World of Gotha

The President (Президент) serves as head of state. They have far-reaching ceremonial obligations, but also the right and duty to act politically. They can give direction to general political and societal debates and have very important “reserve powers” in case of political instability. Their role is integrative and includes the control function of upholding the law and the Common Charter. Through their actions and public appearances, they represent the state itself, its existence, legitimacy, and unity. It is a matter of tradition, though not law, that the president generally does not comment on issues in the news, particularly when there may be some disagreement within the government upon said issues. They maintain a constant connection to the affairs of state, even as they remain separate from them, and always receive intelligence and diplomatic reports before the premier does. This distance from day-to-day politics and daily governmental issues allows the president to be a source of clarification, to influence public debate, voice criticism, offer suggestions and make proposals. They have some discretion about how they exercise their official duties and have absolute discretion how to exercise their limited political power. The president is popularly elected by national ballot to a single seven-year term using the two-round system.

According to the Common Charter, the duties of the President include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Is commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Arvor.
• Convening the Congress when requested by the premier.
• Affirming the new premier.
• Affirming the members of the Council of State, general directors of state firms, and directors of key national agencies.
• Affirming the national and oblast level officers of the State Prosecution Service.
• Signing legislation into law, and vetoing it under certain circumstances.
• Exercising the power to pardon or grant amnesty to individual offenders on behalf of the nation. This power excludes charges of treason and espionage.
• Awarding (and withdrawing) honours on behalf of the nation.
• Representing the ADR at home and abroad.
• Receiving visiting heads of state.
• Accrediting the nation's ambassadors.
• Receiving the credentials of foreign diplomatic officials.
• Binding the ADR to international treaties and obligations through executive affirmation.

The President is elected on a national ballot by every Arvorian citizen aged 18 and older using the two-round system. The election is held on the first day of autumn, known as Elections Day, and is a bank holiday. They are limited to a five-year term, renewable once.

In the event the president dies, is incapacitated or otherwise unable to fulfill their duties, the premier, speaker of the Congress, and the chief justice of the Central Court shall collectively asume the work of the office until they can resume their duties or a new president has been elected. Their meetings are chaired by the speaker and they vote on any presidential decision.

Should a snap election need to be called, the person elected will serve out the remainder of their predecessor's term and can then stand for re-election if they so choose. Irregardless of the length of the term remaining, the new president is still only eligible to renew their term in office once unless they served one year or less. This has yet to happen.

The Premier (Премьер) serves as head of government. They are responsible for initiating and co-ordinating government policy, determining the priorities of the government, presiding over the Council of State, and managing any conflicts of competency which arise between departments. They also represent the government both at home and abroad, submit proposals to the president on a variety of matters for their consideration, lead sessions of the Congress in its daily work, and provide regular reports to the legislature on government activities. They maintain contact with the president, keeping them informed of ongoing concerns, and work with the Congress to formulate and pass legislation. They select and nominate the membership of the Council of State and Central Court, magistrates for the circuit courts as well as other high offices of state, which require the approval of Congress before being passed to the president for their formal consent. While the president serves de jure as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, it is the premier who exercises de facto daily control over military operations. They are nominated and elected by their fellow deputies from among the membership of the Congress after every general election to a five-year term, renewable once, via secret ballot using the two-round system.

According to the Common Charter, the duties of the Premier include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Determining the operating proprities of the government and organising its work.
• Appointing the secretaries of state.
• Nominating senior officials and presenting them to the president after legislative approval has been secured.
• Submitting to the president proposals on punishments and recognitions for government officials as necessary.
• Representing the nation as an institution in foreign relations.
• Chairing all sessions of the Council of State, where they have the decisive vote.
• Reporting annually to the Congress about government activities, most notably in the State of the Republic (Arvorian: Государство Республики, Hallisised: Gosudarstvo Respubliki) speech.
• Distributing tasks among members of the government.
• Systematically informing the president about government activities.
• Holds de facto operational command of the Armed Forces of Arvor.

Every five years, all members of the Congress stand in a general election, including the premier. This takes place on Elections Day, the first day of autumn. Three days after New Years Day, the new Congress is sworn in, and its first duty is to elect one from among its membership to serve as premier for the next five years. A maximum of five deputies can be nominated, and they are voted upon by the members of Congress in a secret ballot using the two-round system. Each individual who serves as premier is limited to two five-year terms.

In the event the president dies, is incapacitated or otherwise unable to fulfill their duties, foreign secretary (who also serves as deputy premier), assumes the office until the Congress can convene to nominate and elect a new premier. Whoever is elected will complete the remainder of their predecessor's term, at which time they can be re-nominated for a full term of their own. Unless they served a year or less of their predecessor's term, this individual cannot serve more than one full term of their own. Neither situation has yet occurred.

The Council of State (Государственный совет) is the top decision-making body of the republic. It is made up of senior officials who hold the title of Secretary of State (государственный секретарь). Their primary responsibility is to assist the premier in reviewing, developing, and setting national policy. Each government department, under the direction of its secretary, has competence in specific designated areas of governance. Working in conjunction with the premier and Congress, the Council operates on two key constitutional conventions - collective responsibility (members of the Council make major decisions collectively and are therefore collectively responsible for the consequences of these decisions) and individual ministerial responsibility (in their capacity as head of department, a secretary of state is personally responsible for the actions and failings of that department). Each secretary of state, like the premier, is also a deputy of Congress and is nominated from among its membership by the head of government.

The premier is responsible for naming the secretaries of state, whose purpose it is to administer the activities of their departments and enact all relevant and required policy matters within the framework of that arm of the executive branch. Concurrently, each secretary of state is answerable to the premier and to the Congress, and can be called upon in specific circumstances to report to and give an accounting of their department's activities to the president. While various matters do require the collaboration of several government departments, no department is permitted to interfere with the operations of another for any reason.

While the premier is responsible for selecting and appointing the secretaries of state, they can only be dismissed by order of the president at the premier's request, who is expected to give the head of state sound reasons for making it. This request must be presented in writing to the president, and explained in person, by the premier. The approval of the Congress is not required to appoint or dismiss secretaries of state, but the legislature must be notified of the dismissal of one of these officers from their post before it is announced publicly.

The membership of the Council consists of the premier, the secretary of the council, and secretaries of state representing the following departments:foreign affairs, defence, internal affairs, justice, finance, the economy, health, labour and wages, social security, international trade, education, energy, infrastructure, transport, conservation, agriculture, and culture. At varying times, the chiefs of different agencies will be asked to attend to provide additional input on relevant matters.

The Congress of People's Deputies (Съезд народных депутатов) is the unicameral national legislature of the republic.

The Common Charter recognises the Congress as “the highest organ of state power.” It serves to draw up and amend laws, legislate and implement state plans and budgets, establish the regulations which govern the functions of the government and armed forces, and ratify treaties. All active programmes are brought up before the Congress for review every five years, by law, with the exception of welfare, seniors pension, veteran's benefits, and key national security operations. Those found to be functioning as intended and within budget are re-approved for continuation, while those that are not will be terminated and their funding re-assigned. It also has the sole power to declare or conclude wars - the premier must request a formal declaration of war, which the Congress must approve by a majority vote. If approved, the declaration is passed on to the president for their signature, after which they will announce the state of war in an address to the nation.

The Congress meets at least four days a week throughout the year, with adjournments for major bank holidays. The Congress appoints its speaker, chief teller, and chief clerk and grants assent for nominations to seats on the Central Court, the general directors of state administrations and major agencies, and other high posts. The Congress must also approve all oblast-level court magistrate appointments and the promotion of all military officers to admiral or general rank. All sessions of the Congress convene in the Palace of Congresses in Cherenovsk.

Following each general election and the seating of the new Congress, up to five candidates from among the deputies can declare their candidacy for the premiership. This vote is held using the two-round system on the first session in the new year.

The Congress can legislate laws on all issues within the limits of the Common Charter. It cannot, however, enact laws contrary to the strictures of the Bill of Guarantees. During sessions, deputies will refer to one another in debate as “my esteemed comrade(s)”. When being recognised by the Speaker, they will be called upon as “the esteemed comrade for <raion>”.

Each deputy represents one of the nation's raions (districts), of which each oblast contains eighteen. Every deputy is elected by all qualified citizens within the raion in a general election held every five years. All members of Congress stand at each election, and while every sitting deputy will seek re-election, they may be challenged by as few as one or as many as four other candidates. Elections are done via the two-round system. Deputies are not term limited.

In the event a sitting deputy dies, becomes unable to perform their duties, steps down, or is discharged from the membership, the committee for the raion they represent is required to call an election within thirty days for a replacement to serve the remainder of their term, after which they can stand for election to a full term of their own.

The Central Court of Justice (Центральный суд)) is the highest court in the republic and sits at the top of the nation's multi-tiered court system.

The Court has ultimate (and largely discretionary) jurisdiction over all legal proceedings within the nation and acts as the judicial segment of the three-branch structure of the government. While its jurisdiction over matters which may come before it - any time a case appealed to it is refused no explanation or reasons are given - is discretionary, it cannot turn away a matter involving constitutional law. While only a handful of such cases have ever been argued before it, the Court serves as the final arbiter of any such disagreements between the executive and legislative branches. Similarly, if there is disagreement about the validity of a law, these arguments must be heard and ruled upon by the Court. Any matter which the Court does pick up, once ruled upon, is considered closed and its decision final. If the Court rejects an appeal on a case, the ruling of the previous court is maintained and likewise considered final.

In the event the Standing Committee of the Congress were to vote in favour of impeachment against a sitting premier, the hearing at which the decision to formally censure and remove the head of government from their office and dismiss them from service would be decided by the Congress, with the chief justice acting as magistrate.

The membership of the Court is selected from among magistrates nationwide by the premier. A candidate must have a minimum of fifteen years of service on the bench, and a record free of reprimands or disciplinary actions. Once nominated by the premier, their record and their qualifications are reviewed by the Judicial Committee of the Congress of People's Deputies. Should they approve of the candidate, they will pass their nomination on to the full Congress for its consideration. A simple majority is required to approve a candidate, the magistrate is then presented to the president, who will administer the oath of office in a small ceremony at the Palace of Justice.

All justices of the Court serve for a maximum of 25 years or until they turn 75 years of age, whichever happens first.