Political Cards

This page lists all Political Cards in Twilight Imperium Third Edition, including both expansions 
== Setup and Gameplay ==
=== Setting up the Political Deck ===
All Political Cards are shuffled together to form the Political Deck
When playing with the Assembly or Assembly II Strategy Cards, each player receives 2 Political Cards from the Political Deck 
=== During Game Play ===
Each Political Card is an Agenda which represents an issue facing the galaxy that must be resolved by each faction playing the game. 
* Agendas either have effects resolved immediately or are Laws (Meaning they have a permanent effect on the rules of the game) 
Agendas are resolved during the Action Phase, when players use the Primary abilities of the Political, Assembly or Assembly II Strategy Cards. 
Using the Political Strategy Card resolves an agenda drawn from the Agenda Deck, whereas using the Assembly/Assembly II Strategy Cards resolves an agenda from the player's hand. 
When playing with the Assembly or Assembly II Strategy Cards, players may not have more than 5 Political Cards in their hand at any time. If they obtain more, they must discard down to hand limit. 
== Base Game ==
There are 60 Political Cards in the base game of Twilight Imperium Third Edition 
Card 	Status 	Text
Aggressive Strategy 	 	For: Each player may immediately (in Initiative Order) perform the Secondary Ability of their own Strategy Card without spending a Command Counter from their Strategic Allocation area
Against: No player can perform the Secondary ability of any Strategy Card this round
Ancient Artifact 	 	For: Roll a die. 
- On a 1-5, all units and ships in the Mecatol Rex system are destroyed and every fleet and planetary (Ground) unit in systems adjacent to the Mecatol Rex system immediately sustain 3 Combat rolls (hits occur on rolls of 5 or higher) 
* Note: This is 3 dice for all the space ships in each system (not 3 for each ship) and 3 dice for each planet with Ground Forces on it (not 3 for each unit) 
- On a 6-10, all players immediately gain 2 Technology advances of their choice (provided they have the prerequisites) 
Against: Discard this card
Arms Reduction 	 	For: Each player must destroy all but 2 of their Dreadnoughts and all but 4 of their Cruisers 
Against: Players must exhaust their planets that have a red technology specialty
Checks and Balances 	LAW 	For: When a player chooses a Strategy Card during the Strategy Phase, they must give the chosen card to another player (who does not currently have a strategy card) 
Against: Each player must immediately pass their current Strategy Card to the player on their left
Closing the Wormholes 	LAW 	For: Fleets may no longer move through wormholes
Against: If a player has a fleet in a system that contains a wormhole, that player must discard 1 non-Fighter ship in that fleet
Code of Honor 	LAW 	For: Fleets cannot retreat from Space Battles 
Against: Discard this card
Colonial Redistribution 	 	For: The player with the most Victory Points (choose randomly if tied) must choose one of their planets and destroy all Ground Forces on that planet (if any). 
The player must then select a player with the least Victory Points. The selected player can immediately place 3 Ground Forces on that planet and take control of it 
Against: Discard this card
Colonization Licensing 	LAW 	For: Before executing a planetary landing on a neutral planet, players must spend resources at least equal to the resource value of the planet 
Against: All players must immediately exhaust one planet of their choice for every 3 planets they control outside their Home Systems (rounded down); if able
Compensated Disarmament 	 	Elect Planet
All Ground Forces on this planet are destroyed. The player who controls the planet gets 1 Trade Good for each unit destroyed and retains control of the planet.
Conventions of War 	LAW 	For: Dreadnoughts and War Suns cannot Bombard planets that contain Space Docks 
Against: Each player who voted "Against" must immediately choose one of their Space Docks outside their home system (if able) and return it to their reinforcements
Core Stability 	LAW 	For: During each Status Phase, all Action Cards are drawn and placed face up on the table. The 			player with the highest unexhausted Influence may choose their Action Cards first, followed by the player with the second-most unexhausted Influence, etc.
Against: No Action Cards are drawn this round.
Cost Overruns 	 	For: If possible, each player must discard 1 Trade Good from their Trade Good area for each planet they control 
Against: Discard this card
Council Elder 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. The elected player may discard this card immediately after an "Elect" agenda has been drawn. Only the votes of the elected player are counted in resolving this agenda
Council’s Censure 	LAW 	Elect Player
The elected player must discard 2 Command Counters from their Strategy Allocation area in order to choose the Imperial Strategy Card during the Strategy Phase
Crown of Thalnos 	LAW 	Elect Player
The elected player's Ground Force units now receive +1 on all their Combat rolls
Dispute Resolution 	 	Elect 2 Planets that are controlled by 2 different players
Destroy all Ground Forces and PDS on both planets. The elected planets return to neutral status. Mecatol Rex and Home System planets cannot be elected
Economic Revitalization 	 	Elect Player
The elected player receives 1 Trade Good from the Trade Goods area of each opponent (if able)
Fleet Regulations 	LAW 	For: No player may have more than 5 Command Counters in their Fleet Supply Pool 
Against: Each player takes 1 Command Counter from their reinforcements and places it in their Fleet Supply Pool
Forced Economic Independence 	LAW 	Elect 2 Players
Place control markers of the elected players on this law. The elected players cannot have trade agreements with each other while this law is in play. 
If they have a trade agreement already, it is immediately broken
Free Trade 	LAW 	For: Each time a player receives Trade Goods from their active Trade Agreements, they receive 1 additional Trade Good 
Against: If possible, all players must discard 2 Trade Goods from their Trade Good area
Holder of Mecatol Rex 	 	For: The player who controls Mecatol Rex may immediately choose and discard 1 current law 
Against: The player who controls Mecatol Rex may add 2 free Ground Forces to Mecatol Rex
Holy Planet of Ixth 	LAW 	Elect Planet
This planet may not produce any units for the rest of the game (No planet in a Home System may be elected)
Humane Labor 	LAW 	For: The Production limit for all Space Docks is reduced by 2 
Against: Space Docks cannot produce units for the remainder of this round
Imperial Academy 	LAW 	For: When executing the Secondary Ability of the Logistics Strategy Card, players can now purchase each Command Counter by spending 2 influence (instead of 3)
Against: Discard this card
Imperial Containment 	 	For: The player (or players) with the most planets outside their home system must discard 1 Command Counter from their Command Pool for every Command Counter they use for Tactical Actions this round 
Against: Discard this card
Imperial Mandate 	 	For: Each player gains 2 Victory Points 
Against: Each player loses 1 Victory Point
Imperial Peace 	LAW 	For: Players cannot invade Mecatol Rex 
Against: Mecatol Rex is the only planet that players can invade this round
Labor Force Politics 	LAW 	For: The value of influence and resources of all planets are reversed 
Against: Players can produce units at only one of their Space Docks for the remainder of this round
Limits to Individual Power 	LAW 	For: All players must immediately discard all but 3 action cards. When a player draws a new Action card, they must immediately discard back down to 3 
Against: All players must discard 1 random action card (if possible)
Mass Mobilization 	 	For: Divide the total number of votes for this agenda by 5. Each player may place that number of Ground Force units on the planets they control (Total; not on each)
Against: No player may purchase Ground Forces for the remainder of this round
Minister of Commerce 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. During each Status Phase, the elected player receives 1 Trade Good from each player who has at least 1 active Trade Agreement
Minister of Exploration 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. The elected player receives 1 Trade Good every time another player successfully takes control of a neutral planet
Minister of Internal Security 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. The elected player can discard this card at any time to instantly destroy up to 4 Ground Forces on Mecatol Rex
Minister of Policy 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. During the Status Phase, the elected player receives 1 additional Action Card
Minister of War 	LAW 	Elect Player
The elected player can spend a Command Counter from their Strategic Allocation area to deal 1 automatic hit before the first round of any Space Combat in which they participate. The casualties of this hit are destroyed immediately and cannot return fire
New Constitution 	 	For: All current laws are discarded. If possible, each player must choose and exhaust two of their planets 
Against: The player with the most unexhausted influence can discard a current law of their choice
Official Sanction 	Replaced by card of the same name in the Shards of the Throne Expansion	Replaced by card of the same name in the Shards of the Throne Expansion
Open The Trade Routes 	Replaced by card of the same name in the Shattered Empire expansion 	Replaced by card of the same name in the Shattered Empire expansion
Planetary Conscription 	LAW 	For: Each time a player takes control of a neutral planet, they may take a Ground Force unit from their reinforcements and place it on that planet 
Against: No player may land on any neutral planet for the remainder of this round
Planetary Security 	LAW 	For: Non-Home System planets that are not garrisoned with at least 1 Ground Force are immediately returned to neutral status
Against: Discard this card
Prophecy of Ixth 	 	Elect Player
The Elected Player gets +1 for all their Fighters' Combat rolls throughout the game. The elected player loses this ability if they do not produce at least 2 new fighters during each game round
Public Execution 	 	Elect Player
The elected player loses all Action Cards, their planets are exhausted and their units receive -1 on all combat rolls for the remainder of this round
Regressive Rhetoric 	LAW 	For: The cost of all Technologies increases by 2. Players who do not execute the secondary ability of the Technology Strategy card may instead draw 1 free Action Card 
Against: All players must immediately discard 1 Action Card (if able)
Regulated Conscription 	LAW 	For: Ground Force Units now cost 1 resource each (Instead of 1/2). 
* A Sol player may only place 1 Ground Force unit for each Command Counter they consume using their Racial ability 
Against: Discard this card
Repeal 	 	Elect Current Law
Discard that law
Research Grant 	LAW 	For: All planets that provide a technology credit (discount) now provide that credit to all technology colors 
Against: General (Yellow) Technologies cannot be obtained or purchased for the remainder of this round
Resource Management 	LAW 	For: Players may not redistribute Command Counters on their Race Sheets during the Status Phase 
Against: All players with 3 or more Action Cards must immediately discard 2
Revote 	 	Elect Current Law 
Revote on its agenda (as if it were just drawn)
Science Community Speaker 	LAW 	Elect Player
The elected player can execute the Secondary ability of the Technology Strategy Card without spending a Command Counter from their Strategic Allocation area. In addition, the cost of purchasing technology is reduced by 1
Short Term Truce 	LAW 	For: No player may activate any systems containing enemy ships or attack a planet controlled by another player in the next (following) round. Any player can spend 10 influence at any time to discard this law 
Against: Each player who voted against must exhaust 1 planet that is chosen by an opponent to their left
Subsidized Industry 	 	Elect Player
The elected player may immediately place 1 free Space Dock on any planet they control
Subsidized Studies 	LAW 	Elect Technology Color
The cost for all Technologies of the elected color decreases by 3. The cost of all other technologies increases by 2
Technology Buy-back 	LAW 	For: Players may, during the Status Phase, discard 1 of their Technology advances in exchange for 6 Trade Goods. This cannot be a technology that is required for another technology they have
Against: Players cannot acquire Technological advances this round
Technology Investigation Committee	 	For: No Technologies may be purchased this round
Against: All players discard 1 Action Card at random, then immediately draw two new Political Cards and resolve them in the order in which they are drawn
Technology Tariffs 	LAW 	For: All Red Technologies cost +4 Resources to purchase
Against: Green Technologies cannot be purchased or obtained from the remainder of this round
Trade Embargo 	 	Elect Player
All trade agreements with this player are terminated and no new trade agreements can be established with that player this round or the next
Trade War 	LAW 	For: Each time a player executes the secondary ability of the Trade Strategy Card, they may also discard 1 Trade Good from one opponent's trade good area 
Against: Immediately discard 1 Trade Good from all players' Trade Good areas
Traffic Tariffs 	LAW 	For: To activate a system containing a planet controlled by another player, a player must spend 1 Trade Good or select and exhaust 1 planet 
Against: Each player must immediately discard 1 Command Counter from their Command or Strategy Pools if possible
Unconventional Weapons 	LAW 	For: All Dreadnoughts and War Suns receive -2 on all Combat rolls 
Against: All players must choose and exhaust one of their planets for each Dreadnought and War Sun they have in play (if able)
Wormhole Reconstruction 	LAW 	For: All systems containing wormholes are considered adjacent to all other systems containing wormholes 
Against: Discard this card
==Shattered Empire==
The Shattered Empire Expansion released 32 new Political Cards 
Card 	Status	Text
Class Struggle 	LAW 	For: When players receive Trade Goods from the Trade Strategy Card, all Trade Goods are added together and distributed equally to each player who will receive at least 1; Excess are lost 
Against: Each player immediately loses 2 Trade Goods
Defend the Jewel 	 	For: Immediately place 1 Space Mine (which does not belong to any player) in the Mecatol Rex system 
Against: Each player can place 1 Space Mine (under their control) in their home system
Diversified Income 	LAW 	For: Players may not have more Trade Goods than the total number of Planets they own 
Against: Each player without a Trade Good immediately receives 3 Trade Goods
Emperor 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give that player this card. The elected player immediately gains 1 Victory Point. If they lose this card (e.g. Repeal or Revote) they immediately lose 1 Victory Point
Enemy of the Throne 	LAW 	Elect Player
If a player wins a Space Combat against that player, the attacker acquires 2 Trade Goods, 1 Command Counter and 1 Action Card. This card is then discarded
Fighter Tax 	LAW 	For: Fighters now cost 1 resource each 
Against: Each player must destroy 3 of their fighters
Fleet Restrictions 	LAW 	For: Players may never have more than 2 ships of the same type in 1 system (excluding Fighters) 
Against: For each system where a player has more than 2 ships of the same type, the owner must immediately pay 1 Trade Good or destroy all surplus ships
Forbidden Research 	LAW 	Elect player
The elected player may not acquire any new technologies the next time the Technology Strategy is activated. Then discard this card.
Glory of the Empire 	LAW 	For: From now on, any player who completes their Secret Objective gains 1 extra Victory Point 
Against: Any player who has already completed their Secret Objective immediately gains 1 Victory Point
Hope’s End Training Ground 	 	For: A player controlling Hope's End may immediately place 1 Ground Force and 2 Shock Troops there 
Against: All Shock Troops in the game are replaced with Ground Forces 
Discard this agenda and draw a new one if the Hope's End system is not in play
Incentive Program 	LAW 	Elect Public Objective 
Each player who has already completed that objective immediately gains 1 Victory Point 
Players who will meet that objective in the future receive 1 more Victory Point than indicated on that Objective card
Intergalactic Commerce 	 	For: Any system with a wormhole that contains ships immediately gives the owner 3 Trade Goods 
Against: The value of each Trade Agreement is reduced by 1 for the remainder of this round
Interstellar Arms Dealers 	 	For: Players may pay 3 resources to immediately receive 1 Destroyer and 1 Dreadnought. These ships must be placed in any system containing a friendly Space Dock 
Against: The price of all ships (except Fighters) is increased by 1 resource for the remainder of this round
Investigate Spatial Anomalies	LAW 	For: Ion Storms and Nebulae no longer affect the movement of Ships 
Against: No special systems (red borders) can be entered until the end of this round
Minister of Peace 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. They may discard this card at any time to cancel the movement of a fleet into a system containing an enemy fleet (as long as the elected player does not control either fleet). The target system is still activated by the attacker
Mutiny 	 	For: Each player who voted "For" this agenda gains 1 Victory 
Against: Each player who voted "Against" this agenda loses 1 Victory Point
Neutrality Pact 	LAW 	For: No player may activate a planetless system that contains enemy ships unless they spend 3 influence 
Against: Each player must place a Command Counter from their reinforcements on one of their inactivated systems containing a Space Dock
Non-Aggression Pact 	LAW 	For: The first player to activate a system containing an enemy ship loses 1 Victory Point. Then, discard this law 
Against: Draw 1 card from the top of the Objective Deck and place it face up in the Common area
Open the Trade Routes
(Replaces card of the same name in Base Game)	 	For: Each player receives 2 Trade Goods 
Against: This game round, each player must give all of the Trade Goods they receive to the player on their left
Political Focus 	LAW 	For: When a player chooses the Political Strategy Card, they immediately gain 1 Command Counter or 2 Trade Goods 
Against: Draw the top card of the Political Deck and immediately resolve its agenda
Recognize Accomplishments 	 	Select Public Objective 
Remove all Control Markers from the Selected Public Objective. Players who have already completed that objective may fulfill it again. Those players do not lose any points and follow the usual rules when re-completing the goal
Redefining War Crimes 	LAW 	For: When a player fires their PDS at their opponent's fleet, they must terminate any Trade Agreements with that player 
Against: Players cannot use their PDS units this round except to defend during Planetary Invasions
Seed of an Empire 	 	For: The player(s) with the most Victory Points gain 1 Victory Point 
Against: The player(s) with the least Victory Points gain 1 Victory Point
Sharing of Technology 	LAW 	For: Any player who has at least 1 Trade Agreement can immediately gain 1 Technology advance obtained by one of their trading partners (ignoring prerequisites) 
Against: All Trade Agreements are terminated
Technological Jihad 	LAW 	For: Each time a player obtains Technological advances, they must roll a dice. On a 9 or 10 they must destroy one of their Cruisers or Destroyers 
Against: Each player must exhaust 1 planet for every non-starting Technology advance they have
The Crown of Emphidia 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. That player immediately gains 1 Victory Point. 
Any other player who wins an Invasion Combat against the owner of this card immediately claims this card and obtains 1 Victory Point.
If a player ever loses this card, they lose 1 Victory Point
Unconventional Measures 	 	For: Each player may draw 1 Action Card 
Against: All players must immediately discard all their Action Cards
Veto Power 	LAW 	Elect player
Give this card to the elected player. That player may discard this card at any time to discard any law immediately after it has been voted on. The law is discarded without effect
Vorhal Peace Prize 	LAW 	For: The player(s) with the smallest fleet supply acquire 1 additional Command Counter during each Status Phase 
Against: The player(s) with the smallest fleet supply immediately acquire 3 Trade Goods
War Funding 	LAW 	For: Players do not have to adhere to Fleet Supply restrictions during the Action Phase. At the start of the Status Phase, players must remove all ships that exceed capacity in all systems 
Against: Each player must immediately remove 1 Command Counter from their Fleet Supply Pool and place it in their reinforcements
Warship Commission 	 	For: Each player may immediately build (for free) 1 Dreadnought unit at 1 of their Space Docks
Against: The cost of each Cruiser, Dreadnought and War Sun is increased by 2 resources for the remainder of this round
Wormhole Research 	 	For: Roll a die
- 1-3: Every ship in a wormhole system is destroyed 
- 4-7: Each player who controls at least 1 wormhole system gains 2 Trade Goods 
- 8-10: Each player who voted for this agenda receives 1 Blue Technology advance (Must have prerequisites)
Against: Wormholes may not be used for the remainder of this round
==Shards of the Throne==
The Shards of the Throne Expansion released 19 new Political Cards 
Card 	Status	Text
Archived Secret 	 	Elect Player 
The Elected Player draws 1 Secret Objective. When an ability affects 1 of their Secret objectives, they choose which one is affected
Build Monuments 	LAW 	Elect Planet
The player controlling this planet needs 1 less Victory Point to win the game. Place this card on the Planet's tile to remember this
Centrillic Gas 	 	For: Roll a die 
- 1-3: Destroy all units in Nebula and Ion storm systems
- 4+: Each player receives 5 Trade Goods for each Nebula and/or Ion Storm they control 
Against: Discard this card
Corrupt Empire 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. When another player attacks the elected player, the attacking player gains 1 Victory Point and then discards this card
Defense Mobilizations 	 	For: Each player may take any number of friendly units from any 1 system and place them in their home system 
Against: Each player may take any number of friendly units from their home system and place them in 1 other friendly system they control
Documenting Research 	LAW 	For: When a player uses the Secondary ability of the Technology Strategy Card, reduce the cost to 0 if they buy the same Technology that was acquired by the player that used the Primary ability 
Against: Exhaust all planets that have a technology Specialty
Equal Threats 	 	Elect 2 Players
Each elected player must give their Secret Objective Card to the other elected player. If 1 of the players does not have a Secret Objective, they instead take the other player's card (and keep it)
Flawed Planning 	 	For: Each player mixes their Preliminary and Secret Objectives to form a deck. Then, each player is dealt a Secret Objective (even if one has already been completed) 
Against: Each player who has already fulfilled their Secret Objective immediately gains 1 Victory Point
Fund Research Complex 	LAW 	Elect Planet
The player controlling this planet has their cost to purchase technologies reduced by 2.
Place this card on the planet's card to remember this
Lord of Mecatol Rex 	 	If no player controls Mecatol Rex when this card is drawn, discard this card and draw another
For: The player who controls Mecatol Rex gains 1 Victory Point 
Against: Discard this card
Mining Operations 	 	For: Each player acquires 4 Trade Goods for each system they control that is adjacent to one or more Asteroid Fields 
Against: Each player loses 2 Trade Goods
Necessary Bureaucracy 	LAW 	For: After voting for an agenda during each future game round, players vote on the next card of the Political deck. Once per agenda. 
Against: Draw the top card of the Political Deck. If it has a "For" effect, resolve it immediately. Otherwise, discard the card without effect
Official Sanction 
(Replaces Card of the same name from the base game)	 	Elect Player
The elected player cannot invade a neutral planet or a planet controlled by an opponent until the end of this round
On Observation 	LAW 	If you are not playing with the Galactic Council option, discard this card and draw a new one 
Elect Player
If the elected player has ever selected a Spy Representative, their spy is killed at the end of this Council
Publicize Weapon Schematics	LAW 	For: Each player acquires War Sun Technology (free; even without prerequisites). When a player rolls two 10s for their Fighters during the same round of battle, those hits must be assigned to an enemy War Sun (if able) 
Against: Discard this card
Repeal Labor Laws 	LAW 	For: Players may build Space Docks on planets they have acquired during the same round of play 
Against: Each player must lose 3 Trade Goods or destroy 1 of their Space Docks
Sanctuary Shield 	LAW 	Select a Special (Red border) System
The special feature of this system is now ignored. Players can activate and travel to/through this system as if it were an empty system
Shard of the Throne 	LAW 	Elect Player
Give this card to the elected player. That player needs 1 less Victory Point to win the game. When another player destroys 1 unit belonging to the card's owner during battler, the attacker receives this card
Supported Expansion 	 	For: Starting with the Speaker, each player may place 1 free Ground Force on 1 uncontrolled planet of their choice 
Against: Each player loses control of each planet in a non-Home system that does not have at least 1 unit