Constitution of the Grand Coalition of Europe
Member States present at first signing of the Constitution:
The Kingdom of Chardonnier
The Allied States of the Iberian Coalition
The Federation of the Helvetian Republic
The Protectorate of Hospitallier Knights
The Grand Duchy of the Polish Territories
The Principality of East Christian Lands
The Republic of Venetian Lands
The Empire of the Russian Imperiums
The Republic of Lombardmont
The Empire of the Northern League
The Empire of the Britannic Majesty
The Grand Duchy of Western Frankish Lands
The Holy Empire of Crusader Statedoms
The Federal Republic of Sud-Gaul
The Theocracy of the Holy Papal State
The Empire of Austrada
The Kingdom of Napolisia
The Protectorate of Independent Baltics
The Empire of Free Hellenic Peoples
The Federation of German Statedoms
Official scribe and overseer of the first signing of the Constitution:
The Allied States of the Grand Coalition
Preamble
The peoples of Europe, in creating a closer link between them, are resolved to create a safer future for all based upon the principles of democracy, freedom and peace. All Member States of the Grand Coalition of Europe hereby accept all legislation of the Coalition in order to achieve the future which we have promised to our children.
The Coalition, as well as all Member States, will try to strive for greater equity and fairness throughout Europe and develop the common values of justice and liberty so as to make Europe a beacon to which the rest of the world may look for inspiration. In order to achieve this, the Coalition places the individual at the centre of its beliefs, encouraging libertarian ideals to be carried out by the Member States.
To this end, it is essential to reassert the fundamental rights of the individual and of the sovereign states that make up the Coalition in the light of changes in society, social progress and scientific and technological developments by making those rights more visible in a charter.
The Coalition therefore accepts the rights and liberties laid out hereafter.
Article I – Human Rights
All citizens of the Grand Coalition of Europe (including anyone who holds the citizenship of any Member State) shall enjoy the following human rights, backed up by the law of the Grand Coalition, and so by the laws of the governments of the Member States. Every individual has the responsibility to respect the rights of others, just as they must respect yours.
Furthermore, all individuals outside of the Grand Coalition of Europe are protected by these rights. As such, it is the job of the Grand Coalition of Europe to spread these basic freedoms abroad and, in doing so, oppose any government, both national and regional, which would attempt to take these rights away from their citizens.
These rights are:
• The right to life
• Freedom from slavery and forced labour
• The right to liberty
• The right to a fair trial
• The right not to be punished for something that wasn't a crime when you did it
• The right to respect for private and family life
• Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom to express your beliefs
• Freedom of expression
• Freedom of assembly and association
• The right to marry and to start a family
• The right not to be discriminated against in respect of these rights and freedoms
• The right to peaceful enjoyment of your property
• The right to an education
• The right to participate in free elections
• The right not to be subjected to the death penalty
Article II – The Government of the Grand Coalition of Europe
The government of the Grand Coalition of Europe shall be elected by all Member States by a vote using the First Past The Post system. Votes shall take place every month. Votes for the WA Delegate will also take place on the same date as governmental elections and will be done through the endorsements system.
Each minister who is elected to government has power over their specific jurisdiction and their say is final. If there is an issue with a minister’s policy then the issue may be taken up via the founder and passed through to a referendum for a decision by the entire region.
There are no limits to the number of terms that may be served.
The ministerial positions shall be as follows:
a) Minister of the Interior
The Minister of the Interior will manage the region from day to day, updating the RMB and dealing with any minor internal disputes. It is the job of the Minister of the Interior to welcome any new Member States and to check any new Member States for their civil rights and political freedoms records. If they fall below the requirement (see Article III) then they shall be reported to the founder for ejection and a message to improve their records.
b) Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Minister of Foreign Affairs will manage the relations between the Grand Coalition of Europe and other regions. The minister will also recommend embassies to be constructed to the founder and run talks between regions. Recruitment will be supervised by the Minister of Foreign Affairs who is in charge of the Foreign Office (to which any Member States can apply).
c) Minister of Defence
The Minister of Defence shall be in control of the combined armed forces of the Grand Coalition of Europe (see Article V). It is the minister’s job to provide intelligence on new Member States to check if they are related to any known invader or raider regions. If so they must be reported to the founder to be ejected and banned immediately.
d) Minister of Justice
The Minister of Justice is in control of the Supreme Court of Europe which handles any major internal disputes. The court will also be used if a Member State is convicted of a breach of the Constitution and is to be ejected. In this case the Minister of Justice will oversee the hearing while a jury made up of randomly selected Member States will preside.
e) Minister of Culture
The Minister of Culture is in control of the Grand Coalition of Europe’s perception by the outside world. This means that the Minister of Culture may propose changes to the regional flag and fact book as well as add daily challenges or other such entertainment to the RMB.
Article III – Entry Requirements to the Grand Coalition of Europe
Any nation may enter the Grand Coalition of Europe providing their civil rights and political freedoms are at a level of ‘average’ or above. If not then the Minister of the Interior will report them to the founder immediately for ejection with a message to improve the specific field required.
Article IV – The Role of the Founder
The founder will act as a mediator and overseer of any debates within the region as well as a last resort if a minor internal dispute (one which does not involve the Supreme Court of Europe) needs to be settled.
The founder has no extra-judicial or extra-governmental powers. The founder may not initiate a regional shut down (install a password and eject/ban certain states without trial) without first going through the Supreme Court of Europe and after having had a recommendation to do so by the Minister of Defence.
Article V – The Military of the Grand Coalition of Europe
The armed forces of the Member States of the Grand Coalition of Europe are free to enter into any legal war (according to WA resolutions) without first going through the Grand Coalition of Europe unless the war is against another Member State.
If a war does occur between two Member States then all other Member States are legally required to provide no direct support (sending of troops, weapons or any equipment which will actively be used to harm the other Member State in any way).
Furthermore, it will be the job of the Supreme Court of Europe to decide upon a suitable outcome for that intra-regional war and to punish the appropriate Member State for causing unnecessary aggression.
In a case when the Grand Coalition of Europe goes to war as a region against another region or nation, all Member States are required to provide some military resources to EuroCorps. EuroCorps will be the combined armed forces of the Grand Coalition of Europe and will be used to defend the region or any single Member State when war is declared by an extra-regional body.
Furthermore, if the Grand Coalition of Europe so decides, EuroCorps may be used against a nation or region which is in severe breach of international law as laid down by the WA (or in some cases the UN).
EuroCorps will be under the overall command of the Minister of Defence with separate national commanders from each Member State providing support for military operations. The decision of whether to send the EuroCorps to war or the legal matters of how to conduct a war will be taken by the Security Council (see Article VI).
Article VI - The Security Council
The Security Council will be the body to discuss and vote upon any proposals to declare war against another region or nation. The Security Council will also discuss and vote upon any legal disputes to do with a war in which the Grand Coalition of Europe is involved. Any decision that the Security Council comes to will become official policy of the Grand Coalition of Europe but individual Member States do not have to follow through with these decisions if they provide a strong enough case to the Security Council.
The Security Council will be made up of the Minister of Defence and nine other Member States. The nine other Member States will be voted on by the government from a list of nominees. The Minister of Defence will act as the head of the Security Council.
Each member of the Security Council has one vote for each issue but may abstain. Votes will be telegrammed to the Minister of Defence who must publish the result of the vote as well as the Member States who voted for each option. In the event of a tie the option which has the Minister of Defence's vote is carried.
Article VII – Leaving the Grand Coalition of Europe
Any Member State reserves the right to leave the Grand Coalition of Europe whenever they do so please.
However, if a Member State is in breach of any of the laws laid down in the Constitution, they may be ejected. In such a case a trial must be held within the Supreme Court of Europe where a jury may decide whether or not a Member State is guilty, and if so the punishment also (including ejection or ban).
Article VIII – Maintaining Membership in the Grand Coalition of Europe
To be allowed to remain in the Grand Coalition of Europe a Member State must abide by all laws laid down in the Constitution of the Grand Coalition of Europe as well as maintain civil rights and political freedoms ratings of ‘average’ or above. If these are not maintained then the Member State will be given one week to reach the targets before a trial is held.
Any Member State which has been ejected from the Grand Coalition of Europe may re-enter once civil rights and political freedoms ratings have been met.
Article IX – The Role of the WA Delegate
The WA Delegate will vote on any WA resolutions after first consulting the Grand Coalition of Europe to come to a regional decision. After the entire region has voted, the WA Delegate will vote according to the result.
Article X – On Voting
Voting will take place through the founder. All Member States will telegram the founder who will compile the results and present them to the region.
Member States may only be excluded from voting if they are carrying that through as a punishment, as ruled by the Supreme Court of Europe, however in the case of regional governmental elections all Member States, no matter their circumstances, must be allowed to vote.