Großgermania

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The People's Empire of Greater Germania (German: Volksreich von Großgermania, also known by these official names), known commonly as Großgermania, is an empire in central Europe comprising areas of the former states of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Swiss Confederation, the Republic of Austria, the Czech Republic, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Free Republic of Alsace-Lorraine, as well as parts of the Republic of Poland and the Russian Federation. The Empire also holds sovereignty over the Kanarische Inseln, off the west coast of Africa, which were purchased from Estado Novo by Germany shortly before the Empire's foundation.

Großgermania is a federal National Unionist people's empire, divided into two kingdoms (Germany and Denmark), two principalities (Luxembourg and Liechtenstein), two gebiete, or free lands (Helvetica and Alsace-Lorraine), and one territory (Kanarische Inseln), which have limited autonomy from the Imperial Government. The continental Empire is further divided into forty-six provinces (bezirke) which have varying degrees of autonomy from the kingdoms, principalities, and free lands which they are components of. Thirteen of these provinces comprise the former Germany, eight the former Austria, four the former Denmark, six the former Switzerland, eight the former Poland (one of which, Prussia, includes Königsberg, which was a Russian territory), and four the former Czech Republic, with Luxembourg, Alcase-Lorraine, and Liechtenstein each forming their own provinces.

History
The area, originally known as Germania, is inhabited primarily by German and German-speaking people native to the area for centuries. Following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, medieval German kingdoms were united by Charles the Great along with modern France to form the Carolingian Empire. Following Charles' death in 814, the German domains passed to his grandson, Ludwig, as East Francia, which became the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Collapsing under pressure from the Empire of the French in 1806, the Holy Roman Empire's various sub-kingdoms gained independence, reuniting in 1871 as the German Empire.

Following defeat in the First World War, Germany became a republic. Marred with severe economic problems and hyperinflation, Germany launched a campaign of aggressive expansionism as the Großdeutsches Reich. An invasion of Poland in 1939 led to the Second World War. Separated into two states, the capitalist Federal Republic of Germany in the west and the communist German Democratic Republic in the east, Germany reunited peacefully in 1990.

Unification of Germania
In 2007, the leftist Socialist Unity Party of Germany merged with the right-wing National Democratic Party of Germany to form the German National Unionist Party (Deutsche Nationalunionistische Partei, DNUP). After winning its right to exist under the Strafgesetzbuch in a legal battle headed by Michael von Preußen, the DNUP created satellite parties in Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Poland, and the Czech Republic. After succeeding in a non-confidence vote against Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, the DNUP was swept to power in an emergency election, promising respite from the global economic crisis, which was having a significant impact on the German economy.

Launching a series of make-work and infrastructure-building programs across Germany, Michael von Preußen, now Chancellor, succeeded in aiding various other National Unionist parties to power in neighboring states. Seceding from the European Union in January 2008, Germany formed the Association of Germanic States with Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and the Czech Republic. Liechtenstein joined under pressure from Switzerland in August, and Alsace-Lorraine, declaring independence from the newly reformed Empire of the French in February, joined seeking protection from France in early September. On 10 December 2008, the Treaty of Kraków was concluded between Germany, Poland, Russia, and the European Union, allowing for German annexation of Kaliningrad and German-speaking Poland, and re-establishing all areas of Poland annexed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics following the Second World War which were now part of Belarus and Ukraine under Polish control. In early November 2008, the DNUP united with its satellite parties, becoming the National Unionist Party of Greater Germania (Nationalunionistische Partei von Großgermania, NUPG). On 12 December 2008, all members of the Association of Germanic States were annexed by Germany, and Großgermania was formed.

Coup d'État
In Spring 2009, the Free Helenic Republic gained independence from Demokratikos. Soon after, the parliament instituted the Debt Bondage Bill, which reinstituted slavery in the nation as a way to 'restore Greek roots'. The law was internationally condemned; however, Free Greece continued to thrive due to good relations with Israel and Penisola Italiana. Großgermania's reaction was to institute a full economic embargo on Greece, a move which many leftist politicians in Großgermania, as well as the Empire's leftist allies abroad, criticized as not being decisive enough for the situation.

On 21 May 2009, while the Emperor was on a diplomatic mission to Rome, the Reichstag voted 55% to 45% to impeach Michael von Preußen. Although by the Constitution, a seventy-five percent vote is needed to impeach the Emperor, the Reichstag justified it by declaring Michael 'not present'. His replacement, Alexandra von Nassau, is the seventeen-year-old daughter of the Prince of Luxembourg. Vowing to restore political ties with socialist nations and sever those with fascist nations, she quickly won the support of the government and military. Although many Reichstag members who voted against the impeachment support her, a considerable number continued to call the move illegal. This led, in turn, to their imprisonment by the new Reichskaiserin for political treason. The Constitution was suspended by Alexandra on 25 May, under the pretence of a 'Proclaimed Emergency'. The Imperial Government cited troop movements by the Royal Italian Military south of the Helvetican border as the rational, and the Reichstag voted to allow the suspension, though the final decision of the body was that the Witenagemot would be given the oppurtunity to reverse the decision.

Russian Invasion
Michael von Preußen established a government-in-exile in Rome, under the protection of the government of Penisola Italiana, the day after the coup d'état. Shortly afterward, he met with the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation in the Polish Republic. There, Russia pledged one million troops to lead an invasion of Großgermania to restore Michael to the throne, in exchange for economic promises made to Russia post-invasion. Russian troops, under the command of Josef Ignatyev as well Michael himself, crossed Polish territory with their permission and captured eastern points in Prussia and Silesia with the help of troops in those areas loyal to Michael.

The invasion was diplomatically supported by many factions, notably European fascist states with whom Alexandra had severed all political and economic relations. Finland provided support against the superior Germanian navy, and Elia Giordani, Prime Minister of Penisola Italiana, issued a statement of support for the invasion. Despite this, when Russia requested permission to move their troops into Helvetica across Italian territory, he refused, stating that Italia was a 'Russian-free zone'. Plagued by over a million desertions, the Imperial Military of Großgermania was easily overwhelmed. Within five days, Nordhausen had been captured and Alexandra unconditionally surrendered her and her troops on Sunday, 7 June.

Following the invasion, the Russian Federation pledged one billion reichsmark to rebuild the nation. According to the Imperial Government, the state of Proclaimed Emergency is to remain in tact until proper measures are taken to ensure the safety of the citizens of the Empire. Russian troops will remain in the nation at the lesiure of the Germanian government.

Constitutional Law

 * Main Article: Constitution of Großgermania

The Constitution of Großgermania is a wide-ranging document, decried by many as unnecessarilly bureaucratic. Following her coup d'état in May 2009, Alexandra von Nassau suspended the Constitution under the pretence of a 'proclaimed emergency', citing her powers under Article 63. In her announcement of the suspension, Alexandra cited the Constitution as 'being so long it takes a mile of red tape to wrap up the scroll.' Despite its length and complexity, the Constitution works to ensure that strict procedures are followed under all circumstances, and this has even worked to ensure that Alexandra had to make detailed reports of her role in the country while the Constitution itself was suspended.

The Constitution varies significantly from other constitutional documents in its separation of political and economic power. Any policy that encompasses both political and economic aspects must be approved by both the Emperor (who holds political power) and the Witenagemot (which holds economic power).

Political Law
Großgermania is politically an absolute monarchy. The Head of State assumes the title Reichskaiser, which translates directly to Emperor of the Land. The Imperial Government of Großgermania, however, has decreed that the official title in English is Emperor. When a female ruler is in power, the title is feminized to Reichskaiserin (Empress).

The Emperor has absolute authority over all governmental decisions that are solely political. The Emperor can, by sealed decree or otherwise, ratify, ammend, or recind any law, as well as ratify treaties with foreign states, which do not affect the economy of the People's Empire. Decisions made by the Emperor are subject to the approval of the Reichstag, an anually elected representative assembly. Within fourteen days of any decision of the Emperor affecting government policy, the decision may be vetoed by a two-thirds plus one vote of the Reichstag.

The Reichstag is the sole body with the power to impeach the Emperor (by a seventy-five percent vote) and to elect a new Emperor following death, impeachment, or abdication. The candidate for election must not be a member of the Reichstag. Within thirty days following impeachment, the Reichstag may reverse any decision made by the previous Emperor that may be reversed by majority vote.

The Reichstag is presided over by a Ministerpräsident, who is appointed by the Emperor and acts as Head of Government of the People's Empire.

Subdivisional Government
At all lower administrative levels of government similar political institutions exist, which carry out similar functions to that of the Imperial Government. Should a conflict arise between the laws of two levels of government, the laws of the upper level of government will ultimately prevail.

Institutions fulfilling the roles as the Emperor and Reichstag, respectively, in regional government are the King (or Queen) and National Assembly in Germany, the King (or Queen) and People's Assembly in Denmark, the Prince (or Princess) and the Council of State in Luxembourg, the Prince (or Princess) and the Diet in Liechtenstein, the Governor and Congress in Helvetica, and the Governor and National Assembly in Alsace-Lorraine. The Emperor appoints the Governors of Helvetica and Alsace-Lorraine with the approval of the Helvetican Congress and the National assembly of Alsace-Lorraine respectively, and may also be impeached by said assemblies. The various assemblies are, in contrast to the Imperial administration, presided over by the executive officer of the region. The Kanarische Inseln constitute an autonomous territory of the People's Empire, and therefore have a primary governmental structure diffferent from those of the other regions, and any and all subsidiary levels are established independently from the Imperial Government. The executive officer assumes the title Reichsprotektor (Imperial Protector) and is appointed by the Emperor; there is also an elected Territorial Assembly. Although the Territorial Assembly cannot block the appointment of the Imperial Protector as the assemblies of Helvetica and Alsace-Lorraine can block the appointment of their respective governors, the Territorial Assembly can veto any decision made by the Imperial Protector by a simple majority vote, where the other various assemblies require a two-thirds supermajority.

Unlike the regional ones, provincial-level institutions are uniform in name. Each province has a Chancellor as the executive officer, appointed by the province's respective King, Prince, or Governor, and have a Provincial Assembly which must approve the appointment of the Chancellor, may veto his decisions, and may impeach him by a seventy-five percent vote.

Municipalities are distinguished by population: cities have twenty thousand citizens or more, towns have between one thousand and twenty thousand, and communes have between one hundred and one thousand citizens. Settlements of less than one hundred citizens are considered to be rural areas. Cities have elected City Councils and Consuls, towns have elected Town Councils and Mayors (or Mayoresses), and communes have People's Councils and Commissioners. Like the Imperial Government, the councils elect the respective Consul, Mayor, or Commissioner; however, the said member must also be a member of the council. Similarily, the councils are presided over by an Alderman (or Alderwoman) appointed by the respective Consul, Mayor, or Commissioner.

Economic Law
Economic power within Großgermania is vested in a series of councils which represent the workers of the nation. Any decision by each subsequently higher level on any given issue overrules the decisions of lower levels. The municipal levels are presided over by Workers' Councils, reminiscent of the soviets of the Soviet Union (the Russian word soviet meaning 'council'). Upper levels are termed Witenagemots, and their members Witans, after the royal councils established by the Anglo-Saxon kings of England.

At the lowest level, in each city, town, and commune has a Workers' Council, of which every employed person in the municipality and surrounding area is a member. It is presided over by the Alderman (or Alderwoman) of the municipality, who only recieves a vote in case of deadlock. Each Workers' Council of a city nominates one of its members to represent the region, including surrounding towns and communes, at the next-highest economic level (usually the provincial Witenagemot). Where only one city, or no cities, exist in a province, the towns in the province each elect a representative as well.

Each province - excepting Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Alsace-Lorraine - has a Witenagemot which is comprised of all the representatives from the cities (and/or towns) in the province to make decisions on the economy of the province. It is presided over by the Chancellor of the province, who, as on the municipal level, only recieves a vote in case of deadlock. Each provincial Witenagemot nominates one of its members to represent the province at the regional Witenagemot, or, in the case of Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Alsace-Lorraine, at the Imperial Witenagemot.

The regional Witenagemots make economic decisions for the region that it represents. It is comprised of the representatives of the provinces, and in the case of deadlock the presiding officer - the respective King, Prince, or Governor - gets the deciding vote. Each regional Witenagemot nominates a member to represent it in the Imperial Witenagemot.

The Imperial Witenagemot is the highest economic decision-making body in the People's Empire. The Witenagemot is composed of six members, one elected from each kingdom, principality, and free land. Its rulings are final over all economic decisions made by lower levels. Any decision made by the Emperor that may have economic repercussions must be voted on by the Witenagemot, usually at its discretion. The Witenagemot and the Reichstag must both vote on any proposal to ammend the Constitution.