"Unity, Freedom, and Equality!"~the motto of the Federated Colonies
The Federated Colonies are a federal parliamentary republic, made up of three branches that follow the principle of the Separation of Powers(CS: die Gewaltenteilung), divided between multiple Constitutional Organs and Positions (CS: Verfassungsorgane und Verfassungspositionen), which derive their powers from the Constitution of the Federated Colonies, the Articles of Colonization (CS: Die Artikel der Kolonisation).
The Executive Branch(CS: die Executive) is represented on a federal level by The Hegemon of the Colonies (CS: der Hegemon der Kolonien), and the Federal Cabinet of the Colonies, or the Federal Government of the Colonies (CS: Bundeskabinett der Kolonien or Bundesregierung der Kolonien), and on a local level, by the Local Governments(CS: Die Lokale Regierungen), and the Local Representatives of the Federal Institutions.
the Legislative Branch (CS: die Legislative) is represented on a federal level the Federal Council (CS: der Bundesrat) and the Federal Diet (CS: der Bundestag), and on a local level by various parliaments and diets.
The Judicial Branch (CS: die Judikative) is independent and represented by the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the Federal, on both a federal and a local level.
The Federal Institutions of the Colonies (CS: die Bundesinstitutionen der Kolonien) have their seat in the Federal District on the Capital World of the Federated Colonies, Xalion. Due to the unfortunate decadence of the planet of Xalion, caused mainly by the extensive pollution, natural disasters, and a general ignorance of the authorities in charge of maintaining the planet, the Federal Institutions are mostly considered to be at fault for it, which has contributed to the decline of their popularity in recent years.
The Executive Branch[]
The Hegemon of the Colonies[]
The Hegemon of the Colonies (CS: der Hegemon der Kolonien) has the highest executive authority in the Federation, and is the commander in chief of the Colonial Armed Forces, his position being superior to that of any other leaders on federal and local levels in the Colonies. The position of a Hegemon has traditionally been one of a military leader, taking inspiration from the military position held by the Hegemons of the Human Colonial Alliance. The Colonial position was created in the midyears of the First Secession War, by giving the executive authority of the former position of the President of the Colonies (CS: der Bundespräsident der Kolonien) to the Grand Admiral(CS: Großadmiral) Alexander von Scheerling, the then commander-in-chief of the Colonial Armed Forces, who became the first Hegemon of the Federated Colonies.
The Hegemon is chosen from the military, as being part of the Colonial Armed Forces is a requirement for this position. The military forces organize a series of trials, which are meant to find the strategists and tacticians in the Colonies, after which the best of the best take part in the election held throughout the entirety of the Federation.
In its position as both the supreme military and civilian leader, the Hegemon is the true ruler and authority in the state, a direct result of the increased influence the Colonial Armed Forces have had on the Colonies, his office being often called as "the Hegemony"(CS: die Hegemonie).
Besides from its ceremonial powers as the official Head of the State (CS: Staatsoberhaupt), and his position as the Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Armed Forces (CS: Oberbefehlshaber der Koloniale Streitkräften), the Hegemon is the Head of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government of the Colonies. The Hegemon proposes the Chancellor, which is then accepted by the Federal Diet and the confirmed by the Federal Council. The Hegemon must then approve the members of the Federal Cabinet proposed by the Chancellor, and then to oversee the oath that the Chancellor and the Federal Cabinet are required to take in front of the reunited Diet and Council. The Hegemon also has the power to dismiss the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Cabinet, but only if a Motion of No Confidence (CS: Misstrauensvotum) is passed in a reunited meeting of the Federal Diet and the Federal Council. In that case, the Hegemon temporarily takes over all executive powers, until a new Chancellor is proposed and accepted. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Colonial Armed Forces, the Hegemon can also declare Martial Law (CS: Kriegsrecht).
While some might consider that the position of Hegemon could possibly threaten the existence of a democracy in the Colonies, the powers of the Hegemon are limited by the Articles of Colonization. A Motion of No Confidence can be voted upon by the Federal Diet and the Federal Council against the Hegemon, and if that motion passes with a majority of votes, the Hegemon will be temporarily suspended, until a referendum will be held throughout the Colonies. If the referendum to impeach the Hegemon passes, the current Hegemon will be removed from his function, and a new one will be elected.
The Government of the Colonies[]
The Federal Cabinet of the Colonies, or the Federal Government of the Colonies (CS: Bundeskabinett der Kolonien or Bundesregierung der Kolonien) is the chief executive body of the Federated Colonies. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet's organization as well as the method of its election and appointment as well as the procedure for its dismissal are set down in the Articles of Colonization.
The Federal Chancellor (CS: Bundeskanzler/Bundeskanzlerin) is responsible for guiding the cabinet and deciding its political direction (CS: Richtlinienkompetenz). According to the principle of departmentalization (CS: Ressortprinzip), the cabinet ministers are free to carry out their duties independently within the boundaries set by the Chancellor's political directives. The Chancellor also decides the scope of each minister's duties. If two ministers disagree on a particular point, the cabinet resolves the conflict by a majority vote, known as the Principle of Deference (CS: Kollegialprinzip). The Chancellor is in charge of the government's administrative affairs, which are usually delegated to the head of the Chancellery. Details are laid down in the government's rules for internal procedures (CS: Geschäftsordnung).
The Chancellor is elected by Federal Diet and confirmed by the Federal Council after being proposed by the Hegemon. If the Federal Diet and the Federal Council consider that none of the proposals of the Hegemon are good enough, they can propose and elect their own proposed Chancellor, which however still requires the confirmation of the Hegemon to take office. Following the election, the Chancellor is officially appointed by the Hegemon. The ministers are appointed (and dismissed) by the Hegemon upon the proposals of the Chancellor. Eventually, before taking office, the Chancellor and ministers swear an oath in front of the reunited Council and Diet.
The Chancellor also presides over the reunited meetings of the Council and the Diet and plays an active role in supervising the legislative powers of the Council and the Diet. The Chancellor also has a veto power, which can not be used more than once during the term, but which can block any sort of laws or proposals.
The Federal Chancellor and the Federal Government can be taken down by a vote of no confidence in a reunited meeting of the Federal Council and the Federal Diet, with a simple majority being required to win, but with the condition that the group opposing this vote of no confidence would not gain more than a third of the votes, case in which the vote fails. In cases of extreme emergency, the Chancellor can use her veto power to cancel a vote of no confidence, but is forced to justify it in front of the population.
The Local Governments[]
The Local Governments(CS: Die Lokale Regierungen), are various semi-autonomous governments at a local level, that exist all along the Federated Colonies, as most of the nations and planets in the Colonies have their own local government. Various types of local governments exist, even if they mostly lack power compared to the representatives of the Federal Institutions. For a local government to be recognized by the Federated Colonies, it must follow the points of the Federal Articles of Colonization. The most important points are these:
- Local Governments must recognize the power and authority of the Colonial Federal Institutions.
- Local Governments must ratify and follow the Federal Articles of Colonization.
- Local Governments must follow all Colonial laws.
- Local Governments will recognize the Local Representatives of the Colonial Federal Institutions.
- Local Governments must follow the edicts and laws emitted by the Colonial Federal Institutions. Any protests against an edict or a law emitted by a Colonial Federal Institutions will be taken to the Colonial Court through the local government's representatives in the Parliament of the Colonies.
- All military forces of the Local Governments will be considered a part of the Colonial Armed Forces or the Colonial Defense Forces, and will be under the formal authority of the Central High Command of all the Armed Forces of the Federal Colonies.
- All forms of corruption in the Local Governments are strictly forbidden, and will be punished in accordance with the Colonial laws.
- All Local Governments must respect the status of Colonial citizens that their own citizens hold, including all the rights and obligations that come with it.
Local Representatives of the Federal Institutions[]
The Federated Colonies are represented on a local level by multiple positions and institutions, appointed by the Federal Diet, with the accord of the Federal Council.
The Federal Governor( CS: der Federale Governor), is a position that exists in every state that is part of the Federated Colonies. As the direct representative of the Federated Colonies in that respective state, the Federal Governor either holds the entire executive power in that state, or shares it with the local ruler. Federal Governors are chosen by the Parliament of the Colonies, and must receive a vote of confidence from the population of the state they are assigned in.
The Federal Commissar(Der Federale Kommissar), is the position of the representative of the Federated Colonies on a planet. His office is known as a Federal Commissariat (CS:Bundeskommissariat)Each planet in the Federated Colonies has its own Commissar, who holds the executive power on that planet, or shares it with its local ruler. The Commissars are subordinated to the Federal Governor of that state, and partially, to the local ruler of that state, if one exists. The Commissars are chosen by the local population, and must receive a vote of confidence from the Colonial Parliament.
The Legislative Branch[]
The Federal Council[]
Der Kolonale Bundesrat (literally " the Colonial Federal Council"; pronounced[ˈbʊndəsʁaːt]) is a legislative body formed by the various leaders and representatives of the member states of the Federation, which represents those states on a federal level.The Bundesrat participates in legislation, alongside the Bundestag, the directly elected representation of the people of the Colonies, with laws affecting state competences and all constitutional changes requiring the consent of the body. For its similar function, it is often described as an upper house of parliament, but it's more like a ruling body, keeping the balance between the many states forming the Federated Colonies. The political makeup of the Bundesrat is affected by changes in power in the states which form the Federation, and thus by elections in each state. Each state delegation in the Bundesrat is essentially a representation of that states government and reflects the political makeup of the ruling majority or plurality of each state legislature.
The Federal Council has to confirm every bill or motion submitted and voted upon by the Federal Diet, and has the power to veto bills. The Federal Diet can overrule a refuse of the Federal Council to confirm a bill, or to veto it, but that requires a majority of two thirds of the Federal Diet, ensuring the will of the people. In the event of disagreement between the Federal Diet and the Federal Council a conciliation committee is formed to find a compromise.
The composition of the Federal Council is different from other similar legislative bodies representing states in the history of the human races, as the members of the Federal Council are not elected—either by popular vote or by the state parliaments—but are delegated by the respective state government. In special cases, the delegations of the member states can be represented by the very leaders of those states, which often happens only when the most important of decisions have to be taken.
The number of votes a state is allocated is based on a form of degressive proportionality according to its population. This way, smaller states have more votes than a distribution proportional to the population would grant. The allocation of votes is regulated by the Articles of Colonization. All of a state's votes are cast en bloc—either for or against or in abstention of a proposal.
The Federal Council can be dissolved by the president on the recommendation of the Chancellor if the latter has lost a vote of confidence in a reunited meeting of the Federal Diet and the Federal Council, and if the recommendation is made and accepted before the Federal Diet acts to elect a new Chancellor.
The Federal Council can start, and vote on motions of no confidence against both the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Hegemon, but in order for such a motion to be voted upon, a majority of the Federal Council must agree on it, and the Federal Diet must hold a vote, in which a majority agreeing on the motion must be won. After those requirements are held, both the Federal Diet and the Federal Council reunite in a special meeting, and held a vote, with different requirements for the motion to pass existing, depending on if the motion is oriented against the Hegemon or the Chancellor.
The Federal Diet[]
Der Koloniale Bundestag (C.S. pronunciation: [ˈbʊndəstaːk], literally " the Colonial Federal Diet") is a constitutional and legislative body at the federal level in the Colonies. For its similar function, it is often described as a lower house of parliament. The Federal Diet is acting as the main legislative body of the Federation, making up laws and overseeing the government.
The Federal Diet is formed by Colonial citizens from all across the Federation, elected directly by the other citizens of the Colonies,by universal, equal, direct, secret, and freely expressed suffrage. Members serve four-year terms, with elections held every four years, or earlier in the relatively rare case that the Federal Diet is dissolved prematurely by the Hegemon. The Federal Diet can be dissolved by the president on the recommendation of the Chancellor if the latter has lost a vote of confidence in a reunited meeting of the Federal Diet and the Federal Council, and if the recommendation is made and accepted before the Federal Diet acts to elect a new Chancellor.
The members of the Federal Diet are the only federal officials directly elected by the public; the Federal Diet in turn elects the Chancellor, which is accepted by the Federal Council and confirmed by the Hegemon, and, in addition, exercises oversight of the executive branch of the government.
Any member of the Federal Diet can propose laws, bills, and motions, after which debates will be held between the members of the Diet, before of a vote. Any law, bill, or motion requires a simple majority to pass, with special exceptions. After a bill, law, or motion is passed, it is confirmed or not by the Federal Council. In the case in which the Federal Council does not confirm a bill, or in the case the Council vetoes it, the Federal Diet can overrule that refusal of confirmation or veto, but only with a majority of two thirds of the Federal Diet.
The Federal Diet can also start, and vote on motions of no confidence against both the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Hegemon, but in order for such a motion to be voted upon, a majority of the Federal Diet must agree on it, and the Federal Diet must confirm it. After those requirements are held, both the Federal Diet and the Federal Council reunite in a special meeting, and held a vote, with different requirements for the motion to pass existing, depending on if the motion is oriented against the Hegemon or the Chancellor.
State Parliaments[]
Each state of the Federated Colonies, no matter of its form of government, has a legislative body recognized by the Federation, which acts in a similar way to the Federal Diet, just on a state level. Known as State Parliaments (CS: die Landesparlamenten), those bodies are formed by citizens of each state, elected by the other citizens of that state, once every four years. With legislative powers on a state level, these bodies protect the existence of democracy in all states which form the Federation.
The Judicial Branch[]
The Judicial Branch (CS: die Judikative) of the Federated Colonies is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the Federation.
The Colonial legal system is a civil law mostly based on a comprehensive compendium of statutes, as compared to the common law systems. In criminal and administrative law, the Colonies use an inquisitorial system where the judges are actively involved in investigating the facts of the case.