The Merlandian Republic

"A beacon of democracy and hope to some, an opportunity to others... And an insult to the Empire."

There are many words to describe the republic, "simple" is not one of them. Founded during a war from a small resistance group, the Republic now owns nearly half of Merlandia. It's a mix of new, bold, radical ideas, cemented in with tradition from both the old Kingdom and Empire. The Republic for example, still holds a peerage system: even though the titles hold no extra political rights... Though in practice, nobles still remain powerful and are often elected into parliament. The truth is: the Republic has an identity problem. It doesn't know what it should be. Though one thing is sure: the people who helped to create the Republic, will not back down in creating their new, ideal state. Vampires are not welcome in The Republic, except for diplomatic missions. Magic is shunned as well. Though all things considered, the state is very moderate compared to the Empire and welcomes all races... Except the vampires then.

Structure

The President and His Cabinet

The head of state is the president, though he doesn't rule alone and assisted by his cabinet, which includes the following positions:

Minister of Defense, responsible for the military. Usually a general chosen by the president
Minister of Development, responsible for infrastructure and the realization of large building projects.
Minister of Commerce, responsible for trade and making sure that Merlandian products have a good standard.
Minister of Social Security, responsible for disaster relief, as well as looking after the sick. The minister manages firefighter services, hospitals and charity organizations.
Minister of Diplomacy, responsible for communication with other countries, as well as upkeeping the reputation of The Republic. Welcomes important foreign visitors
Minister of Finance, responsible for distributing funds between the ministries and keeping track of the country's economy.
Minister of Justice, responsible for the proper functioning of the justice system. Tasked with keeping corruption at bay.

Out of these, the minister of defense and justice are considered the most important.

The Senate and National Assembly

Next up is the national, which consists out of 1 person for every county, bringing the total amount of members to 234. These are elected officials that can vote on bills proposed by the president and their cabinet. Once a bill is passed, it goes to the senate where it is reviewed once more. Members of the senate are elected scholars from universities around the country. In total, there are 101 members. They are not supposed to vote by opinion, but by fact. If the bill is not formulated well, deemed unconstitutional or "morally dubious" the bill is send back to the national assembly, where it is to be reviewed again. The inner workings of the national assembly and senate (as well as its factions) will be written about in a separate article.

The Peerage

Finally, there is also the matter of the peerage which is a system that remains from the time of the Merlandian Kingdom. They do not enjoy extra political rights, but have the right to a title and are by law "required to be treated well." Their rights and titles are being questioned in the national assembly, but that will be the topic of another article. Below is a list of recognized titles from high to low.

Duke/Duchess: used to rule over a duchy, which has recently been renamed to a province... While duchies no longer exist, the government still treats dukes with great respect and often ask for their guidance in local matters. They are to be referred to as "your grace."
Marques/Marchioness: used to rule over a county that bordered another state. Because these regions are strategically important, they received a higher rank. These days, they are seen as equally important to a count. They are to be referred to as "my lord/lady" or "the most honorable."
Count/Countess: used to rule over a county. These days, they work alongside mayors to tend to the need of their community. When the president and/or their cabinet visit a county, they tend to stay at the residence of the count. They are to be referred to as "mylord/lady."
Baron/Baroness: used to rule over cities or towns. This role has been replaced by an elected mayor. Though in general, the baron remains an important figure in their community. They are often asked to open new places or attend weddings. They are to be referred to as "my lord/lady."

History

The Merlandian Republic started at the city Ooden-Markt where a rebellion against the Merlandian Empire broke out shortly after war was declared on Sudemarkt. Surrounding cities and towns quickly joined in the revolt and unified themselves under the name of the "Merlandian Republic." While the fighting against Imperial troops went on, the new Republic started to organize itself. "The Rebels" were reformed into the "Republican Army" and the president would be the head of state. During the war, he ruled alone, together with a military staff. After the war, the Republic became an internationally recognized country. Though many other nations are fairly distrustful of this new "republic." The greatest ally of the Republic was and still remains Sudemarkt. The president also split his responsibilities between his ministers. To prevent corruption... And to reduce his own workload. The work was so exhausting that the first president, Damian Veldert quit his job after the war. He remains as an honorary guest at Benvue Palace.

Victory Through Resistance

Founding Date

1750

Type

Political, independent

Capital

Ooden-Markt

Predecessor Organization

The Kingdom of Merlandia

Training Level

Semi-professional

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Merlandian

Leader Title

President

Government System

Democracy, Parliamentary

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Market economy

Currency

The official currency in Merlandia are meren (Meer in singular.) 1 Meer can be divided into 100 centen. To give an idea of the value of the currency: a loaf of bread costs about 2,5 meren.

Judicial Body

The justice system in the Republic is divided into the following courts:

Court of Cassation: the supreme court of the Republic. It has the power to review laws and declare them unconstitutional. Seldom civil or criminal cases end up here.
Court of Appeals: if a party decides to appeal against the judgment of a civil or criminal court, the case ends up at the Court of Appeals. If they can't reach a decision, the case if forwarded to the Court of Cassation.
Criminal Court: all criminal cases, from petty theft to mass murder, are judged by the criminal court. Sentences differ from fines, community service and prison terms to the death penalty. Though the application of that is highly controversial and there are plans to forbid it. Corporal punishment and maiming on the other hand, are forbidden by law.
Civil Court: minor cases, like divorce and disputes over lands, are handled by Civil Courts. Their mission is not to punish but to come to a solution that is fair and just.
Court of Commerce: cases about trading and business disputes are always handled by the court of commerce.

Official State Religion

The Sacred Lady

Subsidiary Organizations