Constitution of Georgeland

The Constitution of Georgeland is a legal document setting out the legal framework for the government of Georgeland. The Constitution was first passed as an act of the British Parliament in 1891, and has since undergone several revisions. There are few codified 'rights' in the Georgeland constitution; unlike its American counterpart, the Constitution of Georgeland sets out a framework for the structure of the country's federal government - it is not a statement of principles. The only 'right' in the country's constitution is the right of all citizens to trial by jury (III/7/a).

The full text of the Constitution of Georgeland is as follows:

Preamble

WHEREAS, the People and Colonial Parliament of the Colony of Georgeland have decided by virtue of vote the self-governance of their Dominion in His Majesty’s Name, and WHEREAS the Parliament of His Majesty’s United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland having accepted this decision, and WHEREAS His Majesty granting Royal Assent, the citizens of the Dominion of Georgeland thus declare this Constitution as the true and only Constitution of that land. And WHEREAS, the people of Georgeland having decided to establish their nation as a sovereign republic, this constitution is thus declared the Republic’s highest law.

Chapter I: The Parliament

Overview

a. The Parliament of Georgeland shall consist of:
i. The President of Georgeland
ii. The House of Commons
iii. The Senate
b. The Parliament shall be summoned at the discretion of the President of Georgeland, on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
c. Similarly, the Parliament shall be dissolved at the discretion of the President of Georgeland, on the advice of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The House of Commons

a. The House of Commons shall be composed of no fewer than 100 members, each of whom shall represent a single electoral division, the size of which shall be determined by law.
b. The Parliament shall provide laws providing for the number of members, provided the total shall exceed or equal 100 members.
c. The Speaker
i. The House of Commons shall choose one of their number to be Speaker. The Speaker shall serve until such time as a new Speaker be chosen. The Speaker may resign his office by means of a letter addressed to the President of Georgeland.
ii. The Speaker shall receive whatsoever remuneration and privileges the House sees fit to bestow upon him.
iii. The Speaker shall cease to hold office if he should cease to be a member of the House of Commons.
iv. In the absence of the Speaker, the House shall choose one member to fulfill his duties.
v. The Speaker shall not speak in debates, and he shall have no vote unless the Commons be equally divided.
d. The term of the House of Commons shall not exceed three years, counting from the date of the first sitting of the Parliament following its election.
e. Elections
i. Elections shall be held following the dissolution of the House of Commons at the end of its term.
ii. The President of Georgeland may, on the advice of Cabinet and the Prime Minister , choose to dissolve the House of Commons at any time in order to hold an election, provided at least eight months have elapsed since the previous election.
iii. The Parliament shall make no law prohibiting or interfering with the lawful electoral process.
f. Vacancies
i. If a vacancy occurs in the House of Commons, the Speaker shall send a letter to the President of Georgeland advising of the vacancy.
ii. The President of Georgeland shall, on the advice of the Cabinet and Prime Minister , nominate a day on which an election shall be held to fill the vacancy in any vacant division, provided such a date occurs no later than three months following the receipt of the letter from the Speaker (see I/1/f/i)
iii. The person elected by the electors of the vacant division/s shall take their seats at the next available session of the House of Commons.

The Senate

a. The Senate shall consist of eighty members, hereafter referred to as ‘Senators’. The composition shall be as follows.
i. Each Original State (namely, Bradmarch, Capitalia, Long Island, Mainland and Scoita) shall receive 12 Senators.
ii. The State of Delmago Island shall receive 6 Senators.
iii. The Federal District shall receive 2 Senators.
iv. Following the abolition of the State of Mainland, the State of East Mainland and the State of West Mainland are to be considered to be Original States.
b. The Senate shall not make laws altering the number of Senators unless such a law first meets the requirements of Chapter V of this Constitution.
c. No Original State shall ever receive fewer Senators than any other Original State.
d. President of the Senate
i. The Senators shall choose one of their number to be President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall serve until such time as a new President of the Senate be chosen. The President of the Senate may resign his office by means of a letter addressed to the President of Georgeland.
ii. The President of the Senate is a distinct office from the President of Georgeland.
iii. The President of the Senate shall receive whatsoever remuneration and privileges the Senate sees fit to bestow upon him.
iv. The President of the Senate shall cease to hold office if he should cease to be a Senator.
v. In the absence of the President of the Senate, the Senate shall choose one member to fulfill his duties.
vi. The President of the Senate shall not speak in debates, and he shall have no vote unless the Senate be equally divided.
e. Length of term of Senators
i. Senators shall serve a term of six years, beginning from the January 1st following their election.
ii. The term of a Senator shall not be ended at an earlier date unless the Senator chooses to resign, dies, or is expelled by the Senate.
iii. The exception to (iii) above shall be in the case of dissolution of the Senate.
f. Elections
i. One half of the Senators from each State shall seek election at three-year intervals.
ii. The exception to (i) above shall be in the case of dissolution of the Senate.
iii. The Parliament shall make laws as to the manner of the election of Senators, so long as such laws do not interfere with the democratic election of the Senate.
g. Vacancies
i. If a vacancy occurs in the Senate, the President of the Senate shall send a letter to the Governor of the State in which the vacancy occurs advising of the vacancy.
ii. The Governor of said State shall nominate a person to fill the vacancy, to serve the remainder of the vacant term.
iii. Each State shall make laws in relation to the selection of Senators to fill vacancies.
iv. The person selected by the relevant Governor shall take their seats at the next available session of the Senate.
v. If, in cases where a Senator represents a legally registered political party or organisation and was elected as a member of same, the Senator that replaces him in the event of a vacancy shall represent the same party or organisation.

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