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by The Dominion of Kingdom of Saint Paul. . 173 reads.

Political Structure of Saint Paul


Political Structure
of Saint Paul

Overview

The Political Structure of Saint Paul is centuries-old, complex, corrupt, and rooted in clan structures. The country is a constitutional monarchy, with a ceremonial head of state, the monarch. Historically, the monarch governed with absolute power, which for the country's early history was believed to be God-granted ─ the "divine right of kings". However, the role of a prime minister has been important since the Justiciar Angus Hutchinson, who led the exploration from Scotland to Saint Paul and negotiated for the land with the Pope. Particularly after the start of the XIX century, the Justiciar began to have a crucial role as the economy grew from subsistence agriculture to beginning trade. By the middle of the century, the now-dubbed "Prime Minister" was by far more influential than the monarch.

At the start of the XX Century, the concept of political parties grew in the nation, particularly with the beginning of industrialisation in the late 1910s and early 1920s as trade unions joined intellectuals, merchants, the clergy, and the clan aristocracy in the political scene. Former groupings solidified and formalised into political denominations, and universal suffrage made regular free and fair elections possible. The idea of a prime minister was now no longer one of the man in charge of legislative matters and domestic governance, but rather the top lad in the country. With the Constitution of 1951, the legislature was formalised in the form of the General Chaumer as the lower house, while the historic territorial rights of clans were recognised by the upper house becoming the Clans Chaumer, as well as the formalisation of the justice system with a supreme court, building on from high and district courts. The same structure has continued to this day.

History

Since the mass arrival of Scots Catholic refugees in the XVII Century, the House Stuart has ruled over Saint Paul. James VI Stuart, the last pretender to the Scots throne, led the final Catholic uprising in Scotland from 1601 until his 1605 defeat outside Edinburgh, granting the country to the Ministers and their Republic once and for all. It was his son, Henry I Stuart, who would first govern Saint Paul instead. At the start of the arrival, beginning in 1609, he would stay in Rome as the Portuguese and tribes had to be fought off and he was lesser of age, but upon completing 21 years and military training in 1615, he travelled himself to Saint Paul to lead the fight against the colonialists and allow for the settling of the land by those granted it by the Pope. He would continue to be on the frontlines beside his generals for 17 more years, until 1632 when the final Portuguese naysayers fled north and south and the tribes were quelled (despite this, rebellions would continue into the next century).

Henry believed in the divine right of kings like all Pauline monarchs up until the XIX Century but devolved significant power to the ever-present Justiciar Angus Hutchinson, who had secured the land for the Scots, during his campaign against the Portuguese and natives. This would be a theme that would continue with his descendants whenever a rebellion had to be crushed. The Justiciars were generally popular, allowing for the monarch to do this without worrying. Henry and his son and grandson, Henry II Stuart and Charles I Stuart respectively, established a structure in the court that made the chieftains of the northern clans, loyal to the Stuarts, the country's aristocracy, and incentivised more clans to migrate to Saint Paul. They also guaranteed a spot for the clergy on the court, and that they had a say in shaping the country. However, despite the delegation of power, the first Pauline monarchs were very active in making decisions for the country.

By the XVII Century, the court of the King began to expand. The first Pauline relied heavily on subsistence farming, which would continue for two more centuries, but now that the aristocracy had been codified, the creation of infrastructure and efficient farming could be maximised. With roads being dug across the country (the use of poorly paid lowly clan members and some slaves common), trade within the country and limited trade with the outside world began. This gave way to a new merchant class, which, originally a middle class, found their way up to the court and began to influence the selection of the Justiciar. They argued for a more democratic approach, arguing for the selection of Harris Morgan as Justiciar in the 1730s. Morgan began the first votes in Saint Paul, with a selected group of nobles raising their hands on matters of smaller importance or affecting them directly.

By the century's end, this practice was applied to most votes not concerning vital issues of national security, and Justiciars often repeated the same selection for each vote (thus establishing the first national cabinets). The King's power was diminished, but he still had the final say and parleyed with the Justiciar with priority and exclusivity to sway his mind when it was felt necessary. By the mid-XVIII Century, trade had become established and boomed in a period of national prosperity, with the mass export of sugar cane. The nation also began coffee cultivation at this time. The merchant and farm-owning class became wealthier and bigger, with more of a say in the courts, despite not being a very senior group. Foreign ideas also entered Saint Paul at this time, particularly from France, including the idea of democracy and universal suffrage. The election of the Justiciar was standardised as a secret ballot held between nobles every few years, chosen through an agreement of nobles in a particular region ─ a rudimentary form of parliamentary democracy. During this time, the Church and clergy's influence diminished.

By this time, the King found he was less able to change the Justiciar's mind, and under greater pressure to approve his laws. This trend would only continue. After the Panic of 1893, less trade with the United States, a key trading partner, led many merchants to consider the ideas of industrialisation, though this would only catch on after World War I in the late 1910s and early 1920s. A mass upheaval in the economy led to new political groups, with industrialists and trade unionists joining the decision-makers. Recognising that an unorganised system could not continue, the top brass of each group sat down and in 1926 agreed on Saint Paul's first official constitution, officially codifying the separation of church and state, curtailing the powers of the monarch, creating the office of the Prime Minister and scheduling parliamentary elections with decided districts for the next year and from then on every four years, and implementing universal suffrage. However, the money and power of clan chieftains created a disproportionate amount of rural representation and guaranteed fellow chiefs the created premiership, dooming the system from the very start.

An inadequate response to the Great Depression by these leaders resulted in a long, disastrous period of economic decline for the nation, with policies such as austerity and increased taxes hurting the nation. By 1937, the nation had been through the very worst and was managing to hang on, but things were dire. Despite political radicalisation, dissatisfied voters eventually rallied to, in 1939, elect the centre-left Labour Party to government, which promised to work on a new constitution that would work for all, nationalise key industries, and stop the half-measures to finally end the depression. Following their re-election under the "People's Prime Minister", Osbert Mackenzie, constitution talks were finalised to create a model that worked for all, with an upper house for the clans, and a lower house for the people, but keeping the parts of the 1926 Consitution that were working, such as regular elections, parliamentarism, and the Prime Minister. The Constitution also went away from letting clans and cities govern themselves to a universal model of devolution to cities.

The Constitution was signed in 1947 and continues in effect to the present day, with the only notable amendments being to codify the banning of discrimination, allow abortion in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother's life, enacted no-fault divorce, and enact proportional representation with the 1983 "Pauline People's Power Amendment" following that year's referendum on the matter, proposed by the government of Prime Minister Sheila Chattan, Saint Paul's first (of two) woman Prime Minister.

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The Monarch

The Monarch or King Pauline (Saint Paul has only had one queen, Mary II Stuart, 1791-1814) is the ceremonial head of state of the Kingdom of Saint Paul. The Monarch performs various ceremonial duties and is present as a figurehead at international events. Despite the monarch's ceremonial status, many things are named in his name, such as the King's Stalwart Armed Forces (composed of the King's Army, King's Navy, and King's Air Force) and the King's Government. The Monarch is also an important figure in Pauline Catholic tradition. Until 1947, the Monarch was the official Head of the Armed Forces. Royals are expected to perform military service, and most monarchs are commanders in the Armed Forces. Unlike other monarchs, the Pauline monarch is not widely recognised abroad. The Monarch's coronation takes place usually around six months after acceding to the throne at Saint Andrew's Cathedral, in Saint Andrew. The Monarch resides in the same city, despite not being the capital since 1924, at Saint Andrew's Palace. The monarchy of Saint Paul is inherited through primogeniture, with a preference for males when applicable.

His Majesty James XI Stuart


At the Saint Paul City
Municipal Library, 2021

INFORMATION

Full Title: His Majesty James XI Stuart, King Pauline
Birth Name: James Frederick John Abraham
Birth: 21 April 1987, Saint Andrew's Palace
Reign: Since 2 August 2017
Consort: Her Majesty Emer of Guarah Piringah, Queen Consort Pauline (m. 2010)
Heir Apparent: Daniel Stuart, Crown Prince (b. 2019)
Other Issue: Princess Catherine (b. 2022)
Military Service: Lieutenant-Colonel in the King's Army Engineers, served 2009-2017
Parents: His Majesty Simon Stuart, King Pauline 1991-2017 and Her Majesty Clementine of Blackriver, Queen Consort Pauline 1991-2017
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MA

James XI Stuart is the current King Pauline, having acceded to the monarchy upon his father, Simon's, death in 2017. After completing a master's
degree in engineering at the University of New Edinburgh, the King enlisted in the King's Army Engineers, attaining the role of Lieutenant-Colonel.
He married Lady Emer of Guarah Pirinigah, belonging to the O'Kennedy clan, in 2010, becoming the first heir to the Pauline throne to marry a noble
from an Irish clan.

Notable Past Monarchs

His Majesty Henry I Stuart

INFORMATION

Full Title: His Majesty Henry I Stuart, King Pauline, Lord of all Clans, Fidei Defensor
Birth: 19 February 1594, Stirling Castle
Death: 27 May 1658, Village of Saint George
Reign: 16 October 1605 (de jure), 4 September 1609 (de facto) to 27 May 1658
Consort: Her Majesty Mary of Grant, Queen Consort Pauline (m. 1620)
Succeeded By: Henry II Stuart (b. 1624)
Other Issue: Prince Charles (b. 1627), Prince Michael (b. 1631)
Military Service: Commander of the Pauline King's Army, 1609 (de jure) 1615 (de facto)-1658
Parents: His Majesty James VI Stuart, Pretender to the Scottish throne 1580-1605 and Her Majesty Princess Anne of England, Consort Pretender to the Scottish throne 1589-1605, Queen Mother Pauline 1614-1619

Henry I Stuart was the first King of Saint Paul, leading the Great Migration of Scots Catholic refugees and fighting off Portuguese and indigenous resistance. He helped establish the
political system that would govern the country for almost two centuries, and is celebrated as a national hero, the "Father of the Country", with his birth day of 19 February a
public national holiday. Tragically, all portraits of him were destroyed in the Great Fire of Saint Andrew in 1856, which burnt down the original Saint Andrew's Palace, where
they were held.

His Majesty Frederick Stuart

INFORMATION

Full Title: His Majesty Frederick Stuart, King Pauline, Lord of all Clans, Fidei Defensor
Birth: 7 January 1823, Saint Andrew's Palace (Old)
Death: 1 June 1891, Saint Andrew's Palace (New)
Reign: 4 August 1857 to 1 June 1891
Consort: Her Majesty Beatrice of Diadem, Queen Consort Pauline (m. 1847)
Succeeded By: Peter Stuart (b. 1848)
Other Issue: none
Military Service: Lieutenant in the King's Army, served 1844-1847
Parents: His Majesty George II Stuart, King Pauline 1840-1857 and Her Majesty Rose of Guarah Pehs, Queen Consort Pauline 1840-1857, Queen Mother Pauline 1857-1864

Frederick Stuart was king during the so-called "Pauline Golden Age", in which exports grew and economic prosperity was widespread, ushering the growth of the middle
merhcant class. During his reign, the monarchy transitioned from an active head of state into a figurehead, ceremonial role ─ one which it is recognised for to this day.
Frederick also is the second longest-reigning Pauline monarch behind Henry I Stuart, reigning for 44 years. He was known to be a keen admirer of the United States and Brazil,
visiting often and more than he visited Europe. His father passed away due to lung cancer caused by the fumes of the Great Fire of Saint Andrew, and for this reason, Frederick
refused to commission portraits of himself. He had only one son. The national anthem of Saint Paul, the Battle Hime of the Kingdom, was composed in his reign.

His Majesty Simon Stuart


At the US-SP Diplomatic
Conference, 2009

INFORMATION

Full Title: His Majesty Simon Stuart, King Pauline
Birth Name: Simon Charles James Phillip
Birth: 2 May 1947, Saint Andrew's Palace
Death: 2 August 2017, Saint Andrew's Palace
Reign: 21 March 1991 to 2 August 2017
Consort: Her Majesty Clementine of Blackriver, Queen Consort Pauline (m. 1978)
Succeeded By: James XI Stuart (b. 1987)
Other Issue: Prince Fabian (b. 1989)
Military Service: Major in the King's Army, served 1969-1975
Parents: His Majesty Gaspar Stuart, King Pauline 1962-1991 and Her Majesty Jescha, Lady Fisher, Queen Consort Pauline 1962-1990
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MA

Simon Stuart was the King of Saint Paul as the country entered the XXI Century, the dawn of the internet, and a boom in modernisation and finding a new
way of doing things. Nicknamed the "Cool King", Simon was a down-to-earth monarch known for his love of meditation and cooking. Despite this, he
returned from his father's break of tradition by marrying the daughter of the Lord Glengarry of Blackriver, Clementine. He passed away in 2017 after a
three-year fight with prostate cancer. Unfortunately, he did not have a good relationship with his conservative eldest son and successor, something the
current King states he regrets, as he was in the Army when his father died and not by his deathbed. Struggling with fertility issues, he only had children
later in life.

Other Notable Monarchs

  • Charles III Stuart (r. 1719-1742) ─ oversaw important reforms to the office of Justiciar

  • Mary II Stuart (r. 1791-1814) ─ only Pauline queen

  • Albert Stuart (r. 1939-1962) ─ signed the 1947 Constitution

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The Chaumers & the Government

Since the adoption of the 1947 Constitution, Saint Paul has had a bicameral legislature, consisting of two chambers, the "chaumers". The lower chamber is the General Chaumer, consisting of 491 representatives, with elections with a national list vote, and the upper chamber is the Clans Chaumer, which consists of the representatives of major clans and clan areas. However, there is a minimum 3% popular vote threshold, effectively dissuading minor parties ─ as such the current General Chaumer has only 8 political parties. The Clans Chaumer is nominally nonpartisan, but independents cannot be elected to the General Chaumer. The Parliament is housed in Saint Paul City at the National Chaumers, built from 1919 to 1923 for transferring the capital to the city and in use since 1924.

Members sit in an arch based on party size, with senior members of each party sitting at the front, where legislation is then debated. Laws simply need the majority approval of both the General and Clans Chaumer's present members at the vote (not an overall majority of the house), regardless of how many members of each chamber vote for or against it. Each Chaumer elects a President to oversee the proceedings of the chamber and ensure they are peaceful, a tradition not mandated in the Constitution but in place since the 1950s. As a courtesy, this is usually a senior and experienced member of the third-largest party not in the King's Government or the King's First Opposition in the General Chaumer, and a veteran Lord in the Clans Chaumer. At the start of every year and after every election, the monarch leads a ceremony in official dress to open the Chaumers for debate.

Currently, there is no government in the Chaumers as a majority cannot be found. The Prime Minister, Tom Glengarry, governs alongside his Cabinet from outside of Parliament, working with the Chaumers to find an opening for lawmaking and governance. This was the King's solution to prevent a snap election after Prime Minister Lord McDowell suffered a stroke, collapsing the government. If a working arrangement cannot be found, Glengarry must call an election, after which he would still remain Prime Minister unless a majority in the General Chaumer was presented to the King, as he has the King's confidence.

To form a government, the King or Crown Prince if he is unable to (as happened in 2017 when King Simon was ill with cancer) organises and moderates discussions on coalitions for both the government and the first (largest) opposition after an election. Upon the re-opening of Parliament, they are officialised. Following the 2023 election's win by the right-wing populist Freedom Party, the establishment parties locked them out of opposition as well as government with the Nationals and Liberals forming an opposition coalition trumping theirs. As such, the President of the General Chaumer is Freedom's Anne Morrison, even after the government fell as Freedom remained the largest party.

General Chaumer

From left to right: Freedom Party (134), Labour Party (117), National Party (94), Liberal Party (56)
Green Party (49), New Christian Democrats (18), Socialist Left Movement (12), Farmers' Party (11)

INFORMATION

Composition: 491
President: Anne Morrison (Freedom), since 2023
King's Government: none
King's First Opposition: none
Other Opposition: all

Clans Chaumer

INFORMATION

Composition: 90
President: The Lord Rachald, Florian Rachald, since 2016

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The Parties

Currently, there are eight parties which sit in the General Chaumer. Of these, five (Green, Labour, Liberal, National, Freedom) are considered to be major parties, who win more than 50 seats in most elections, and the three (NCD, SLM, Farmers') others are considered to be minor parties, either representing particular interest groups or less popular. The Chaumer's seat distribution method, which favours larger parties, is a major contributor to this division. Aside from these 8, no other parties participating in the 2023 general elections received more than 0.25% of the popular vote. The nation did not historically have this many parties, for most of its parliamentary democracy it adhered to a two-party system. However, with the introduction of proportional representation, widely argued for by the Liberals who had secured a coalition with Labour, in the "Pauline People's Power Amendment", the number of competitive parties and areas of the political spectrum represented has increased.

The historical groupings in Pauline politics can be seen to this day in an evolved form. On the left, the Green Party was founded by intellectuals and receives most of its votes from them today, as well as from teachers, women in general, and progressives. The trade unions are represented by the Labour Party, who, although on a good election cycle peels middle-class moderates, receives most of their votes from working union men. The centre is home to the Liberal Party, representing the business (and formerly merchant) class, and occasionally peeling some moderates and economic right-wingers. The right-wing National Party was founded by the clan aristocracy, though it has grown to be an economic liberal staple and receives many votes from the middle class. The clergy is represented in the form of the New Christian Democrats, who refused to merge into the National Party. As well as that, there are left-wing (the Socialist Left Movement) and right-wing (the Freedom Party) populist parties that have grown exponentially in recent times, and the Farmers' Party, which, in their own words, "represents angry farmers".

Overview: Freedom Party

INFORMATION

Leader: John Wilde
Founded: 2006
Ideology: Right-wing populism
Political position: Far-right
Seats: 134/491
Electoral Symbol: Lightning Rod

The Freedom Party is a right-wing populist party, most to the political right, formed by John Wilde in 2006. Wilde was dissatisfied with his previous party, the Christian Democratic Party's, merger with the centre-right Conservative Party to form the National Party, and wanted to create a movement that was further to the right. In the start, the party was unable to grow as the positive national appetite did not care for their fear-mongering politics but they only grew after the 2007-08 global financial crisis. Despite some scares in the 2010s, it was ultimately in 2023 that they secured a plurality of seats. They did not get into government or the official opposition, though, as a deal by the other parties deadlocked them out of both. Freedom members often use inflammatory, bigoted, and xenophobic rhetoric like many right-wing populists ─ their leader Wilde has, for example, described the post-2023 arrangements as a "undercover secret scheme" and stated that there is a "witch hunt" after he and his party. It has argued for an end to foreign investment, a tighter cap on unskilled immigration, slimming the bureaucracy, and ending ethanol investment. Freedom has been plagued by scandals of sexual harassment and allegations of highly offensive comments, suggesting mass deportations and even a coup attempt. These have not been proven to now, though.

Overview: Labour Party

INFORMATION

Leader: Anne Hunter
Founded: 1923
Ideology: Social democracy
Political position: Centre-left
Seats: 117/491
Electoral Symbol: Rose

The Labour Party is a social democratic party, descended from trade unions, who are some of its major backers in the present day, and the country's oldest existing political party. It has a long history of important and influential prime ministers, such as Osbert Mackenzie, architect of the 1947 Constitution, and Sheila Chattan, who passed through the "Pauline People's Power Amendment" and the referendum for it. Labour has historically represented the economic left and moderate social politics, though now economic radicals are being ostracised as centrists gallop in, and social progressives are a growing number. Currently, the part is led by the moderate Anne Hunter and occupies many important posts in its minority government of the General Chaumer with the Greens, such as the Departments of the Interior and the Exterior. They have provided the largest number of prime ministers to Saint Paul. Policies that the party currently is in favour of include further ethanol investment, increased welfare spending, ending postal privatisation, and investing more in the recently nationalised water company. They are making modest progress on this in government.

Overview: National Party

INFORMATION

Leader: Jamie Sutherland
Founded: 2002
Ideology: Conservatism
Political position: Centre-right to right-wing
Seats: 94/491
Electoral Symbol: Anchor

The National Party is a conservative political party, which was a merger of the centre-right Conservative Party and the right-wing Christian Democratic Party, which had split away after the Conservatives lurched right economically. After the split hurt them both, they reunited as a new right-wing project. The party has only shifted to the right in recent years, especially under Jamie Sutherland since 2020, who openly questioned the effectiveness of wearing face masks. Despite this, the Nationals maintain a cordon sanitaire against the far-right Freedom Party. The party currently advocates for more investment into the national diesel company, SPANDIC, banning no-fault divorce, privatising the national water company, SPANWAC, and investing in bus transport. The party is young, but it has a lot of history as its predecessor Conservative Party, which established the mark for economic liberalism and social conservatism. The Party enjoyed some years in office before and after the 2007-08 global financial crisis, and then from 2017 to 2019, providing two prime ministers. Throughout their mandates, the National Party has been accused of turning a blind eye to corruption and poverty.

Overview: Liberal Party

INFORMATION

Leader: Caroline O'Hefferman
Founded: 1951
Ideology: Liberalism
Political position: Centre to centre-right
Seats: 56/491
Electoral Symbol: Flaming Torch

The Liberal Party is a liberal political party, established after the enaction of the 1947 Constitution as a classical liberal party, that attempted to break from the "scary" connotation many Conservatives still had from the Great Depression into a friendly, middle-class party. For many decades, the Liberals were the only viable third party in Saint Paul but almost always failed to gain significant ground with First-Past-The-Post voting. Under their historic leader Tim Sinclair, their fortunes changed with a resounding third-place finish in 1980 that denied either party a majority. Entering a begrudging coalition government with Labour, they were able to pass the "Pauline People's Power Amendment", getting into law their allowance of exceptions for abortion and proportional representation. The Liberals backed the Conservatives after their 1984 win, staying in government until 1995, but shifted to backing Labour after they ditched the Greens in 2003. The party has since become more libertarian, especially after the global financial crisis, but continues to show a preference for allying with the centre-right, guaranteeing Conservative and later National governments and oppositions. Currently led by Caroline O'Hefferman, the Liberals advocate for allowing abortion up to 8 weeks, privatising the ethanol and diesel companies, SPANEC and SPANDIC respectively, increasing mutual foreign investment, and cutting taxes.

Overview: Green Party

INFORMATION

Leader: Mike Dunn
Founded: 1973
Ideology: Green politics
Political position: Centre-left
Seats: 49/491
Electoral Symbol: Sunflower

The Green Party is an environmentalist and progressive political party, founded by a group of concerned Saint Paul City Municipal Univeristy professors in 1973. It grew beyond a niche group after the introduction of proportional representation into a competitive part to the left of Labour. They first entered government with them in 1995, but it was originally an unworkable partnership that led to a grand Labour-Conservative coalition and later a Labour-Liberal coalition. However, in the XXI Century, Labour's growing progressivism and the Liberals' libertarianism allowed for a reconciliation that made the Greens a major force and strong coalition partner in the 2013-2017 and 2019-2023 Labour governments. However, after a dissatisfying COVID record and previous four years in office, the party received a record low vote share of 8% in 2023 and one of its worst seat showings. Part of this was because they were more heavily blamed for failures which right-wing parties stated were because of left-wing politics. Under 2000s coalition veteran Mike Dunn, elected leader after the 2023 blowout, the party has taken a more moderate stance, advocating for a full ban on diesel vehicles by only 2050, a new solar energy spending package, a minimum wage rise, and legalising abortion up to 12 weeks ─ significantly more conservative than their 24-week abortion legalisation, tax hikes, and 2040 diesel vehicle ban, but still to the left of all major political parties.

Overview: New Christian Democrats

INFORMATION

Leader: James Macquarie
Founded: 2002
Ideology: Christian democracy
Political position: Centre-right
Seats: 18/491
Electoral Symbol: Cross

The New Christian Democrats (NCD) are a Christian Democratic party, founded by members of the Christian Democratic Party who opposed the merger with the Conservatives to form the National Party, concerned about the economic direction of the party being too right-wing. As a minor party, it draws modest support from older voters, religious voters, and rural voters. Despite this, the NCD has a reputation for being the party of zealots and has been mocked often. The NCD has not, since its founding, ever been in government nor voted to approve a Prime Minister, sitting in the other opposition. They are the largest of the minor parties, winning around 4% of the popular vote in most elections. They are currently led by party veteran and former priest James Macquarie. The party is socially conservative but economically are social democrats, and have a significant environmentalist wing. Some of their key policies include increased welfare spending, the creation of more national parks, banning no-fault divorce, and infrastructure development.

Overview: Socialist Left Movement

INFORMATION

Leader: Fiona O'Connor
Founded: 1998
Ideology: Left-wing populism
Political position: Far-left
Seats: 12/491
Electoral Symbol: Hammer and sickle (official, banned from campaign posters as per Anti-Extremist Insignia Act 1989), Sun (for campaign material)

The Socialist Left Movement (SLM) is a left-wing populist, socialist political party, founded in a general merger of working-class populist, Socialist, and Communist parties in 1998, particularly opposed to the moderate Labour-Green government. They grew in momentum to get elected to the General Chaumer after leftist frustration at the Labour-Liberal coalition, representing the furthest left party in Saint Paul, despite being a minor one. As political polarisation increases, the party has taken a more populist and socially conservative tone from their original socialist and progressive ideology, especially under their leader since 2013, Fiona O'Connor. The party, despite its more extreme viewpoints, is not important enough to be attacked by other parties, but often attacks most of the other "establishment" parties. Despite a differing ideology, has an informal pact with the Freedom Party to not attack each other, as they usually do to other parties. Currently, the party is in favour of tax hikes for the rich and capping CEOs pay at five times their least-paid employee, restricting unskilled immigration, nationalising inter-city bus services, and putting more regulations on industry and energy.

Overview: Farmers' Party

INFORMATION

Leader: Raymund Borghi
Founded: 1937
Ideology: Farmers' interests
Political position: Centre
Seats: 11/491
Electoral Symbol: Rake

The Farmers' Party is an agrarian political party focused on farmers' interests. Founded in 1937 during the Great Depression to safeguard the interests of ailing farmers, the party had its glory days as a small third party until the 1947 Constitution, where they were relegated to a few seats. They are the second-oldest surviving political party in Saint Paul. Since the introduction of proportional representation, the party has managed to net around 3% of the vote and roughly 10 seats, as they pass the threshold. The party is the only one to have been led by an Italian-Pauline, having done so on three occasions: by their leader Silvio Silvestri in the 1960s, James Pellegrini in the late 1990s, and Raymund Borghi, who has led the party since 2023 ─ partially because of this they receive a high proportion of Italian-Pauline votes. The party is socially conservative and populist (being one of the country's first populist parties) as well as agrarian, but sits in the centre of the political spectrum, on occasion appealing to disenfranchised centrist voters. The party's policies include increased agricultural subsidies, abolishing the 2060 target for net zero, agricultural education in schools, and banning no-fault divorce.

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The Prime Minister

In Saint Paul, the prime minister is the first officer of the King's Government, the most senior minister of the King's cabinet, and the top man or woman in the country. The office was formalised with this title in the 1926 Constitution and granted the powers today afforded to the Prime Minister in the 1947 Constitution. The Prime Minister must be a member of either the General or Clans Chaumer and must receive a majority vote in each chamber to be sworn in by the Monarch. The Prime Minister must form a cabinet consisting of ministers of the governing bloc of the General Chaumer, who are then sworn in by the Monarch, but the Prime Minister does not have to belong to it. The Prime Minister resides at the Saint Paul Lordship Manor, formerly belonging to the Peckhart family but in use since their liquidation in 1931 during the Great Depression. Assuming office in 2024, the incumbent Prime Minister is the independent Tom Glengarry, who had previously served from 2003 to 2005. He is the first extraparliamentary Prime Minister since the 1951 Consitution, nominated as the King tried to find a way to form a government as no majority could be found in the General Chaumer, and an election was unfavourable.

Tom Glengarry


On a Podcast, 2023

INFORMATION

Full Name: Thomas Arnold Glengarry
Birth: 4 May 1963, Saint Bernard
Term: 2003-2005, 2024-present
Political Party: Labour (until 2017) Independent (since 2017)
Military Service: Private, Third Class (conscripted), in the King's Army, served 1980-81
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MA

Tom A. Glengarry was Saint Paul's Labour Prime Minister from 2003 to 2005, serving in a coalition with the Liberals. A centrist, technocratic moderate, he
appealed to the Liberal Party after the Greens pulled out of the coalition arrangement, preventing an early election. Glengarry was born to a conservative,
working-class Catholic family in Saint Bernard, where his father was an automobile manufacturer and his mother a cleaner. After his compulsory military
service, he majored in economics at New Edinburgh, joined the Labour Party as a staffer and rose through the ranks for his diligent work. Elected
promising to deliver a better economy, during his premiership, he cut taxes, raised the minimum wage, and oversaw a record number of homes bought.

After hinting at a possible return to politics and leaving the Labour Party, Glengarry was named as the country's first extraparliamentary Prime Minister in 2024, bringing an end
to three months of executive rule. He has nominated another centrist and technocratic Cabinet, to some concerns about its constitutional viability. It is yet to be seen what he will
do in office, with a potential for a general election as he will have to find a way to work with a divided Chaumers. However, he will remain Prime Minister after the election if a
majority cannot be found as he has the King's confidence. Glengarry has provided a shocking political comeback.

Prime Ministers of Recent Times

Jay Lirquhart


Official Portrait, 2005

INFORMATION

Full Name: Jay Phillip Arthur Lirquhart
Birth: 3 June 1954, Votuh Porangah
Term: 2005-2006
Political Party: National
Military Service: Corporal in the King's Army, served 1972-75
Alma Mater: Saint Paul City Municipal University, BA

Jay (pronounced "jai") Lirquhart was the National Prime Minister from 2005 to 2006. Winning the election in an upset after Glengarry fell sick and was
unable to campaign for a time, he formed a dissatisfying grand coalition which eventually collapsed after just one year. Lirquhart was a writer and the heir
to the Lordship Lirquhart, having a streak as a free thinker and travelling to Europe to learn from the Thatchernomics in Great Britain and from Reagan in
America. He was a popular man and was able to continue on Glengarry's economic prosperity, further cutting taxes and reducing business regulations.
However, his flop at forming a stable government cost him the 2006 election, ending what the man who was meant to be the "second Paul Macnab".

Boris Kirkcaldy


Official Portrait, 2006

INFORMATION

Full Name: Boris John Kirkcaldy
Birth: 7 July 1959, Saint Mungo
Term: 2006-2010
Political Party: Labour
Military Service: Private, Third Class (conscripted), in the King's Army, served 1977-78
Alma Mater: Saint Mungo Municipal University, MA

Boris Kirkcaldy was Saint Paul's Labour Prime Minister from 2006 to 2010, presiding over the 2007-08 global financial crisis in a coalition with the Liberals.
Kirckaldy succeeded Lirquhart as Prime Minister, having been Glengarry's Depute Prime Minister from 2003 to 2005, and continued the centrist Labour
tone Glengarry had struck. Born in Saint Mungo, Kirkcaldy came from a city political family, which he took to the next level by entering the Labour Party
and securing a place on their list after majoring in politics. His administration was forced to change tone with the recession, increasing taxes and bailing
out larger businesses. This naturally proved unpopular and led to his ousting in 2010. Kirkcaldy resisted calls to call an early election, serving out his
full mandate. His relationship with his coalition partner, the Liberal Party, strained as they became more libertarian.

Christian Campbell


At a dinner in
the capital, 2012

INFORMATION

Full Name: Christian Forbes Campbell
Birth: 17 August 1956, Saint Paul City
Term: 2010-2013
Political Party: National
Military Service: Corporal in the King's Marines, served 1974-1980
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MBA

A businessman by trade, Christian Campbell was elected as National Prime Minister to solve the financial crisis and get the country back on track to what it
was doing the previous decade, forming a coalition with the Liberals, who had taken a right lurch. Born in Saint Paul City, Campbell's father, Augustine,
was the CEO of Campbell Finance, a major Pauline investment firm, which his father had started. Campbell served in the King's Marines before studying
business and then going on to expand his father's venture. After the recession, a businessman like him seemed like the perfect man to lead a pro-business
party. He enacted austerity measures and mass privatisation, and also attempted (but failed) to repeal no-fault divorce, which the Liberals supported.
Despite this, the economy remained in sluggish shape and was ousted after three years in 2013 when the Liberals terminated the coalition.

Lewis Farquharson


In 2015

INFORMATION

Full Name: Lewis Henry Farquharson
Birth: 2 July 1964, Guarahsaih
Term: 2013-2017
Political Party: Labour
Military Service: Private, Third Class (conscripted), in the King's Army, served 1982-1983
Alma Mater: King's University of Saint Andrew, MA

Lewis Farquharson was the Labour Prime Minister between 2013 and 2017, forming a majority coalition with the Greens after ousting Campbell's unpopular
government. Farquharson was considered the most socially progressive Prime Minister in Pauline history by the time of his election, believing that a focus
on social issues was the key to victory. Having majored in philosophy, he joined the Civil Service where he attained a senior role before entering the General
Chaumer in 2006, and later entering Kirkcaldy's cabinet in a reshuffle. He was able to modestly improve the economy, partially reversing austerity
measures, increasing taxes on higher brackets, and several nationalisations. Despite this, conservative Labourites were able to blockade attempts by
Farquharson and the Greens to pass social legislation, including legalising abortion to 8 weeks and recognising same-sex marriage, while the progressive measures passed, such
as increased skilled immigration and lowered military spending, were enough for the National Party to spook voters into winning the 2017 election.

Mary Glenn


Official Portrait, 2017

INFORMATION

Full Name: Mary Elizabeth Glenn (née MacDonald)
Birth: 21 February 1959, Saint Paul City
Term: 2017-2019
Political Party: National
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MBA

Elected on a quietly burning social conservative tone, Mary Glenn was the National Prime Minister between 2017 and 2019. As leader of the opposition, she
reconciled with the Liberal Party, after her party was distrustful of them when they pulled the plug on Campbell but formed a coalition with the Farmers'
Party as well for added security. Glenn was a successful businesswoman, with her business in toilet paper opening several factories nationwide. She
married successful car rental mogul Simon Glenn, and together they were seen as a "power couple". She entered the General Chaumer in the 2005 surprise.
During her premiership, she enacted a minimum salary of P£35,000 (~7,000 USD) for immigrants, issued a moratorium on no-fault divorce, and introduced
a mandatory tourism tax for 15 municipalities. Glenn was the second woman and first conservative to serve as Prime Minister. The General Chaumer voted to
dissolve itself in 2019, after statistics showed more than three million people (over 1 in 15) went hungry most days a week.

Gus McAndrew


Delivering his victory
speech, 2019

INFORMATION

Full Name: Angus Fabian "Gus" McAndrew
Birth: 3 July 1957, Saint Bernard
Term: 2019-2023
Political Party: Labour
Military Service: Private, Third Class (conscripted), in the King's Army, served 1975-1976

"Big Man" Gus McAndrew was the Labour Prime Minister from 2019 to 2023. A social moderate, he turned away from PM Farquharson's social politics into an
economic focus, getting Labour back into office. McAndrew was the son of a car maker, a union man, and a teacher, a union woman, and throughout his life
he was a union's man, working in the National Car Manufacturers' Union and the National Teachers' Union offices, inspired by his parents' struggles.
Entering the General Chaumer in 1999, he entered the Kirkcaldy administration as a keen admirer of him, and secured election for himself 13 years later
as a people's man, fist-bumping voters and kissing babies. During his term, McAndrew ended the no-fault divorce moratorium, presided over the
COVID pandemic, enacting national lockdowns, and opened the first public inter-city bus service from Saint Mungo to Saint Paul City.

Hamish McDowell


Official Portrait, 2023

INFORMATION

Full Name: The Lord McDowell of Itah Guah, Hamish Donald Arthur McDowell
Birth: 2 June 1959, Bay of Itah Guah, Ubah Tubah
Term: 2023-2024
Political Party: Independent
Military Service: Lance-Corporal in the King's Army, served 1977-78
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, MBA

Hamish McDowell is the incumbent Prime Minister of Saint Paul, serving in the Clans Chaumer as a neutral figure who could be approved to the office
of Prime Minister. McDowell is the Lord of the Clan McDowell of Itah Guah, serving in the Clans Chaumer since his father's death in 1997. He
furthermore has a background in business as the founder and CEO of Dowell Tourism, a boat tourism company that takes people to islands off the
Pauline coast, starting it in Ubah Tubah after his master's in business administration degree at New Edinburgh University. During his premiership, he
nationalised the national water company and invested more into ethanol, a promising and growing economic sector. After suffering a stroke, he resigned
as Prime Minister, putting the country in three months of executive rule after which an extraparliamentary Prime Minister had to be nominated for the first time.

Notable Prime Ministers

Osbert Mackenzie


In 1943

INFORMATION

Full Name: Osbert Patrick Mackenzie
Birth: 2 May 1884, Clan Mackenzie Lands, Camp Jordan
Death: 3 May 1959, Clan Mackenzie Lands, Camp Jordan
Term: 1939-1951
Political Party: Labour
Military Service: Sergeant in the King's Army, served 1909-1913
Alma Mater: Univerisity of New Edinburgh, JD

Osbert Mackenzie, second son of the Lord Mackenzie of Camp Jordan, was Saint Paul's first Labour Prime Minister and longest serving Prime Minister, in
office from 1939 to 1951. He enacted a series of relief legislation, including increased government spending and regulation, to end the Great Depression
in Saint Paul. In his second mandate, he fulfilled his other main campaign promise, helping put together the minds that wrote the 1947 Constitution,
and putting it into practice. Mackenzie is remembered as the "Father of the Labour Party" for his important contributions to its development and one of
Saint Paul's greatest and most important prime ministers. Before entering politics in 1927 upon the signing of the 1926 Consitution, Mackenzie attained
a Doctorate in Law and served in the Army for four years, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He worked as a prosecutor from 1913 to 1927.

Sheila Chattan


Official Portrait, 1987

INFORMATION

Full Name: Sheila Christine Chattan
Birth: 12 November 1934, Jundiahy
Death: 1 September 2004, Jundiahy
Term: 1980-84, 1987-1990
Political Party: Labour
Alma Mater: Saint Paul City Municipal University, JD

Sheila Chattan was the Labour Prime Minister from 1980 to 1984 and then from 1987 to 1990, forming two coalitions with the Liberal Party, with whom
she forged a good relationship with. Born in the midst of the worst of the Great Depression in Saint Paul in the small, rural fruit-growing city of Jundiahy,
Chattan became a devoted hard worker and managed to get into the Saint Paul City Municipal University, pursuing a doctorate in law. After graduating,
Chattan worked for over two decades as a civil rights lawyer, arguing in 1976 in the landmark Supreme Court case Mackay v. MacCormack, which ruled
the minimum wage needed to be adjusted based on inflation. Entering the Labour Party in 1978 as a celebrity, she was soon elected leader and won
the 1980 elections. She introduced the "Pauline People's Power Amendment", which introduced proportional representation, codified the banning of discrimination, allowed abortion
in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother's life and enacted no-fault divorce. In office, she raised the minimum wage and fought J.J. Mackay's transport monopoly. She lost
re-election in 1984, but returned in 1987, where she would sign the Faith-Based Discrimination Act of 1988, introducing heavy penalties for religious-based discrimination, and
continued the track of her first administration. Chattan is considered to have had a monumental effect on Pauline politics and is a Pauline progressive icon. She died of lung cancer
in 2004, being a lifelong smoker.

Paul Macnab


At an economic
conference in 1996

INFORMATION

Full Name: Paul Charles Richard Macnab
Birth: 12 November 1933, Mirah Cahtuh
Death: 12 Auguast 2012, Saint Paul City
Term: 1990-1997
Political Party: Conservative
Military Service: Private, Third Class (conscripted), in the King's Army, served 1951-1952
Alma Mater: University of New Edinburgh, ScD

Paul Macnab, Conservative Prime Minister 1990-1997, is considered the father of liberal economics in Saint Paul. Governing first in a coalition with the
Liberal Party until 1995, when Macnab opportunistically called early elections, and then winning an absolute majority with 44% of the vote (the only Prime
Minister during proportional representation to have achieved this) and forming a majority government, Macnab took on from the ideas of Thatcher,
enacting large privatisations and allowing the market (and monopolies) to run free. Notably, Macnab privatised the Pauline Universal Health Service (PUHS)
in 1996, a decision reversed by the following Labour government, massively expanded and exploited offshore drilling, and closed the Camp Jordan and
Bonnisland National Parks, allowing for greater development (and destruction) of the area. Macnab was an economist by career, majoring with a Doctorate of Science from New
Edinburgh, and writing columns for liberal newspapers until he entered the General Chaumer in 1973, something he continued to do after leaving the General Chaumer in 1999
until his death from natural causes. Macnab was the third son of the Lord Macnab of Mirah Cahtuh.

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The Courts

The Pauline justice system is codified by the 1947 Constitution, descending from centuries of Scots-based law systems. The lowest courts are the district courts, under the jurisdiction of the municipalities and distributed throughout cities, their number depending on their size. These are presided over by a district judge, with no jury seating, and are used for trying crimes that result in fines and other minor crimes, having existed since the foundation of Saint Paul, though in their present form since 1926. The next highest courts are the high courts, located in municipalities with populations over 50,000 and used for trying crimes of higher severity, which may result in imprisonment or the death penalty, or are related to finance or business (such as embezzlement, unlawful dismissal, copyright claims etc.). These are presided over by a high court judge, and use a randomly selected jury of 7 people in almost all cases except financial ones. The high courts were mostly established in the XVIII Century and codified in their present form in 1947.

The highest court in the country is the Supreme Court Pauline, founded in 1947 with that year's constitution, presided over by 7 King's Justices of the Law who vote and deliberate on the verdict collectively. The court accepts limited appeal cases and prosecutions by and against the government. Furthermore, there is the High Court of Appeals, where appealed cases from the high courts and (in extremely limited cases) district courts, are reviewed before they can get sent to the supreme court. The very few district court cases successfully appealed go directly to the High Court of Appeals and do not pass through the high courts. The court has three King's Justices of the Peace, which operate independently ─ as such, the court can have three cases in session at a time. The earliest court of appeals was set up in the mid-XIX Century and codified in its present form in 1947. The King's Justices are nominated by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister and must receive a majority vote in both Chaumers, but the courts must not be and are not politicised. The justices are usually seasoned major city high court judges or Justices of the Peace aged around 50 (for the Court of Appeals) or 60 (for the Supreme Court) and serve for 10 to 15 years before retirement or promotion, or at most around 25 years. All Pauline judges must retire at the age of 75, but can retire earlier with notice ─ the nomination of a justice is worked through the Chaumers as a justice nears retirement.

Current King's Justices of the Peace & Law

Peace

  • The Right Hon. Jesus Breggia (b. 1956) - since 2009 (nominated by Boris Kirkcaldy) - must retire by 2031

  • The Right Hon. Samuel MacIntosh (b. 1960) - since 2013 (nominated by Christian Campbell) - must retire by 2035

  • The Right Hon. Mary Menzies (b. 1969) - since 2021 (nominated by Gus McAndrew) - must retire by 2044

Notes: Jesus Breggia became the first Italian-Pauline to serve on one of the two highest courts in the country when nominated in 2009.

Law

  • The Right Hon. Thom Murray (b. 1950) - since 2009 (nominated by Boris Kirkcaldy) - must retire by 2025

  • The Right Hon. Florian Gunn (b. 1952) - since 2012 (nominated by Christian Campbell) - must retire by 2027

  • The Right Hon. Charles Blackwater (b. 1951) - since 2015 (nominated by Lewis Farquharson) - must retire by 2026

  • The Right Hon. Fiona Armstrong (b. 1955) - since 2016 (nominated by Lewis Farquharson) - must retire by 2030

  • The Right Hon. Jean MacArthur (b. 1955) - since 2018 (nominated by Mary Glenn) - must retire by 2030

  • The Right Hon. Susan Forrest (b. 1956) - since 2019 (nominated by Mary Glenn) - must retire by 2031

  • The Right Hon. Mann Bailie (b. 1957) - since 2023 (nominated by Hamish McDowell) - must retire by 2032

Notes: Collectively, The Rt. Hon. Murray, Blackwater, and Gunn (the three oldest justices) are known as the "Old Guard".

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The Constitution

Throughout most of its history, Saint Paul had an unwritten constitution, the first official constituting instrument coming only with the 1926 Constitution, signed by the clan chiefs and politicians. Its issues in heavily prioritising the clan aristocracy, shown heavily in the prime ministers' flop at handling the Great Depression, had to be corrected with the country's current Constitution of 1947. As a document, it is not very expansive, leaving a lot for future governments to dictate, coming from the country's history of an unwritten constitution, while establishing the Supreme Court as a check on government power and to decide what was constitutional or not. It established the country's political system, outlined in this factbook. The Constitution was a landmark moment in Pauline history, for the first time recognising the equality of all Paulines and granting those living in Saint Paul their basic rights, as well as culminating the era of the Great Depression and letting in the economic prosperity of the next decade. The 17 May, the instrument's signing, is Constitution Day in Saint Paul, a public national holiday. The Constitution can be purchased from any good bookseller for around P£10 and is 30 pages long. Every government office has the constitution proudly displayed. The signing of the constitution itself was also a landmark moment, with trade unionists and clan chieftains gathered in the same room, thanks to the tireless work of its architect, Osbert Mackenzie.

The constitution outlines ten basic rights of peoples, as follows:

  • 1. The Right to Life All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender, are granted the God-given right to live their lives from conception. This right outlaws all violent crimes (such as assault and murder) as well as abortion. In 1983, with the Pauline People's Power Amendment, abortion was legalised in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the mother's life as well as no-fault divorce. Furthermore, implied rights not mentioned in the constitution are granted to people through this.

  • 2. The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender are granted the indisputable right to express their views freely and make known these views publicly, (added in the 1983 Pauline People's Power Amendment) except in cases where this endangers this right of others.

  • 3. The Right to Self-Defence All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender, may use justifiable force to protect themselves from attacks violating their right to life. Furthermore, adults (those over the age of 18) may purchase, keep, and carry firearms or weapons of harm and use them as justifiable reactions, (added in the 1983 Pauline People's Power Amendment) though the government may curtail and regulate this.

  • 4. The Right to Work All residing in Saint Paul able to consent knowingly, regardless of race, or gender, are granted the right to work based on their qualifications, get rewarded based on their effort, and get promoted based on their merit. All are granted the right to work in safe conditions, where children (those under the age of 18) do not use dangerous tools, and not for over eight hours, except in cases where adults (those over the age of 18) consent and get paid for their additional toil. Slavery is outlawed and enslaving people violates the right to life and is grounds for the death penalty.

  • 5. The Right to Freedom of Belief All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender, are granted the right to freely pursue any religion, except when this religion violates national laws, and assemble in their place of worship without interruption. (This right does not encompass the right of freedom of assembly itself, a regulated right as per Kingdom law, but not a constitutional right.)

  • 6. The Right to Citizenship All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender, who have come from different countries are granted the right to pursue citizenship on the grounds established by the government after living in the Kingdom for five years and ensuring of their intention to stay, including always a monetary requirement. All of those residing in Saint Paul on 18 May 1947 were granted citizenship, free of cost. Furthermore, anyone regardless of age, race, or gender, born in Saint Paul is automatically entitled to citizenship free of cost.

  • 7. The Right to Vote All adults (those over the age of 18) and citizens of the Kingdom are granted the right to vote or not to vote in free and fair elections held at most every four years or when the Chaumers vote for it. All representatives are required to consider the views of anyone who has a conscience on the matter who approaches him or her, and that is defined as part of engaging in the political process, a right and responsibility of all those conscient on it, regardless of age, race, or gender. As per the 1983 Pauline People's Power Amendment, voting is done through proportional representation at-large list voting. The people furthermore have the right to amend the constitution by approving a vote suggested by the government or through the people themselves via a petition with sufficient signatures.

  • 8. The Right to Justice All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender are granted the right to a public trial not excessively long and delivering a nonbiased verdict based on evidence, where there is indisputable proof.

  • 9. The Right to Sanctity All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender are granted the right to the sanctity of their own bodies, not to be abused against their will, and protected by law from unprompted searches and seizures. (Added in the 1983 Pauline People's Power Amendment) Discrimination is prohibited.

  • 10. The Right to Responsibility All residing in Saint Paul, regardless of age, race, or gender who knowingly violate any of these rights, or unknowingly violate them in a form so grave as decided by the court, may have any and all of these rights withheld from them as a punishment, given out by the courts.

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The Municipalities

Established in the 1947 Constitution, the municipalities (often called "cities) are Saint Paul's only branch of devolution, with significant power over their own lands. There are 645 municipalities in Saint Paul, each electing their City Council (through a list vote) and Mayor (through first-past-the-post voting), which preside over administration and matters relating to the city itself. For geographical and administrative purposes, the municipalities are divided into 63 burgh regions and 15 environmental areas ─ but these are non-entities and there is no further devolution other than on the municipal level. These divisions are mainly used by the Pauline Geographical Institute (PGI), the National Archives Pauline (NAP), universities, and other administrative organs. Municipalities can develop their cities, make their own taxes within a government bracket, offer incentives for businesses and people to move there, and develop public sectors.

Municipalities have existed in some form or the other since the founding of Saint Paul, for a long time under the Scots name of "burgh", changed in 1947 based on the Brazilian and American subdivisions. Municipal government is not seen as particularly important, but being mayor of a major city can help catapult a politician into national politics. Important cities include Saint Paul City, the largest city and capital, Saint Mungo, the second largest city, Saint Bernard, Saint Paul's historic auto capital, Saint Andrew, the residence of the royal family and Saint Paul's historic capital, and Saint Joseph, a centre of industrial research. Elections for the city council and mayoralty occur every four years, with the last elections being held in 2021 and the next to be held in 2025.

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The Problems

In Saint Paul's politics, the structure, system, and elections are often criticised for their failures. As is often the case, people generally have differing views on each topic, so listed here are five main points to look for in the political structure, and their benefits and disadvantages.

Point: The Voting System

Argument For: The Pauline proportional voting system was created in 1983 by representatives of both third parties and the two larger parties to provide the best of both first-past-the-post and proportional representation in one system. With an at-largest list vote favouring larger parties, a coalition of two or three at most parties can be formed, providing stable governance while ensuring that the people's vote is respected.
Argument Against: The compromise that Saint Paul tried to find between first-past-the-post and proportional voting provides many of the disadvantages of both while providing few of its advantages. Larger parties are favoured, meaning voters are under pressure to cast votes for bigger parties rather than waste their vote, something that should not be a problem in proportional voting, while they don't have local representatives and governments fall quickly because of unstable coalitions ─ critics state Saint Paul should either transition to a full-on list proportional representation system or go back to first-past-the-post, while some advocate for mix-member proportional representation with first-past-the-post.

Point: Corruption

Argument For: According to politicians, the country's constitution offers a wide range of checks and balances that are designed to prevent corruption, while the ten basic rights seek to punish those that are corrupt and reward those who follow the law. Furthermore, the people have the ability to choose to vote in non-corrupt politicians who will nominate non-corrupt judges at elections. There is also a culture of finding a way in the country, and that's just how Paulines are ─ sometimes it involves money.
Argument Against: Corruption is a major hinderance to the country. From every level of politics and administration, be it municipalities, the chambers, or even the courts, if you pay, you win. This isn't healthy for the country, and tougher measures need to be taken. You can't vote out corrupt politicians when every politician is corrupt because corrupt people get onto party lists, and the ten basic rights get flirted over because of corruption. The corruption in the justice system is what makes landmark cases landmark, as most of them uphold the status quo ─ because of money.

Point: The Clans Chaumer

Argument For: Clans are a historically important part of Saint Paul, spanning centuries back in Scotland before that, and many of the things in the Kingdom are only made possible because of them. Even the organisation of cities and distribution of names is based on the clan system. So it only makes sense for the clans to have a continued decision-making influence, which Saint Paul has found in the form of the ingenious Clans Chaumer.
Argument Against: Clans are no longer a crucial part of Pauline culture. Many of them do not have chieftains any more, and chieftains are not present in their clan members' minds. There are not exclusively Farquharsons in Guarahsaih or Mackenzies in Camp Jordan ─ many of them now live in the capital city, which, as there were no big clans there, doesn't have a single seat in the Clans Chaumer. It makes no sense to keep the chamber because it's a relic of the past. It should be replaced with an elected upper house, like a senate.

Point: The Executive/Legislative Power

Argument For: The balance between a ceremonial monarch, motivating the country, the armed forces, and the government, who also appears at important events, as well as a prime minister leading the legislature who gets things done is a good dynamic for the country. This has historically been the case for a long time, and it has worked for a long time as well. It makes sure that a figure of stability is always there when the government needs it, and that the government is led by the best person for the job.
Argument Against: Having an unelected monarch and the prime minister being a partial figure leads to the prime minister controlling the legislative and executive. This is not healthy because it puts too much power in the prime minister, while the King cannot serve as an effective check and balance due to limitations on his power. This makes Saint Paul a de acto presidential state with none of its advantages ─ Saint Paul should transition to becoming a presidential republic or a parliamentary republic with a decisive, neutral head of state.

Point: Municipal Politics

Argument For: Municipal politics strike a tone that is keeping the country moving forward. Mayors provide stability while the people can vote for their party in the City Council. This system provides a good balance and has been ensuring good governance for decades. The municipality can then work on delivering to its residents by building infrastructure, improving education, and making incentives for businesses and people to move there with this stability.
Argument Against: Municipal governance is currently inneficient. The first-past-the-post system for electing mayors can get a mayor in with only a fifth of the vote. The City Council lists are decided by party officials and are often very corrupt selections. Mayors often clash with the city councils and projects get delayed to just before elections to benefit incumbents. The system should be replaced by abolishing the city council or giving it less powers, and bringing in a fairer way to elect the mayor

The country also faces many universal problems found worldwide, such as increasing polarisation, extremism, and sexism.

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The Issues of Today

In today's age, Saint Paul faces many economic and social questions that politicians must answer. Listed are a few of them:

  • In terms of the economy, it has remained sluggish for over a decade, despite attempts to renovate it and brief humps, notably during Farquharson's premiership and during COVID.

  • The country's transport system is mainly of inter-city buses. Some argue that the government needs to involve itself more in this by nationalising the industry or providing more transport ─ currently, the only inter-municipal public bus service runs from Saint Mungo to Saint Paul City and is notably inefficient.

  • Ethanol is a growing and promising economic sector, and Saint Paul is a global leader in its production. Yet many think it's better to invest in the more standard oil.

  • Saint Paul has many public national companies, such as in water, ethanol, and diesel. Privatising or keeping them nationalised, and then how much funding each one receives, is an issue.

  • Saint Paul is a very socially conservative country, but now some are coming out in favour of legalising abortion. The right to life in the country's constitution prohibits this, but proponents argue it is a woman's choice.

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