Echelon Constitution

Charter
In order to form a more perfect alliance, two bodies once separate begin a new journey towards common goals. Their order, known henceforth as Echelon, does hereby declare autonomy as a new and separate alliance. In accordance with this document the alliances known as GAT-ITEC and The Shadowhood are hereby dissolved and no longer exist.

Section I: Alliance Governance
Article A Alliance Sovereignty

i. We, the members of Echelon, do hereby affirm our status as a Sovereign, Autonomous and Independent State of the world, and thus outline our system of governance in this constitution, ratified by general referendum on the 29th of January, 2009. ii. In all matters, both foreign and domestic, Echelon will determine it's own courses of action. Should any actor, foreign or domestic, impinge upon this ideal then all actions available to the Echelon will be used to maintain this belief. iii. All nations that fly the colors of 'Echelon', 'Echelon Applicant' or 'Echelon POW' are granted the protection of Echelon unless expressly indicated by the officially sanctioned government of Echelon.

Article B Alliance Purpose

i. The purpose of Echelon is to: extend and maintain friendship among participatory nations; to promote a common economic framework advantageous to participatory nations; to provide a means of common defence against hostile actors, or to prosecute wars against actors posing a threat to the security of the alliance; and to seek-out and maintain advantageous relationships with the world community.

Article C Alliance Governance

i. In order to facilitate the efficient delivery of services outlined in Article B (Alliance Purpose), Echelon requires a governing structure. As such, the roles and positions outlined in the following sub-articles outline the sanctioned governing body of the Echelon.

ii.(a) Recognizing the importance of strong leadership, Echelon recognizes two specific individuals as the legitimate Sovereigns of Echelon: the Directorate. These individuals (Directors) are granted the absolute authority to govern Echelon as they see fit, operationally (termed Executive Orders) and legislatively, limited only by the proscribed laws of this constitution.

ii.(b) Should a member of the Directorate opt to abdicate his or her leadership, the Directorate will nominate an appropriate successor before the outgoing Director departs.

iii. Prime Minister Election of the Prime Minister Following the assumption of office by the Civil Council, the Leadership Council, consisting of the combined bodies of the Civil Council and the Colonial Council shall take a vote to nominate and elect from their own ranks by 2/3 majority the Prime Minister.

Duties of the Prime Minister The duties of the Prime Minister, in addition to that of the position they were originally appointed/elected to, shall be to moderate deliberative sessions of the Leadership Council, cast a deciding vote in matters that come before the Council in the event of a tie vote, and to act as a Deputy Directorate in operational matters of State should members of the Directorate be incapacitated, removed, or otherwise unavailable to perform their duties.

He or she in the Deputy Directorate role will be obligated to carry out the objectives set forth by the Directorate, or failing this, abide by the ethos of this constitution and the wishes of the Leadership Council.

Should the Prime Minister leave the Leadership Council for any reason, the Leadership Council shall hold a provisional election to choose a replacement to serve the remainder of the current term.

iv. In order to increase the diversity of opinion in governance, Echelon will appoint a Leadership Council whose role is to act in the best wishes of the membership at large. This Leadership Council will be divided into two sub-councils: the Civil Council and the Colonial Council. All members of the Leadership Council have equal legislative powers, granted a single vote in legislative propositions.

v. The Civil Council, five (5) members being democratically-elected by the methods outlined in Section I, Article E (Elective Processes), shall be responsible for representing the best interests of the members of Echelon through legislative efforts, and ensuring the checks and balances outlined in Section I, Article D (Removal of Officials) are followed.

vi. The Colonial Council, the Directorate-appointed ministerial body, shall be responsible for delivering the services expected from the five (5) Ministries outlined in Section II (Alliance Ministries). Ministers appointed by the Directorate are required to fulfill the objectives set forth by the Directorate with regards to their specific Ministry.

vii. Should a Minister require the services of another member of the alliance to help administrate his or her Ministry, he or she can appoint the member as an Adjutant-Minister. Should a Minister be unavailable, incapacitated or inactive, the Adjutant-Minister most senior in the Ministry will be appointed Acting Minister.

Article D Removal of Officials

i. Should the Prime Minister, a member of the Leadership Council, or a member of the Directorate violate this constitution intentionally or through gross negligence, the following sub-articles govern the processes involved in legally removing him or her from the Leadership Council.

ii. Should a member of the Directorate fail in his or her obligations to uphold the laws of this constitution, or the laws of the Alliance Legislature, the Leadership Council can Motion to Indict the Director in question with the tacit approval of the opposite Director. Once a two-thirds majority is upheld, the Director in question will proceed to a trial, as outlined in Section III, Article IV (Trial by Court Martial).

iii. Should the Prime Minister or a member of the Colonial Council fail in his or her obligations to uphold the laws of this constitution or the laws of the Alliance Legislature, or fail to perform his or her assigned activities, the Directorate has full discretion to remove said Minister.

iv. Should a member of the Civil Council, through deliberate intent or gross negligence fail to perform his or her duties as defined by this constitution, he or she will be removed upon the success of a Motion to Indict. This motion must be sustained by a one-half majority vote by the Leadership Council, with the tacit approval of the Directorate.

v. Should any member of the alliance allege a charge of contravening the laws of this constitution or of the Alliance Legislature against any member of the Leadership Council or the Prime Minister, sub-articles (iii) [and/or] (iv) of Section I, Article D (Removal of Officials) will be enacted.

Article E Elective Processes

i. Of the Leadership Council, the Civil Council represent the opinion of the general membership in government. With this in mind, the following sub-articles outline the methods of electing the individual Civil Councilors to office, and the terms of office they are governed-by.

ii. A Civil Councilor, with the vested interests of the membership in mind at all times, will hold office for a period of no more than two (2) months per representative term.

iii. The Ministry of Internal Affairs will conduct the ballot according to the procedure located in the Alliance Legislature.

The Civil Council will be elected by popular vote of the alliance membership, with the the top five (5) candidates for an election being granted the role of Civil Councilor upon completion of the ballot. A nomination thread is set up to stay open for a period of seven(7) days. All members are free to nominate someone (including themselves) for a seat on the Civil Council. Nominated members shall be free to accept or decline the nomination at their best discretion.

Should Echelon be in the midst of an Alliance crisis, the directorate may, at their discretion, suspend all elections for the duration of such crisis in order to ensure a stable government in challenging times. Upon taking office, the Civil Council shall participate with the Colonial Council to nominate and elect the Prime Minister, whose duty shall be to moderate deliberative sessions of the Leadership Council, cast a deciding vote in matters that come before the Council in the event of a tie vote, and to act as a Deputy Directorate in all matters of State should members of the Directorate be incapacitated, removed, or otherwise unavailable to perform their duties.

Article F Authorization of Military Actions

i. Should the mobilization of the Echelon Armed Forces be required to uphold and defend the laws and principles of this constitution or those of the Alliance Legislature, the following sub-articles govern the conditions in which a legally-sanctioned Declaration of War upon another entity may be made. A Declaration of War may only be issued by the Directorate, with adequate forewarning given to the Prime Minister and the Colonial Council. ii. If by international agreement Echelon is required to Declare War upon another entity in order to fulfill the terms and conditions of said agreement, the Directorate must authorize the Minister of Defence to mobilize the Echelon Armed Forces before a Declaration of War can be issued. iii. If by the Executive Order the alliance is to engage in Offensive Military Operations, the Directorate will seek the approval of the Leadership Council by two-thirds majority vote before instructing the Minister of Defence to mobilize the Echelon Armed Forces. iv. Should the alliance, in whole or in part, come under attack by foreign actors, foreign or domestic, the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Foreign Affairs have the authority to formulate an appropriate response to the incursion.

Section II Alliance Ministries
Article A Purpose

i. In order to deliver the services expected of a large alliance, those being: the provision of a common defence from external and internal entities with hostile intent; of economic growth for all; the social nourishment of the alliance community itself; the alliance hereby confirms the following Ministries as the sanctioned governing apparatus for day-to-day operations.

Article B Ministry of Defense

i. The Ministry of Defense is charged with the Defense of the Alliance from hostile actors, both foreign and domestic; to carry-out sanctioned Offensive Operations; to gather, analyze and disseminate appropriate Military Intelligence; and to Defend the Integrity of the constitutionally-sanctioned government of Echelon. To this end, the following sub-articles outline the roles within and activities activities of this Ministry. ii. The Minister of Defense, appointed by the Directorate and confirmed by the Leadership Council is tasked with the oversight of the Echelon Armed Forces. At all times, the Minister of Defense will seek to improve and enhance the readiness, ability and performance of the Echelon Armed Forces and foster a spirit of Discipline, Comradery and Esprit de Corps throughout the Ministry. iii. Recognizing established military organizations of history, the Ministry adopts a traditional command hierarchy, with the Directorate established as Commanders-in-Chief in the Chain-of-Command. The Minister of Defense is granted Strategic Command of the Echelon Armed Forces, subordinate only to the Directorate. At all times, the Minister of Defence will adhere to the Rules of Engagement proscribed by the relevant legislation in the Alliance Legislature.

Article C Ministry of Finance

i. The Ministry of Finance is charged with the economic development of all member nations through targeted programs, relief aid and military procurement strategies. To this end, the following sub-articles outline the activities of this Ministry. ii. The Minister of Finance, appointed by the Directorate and confirmed by the Leadership Council is tasked with the oversight of Echelon's financial resources, trade relationships and alliance banks. At all times, the Minister of Finance will seek to improve and enhance the capability of Echelon's collective economy, and the economies of all member nations.

Article D Ministry of Internal Affairs

i. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is charged with the: maintenance of Echelon's electronic infrastructure; of processing new members; of mediating internal conflict; and ensuring the carriage of justice as proscribed by this constitution, and the laws of the Alliance Legislature. To this end, the following sub-articles outline the activities of this Ministry. ii. The Minister of Internal Affairs, appointed by the Directorate and confirmed by the Leadership Council is tasked with the oversight of: Echelon's personnel as outlined in Section III, Articles A [and/or] C (Admission to the Alliance, Dismissal from the Alliance); ensuring that the democratic processes of Section I, Article E (Elective Processes), and the legal processes of Section III, Article D [and/or] E (Trial by Court Martial, Permissible Penalties) are followed according to law.

Article E Ministry of Foreign Affairs

i. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is charged with the maintenance of Echelon's electronic infrastructure, recruiting and processing new members, mediating internal conflict, ensuring the carriage of justice as proscribed by this constitution, and the laws of the Alliance Legislature, as well as the dissemination of information, internally to the membership and externally to the wider global community, To the general propaganda (or related media) to win the hearts and minds of the international community during times of war and the generation of media to improve the general morale and spirt of the alliance membership. To this end, the following sub-articles outline the activities of this Ministry. ii. The Minister of Internal Affairs, appointed by the Directorate and confirmed by the Leadership Council is tasked with the oversight of: Echelon's personnel as outlined in Section III, Articles A [and/or] C (Admission to the Alliance, Dismissal from the Alliance); ensuring that the democratic processes of Section I, Article E (Elective Processes), the legal processes of Section III, Article D [and/or] E (Trial by Court Martial, Permissible Penalties) are followed according to law, the maintinence, improvement and usuage of Communications Assets, the organization and execution of alliance-wide messaging; and the management, production and dissemination of intra- and inter-alliance media which fosters pro-Echelon sentiment.

Section III Alliance Membership

Article A Admission to the Alliance

i. Any national leader of the world may apply for membership to the Echelon. The following sub-articles govern the rules, regulations and procedures for national leaders applying for membership.

ii. All national leaders applying to the Echelon (termed: Applicant) must fly the "Echelon Applicant" affiliation and lodge an application on Echelon's electronic infrastructure within forty-eight (48) hours of flying the Echelon applicant affiliation.

iii. Applicants must complete the application process, as administered by the Minister of Internal Affairs and the staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Conditions of Application, as described in relevant laws of the Alliance Legislature apply to all Applicants.

iv. Upon completion of the application process, the Applicant shall attain Member status, and gain the Rights of Membership outlined in Section III, Article B of this constitution.

Article B Rights of the Membership

i. In accordance with the ideals of the founding constitution of the Echelon, members of the alliance are granted the inalienable rights listed in the following sub-articles. ii. Freedom of Speech: all members are granted the right to free and unmoderated speech within the confines of Echelon's electronic infrastructure. However this does not apply to speech which blatantly disregards the personal boundaries of another member. Members are expected to uphold the integrity of Echelon's image abroad through their speech outside of Echelon's electronic infrastructure. iii. Freedom of Fair Justice: all members are granted the right to be assumed innocent in a Trial by Court Martial, pending the outcome of proceedings as described by Article III, Subsection D (Trial by Court Martial). No actor, foreign or domestic, may pervert the course of justice for any member of the Echelon. iv. Freedom of National Self-Determination: all members are granted the right to serve the best interests of their own nation(s), so long as said actions do not conflict with this constitution, or any laws and regulations in the Alliance Legislature. v. Freedom to Legislate: all members are granted the right to propose legislation, to be introduced by the Civil Council for ratification by the sanctioned government of the Echelon.

Article C Dismissal from the Alliance

i. Should any member of the alliance be Recommended for Dismissal by the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Prime Minister or the Directorate, said member may select one of the following options in response, as defined in the following sub-articles. ii.(a) The member Recommended for Dismissal may choose to leave the alliance on his or her own volition. OR ii.(b) The member Recommended for Dismissal may choose to engage legal proceedings through Trial by Court Martial. In this choice, the member will enter Trial by Court Martial proceedings, as defined by Section III, Article D (Trial by Court Martial).

Article D Trial by Court Martial

i. Should a member of the alliance be charged with an offense, either of contravening the laws of this constitution or those contained in the Alliance Legislature, he or she will proceed to Trial by Court Martial. The following sub-articles govern the method in which the trial will proceed, arbitrated by the Minister of Internal Affairs. ii. The member accused (the Defendant) of an offense (or offenses) will be heard by the Minister of Internal Affairs in an open court, with all alliance members able to attend. iii. The member prosecuting (the Prosecutor) the Defendant will give evidence backing his or her claim of offense. Following this, the Defendant will defend his or her case. The Defendant has the right to request counsel in the form of a single person to assist in his defense. iv. Once the Defendant is satisfied that his or her case is finished, the Minister of Internal Affairs will deliberate and return a verdict on the culpability of the Defendant, relative to the charges allayed. v. All charges that the Defendant is found guilty of will be set aside for the attribution of punishment(s), as outlined in Section III, Article E (Permissible Penalties).

Article E Permissible Penalties

i. Should a member be convicted of an offense after Trial by Court Martial, the Minister of Internal Affairs, at his or her own discretion, may select an appropriate penalty (or penalties) in order to complete the proceedings of Trial by Court Martial. The Directorate must authorize the penalty for it to be carried out. Probation is defined as a period of good behavior, where remittance is punishable by the upgrading of penalties imposed by the Minister of Internal Affairs. ii. A Probationary Period, determined by the Minister of Internal Affairs iii. A Monetary Fine, determined by the Minister of Internal Affairs iv.(a) Dismissal from the Alliance, with a non-admission period of three (3), six (6) or twelve (12) months. OR iv.(b) Permanent Dismissal from the Alliance v.(a) A Singular Reduction of National Assets by Alliance Military Intervention OR v.(b) Permanent Reduction of National Assets by Alliance Military Intervention

Section IV Alliance Legislature
Article A Purpose & Definition

i. The purpose of the Alliance Legislature is to supplement the laws and regulations outlined in this constitution. All laws shall be passed by the methods permissible in Section IV, Article B (Admission of Legislation) and repealed by the methods permissible in Section IV, Article C (Repealing Legislation). ii. This constitution may only be modified, in whole or in part, through the methods permissible in Section IV, Article D (Constitutional Modifications). iii. Should the requirements of Section IV, Article E (Constitutional Dissolution) manifest, this constitution becomes null and void. Dissolution of this constitution invalidates all laws and governing legislation in the Alliance Legislature, including all authority given to the titles and structures previously assigned with exception of Section IV, Article E, Sub-article (iii).

Article B Admission of Legislation

i. Should the need arise to admit legislation to the Alliance Legislature, the following sub-articles govern the method in which said legislation can be legally admitted. All admitted legislation must not contravene or oppose any existing law in this constitution, or those contained in the Alliance Legislature. ii. The Proposal for Legislative Admission will be submitted to the Leadership Council for consideration for a period of no less than six hours, and no more than seven days. iii.(a) The Proposal for Legislative Admission will need to pass by majority vote in the Leadership Council, and with the tacit approval of the Directorate for the proposal to enter the Alliance Legislature; OR iii.(b) The Proposal for Legislative Admission will need to pass by consensus of the Directorate for the proposal to enter the Alliance Legislature. iv. Should the Proposal for Legislative Admission fail the conditions outlined in sub-articles (ii) and (iii.(a)), the proposal will be rejected.

Article C Repealing Legislation

i. Should the need arise to repeal existing legislation from the Alliance Legislature, the following sub-articles govern the method in which said legislation can be legally repealed. ii. The Proposal for Legislative Repeal will be submitted to the Leadership Council for consideration for a period of no less than six hours, and no more than seven days. iii. The Proposal for Legislative Repeal will need to pass by majority vote in the Leadership Council, and with the tacit approval of the Directorate for the proposal to enter the Alliance Legislature. iv. Should the Proposal for Legislative Repeal fail the conditions outlined in sub-articles (ii) and (iii), the proposal will be rejected.

Article D Constitutional Modifications

i. Should the need to append-to, remove or modify any Section or Article of this constitution be required, the following sub-articles apply to the admission of the amendment to this constitution. ii. The Proposal for Constitutional Modification will be submitted to the Leadership Council for consideration for a period of no less than three days, and no more than seven days. iii. The Proposal for Constitutional Modification will need to pass unanimously in the Civil Council, and with the tacit approval of the Directorate. iv. Should the Proposal for Constitutional Modification fail the conditions outlined in sub-articles (ii) and (iii), the proposal will be rejected.

Article E Constitutional Dissolution

i. Should the alliance be subject to Extended Occupation by hostile actors, of foreign or domestic origin, and all steps to expel said actors have failed resultant from the Gross Negligence by the Directorate, this constitution can be declared dissolved by the Leadership Council. ii. Should the Directorate ignore, circumvent or suppress the laws and values of this constitution, and appropriate steps to remove the Directorate fail, the Dissolution of this constitution can be declared by the Leadership Council. iii. Should this constitution be dissolved, the incumbent Leadership Council will be recognized as the sanctioned governing body of Echelon, and granted the Absolute Authority to govern over the alliance.