Constitution of the Sovereign Union of Nations

The Constitution of the Sovereign Union of Nations, or officially The Constitution of Governance for the Sovereign Union of Nations, is the sole article of governance for the Sovereign Union of Nations.

Article I: Preamble
We, the members of the Union, in pursuit of prosperity, security, and stability, hereby establish and ratify this constitution for the Sovereign Union of Nations.

Section 2.01: Powers of Legislation
All legislative powers shall be vested in the Concord Congress of the Sovereign Union of Nations, which shall consist of the Coalition Senate and Coalition Cabinet.

(a)	Composition and Election of Members
The Coalition Senate shall be composed of members chosen every third month by the members of the Divisions. One Senator shall be elected per Division. A member does not have to reside in the Division to which he is elected.

(b)	Vacancies
If vacancies by resignation or other occur, the Commander of the Division to which the vacancy belongs shall serve as Senator for the duration of the term until a new election is held.

(c)	The Kaiser of the Senate
The Rex-Imperator shall be the Kaiser of the Senate but shall hold only a casting vote.

(d)	The Magistrate of the Senate
The Senate shall elect, during their first Session, the Magistrate of the Senate. The Magistrate shall serve as both a voting member of the Senate and a member of the Coalition Cabinet.

(e)	Sessions of the Senate
Senate debate and voting on legislation shall begin at midnight on Sunday and members shall be given until 11:59PM on the proceeding Friday to cast their vote.

(f)	Qualifications of Members and Rules
The quorum of the Senate shall be 2 voting members. Members shall have no less than 30 days of alliance seniority on the day elections begin. The Senate may expel any member from proceedings with a two-thirds vote.

(g)	Elections
Incumbents and members wishing to join the Coalition Senate shall inform the Minister of the Interior of their intention to run not less than 7 days before the start of elections.

(a)	Appointment
The Rex-Imperator, with the advice and consent of the Coalition Senate, shall appoint public ministers as heads of the following departments:

(i) Ministry of Defense
The Ministry of Defense shall be led by the Minister of Defense. The Minister of Defense shall chair the Defense Council, execute and manage defensive and offensive military operations, and ensure the alliance’s readiness in times of peace. During times of war, the needs of the Ministry of Defense shall supersede those of other Ministries. The Minister of Defense shall be granted the power to appoint Division Commanders without the advice or consent of the Concord Congress.

(ii) Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy shall be led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy, with the advice and consent of the Concord Congress and the Rex-Imperator, shall be granted the power to make treaties. The Minister of Foreign Affairs & Diplomacy shall be granted the power to appoint diplomats and open relations with other alliances without the advice or consent of the Coalition Congress.

(iii) Ministry of the Interior
The Ministry of the Interior shall be led by a triumviri consisting of the Vice-Minister of the Interior, Vice-Minister of Recruitment, and Vice-Minister of Finance (known collectively as the Ministers of the Interior). The Ministers of the Interior shall be granted the power to organize recruiting, aid, and tech deal programs without the consent of the Concord Congress. The Minister of the Interior shall be held responsible for coordinating and executing all general elections and legislative sessions in an organized and timely manner. During times of war, the Ministers of the Interior shall concede their authority to the Minister of Defense.

(a)	From Bills to Law
Any member of the Senate, Cabinet, or the Rex-Imperator may present a bill to the Coalition Senate. Every bill must first pass through the Coalition Senate before being presented to the Coalition Cabinet. Bills presented to the Senate after midnight on Sunday will be voted beginning the proceeding Sunday. Every bill which shall have passed the Senate shall be presented to the Coalition Cabinet on the Saturday following the end of the session by the Magistrate of the Senate. The Cabinet will have until 11:59PM the proceeding Thursday to debate and vote the legislation. Every bill which shall have passed the Senate and the Cabinet shall, before becoming ratified, be presented to the Rex-Imperator; If he approves, he shall sign it, if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to the Senate, who will proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsideration, two thirds of the Senate shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent to the Kaiser’s Cabinet to likewise be reconsidered and, if approved by two thirds of the Cabinet, shall be sent to the Kaiser for “forced signature.”

(i) Forced Signature
A Forced Signature happens in the case where the Rex-Imperator’s veto has been overridden by the Coalition Congress and the reconsidered bill has been resent to the Rex-Imperator for approval. The Rex-Imperator may either ratify the bill or send it to a general membership election. If sent to election, voting shall last no more and no less than 7 calendar days from the time the Rex-Imperator rejects the bill. If the general membership approves of the bill, by a majority vote, it shall become law without the Rex-Imperator’s signature. If the general membership disapproves, the bill can be presented again to the Coalition Congress no less than 3 weeks following the end of the election.

(ii) Declaration of War
A declaration of war by the Sovereign Union of Nations must pass the bill stages outlined in Section 2.04 of the Constitution. A declaration of war as a result of a treaty agreement with another alliance only need only the approval of the Rex-Imperator with advice and consent from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense.

Section 2.05: Impeachment
Impeachment of both Senate and Cabinet members shall follow the same procedure as bills.

Section 3.01: Powers of the Executive
The executive power shall be vested in the Rex-Imperator of the Sovereign Union of Nations. He shall hold his office for an indefinite amount of time, or until he resigns and/or is removed from Digiterra.

Section 3.02: Election
In the event the Office of the Rex-Imperator is vacant, member nations shall vote to elect a new one in no less than 2 weeks.

(a)	Qualifications for Office
A member may not be eligible to run for the office of Rex-Imperator unless he meets at least two of the following requirements:
 * Served for at least 6 months as a Coalition Senator (non-consecutive)
 * Served for at least 3 months as the Magistrate of the Senate (consecutive)
 * Served for at least 3 months as the Minister of Defense (consecutive)
 * Served for at least 3 months as the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diplomacy (consecutive)
 * Served for at least 6 months as part of the Ministry of the Interior triumviri (non-consecutive)
 * Within the upper 10% of alliance members for alliance seniority
 * Within the upper 10% of alliance members for nation strength

Section 3.03: Temporary and/or Sudden Vacancy
In case of the removal of the Rex-Imperator from office through resignation or deletion, the powers and duties of said office shall devolve to the Magistrate of the Senate until a Rex-Imperator can be elected.

Section 3.04: Command of the Military & Pardons
The Rex-Imperator shall be the commander in chief of the armed forces of the Sovereign Union of Nations and of the militias of all member nations when called into service in the defense of the alliance or its members by the Concord Congress. He may require the opinion of the principle officer(s) in the Coalition Cabinet upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. The Rex-Imperator shall also have the power to grants pardons for offenses against the Union, except to himself.

Section 3.05: Treaties
The Rex-Imperator may enter the Sovereign Union of Nations into treaties, but are not effective without ratified by the Concord Congress. The Rex-Imperator shall also have the power to cancel treaties with advice and consent of the Concord Congress.

Section 3.06: State of the Alliance
The Rex-Imperator, at the start of every Coalition Senate term, must give the Concord Congress and the alliance information of the state of the alliance, and recommend such measures he shall judge necessary.

Section 3.07: Impeachment
The Rex-Imperator may be removed from office with a three-fourths vote from both the Senate and Cabinet and a general election resulting in two-thirds in favor of impeachment.

Section 4.01: Powers of the Judiciary
The judicial power shall be vested in the Coalition Cabinet. The judicial power shall extend to all cases in law and equity arising under this Constitution, the laws of the Sovereign Union of Nations, and treaties made, to all cases involving Sovereign Union and foreign ambassadors, public officials, to controversies involving the Sovereign Union, between the Sovereign Union and a member from another alliance, between a member of the Sovereign Union and a member from another alliance, and between members of the Sovereign Union.

Section 4.02: Treason
Treason against the Sovereign Union of Nations shall only consist of levying war against them or adhering to their enemies and giving them aid and comfort. The Rex-Imperator shall have the power to declare punishment of treason, with the advice of the Cabinet.

Section 4.03: Crimes Against the Alliance
All crimes against the alliance and/or its members shall be tried by the Coalition Cabinet, in plain sight of the members of the Sovereign Union, diplomats and foreign ambassadors of allied alliances, and officials of the alliance to which the accused belongs.

Section 4.04: The Sovereign Judicial
The Rex-Imperator shall serve as the Sovereign Judicial in all cases. The Sovereign Judicial shall levy damages and punishment to parties found guilty by the Coalition Cabinet.

Section 5.01: Proposals
Amendments may be proposed to the Coalition Senate by any one of the following:
 * No less than 2 Coalition Cabinet members
 * The Rex-Imperium and 1 Coalition Cabinet member
 * One fourth of the Coalition Senate

Section 5.02: Ratification
An amendment must pass a three fourths vote in the Coalition Senate, a one hundred percent vote in the Coalition Cabinet, approval by the Rex-Imperium, and a two thirds vote of the general membership. All votes on the ratification of an amendment follow the same time deadlines as bills (outlined in sections 2.02e and 2.04a).

Section 6.01: Right to Free Speech
The Concord Congress shall make no law prohibiting or abridging the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, or freedom to petition the government. Only a member found guilty of a crime may have this right revoked via the punishment levied by the Rex-Imperator proceeding being found guilty of a crime against the alliance.

Section 6.02: Right to Bear Arms
The Concord Congress shall make no law prohibiting or abridging a member’s right to build a militia nor shall the Congress limit the types of arms a nation builds to defend itself. Only a member found guilty of a crime may have this right revoked via the punishment levied by the Rex-Imperator proceeding being found guilty of a crime against the alliance.

Section 6.03: Militia in Times of Peace
The Concord Congress, Ministry of Defense, or any other government agency may not force a nation to fight for the alliance during times of peace.

Section 6.04: Right to a Speedy Trial
If accused of a crime, members have the right to a speedy trial and a trial by the due process outlined in this Constitution. The Vice-Minister of the Interior shall set the date and begin the trial no more than 7 days of the member being accused.

Section 7.01: Requirements for Application

 * Applicants must follow instructions set forth by applicable government officials, including but not limited to correctly completing an application, changing alliance affiliation, etc.
 * Applicants may not have unresolved wars.
 * Applicants may not be in peace mode at the time of application.
 * Applicants may not have unresolved issue with other alliances.
 * The Coalition Senate, Coalition Cabinet, and Rex-Imperator each have individual or collective right to accept or deny an applicant’s entry into the alliance., and to require additional criteria to be met prior to entry.

Section 8.01: Constitution Ratification
All members must accept and ratify this Constitution prior to and during membership. All members shall uphold and abide by the full text of this Constitution.

Section 8.02: Duties in Defense & War
All members shall follow orders given to them by members with duly granted authority during times of war. Members shall not hesitate in the defense of the alliance and/or its members. Members may not declare wars against unsanctioned targets and must follow Sovereign Union defense policy as set forth by the Ministry of Defense.

Section 8.03: Forums and Participation
All members must be active, registered members of the Sovereign Union forums.

Article IX: Dissolution
In the event this Constitution or alliance no longer serves the purpose which it was intended, it may be dissolved, disbanded, or merged into another alliance with a one hundred percent vote from the Coalition Senate, Coalition Cabinet, Rex-Imperator, and a three fourths vote from the general membership.