Ripoaria

Vibrant, liberal, open, and cosmopolitan, Ripoaria is a nation valuing culture, learning, cooperation, tolerance and justice. Ripoarian grass-fed organic beef is highly prised by connoisseurs the world over. Rhingstadt, Ripoaria's capital is famous for its grand buildings, particularly its magnificent Gothic cathedral and elaborate neo-Gothic and Renaissance government buildings.

Nation Information
Ripoaria is a small, developing, and new nation at 5 days old with citizens primarily of German ethnicity whose religion is Hinduism. It is a backwards nation when it comes to technology and many refer to it unkindly as a 'Third World Nation'. Its citizens pay extremely high taxes and many despise their government as a result. The citizens of Ripoaria work diligently to produce Rubber and Cattle as tradable resources for their nation. It is a mostly neutral country when it comes to foreign affairs. It will usually only attack another nation if attacked first. When it comes to nuclear weapons Ripoaria will not research or develop nuclear weapons. Plans are on the way within Ripoaria to open new rehabilitation centers across the nation and educate its citizens of the dangers of drug use. Ripoaria allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It has an open border policy, but in order for immigrants to remain in the country they will have to become citizens first. Ripoaria believes in the freedom of speech and feels that it is every citizen's right to speak freely about their government. The government gives foreign aid when it can, but looks to take care of its own people first. Ripoaria will trade with other nations with questionable ethical treatment of their citizens but prefers to keep such trade agreements a secret.

History
Founded on the banks of the Rhine River (Dä Rhing) on the sight of an ancient Roman colony by German and French pioneers Ripoaria expanded rapidly, and concluded as string of important trade agreements in short order. Shortly thereafter Ripoaria applied for membership in the Mostly Harmless Alliance on 08/26/2008 hoping to secure the bright future its citizens’ desire and fulfil its duties as a conscientious nation. Ripoaria acceded to the MHA on 08/28/2008.

Government -Rejierung
Though founded as an absolute monarchy Ripoaria soon evolved into a liberal (in the classic sense of the word) democratic republic. Principal bodies of the National Government(De Rejierung) include: a tricameral legislature (Pallamännd) consisting of the popularly elected National Senate (Senatus), the appointed Council of the Lands (Consilium Foederale Ripoariae), and the hereditary Patrician Conclave(Conclave Patricium); an Executive Council (De Kabinett) lead by the National Chancellor (Kanzler) who is the Head-of-Government; the National President (Praeses Foederalis)a largely ceremonial office the holder of which is the Head-of-State and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, and the National Judiciary which is subdivided into Criminal, Commercial, Constitutional, Civil, Familial and Administrative Senates, each consisting of a court of first instance and a court of appeal save the Constitutional Court which exists only as a court of first instance. Each of Ripoaria’s regions(Ländorre)is governed by a unicameral legislature (Pallamännd) and an Executive Council (Kabinett) led by a First Minister (Ministerpräsident).

All citizens of majority age are eligible to vote, provided they are not a member of the Patrician Conclave, and the right of the citizenry to initiate a binding referendum is central to the Ripoarian constitution. A series of Basic Laws (Grundgesetz), governs the institutions of state and their relationship with each other and the citizenry as well as setting out the rights, privileges and responsibilities of Ripoarian citizens. The Ripoarian Civil, Commercial, Tax and Criminal Codes are infrequently amended.

The Executive - Praeses Foederalis and De Kabinett
Riporia's Head-of-State and Commander in Cheif of its Self-Defense Forces, is the Praeses Foederalis who is elected by a special session every four-and-a-half years, to a single term. It is, along with membership in the Senatus and the position of Chief Justice of certain supreme courts, a government office expressly closed to members of the Patrician class. On leaving office, if they are otherwise eligible, the President's family immediately is elevated to the Practician rank without the usual nomination and confirmation procedures. The Praeses Foederalis's primary function is the appointment of a number of government and military officers, the signing of laws and treaties, accepting and granting diplomatic credentials and managing the national civil and military honours systems. As the Praeses Foederalis does not sit in the legislature they may not introduce, vote on or amend, legislation. Under non-emergency circumstances, the Praeses Foederalis may not withhold their assent to a bill dully passed by the Legislation, but may delay a bill for up to four months in the case of non-money bills (money bills may only be delayed for two months). If the Praeses Foederalis chooses to exercise this right, they must send the legislature their reasons. The legislature may then amend the bill to address these concerns or over-ride the delay by a two-thirds majority vote in the Senatus and Consilium Foederale Ripoariae and a simple majority in the Conclave Patricium. The Praeses Foederalis also retains the certain perogative powers of former crown, including the pergoatives of mercy and pardon, though these are generally exercised at the request of a court or government. The current Praeses Foederalis is Dr. J. Adenauer.

De Kabinett, the principal branch of the Executive is composed of the Kanzler and eleven Consuls. The Kanzler, Ripoaria's Head-of-Government and Consul for the Civil Service and the Vizekanzler, who is also the Consul for Finance are directly elected every seven years by universal suffrage. The Consuls are appointed by the Praeses Foederalis on the advice of the Kanzler subject to confirmation by the Senatus and Consilium Foederale Ripoaria

The Legislature - Pallamännd
Ripoaria's National Legislature is unusual in that it is tricameral, though a case can be made for it being quadcameral as all three houses sit together for the reading and passage of certain bills, namely those involving constitutional amendments, foreign treaties, declarations of war and impeachments. A unique feature of the Pallamännd is that, o political parties in the traditional sense (i.e. groups with a common fund-raising, advertising, convention holding, policy-making and grass-roots organization) are permitted to offer candidates or a slate of candidates for election. Individual members are however free to form informal "caucuses" but these are forbidden, amongst other things, from soliciting or accepting donations, hiring extra parliamentary advisers or aids, advertising, requiring members to vote a certain way on bills and manipulating committee membership.

Senatus - The "Lower House"
The largest and most important organ of the National Legislature is the Senatus, whose members are elected to six year terms by universal suffrage through a single transferable ballot. Elections are held for a third of the seats every two years. Members of the Senatus represent ten geographical constituencies of approximately equal population. The next elections are to be held in November 2010.

As members of the executive are answerable to thePallamännd for their actions and the performance of their department, and as they require the right to introduce legislation pertaining to their department, all Consuls are ex-officio non-voting members of the Senatus, but receive no parliamentary pay, office support, travel allowances, health benefits or pension. In addition to its own Special and Standing Committees, the Senatus sends eleven of the seventeen members of the twelve Permanent Joint-Committees which oversee the work of the various ministries and the operation of the constitution.

Consilium Foederale Ripoariae - The "Middle House"
The purpose Consilium Foederale Ripoariae is to provide the governments of the various Ländorre with representation within the national government. Each Land has a minimum of two and a maximum of six seats depending on its population. Half of each delegation are appointed by the Kabinett of the Land and half by the Land's  Pallamännd, and  serve at their pleasure. This House may not introduce any legislation, though they may propose amendments to non-money bills and have a veto power for all bills directly effecting regional government. They have a limited power to delay money bills by two months if a two-thirds majority so proposes.

Conclave Patricium - The "Upper House"
Currently the largest house, the Conclave Patricium has 400 full members and 400 associate members. The Pater Familias of each of Ripoaria's patrician family is automatically a member of the Conclave Patricium and their principal heir is automatically upon their reaching the age of majority, an associate member able to represent their Pater Familias in the latter's absence. Should the Pater Familias hold a high judicial or government office they are disqualified from membership, and their nearest male relative, usually a brother takes the seat in their place, but does not assume the title of Pater Familias. The Conclave Patricium has similar powers to the Consilium Foederale Ripoariae, but lacks a veto and may instead introduce non-money bills. It is the only house of the Pallamännd with the ability to sit in camera though it rarely chooses to do so. Interestingly, the Conclave Patricium can sit as a court of first and final instance in certain legal disputes arising between patrician families, in such cases, all members with a direct conflict of interest, (blood relation to the second degree or significant business or professional dealings) excuse themselves and remained sit in camera.

Self-Defence Forces
Though committed to fostering peace between nations, Ripoaria recognizes the need for an efficient and disciplined Self-Defence Force capable of securing its freedom and protecting its citizens and allies. The small but fierce Ripoarian Army, with 375 soldiers is lead by Generalmajor Ostermann. Oberst Millowitsch is the Senior Infantry Officer (OIO) and Major Bömmel is responsible for the mechanized forces (OPO). Ripoaria used to maintain a small force of 10 tanks, but they have since been decommissioned in favour of more boots on the ground.

Ripoaria Self-Defence Forces are exploring the acquisition of naval and aerospace assets to complement its ground forces and the government has announced plans to launch its first fighter wing in the near future.