CONSTITUTION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CONFEDERATION
The supreme law of the land, the Constitution of the Occidian Empire is a singluar written set of fundamental principles laying out the responsibilities of the government and explicitly stating the rights and privileges of the people.
In the history of the Empire, there have been four ratified Constitutions. Each was the result of a long period of compromise, struggle and crisis.
In the history of the Empire, there have been four ratified Constitutions. Each was the result of a long period of compromise, struggle and crisis.
HISTORY OF THE CONSTITUTION
The First Constitution
The first Constitution was formed in 2010, during the Meek government. It was the result of a compromise between the governments of the Empire of New Europe, People's Republic of Eniarku, and the Republic of Ohio. As a result of this compromise, this first Constitution was a collection of checks and balances that made authority difficult to manage or determine, effectively granting a great deal of centralized authority between the Emperor and Prime Minister. This system seemed to work, so long as there was no great crisis between either office.
When the Emperor announced his abdication during the height of the Micras crisis, the Constitution was useless in helping to determine how to properly fill in the void left over by the Emperor's absence. As a result, near unlimited power was vested in Prime Minister Meek, who quickly attempted to assert control over the Confederation. This effort failed when the Republic of Ohio, a hotbed for the now defunct Liberty Party of the Confederation, refused to accept the Emperor's abdication as valid and declared the Prime Minister's actions unconstitutional.
With New Europe gone, and Eniarku and Ohio in the middle of a constitutional crisis; Prime Minister Meek soon declared the North American Confederation dissolved, leading to governmental chaos for all citizens left out of the decision.
Upon the collapse of the Meek government, the first Constitution was effectively defunct - leading directly to the crisis of the Interregnum.
When the Emperor announced his abdication during the height of the Micras crisis, the Constitution was useless in helping to determine how to properly fill in the void left over by the Emperor's absence. As a result, near unlimited power was vested in Prime Minister Meek, who quickly attempted to assert control over the Confederation. This effort failed when the Republic of Ohio, a hotbed for the now defunct Liberty Party of the Confederation, refused to accept the Emperor's abdication as valid and declared the Prime Minister's actions unconstitutional.
With New Europe gone, and Eniarku and Ohio in the middle of a constitutional crisis; Prime Minister Meek soon declared the North American Confederation dissolved, leading to governmental chaos for all citizens left out of the decision.
Upon the collapse of the Meek government, the first Constitution was effectively defunct - leading directly to the crisis of the Interregnum.
Interregnum & Provisional Governance
During the period of chaos that was the Interregnum, there was no effective governance for any of the territory left over from the secession of Eniarku and New Europe.
In 2013, there was an attempt by the Empire of New Europe to make a claim on the former territories of the Confederation under the New European constitution. These efforts were for naught, as the government of New Europe fell apart soon after when the Emperor joined up with the United States military.
It wasn't until 2015, when Emperor William made an agreement with the retired Ohioan politician, Rev. Joseph Marx, to restore the Confederation. Agreeing to use emergency powers, William reclaimed the throne and named Rev. Marx, the second Prime Minister of the North American Confederation. Prime Minister Marx soon began the process of creating a provisional government to restore order to the nation.
The first actions of the new administration was to restore territorial claims and a degree of government fail-safes and checks between himself and the Emperor. This period is sometimes considered to have been a period of an uncodified constitution, or the Provisional Constitutional Acts. These acts restored the powers of the monarchy, formalized a line of succession to prevent another abdication crisis, created a provisional legislature to help in the drafting and determination of a second codified Constitution, and formally provided the protocols for foreign relations.
Through these uncodified Constitutional Acts, the restored North American Confederation soon established the nation as a powerful and influential member of the micronational community, even creating a series of alliances between the Confederation, the Grand Republic of Delvera, and the Karno-Ruthenian Empire.
In 2013, there was an attempt by the Empire of New Europe to make a claim on the former territories of the Confederation under the New European constitution. These efforts were for naught, as the government of New Europe fell apart soon after when the Emperor joined up with the United States military.
It wasn't until 2015, when Emperor William made an agreement with the retired Ohioan politician, Rev. Joseph Marx, to restore the Confederation. Agreeing to use emergency powers, William reclaimed the throne and named Rev. Marx, the second Prime Minister of the North American Confederation. Prime Minister Marx soon began the process of creating a provisional government to restore order to the nation.
The first actions of the new administration was to restore territorial claims and a degree of government fail-safes and checks between himself and the Emperor. This period is sometimes considered to have been a period of an uncodified constitution, or the Provisional Constitutional Acts. These acts restored the powers of the monarchy, formalized a line of succession to prevent another abdication crisis, created a provisional legislature to help in the drafting and determination of a second codified Constitution, and formally provided the protocols for foreign relations.
Through these uncodified Constitutional Acts, the restored North American Confederation soon established the nation as a powerful and influential member of the micronational community, even creating a series of alliances between the Confederation, the Grand Republic of Delvera, and the Karno-Ruthenian Empire.
The Second Constitution and Delveran Integration
Despite the apparent success and political strength of the provisional government; behind the scenes, systemic problems with these Constitutional Acts began to have a detrimental effect upon the administration of the government. At the heart of the problems was a necessary reliance of mutual agreement between the Emperor, Prime Minister, and the Provisional legislature, as the schedules of all parties involved made meeting to discuss politics incredibly difficult to achieve, often leading to weeks of inactivity or miscommunication between various branches.
Beyond the systemic issues of the Constitutional Acts, outside influences began to impact and shift the goals of the codified Constitutional project. Following the Congress of Colo, Delvera and the North American Confederation began to consider the possibility of admitting the Confederation as a Delveran province.
Rev. Marx began the long and arduous process of drafting a Constitution that could properly deal with the flaws of previous administrative practices, as well as take into account the numerous political ideologies of the various Confederation and Delveran citizens that would be impacted by such a Constitution. With help from numerous citizens, the Emperor, and even the Consul of Delvera; the second Constitution of the North American Confederation was ratified and accepted on 26 June 2018.
Beyond the systemic issues of the Constitutional Acts, outside influences began to impact and shift the goals of the codified Constitutional project. Following the Congress of Colo, Delvera and the North American Confederation began to consider the possibility of admitting the Confederation as a Delveran province.
Rev. Marx began the long and arduous process of drafting a Constitution that could properly deal with the flaws of previous administrative practices, as well as take into account the numerous political ideologies of the various Confederation and Delveran citizens that would be impacted by such a Constitution. With help from numerous citizens, the Emperor, and even the Consul of Delvera; the second Constitution of the North American Confederation was ratified and accepted on 26 June 2018.
CHRISTMAS CONSTITUTION
On Christmas Day of 2019, in a mutual agreement between Emperor William I and the Prime Minister, the third Constitution, referred to as the "Christmas Constitution" went into effect. With the ratification of the third constitution, the powers and position of the Prime Minister have ceased and been replaced with the Twin Crowns. The new Constitution transformed the Confederation into a Constitutional Diarchy, with the political powers vested into two "Kings in the Confederation".
The Emperor retained all of his imperial titles and was vested with the powers and authority of the Senior Crown, while Joseph Marx, who ceased his Prime Minister position, has been crowned as His Royal Majesty, Joseph I, King in the Confederation. The new Constitution also abolished the Senate as a legislative power and in its place created a similar body comprised of Junkers (North American homeowners and family leaders) called the Council of Junkers. This body acted as the primary judicial body and the determinate of constitutionality and legality of royal actions.
The Emperor retained all of his imperial titles and was vested with the powers and authority of the Senior Crown, while Joseph Marx, who ceased his Prime Minister position, has been crowned as His Royal Majesty, Joseph I, King in the Confederation. The new Constitution also abolished the Senate as a legislative power and in its place created a similar body comprised of Junkers (North American homeowners and family leaders) called the Council of Junkers. This body acted as the primary judicial body and the determinate of constitutionality and legality of royal actions.
OSCARINE CONSTITUTION
Following the ascension of Oscar I of Karnia-Ruthenia to the throne of the North American Confederation, the Council of Junkers has been hard at work developing a new system of government for the nation that can better represent its interests. Given the unique opportunity the abdication of Emperor William I has provided the North American micronational community to forge a new identity for itself, Emperor Oscar I, in agreement with Viceroy Callahan and King Joseph I have worked with the Council of Junkers to create a fourth constitution for their great nation.
This fourth Constitution, also called the Oscarine Constitution, was ratified on 01 October 2020 and sees the North American Confederation reorganized into a new nation, a descendant of the micronational legacy of nearly a dozen micronations forged into a single collective identity for the previous 13 years. The North American Confederation, with the permission and understanding of its people, has reorganized itself into the Occidian Empire.
This fourth Constitution, also called the Oscarine Constitution, was ratified on 01 October 2020 and sees the North American Confederation reorganized into a new nation, a descendant of the micronational legacy of nearly a dozen micronations forged into a single collective identity for the previous 13 years. The North American Confederation, with the permission and understanding of its people, has reorganized itself into the Occidian Empire.