Aedelant Constitution

The Aedelant Constitution, known as the Dóm, is the supreme law of the Aedeland Republic of Aedeland and the framework for the Aedelant government. It is the oldest written constitution.

Preamble

In the name of Almighty God, we, Aedelmen, declare by God's grace to be a free people and, in association, acting in sovereign and independent character, do resolve that under the fundamental Rights of Aedelmen, First Laws, and principles of government, the Aedelant Republic shall henceforth be established and constituted by our equal sovereignty. We hold this covenant to have force as the supreme law of the land.

In freely submitting to this covenant, Aedelmen shall retain certain rights in common: to freely constitute and dissolve lesser powers; to be secure within borders and raise militias for defense against invasion; to assume or revoke delegated powers; to demand by initiative, enact by plebiscite, or reject in part or in whole any act, bill, order, resolution, or vote of the Althing by referendum; to ostracize elected representatives; to amend this covenant with the consent of a double majority; to secede from this covenant upon direct consent of the majority of their citizens; and to retain all such freedoms, powers, jurisdictions, rights, and privileges not herein expressed.

Legislature

An Althing composed of a Lögretta and Folkmdt shall be vested with all power herein granted.

The Lögretta shall be composed of one hundred and one jarldormen chosen by the majority vote of the senior thing of each Hérad no less than every five years. Neither foreign-born nor citizens without issue over the age of majority failing service of arms, liable for an infamous crime, or exiled from his native hundred shall be a jarldorman. Each jarldorman shall have one vote and shall serve two terms unless ostracized by a majority of his constituents. The Lögretta shall assemble at least once every year and shall elect its own officers, determine the rules of its proceedings, punish behavior unbecoming of a jarldorman, and with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

The Lögretta shall have exclusive authority within the limits of Hástad and to exercise like authority over lands purchased or leased by the consent of the assembly of the Lagrivöld in which the same shall be for strategic military purposes; the power to annually raise revenue by uniform fee for services according to individual requirements; to lay customs duty on foreign-sourced goods, to fix the standard of weights and measures; to provide for the punishment of counterfeit; to grant the exclusive right to writings and discoveries; to define and punish piracy and felonies committed on the high seas; to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules regarding captures on land and water; to raise and support armies and navies, but no appropriation of funds to that use shall be longer than one year and without the explicit account of the Führer or his officers; to make rules for the regulation of the land and naval forces; to provide for calling forth the militia to repel invasions; that no standing army shall be maintained; to provide for the organizing and discipline of the militia, and for governing that part of them that is employed in service, reserving to each hundred respectively the appointment of officers and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by the Lögretta; to make all laws necessary for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, but no law may remain in force beyond the fifth anniversary of its passage nor legislate more than the expressed singular purpose or appropriation.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. No capitation or tax shall be laid on income or property. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue of one man over another, or one Hérad over those of another; nor shall vessels bound to or from one hundred be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another. No money may be drawn from the treasury, nor in the case of declared emergency, borrowed on the credit of the republic, but in consequence of appropriations made by law and with income and expenditure in balance; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public funds shall be published annually. The Lögretta shall pass no law abridging the freedom of production and trade nor deny any occupation or business enterprise.

The Folkmdt shall be chosen every second year by the people in common of the age of majority, one Nefndarmen according to every five thousand as determined at the release year. One half is to be chosen every other year. No person may serve as Nefndarmen in the Folkmdt who shall not have achieved the age of majority, found failing service of arms, or liable for an infamous crime, or a foreigner to that hundred from which he shall be chosen. Each participant shall have one vote and shall serve no more than two terms during the pleasure of his hundred. The Folkmdt shall meet at least once every year and shall elect its own officers, determine the rules of its proceedings, punish disorderly conduct, and with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

The Folkmdt shall have the power to veto, with a majority vote, any order, resolution, or vote passed into law by the Lögretta; to declare by a one-third vote any law to be unconstitutional; to impeach by a convicting vote of two-thirds majority any jarldorman, Navningerman, the Führer, or his officers.

Executive

The Führer shall be vested with all executive power herein given.

The Führer shall be elected from within the Lögretta by his fellow jarldormen for a single term of five years from the day of his election. The Führer shall be first among the jarldormen but shall have no vote unless they are equally divided. The Führer shall be commander of the armed retinues of the several hundreds when called to service by a full vote of the Lögretta. He may require the opinion in writing of his principal officers upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. The Führer shall have the power to direct the agenda of the Lögretta and to dissolve that body after its first year; grant reprieves and pardons with the majority consent of the Lögretta except in cases of impeachment; to make treaties; to appoint ambassadors, public officials, and all other officers with the advice and consent of the Lögretta by simple majority.

The Führer and his government may be reproached by withholding supply or dismissed by a motion of confidence. No official act of the Führer or any officer of the state shall be exempt from the review of the Folkmdt. The Führer and his officers shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors.

Judiciary

The Nævninger and inferior Lægridóm shall be vested with all power herein granted.

The Nævninger shall consist of the seven eldest members of the Althing. The Nævninger shall have the power to try all cases in law and equity affecting public officers, those in which a Hérad shall be a party, and on appeal from a lower court.

The Lægridóm shall consist of three eldest members of the appropriate thing, appointed to a single term of ten years. No man may be named a Lægridóm who has been convicted of a crime. A Lægridóm shall have the power to try all cases in law and equity that may arise between men within the boundaries of the thing. The Nævningermen and inferior Lægridómen shall be removed on impeachment by the Folkmdt or an elected body within the territory in which their authority resides, for and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors.

Postamble

Done under seal at Frúbær Lögrokk by the unanimous consent of the hundred present on the Midsumarátur of the Year of Our Lord 7305, in the seventh year of conquest.