Syrellia

The Republic of Syrellia is located on the southern end of the Encircled Sea.  It is bordered on the northeast by Astyria and on the southeast by Kongo.

## History

Syrellia has had a tumultuous history, having belonged to many different empires over the centuries, having been conquered by or owing suzerainty to the Reman Empire and to Astyria-Denishu, amongst others.  In the late 1700s, Syrellia broke away from Astyrian control although an Astyrian monarchical house ruled the country until 1885, when King Fermin was removed from power by an Army putsch.

In the late 1880s, the Nanclares government annexed a region known in Syrellia as the Southern Frontier, or occasionally the Transkouss (as the region lies across the Kouss River).  Since the late 1700s, this region had paid nominal allegiance to the Syrellian monarchy, but maintained their own monarchy under the Emir of Elbar.  Relations deteriorated even before the removal of King Fermin, and in 1888, the Syrellian military deposed the Emir for violating treaty commitments.  The Emirate was broken up and the territory annexed, with the Army pacifying the region.  It remains an uncertain area, with numerous rival ethnic groups looking for dominance of an arid and religiously-significant region, all under the restraining hand of the Syrellian Army.

The monarchial House of Arteaga ruled the Kingdom of Syrellia until 1885. The monarchy proved increasingly unpopular, sinking the nation into debt. In 1886, General Zigor Nanclares, the commander of the Syrellian Army, declared himself president-for-life.  Although Nanclares proved to be adept at setting national policy, expanded the economy threefold, and paid off the debts incurred by the monarchial government, his dictatorship remained unpopular.  With increased calls for full democracy and the embarrassment of the Guardian Affair, Nanclares stepped down and allowed democratic elections in 1900, allowing a peaceful transition to a new government.

## Government and Politics

### Overview

The Republic of Syrellia (*Syrelliako Errepublika*) is governed by a parliamentary democracy.  The *consul* serves as head of state, with the *proconsul* as his or her deputy.  Both are elected for five-year terms, with a single term limit.  The bicameral elected parliament (*Kongresuko*) is divided into the Assembly House (*Batzar Etxea*) elected directly by the populace for three-year terms, and the Senate (*Senatua*), which is composed of a set number of members elected by the regional congresses, as well as a variable number of Senators-for-Life.
The Assembly House is responsible for electing the Chancellor (also called the First Minister), who acts as the head of government, naming the members of the Executive Council, which advises the Chancellor on matters of state.
As of 1905, the Consul is Eneko Ibarra, who is preparing to hand over the office to the next elected Consul, Ion Uberoaga (who currently serves as his proconsul).  Both Ibarra and Uberoaga were involved in opposition to the Nanclares dictatorship.  However, Chancellor Xabier Artiega participated in the former regime prior to joining the Republican Front, and remains a popular figure in spite of this.
Four main political parties operate within national politics and hold seats in the Batzar Etxea:

* **Fronte Errepublikarra** (*Republican Front*): the primary pro-democratic party which opposed the Nanclares dictatorship.  They have thus far held the primary offices as Consul, Proconsul, and First Minister in the five years since the start of democracy.
* **Abertzalea** (*Syrellian Nationalist Party*): the party which formed under Nanclares and continues to follow his agenda, particularly in terms of national regeneration and economics.  They remain a major force in national politics.
* **Progresista Sindikalista** (*Syndicalist Progressive Party*): A Leftist political movement banned and prosecuted under the Nanclares regime.  They experienced a surge in popularity following the transition to democracy, but have been steadily losing ground ever since.  They are often referred to by their initials, PS, or by the shorthand slur 'Fabina' (*Fabians*).
* **Alderdi Popular Nazionala** (*Syrellian National People's Party*): continues to support the now-exiled Syrellian monarchy and the aspirations of Frantizisko Zatarain.  As with the PS, the APN was proscribed during the Nanclares regime.  They are making a slow comeback, and have a strong voting block in the more conservative central valley.

Party lines are often quite fluid.  In spite of past difficulties, the Fronte Errepublikarra and Abertzalea sometimes support each other's candidates in contested seats.  As part of the transition to democracy, five of the eight seats on the Executive Council are held by the *Fronte Errepublikarra*, while three seats are still held by *Abertzalea* incumbents.  The power-sharing agreement between the two parties will expire with the August 1906 elections, however.

The current pretender to the Syrellian throne is Prince Frantizisko Zatarain (b.1880), the son and heir of the deposed King Fermin (1853-1898).  Frantizisko argues that his father never abdicated the crown, which passed to him upon Fermin's death in 1898.  In spite of this, Prince Frantizisko strongly advocates "a peaceful resolution" and leads the APN political party.
In 1901, in order to avoid major political division within the country, Consul Eneko Ibarra issued a pardon to former dictator Zigor Nanclares, who currently lives in retirement.

## Foreign Relations and Military

### Syrellian Army

The Syrellian Army was enlarged under the Nanclares dictatorship, but was hit hard in 1898 by pay cuts as Nanclares attempted to pay off the national debt.  Although they remained loyal to Nanclares until the end of his regime, there was a degree of relief when he handed off power to the new democratically-elected government.

### Syrellian Navy

Main article: Syrellian Navy

The Syrellian Navy struggled extensively during the Nanclares era.  The monarchy had previously expended a great deal of money on naval expansion but much of it had been wasted on obsolete designs, graft, or bureaucratic mismanagement.  As a result, the Navy received heavy cuts and only one new major warship was built between 1885 and 1900.  The Navy was a strong supporter of the democratic movement. After the Guardian Affair in 1900, the Navy mutinied to show their solidarity for pro-democracy protests.  As a result, the new government has heavily-funded the Syrellian Navy, partly to show the national resurgence, and partly to redress its dismal state at the end of 1900.

## Economy

During the 1860s and 1870s, the monarchy incurred a large number of debts to both foreign and domestic lenders.  These mounting debts were eventually acquired by the Syrellian government, with detrimental effects on the national economy.  The Army's pay was cut in 1885, which led to General Nanclares' military removal of the monarchy.  Acting as self-appointed president-for-life, Nanclares made numerous decisions to improve and modernize the Syrellian economy.  By the time Nanclares left power in 1900, the Syrellian gross domestic product had risen by 180% since 1880, with government debt reduced to a mere twenty percent of the government's annual budget.

## Demographics

Syrellia has a large number of ethnic groups, many of which are fairly sizable.
The *Jendea*, often referred to simply as *Syrellians* both at home and abroad, are the largest and the dominant ethnic group, representing approximately sixty-five percent of the nation's population.  They predominate near the coast and in the cities, and are heavily-represented in the national government.  They are not entirely homogeneous, however, and can be further divided into the *Zuria* (Whites) in the north and along the coast, the *Gorria* (Reds) in the arid central coast and the city of Elgorriaga, and *Berdea* (Greens) in the eastern valleys.  They can be differentiated by their distinct regional accents, manner of dress, and variations in the spelling of their names.  The three colors used on the Syrellian flag represent all three of these groups.

The *Kabirians*, who predominate in the southernmost regions of Syrellia in the former Emirate of Elbar, are part of the same ethnic and linguistic group as the occupants of Anitkabir to the south.
Other minorities include the *Muinoak*, the *Juduak*, the *Ijitoak*, the *Koptoak*.  Most of these groups are native to the more diverse south of Syrellia.  The *Koptoak* in particular are strongly represented in the region of Elbar and Solymitana, although they clash with the Kabirians.

### Religion

The primary religion is Syrellian Orthodox.
Following the Southern Frontier Pacification Campaign of 1888, the Syrellian Republic controls the ancient city of Solymitana, which is the holiest city of Orthodoxy.  However, the city and its surrounding environs are heavily-populated by Kabirians, with significant religious tensions resulting.  As a result, Solymitana has largely been left behind by the economic development of the rest of Syrellia, remaining a virtual backwater to all but devoted Orthodox pilgrims.