Eutopia 4 background: Eutopian History

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[ETP] Background: Eutopian History

Sitting amid dusty tomes, a wizened old librarian squints up at you as you approach his desk. It would appear you have found the legendary archives of Eutopian history.



THE BROAD SWEEP OF EUTOPIAN HISTORY

Historical outline


DETAILED SUBJECT STUDIES

The Neolithic colonizers c. 5000-500 BCE
Phoenicians and Six Kingdoms
A brief economic and diplomatic history of modern Eutopia
Latin attitudes towards Eutopia and the Monarchy - some historical roots
Catalan immigration


CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY

Brief overview of Eutopia's constitutional history up to the end of the Regency
Provisional constitution (aka "Regency Constitution")
Constitution for Eutopia 2 (aka "November Constitution") (as it stood at the end of E2)


HISTORY OF THE MONARCHY

The kings of Eutopia
Former claimants to the throne


RECENT (= GAMEPLAY) HISTORY

In the beginning
Term 1-3
Term 4
Term 5
Term 7-9

 

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Historical outline


[Originally posted by Blade!]


c1,000,000 BCE. EUtopia forms from volcanic activity in the north-central Atlantic, in between the Azores and Iceland. The volcanic activity was widespread and forced the creation of a new fault line where a geological strata from the Devonian era (350mya) was forced up and over the current crust level. This has resulted in a area of rich thermogeological activity and carbon derived deposits.

c. 5,000 to 3000 BCE. The island is settled by several waves of colonization. From the north-east in Europe, relations of the Basques, and from the south-east in North Africa relations of the Berbers. They came to be known as the "Topa," the modern Native Eutopians. Several Stonhenge-like megaliths and pyramids dot the island, built during this early era.

720 BCE. A Punic trader discovers the island and reports his findings to the Counil in Carthage. An era of small trade begins.

590 BCE. A thriving port town on the south-eastern coast named Qart Hadasht (New City, latin: Carthago) is established. It was abandonned during the time of the Second Punic war. The island was visited continually until then, and some cultural influences were left behind as well as trading post ruins on the east coast, giving rise to (unwarranted) speculation that it may be the basis of Plato's Atlantis...

c. 200 BCE to 190 CE. A renaissance of of temple building and sculpting flourish on the island, as well as an organized cross-island economy. Records of massive tectonic activity seem to have ended this historical period of growth.

c. 600 CE. The Irish St. Brendan sails west into the unknown. Many speculate that he landed on the island, and thus many features in the northeast are named after him. His cult is still very popular among Catholics on the island...

c. 700-1100 CE. Muslim missionaries convert much of the population to Islam. Though very dominant, in reality it was integrated into a continued belief in an indigenous polytheistic expression of a monotheistic faith.

c. 1000 CE. Vikings land on the north coast of the island and settle there. With little back-up from Iceland, they never grow to a substantial community, always on the verge of being wiped out by the natives. It does, however remain in active contact with Scandanavia, eventually becoming a neglected yet offical trading post of the Danish Crown.

1492. The island is discovered by Columbus on his return journey and claims it for Spain.

1542. The first Spanish settlers arrive.

1544. The first French settlers arrive.

1548. The first English settlers arrive. Internicine minor wars break out between the three communities, though due to low populations during this era, they are fairly minor.

1550-1600. The small settlements of Nordic Eutopians, (like many isolated communities) remained Catholic even after the far removed Danish crown turned Protestant. They revolted, and placed themselves under the control of the newly-founded Catholic Spanish colonies to their south, with little notice and no reaction from Denmark, as they couldn't match Spanish strength in the area, noe did the area have any percieved value.

1604. After years of debate, the three settling powers agree to a treaty dividing the island in three. Because on one can agree on a single name for the island, the Greek word "Eutopia" or "Good land" is used as a compromise. Also in this year, the Spanish ceded their newly aquired Nordic populated areas in the north to the English in the treaty of 1604. The English tried to enforce Protestantism in the area, and again the Nordics resisted. Many were wiped out, or withdrew to the isolated northwest. Thus many lingering feelings of animosity are held by the insular Nordic community, to this day, towards the English, and towards the Spanish for abandoning them.

1781. The English part of the island uses the distraction of the American War of Independence to demand greater autonomy. Having other problems to deal with, the British government agrees. Over the next few decades, that part of the island gains virtual independence.

1794. The English part of Eutopia uses the French revolution as a pretext to seize the French portion of the island.

1807. The Spanish part of the island is added to the rest after Napoleon's invasion of Spain.

1815. In the Treaty of Vienna, Eutopia is made into a full-fledged state, and is given a king from the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Dynasty. Like Switzerland and (later) Belgium, it is agreed that Eutopia, due to its important mid-Atlantic position, will be permanently neutral territory. Thus it has little in the way of later international history. The main bone of contention is the status of Bermuda, originally governed from Eutopia, but now made into a separate colony by Britain. Eutopia's claim on Bermuda continues to this day, unresolved (think of it as our version of the Falklands). The island having a low population and little economy, was beholden to England for defense and trade.

1830s. Virtual civil wars. These were times of open hostility between the English and Latin portions of the island. Slavery was forcibly abolished in its strongholds in the Spanish portions, with a legacy that continues to this day. The monarch, who was pro-slavery had all his powers curtailed during this period.

1848. Inspired by the spirit of the revolution that once again swept across Europe, the economicaly battered provinces sent representatives to the King's Cathedral near the palace to debate the creation of a democracy and the abolishment of the monarchy, in an attempt to regain prosperity. After three months of debate, a draft constitution was pinned to the gates of the royal estate. However, the army, still loyal to the Crown, crushed the delegates easily and with bloody force.

1850s. As a reaction to the earlier period of destruction an lawlessness, history saw an attempt to create a one-state culture (The Eutopian Melting Pot), but due to rivalries between the Latin and English leaderships, this failed to reconcile the island. The labour-intensive agriculture of the Latin parts' economy, which had been wrecked by emancipation, also stood in stark contrast to burgeoning industrialisation of the English-speaking lands.

1860s - 1890s. Much immigration from northern and central Europe filled the need for labor and capital to stabalize the island economy. Foreign investment began, as well as importation of Indian laborers which came with the substantial increased British investment...

1879: The British dubiously "sell" the right to trade with the island to the United States, for the sum of $2,000,000 (Of which EUtopia recieved none). The United States began to develop industry on the island, through investment and trade.

1900s. Eutopia neutral and isolated for most of the period, including the World Wars... though World War 2 proved extremely profitable for them.

1939-1945: EUtopia serves as a major Naval and Air supply base during WW2 for both the British and the Americans, despite their stance of neutrality. This was done at great profit and development for EUtopia, as well as had great social ramifications as it became a target for two immigrant groups. The first, Jews fleeing central Europe. The second, another influx from the subcontinent in the form of British Civil Service officers, who were on the island facilitating war operations, importing their families from Bengal rather than return to the bloody partition.

1960s - 70s: Radical sepratist groups are organized in the French and Spanish portions of the island, leading to violent protests and several street bombings. It is widely believed, but never proved, that the governments of France and Spain secretly funded these groups. This remains a hot topic between Eutopia and France and Spain to this day...

*Special Thanks to Captain Krunch, Dakar, Ape, Mad King James, Demetrios, Norgesvenn, King, Seli, Vandelay, & Hamilcar

 

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The Neolithic colonizers c. 5000-500 BCE


[Originally posted by Vandelay]


The Island of Topa is formed from volcanic activity in the north-central Atlantic, in between the Azores and Iceland. The volcanic activity was widespread and forced the creation of a new fault line where a geological strata from the Devonian era (350mya) was forced up and over the current crust level. This has resulted in a area of rich thermogeological activity and carbon derived deposits.

This of course is the geological setting for the first human (Homo Sapiens - all finds of earlier Hominids have categorically been shon to have been hoaxes) settlers on the island. The islands natural flora and fauna is largeley endemic, but also shares traits with both American and Europeans species. However, the introduction of domestic animals and plants by the succesive waves of human colonizers has had a massive effect on the island´s lifeforms.

The first colonizers, probably hailing from the area of the Bay of Biscay and Northwestern Africa, brought with them different forms of wheat and corn (not to be confused with maize which was introduced by the Spaniards in the 1500´s), cattle, sheep, goat, pig, dogs and, unintenionally, the rat.

To this the Carthaginians subsequently added chicken, geese, horses and the cat. It is not yet decided whether it was the original colonizers or the Carthaginians who introduced the cultivation of linen - perhaps the ongoing excavations of a pole-dwelling outside New Lancaster might decide the issue.

Finally, the European colonizers introduced a number of crops in the 16th- and 17th centuries, most notably tobaccoo and cotton which, were the backbone of the colonial economy.

As mentioned above, the first inhabitants of Topa had already developed an agricultural society at the time of their arrival on the island. This life-style was complemented with an extensive exploitation of maritime resources.

Immediately on their arrival the colonizers seem to have developed tribal structures centered on megalithic monuments - cumulative viewshed analyses of the megalithic monuments show the high level of inter-visibility between the monuments, which indicates their use as symbolic centers of the tribes (and thus also as territorial markers).

Excavation of megaliths has revealed that many were surrounded by extensive earthworks and pallisades forming a sacred area where a number of different rituals were undertaken - processions, sacrifice of animals and high status obsidian tools, and the removal and ritual consumption of the flesh of those high ranking individuals who were to be interred in the megaliths.

In the more rugged northwest of the island there was no basis for establishing an agricultural economy. However, surveys and excavations have shown that the area was utilized by shepherds, hunters and most importantly as a source of obsidian.

Unfortunately, archaelogical fieldwork in the area has been hampered by conflict with the native Eutopians many of whom are adamantly opposed to archaelogical fieldwork in the area.

 

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Phoenicians and Six Kingdoms


[Originally posted by Vandelay]


Advent of the Phoenicians 700-500 BCE

"One day there came some Phoenicians, famous navigators,
Rascals, with a host of knick-knacks in their black ships..."

Though some scholars argue for an extensive "pre-colonization" phase of the Phoenicians interest in Topa (based mainly on an archaic bronze statuette of Baal found in the sea off Hurteau) stretching as far back as the 8th century BCE the first firm evidence of Phoenician colonization can be dated to the mid 6th century BCE.

Analyses of Phoenican ceramic assemblages has led to the conclusion that this colonization emanated from Carthage rather than the Phoenician metropoli on the Syro-Palestinian coast. In his epic "Ora Maritima" he latin poet Avienius names the only Carthaginian city on Topa as Carthago Nova and situates it on an island on the southern coast of Topa.

Archaelogical fieldwork in the area designated by Aveienus have revealed smaller Punic settlements in the southern archipelago. These settlement presumably served as satellites of Carthago Nova providing the city with foodstuffs and raw materials.

The city of Carthago Nova itself has not been definetly located, but recent underwater discoveries might indicate that the city has fallen into the sea as a result of seismic activity. This of course has led to many speculations on the relationship between Carthago Nova and Plato´s Atlantis.

By all available evidence the number of Phoenicians settled on Topa never exceeded a few thousand individuals. However their impact on native Topan culture would be massive.


The rise of the Six Kingdoms of Topa 500-200 BCE

Beginning from the advent of the Phoenicians a pattern of tribal consolodiation seems to have begun among the Topa. From a number of dozens of tribal chiefdoms there arose half a dozen kingdoms.

This was clearly the result of the Phoenician impact on the Topa - through the Phoenicians the Topa learned metallurgy (copper, silver, and gold), the use of chariots and fortifications. The Phoenicians also traded luxury objects (jewelry, glassware, iron weapons, ivories etc.) and wine to the Topa who immediately incorporated these items in their own rituals of conspicious consumption.

Fieldwork has conclusively shown that a number of megalithic centers were completely destroyed during this period. In other places megalithic centers expanded to become "proto-towns" (similar to the Sardinian Nuraghi). These settlements were still centered on megalithic tombs, but the tombs were now expanded into veritable temples surrounded by dwellings and fortifications.

The conclusion has been made that the Phoenicians traded their wares in exhange for slaves thus setting in motion a social revolution similar to the European impact on Atlantic Africa in the 16th to 19th centuries.


The Fall of the Six Kingdoms 200-100 BCE

"A day will come when Ilium, that holy town, will perish, and Priam also will perish, and his people, so skilled in handling the spear". So cried Scipio Africanus the Younger as his legions ravaged the once proud city of Carthago.

What he didn´t know was that as result not only would the Carthago Nova of Topa fall, but also what has been dubbed "The Six Kingdoms of Topa". Carthago Nova, already been weakened during the First and Second Punic Wars, could not survive the fall of its metropolis. No more could the Topa kingdoms survive bereft of the luxuries necessary for the rituals legitimizing the rulers.

In a final explosion of all out warfare (caused by the reduction of available ritual goods) the Kingdoms of Topa fell into anarchy and dissolution. The temples and fortifications were ravaged and abandoned.

 

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A brief economic and diplomatic history of modern Eutopia


[Originally posted by Dark Knight]


1814-5 The modern Eutopian government was recognized by the Congress of Vienna and Eutopia became a constitutional monarchy under a branch of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty. The English-dominated regime retained close ties to Britain, whose fleet protected it against any possible outside interference. At this time, Eutopia remained sparsely populated, with a population of only approximately 1.5 million and much of the interior and the northwest remaining outside effective governmental jurisdiction.

1815-1880 This period was the great era of expansion in Eutopian history as the population spread to cover the entire island. Pressure from anti-slavery groups in Great Britain aided the island's anti-slavery faction in winning its eventual victory over the monarchy and the South. The only other exception in Eutopia's political isolation occurred in 1852-3 when Napoleon III's political adventurism and the initial antagonism between the Second Empire and Britain lead to the possibility of France attempting to retake its old colonial possessions in Eutopia. However, the French alliance with Britain during the Crimean War and the later relative friendship between the powers decreased the likelihood of an attempt being made, and later the Third Republic officially repudiated any French claims to the island.
This was a period of extremely rapid population growth in Eutopia, due both to natural increase and to large-scale immigration, both from the traditional colonizers and also from Ireland following the Potato Famine (resulting in the separation of the province of St. Brendan from Gloriana) and from the German states after the failed 1848 revolutions (resulting in the foundation of the province of New Schleswig). Improvements in agricultural technology combined with the development of an island wide railroad network resulted in a boom in agricultural exports, largely to Great Britain (from which derived much of the financing for the railroads). Towards the end of this period, a new capital, Eutopia City, was established, partly to encourage migration to the interior. Although many new settlements are founded and the established cities undergo considerable growth, Eutopia remained a rural nation. Very early in this period, Eutopia followed England's lead and established a paper currency operating on a gold standard.

1880-1930 This was the period of Eutopia's urbanization and industrialization. Although immigration declined in relative terms, it remained very high in absolute terms with particularly high numbers now arriving from Scandinavia, Hungary, while immigration from traditional sources remained strong. Production of natural resources, particularly coal, increased markedly, while both immigrants and rural Eutopians flocked to the industrial cities, with the urban population reaching 50% of the total by the end of the period. New Lancaster emerged as the largest city in Eutopia and the hub of the transportation system. Jacobia became the most industralized province, while Isabela, New Schleswig, and Nouvelle Aquitaine also emerged as the more industrial provinces. Eutopia remained isolationist during this era and declined to attempt any land grabs in Africa, although it lessened its dependence on Britain, developing its own navy and choosing to remain neutral during the Great War (although private firms supplied arms and money to the Allies). Eutopia even refused to become a member of the League of Nations.

1930-1945 The worldwide Depression hit Eutopia hard, with its trade badly damaged by the general escalation of tariffs and turmoil in other nations. Eutopia itself experienced record levels of unemployment and underutilization of resources. Partly as a response, the National Bank of Eutopia was established in 1934 to regulate the financial system. Immigration from traditional sources plummeted during this era, with the major source of immigrants now arising from Jewish refugees fleeing the Nazi regime. Although Eutopia remained neutral after the start of World War II, it quickly became important in the campaign against German U-boat warfare (which gravely damaged Eutopia's own shipping) and allowed its ports to be used first by Britain and later by the US. Eutopia itself declared war on the Axis powers on May 14 1943, the day after Axis forces in North Africa surrendered, and its forces participated in Operation 'Dragoon' (the amphibious invasion of southern France) and the final conquest of Germany. The war effort reinvigorated Eutopian industry, paving the way for the post-war years of prosperity.

1945-2002 Despite its participation in WWII, Eutopia returned to its isolationist ways once the war ended, even refusing membership in the United Nations. It remained pro-Western throughout the Cold War, even allowing the United States to continue the use of a naval base established in the Northwest Territory during the war, but declined to enter NATO or any other military alliance. Immigration became very slight except for several hundred thousand South Asians who arrived following the partition and complemented earlier Indian immigrants who had been imported as cheap labour. Eutopia did become a member of the Bretton Woods financial system (which held the currencies of most western nations in parity with the US dollar), but was forced to abandon the system and float its currency at the beginning of the 1970s. In 1982, with the decline in inflation, the old Eutopian currency was replaced by the new Eutopian ducat, with an initial value of 1 ducat = 1 US dollar. Although the first part of this period was one of rapid productivity growth and economic prosperity, the 1970s resulted in greater financial and commercial instability, coupled with oil shocks, high inflation rates, and rising unemployment. In more recent years, economic prosperity has returned and the government has reduced much post-war regulation of business and re-privatized several nationalized industries. Eutopia has also begun to develop a post-industrial economy centred around the 'Silikonwald' region surrounding Neuwestbaden in Neu Schleswig. Nonetheless, New Lancaster in New Lancashire remains the largest city in terms of population and has also developed into the media centre of Eutopia's emergent television and movie industries, and Eutopia City increased rapidly to become the 2nd largest city on the island, largely as a result of the increased number of government positions. Despite the recent prosperity, Eutopia's relative economic isolation (arising from its refusal to join international free trade organizations and relatively high tariffs) has resulted in a relative decline in per-capita income vis-à-vis other western nations. Nonetheless, per-capita income stands at 24,000 ducats, comparable to Britain, France, or Germany, although significantly behind the United States.

 

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Latin attitudes towards Eutopia and the Monarchy - some historical roots


The pre-French Revolution ancien regime had never been very popular in French-Eutopia, due "disagreements" over colonial policy and administration; one of the major bones of contention was the attempt by France's crown to reproduce a feudal regime in its Eutopian colonies, which ran into a couple of problems: (a) absentee landlords who could care less about their Eutopian estates, except by way of imposing steep levies on their tenants; (b) France's mercantilist policies, which damaged the economic development of its Eutopian colonies; (c) a growing spirit of independence among the tenant population, who saw themselves as self-reliant pioneers. Overall, there was a strong republican groundswell even before 1789.

When the French Revolution happened, French-Eutopians got swept up in the movement and merrily destroyed the vestiges of noble and clerical power (which the Crown had relied on to exercise colonial rule), while at the same time demanding more independence. The latter wasn't exactly forthcoming under the Jacobins, but at the same time, Paris didn't have the means to enforce central authority, so a system of colonial councils emerged which were mostly self-governing, although technically part of France. In 1794, the British occupied French-Eutopia in and did away with the colonial councils; in addition, their rule relied heavily on the old (and despised) elites of French-Eutopia, the state elites (not so much the absentee landlords, but their representatives and the colonial bureaucracy that had developed up until the Revolution) and the Catholic Church.

The Spanish provinces, on the other hand, had a long history of local self-government (even if the Vice-Roys were appointed by Madrid), so the Monarchy never generated the same sort of hostility it did in French-Eutopia. The Church's position, likewise, was well entrenched - so when the British conquered Spanish-Eutopia in 1807, doing away with local councils and restricting the role of the Catholic Church (fearing that in Spanish-Eutopia, unlike French-Eutopia, it would become a hotbed of resistance to British rule), Spanish-Eutopians immediately became disaffected with British rule. They welcomed the new royal house in 1815, hoping that it would ease up on the Catholic Church and restore local democracy. The former happened, the latter didn't, which bred long-term discontent.

As a result of these developments, French-Eutopians historically favoured provincial self-rule and resisted the Monarchy, while Spanish-Eutopians welcomed the Monarchy but also demanded self-rule (more vociferously so than the French, perhaps, because they had a longer tradition of self-government).

 

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Catalan immigration


[Originally posted by mfigueras]


Although some catalan sailors settled during the first years of the spanish colonization, they never formed a distinct community. Following the abolition, by Carlos III of Spain in the 18 century, of the law forbidding catalan ports to trade with the colonies, a flourishing trade is established between the spanish-speaking southern towns (specially in the province of Isabela) and the main catalan ports. This led to the settlement, specially after the treaty of Vienna, of many catalan traders in these provinces and a growing catalan-speaking community. The catalan reivindications in the island followed closely these very same reivindications in Spain (from the end of 19 century), although in Eutopia, the catalan reivindications have been always closely tied with the spanish ones (just the opposite situation as that in Spain).

From the 1970 onwards some radical catalan and spanish groups have tried to break the common aims of the catalan and spanish speaking peoples of Eutopia in order to reproduce the problems of their continental "relatives", but, fortunately, with little impact in the population.

Sources:
General History of Eutopia vols. 6,7,8. Eutopia 1992.
Cameron, F.: The spanish immigration in Eutopia during the 19th century. London, 1987. (very well documented)
Llagostera, J.: Els catalans eutòpics. Barcelona, 1928. (a bit outdated but still worth a reading)

 

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Brief overview of Eutopia's constitutional history up to the end of the Regency


1815 Eutopia becomes independent under a Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Monarch; Eutopia is an absolute Monarchy, there are no representative institutions, and the public is not involved in government.

1836 The powers of the Monarch are reduced; the Monarch still appoints the government and thus retains control over executive functions, but legislative functions are now shared between a Legislative Council appointed by the Monarch, and the Estates-General (1/4 nobility [seats hereditary], 1/4 clergy [seats filled by highest-ranking clergy], 1/2 commoners [elected every six years with weighted votes based on property; right to vote severly curtailed based on property]). The first High Court (constitutional court) is established.

1848 An attempt to establish a republican form of government by (what has come to be called) the "Parliament of Provinces" is crushed by the army. The Monarchy exploits that opportunity, and the Legislative Council and Estates-General are reduced to merely advisory bodies. Absolute monarchy is restored, as executive and legislative functions are concentrated once more in the Monarch, and the High Court is abolished.

1919 The Monarchy fears repercussions from the end of monarchical regimes in Europe (especially since it was weakened by the prolonged Regency of 1895-1904) and makes a limited number of concessions to the growing democratic reform movement:
(a) the Legislative Council is abolished
(b) the head of government must be a member of the (elected) "Commons" in the Estates-General
(c) the "Commons" are increased to 2/3 of the Estates-General, elections take place every four years, and universal male suffrage is introduced (votes are still weighted according to property, though).
(d) the Estates-General gain the right to veto budget legislation (with 2/3 of votes in the "Commons")

1923 The government of Viscount Fitzgerald is forced to resign after the "Commons" in the Estates-General reject four budget proposals in a row; a budget is passed only after the Monarch promises to change the constitution based on demands from the "Commons" (see 1926); from this point forward, a constitutional convention emerges that the head of government needs to enjoy the support of a majority in the "Commons," which is formalized by the 1926 changes.

1926 Due to the 1923 crisis, the following changes are implemented:
(a) The Estates-General are split into two chambers: the House of Commons (which can veto budget legislation with a majority of votes) and the House of Peers; both Houses have an advisory function on all legislation
(b) The head of government must be a member of the House of Commons and needs to command a majority in that House (so he will be appointed from the majoriy party/parties)
(c) votes are no longer weighed on the basis of property
(d) the High Court is re-established.

1926-1934 By way of convention, actual legislative powers slowly shift to the Estates-General, although the Constitution remains formally unchanged.

1971 In response to regional unrest, limited autonomy is granted to the South by the Monarch, who is assassinated by an Anglo.

1972 The Estates-General revoke Southern autonomy (something the South has never forgotten or forgiven).

2002 Edward IV dies; the Regent, exercising the power of constitutional amendment which technically still resides exclusively in the Monarch, decrees the Provisional Constitution.

Six years of Regency Marked by Latin dissatisfaction, electoral upsets, clashes over the Monarchy; finally ended by the so-called November Constitution drafted by the Constitutional Committee (technically a Royal Commission set up jointly by Parliament and the Regent).

 

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Provisional constitution (aka "Regency Constitution")


[Originally posted by Blade!]


1. All participants to the EUtopia forum who are members of an accepted active party are members of parliament.

2. Binding decisions can be conducted in one of two ways:

a. via Open Referendum: An open poll is released to the Eutopian populace at large. Citizens may cast one vote in a standard poll, with three options, yes, no or abstain. In order for this option to occur, the parliament must vote in approval to set the referendum into motion.

b. via Standard Eutopian Parliament Procedure:
~All parties conduct prior debates and possible preliminary polls internally. It doesn't really matter how, but somehow they must then present a collective vote of either yes, no or abstain.
~The strength of that vote equals their number of party members that have actively said yes to that particular kind of vote. If party members are not active in the forum at the time of the procedure then their votes do not count. Neither do members that have spoken against the party line.
~If a party is found to have utilized the votes of non-participating members, or changed their members votes… they will be charged with fraud and banned from any voting for two weeks.

OOC Example: Party A has 9 members. A proposal is put to the vote by the government, deadline for party votes is set to 48 hours from now. Party A heatedly debates the issue internally. When deadline approaches they find that one of their members has not been around to cast a vote. 7 of their members has, more or less reluctantly, agreed to say yes to the proposal. 1 member is adamant in saying no to the proposal. The party spokesperson announces in the Proposal Vote thread that her party says yes to the proposal, with strength of 7 votes.)

3. The Parliament must concern themselves with the selection of administrators for the operation of government. For the duration of the provisional government, if there are two candidates, the candidate with the most number of votes wins. If there are more than two candidates, and none of them receives a 50% +1 majority, a second round of voting is conducted between the two candidates with the largest number of votes. Up to a deadline, which the Speaker imposes, any MP may be put forth as a candidate:

a. The parliament needs to elect a Speaker. As the government is being established, the head of the provisional government will act in this capacity until the Speaker is elected. The Speaker:
~Oversees and sets time limits on debate in parliament
~Requests the Civil Service to post an Open Referendum if approved by parliament
~Makes official announcements regarding outcomes of parliamentary votes, and is responsible for checking their validity

b. The Parliament needs to elect a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister:
~Appoints a Government, exactly as he or she sees fit. The PM can organize and reorganize departments freely, he or she can appoint ministers from whatever party desired. The PM can sack ministers at will et cetera.
~Puts forth proposals for vote or debate, on any topic, regarding how the cabinet wants to run or modify EUtopia.

4. At the time when this is written, Eutopia has no Head of State (HoS). It falls to the Parliament to hold an Open Referendum if there is a question of no HoS, or the HoS's term expiring. Traditional Eutopian law dictates that the HoS:
~Sack any minister aside from the PM
~Reorganize the Civil Service
~Represent the nation in a ceremonial capacity
~Call for a vote of Non Confidence in any Cabinet Minister, PM, Speaker, or General Representative (the latter result resulting in exile from Eutopia)
~Serves as the Head of the Court System

5. Given that the PM has selected Cabinet Members. Cabinet Members:
~May puts forth proposals for vote or debate, on their specific portfolio, regarding the running or modification of EUtopia

6. The Civil Service shall run the day to day tasks of the government and shall be non-partisan. A Civil Service member may have no party affiliations or actively campaign on any issue. Civil Service Undersecretaries shall bring to the attention of Parliament, events requiring immediate attention.

 

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Constitution for Eutopia 2 (aka "November Constitution")

(as it stood at the end of E2)


Constitution for Eutopia


Part A. National Executive

I. [Presidential election] The President is Head of State as well as Head of Government. S/he is elected every two years by popular vote using an alternative vote system. [Please note: In actual gameplay practice, elections take place every ten weeks.]

II. [President and legislation] The President may propose legislation in the National Assembly. If a vote is tied in the National Assembly, the President may cast a tie-breaker vote (provided all MNAs have already voted).

III. [Appointment of Ministers and Directors-General] The President freely appoints and dismisses national Ministers and provincial Directors-General. Ministers may not propose legislation in the National Assembly, unless they are also MNAs. The President may (but need not) administer one Ministry directly.

IV. [Ministerial portfolios] Ministries are organized along the following lines:

• MINISTRY OF DEFENSE AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (MDIA): Defense, International Affairs, Public Company: ENDTech
• MINISTRY OF TRADE, ECONOMY, AND FINANCE (MTEF): Finance, Economy, Trade, Domestic Transportation (rails and highways, domestic air travel regulation; primarily construction, maintenance, and regulation pertaining to interprovincial transport and trade), Public Works (water and sewer, dams, public works projects), Forestry, Fisheries, Energy and Public Utilites (regulation of energy and telephone), Agriculture, Natural Resources and Mining, Public Company: Recom
• MINISTRY OF IMMIGRATION AND LAW ENFORCEMENT (MILE): Law Enforcement, Coast Guard, Customs, Justice, Property and Civil Rights, Immigration, Citizenship, Postal Service, International Transport, Navigation and Shipping, Public Company: Maritcon
• MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND & SOCIAL AFFAIRS (MHES): Health, Environment, Labour, Welfare, Family, Youth, Public Companies: Medicure and Omnicare
• MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY (MECT):
  Education, Language, Culture, Communities, Science, Technology,
  Communication, Media (broadcast communications, not telephone)
  Sports, National Parks

V. [State corporations] Ministers freely appoint and dismiss the CEOs of state corporations which fall within their portfolio.

VI. [Vice-President] One of the Ministers is designated Vice-President by the President and fulfills the President’s functions if and while the latter is absent. If the President resigns or loses his/her office for other reasons, s/he will be succeeded by the Vice-President.

VII. [Commissions] The President is a voting member of all Governmental Commissions (Commissions set up by the national executive), the Vice-President a non-voting member of all Parliamentary Commissions (i.e., Commissions set up by or at the behest of the National Assembly).


Part B. National legislature

VIII. [National Assembly] The National Assembly is elected every two years by proportional representation and consists of eight Members (MNAs). [Please note: In actual gameplay practice, elections take place every ten weeks.]

IX. [Legislation] (1) Any MNA may propose bills in the National Assembly. After sufficient discussion, and once they have been seconded by at least one other MNA, bills need to be put to a vote. Bills proposed by the President need to be seconded by at least one MNA to be put to a vote after sufficient discussion.
(2) Bills are passed into law by a majority of votes cast (MNAs have five days to cast a vote). Constitutional amendments require six votes in favour to be passed into law.

X. [Replacing MNAs and Assembly roll-calls] (1) If an MNA is going to be absent for more than fourteen days, s/he will have to resign his/her seat, to be replaced with another candidate from their party or alliance. If an MNA resigns or loses his/her seat for any other reason, s/he will be replaced in the same manner.
(2) Half-way through a term, the Speaker will hold a roll-call; all MNAs are required to respond to that roll-call within one week. MNAs who fail to respond will lose their seat.

XI. [Vacancies] If a party or alliance cannot fill a seat in the National Assembly at a given time, the seat will remain vacant until it can.

XII. [Speaker] The Speaker is responsible for organizing debate in the National Assembly, tallying Assembly votes, maintaining the Eutopia Law Gazette, and holding Assembly roll-calls.

XIII. [Speaker election] (1) The Speaker is an MNA, elected to the post by his/her fellow MNAs by an alternative vote system. A party's/alliance's lead Assembly candidate is automatically also that party's/alliance's candidate for the Speakership; if s/he is not eligible for the Speakership or withdraws his/her candidacy, the second-seeded candidate will be the Speaker candidate, and so on.
(2) The Speaker election is organized by the previous Speaker or, if that is impossible, by the previous Deputy Speaker. A Speaker candidate who wishes to withdraw his/her candidacy should notify the previous Speaker or Deputy Speaker (as the case may be) of their withdrawal no later than 3 days after the official election result has been announced by the CRO. A party/alliance not wishing to nominate a candidate for Speaker should notify the previous Speaker or Deputy Speaker within the same timeframe.
(3) Speaker elections will begin 3 full days after the election result has been announced and end after 3 days.

XIV. [Deputy Speaker] The Speaker appoints one fellow MNA to the post of Deputy Speaker; the Deputy Speaker fulfills the Speaker’s functions if and while the latter is absent. If the Speaker resigns or loses his/her office for other reasons, s/he will be succeeded by the Deputy Speaker.

XV. [Impeachment] The National Assembly can remove the President from office if at least six MNAs support the measure.


Part C. Constitutional Court and Administration

XVI. [High Court] The High Court is Eutopia’s constitutional court and highest court of appeal. It serves as a watchdog to make sure that the constitution is being respected by the state’s institutions. [Please note: In actual gameplay practice, the High Court is played by the GM Content.]

XVII. [Chief Registration Officer] The CRO is responsible for overseeing the citizen registry, as well as conducting referenda and public (presidential and Assembly) elections. [Please note: In actual gameplay practice, the CRO is played by the GM Admin.]


Part D. Military

XVIII. [Command structure] The President is Eutopia's Commander-in-Chief. The Chiefs of each of the three services (army, navy, airforce) make up Central Command. Service Chiefs are freely appointed and dismissed by the MDIA. Only Generals or equivalent can be appointed Chief.

XIX.[Removal of Chiefs] The National Assembly can remove Service Chiefs if at least six MNAs agree to the measure.


Part E. Provinces and Territories

XX. [Types of provinces and territories] (1) Directorial Provinces: Jacobia, New Lancaster, Gloriana, New Schleswig, St. Brendan.
(2) Autonomous Provinces: Nouvelle Anjou, Nouvelle Aquitaine, Saint-Esprit, Isabela, Nueva Rioja.
(3) National Territories: Western Eutopia Territory, Capital District.

XXI. [Directorial provinces] Directorial Provinces are purely administrative units and thus have no legislative powers; they are headed by a Director-General (chief of administration) freely appointed and dismissed by the President.

XXII. [Autonomous Provinces] (1) Autonomous provinces are self-governing in the areas of education, language and culture. They elect Provincial Assemblies to legislate in these areas (subject to approval/disallowance from the National Assembly). Provincial Assemblies also elect a First Minister to form a provincial government.
(2) In all other areas, Autonomous Provinces are merely administrative units; administration in these areas is headed by a Director-General (chief of administration) freely appointed and dismissed by the President.

XXIII. [Territories] Territories are adminstrative units; they are administered directly by the MILE.


Part F. National Elections

XXIV. [Eligibility] All citizens are eligible to vote or run for public office; non-citizens can neither vote nor run for public office.

XXV. [Parties] Every citizen may join or form a party. Parties need to have a clear party programme in order to participate in elections.

XXVI. [Election timeframe] Announcements for elections and referenda will be made by the CRO six days before they begin. In the case of presidential/ Assembly elections, candidacies have to be declared at the CRO office at least one day before elections begin. Citizens will have five days to cast their vote in an election or referendum.

XXVII. [Candidate nominations] (1) Anyone may run for President. Parties may nominate only one presidential candidate.
(2) Only parties can nominate candidates for Assembly elections; nominations need to be submitted to the CRO office by the party leader or deputy leader.
(3) In both Assembly and presidential elections, parties can only nominate their own members.
(4) By way of an exception, two or more parties may join an alliance and submit a joint presidential candidate and a joint Assembly candidate list to the CRO.

XXVIII. [Threshold] Parties or alliances which get fewer than five percent of votes in a National Assembly election will not gain any seats in the Assembly. [Please note: in actuality, parties or alliances need eight percent of player votes to be considered for additional, GM-assigned votes and NA-seats.]


Part G. Incompatibilities

XXIX. [National executive] (1) The President cannot be a MNA at the same time.
(2) Ministers may not hold the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker.

XXX. [Provinces and municipalities] (1) First Ministers, Directors-General and members of provincial assemblies may not hold public office at the national level (President, Minister, MNA, Speaker, Deputy Speaker).
(2) Mayors may likewise not hold public office at the national level.


Part H. Budget

XXXI. [Draft budget] The MTEF is responsible for drafting a budget each term in consultation with the President and other Ministers. The President will submit the draft budget to the National Assembly if and when it finds his/her approval.

XXXII. [Budget legislation] Once submitted to the National Assembly, a draft budget will be considered an ordinary (non-constitutional) bill. The National Assembly may make any changes to a draft budget it sees fit.

XXXIII. [Continuing operation] If the National Assembly does not pass a budget within six months after a term begins, expenditure and revenue provisions for the current term will automatically be identical to those of the previous term in order to guarantee the integrity of government services. [Please note: in real time, the NA has two months to pass a budget.]


First Amendment: Popular Responsibility of the Executive Branch

I. [Vice-Presidential Candidates] Each party or coalition running one of its members for the office of President must submit to the office of the Chief Registration Officer its candidate for Vice-President before the appropriate deadline set by the CRO. The Vice-Presidential candidate need not be a member of the party or coalition, but if he is not, he must submit a statement to the CRO stating that he is willing to run for the office of Vice-President.

II. [Vacancy of Vice-Presidency] If the office of the Vice-President is vacant, the President shall, within the first 72 hours of the beginning of such vacancy, nominate a Vice-President who shall only be sworn if a vote of the National Assembly, called immediately after the nomination, returns a majority in favor of confirming the Vice-Presidential nominee. If the vote fails to return a majority, the President shall submit another nominee for consideration by the National Assembly within 72 hours.

III. [Vice-President holding a Ministry] In order to be Vice-President, the Vice President must also hold a ministerial position outlined in this Constitution. If this condition is for any reason not met at any point in time, the office of the Vice President shall be considered to be vacated.

IV. [Removal of Cabinet members] The Vice President or any Minister whose position is outlined in the Eutopian Constitution may be removed from office by a thirteen-twentieths vote of the National Assembly.

V. [Re-appointments precluded] Any individual removed from office by the method outlined in Section IV of this amendment may not be appointed to the Vice-Presidency or any Ministry outlined in the Eutopian Constitution until after the following general election, unless approved by a majority vote of the National Assembly.


Second Amendment: Presidential Succession

I. [Vacancy of Presidency] Should the President die, resign, or be removed from office by the National Assembly, the Vice President shall succeed the President.

II. [Vice-President unable to assume Presidency] In such a case, should the office of Vice President be vacant, or the Vice President is for any reason unable to take the office of the President, the office of President shall be held by the Speaker of the National Assembly.

III. [Speaker unable to assume Presidency] In such a case, should the Speaker of the National Assembly be unable to assume the duties of the President, that the order of succession shall be MDIA, MILE, MTEF, MHES, MECT (or their equivalents), followed by any ministries created after the ratification of this amendment, in order of seniority. Should none of the holders of the outlined offices be able to assume the duties of the President, the government shall be recalled and an emergency midterm election shall be rendered immediately with the High Court temporarily maintaining all essential government duties.

IV. [President declaring temporary inability to fulfill duties] Should the President ever deem himself incapable of fulfilling the duties of his office, he may submit a written statement bearing his signature to the Chief Justice of the High Court, stating that he is unable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, upon the reception of which the duties of the office of the President shall devolve upon the next in the line of succession to the office of the President, until the Speaker of the National Assembly receives a second written declaration bearing the President's signature stating that the President is once again able to fulfill the duties of the office of the President.

V. [Cabinet declaring President temporarily unable to fulfill duties] (1) The duties of the office of the President shall devolve upon the next in line of succession to the office of the President upon the reception by the Chief Justice of the High Court of a written declaration bearing the signatures of three-fourths of the Cabinet and the Vice President stating that the President is unable to fulfill the duties of the office.
(2) The President shall resume the duties of the office of the President upon the Speaker's reception of a written declaration bearing the signature of the President stating that he is once again able to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, unless a written declaration to the contrary bearing the signatures of three-fourths of the Cabinet and the Vice President is received by the Speaker within forty-eight hours.
(3) In this case the Vice President shall continue to hold the office of the President and the Speaker of the National Assembly shall convene, within 48 hours, a tribunal of the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the High Court, and the Chief Registration Officer. This tribunal shall by majority consensus decide whether the President is able to fufill the duties of the office of the President.

V. [National Assembly declaring President temporarily unable to fulfill duties] The National Assembly may, by a thirteen-twentieths majority, declare the President unfit to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, in which case the next in the line of succession shall assume the duties of the office of the President until such time as a simple majority of the National Assembly declares that the President is once again capable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President.

VI. [High Court declaring President temporarily unable to fulfill duties] (1) If the President is, at any time, unavailable (unavailable being defined as having made no official public appearances, nor having made contact, written or verbal, with any member of the Cabinet, National Assembly, or High Court) without explanation and notification of such a state to the Cabinet, the High Court, or the National Assembly for a period of eight days, or is unavailable for any reason for a period of fourteen days, he shall be deemed unable to fulfill the duties of the office of the President, and the next in the line of succession shall assume the duties of the office of the President until the President submits a written statement to the High Court stating that he is once again available to serve as President of Eutopia.
(2) The High Court shall be the arbiter of the unavailability of the President.


Third Amendment: Eutopian Charter of Rights

The following rights are guaranteed by the people in their capacity as the sovereign authority in the republican government of Eutopia for the benefit of all humanity:


CHAPTER A: PERSONAL RIGHTS

I. [Title] The title of this enactment shall be "The Eutopian Charter of Rights."

II. [Assembly] All persons shall have the right to peaceably assemble and to associate with one another.

III. [Movement] Citizens shall have the right to freely move within the nation, and the right of citizens to re-enter Eutopia may not be denied. This section will be subject to the limitations and conditions of the Constitution. The National Assembly may limit this right based on compelling governmental interest.

IV. [Petition] All persons shall have the right to petition a court of law of the Republic for redress of such grievances and causes of action that the law of the Republic recognizes, and to petition their government on any matter.

V. [Press] The freedom of the press shall not be denied.

VI. [Privacy] Every person has the right to privacy in his or her person, effects, and property.

VII. [Religion] The free exercise of religion shall not be restricted. The government shall take no role in religious affairs, and shall not sponsor or establish any religion.

VIII. [Speech] All persons shall have the right -- in public or in private -- to free speech, expression, thought, and conscience.

IX. [Vote] The right of citizens who have attained the age of eighteen to vote in bona fide elections shall not be denied, except in the case of convicted felons, and then only under such circumstances as the National Assembly may designate.

X. [Life] All persons shall have the right to life. The power of the government to execute persons convicted of capital crimes and sentenced to death, in accordance with the procedures mandated by the National Assembly, shall not be considered an infringement on this right; nor shall abortion or do-not-resuscitate orders be considered violations of this right unless the National Assembly shall mandate otherwise.

XI. [Education] All persons shall have the right to twelve years of education, starting at age six. All persons shall have the right to pursue whatever educational opportunities they are qualified for.

XII. [Profession] Neither the government nor private organizations or industries shall infringe upon the right of individuals to pursue whatever lawful calling they may choose, provided they are qualified for it. The government may establish reasonable testing procedures to guarantee qualification, provided those procedures do not conflict with this Section or other provisions of this Charter. This provision shall not be taken to preclude individuals from forming labor unions or other professional organizations.

XIII. [Environment] All persons shall have the right to live and work in a safe environment conducive to their health, well-being, and personal growth.


CHAPTER B: RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED

XIV. [Arrest] No person shall be placed under arrest unless there exists probable cause to do so.

XV. [Personal search] All individuals shall be secure in their persons and attendant effects except insofar as is necessary to guarantee the safety of law enforcement officers, or in cases where the individual consents to being searched. Personal searches may be conducted pursuant to a validly conducted arrest. In circumstances where arrest is unavoidably imminent, including but not limited to cases of hot pursuit or where illegal evidence is in plain view, searches may constitutionally be conducted as though the suspect was already under arrest.

XVI. [Search of property, and seizure] The property of all persons, both real and personal, shall remain secure from unreasonable governmental intrusion, unless permitted by a duly authorized warrant. Such warrant shall be based upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and approved by a court. Such warrant shall designate specifically the property to be searched. While conducting a search, government officials may seize only those things which may reasonably support an arrest and prosecution, or which may otherwise aid law enforcement in the conduct of their investigations.

XVII. [Counsel] All persons arrested for a crime shall have the right to consult with counsel before, during, and after trial.

XVIII. [Bail] Bail shall be available in all cases, except those where the judge deems it imprudent. Bail amounts shall be proportional to the severity of the crime.

XIX. [Grand Jury] A grand jury shall be convened in all felony cases to determine whether the government possesses adequate evidence to proceed with trial.

XX. [Trial] Any individual accused of a crime shall be informed of the charges against him prior to the first court appearance in respect of those charges. All persons accused of a felony shall be entitled to trial by a jury of their peers. All trials shall be conducted fairly, quickly, and within the public view. The accused shall not be denied the right to confront the witnesses against him, nor the right to secure witnesses of his own.

XXI. [Self-incrimination] In criminal cases, the accused shall not be required to testify against his or her interest before, during, or after trial.

XXII. [Ex post facto laws] No individual shall be subject to criminal charges for conduct completed when said conduct was made criminal.

XXIII. [Double jeopardy] No individual shall be required to stand trial twice for the same crime.

XXIV. [Habeas corpus] No person detained within Eutopia's sovereign territory shall be denied the right to submit writs of habeas corpus to the courts for the review of government action.

XXV. [Punishment & fines] No individual shall be subjected to torture or any method of cruel or unusual punishment, nor the threat of torture or cruel or unusual punishment; nor shall any individual be subject to fines out of proportion with the severity of their crime.


CHAPTER C: GOVERNMENTAL GUARANTEES AND STRICTURES

XXVI. [Due process] The government shall at all times guarantee the due process of law as laid down by the provisions of the Constitution and as codified as customary international law.

XXVII. [Citizenship] Citizenship may be acquired via jus soli, jus sanguinis, or by other means designated by the Minister of Immigration and Law Enforcement or any successor office responsible for immigration. Citizenship, once granted, is unconditional and may not be revoked.

XXVIII. [Discrimination] No right or privilege, whether granted publicly or privately, by statute, code, regulation, common law, practice, or other means, shall be denied, abridged, or otherwise altered on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or indicia of those.

XXIX. [Sovereign immunity] No unit of government, or authority created or delegated by that government, may be brought to account in a court of law unless the government shall give its consent so to do. No such governmental agency shall be immune from justly adjudicated liability unless it is also immune from suit. No governmental agency may utilize this section to deny redress under a substantive right guaranteed by the Constitution.

XXX. [Extent of protection] The government shall at all times endeavor to protect the rights guaranteed herein, and the enumeration of the rights herein shall not be taken to deny additional rights to individuals as may be determined in accordance with this document, the Eutopian constitution, and the rule of law.

 

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The kings of Eutopia


[Originally posted by Blade!]


Ernst I (of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha) (1815 - 1836)

A cousin of Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (then marrried to Princess Charlotte of England and later King of the Belgians), he was nominated by his influential and ambitious relative to become monarch of the newly-independent nation of Eutopia. The Congress of Vienna agreed, and thus he came to the island, where he was crowned King on October 19, 1815 (the date of formal independence and thus our national day). As a member of a Germanic house, he declared the Salic Law to be in effect for his dynasty, which has inadvertantly caused the present constitutional crisis. Very much in the pocket of English interests, he advocated the suppression of Latin rights, but conversely refused to go along with the abolition of slavery in Latin areas. He died on Deccember 3, 1836 and was succeeded by his son Albert, until then known as the Prince of Nouvelle Aquitaine (afterwards the traditional title of the Heir Apparent).

Albert I (1836 - 1866)

A genial man, much less authoritarian than his father, his reign saw a radical decrease in the power of the monarch. Like his father, he refused to wreck the economy of the southern part of the island by emancipating the slaves, which put him very much at odds with Parliament and popular sentiment in the north. After a decade of near civil war, he was presented with an ultimatum: emancipation of the slaves or be deposed. He very reluctantly chose the former, and spent the rest of his reing bitterly opposing Parliament whenever possible. As a result, Parliament gradually whittled away at royal power. By the time of his death on June 7, 1866, the monarchy retained little of the power it had at the beginning of the reign.

Ernst II (1866 - 1872)

As he had no sons, Albert's younger brother Ernst succeeded him. A well-liked man during his brother's reign (when he was known as the Duke of St. Brendan), Ernst attempted to turn his popularity into political capital during his short reign. Thus he was able to restore a bit of prestiege and power to the monarchy, which regained a small amount of popularity as a result (enough to barely survive several votes in Parliament advocating the foundation of a Republic). He died on January 5, 1872 and was succeeded by his son Edward.

Edward I (1872 - 1893)

Like his father, Edward was well liked by the populace, and for several decades all talk of forming a republic was limited to the most radical (who were a very vocal minority though). A nationalistic press was willing to overlook some shady dealings and a string of mistresses, but inevitably some rumors leaked out. Towards the end of his reign, several financial scandals became publically known and threatened to blacken his name; only a timely death saved him from an impending investigation. He died young on May 30, 1893 and was succeeded by his 10-year-old son, also named Edward.

Edward II (1893 - 1895)

The reign of Edward II was short and sad, complicated by both his minority and his hemophilia, inherited from his mother, one of Queen Victoria's innumerable granddaughters. He died aged only 12 on August 15, 1895, after accidently cutting himself on a knife during dinner and subsequently bleeding to death. He was succeeded by his younger brother Albert, who was aged only 9 at the time.

Albert II (1895 - 1939)

Like is older brother, Albert was a minor when he came to the throne; thus the regency set up for Edward II continued for the first nine years of his reign. This prolonged regency permanently undermined the power of the monarchy, whcih from this time onward was more or less ceremonial. Albert II resented this but was helpless to do anything about it. Thus he grew up to be something of a resentful, spoiled brat, though his subjects saw little of his legendary temper on the few occasions he could be persuaded to leave Isle Real to appear in public. He died on April 10, 1939, complaining to the last, and was succeeded by his son Edward.

Edward III (1939 - 1971)

Edward III basically remodelled Eutopia's monarchy to conform with other modern-day monarchies such as Great Britain's - to be the ceremonial head of state, the be the focus of national pride, and be an example for his people. To some extent he succeeded, but the monarchy had been growing less popular during his father's reign, and republicanism was very much on the rise during the radical '60s. His attempts to bridge the gap between Latin south and English north had an embarassing tendency to backfire badly, with embarassing verbal snafus and clumsy attempts at comprmise which satisfied no one and alienated everybody (especially Parliament, which resented him for getting involved in what they perceived to be affairs outside the monarch's purview). A sickly Edward III was assassinated by a reactionary Anglo (who believed that the governement was giving too much power to the Latins) on August 4, 1971. He was succeeded by his son Thomas.

Thomas (1971 - 1993)

Having learned harsh lessons about interfering in politics from his father's experience, Thomas completely distanced the monarchy from any sort of political matters. Instead, he is said to have mis-quoted Pope Leo X "God has given us the kingship, let us then enjoy it!" Thus Thomas became a pleasure loving hedonist, jetting to posh resorts and hob-nobbing with the rich and famous. He carried on several notorious affairs with well-known Hollywood actresses and models, and spent the country's money as if it were his own private bank account. While many were fascinated by his high-society lifestyle, many were completely turned off by his seeming indifference to the country he ruled, and as a result republicanism became even stronger during his reign. He died of advanced cirrhosis of the liver on June 27, 1993 and was succeeded by his son Albert.

Albert III (1993 - 1999)

Albert III attempted duiring his short reign to reverse the damage his predecessors had done to the prestiege of the monarchy; one wonders what might have happened had he reigned longer. He lived frugally and paid much attention to the state of affairs of his country, thouhg never stepping on Parliament's toes. He was thus a popular figure both here and abroad, but before he could do much, he died young in a tragic skiing accident on December 19, 1999 and was succeeded by his uncle Edward.

Edward IV (1999 - 2002)

Edward IV was as bad as his brother Thomas, if not worse, when it came to living the high life. He never married and kept a virtual stable of mistresses on Isle Real. His accession marked the beginning of the succession crisis - he was the last direct male descendent of Ernst I alive, and heated debate over the succession and whether the monarchy ought to be continued at all filled much of Parliament's time. This debate was still going on when Edward IV died of a heart attack while frolicking in the surf naked with one of his teenaged mistresses on July 3, 2002, thus setting off the current contitutional crisis

*Special Thanks to Demetrios

 

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Former claimants to the throne

(Please note: claims now vacated in favour of Queen Maria)


[Originally posted by Blade!]


Between July 3 (the date of Edward IV's death) and July 5, 2002, five different people came forward to stake a claim on the previously-vacant throne of Eutopia.

According to the Historic Constitution, the monarch had to be: (A) male and (B) a legitimate descendent in the male line of Ernst I. The problem is that after the death of Edward IV, no living person fits that description, hence the current constitutional crisis. The Parliament was unable to decide would be the next monarch of the island, and, indeed, whether the monarchy should continue on at all... instead the Extended Royal Family settled it within house, with guidance from the Regent, and the legislature did not write the monarch into a legal position in the Constitution, though vast sections of the population still recite an oath of loyalty.

The nearest relatives to the throne:

Kieth Coburg (AKA "Prince Uglyduck")

Kieth is the oldest of the innumerable illegitimate children of Edward IV. His claim is that he is a direct male descendent of Ernst I, but the great impediment to his claim is his illegitimacy. Paraliament has the power to declare him legitimate if they so wish. Kieth is happily married with two healthy sons, so the continuation of the male line looks promising should he be chosen. Kieth has since left left EUtopia for voluntary exile in America after the brutal politicking & threats over the throne, and accusations of militancy in some of his supporters.

Queen Maria Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, formerly Princess Maria, Countess of Jacobia.

Princess Maria is the sister of Albert III and the daughter of Edward III. Her claim was based upon the fact that she is the only close legitimate relative (barring her own children) of the last three monarchs. The impediment to her claim was that she is female, which traditionally barred her from the throne. Princess Maria was the "glamor figure" of the royal family, and was quite popular, even if she was reputed to have a haughty attitude and tends to look down her nose at the people at times. After the Regent's Rule (during which a brutal debate over the heirs was never resolved, but had bloodshed), the 1rst Constitution, and then the 2nd Constitution was established. She waited until a 2nd succesful democratic election had taken place before formally claiming the throne. WIth no objections materializing, she was coronated in the Royal Palace in EUtopia City, and designated her eldest child, Contessa Francesca Madeline Blade! as Crown Princess of EUtopia. Since then she has been continually touring EUtopia and restoring the Royal estates and listening to the people's concerns, as well as making a sizeable endowment for the Eutopian Womens' Association.

John, 5th Duke of Gloriana

Duke John is the direct descendent of Victoria, the only child of Albert I. As a female, she was barred from the throne upon her father's death. The Dukes of Gloriana descend from her, and John, the 5th and current Duke, has put forward his claim as her descendent. Duke John says that if females are going to be allowed to gain the throne (a pointed reference to his cousin Maria's claim), then the normal procedures of primogenature should come into effect, in which case he is the heir of Ernst I (which is logically indisputable). The impediment to his claim is the same as Princess Maria's, he isn't a descended from Ernst I in the direct male line. Moreover, the Gloriana family is wildly unpopular, being well known for their harsh reactionary political views...

Ernst, Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Prince Ernst is the direct male descendent of Albert, the oldest brother of Ernst I. His claim was based upon the fact that if the line of Ernst I is extinct, the inheritence should fall to his branch of the family. The main impediments to any claim of inheritance are that he is not a direct descendent of Ernst I and the fact that he is virtually unknown on the island...

Friedrich, Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Prince Friedrich is the direct male descendent of Friedrich, the younger brother of Ernst I. His claim was based upon the claim that since Albert allowed his younger brother Ernst I to claim the Eutopian throne, he was implicitly resigning any claim he (and any descendents, such as Prince Ernst) may have had. So now that the Eutopian line is extinct, the claim goes to the descendents of the next brother in age. Many felt that this claim was weak, but Friedrich was at least well-known on the island, and is viewed as a generally upstanding young man, with dashing Teutonic looks and a witty charm that has made him quite popular... and would probably inherit the throne if both Queen Maria and the Crown Princess were to perish.

Francesca Madeline Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Blade!, formerly Contessa Franchesca Madeline, Crown Princess & Heir Apparent to Queen Maria & Dutchess of Jacobia

The eldest daughter and crown princess of Queen Maria. Holds a Masters Degree in in Nuclear Engineering from Eutopia University, but spends her full time managing the estates of the Royal Family and attending the Queen, as well as managing the estates of the Blade! family conglomerate of her husband. She married the former Regent of Eutopia, Head of the Blade! Family Industrial Conglomerate, and former Supreme Judge of the High Court, Blade! after a long courtship during her graduate school years prior to the coronation of Queen Maria. When Princess Maria was coronated as Queen of EUtopia, Francesca was named Crown Princess, and assumed residence in the estates in Jacobia, though spends much of her time in EUtopia City at the Royal Palace and on New Bengal Isle.

 

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In the beginning


[Originally posted by Hajji Giray I]


IN THE BEGINNING there was chaos, as the nation collapsed amidst a constitutional crisis. The monarchy which had run the nation since 1815 had collapsed after the last King in the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha line had a heart attack frolicking in the beach with his 16-year-old mistress. The nation was embarrassed threefold: embarrassed that the King had died in such a fashion, embarrassed that he was the last King, and embarrassed that there was now nobody running the country, let alone anyone with morals.

A man named Blade! assumed temporary power as per the King's dying wish. Per Blade! oversaw the election of a new Prime Minister, Murmurandus, as well as a new Parliament and Speaker. Eventually power was turned over fully.

Per Murmurandus gathered a group of wise political elders and national leaders, and together they formed a new Constitution for the Republic of EUtopia.

As the new leader of the Republic of EUtopia, Murmurandus wisely called elections. Three political parties stood for Parliament, the Rally for Democracy (RD) (Murmurandus's party), Free Republicans (FR) (founded by the sober Irishman Sean Galloglaigh), and Liberal Democrats (an obscure third party that disappeared after the election). The RD also nominated Murmurandus for President, and the FR countered with Jacob Lundgren.

The EUtopian Socialist Reform Party (ESRP), a new movement co-founded by a shadowy character named Josephus Sergei Locke (who later removed the Locke name because it was so hilariously ironic), did not take part. However, it would grow and shrink over the years and live all the way until the onslaught of hurricanes that forever changed the nation's politics.

Jacob Lundgren carried the election and became EUtopia's first truly elected President.

 

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Term 1


[Originally posted by Hajji Giray I]


PRESIDENT LUNDGREN's term was not very eventful at all.

In terms of legislation, the only thing interesting that happened was the foundation of the interstate highway system EUtopia has today. Planned primarily by (formerly) retired old American codger Charles S. Morgan (FR) and built by Minister of Economy, Trade, and Infrastructure Vasco I_Killed-Kenny (RD), the freeway system was passed easily and became one of very few legislative achievements of the term.

Speaking of Morgan, the Lundgren Presidency saw the foundation of EUtopia's most important newspapers. The ESRP sponsored The EUtopian Worker, a heavily anti-government paper which would get extremely controversial in later days; members of the RD founded the left-leaning Public Interest (separate from the party, however), which until the election of John O'Floinn be the nation's most influential magazine; the FR opened The Voice of the Republic and then quickly closed it; and Charles Morgan (who had come to EUtopia to retire from a long career in the US) created The Gazette, which would become the nation's most widely read newspaper and would gain a reputation for (mostly) unbiased and (frequently) factual reporting (Morgan had nothing better to do).

Around the middle of his term, President Lundgren resigned for medical reasons, and was succeeded by Vice President (surprise) Murmurandus. Murmurandus followed Lundgren's precedent and did very little.

However, socialist terrorists were in action behind the scenes. Minister of Defense and International Affairs Adam "Jools" Jones-Julseau (FR) was attacked by unknown assailants hired by Josephus Sergei. MDIA Julseau survived, barely, the bomb attack, but afterwards he went spiralling into paranoia and extremely extremist right-wing views, claiming a vast left-wing conspiracy was out to destroy the nation. He was promptly sacked.

By the time the next elections came around, however, the political landscape had changed. The Liberal Democrats had vanished, the Libertarians had appeared, and a radical new force had appeared on the far far far right.

The nationalist Jacob Langley began spouting his extreme opinions very loudly at the end of the term. His radio, the "Voice of Truth" spewed propaganda and gladly slung mud at the ESRP, which returned the favor with mud of its own. Respectable politicians ducked to the ground and covered their heads.

However, the Free Republican party had collapsed to half its old size, and to win the elections it needed to form a coalition. The options weren't pretty, but were necessary. The FR arranged a deal with Langley's party and the Libertarians to form one big party while remaining separate parties simultaneously. (Sound complicated? It is. But remember, the idea was stolen from the Holy Trinity, was it not? ) Eventually all three melded into the Conservative Coalition (CC), because it was so darn much simpler.

The CC put forward journalist and MP Charles Morgan as their candidate (his famous words: "I'll run if nobody else wants to"), and the RD and ESRP both threw their weight behind Murmurandus. Despite Morgan's wide-ranging campaign opposite Murmurandus's non-campaign, the fact was, the CC was too small to stand a chance. Murmurandus comfortably sailed into a big victory with minimal effort.

Term 2


[Originally posted by Phalanx]


Term II saw the President Murmurandus re-elected after he succeded Jacob Lundgren during Term I. His opponent, Charles Morgan, was defeated by a relatively narrow margin. His cabinet consisted of: METI/VP: Josephus I (ESRP) MHSA: hughbarlett (RD) MDIA: Shiiuga (ESRP) MHA: IKK (RD). It was during Term II that Eutopia's clandestine intelligence agency, the Security and Analysis Wing, was founded by MHA Vasco I-Killed-Kenny.

President Murmurandus also appointed Jack Teano as special envoy to France, sparking what was later termed 'Teano-mainia' in that nation. The French government and citizenry were simply enamored by Teano's abilities. Sanctions against the French were discussed and rejected by Murmurandus's adminstration. The rest of the European was quick to show support for France, and revenge on the French was judged to not be worth alienating such a powerful group of nations.

Late in Term II, the Moderate Party was founded by Judas Maccabeus. Though it was he who brought together the moderates who then went on to unite the Republican parties for the Term III elections, Maccabeus himself never took a strong leadership role within the party, and was not particularly famous for his politics. As the Term drew to a close, the CPR was organized to counter the bloated Centre Royal Party.

Term III began with the landslide election John O'Floinn to the Presidency at the head of the Coalition to Preserve the Republic (CPR), composed of the three major non-monarchist parties, the Moderate Party, Conservative Coalition, Rally for Democracy (later renamed Democratic Alternative) and Eutopian Socialist Reform Party. Capturing over 70% of the vote, the CPR had struck a major blow to the Centre Royal Party, which then began it's steady decline. O'Floinn's orginal cabinet consisted of Minister of Home Affairs Yuber D. Harding (later replaced by MP member Timothy Wellesford), Minister of Defense and International Affairs Daniel Hartwell (CC), Minister of Trade, Economy, and Infrastructure Josephus Locke Sergei, and Minister of Heritage and Social Affairs Sebastian Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick would also be named VP, prompting several papers to speculate about a conspiracy run by Eutopia's influential Irish politicians.


Term 3


[Originally posted by Phalanx]

Term III saw several unfortunate events which divided Eutopia from other nations, notably the conflicts with France and Spain, resulting from the NAFA's expiration under President Murmurandus. O'Floinn appointee Michael von Streusser would later organize a conference to draft a new NAFA.

Cabinet cooperation and organization was remarkable during the O'Floinn administration, especially considering the broad coalition of parties that President O'Floinn had to satisfy. Jack Teano was widely credited as the secret to the CPR's success. However, this term saw evidence the military-politician rivalry which has always existed in Eutopia. The largely discredited Military Reform Commission saw little discussion of the military, but rather an extended, inclonclusive argument about the role of politicians in military affairs. METI Josephus banned importation of Canadian beef as a reaction to the spread of mad-cow disease in that country.

The American naval base at Farpoint was set up during Term III. At the time, it was widely regarded as a wise decision. Then, when an American officer was accused of rape by a Topan woman, it sparked a seemingly neverending series of problems in western Eutopia. Talks with the Americans began breaking down after the disappearance of Deputy MDIA Robert Vercogz, while protestors cut off the US base from the rest of Farpoint, declaring a 'Topa Free Zone.' Vice-Admiral Tulp loudly demanded action on the situation, while MHA Wellesford remained unwilling to committ riot police to take control of the situation. Negotiations were attempted with protesters, but a lack of clear leadership made these talks difficult.

When leadership of the Topa Free Zone became clear, Roger Smith (later arrested after he attempted a coup) and Dr. Svein de Vlaminck (arrested in Eutopia several times for connections to MEOR, and last seen during capture by the American CIA) were sent to negotiate with the Topan leadership. Talks broke down quickly, in part due to Smith's previously unknown aggressive personality, and the situation would continue with an awkward status-quo for the rest of the Term.

 

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Term 4


[Originally posted by Hajji Giray I]


After President O'Floinn's re-election, he announced the new Cabinet, which remained largely unchanged except for the quiet dismissal of Lt. Gen. Dan Hartwell as MDIA, who was replaced by Charles S. Morgan.

The term was dominated by the Western Eutopia Territory, which became a very, very tense and hostile area following an incident with a US Army officer stationed there. 2nd Lt. George Hanson allegedly raped a Topan woman, and the failure of American military police to press charges caused widespread Topan outrage.

The Eutopian government stepped in, trying to get Lt. Hanson turned over, and when that failed, sending special envoy Roger Smith to the W.E.T. to try to sort things out. Predictably, Smith and his local friend Ristard Deaghaidh came to the conclusion that things were pretty much hopeless. The Topans soon started protests against Smith's Rally for Democracy party and the ruling Moderate Party.

 

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Term 5


[Originally posted by Barkeep49]


Having been the dominant force in Eutopian politics for the previous two terms Term 5 marked the beginning of a rapid decline for the Moderate Party. Part of a three-way coalition between the ENP, formed principally by the departure of Jake Langley and Jacob Lundgren from the Conservative Coalition, the MP, and the Rally for Democracy, the Moderate Party failed to submit a parliamentary list on time leaving them without representation in the National Assembly. Coalition talks almost broke down at several points, and lasted into the beginning of the Campaign Period, before it was finally decided that Jake Langley would run for President and Vasco IKK would run for Vice President. For a short while it looked as though IKK would not drop out of the race but finally did so, ensuring a Coalition victory over the CRE-CC Coalition and the ESRP. As part of the coalition agreement, Jonathan Glasser, bursting onto the national scene, was elected Speaker of the National Assembly as well as leader of the Rally for Democracy.

During the turning point was made in Eutopia’s long running battle against terrorists and putschists. It looked gloomy at first as terrorist activity, largely promoted by MEOR, continued. The situation was further worsened by the rape of a Topan girl causing numerous problems in the WET and in Eutopian-American relations. The situation reached a zenith when the American base at Farpoint was attacked with Molotov cocktails, leading the American military to take over the WET, in the name of finding the terrorists responsible for the attack.

Eutopia’s reaction was strong with President Langley immediately requesting, and receiving, National Assembly approval for Eutopian troops to operate within Eutopia. Public reaction was split with President Langley and Charles Morgan, once again the MDIA, leading the pro-American response, while the ESRP led the more anti-American response. Morgan launched a diplomatic offensive, and over the course of negotiations became increasingly hostile towards the Americans, but was finally able to reach an agreement with the Americans that led to their withdrawal from the WET, but not before effectively wiping out MEOR, capturing its leader Dr. Svein De Vlamink.

By the end of the crisis, however, President Langley had disappeared, for causes which have never been explained. Under the Presidential Succession Act, passed earlier in the term, power would have gone to Vice President IKK. However, IKK had also disappeared, it having been later determined that he contracted a virus which was plaguing the island. Speaker Glasser, next in-line, was also missing, it later being determined that he was pursuing the murders of some slain Latin children in Morocco, leaving Charles Morgan with-in hours of achieving his goal of becoming President. However, Glasser returned to Eutopia just in time to become Acting President, a move supported by a High Court ruling, and it was during this time that the Americans finally withdrew from the WET. When just hours before he would have been permanently removed from office, Langley returned to the island and reassumed the Presidency.

Langley and Glasser proceeded to clash, ultimately leading to the High Court case of Glasser vs. Langley asserting that the Speaker has final say over NA debates and limiting the right of the President in the NA. At the same time former MILE, Speaker, and President Jacob Lundgren passed away. Talks over a new NAFA opened in Canada , as President Langley once again disappeared leading to Vasco IKK to assume the Presidency.

The IKK Presidency was a time of great turmoil. Having sent troops to the WET to battle the Eco-fascists, formed under MDIA Dan Hartwell to fight Eutopian militants, IKK later attempted to rescind the order causing Admiral Hendrik Johan van-Apeldoorn Tulp and General David Haynes to attempt to remove IKK as Commander-in-Chief. This action failed, and ultimately led to a court martial of the pair on numerous charges.

It was in this turbulent situation that elections for Term 6 were held.

 

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Term 7


[Originally posted by Barkeep49]


The elections for in Term 7 were relatively uneventful. Led by Charles Morgan a conference of those identifying themselves as the center met to decide on a presidential candidate. After a volatile argument between Morgan and Konstantin Vilms, resulting from Vilms decision to ally the CRE and the CC, the conference settled on Morgan for President. These plans were scuttled with Morgans death leading to a ticket of Jonathan Glasser, newly returned after being missing for over a term and running as a member of the CRP, and Amric Al’Aeshir, running as an independent. Their most formidable competition came from incumbent President PG Talbott and incumbent Vice Presidnet Konstantin Vilms. After running the only vigorous campaign, and to the shock of just about every political pundit, Glasser and Al’Aeshir were elected President.

Despite a third place finish in the Presidential election the ESRP captured three out of the eight seats in the National Assembly. When the CRP cast its votes for Bram Borgman for speaker, giving him the support he needed to win and considering that the ESRP provided Glasser’s margin of victory, it appeared as though a de facto center-left coalition had been formed. Despite the nature of Glasser’s cabinet, assembled from members throughout the political spectrum, early administration actions supported the idea of cooperation. Acting as MTEF, in order to ensure the passage of a budget, Glasser attempted to implement the privatization of Marticon, passed by the last term’s NA. After a great deal of controversy, it was agreed that the company would be sold to its workers.

The proposed budget showed again the ongoing cooperation between the centre and left. When the President’s proposed estate tax drew the opposition of the CC and CRE in the NA, the strong support of the ESRP, and a good deal of arm twisting by the President, helped to defray concerns. The unanimous passage of the budget represented the first time in the democratic history of Eutopia that a budget had been passed.

With the NA again essentially inactive except for considering legislation proposed by the President, the Executive Branch was quite busy. Talbott, as MDIA, continued work on the ultimately unsuccessful Military Reform Commission, Vilms, appointed MTEF following the passage of the budget, continued his work with the Topa, Amric Al’Aeshir did some preliminary work on health care research, before being forced to resign as Vice President and MHES, leading to a revolving door at MHES, and Hawkton Tilly, an independent chosen first as MILE and later as Vice President, conducted numerous criminal investigations.

The issue, however, that would overshadow all others was the Latin strike. When the Glasser, incorrectly identified a Latin professor he was talking to, it was the last straw for disaffected Latins. After feeling ignored over the course of several terms, the Latins used Glasser’s faux paux as justification to launch a general strike. Initial attempts to calm the unrest by Glasser, despite some support from the Latin community, failed. Despite a pledge not to do so, Glasser instructed then MHES Michael Chamberlain-Beaulieu and MECT Josephus Sergei to begin negotiations with the strike leaders. After a tumultuous beginning, with Sergei storming out of negotiations and Chamberlain-Beaulieu retiring from politics all-together due to a different political fight, the basic demands of the strikers were established and included a desire for local autonomy in several areas including justice and agriculture. In response the President drafted what would commonly be known as the FREE Act, which was presented to the strikers by Sergei, who had resumed negotiations following Chamberlian-Beaulieu’s retirement. Despite skepticism that such a bill could be made, FREE was enthusiastically accepted by both the strikers and by Glasser’s Cabinet. FREE offered all of the provinces, whether Latin or not, the ability to become States. As proposed, states would have primary responsibility for Law Enforcement, control over agricultural subsidies, elected executive and legislative branches, and limited ability to impose taxes.

With such broad support passage seemed to be a mere formality. Based on Borgman’s history as speaker of stonewalling legislation he disagreed with, the long delay following the virtually non-existent debate should have been a warning sign. This long interim allowed the many Anglos opposed to FREE, identifying themselves as Unionists, to organize. After Acting Speaker Michael Lundgren put FREE up for a vote, Borgman announced his opposition to FREE. Borgman convinced the ESRP that the legislation would endanger worker rights. Despite assurances from Glasser that the wording in question would achieve the exact opposite, the ESRP cast its votes against FREE causing the amendment to fail.

The failure to pass FREE, on the eve of national elections, caused the disintegration of the existing political framework allowing for the surprise election results of Term 8.


Term 8


[Originally posted by The_Hawk]


PRESIDENT GALL’S term was very eventful indeed.

The FREE legislation had galvanized the Eutopian political spectrum around the issue of provincial independence, and, without a firm stance from any of the major parties, the old mainstays of Eutopian politics – the ESRP, CRE, CC, and CRP – fell by the wayside. Their members scattered to three new parties: the Nationalists, who supported independence movements in the Latin provinces; the Unionists, who opposed any such efforts toward independence; and the Federalists, who supported a system of increased local governance while still maintaining the Eutopian nation.

Initially, the Unionists had clustered around the ESRP as a political rallying point; as the sole opposition to the passage of FREE, the party appeared to be the only one supportive of the primary Unionist message of no significant change to the Eutopian political system. This association came to an abrupt end with the “Massacre at Cooperative Square”, when a previously unknown terrorist, the so-called “Ice Cream Bomber”, struck at a Unionist rally at the ESRP headquarters. In addition to sending Josephus Locke Sergei fleeing to Cuba for refuge (and thereby spelling the end of the now-leaderless ESRP) and wounding numerous others (include P.N.H. Schwarzerd, Mike Marine, and Henry J. Tulp), this attack electrified the Unionist cause. Unionists were quick to level blame for the attack at the Latin nationalist movement.

Meanwhile, numerous other events were conspiring to aid the Unionist cause and push their candidate – the previously little-known Charles D. Gall – into the Diamond Office. A brutal hurricane season lashed Eutopia with three powerful storms which damaged the nation’s infrastructure and hampered elections, particularly in the nation’s southern Latin provinces, where the Nationalist and Federalist movements were strongest. This led to calls for a new election, but ones which were ultimately ignored as the Unionists began grappling with rebuilding the damage wrought by the hurricanes. Further trouble arose for the Gall administration when Crown Princess Francesca and Farpoint Mayor Thorsbeard were kidnapped by C.O.R.E., a Western Eutopian separatist group.

Events quickly turned against the Unionists. President Gall refused to contemplate new elections, and repeatedly attacked his political opponents, especially his Latin critics, in the harshest possible terms. These insults might have been tolerated had the problems of the day been handled, but the administration failed to lead, leaving the rebuilding of infrastructure in local hands (and often relying on private or foreign donations). The investigation of the Ice Cream Bomber was another failure, and the armed rebellion in the W.E.T. was largely handled by local militias and military units that refused to follow Gall’s orders.

While ignoring these problems, the Unionists engaged in brutal strikebreaking, and utilized their advantage in the National Assembly to crush the Nationalist agenda which advocated more regional autonomy. Understandably, this led to even higher tensions between Eutopia’s Latin and Anglo citizens. This finally came to a head when President Gall, describing the Latin strike as a “rebellion”, ordered the military to force the strikers back to work. This order was completely defied by the military, and finally forced the Nationalist hand. Referenda on secession were proposed in the W.E.T. and the Latin provinces. Ultimately, Isabela and Nueva Rioja, with the island’s largest Spanish populations, voted to secede, and formed the nation of Tilapia, with the rescued Crown Princess Francesca as monarch. St. Esprit also seceded, forming its own state. The W.E.T. remained part of Eutopia, however, largely due to the influence of former President Talbott. Nouvelle Anjou and Nouvelle Aquitaine also remained part of the Eutopian rump state.

In the aftermath, President Gall resigned in favor of his Vice President, Telemachus Grant. To preserve what remained of the Eutopian nation, Grant proposed GRAPPA, a package of legislation reminiscent of FREE, which granted more power to the provinces. It also substantially revised the Eutopian constitution. With the term and all of its shocking events winding to a close, many of the politicians who had been swept aside by the conflict between Unionist and Nationalist returned to the political scene. New parties were formed as the Unionist, Federalist, and remaining Nationalist factions splintered.


Term 9


[Originally posted by The_Hawk]


Term 9 saw the resurgence of Eutopia’s government in a more familiar form. The United Provinces of Eutopia – the state remaining following the secession of Tilapia and St. Esprit – was still trying to cope with the dramatic events of Term 8. Some of the most immediate problems included the reconstruction of the nation’s infrastructure after suffering severe hurricane damage, reconstructing the military after the loss of much of it (particularly the navy) to Tilapia, and foreign relations with Eutopia’s new neighbors.

With the collapse of the parties that had dominated politics during Term 8, new ones quickly formed. Far and away the most powerful of these was the Unity Party (UP), so-called because its founders came from across the ideological spectrum. In fact, each of the original founders, who met on a ship offshore to plot their return to power, had already served Eutopia as either President or Vice President. Their platform was based around a simple set of goals on which they could all agree. This stood in direct contrast to the newer parties – the Eutopian Socialist Alliance (ESA), a spiritual successor to the ESRP, the United Eutopian Front (UEF), a conservative party, and the short-lived Party for a United Royalist Eutopia (PURE), an unsuccessful attempt at a monarchofascist party – which were all more traditional, ideology-driven organizations.

Ultimately, none of the other parties could stand up to the name recognition attached to the Unity Party, nor their chosen candidate for the Presidency, Amric Al’Aeshir. A philanthropic billionaire who had served with distinction as MHES and had resolved the Hurteau Fever crisis, Amric was a widely popular candidate, and won a landslide victory over the UEF’s Kazimierz Recyznski, the only other candidate. The UP also won a majority of six seats in the nine-seat General Assembly, and the UP’s Timothy Wellesford was elected Speaker by acclamation. President Al’Aeshir packed his Cabinet with UP members, including Konstantin Vilms as MIDA and VP, Jake Langley as MERL, P.G. Talbott as MTIA, and Hawkton Tilly as MDIS. Amric himself took MESA, and John O’Floinn remained the Attorney General.

The bloom was not long on the rose, however. Unlike many previous administrations, the Al’Aeshir government had more to worry about from internecine conflict than from external forces. The UMP government repeatedly clashed with the Senate, led by ESA Speaker Fred “The Hammer” Williamson. More tension was found to exist between the UPE and its former provinces than was originally anticipated. In Nouvelle Aquitaine, a case involving Muslim headscarves developed that would drag on for several terms. And, ultimately, Vice President Vilms, Eutopia’s staunchest monarchist, was killed in an explosion and replaced by PJ Vasquez. But some good was done; MERL Langley bolstered the economy and started the ball rolling on repurchasing the expensive boondoggle that were Eutopia’s toll freeways; MDIS Tilly launched an ambitious plan to reform the Eutopian military (later known as the Tilly Plan) which, while not adequately funded at the time, became the benchmark for later reformers; and a drug ring out of Western Eutopia was foiled.

On balance, Term 9 was considered a marginal failure; even the relatively simple goals of the Unity Party proved too intractable to be dealt with in a single term, and the people largely felt they did not do enough, given the mandate they had. This perception would harm the chances of their presidential candidate in the next election.