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Form of Government

The People’s Independent Electorate is a representative democracy, the routine operations of which are influenced by deliberative democratic principles. 

 

Historical Summary 

The People’s Independent Electorate grew out of the Dominion’s Separatist movement that formed in the early period of Overlord Christos’ reign.  It was established after a rebellion that saw the death of that Overlord during the so-called ‘Separatist Breakout’ when the Separatist Convoy Fleet attempted to leave the Dominion and were interdicted by the Dominion Legion.  Overlord Santos then signed the Treaty of Separation with the Separatist Council, representing the Members of the Separatist Movement.  Subsequently the Separatist Members held a constitutional convention that enshrined a democratic political structure to which nominees are elected. 

  

Constitution 

The Constitution of the People’s Independent Electorate sets out the theoretical basis, functions, powers, responsibilities and electoral system of the government and the responsibilities of members and electors.  The Constitution was developed out of the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention and written in a series of voted upon iterations primarily by Separatist Council Member Helen Solon, though many others contributed.  The Constitution has been amended a number of times since it was first promulgated, but is generally held to remain true to its core principles.  It may be worth noting that it contains dissolution clauses for the Electorate, and considers that the concept of the Members of the Separatist Movement with who the Overlord treated survives the dissolution of the political system. 

  

Franchise

Whereas the Dominion has a concept of Majority age (7 kiloCycles), the Electorate differs between Members and Electors.  For legal reasons, all Electors are Members but not all Members are Electors.  Only Electors can vote, and there are some other restrictions on other roles that Members can hold.

To become an Elector a Member may ‘take franchise’.  Franchise is available to any person of any age once they can “establish a sufficient level of Moral, Societal and Intellectual capability to appropriately discharge the rights and responsibilities of a franchised elector.”

In practice this means swearing an oath, passing a test and being able to demonstrate capacity for a degree of social independence.  These requirements mean that it is very rare for a person to take franchise before the age of 20.  Most people take franchise between 20 and 35, although some never do.

Examples of those that cannot take franchise are the mentally disabled and children to young to understand the concepts necessary to pass the franchise test.

Once taken, franchise is generally for life, although electorship can be withdrawn as a penalty for certain crimes and in certain other situations.

  

Structure

Electorate Government   

There is a single government for the whole of the Electorate.  

The Legislature comprises the Parliament and the Deliberative Council.  Both are located on Resolution.

  

Parliament

The Parliament comprises elected representatives (the Elected) of the Electors.  The Constitution currently provides for a maximum of 126 Elected.  Each member’s seat is contestable every six Gestadians with one sixth of the parliamentary seats being contested every Gestadian.  The Parliament is responsible for proposing and amending existing law and responding to Petitions from the Electors.  Laws are made using Deliberative Democratic techniques and usually only when something approximating consensus on a law is reached will the law be passed to the Deliberative Council for review and approval.  

  

Deliberative Council  

The Deliberative Council is a both a body of review and veto but also a collaborative body.  Its function is to protect the Electorate from ‘the tyranny of the majority’, to ensure the Parliament is following constitutional principles in its decision making and to quality assure the matters of law being addressed.

  

Joint Sessions

As well as meeting separately, the Parliament and the Deliberative Council periodically sit in joint session – usually to question each other about progress and the work program, but occasionally to jointly debate Matters of Importance.

  

Petition

All electors have a right to Petition the Parliament to deliberate on matters important to them.  There are a number of processes for this.

  

Polity Government

As a practical matter, the Electorate Government on Resolution cannot govern the local worlds fully effectively and must appoint a local government to administer local issues.

The established process is that the Legislature establishes a Deliberative Polity Council to govern the planet.

Each Deliberative Polity Council is modelled on the Electorate’s Deliberative Council.

In addition, the Parliament appoints a Parliamentary Commissioner to the planet. Parliamentary Commissioners may be appointed by the Parliament to undertake all manner of functions.  However, the parameters for Parliamentary Commissioners to Polity are long established.  The appointments are not time-limited, although appointments are usually reviewed every electoral cycle.

Electors may always petition for a recall election of either the Deliberative Polity Council, or the Parliamentary Commissioner.

In summary, the Deliberative Polity Council run the Polities and the Parliamentary Commissioner keeps an eye on them.

  

Elections

Parliamentary

The blocks of Parliamentary seats are referred to with colours, being Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple.  For example, “It’s an Orange Election coming up.”

In order to gain a seat, a nominee must win 1/126 of the votes of the total number of registered electors, based on a proportional quota system.  

In order to nominate for elections a prospective nominee must either:  present a petition containing one tenth of that number of votes or already hold a seat.  However, after three consecutive terms a nominee is not entitled to automatically renominate and must repetition.

Elector voting is proportional and preferential, with an elector being able to vote for as many or as few of the nominees standing in that election as they wish, but must put them in preference order.  

Parties are not a part of the formal constitution, and there is no provision for party tickets, but individuals are not prevented from forming parties to pool resources and promulgate joint policy platforms.

  

Deliberative Council

The Deliberative Council consists of Polity Councillors – one from each declared polity (currently being each of the 15 worlds) and Portfolio Councillors, being a representative representing each of the areas of Defence, Finance, Interior, Services, Governance, Science, Ethics and Foreign Affairs, and a Facilitator.  Currently the Deliberative Council has 24 Councillors. 

District Councillors are elected by their polity in a manner similar to Parliamentary Elected.  Each Gestad they are able to be recontested – if enough people vote against them, then a new election will be held.  When the election block in which they were elected comes around again (eg if originally Elected in Yellow, at the next Yellow election) then the seat is automatically re-contested.

Portfolio Councillors are nominated by the portfolio of government they represent and then must be confirmed by the Parliament but may also be vetoed or supported by the Electors.

The Facilitator is nominated by the Deliberative Council itself and confirmed in the same way as Portfolio Councillors.

  

Deliberative Polity Council

Councillors for larger polities are locally elected or nominated, whereas smaller ones are often nominated from Resolution.