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ThunderHawk3

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Welcome one and all. Continuing the tradition of such great Vic2 interactive AARs as The Presidents, Federation of "Equals", and my own Shadow of the Andes, I give you a new Interactive AAR: Edge of Europe.

Edge of Europe will follow the history of Belgium from its revolutionary roots in 1836 and through the next tumultuous century to 1936. As before, I'll play the part of your narrator and game master, but all the important decisions will be left to you, the players!

Like Shadow of the Andes before it, Edge of Europe will have player-candidates, coups, and elections, with an extra exciting twist: the Constitution of Belgium, and therefore its form of government, will be left entirely to the players. The rules of the AAR and the electoral cycle will be shaped around the Constitution that you write. Your involvement, innovation, and creativity will build the AAR in its entirety.

The Rules and details of this AAR, which follow in the post below, must be strictly adhered to at all times. Other than these, stay friendly and have fun. It's your game.


It is never too late to join!


flag_of_belgium_wallpaper-medium_zpse8952dca.jpg


This Interactive AAR was approved by Qorten, on July 9th 2013.
 
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Table of Contents
Thread Essentials
[post=15766862]Title Post[/post]
[post=15766867]Rules of the AAR[/post]
[post=15767108]Guide to Drafting a Constitution[/post]
Character and Voting Summary
[post=16271719]Guide to the Parties[/post]
[post=16223554]Active Legislation List[/post]
[post=16290424]Prime Ministers of Belgium Table[/post]
[post=17871120]Current Belgian Constitution[/post]
[post=16697460]List of Awards, Orders and Decorations of Belgium[/post]
[post=16835156]Flags and Standards of Belgium[/post]
[post=16760129]Football Summary[/post]

Timeline
[post=15767052]Belgium Crisis 1830-1833[/post]
[post=15767096]1833 Constitutional Convention[/post]
[post=15777048]1833 Constitutional Convention, Day 1-2, Part 1[/post]
[post=15777162]1833 Constitutional Convention, Day 1-2, Part 2[/post]
[post=15788727]1833 Constitutional Convention, Day 3-5, Part 1[/post]
[post=15788760]1833 Constitutional Convention, Day 3-5, Part 2[/post]
[post=15813744]1833 Constitutional Convention, Day 6-7[/post]
[post=15814266]1833 Constitution[/post]
[post=15814319]1833 Constitutional Convention, Voting[/post]
[post=15814338]1835 Royal Coronation: Auguste de Beauharnais[/post]
[post=15814425]1835 Royal Coronation: Louis d'Orléans[/post]
[post=15832610]1835 Royal Coronation: Prosper-Louis I[/post]
[post=15837452]1836 Primary[/post]
[post=15849917]1836 Conventions[/post]
[post=15854359]1836 Parties[/post]
[post=15864574]1836 General Election[/post]
[post=15869955]Brabant 1836-1837[/post]
[post=15879263]1837 Coup, Part 1[/post]
[post=15879423]1837 Coup, Part 2[/post]
[post=15888915]Brabant 1838-1840[/post]
[post=15899221]1841 Primary[/post]
[post=15913124]1841 Conventions[/post]
[post=15913360]1841 Parties[/post]
[post=15925296]1841 General Election[/post]
[post=15933150]Daret 1841-1843[/post]
[post=15955340]Daret 1844-1845[/post]
[post=15985762]1846 Primary[/post]
[post=16004936]1846 Conventions[/post]
[post=16008258]1846 Parties[/post]
[post=16027044]1846 General Election[/post]
[post=16033033]Beauffort 1846-1847[/post]
[post=16052859]Beauffort 1848[/post]
[post=16072188]Beauffort 1849-1850[/post]
[post=16083696]1851 Primaries[/post]
[post=16094806]1851 Conventions[/post]
[post=16096997]1851 Parties[/post]
[post=16111774]1851 General Election[/post]
[post=16126140]De Graaf 1851-1852[/post]
[post=16141111]De Graaf 1853-1855[/post]
[post=16150189]1856 Primaries[/post]
[post=16159286]1856 Conventions[/post]
[post=16163889]1856 Parties[/post]
[post=16173336]1856 General Election[/post]
[post=16191593]Beauffort 1856[/post]
[post=16220498]Beauffort 1857-1860[/post]
[post=16230673]1861 Primaries[/post]
[post=16246265]1861 Coup[/post]
[post=16251140]1861 Conventions[/post]
[post=16259752]1861 Parties[/post]
[post=16269562]1861 General Election[/post]
[post=16282224]Beauffort 1861[/post]
[post=16293038]Beauffort 1862-1863[/post]
[post=16301979]1863-1864 Coup[/post]
[post=16318149]Beauffort 1864-1865[/post]
[post=16327723]1866 Primaries[/post]
[post=16338709]1866 Conventions[/post]
[post=16341162]1866 Parties[/post]
[post=16354659]1866 General Election[/post]
[post=16360622]1866 Coup[/post]
[post=16370472]Poisson 1866[/post]
[post=16378945]1866 Primaries, Redux[/post]
[post=16386202]1866 Conventions, Redux[/post]
[post=16390240]1866 Parties, Redux[/post]
[post=16401009]1866 General Election, Redux[/post]
[post=16401075]1866 Royal Coronation: August I[/post]
[post=16417873]Poisson 1866-1867[/post]
[post=16426565]Poisson 1868-1869[/post]
[post=16440220]Poisson 1870[/post]
[post=16448261]1871 Primaries[/post]
[post=16460570]1871 Conventions[/post]
[post=16465798]1871 Parties[/post]
[post=16476073]1871 General Election[/post]
[post=16494495]Wolff 1871[/post]
[post=16508658]1871 Succession Crisis[/post]
[post=16516283]Wolff 1872, Part 1[/post]
[post=16525663]1872 Royal Coronation: Prosper-August I[/post]
[post=16525665]Wolff 1872, Part 2[/post]
[post=16539668]Wolff 1873-1874[/post]
[post=16561807]Wolff 1874-1875[/post]
[post=16571400]1876 Primaries[/post]
[post=16580385]1876 Conventions[/post]
[post=16590658]1876 Parties[/post]
[post=16634286]1833 Constitution, as Revised[/post]
[post=16600579]1876 General Election[/post]
[post=16619027]Wolff 1876-1878[/post]
[post=16633370]Wolff 1879-1880[/post]
[post=16643182]1881 Primaries[/post]
[post=16653915]1881 Conventions[/post]
[post=16658519]1881 Parties[/post]
[post=16668830]1881 General Election[/post]
[post=16695949]De St. Sebastian 1881-1882[/post]
[post=16720532]De St. Sebastian 1883-1884[/post]
[post=16752589]De St. Sebastian 1885[/post]
[post=16766097]1886 Primaries[/post]
[post=16782939]1886 Conventions[/post]
[post=16788292]1886 Parties[/post]
[post=16800340]1886 General Election[/post]
[post=16819020]Savarin 1886[/post]
[post=16830548]Savarin 1886-1887, Part 1[/post]
[post=16832829]Savarin 1886-1887, Part 2[/post]
[post=16859505]Savarin 1888[/post]
[post=16881255]Savarin 1888-1890[/post]
[post=16893350]1891 Primaries[/post]
[post=16904749]1891 Conventions[/post]
[post=16907951]1891 Parties[/post]
[post=16920691]1891 General Election[/post]
[post=16944874]Lannoy 1891-1892[/post]
[post=16967735]Lannoy 1893[/post]
[post=16979852]Lannoy 1894[/post]
[post=16988757]1895 Early Elections[/post]
[post=17004865]1895 Primaries[/post]
[post=17021148]1895 Conventions[/post]
[post=17024598]1895 Parties[/post]
[post=17035964]1895 General Election[/post]
[post=17064456]Savarin 1895[/post]
[post=17084097]Savarin 1896-1897[/post]
[post=17116887]Savarin 1898[/post]
[post=17129781]1898 Succession[/post]
[post=17150831]1898 Royal Coronation: Francis I[/post]
[post=17161996]1899 Early Elections[/post]
[post=17173842]1899 Primaries[/post]
[post=17190755]1899 Conventions[/post]
[post=17195245]1899 Parties[/post]
[post=17205678]1899 General Election[/post]
[post=17223189]Van de Wyngaert 1899[/post]
[post=17246059]Van de Wyngaert 1900-1903[/post]
[post=17257887]Van de Wyngaert 1903, Part 1[/post]
[post=17258009]Van de Wyngaert 1903, Part 2[/post]
[post=17268609]1904 Conventions[/post]
[post=17276316]1904 Parties[/post]
[post=17285674]1904 General Election[/post]
[post=17309891]Burke 1904, Part 1[/post]
[post=17325184]Burke 1904, Part 2[/post]
[post=17339795]Burke 1905-1906[/post]
[post=17339868]Burke 1907, Part 1[/post]
[post=17354567]Burke 1907, Part 2[/post]
[post=17365700]Burke 1908[/post]
[post=17376028]1909 Primaries[/post]
[post=17385604]1909 Conventions[/post]
[post=17390277]1909 Parties[/post]
[post=17400338]1909 General Election[/post]
[post=17437878]Van de Wyngaert 1909-1910[/post]
[post=17457137]1911 Early Elections[/post]
[post=17470362]1911 Primaries[/post]
[post=17489615]1911 Conventions[/post]
[post=17495976]1911 Parties[/post]
[post=17515216]1911 General Election[/post]
[post=17537942]Civil War, 1911, Part 1[/post]
[post=17538166]Civil War, 1911, Part 2[/post]
[post=17544542]Civil War, 1912, Part 1[/post]
[post=17544657]Civil War, 1912, Part 2[/post]
[post=17550960]Civil War, 1913, Part 1[/post]
[post=17551059]Civil War, 1913, Part 2[/post]
[post=17581457]Savarin 1913[/post]
[post=17605648]Savarin 1914-1915[/post]
[post=17614566]1916 Primaries[/post]
[post=17630303]1916 Conventions[/post]
[post=17640949]1916 Parties[/post]
[post=17649760]1916 General Election[/post]
[post=17670925]1916 Constitutional Convention[/post]
[post=17679927]1916 Constitutional Convention, Day 1-2[/post]
[post=17708884]1916 Constitutional Convention, Day 3-8[/post]
[post=17739719]1916 Constitutional Convention, Day 9-14[/post]
[post=17758517]1916 Constitutional Convention, Day 15-18[/post]
[post=17758518]1916 Constitution[/post]
[post=17787459]Savarin/Dupointe 1916[/post]
[post=17811491]Savarin/Dupointe 1917-1919[/post]
[post=17861443]Savarin/Savarin 1920[/post]
[post=17888408]1921 Conventions[/post]
[post=17912670]1921 Parties[/post]
[post=17912683]1921 Presidential Candidates[/post]
[post=17935096]1921 General Election[/post]
[post=18000624]Savarin/Van Prinsterer 1921-1923[/post]
[post=18000762]1924 Putsch[/post]
[post=18030619]Savarin/Van Prinsterer 1924-1925[/post]
[post=18041081]1926 Primaries[/post]
[post=18056293]1926 Conventions[/post]
[post=18066931]1926 Parties[/post]
[post=18066933]1926 Presidential Candidates[/post]
[post=18092008]1926 General Election[/post]
[post=18127034]Van de Werve/D'Ursel 1926-1927[/post]
[post=18142369]Van de Werve/D'Ursel 1928-1930, Part 1[/post]
[post=18142502]Van de Werve/D'Ursel 1928-1930, Part 2[/post]
[post=18152538]1931 Primaries[/post]
[post=18163095]1931 Conventions[/post]
[post=18181728]1931 Parties[/post]
[post=18181796]1931 Presidential Candidates[/post]
[post=18193363]1931 General Election[/post]
[post=18213404]Maga/Loewen 1931-1936, Part 1[/post]
[post=18213502]Maga/Loewen 1931-1936, Part 2[/post]
 
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Belgian Constitutional Convention Rules of Order (Rules of the AAR)

The Golden Rule: Civility


"Members of the Constitutional Delegation should always conduct themselves in a manner becoming representatives of the nation."

Before I go any further, I want to impress upon you the importance of keeping a friendly and civil tone OOC in this AAR. Veterans of Shadow of the Andes may recall that I had to close OOC posting towards the end of the AAR because it got out of hand. I'd like to avoid that this time, so please avoid arguing OOC, stay on topic, and stay civil even in character. This thread exists for people to have fun and build a story, nothing else.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: always keep in mind that you must always adhere to the forum rules. Qorten has once again made it very clear that violating this rule will draw the moderator's displeasure.

Also be aware that running for office and taking office means that you accept the risk that you may be removed from office. Coups and uprisings are central mechanics for this AAR, so your removal may be violent. It may even involve a personal betrayal. I am asking you all, as players, to rise above this. If you don't or can't, don't participate in this AAR. I won't tolerate the Golden Rule being broken and I won't hesitate to call in the mods.

Chapter 1: Membership of the Chamber of Deputies (Characters)​


"The Chamber of Deputies consists of 200 members."

If you've participated in or read The Presidents, Shadow of the Andes, or Federation of Equals, you already know the basic structure of character creation. We're still using a player-voter/player-candidate model for the AAR, so creating a character is vital if you intend to be elected to office. Players themselves must create characters and step up to take office. For the moment, your characters can be interested persons from anywhere in Belgium with any background. Your characters represent members of the Belgian Lower House (the Chamber of Deputies) and other influential persons who could convince their allies to vote the right way.

To create a character, simply state vital information like their name and date of birth and maybe where they're from. A Background is also appreciated.

(Note that real-world Belgium is generally divided into two major regions, Flanders and Wallonia, with the city of Brussels being the seat of government.)

Example:

Name: Jéan Doe, Delegate from Namur
Born: 1800
Background: Born to a well-to-do nationalist family in Namur, Jéan served with distinction during the Belgian War for Independence in 1830. His family's close connections with the Belgian provisional government ensured him a seat at the convention hall after he gained war-hero status. José remains radically pro-military.

Please do bold your name and position, as above, and when you speak OOC use the double parens ((Like this)).

Chapter 2: Elections​


"The Prime Minister must be nominated by a member of the Belgian legislature, which must then approve his nomination through a majority vote."

As in real-world Belgium and the UK, the PM is chosen by a majority vote of the Lower House. In practice, this means that the leader of the party of power becomes the PM, subject to the approval of the King. You are the Deputies who vote for the party of power. You are also the candidates.

All votes must be bolded.

Constitutional Monarchy:

At certain points in the electoral cycle, I will prompt candidates to run for the leadership of their respective parties. After I've collected these announcements, you will vote for your favored candidate in a primary election. You can only vote in one party's primary.

Example:

Parti Libéral Modéré: Jéan Doe

The amount of time you have to vote will be stated before the election. When that time elapses, party leaders (who in their own turn become the PM candidate) will have been chosen. I will then ask these party leaders for their party platforms, which they will post, and then the General Election. You vote for the party, and the party that receives a strict majority of votes will become the party of power - and their leader becomes PM. You vote just by naming your favored party.

Parties dictate their own rules for forming coalitions. Generally, coalitions will either be formed by a vote at the convention or by agreement between party leaders. Mutual agreement may be necessary to form a government in many circumstances. In the event of a hung parliament, a Constitutional Crisis may ensue.

Example:

Parti Libéral Modéré

Junta Voting:

The form of government can be changed by military coup or popular uprising. If a junta or other extraconstitutional body is in power, I will explain special voting rules in effect for the duration of the entity's rule.

Chapter 3: The Prime Minister (Powers of the PM, the Military, and Coups)​


"The Prime Minister serves as the chief executive of the Belgian government and has the authority to implement legislation, to preside over the Belgian legislature, and to enforce the laws and Constitution of the nation."

The Prime Minister

When the Prime Minister of Belgium forms a government, his party's platform will be enacted (within the limits of the game). This platform will include the normal content of a platform, standard issues, foreign and economic policy, and so forth.

Under the Constitution, the King of Belgium - not the Prime Minister - has absolute authority with respect to the composition, deployment, and disposition of the Armed Forces of Belgium. However, under normal circumstances, the King of Belgium will defer to the Prime Minister's judgment in this matter and nominate the PM's candidate for Chief of Staff, who will then appoint the various generals of Belgium.

The Chief of Staff may appoint players as Generals. Generals can be appointed from characters, so appointing new generals is a good way to reward your supporters. As president you need to consolidate your support in the military, but be aware that generals will have an opportunity to commit a coup before your changes to the generalty take effect. The Prime Minister cannot personally serve as a general.

Under the Constitution, the Prime Minister must appoint the following ministers: the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of War, and Minister of Justice, and he is also empowered to appoint such other Ministers as he deems necessary. Ministers grant in-game nationwide bonuses but, just as generals can, can potentially launch a coup against the government. The more ministers back one side of the coup or the other, the more of the mobilization and the armies with NPC generals. Unlike generals, each individual minister does not have specific control over a certain segment of the mobilization or NPC generals.

The Chief of Staff or King will declare who controls how many brigades and give the army a general assignment.

Example:

Jéan Doe - 3 infantry brigades - Dutch border

At this point, the character selected will be modded into the game as a general and put in charge of the appropriate brigades in the appropriate location.

The Chief of Staff or King may create a capital guard (capital stack). The capital stack is always the last to desert the status quo government.

The Chief of Staff or King may reserve several brigades as the capital guard ("capital stack.") This is essentially a protection against coups. The capital stack always supports the status quo regime. The Capital stack will stay in the capital and in the event the capital is attacked, the Chief of Staff will personally serve as the commanding general of the stack. However, the stack cannot be used offensively and will defend only the capital, so it obviously negatively effects the country's military response ability.

Example:

5 Infantry - Capital Stack (Brussels)

Note that while anyone can propose a new bill (including myself, you will occasionally get proposals from "the backbenchers", meaning me), the Prime Minister's are particularly important and will be given priority attention.

Chapter 4: Coups, Agitation, and Rebellion​


" The Monarch may enact Emergency Martial Law at any time."

Any general or minister can declare a coup, further declaring who will be installed as the leader of Belgium if the coup is successful. At this time a sort of mini-election will be conducted in which every general will either declared himself for or against the coup. Any general not voting will be assumed to be neutral in the coup and their troops will not take part. I'll enact the coup in game.

While coups can theoretically be declared at any time, I believe that the most common coup should and will be the election night coup. In an election night coup, the coup is declared during or just after the election. If the coup is declared before the state of the union, the new government's policies will not have taken effect if the coup is successful. A successful coup transitions the government to a Military Junta (unless the newly installed Prime Minister declares a representative system as part of his policies, in which case the next election will be in the specified cycle and style). You cannot have an immediate counter-coup.

A coup will be successful in game if the capital is occupied by the couping forces for a month. Standing loyalist forces, excepting those mobilized, will become rebel forces. Mobilized forces are always loyal to the cabinet, and troops will always follow their commanding general unless they have a rebel affiliation. If they have a rebel affiliation, they may not... but no one will know until its too late.

In the event of a major rebel uprising, generals will similarly declare their side.

There is a risk to an unsuccessful coup. Players who back the wrong side in a coup, including the Prime Minister if he is removed from power, cannot vote in the next electoral cycle as they have backed the wrong side. If a Junta declares a coup against itself (because they have lost the election even though all or most of the generals voted for a losing candidate), they run the risk of triggering an uprising. Additionally, failed coups will draw the ire of the King of Belgium, provided he still reigns, as detailed below.

Disgruntled individuals who are not in government (and have no power to commit a coup) may instead agitate against the government. This will raise consciousness and militancy in game, but agitators are disenfranchised for as long as they agitate - and must agitate for a full electoral cycle after having declaring that they will. They may also choose to agitate for a particular issue which may (if I can figure out how) create or boost a movement in-game.

Chapter 5: The Conscience of the King​


"The Head of State of the Kingdom of Belgium is the King of the Belgians, henceforth referred to as the King, who reigns by the Grace of God and the Will of the Belgian People."

The Constitutional as written creates the government of Belgium as a Constitutional Monarchy. Under this Constitution, the King of Belgium - or Lord Regent, in the event of the absence of incapability of the monarch - has broad power to veto legislation, appoint members of the Upper House, appoint members of the military, declare martial law, declare war, and refuse to allow a Prime Minister to form a government.

Generally, the King of Belgium is a stabilizing force. The King of Belgium, when he is an NPC, has no party affiliation, but has an ideology, (typically Liberal, Conservative, or Reactionary). If the King is an NPC, the further the PM or the PM nominee is from the King's own ideology, the more likely the King will be to obstruct or interfere with the government (for example, a liberal King might not mind a socialist government, but a reactionary King might block the government from forming). A good way to very quickly draw the ire of the Palace is to launch a coup. NPC Kings are always mistrustful of coups, and following a coup (even if the King remains in power thereafter), the King will be less likely to cooperate with the PM personally, his party, his ideology, and his agenda in the future.

If the King suspects your party of trying to seize power, he will refuse to appoint the PM's Chief of Staff and will instead appoint his own. Under normal circumstances, the King will acquiesce to the PM's nominee for Chief of Staff - but this is a gentleman's agreement between the PM and the King. The King will break this agreement if he feels threatened by the PM, particularly if the PM or his party has a record of attempting coups. While some of the King's ire may fade with time, the Crown has a very long memory.

Additionally, the King may veto the legislation of a PM he doesn't like and - ultimately - may even refuse to allow members of a given party or ideology to become PM and form a government at all. So tread lightly, and coup with care.

More reactionary kings are generally more likely to exercise their powers as King, while more liberal kings may generally be less likely.

Chapter 6: Electoral Cycles​


"Elections for the Chamber of Deputies will automatically occur five years after the most recent election if no election is held during that time."

Electoral cycles in Belgium are irregularly timed. The electoral cycle starts either because five years have elapsed since the last election, because the Prime Minister has called elections, or because the Chamber of Deputies has dissolved the government.

Here's a summary of how these electoral cycles work:

During a normal government, the update cycle goes U1 (State of the Union) -> Candidates declare -> U2 (Primary) - > Primary vote on leadership candidates -> U3 (Election) -> Election vote -> U4 (Declaration of Victor) -> General appointments/policy introductions/coups declared -> U1 again

People participating an ongoing coup or rebellion wouldn't be allowed to vote. Any character who controls troops can declare a coup immediately post-election, before the new executive's policies take effect. Coups must declare who they intend to install as leader, it need not be the person who started the coup.

Players who backed the losing side of a coup, regardless of how it turned out, can't vote in the next election cycle. This makes Coups risky. If a coup or rebellion lasts more than an electoral cycle, currently rebelling generals also can't vote. Additionally, if the coup fails, the King will become very mistrustful of the people who participated in the coup (if they keep their heads) and their party and ideology.

Remember to bold your votes!

Chapter 7: Miscellaneous​


"The government shall be responsible for delivering the mail..."

No campaigning outside this thread.

I also reserve right of veto.

We have a Coldfront channel! Find instructions on how to access it [post=15771642]here[/post].

[post=15814266]The Constitution of Belgium can be found here.[/post]

 
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190px-Barab%C3%A1s_Portrait_of_a_gentleman_1844.jpg

Name: Dominique Lévesque
Position: Landed gentlemen of means and influence
Nationality: Walloon

Biography:

Noted gentleman of the landed-gentry hailing from the city of Mons, Dominique is a rather lukewarm supporter of the new nation and bears deep distrust for the Flemish people. He tends towards Walloon nationalism over Belgian nationalism and is beginning to favour the nascent ideals of rattachisme; or a Walloon union with France.
 
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((Will non senators (people such as businessmen or generals) be able to "vote" through "allies in congress" as in FoE?))

qqo8.png


Name: Michel Daret, Delegate from Liège
Date of Birth: 17 July, 1801
Place if birth: Liège, Belgium
Nationality: Walloon
Position: CEO and Owner of Daret Industrial
Bio:
Born to Walloon shopkeepers in Liège, Michel Daret was the first person in his family to attend university, with his older brother staying to run the shop. While at university he studied economics and mathematics, and he was particularly interested in the revolution of industry that was occurring and the business opportunities that were presenting themselves. Taking a loan from his father and brother, he purchased a fledgling coal mine outside of Liège.

Over the next five years Daret got married, had a daughter and a son, and repaid the loan from his father. During this time Michel bought and expanded several more coal and iron mines, opened up coke fired blasting furnaces, and started an iron foundry. Thanks to his business empire Daret was one of the most influential people in Liège when the Belgian Revolution broke out, and he channeled his money and influence to support the rebels.

While most liberals were shocked by the use of violence, Daret saw it as a necessary evil and convinced many fellow liberals to take up arms. With the new constitution being written, Michel now sees an excellent opportunity to further the cause of industry and get in on the ground floor of the new nations politics.
 
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((Will non senators (people such as businessmen or generals) be able to "vote" through "allies in congress" as in FoE?))

Yes, although who's to say there's a senate? We haven't drafted the Constitution yet.

I notice you guys actually managed to create characters before I had a chance to write the rules - impressively quick on the draw.

The rules are now up.

Update incoming.
 
Yes, although who's to say there's a senate? We haven't drafted the Constitution yet.

I notice you guys actually managed to create characters before I had a chance to write the rules - impressively quick on the draw.

The rules are now up.

Update incoming.

((Ha, good point. I don't know about Ab Ovo, but I had written up some character ideas for Belgium, Spain, and Poland when we were talking about possible locations in the discussion thread.))
 
File:Karl_Benz_1869.png

Name: Franz Ludwig Wolff
Culture: German
Place of Birth: Manderfeld, Liege, Belgium
Date of Birth: 1805 ((25))
Position: Head of Wolff Industries in Liege and a main competitor to Daret Industrial. ((If that's okay))
Background: Franz Ludwig Wolff was born to a wealthy German family in Belgium who built one of the first factories in Belgium. Franz is a Liberal capitalist, believing in freedom of the market, free trade, and has relatively secular views. One of his main causes is equality for the ethnic groups within Belgium owing to his unique position as a German immigrant. He also has a large interest in colonial affairs and expansion, as well as domestic industrialization, which may lead him to support some selective state intervention. Finally, Franz has a jingoistic position, believing in the expansion of his adopted nation, with the improvement of his own position of course.
 
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1830-1833: The Belgium Crisis​

Before 1830, Europe had never heard of Belgium. A Belgian state had simply never existed. That all changed in 1830, the year of the revolution. The Dutch, under William of Orange, assumed control of the Belgian provinces in 1815 following Napoleon’s defeat. Hatred for William’s heavy-handed rule was instantaneous, particularly among the Catholic, French-speaking Walloons and the Flemish southern farmers and grain producers.

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1. William of Orange, King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg.


Opposition to Dutch rule finally reached a fevered pitch in 1830. On August 25th, at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, a performance of the patriotic romanticist opera La Muette de Portici (ironically in celebration of William of Orange’s birthday) inflamed the passions of theatergoers. The so-called “Night at the Opera” sparked the Belgian Revolution as theater patrons joined dissidents and rioted in the streets of Brussels. Southern units of the Dutch Army sent to suppress the uprising (largely Belgian conscripts), quickly made common cause with the rebels and joined the revolution.

In late September, the ad hoc Belgian Army repulsed an assault on Brussels by the Dutch Army under the Prince of Orange, who was forced to retreat to Antwerp. In October, William of Orange appealed to his Prussian and Russian allies to put down the revolution . Meanwhile, the Belgian revolutionaries petitioned France for support. All three nations agreed to the petitions for support as the crisis quickly internationalized. French troops crossed into Belgium on October 1, the very same day Prussian army units entered the Rheinland.

William’s promised support from the Czar never arrived. Russian troops got as far as Frankfurt when the Polish November Uprising broke out in Warsaw, forcing the Imperial Army under Ivan Paskevich to turn around and abandon the Belgian front for one closer to home. Stubborn Polish resistance also alarmed Berlin, and by January 1831, much of the Prussian Army had also left to secure the eastern border.

What remained of Dutch-Prussian forces in the Netherlands were quickly repulsed and destroyed by the French, who surrounded the Dutch 11,000 man Army under the Prince of Orange at Antwerp in March, then routed the Prussians at Maastricht in April. By July, the French had marched into Amsterdam.

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2. A Patriotic Painting of the Belgian Revolution.

However, the tide seemed to turn in October, when the Polish revolt was finally crushed by superior Russian numbers and the Czar’s Army again departed for the Netherlands, backed by Prussian troops. After months of bloody fighting against entrenched French troops along the Rhein and throughout the Netherlands, the British negotiated a ceasefire and brought all parties to the bargaining table in London in 1832.

The Dutch, Belgians, French, Prussians, Russians, and British, were joined by delegates from Austria and Spain as “interested parties” in the crisis. In what would come to be known as the London Conference of 1832, negotiations dragged on for an entire year. In a letter to a colleague at the foreign office, one British delegate would blame delays on the Austrians: “These cursed Danubians simply cannot make up their minds. First they oppose Belgian independence, then favor it, then oppose it again.” The Austrians ultimately abstained.

Eventually, in March 1833, the London Treaty was signed by all eight parties guaranteeing Belgian independence and forcing the Dutch to abandon their claim on Belgium. William of Orange was not happy, but as his Russian and Prussian allies had accepted the treaty and French troops had yet to vacate his palace, he had little choice but to accept.


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Player Actions Needed:
Just wait. Second update incoming.
 
1830-1833: The Belgium Crisis​
“These cursed Danubians simply cannot make up their minds. First they oppose Belgian independence, then favor it, then oppose it again.” The Austrians ultimately abstained.
((Was that an inside FoE joke? I saw what you did there~))
 
The Constitutional Convention of 1833​


With the ink scarcely dry on the London Treaty, the Belgian provisional government called for the formation of a National Congress to meet in Brussels and hold a Constitutional Convention for the newly independent Belgium.

People from all corners of society, and indeed around the world, flocked to Brussels to watch and weigh in on the debate. Representatives from as far away as the United States arrived to advise the delegates, only to be turned away by the sight of locked doors at the convention hall (formerly the Dutch governor's mansion) and armed soldiers guarding the doors. The Constitutional Convention refused to be influenced by outside powers. They had many factors to consider in their formulation of a constitution - a country divided down the middle, flanked on two sides by great powers and their former rulers to the north. They would have to find a way to live life on the edge of Europe or be driven into the sea.

A patchwork nation united only by its rejection of Dutch governance, Belgium had no prior government or history of its own - no lords or kings in waiting, no rulers to dictate the constitution, and no existing leaders to rally around. It fell to the delegates to write a constitution and guide the fledging nation into an uncertain future.



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Player Actions Needed:

Draft a Constitution. The next one week (until 9:00 PST on July 16th, 4 AM July 17th GMT, I believe) is the proposal period. You can and should draft articles (that is, parts) of the Constitution and debate them. The voting period will begin at the end of the drafting period. A sample article would look like this:

Example Article:

All people within Belgium have the right to wear silly hats at all times.

Of course, you might wish to address a more important issue than this when drafting the Constitution of Belgium.

I will post a guide on drafting a constitution here soon, but this is only to suggest questions that you might wish to address. There are no restrictions on what you can propose (though you must always observe site rules, of course). I urge you to experiment and do more than formulate a cookie-cutter democracy or constitutional monarchy. The unconventional is what will make this convention memorable and interesting - and though your limited bear-ocracy or vote-by-length-of-railroad-track-owned system might not make it in, creativity really is the heart of this AAR.

It might be good to bold the titles of your articles if they have a title so I see them.

And with that, I'll leave you to draft your constitution. Remember, the drafting period ends 9:00 PM PST July 16th/4:00 AM GMT July 17th.
 
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A little something for those feeling lost:

ThunderHawk3’s OOC Guide to Drafting a Constitution
With Animal Pictures Included For Humorous Effect

So you’ve decided to draft a Constitution. Whether it’s for a new nation or the restoration of a post-coup government, a Constitution is more often than not an essential part of government. This guide will give you some important pointers about what should go into a Constitution by posing the questions that a Constitution is meant to answer.

No one is ever trained to write a Constitution. It doesn’t take any special skills or background. All it requires is a vision for a nation and a sense of patriotism. By the time you’ve finished this guide, you’ll be fully prepared to draft a Constitution of your very own.

Before we get to the questions a Constitution should answer or address, first let’s answer an even more fundamental question: What is a Constitution?

By my own definition, a Constitution is a central founding document that lays out the form and fundamental rules of your nation’s legitimate government, embodies the spirit of a nation, and becomes the highest law of the land.

Because a Constitution almost by definition has no set form or content, it can be almost anything. However, a good Constitution will address the following questions. Each question would normally have its own Article, or section of the Constitution.

Questions to Answer and Issues To Address:


I. What is the basis of your government’s legitimacy?


We can all agree that “We The People” is a better start for a Constitution than “Hey, Who’s Got the Guns Here?”

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1. Pictured: Legitimacy

The first section of your Constitution, usually the preamble, should probably explain why your government and Constitution are the legitimate ones. The question you’re trying to answer here is basically why your government has the right to rule. What’s the basis of your Constitution? The power of the monarch? The will of the people? The grace of god? Something else? You might also generally state the type of government in this section.

Something to keep in mind that is that national governments are generally separated into three categories: unitary, federal, and confederate.

In Unitary governments, all power to rule is derived from a central authority, like god or a crown. Provincial, state, and local governments therefore inherit their power from the central authority and are inferior to the national government.

In Federal governments, both the national and state governments derive original power from some source (like the people, for instance) and neither is strictly inferior to the other. A clear separation of powers between state and national governments often exists in federal governments.

In Confederate governments, the national government derives its power from the states (ie: the people elect the state governments, who elect the national government) and is thusly inferior to the state governments. State and local law may override national law.

What is the relationship between the tiers of government in your Constitution? (More on this later)

II. Who makes the laws?

Most countries have at least some laws [citation needed]. Who makes the laws in your country? Does your country have a legislative body? A Congress, a Parliament, or something else? Is your legislative body separated into several houses? What’s the difference between them? What are the powers of the legislative body, if any such body exists? What powers are denied to it? Do you have legislators? How are they chosen? Appointed or elected or found through some other process? Do they have terms for some number of years? What requirements do you impose on them? How do they make laws?

If you don’t have a legislative body, what do you have instead? Who makes the laws? A Monarch? A powerful minister? Direct democracy? A goat?


2. Pictured: The Legislative Process

III. Who’s in charge here?

Governments typically have two powerful executive offices: the head of government, who is generally in charge of domestic law and the running of the country, and the head of state, who is the public face of the country to other nations.

Who enforces the laws in your country (ie: who’s the chief executive?) Is this the same person as your head of state? How is this person chosen? Monarch, dictator, elected position, appointed, rotary basis, or something else? What powers does this person have? The same questions applied to legislators applies to your chief executive.

Here’s a selection of powers, titles, and privileges a head of state or government might sometimes have: declares war, commander-in-chief, dissolves the government, calls elections, appoints a cabinet, vetos laws, appoints judges, appoints legislators, appoint generals, ennobles nobility, pardons criminals, declares a general mobilization, declares martial law, sets foreign policy, controls the budget, levies taxes, passes laws, and breaks ties. Do your executives have any of these powers? Do they have any others not listed here?

IV. Who interprets the law?

You know, someone’s going to have to interpret your Constitution to decide what it means. The usual solution is to establish a system of courts, but hey – if you want to do something else, feel free!

Do you have courts in your country? A supreme court? Go through the same process as you did for the legislators and the chief executive.

V. How is the government structured?

Do you have separate state and local governments? An autonomous military? Extraterritorial corporations? What’s the relationship between them?

VI. Can we change this thing?

Probably the best way to prevent frequent coups in your fledging nation is to put a mechanism for change into the Constitution.

Did you make any mistakes? Are you sure? You can change the Constitution? If so, how? What are the requirements that have to be met? Can everything be changed?

VII. What about the people?

Most nations also have people [citation needed] – even Jan Mayen, at least until the next wave of smallpox rolls through.

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3. Pictured: Not people. Exclude from census. (And how did they get here anyway?)

So are those people citizens or subjects (or something else entirely)? Do they have rights? What are they? Do you guarantee to them a Republican form of government or a swift kick to the face if they complain?

If you have citizens, who are they? Is everyone a citizen? Does your Constitution comment on citizenship or naturalization?

VIII. Odds and Ends

Veterans of Shadow of the Andes may recall some countries have a very slight tendency to experience periodic coups. Generally, coups can be prevented by a system of checks and balances to prevent a dominant party from uniting all power in itself. Does your Constitution limit your own government’s power? Does change have to be gradual?

Who builds stuff? Does your Constitution comment on the relationship between church and state? How about your economic policy? Does it give a special role to agriculture or industry? Does it check the power of the military? Does it provide for the incorporation of new states or territories? What about colonies?

IX. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff

Your Constitution doesn’t have to cover everything. In fact, it doesn’t even have to address everything written here. This guide is just to help you think about what to put in your contribution to the Constitution. If your Constitution is missing some minor technocratic point (like how your voting system requires a periodic census that you forgot about), I’ll add it either before or after the ratification phase. Some stuff you just shouldn’t spend too much time worrying about (“don’t spit on the sidewalks” might be a good law, but it probably doesn’t need to be in the Constitution).

Similarly, if you’ve forgotten something that I feel is crucial to the smooth governance of the country and the running of the AAR, I’ll introduce it.
 
Name: Prince Charles de Ligne (Charles Eugène François Joseph Lamoral de Ligne d'Amblise et d'Epinoy, 8th Prince of Ligne)
Culture: Walloon
Place of Birth: Brussels, Belgium
Date of Birth: 1804 ((29))
Position: Head of the de Ligne Princely House, a wealthy landowner
Background: Charles de Ligne belongs to a very ancient house of the Holy Roman Empire, that owned lands in Belgium for hundreds of years. His title goes back to the eleventh century, and his ancestors were trusted advisors to the Habsburg emperors. His father was a famous general in the French service. But Charles has always loved only one country and cared only for one country- for his homeland, Belgium.

Having received a good education, Prince Charles followed in his fathers footsteps and entered the French military service, when he was only 18 years old. He served as an aide-de-camp to King Charles X, and then was transfered to a lancer regiment, as a squadron commander. Then his father died, and Charles returned to Belgium, where he started to actively participate in local politics.

He became a fervent defender of the Catholic and Walloonish cause, and was infuriated by Dutch attempts to discriminate his compatriots, and to make Dutch the official language in the Flemish provinces. He tried to persuade the government to act in a more reasonable manner, he filed petions and personally contacted King William - but was ignored. The Dutch government maintained its policy. Then the revolution started - and Prince Charles played a prominent part in this event. For example, he traveled to London and to Paris as a diplomat, and used his connections to persuade France and Great Britain to recognise the independence of Belgium. Then he served as a senior officer in the ad hoc Belgian Army, helping to defend Brussels. Now he participates in the constitutional convention - and wishes to serve his country after it, in any possible way.

Prince de Ligne is a devout Roman Catholic, a traditionalist and a royalist. He believes that Belgium must be a consitutional monarchy, but that the King must be a strong figure and have sufficient executive powers. He is a jingoist and a supporter of colonization.
 
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Name: Fabian van de Velde
Date of Birth: 17th December, 1803 ((30))
Place of Birth: Antwerpen, Belgium
Culture: Flemish
Position: Count of Ypres
Bio: The prominent and well known Count of Ypres, Fabian van de Velde is known through out Flanders for his xenophobic flemish nationalism. This is his most notable trait and there has been many conflicts between him and the Wallonians in belgium even in the few years since its creation!

Fabian van de Velde while having no practical control on the city of Ypres still has a great measure of influence. Around Ypres he owns vast estates leading him to the ability to live an easy life style. Though he does his best to make sure all the flemish workers and people in the Ypres area are well off and routinely gives thousands of dollars to the poor.*
 
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Name: Aimeus Aerts
Age: July 4, 1806 ((27))
Nationality: Flemish
Religion: Protestant
Place of Birth: Brussels
Postion: Delegete for Brussels
Bio: Aimeus was born to a wealthy Flemish-Dutch family. His father had married a wealthy Dutchmans daughter for political reasons, earning him a government position. This led to Aimeus being raised in a mixed house hold, caught in the Flemish-Dutch struggle that engulfed his family. His older brother and his younger brother both decided to embrace Flemish culture, while Aimeus' sister went Dutch. Aimeus tried to stay in the middle, medating family desputes. This lasted until the Belgian War for Independence. In order to make his family happy, Aimeus had just joined the Dutch millitary as an officer, but ended up defecting with the rest of his unit to the Belgian Army. After the war, Aimeus put the political and deplomatic skills that he had learned from his father, and through family disputes, to work. He used his families influence to gain a seat in the Constitutional Convention. Just before the Convention, Aimeus got engaged to a Dutch girl that he had been friends with for most of his life. Aimeus tends to be more liberal leaning, but is in favor of a strong millitary. He is also to be a bit more pro-Dutch than most of the Convention.
 
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images


Name André Damseaux
Date of Birth August 28, 1793 ((40))
Place of Birth Charleroi, Wallonia, Austrian Empire
Nationality Walloon
Biography:
Born to a middle class family in Charleroi, André was raised in a very Catholic family. He was also brought up with intense hatred to the Austrians for subjugating the Walloon people for a century. He commanded a regiment of Fusiliers of the Line in the Grande Armée during the Invasion of Russia. He took a bullet at Borodino but choose to remain on the field. He was personally thanked for his heroism and dedication by Napoleon after the battle. He again commanded troops at the disastrous Battle of Leipzig and during the Invasion of France. When Napoleon returned during the Hundred Days André commanded a different regiment of Fusiliers of the Line. André's regiment was instrumental in winning the Battle of Ligny. He fought at Waterloo and was deeply saddened and has some distrust of the British. He later joined the Dutch army and became a Colonel until 1830 when he and his troops defected to the side of the Belgian Revolutionaries. He commanded a large Belgian force against the Dutch and is considered a hero in most of Belgium. André is an Ultra-nationalist who believes that all power comes from God. He believes that it is the responsibility of the military to maintain order and to ensure that Belguim survives. He detests the Dutch and Germans. He believes that the French are Belgium's natural allies.

((I edited for historical accuracy. Mostly because he was 12 during Austerlitz.))
 
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Name: Sébastien Delcroix
Date of Birth: 13/5/1802
Culture: Walloon
Position: Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels

Biography: Sébastien Delcroix came from a moderately wealthy merchant family, that had benefited from William of Orange's rule over Belgium. Sébastien heavily disagreed with his parents over the Dutchman's right to rule over the Belgians, particularly the French-speaking Walloons, and left his family to join the Catholic Church on his 18th birthday. Quickly becoming a popular figure in his home province of Brabant, Sébastien managed to use the volatile political situation in Belgium to step into the position of Archbishop of Mechelen-Brussels, once the previous Bishop died. Heavily religious, and a strong advocate of the rights of Kings, Sébastien wants to see his country unified under one King and one faith.

Notable Achievements:

Sébastien earned some renown during the National Convention as he engaged in fiery debate with attendees of the more liberal persuasion. Recognized as being a leader of the right-wing groups of the Convention, the press dubbed Delcroix as the 'Bishop of Brabant', a title which he accepted without issue. Delcroix was the first to propose the idea of Belgium having a King, and it was he who wrote up the original list of foreign candidates for the Throne. As the National Convention drew to a close, Delcroix formed the Catholic Crown Party, with the goal of achieving joint, benevolent, rule of Belgium by the Church, the Crown and the nobility. After the failed coup of André Damseaux, Delcroix decided to moderate his party, leading to the Catholic Crown Party's rebirth as a Conservative rather than a Reactionary, party. Delcroix remained leader until the primaries of 1846, which saw the jingoistic Marquis de Beauffort take control of the party, as the Archbishop suffered from pneumonia. Recovering fully after the elections were concluded, with a conservative victory, Delcroix announced his resignation from politics, so he could return to focusing on his Archbishopric and flock.
 
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I propose that before deciding what form our government shall take we must ensure that the rights of the Belgian people are protected, as they so clearly weren’t by the Dutch. To that end I have written up a brief “Bill of Rights”, to borrow from the Americans, which will outline the rights of the people of Belgium.
The Rights of Belgians

Article 1.
All people born in Belgian territory have the right to claim Belgium citizenship. This right is also held by any children born of at least one parent with Belgian citizenship, whether they are born in Belgian territory or not.
There shall be an option to apply for Belgian citizenship after living in the country for five years or marrying a Belgian citizen, but these “naturalized” citizens may not hold a federal office (whatever we decide those offices may be)

Article 2.
All men will be viewed as equal under the law, with no prejudice based on race, social class, or beliefs.

Article 3.
There shall be no state religion, and people shall have the right to choose their own religion or lack thereof.

Article 4.
All people shall have a right to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and the right to assemble, which shall not be abridged.

Article 5.
All people have a right to their property. It may not be seized by the government except in cases of it being illegally obtained, or for use as evidence in legal proceedings, after which it must be returned to its rightful owner. In order for property to be seized a judge must issue a warrant clearly providing an explanation as to why.

Article 6.
A reasonable right to privacy held by all citizens, and no search may occur, except in the cases directly defined by the law.

Article 7.
The right to a trial by a jury of peers shall be preserved under all circumstances, no matter the crime.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of the rights that should be provided to the people of Belgium, but I wanted to get this out to the convention for discussion, and I look forward to hearing your opinions on the matter. I will end this by thanking all of my fellow delegates for attending this convention and reminding them that the eyes of the world are upon us. I hope that we have a productive week, and craft a constitution that will best serve the Belgian people.

Delegate from Liège, Michel Daret