REPUBLIC OF ST: NICHOLÀS AND THE MIDWALES

REPÚLICA DE ST: NICHÓLÁS Y LOS MEDIOS DE GALES

For the Republic we Serve, For the Republic we Die

Por la República que Servimos, Por la República que Morimos

INFORMATION OF SHORT NOTICE

THE REPUBLIC

Founded: 1924 (first independent administration created in 1811)

Language: Spanish and English (Latin)

Capital: Sierra de Vuelva

Population: 109 000 i.h

Area: 209 km2

Currency: the Angalicanian State Cupon

GEOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS:

Divisions of the Republic - Las Divisiones de la República:

the Division of Sierra de Vuelva

the Division of Costa in Caleggia

the Division of San Hárolds

the Division of Montgasque á Marrón

the Division of Ciudad Lapadago

Boroughs of Sierra de Vuelva - Los Municipos de Sierra de Vuelva:

the Borough of Mercado Estácio

the Borough of La Venta

the Borough of Porto Pescado

the Borough of Santa Comprido

the Borough of Cohlossi di Mayo

the Borough of Centro Fiscal

the Borough of Centro Sanidad

the Borough of Leblon Galea

the Borough of Jardim Nuevo

the Borough of Masido

the Borough of Cayaña Di Luego

the Borough of El Fatih

the Borough of Fuelo Ferranti

HISTORY OF SHORT NOTICE

The Republic of St Nicholás and the Midwales was created in it's current form in 1924. The Republic was created at the proposal of Chairman of the Angalicanian People's Government Thomas Ford were the Republic were granted independence from the State. The current form of Government were put a general constitutional change in 1945. 

The first forms of independence were made in the early 18th century were the Dukedom of Sierra di Vuelva and the Midwales, were created. Since then. both declarations of independence and invasions (by the different kingdoms who predeceased the State of Angalicania) has been done at a regular basis. 

During the Facilid Reign, the Dukedom was quickly invaded by the Angalicanian Armed Forces and the country were put under direct rule from Adenport. The hated Ruler of the Pity of the San Hárolds inherited all executive, judicial and legislative power in the area and governed the area with an hand of iron.

Since 1924, the country has been an independent republic and is currently one of the few microstates in Europe. The issue of an eventual submergence into the State of Angalicania is a hot question were polling shows that the public is divided in (round throws) 50/50. All parties in the Angalicanian General Assembly has however expressed support for the idea but the issue remains unsolved and the country independent.

GOVERNMENT

The Council of State

The Republic of St Nicholás and the Midwales is a unitary state and a presidential republic were the chief executive of the State has significant powers over the Republic and the public administration. The head of state is the President of the Council of State (Presidente del Consejo de Estado) or more often referred to as the President. The Council of State consists of three (3) members directly elected by the People in 7-year terms with the possibility of one (1) reelection.

The Council of State is elected in universal, secret ballotage suffrage in compulsory voting. All citizen of the Republic who have reached the age of 18 has the right to vote. The voting is performed in two (2) rounds. 

All citizens who have reached the age of 25 has the right to put themselves up for candidacy t the Council of State. A candidate must have received the nomination of a Registered, Official Party and display a list of 20 000 names of citizens of the Republic, over the age of 18, supporting it's candidacy. In the first round, all candidates faces off in a general ballot. The three candidates who've received the most votes is chosen as members of the Council of State and goes through to the second. In the second round, the President of those three is chosen. The candidate who receives the most votes, or over 50% of the votes, wins and is elected President of the Council of State. The three members composes  the Council of State.

In 1945, an amendment was made to the Constitution giving candidates the right to withdraw from the 2nd round if they decide to only put up for election to the Council of State: but not for the position as President.

The President of the Council of State vests all of the executive power in the Republic. The Council of State is in the Constitution of the Republic described as ''the principal body of the State, responsible for advising it's President and executing his decisions and commands''. In practice, the Council of State rarely convenes for other than ceremonial duties. Instead, it's the ''Bureau of the State'', the civil service Secretariat of the Council of State, who executives the decisions of the President.

The role of the other members of the Council of State is in the Constitution unspecified but it's declared that the ''other members of the Council of State; not inhabiting the Office of it's Presidents should be given prominent roles and responsibilities in the Administration of the Republic''. Often, the membership of the Council of State has been a stepping-stone to powerful positions within the Council of Government, the Foreign Diplomatic Corps or in Agencies of the Republic but cases have also occurred where Members has gotten other responsibilities.

The President of the Council of State

The President of the Council of State, or normally just called ''the President'' has significant power over the Republic and the Administration. The President is sovereign to appointed judges, agency executives and ambassadors. The President does also appoint a Council of Government who's the advisory cabinet to the President and the Council of State. The Council of Government consists of the heads of the Ministries of the Republic and other Officials determined by the President. 

The President of the Council of State is the Commander-in-Chief of the Police Armed Forces, Minister of the Civil Service, Minister of the Protection of the Republic, Chief of the Treasury, Keeper of the Seals and Official Representative of the Republic. The President has the right to declare war, grant pardons, ratify treaties and agreements, dissolve the legislature, call new-elections, accrediting and receive foreign diplomatic functionaries and call plebiscites.

The President of the Council of State has also major legislative powers and could enact laws, issue decrees and executive orders and change the Budget of the Republic. However the President cannot change the Constitution neither collect taxes or determine the Budget of the Republic. Only the Council of Representatives have the power to do that. The Council of Representatives could also initiate laws and proposals but however, the President must promulgate them and has the right to veto them. A veto rejects the proposal/motion and prohibit the same bill to be introduced during the same, legislative session (four years). 

The President of the Council of State cannot only be removed from Office if impeachment proceedings is initiated. The President could only be subject to impeachment procedures if he has committed ''treason, felony, corruption or violations to the Constitution of the Republic''.  The Council of Representatives could with a 4/5ths majority introduce impeachment proceedings. The Council of Government together with the judges of the Court of the Republic and the Court of Justice then constitutes the ''Court of Impeachment'' responsible for judging the impeachment procedures. The Court could with a 2/3rds majority remove the President of the Council of State from Office. If impeachment proceedings is initiated, the President cannot remove or appoint judges to the Courts.

If the President dies, resigns, is incapable of exercising his duties or is removed from Office, the two remaining Members of the Council of State together constitutes the interim joint Presidency of the Council of State until the Council of Representatives has convened to chose which of them will serve as President of the Council of State until the remainder of the period. If all three members of the Council of State resigns, dies or is removed from office (thus the Members can be impeached to), the Chief of the Council of Representatives and the Chief Judge of the Court of the Republic and the Chief Judge of the Court of Justice is assigned interim Council of State with the Speaker being the interim President of the Council of State: until a new election could be called.

The Council of Representatives

The Council of Representatives is the unicameral legislature of the Republic and consists of 25 members. The Council is elected every 4 year in universal, secret ballotage suffrage. Compulsory voting is enforced, like in the elections of the Council of State. All citizens of the Republic who have reached the age of 18 has the right to vote. The voting is performed in single-members constituencies (called Representative Electorates) and is performed in two (2) rounds. In the first round, all candidates faces off. In the second round, the two candidates have collected the most number of votes faces of in a toss-up. 

All citizens who have reached the age of 21 has the right to put themselves up for candidacy to the Council of Representatives. A candidate must have received the nomination of a Registered, Official Party and display a list of 5000 names of citizens of the Republic, over the age of 18, supporting it's candidacy. 

The single-constituency, two-round system largely favorites major parties and creates a two-party system, even though some smaller exists. The major parties of the Republic is the nationalist, conservative and indepedence-safeguarding party Defensa Popular (the People's Defence) who've held the power of Government during mosts of the years and the marxist-socialist, anti-capitalist and sugmergence-friendly party Frente Marxista (the Marxist Front).

The Judiciary of the Republic

The judiciary of the Republic follows civil, angalicanian law. The Republic has a three court-system: the Court of Justice (first instance court), the Court of the Republic (second instance but in practice court of last resort) and the Council of State who's the supreme court. Both the Court of Justice and the Court of the Republic only judges in criminal and financial law. The Council of State is the sole court in administrative, land, environmental, commercial and patent affairs but has an advisory panel of lawyers ''Advisory Panel on General Affairs'' who assists in these special law cases. The Council of State has also a special panel ''Advisory Panel on Law Enforcement Appeals'' responsible for advising cases of misconducts of the Law Enforcement Services. However, the Council of State rarely judges and often just goes on the recommendation on the Court of the Republic and the Councils advisory panels. 

The Mayor of Sierra de Vuelva de Major

Even though the Republic is divided in Divisions and Boroughs, no general form of local or regional government exist. In 1993 however, a symbolic Mayor of Sierra de Vuelva de Major was created with responsibilities of for example award prizes, grants, scholarships and award, participate in different cultural or charity events and represent the history and culture of the city. The mayor was appointed by the President of the Council of State. The mayoralty was seen as a symbolic title and a parti-time job tho no formal Administration was created (administrative services for the Mayor were provided through the Bureau of the State) and only a symbolic salary followed. 

In 2002 however, changed were however made. Every four year correlating with the elections to the Council of Representatives, recommending elections should be arranged, choosing three (3) candidates to the President of the Council of State, to from these chose a Mayor. An more informal administration of the City of the Greater Sierra de Vuelva (Sierra de Vuelva de Major)  called ''the Mayor's Office of Sierra de Vuelva de Major'' was also created. The Office were given the responsibilities of naming streets, decided which statues should be rised, advocating the opinions and needs of the cities residents, awarding cultural, educational and sports related prizes, grants, scholarships and awards, arranging Conferences, Summits and other Educational Events on political subjects important for the city and fund different projects, charities, organizations, clubs and programmes of chose.  

Relations to the State of Angalicania and the Imperial Federation-Islands

The Republic is not an member of the European Union or NATO, however it's a member of the European Internal Market and Customs Union and has other arrangements to enable smooth and frictionless trade, tourism and movement. An agreement is also made with the State of Angalicania who's responsible for the Armed Services,  Intelligence Services and the External Defence of the Republic. 

Agreements is also done for monetary affairs whereby the Central Reserve Bank of the State of Angalicania is the currency and monetary authority of the Republic. Therefore the Angalicanian State Cupon is also the formal currency of the Republic.

OFFICERS OF THE GOVERNMENT