common monarch; this was changed with the 1632 July Reformation when the countries were officially unified into a single entity. While the union was originally formed by Scandinavian aristocrats and nobility to counteract the Hanseatic League in the northern German states, the union soon turned into an early Pan-Scandinavianist project. The civilian agitations that followed the series of failures of the Empire led to harsh punishments and political repression throughout Leskya. In 1908, several pro-republican generals, led by Andreas Lindström, formed the People's National Party, and in October 1908 the Blackshirts of the People's National Party attempted a coup, and with the support of the military seized political power within the government, appointing Lindström as Chancellor. Despite calling itself the 'Republic of Leskya,' the state did not hold elections, and between 1908-1921, Andreas Lindström passed a series of laws which banned all political parties and curtailed personal liberties, forming a de-facto dictatorship. Unrest and instability led to the declaration of Federal Socialist Union of Leskya on April 26th, 1930. After a brutal civil war, the country officially established communist rule under the leadership of Arian Gustafsson. Since then, the country has been under the rule of the Revolutionary Workers' Party of Leskya, which disbanded during the establishment of multi-party democracy in 1987. Currently, the United Socialist Party claims to be the official successor of the RWPL, and has been continuously in power since 1987.
   2. Describe the structure of your government. How is power distributed? What are the checks and balances on power? How are those who abuse power kept accountable? eskya's constitution states that the People's Socialist Union of Leskya is a "socialist state under the democratic dictatorship of the proletariat." The central government's legislative power is vested in the unicameral People's Chamber, which holds supreme power over all aspects of Leskyan politics. The State Council collectively holds the executive power and is composed of 8 power-sharing High Deputies elected by the People's Chamber. The judicial branch is headed by the Supreme People's Court, whose judges are also elected by the People's Chamber. Leskya has a centrally-controlled Supreme People's Court. Judges elected for six-year terms by the People's Chamber. The function of the Supreme People's Court is to hear appeals of local courts or the administrative rulings of the government. Leskya does not have a constitutional court, and the Supreme People's Court does not have influence over legislation and cannot comment on any law. This role is assumed by the People, who can repeal any legislation or constitutional change. The State Council is the democratically elected executive council composed of 8 High Deputies that serve as the collective heads of state and government of Leskya. The State Council is both the collective head of state and head of government. The President and Vice-President are largely ceremonial and have no power over any other member of the State Council. During a state of emergency, however, the President gains special executive powers, and can make decisions on behalf of the entire council. The President and Vice-President will also often perform representative duties outside of Leskya, as the State Council does not travel outside of Leskya as a whole. Under Leskya's Constitution, the People's Chamber is structured as a unicameral legislature, with the power to legislate, the power to oversee the operations of the government, and the power to elect the major officers of state. It has 950 seats, elected in multi-member constituencies through a single transferable vote system. The People's Chamber convenes in assemblies to elect the members of both the executive and judicial branches. As such, the People's Chamber is seen as the paramount branch of the Leskyan government, and has caused a monopolisation of power by the ruling party, the United Socialist Party, and its coalition, the United Front. The People's Chamber is overseen by the National Electoral Commission, which acts similarly to the Roman Censor and can eject Deputies and with the permission of the State Council can call an emergency election or declare a state of emergency. The NEC can order the PKSS to investigate a number of Deputies if they have credible reasoning and evidence that the Deputy is corrupt. If the Deputy is found corrupt by the Supreme People's Court, they are executed.
   3. How easy is it to obtain the right to vote, and to actually vote? On average, what is the voter turnout? Right to vote is given to anyone over the age of 18 who have served the mandatory year of training in the army. Voting is done through local union administration and is very easy to access. The average turnout is 82%.
   4. How representative is your political system? Are all regions fairly represented? Are all ethnic and religious groups represented? The People's Chamber consists of 950 Deputies, elected in multi-member constituencies. To be elected, a candidate needs to receive a majority of the votes cast in their constituency. If within a constituency, an insufficient number of candidates gets the majority needed to fill all the seats, a second round was held within 90 days between the 3 highest ranking candidates. If the number of candidates getting this majority exceeds the number of seats in the respective constituency, the People's Chamber votes on which members will gain the seat. All voting districts are divided by administrative regions, based mostly around ethnicities. While ethno-specific parties are banned, there are currently two parties in the People's Chamber with their goals as protection of minority groups: The New Jewish Labour Bund, and the Leskyan Democratic League. Both of these parties are in the ruling coalition, the United Front.
   5. Describe the accountability of your political system. If a government (i.e., cabinet) loses the people’s support, can it be changed? If a member of the legislature loses their constituency’s support, can they be recalled or voted out? Local constituents can petition to have their deputy removed from office at any time, excluding the constituency of Gamla Stan (of which the President is always the leader of) as the Deputy for Gamla Stan is elected by the People's Chamber. No citizen lives in the district of Gamla Stan.
   6. Describe the effectiveness of your political system. Is it able to create stable governments which last for a reasonable amount of time? Despite the governmental switch to a multi-party system, the United Socialist Party (previously Revolutionary Workers' Party) continues to dominate the government. Nevertheless, in all governmental institutions, the party maintains a powerful and pivotal role in the administration through its control over the People's Chamber. USP's control is tightest in central government offices and in urban economic, industrial, and cultural settings; it is considerably looser over establishments in deeply rural areas. The USP's most important responsibility comes in the selection and promotion of personnel. They also see that party and state policy guidance is followed in the economy and government. The USP has been in power since the establishment of multi-party democracy in 1987.
   7. Describe how flexible your political system is. How easy is it to change your national constitution? A law can be renewed into a debate (a process known as ‘suspension’) through a vote of 1/3 of the Deputies, or a public petition with 200,000 or more signatures. Similarly, a petition of 500,000 or more signatures will automatically suspend a law and call a public referendum. Similarly, the People's Chamber can amend the Constitutional Fundamental Principles through a unanimous vote, or a public petition of 5 million.
   8. Describe the level of corruption in your political system. Corruption is very rare and punished severely.
   9. What is the role of money in your government? To what degree do politicians rely on the support of powerful backers to be able to get enough votes to get into office? All candidates for Deputies are funded through the NEC. Lobbying of a Deputy is banned, and those found guilty are considered to have committed corruption while in office. The election procedure also requires that the Deputy justify their candidacy before a public assembly. Typically, the help of a local union or an independent business confederation is vital to gaining any chance of being elected.
   10. Describe the role your military plays in your society. Is it politically neutral, or is it relied upon as a guarantor of the stability of the system? The military is fully isolated from having an influence on civilian politics and those who have served in the military for a period longer than the mandatory service have to wait at least 2 years before running for office.
   11. Describe the independence of your media. The Constitutional Fundamental Principles guarantee an independent media. However, all Leskyan media and therefore newspapers and news stations must be admitted under the Department of Censorship.
   12. Describe civil society in your political system. To what degree can citizens lobby their representatives? Is lobbying transparent and regulated? Lobbying of a Deputy by a business is banned, and those found guilty are considered to have committed corruption while in office. Local constituents can petition to have their deputy removed from office at any time. Additionally, the candidate for Deputy is required to justify their candidacy before a public assembly attended to by local constituents. While in office, the Deputies are also required to abide by the principle of Mass Line and regularly attend meetings with their constituents to understand and keep up to date of the layman's issues in the constituency and regularly attend to common issues.