Alachus

**Alachus** (Alachusian: *Алачусь*, *Alachus*; Kashan: *Алачусь*, *Alachus*), officially the **Republic of Alachus** (Alachusian: *Республіка ж‘Алачусе*, *Respublika ź‘Alaćuse*; Kashan: *Республика з Алачусьи*, *Respublika z Alachusi*), is a sovereign state located in Eastern Eurea, bordered by Akraine to the north and Borgizstan to the south and west. Its capital and most-populous city is Brinsk, located in the north of the country. Alachus has a population of about 21.3 million inhabitants.

Organized civilization first began in the territory of modern-Alachus in the 13th-century, following the establishment of the Alachusian Commonwealth. The Commonwealth grew to a considerable amount of power, becoming one of the most dominant states in Eastern Eurea following the conquering and annexation of the neighboring Kingdom of Borgizstan. In the 18th-century, the Commonwealth began to fall into decline, and ultimately was peacefully annexed by the Kashan Empire as an autonomous province, retaining its royal family. Following a *coup d'état* in Kasha in the 20th-century, the Empire was overthrown by fascists and became the Kashan Union. Alachus was incorporated as the Alachusian Fascist Republic of Kasha, while its previously annexed territory of Borgizstan was incorporated as the Borgiz Fascist Republic of Kasha. Individual freedoms and liberties were greatly diminished under the fascist regime, with high levels of poverty, famine, and instability. Following a weakening of the Union and increasing foreign pressure from democracies, the Union began to fall in the 1980s; Alachus declared its independence in 1989, being the fourth former Republic to be granted independence.

As an independent state, Alachus has established itself as a unitary presidential republic. Its head of state is the President, elected through a popular vote for a five-year term that can be indefinitely renewed. A two-term limit originally existed, but was struck down through a referendum in 1996. The President then nominates the Prime Minister, to serve as the head of government. The Prime Minister is the head legislator of the National Assembly, the 150-seat unicameral Alachusian legislature, and must be confirmed by a majority of the National Assembly. Most power is vested in the President, as the chief international diplomat and representative of Alachus; they may approve and negotiate foreign treaties, appoint their own cabinet, appoint all non-elected officeholders, appoint the entirety of the Supreme Court, veto laws passed by parliament, dismiss previously appointed officeholders, bestow civilian and military honors, serve as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and formally lobby the Prime Minister on policy decisions. The political framework of Alachus has garnered mass international criticism, with many asserting that it allows for the President to act with infinite powers and very few checks and balances. Slavko Hiermanenka has served as President since Alachusian independence, and has been responsible for a number of measures to increase his own power.

Of Alachus's population of 21.3 million, approximately 85.5% identifies as being ethnically Alachusian. A further 5.6% identifies as Kashan, while 4.6% identifies as Borgiz, 1.4% as Akrainian, and 2.9% as other ethnic groups. There are two co-official languages of Alachus: Alachusian and Kashan, both Slavoric languages. Alachusian is the national language of Alachus and is closely related to Akrainian. Alachusian is spoken natively by about 33.7% of the population, primarily younger and more rural populations. Kashan is spoken natively by 60.5% of the population, primarily older and more urban populations. Kashan has long been the dominant language of Alachus, with 98.4% being able to communicate in Kashan, and only 81.5% being able to communicate in Alachusian; these trends are even more prevalent amongst older populations in more urban areas. Approximately 5.8% of the population speaks other languages natively. Approximately 60.4% of the population are adherents of Eastern Eurean Christianity, while 8.0% adhere to other Christian churches, 5.8% adhere to Eurean Islam, 0.2% adhere to a different religion, and 25.6% identify as irreligious, agnostic, or atheist. Weekly religious attendance is estimated to be about 28.3% of the population.