The Constitution of the Iterian League
Preamble
We, the undersigned delegates to the Iterian League, enter in league for the common good of Iteria. We commit ourselves to the maintenance of peace and prosperity throughout Iteria, and a constant discussion on the issues that face our continent. We resolve to work together on loosening economic, cultural, and travel barriers between our nations. We affirm our rights to national sovereignty, and strive to ensure that the rights of all Iterian nations are protected from those who would seek to usurp them. We recognize the bloodshed which haunts our continents past, and seek to ensure that such bloodshed is never repeated. Noting the above, we do hereby ratify this charter to ensure that this continent, once engulfed in war, shall see peace and prosperity for decades to come.
Article I: Membership
Section 1. The Iterian League is a political union for nations on the continent of Iteria. All prospective members to the Iterian League must reside on the continent of Iteria if they wish to apply to the League. All prospective observers to the Iterian League are not required to reside on Iteria, but must have close cultural, political, or economic ties to Iteria if they wish to apply.
Section 2. All nations wishing to join the Iterian League should contact the current Speaker of the Iterian Assembly to introduce a motion at the next meeting of the Iterian League. The Speaker must then submit their application to the Assembly at the next legislative meeting of the Iterian League. Applications will then be debated by current members of the Iterian League and voted upon. Prospective members require a simple majority to be accepted, and observers require a two-thirds majority to be accepted.
Section 3. All members of the Iterian League retain the right to have a sitting delegation to the Iterian Assembly and a sitting juror on the Iterian Court. They have the right to national sovereignty and complete control of both their nation's domestic and foreign policy. Members therefore maintain the right to opt-out of all Iterian legislation, but must inform the other members of the Assembly in a formal manner before they do so. Observers maintain a right to have a single sitting, non-voting representative to the Iterian Assembly. Observers are exempt from all legislation passed by the Assembly.
Section 4. Members and observers of the Iterian League have a duty to maintain a non-aggression policy with their neighbors and ensure peace. All signatories are encouraged to come to the aid of their fellow signatories of this Constitution in the event they are attacked, but are not legally bound to do so. Furthermore, they are encouraged to adopt laws in compliance with Iterian legislation to help further the goals of the League.
Section 5. Any member and observer in the league can have their status in the league stripped by a two thirds majority decision of the Assembly. Any attack against another member or observer of the league by another member or observer will result in the offending party having their status in the League immediately stripped.
Article II: The Iterian Assembly
Section 1. The primary legislative body of the Iterian League is to be the Iterian Assembly, upon whom all legislative power is to be vested and where all member nations are to be represented.
Section 2. Each member nation shall send a delegation of 15 parliamentarians to the Iterian Assembly, with each parliamentarian being granted one vote. Each observer nation shall send a single parliamentarian to the Iterian Assembly, with these parliamentarians being granted no vote. All representatives to the Iterian Assembly are to be elected in a manner determined by the state they represent.
Section 3. The Iterian Assembly shall have the right to legislate on all manners concerning its member states and the continent as a whole. This includes the ability to legislate on all matters of policy deemed necessary and proper by its constituent members to ensure greater connectivity and unity across Iteria.
Section 4. The Assembly will have the sole ability to draft and approve constitutional amendments, amendments to the Iterian Code, league-wide initiatives, resolutions, and motions.
Section 5. Constitutional amendments are all amendments to this founding document to establish the Iterian League. They require a two-thirds majority vote of the Iterian Assembly to pass.
Section 6. Amendments to the Iterian Code are alterations to the collected body of Iterian laws and regulations which have been established to guide the domestic policy of each member of the League. They require a simple majority vote of the Iterian Assembly to pass.
Section 7. League-wide initiatives are league-sponsored projects designed to advance a specific goal utilizing the combined efforts of each individual League members. Initiatives, unlike the Iterian Code or resolutions, are legally binding. As such, they require a two-thirds majority vote of the Iterian Assembly to pass.
Section 8. Resolutions are statements representing the collective opinion of the Iterian League on a specific issue that outlines legislative action that each Iterian League member is recommended to take. They require a simple majority vote of the Iterian Assembly to pass.
Section 9. Motions are proposed changes to the existing leadership, membership, or structure of the Iterian League. The existing motions that may be made are motions to admit new members, motions to suspend membership, motions to overturn a veto, motions of no confidence, and a motion for a constitutional convention. Each motion has a different majority vote it requires before passing the Iterian Assembly.
Section 10. When debate on a specific piece of legislation begins, it is first introduced by the Speaker of the Assembly. This is then followed by an author speech by the specific representative introducing the motion and a subsequent period of informal debate which eventually concludes with a parliamentary motion.
Section 11. Each member of the Assembly has a series of parliamentary motions they can make during debate. They are a motion to vote, amend, table, or table indefinitely. All motions require a second before a referendum on the motion is made. A motion to vote will trigger a vote on the legislation that is currently on the table. A motion to amend an item on the agenda is a motion which amends the legislation, initiative, or resolution at hand. It requires a simple majority to take effect. A motion to table is a motion designed to postpone debate or a vote on a matter until a time specified by the motioner. It requires a simple majority to pass. A motion to table indefinitely is a motion which halts any debate on the topic at hand indefinitely, killing the legislation. It requires a two third majority to pass.
Section 12. The Iterian Assembly shall be chaired by a Speaker, whom will be tasked as the presiding officer of the Assembly.
Section 13. The Speaker of the Assembly has the duty to maintain decorum, facilitate parliamentary procedure, and convene the monthly sessions of the Iterian Assembly. They have the power to arrange the legislative agenda for a meeting, remove speaking rights from a specific member with due cause, and establish guidelines for parliamentary procedure. The Speaker cedes all voting rights except in the event of a tie.
Section 14. The Speaker shall be elected and sworn in on the first date of February, June, and October. The Speaker shall be elected from among the voting members of the Iterian Assembly and shall give a sole campaign speech to the Assembly. The candidate which receives a plurality of votes shall be sworn in as the next speaker.
Section 15. Should any member of the Assembly be dissatisfied with the Speaker, they may introduce a Vote of No Confidence to the Iterian League. This motion shall be given immediate priority on the legislative agenda and will pass with a two thirds majority. Upon the passing of a Vote of No Confidence, the Speaker shall be forcibly removed from office, and an election will be held for a new Speaker to serve out the rest of the previous Speaker’s term.
Article III: The Secretariat
Section 1. The executive body of the Iterian League shall be the Secretariat, a collective body of all staffers and permanent workers in the executive portion of the Iterian League.
Section 2. The Secretariat shall be tasked with implementing all decisions of the Iterian Assembly. This includes administering the Iterian Code in nations which have opted to do so, fulfilling and implementing League-wide initiatives, and coordinating actions taken in adherence to an Iterian League resolution.
Section 3. The Secretariat shall maintain a presence across all member states, with at least one Secretariat facility operating in each member state. The Iterian League Headquarters will be treated as the collective property of the Iterian League, and thus does not count towards a national headquarters.
Section 4. The Secretary-General shall serve as the leader of the Secretariat, executive for the Iterian League, and spokesperson for the League as a whole.
Section 5. The Secretary-General will have complete administrative power of the Secretariat, having the power to manage all members of the Secretariat, appoint subsidiary undersecretaries to lead different aspects of the Secretariat, and to determine the specifics of the implementation of legislative action voted upon by the Iterian Assembly.
Section 6. The Secretary-General shall have additional powers over the legislature, maintaining the right to introduce new legislation and debate with the approval of the Speaker of the Assembly. Additionally, the Secretary-General has the ability to veto any amendments to the Iterian Code or resolutions passed by the Iterian League that have not achieved a two thirds majority. A veto can be overturned by the Iterian Assembly with a motion to do so, if it achieves a two thirds majority.
Section 7. The Secretary-General shall have a broader role as the chief leader and representative of the Iterian League. This means they are tasked with representing the Iterian League at all official functions, being the chief negotiator for the League, and drafting all agreements between the Iterian League and another party.
Section 8. During the elections for Speaker of the Assembly and Justice, the Secretary-General shall act as a presiding officer over each election until they have concluded.
Section 9. The Secretary-General shall be elected and sworn in on the first date of January, May, and September. All candidates must be nominated by their representatives in the Iterian Assembly and not be serving in either the Assembly or Court. Once all candidates have declared, they will give a speech to the Iterian Assembly, where the voting representatives of the Assembly shall vote for Secretary-General. The candidate which achieves a plurality shall be sworn in as the Secretary-General.
Section 10. Should any member of the Assembly lose confidence in the Secretary-General, they may introduce a Vote of No Confidence to the Iterian League. This motion shall be given immediate priority on the legislative agenda and will pass with a two thirds majority. Upon the passing of a Vote of No Confidence, the Secretary-General shall be forcibly removed from office, and an election will be held for a new Secretary-General to serve out the rest of the previous Secretary-General’s term.
Article IV: The Iterian Court
Section 1. The Iterian Court shall be the judiciary of the Iterian League, adjudicating on court cases involving the members of the Iterian League.
Section 2. Each member of the Iterian League shall have a single juror on the Iterian Court with a single vote it may cast to determine the outcome of a Court Case.
Section 3. The Iterian Court shall have the power to disperse rulings on all cases of importance to the Iterian League and the continent of Iteria on a whole. These particulars of these sentences are to be determined by the Justice in each particular court case.
Section 4. The Iterian Court shall have purview, with the consent of it’s members, to try all cases involving high crimes, international terrorism, crimes against the League, Iterian Code legal interpretations, or international disputes. A case must involve several members of the Iterian League for it to qualify for the Iterian Court.
Section 5. If a particular party would like to process a case, they must submit said case with sufficient reasoning to the current Justice of the Iterian League. The Justice will then either accept it or deny it if the crime matches the criterium and all parties to the case consent to having it tried by the Iterian League.
Section 6. Each court case begins with the prosecution and defense making opening arguments to frame the case. This is followed with the questioning of up to 3 witnesses per side. Afterwards, the Jurors and Judge may pose questions to the prosecution and defense, whom are legally obligated to answer. Finally, each side presents their closing arguments to the Justice. The Justice and Jurors will then convene in private and draft their final decision.
Section 7. The Iterian Court shall be presided over by a Justice, who will act as the Judge and presiding officer over all legal proceedings in the court.
Section 8. The Justice has the power to hand down all legal rulings in Iterian court cases. These rulings must be proportional to the crime and must be agreed upon by all Jurors in the court. The Justice has a duty to preside over all court cases in the Iterian Court and to remain impartial in these court cases. The Justice may only cast a vote to break a tie.
Section 9. The Justice shall be elected and sworn in on the first date of February, June, and October. The Justice shall be elected from among the Jurors of the Iterian Court. The Justice candidates shall not give a campaign speech, but rather must be nominated by a fellow member of the Jury. Once the candidates are selected, each Juror will cast their vote for the Justice. The candidate with a plurality of votes shall become the next Justice.
Section 10. Should any member of the Iterian Assembly lose confidence in the Justice, they may introduce a Vote of No Confidence concerning the Justice. This motion shall be given immediate priority on the legislative agenda and will pass with a two thirds majority. Upon the passing of a Vote of No Confidence, the Justice shall be forcibly removed from office, and an election will be held for a new Justice to serve out the rest of the previous Justice’s term.
Article V: The Iterian Code
Section 1. The Iterian Code shall be established as a standing body of rules, regulations, and policy suggestions for the Members of the Iterian League to use as recommendations for their own legislation.
Section 2. The Iterian Code shall have purview to establish guidelines on all matters of policy.
Section 3. The Iterian Code will be divided into Titles, Chapters, and Sections. Each Title shall be concerned with a certain area of policy that Iterian Member-States legislate upon, each Chapter shall contain a specific policy within the outline of the Title, and each Section shall contain a particular about the implementation and specifics of that policy.
Section 4. The Iterian Code may only be amended by a vote of the Iterian Assembly.
Section 5. The Iterian Code is non binding, and may be opted out of by any League Member.
Article VI: Administration
Section 1. The headquarters of the Iterian League are to be located in Dazhou, Ascalon.
Section 2. Each member of the Iterian League shall construct a National Headquarters, as well as several subsidiary offices, for the Iterian League within their nation. These offices should be capable of facilitating the Iterian League secretariat, hosting that nation’s League officials, and serving as a secondary headquarters for the Iterian League in the event that the main facilities are unavailable.
Section 3. Each member of the Iterian Assembly, both Observer and Voting, shall be compensated 150,000 NSD annually for their services to the Iterian League. The Speaker of the Assembly shall be compensated 200,000 NSD annually for their services to the Iterian League.
Section 4. The Secretary-General of the Iterian League shall be compensated 300,000 NSD annually for their services to the Iterian League. Each member of the Secretariat, both undersecretaries and regular staffers, shall receive recompense to be determined on a yearly basis with the drafting of the budget. The Secretary-General shall determine their salary.
Section 5. Each Juror of the Iterian Court shall be compensated 150,000 NSD annually for their services to the Iterian League. The Justice of the Iterian Court shall be compensated 200,000 NSD annually for their services to the Iterian League.
Section 6. All officials and representatives laid out in this constitution shall have access to transport, living accommodations, and basic provisions when on the business of the Iterian League.
Section 7. All funds for salaries and amenities shall be procured from a League-wide treasury to be maintained by the Secretariat and funded by the Members of the Iterian League.
Section 8. All Member-States of the Iterian League shall allocate 0.25% of their GDP to be utilized as membership dues for the Iterian League. These funds shall be compiled into a General Fund to be utilized by the League in whatever manner it sees fit. Additional funding may be procured by a vote of the Iterian Assembly.
Article VII: General Provisions
Section 1. Should any member of the Iterian Assembly deem it necessary, they may call for a Constitutional Convention, where a series of major changes may be made to the Constitution of the Iterian League. This convention may be called after a motion to do so passes with a three-fourths majority of the Iterian League voting to do so. This convention will be presided over by the sitting Secretary-General of the Iterian League. During the convention, amendments to this constitution will only require a simple majority. A completely new consitution will require a two-thirds majority.
Section 2. Member-States of the Iterian League must recognize the supremacy of the Iterian Constitution over all other international organizations or agreements they may be party to.
Signatories
The Most Honorable Tzufit Feldshuh, Prime Minister of Iraelia (Member, 1982)
The Most High Akiram Shiraz, President of Iraelia (Member, 1982)
Kamaal al-Kazir, Malik of Kazirstan (Member, 1982)
The Right Honorable Zufar el-Akbari, Prime Minister of Kazirstan (Member, 1982)
Fareed Soleyameni II, Shah of Kaandar (Member, 1982)
His Excellency Nazim Hatami, Alrrayida of Kaandar (Member, 1982)
The Right Honorable Kyo Takada, President of Skanda (Observer, 1982; Member, 1987)
The Honorable Iakeni Haruta, Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Observer, 1982; Member, 1987)
The Grand Emperor of Goyanes and the Ascalonian Dominion, Natan III Natansson of Kjellse and Tages (Observer, 1982)
The Right Honorable Sven Odinsson Korringer, Prime Minister of the Imperial Goyanean Federation (Observer, 1982)
The Most Renown Egon Kossman, Emperor of Kranostav (Member, 1991)
The Honorable Victoria Retford, Minister of Foreign Affairs (Member, 1991)
The Governor-General in place for His Imperial Majesty, Anthony I Natansson of Kjellse and Tages, Thor Yang (Member, 2002)
The Right Honorable Prime Minister of Ascalon, Deng Youming (Member, 2002)
King of Plembobria, Timothy III (Member, 2017)
The Right Honorable Sydney Briggs, Prime Minister of Plembobria (Member, 2017)
Imperial Empress, High Regent, and Mother of the Children of Yukkira, Kirin Yuki (Member, 2017)
Crown Prince Arima Yuki, High Minister of Foreign Affairs (Member, 2017)