Constitution

Preamble

In common defense, justice and community we unite in order to preserve liberty, basic personal freedoms and the rights guaranteed under this constitution. Let it be known that this nation, this republic declares its sovereignty only joining in union with those to which the people agree to form a nation of equal rights recognizing this document. This constitution provides the framework for governance and preserves the basic rights afforded to its citizens.

Body

I. The People

a. Let the people of the Republic be defined as its citizens from the newest Commoner to the longest standing Noble.

b. Those who are not fully endorsed by the Republic as full citizens are declared immigrants and afforded the basic rights to defense and justice as any other member.

c. In order to preserve the integrity of the Republic, only Citizens may sit in council to determine changes to this Constitution and guide the Republic in its due course.

II. Governance of the People

a. There shall convene a legislative body known as the Signoria. It is made up of the Collegi, Priori, and Curia. The Collegi is made up of Citizens elected to their position by the people of the Republic. The Priori is made up of Guild Masters who are the elected heads of the Crafting Guilds. The Curia is made up of Nobility and the Ministers as appointed by the Doge (Duke).

i. Each elected official shall sit for a 3-month term after which they must be re-elected by the people if they should seek an additional term.

ii. A Senator may be subjected to impeachment after being charged with negligence of office, unethical behavior or any other crime of the Republic by another member of the Senate. A hearing will be conducted with the Senate acting as tribunal excluding any members also charged for the same act. In the event no more than three Senators are available, the seated Senators shall select additional, unbiased Citizens by drawing lots until a total of three tribunal judges can be seated.

b. There shall convene a Priori made up of the Major Guilds who shall seat one representative each known as a Prior serving for a 3-month term ending on the last day of the 3rd month. Priors shall be selected from within the ranks of each Major Guild through a drawing of lots of the names of those nominated for election. Each member of the Artisan Guild will submit a name for nomination and from these nominees shall a name be drawn. Minor Guilds shall be nested within their respective Major Guilds with their members eligible for election to the Priori on behalf of their Major Guild.

i. The Priori shall set the standard pricing of goods collectively through a majority vote by its seated members. Each Prior shall sit as a voting member of the Signoria to represent the interests of the artisans of the Republic.

ii. Each Artisan Guild shall certify artisans across the Republic as Masters in their trade.

iii. The Priori of the Republic shall approve the establishment of the Priori of Provinces, Fiefdoms and Counties.

c. There shall convene an Arengo made up of all the citizens of the Republic assembled together in public. The Arengo may recommend resolutions to the Signoria for consideration through a simple majority vote when 10 or more citizens are gathered. The Arengo is chaired by any member of the Signoria who calls the assembly to order. No resolution shall be binding unless it is passed by 3/4s of the official roll of the Signoria.

d. Each responsibility of the government shall be distributed among established ministries who are led by Ministers appointed by the Doge from within the citizenry. Ministers may in turn select and appoint officers to assist them. All officers shall act as extensions of the Minister for which they are hired being trained to a standard set forth by the Doge.

i. There shall be an Executive Ministry headed by a Prime Minister responsible for the overall governance of the Republic.

1. The Prime Minister and officers shall:

a. Sit as the president of the Senate, scheduling meetings, voting only in order to break a deadlocked vote and responsible for keeping the citizens informed of its business.

b. Publish a periodic newsletter to inform the citizens of the Republic and its business.

c. Oversee diplomatic relations with external entities.

d. Invoke emergency powers when deemed absolutely necessary in order to preserve the Republic or during a time of crisis when the Senate cannot act within a timely manner. Any decision made as a result of these emergency powers shall be reviewed and affirmed by the Senate. Failing affirmation, the decision shall be considered null and void.

ii. Internal affairs of the citizenry shall be handled by a Ministry of State being headed by a Minister of State.

1. The Minister of State and officers shall:

a. Oversee the immigration process from immigrant until the individual is approved as a citizen.

b. Sit as Tribunal Judge or appoint an officer of the court to preside over judicial proceedings selecting an additional two unbiased citizens as judges.

c. Mentor and approve immigrants to Commoner status after a minimum of one week.

d. Moderate all methods of communication for the Republic.

e. Dispense justice carrying out sentences as directed by a tribunal of peers and charging offenders with their respective crimes.

iii. In all affairs economic there shall be a Ministry of Commerce to negotiate external trade, oversee commercial interests and distribute resources headed by a Minister of Commerce.

1. The Minister of Commerce and officers shall:

a. Oversee the collection of rents and tributes as well as the distribution of resources for matters of the state and individual benefit as directed by the Signoria.

b. Administrate trade and commercial interests to include the construction of cities and any other economic development.

c. Carry out economic and crafting programs as established by the Signoria and Priori.

d. Engage in contracting artisans to fulfill the work orders of the Republic as necessary.

e. Author material to instruct and assist artisans in the mastering of their craft.

iv. All matters of the military shall be vested in a Minister of War to train, equip, command and administrate the forces of the Republic.

1. The Minister of War and officers shall:

a. Oversee all matters of training to include drills, courses and authored material.

b. Coordinate the equipping of all soldiers of the Republic’s military

c. Establish a standing Professional Military consisting of enlisted soldiers who train regularly being equipped by the Republic.

d. Establish a Reserve Militia who are called into service when necessary for the defense of the Republic.

e. Appoint officers commissioned in service to the Republic of the ranks of Captain and Lieutenant to assist as general staff or to command formations.

f. Accept the enlistment of non-commissioned soldiers.

g. Plan, coordinate and execute military operations as declared and directed by the Signoria or the Doge.

j. Plan, coordinate and execute defensive operations without pre-approval as a result of provocation within a designated defense zone established by the Signoria or the Doge.

k. Recommend promotions to Lieutenant or Captain to the Signoria which shall grant the commission of officers.

l. Recommend awards and medals to the Signoria or the Doge for approval.

e. Additional ministries may be created by the Doge and approved by the Signoria barring any redundancy in operations through a simple majority vote.

f. The hiring of officers, unless commissioned, is solely at the discretion of the seated minister outside of the guidance provided in this constitution. All officers must be given a test specific to their gaining ministry and have attained full membership status as a citizen. The Prime Minister may set limits on the number of officers in a given ministry.

g. Commerce may be taxed at the point of sale or distribution from the stores of the Republic. Any tax not paid solely for the exchange of goods or services must be approved through a simple majority vote by the Signoria.

h. The Signoria may declare an embargo on trade with any foreign entity subjecting offenders to criminal charges of treason.

III. Justice of the People

a. No one may be sentenced without a trial for a capital offense resulting in the loss of life or property of another citizen. Officers of the law (Warranted Prefects) may dispense fines or take disciplinary action for offenses predetermined by the Signoria.

b. Individuals being fined must be first charged and cited for their offense forfeiting the amount for the fine. Having been fined, a citizen may challenge the citation in a convened tribunal of their peers. Upon a judgment of “Not Guilty,” the party may collect their relief.

c. No one may be charged for the same criminal act twice.

d. Failure to challenge any charge within the time allotted by the Signoria will result in an assumption of guilt. Failure to charge any individual within this timeframe will result in a suspension of any future charges for that offense. A tribunal has the same amount of time to make a ruling from the time of the challenge of the defending party or the charge from the plaintiff otherwise the defending party shall be declared innocent.

e. A tribunal shall be convened by the Minister of State or their appointed representative along with two other randomly selected, unbiased citizens. In the event of a mistrial, a new tribunal shall be convened with two new citizens.

f. No law shall inhibit the speech of a citizen criticizing the governance of the people. No law shall rob a citizen of their property or life when no crime has been committed.

IV. Division of the People

a.The Doge may recognize a subordinate state as a Province, House as a Fiefdom or a gathering of Houses as a County being subject to this constitution and extended the same rights as any citizen.

i. Special concessions of this constitution must be approved by the Signoria.

ii. The leader of a Province shall be titled Governor; County shall be titled Count; Fiefdoms either Knight or Baronet and shall each be seated on the Signoria. If the leader opts to forfeit voting rights, the province shall be granted a seat for a Senator with selection criteria to be self-determined. For each total of citizens that is set by the Doge shall each entity seat additional Senators on the Signoria.

b.Each Nobilitas may be granted the right by the Doge to a Great House to which citizens may join under criteria set by the head of the house titled Patriarch or Matriarch.

i. Each Great House must have a charter approved by the convened Signoria in order to begin operating.

ii. Great Houses may pass along leadership to their designated heir who must be declared during formation and at the time of their appointment to the Minister of State.

c. The formation of companies for the matters of commerce or military must be chartered paying a periodic fee to be negotiated by the Minister of Commerce or Minister of War and approved by the Signoria.

V. Matters of the Constitution

a. Amendments to this document must first be approved by the Senate with a 3/4 majority vote then approved through a popular referendum with a 3/4 majority vote not to last more or less than one week.

b. Constitutional review of any law as well as the enforcement of this document rests with the Prime Minister. Should any law be determined unconstitutional, it must be declared openly by the Prime Minister and formally vetoed. Vetoed legislation must be passed as an amendment in order to take effect.

c. All laws, motions, daily actions of government, legislation and judicial decisions are subject to this document and its amendments. Malicious violation of this constitution is tantamount to treason against the Republic.

d. The Doge of the Republic may exercise any rights granted to any Ministers in this Constitution.