Politics of San Vooperisco

The Republic of San Vooperisco is a dual-executive unitary republic with a bicameral legislature, functioning as a constituent District of the Vooperian Empire.

## National Government

### Senator

The **Senator of the Republic of San Vooperisco** serves as the District's head of state and representative in the national legislature, the Senate. Unlike nearly all other Districts, the Senator is not the primary leader of the state, with large portions of its duties delegated to the Consulate and the Governor. The Senator also serves as *de facto* foreign minister, meeting with representatives from other Districts and organizations.

The Senator is elected roughly every month in an election managed, organized, and counted by the Vooperian Government.

### Governor

The **Governor of the Republic of San Vooperisco** serves as the District's head of government and its primary leader. The Governor has primary authority in the republic's internal affairs and functions. The Governor also serves a role equivalent to Parliamentarian, managing votes in the Legislature and organizing the legal code.

The Governor is elected by popular RCV on the first Sunday following the election of the Senator.

### High Council of the Republic

The upper house of San Vooperisco is the **High Council of the Republic**, composed of seven representatives from the seven voting regions of the District. Normal laws and motions are passed by a 4/7 majority vote of the legislators. Constitutional amendments are passed by a 5/7 supermajority of the legislators.

The High Council is elected simultaneously with the Governor. Unlike traditional representative systems, the legislators are elected by all the citizens at once, instead of only be their constituents. The purported illogicalness of this system has made it one of the more controversial political topics in recent years.

### National Assembly

The lower house of San Vooperisco is the **National Assembly**, composed of 370 delegates from the Counties of San Vooperisco. Ten delegates come from each of the 37 counties. The party composition of the Assembly is usually the primary determiner of political coalitions to back Senator and Governor candidates.

### Executive Consulate

The **Executive Consulate** fulfils a role analogous to the Imperial Ministries in the Vooperian Government. The members of the Consulate are known as Consuls. The current Consuls are - Lore, Finance, Public Works & Health, and Defense.

The Consul of Lore is the primary arbitrator of lore and rp disputes within the District, and works to improve District lore and rp. The current Consul of Lore is Governor Sebastian Blaireau. The Consul of Lore usually works in tandem with the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of History to uphold RP regulations and promote a positive RP environment within the District.

The Consul of Defense serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces (see Military), as chief military advisor and strategist to the government, and occasionally as a foreign diplomat. The current Consul of Defense is Sebastian Blaireau.

## Political Parties and Coalitions

San Vooperisco has a competitive multi-party system. Coalitions usually do not have defined political power within the government, but wield considerable influence among the electorate and in government policy. The current coalition is the **New National Leauge**, composed of the Parte de Oro, the National Popular Front, the Melonist Union, and the League of Democrats. Together they hold a majority in the National Assembly.

The coalitions are usually based around seat counts in the National Assembly, and on the current Senator and Governor's party affiliations. The current Senator, Raymond Newsman, is from the Parte de Oro. The current Governor, Sebastian Blaireau, is from the Julo-Huecan Party.

Currently the conservative nationalist National Popular Front serves as the head of the formal opposition, with the Melonist Union as its junior opposition partner. The extremist GB, RPF, and PFL are small and not usually included in coalitions or formal oppositions.

## Law

The **Constitution of the Republic of San Vooperisco** serves as the supreme law of the land. The law system is composed of the Constitution, various bills and motions, and several constitutional amendments. Additionally, the government makes use of Policies, with are nonbinding regulations and declarations issued to direct government and internal policies.

The **Chief Judge of the Republic** serves alone as the highest court in the District. The **Attorney General** serves as the prosecutor for cases that come before the Chief Judge. The Attorney General is appointed by the **Sheriff of the Republic**, a largely ceremonial role hearkening back to a time when the District did not have organized law enforcement.

## Military

The San Vooperisco Armed Forces, unlike in other Districts, are not under the control of the Senator or Governor. Instead, the commander-in-chief of the military is the **Consul of Defense**, who is appointed by the joint agreement of the Senator and the Governor.

Subordinate to the Consul are the commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces, namely the Commander of the Navy, Commander of the Air Force, Commander of the Army, and Director of the Counter-Terrorism Force. Each Commander is free to organize his branch in whatever way they see fit.

The **Counter-Terrorism Force** was originally conceived as an elite squadron of anti-terrorist troops, designed to fight warfare against infiltrators and insurgents. Since its inception, the CTF has also taken duties equivalent to the National Guard, and SWAT teams. After the resignation of Director Skulz, the current Director of the CTF is Opman.

The CTF has been criticized in recent years as having overstepped its government mandate. Senator Newsman described the CTF as "acting like Skulz's private army". With the departure of Director Skulz, the fate of the CTF remains unclear.

## Interdistrict Relations

San Vooperisco has historically been one of the most populous and powerful of the Districts. It has a friendship treaty with Ardenti Terra, and is currently negotiating another one with Avalon. The district also has historically good relations with Kogi and New Avalon.

The District has a long history of poor relations with Lanatia. Several reconciliation attempts have been made on both sides, with limited success. The unprovoked Lanatian blockade of Romulus Island in late 2353 turned most of the population against the Lanatian government.

## Administrative Divisions

San Vooperisco is currently divided into twenty-two Counties, with are organized into seven Voting Regions. Each region sends one representative to the High Council (see High Council of the Republic). Being a unitary state, the Counties are little more than legislative and census divisions, and do not have autonomy from the central government. Calls for regional autonomy have increased in recent years, most vocally from the Julo, Huecan, and Melon minorities in the southeast.

In response, the government is in the process of drafting a new set of Counties and Regions, to better take into account regional geography and demography. Claims have spread that some Counties will receive regional autonomy; the government has neither denied nor confirmed this.