Welcome to Xhorxh Asmour, a noted figure in micronationalism to the Republic of Talossa.

I’m sure you are familiar with most of my team. A decent majority of them served as Ministers and Secretaries during my previous term, and due to the exceptional work they’ve done I’ve decided to offer them places once more. Eovart, Dav, Ian and yourself are to serve as Minister for Information and Technology, Distain, Internal Revenue Officer and Immigration Secretary, and Culture Secretary respectively. I shall also be taking the role of Foreign Minister, as I did previously.

Our legislative agenda could be considered ambitious by some. Some might even go as far as to call it radical. I’ll let the Chamber, and Senate decide what label to put on it once I’ve outlined the agenda. The Ambassadorial Policy which I outlined during the election campaign is very much one of the Government’s priorities, along with the annexation of one particular airport…

The installation of a regular Question Time in a joint session of parliament is yet another priority. Honestly, we will have to work out the details in a discussion which I would rather take place in a joint session again.

I plan to change the boundaries of geographical assignment in order to balance the biased system that we have in place. The changes would apply to the GSP and to Florencia, in favour of a greater number of Florencian citizens. Understandably, I won’t be able to do this alone – but with the joint efforts of the entire Cabinet, and the co-operation of supportive citizens we will be able to make this proposed legislature a reality.

Compatibility issues arose during the last term between our new Constitution and our Federal Code, and it is obvious that a clean-up is required. Whilst the Chamber is better suited to dealing with the burning issues of the Republic, the Senate holds the experience required to re-write, and to draft a bill comprising of the changes required. Therefore, I believe it is a top priority of the Senate; a matter of great import to our Republic, that a committee be formed dedicated to solving the compatibility issues.

These are priorities that my Cabinet will consider as immediate issues, but we will not cease to think up new ways of generating activity and bettering our Republic. The former, however, is not a viable goal without the greatest of co-operation between us and every single Talossan. Activity is only attainable, as long as we have citizens genuinely interested in the Republic.

I shall endeavour to answer any questions posed to me by the Chamber here, and answer questions from the Senate and everyone else in the Corridor. Thank you.

Minister of Information and Technology  Eovart Þevél

Distain – Dav Rôibeardét

IRO and Immigration Secretary – Ian Anglatzara

Culture Secretary – Xhorxh Asmour

Foreign Minister – C. Carlüs Xheráltsëfiglheu

Eovart Þevél, independent, the sitting Minister of Information and Technology was reelected.

Xhorxh Asmoûr, independent, recently naturalized was elected to his first term.

Voter turnout was 72%

The cat for us is the Republic and Kingdom both, and all Talossans are the mice. With two Talossas, most-everyone is happy and is not being compelled for Talossan reasons other than apathy to depart. With two Talossas, Talossa’s future is better-assured. History is replete with countries seceding from other countries for any number of reasons (in the case of Singpore, against its own will!). The old Kingdom of Talossa sadly turned out no different.

Occasionally, my obsessive side (which Talossa seems to ignite every so often – and not always to good effect) gets the better of me, and things like my ‘challenge’ rant result. In the broad scope of years, I like to think I’ve gotten better about that, but history will prove the best magnifying glass of all. However, if I’ve needlessly offended anyone on either side, I apologize, and here’s to better on my part in future.

I suppose what’s been getting me is that in a corner of my mind, the business of my Kingdom prime ministries is not yet done. Halloween was not my fault, but I’ve always felt (irrationally, I’m sure) that until the two Talossas are put back together, Halloween for me will never end. The rest of you, of course, will say that with this new Talossan vision of non-monarchical constitutional government, Halloween was finally put to rest.

The 2003-2004 fracas burned me out on Talossa in a way from which I have yet to recover. What, then, keeps me doing Talossa still?

1. The people from around the world with whom I’ve been in community for almost ten years (yes, my ten-year anniversary of my first posting to Witt is four days from now)
2. Certain archives are in my possession that no-one else on earth has, and I feel a responsibility to be the best steward of them I can be.

And finally, 3. My obsessive wanting to put together a detailed history of Talossa that not only continues on Ben’s 1992 and relatively-sane ‘Big History’, but adds to it. However, before we can start writing, we must start researching, and before we start researching, we must first compile primary-source material.

In the days to come, I will assemble a list of these materials: things I have, things I don’t have, things I believe others have, and things I hope others still have. From this list, I hope to at least help in the compiling of it all together and aid in the starting of putting together a real chronology of the whole thing from 1979 through today.

This will also give us a chance to work together with our royalist brethren who I’m sure will be more-than-happy to work with us on stuff all the way up to the Abdication and Renunciation crises of 2005, if not to even-more recent times.

As for a monthly newsletter or what-not, is there any reason I could not be made a user on the new talossa.org blog? And as for activity, I urge all of you to take part in the Talossan FIFA World Cup Challenge 2010, as enumerated elsewhere on Wittenberg.

Dear friends and colleagues, I greet you as the new President of the Talossan Republic, in the hope of a new and brighter future for all Talossans. It is wonderful to see all our new and returning legislators here – and our citizens watching in the public galleries and around the world. Special thanks and good wishes to our prospective citizen, s:reu Asmoûr, in his immigration referendum.

I congratulate Seneschál Xheráltsëfiglheu and the newly appointed Ministers and Secretaries. I will be watching their progress with great interest, and probably giving helpful advice to the Seneschál at several points. Don’t worry, the Constitution does not give me the right or power to pester individual Ministers. But I remind you that this Government will be judged at the next Chamber election – in just a few months time – on the start you have made increasing the amount of active citizens, and the levels of enjoyment for all.

I also wish to welcome the newly-minted Senators of the Republic. Senators, your new role is a reward for your years of fine service of our Republic. But it is also a sacred trust and responsibility, not a retirement position. You are in charge of administering justice, overseeing the Chamber’s legislative role, and in all other ways keeping the living memory which embodies Talossa alive. See that you do so. I remind you that, according to the new Constitution, you are charged with forming the rules by which cases can be taken to the Cort of Justice – so you might want to look into that once you’ve elected a Mençéi.

Estimat Túischac’h, the new constitution – which I took the leading role in drafting, and which the people of the Republic have just enacted – gives me the right and duty to address the joint houses of Parlamînt on the State of the Republic. So what is the State of the Republic? Let me spell it out clearly, Deputies and Senators. The Republic is in SHIT state.

I use the vulgarism advisedly, est. Túischac’h, for effect. To make sure everyone is listening. This is a matter of grave urgency for all of us – and it is the reason why I stood for election to the Presidency. So let me give you, as the young people put it, the 411.

We have been in shit state since our high-water mark of as a State. That was March 2007, when the Chamber of Deputies election – in which 22 voters participated, let us remember – led to the first peaceable transition of governmental power in Talossan history. It also led to the nastiest cat-fighting ever seen in our Republic, and years of shell-shock, malaise, despair, relentless citizen attrition and infighting.

Simply put – very few people see the point of being a citizen of the Talossan Republic, especially at a time when the subjects of King John seem to be having a better time. That includes a large proportion – perhaps even verging on a majority – of the Republic’s own citizens. I asked a while ago what we could possibly say to someone who asked us: “Why should I join the Talossan Republic?” No-one came up with a good answer. I doubt anyone could have come up with one for years.

If it be the will of whatever gods watch over the glorious, ridiculous hobby of nation-building, then the years of malaise stop, here and now. In our recent referendum, 91% of voters expressed a preference for continuing with our experiment of constitutional government. This is pretty much the same margin as the previous such referendum in Talossa on this subject, in 1991. Let’s hope we go another 19 years before we end up in a similar crisis.

This speech has been cleared with the new Seneschál, so you may rest assured, est. Túischac’h, that we speak as one as to what the Republic needs. And what does the Republic need?

For one, we need active citizens. No question of that. Active citizens equal life. Missing or apathetic citizens equal death. The equation is simple.

There are two ways to go about this. Get new citizens who want to be active; or encouraging our existing citizens to be more active. Both these approaches will have to be taken at once.

“Active” is a relative term. We are not living in the days of King Robert I, a man who could live and breathe Talossa through the joint benefits of not having a day job, and not having what most of us would consider “a life”. I shamelessly announce, estimat Túischac’h, that Talossa is not my top priority. It probably ranks about 5 or 6 on my list of “things I am going to spend my energy on when the day job is through”.

Notwithstanding that, this Republic has my assurance that I will do everything I possibly can, within the bounds of leading a balanced life and fulfilling other commitments, to make sure we survive and thrive. But, est. Túischac’h, I can’t do this alone.

To reactivate Talossa, EVERY active citizen must pledge to become more active – to the extent that this is feasible – and to encourage others to become more active. I will attempt to lead by example in the course of “fitting Talossan patriotism into a real life”. Patriotism is defined, as it was by King Robert back in the day, as the determination that Talossa must continue. If the mandate I received in the election is a real one, then I assume that others accept my message in this and will follow suit. But I can’t make anything happen by myself.

One example of this is on the language issue. I am more than happy to talk el glheþ Talossán with each and every one of you. Which sort of requires that some of you guys learn a bit of the language yourself! I know there aren’t user-friendly Teach Yourself materials available – at least, not for Classical Talossan as spoken on our Republic. But I taught myself without them. You have all the materials you need. If citizens make the effort with el glheþ, it will survive and thrive – and if not, it will wither and die. Exactly the same goes for every other institution of our Republican Talossa.

The role of the Information portfolio is a vital one in giving all citizens the tools they need to participate. The website of the Republic needs to not only be user-friendly, and to contain all the information a new or prospective citizen might need to get involved, but to invite participation. (Also, surely the old talossa.com domain should be redirected now to our new website?)

As to reactivating current citizens, perhaps if Muhammad won’t go to the mountain, then we should smash the drawing room to pieces. (Sorry, a little in-joke there for fans of 80’s British comedy.) But how can the Republic reach out to citizens? For a start, I intend to issue a personal appeal to all inactive or “semi-retired” Republicans to return to help our Republic regain its former glory.

We are talking serious and noble figures here, cüncitaxhiêns. Names like Lowry, Crovâ, Verbotten, Shorten, Ereufiglheu, Kelley and Tärfâ would loom extremely large in the History of the Republic, if we ever got around to writing it (I think that’s your job now, est. Secretary of Culture). And we are all diminised that they are not – at this time – interested or capable of participating in our nation.

But I appeal to you – as I intend to appeal to you personally at a later date – come home to the Republic. We need you. It’s not as much fun without you around.

In the ongoing sense, I would like to see the Government establish a regular (monthly or fortnightly) newsletter keeping all citizens – perhaps even a wider mailing list? – updated with What’s Up In The Republic. The Information Ministry already has a kind of mini-blog going on the website in this vein – I’m sure it can be expanded and improved on, to serve as the basis for such a newsletter. This is even more important now that our private press has closed down – I don’t think I’ll be able to make Qator Itrìns happen again any time soon. But who knows but that an “official government press” will inspire scurrilous oppositionist propaganda in response? It is devoutly to be wished, I think.

Estimat Túischac’h, the Talossan Republic is a fish and the sea we swim in is broader micronational culture. We have some interaction with non-citizens who participate in our glorious, ridiculous hobby. But we could benefit from more. I would like to see the Government build regular cultural interchange between the Talossan Republic and other similar entities.

I believe that the trappings of state are important. Not titles of nobility and the like – I am of the opinion that there is no title any Talossan can bear more noble than that of citaxhiên. But real, three-dimensional artifacts of national pride.

For example, we have a law for citizenship certificates on the books. Good. Let us hope it does not meet the same sad fate as the one for ID cards. Constitution II.1.2(c) gives me the right and duty to make sure that the laws of the Republic are enacted. If I come across any laws, duly passed by Parlamînt, which are not being enacted, I will certainly press the Government for the reason why. In summary – let’s get the damn certs printed and mailed out!

Aside from that, I do like the idea of regalia for other officials of state. I look forward to posing in the Sash of the Presidency. Should the Seneschál, SoS, Cadìns, or others also get classy eveningwear paid for by the Republic? It is to ponder.

Let’s not forget things like postage stamps, itrì coins, and all manner of concrete examples of Talossanity. Our new Distáin has made table-top flags of the Republic and of the Great Southern Province which are among my most treasured possessions. I look forward to the day when every Republic citizen has something like that. The pre-2004 Kingdom of Talossa, with its compulsory book purchases for citizens, was perhaps onto something. Which leads into the subject of publishing – both in dead tree format and on the website – of Talossan history. But that’s a topic for another time.

Finally, we come to the subject of those Talossans who see themselves as subjects of King John. Well, there’s not much I can do. My preference, as stated over and over again, is for cordial relations between the two Talossan states on a basis of mutual respect and friendship. It would give me nothing but the greatest of pleasure to sit down with King John and talk as equals – both heads of state chosen by a subsection of the Talossan people – about how to bring things forward. If I thought for an instant that I would be accorded the respect of equals, I would present my credentials immediately. Until I hear differently, though, I will assume that that is not the case.

Therefore, estimat Túischac’h, I sadly doubt that anything will happen. Any subject of King John who wishes to come to our forums and engage in polite conversation is, says the President of the Republic, welcome. Conversely, anyone who wants to start a fight on either side should probably go and take a walk in the park or get some other healthy exercise, instead. But my priority is the Republic whom I was elected to serve. I see no benefit at the moment in taking any interest in the doings among the Royalists. I’m sure my Government can handle any such matters that arise – actually, much better than I can, since they’re not as good at making enemies as I am.

Est. Túischac’h, compatriots and friends, I promise at least one year of drama, excitement and patriotic derring-do. I also promise to do my best not to break the Republic, but indeed to leave it in a better state than I found it.

My old friend and co-founder of Penguinea, Adiêns Glaçâ – who probably considers my election the most hilarious thing ever – always said that Talossa is an ongoing narrative. For more than three years now, we have collectively lost the plot. I am not the author of the Talossan story – despite my deliberately absurd dictatorial posturing, I am not King nor do I wish to be. At best, I will serve as a kind of editor, with the elected Government and every patriotic citizen besides as both co-writers and characters. Let’s dare something worthy and write ourselves a better Republic, a better Talossa, a better future.

Long live the Talossan Republic! ¡Så vivadrá la Repúblicâ Talossán! Six more years of Talossa’s freedom restored, then another six – may Talossa survive and thrive when we have all passed on!

I’m aware that it won’t be an easy task, but the enthusiasm that I have towards Talossa will ensure not only my dedication to this job, but also a dedication towards making Talossa a pleasant place for it’s wonderful citizens. By myself, this won’t be possible but with the the advice of my Distain, Dav Rôibeardét, I’m sure we’ll do just fine.

Personally, I’m of the opinion that if something isn’t broken, we shouldn’t try to fix it. It’s for this reason that my Information and Technology Minister will be Eovart Þevél, who has proven to be a capable individual with expert knowledge in the information and technology department. Minister Þevél will be working in collaboration with Deputy Gödafrïeu Válcadác’h whom I will be delegating the Culture and Press Secretariat to release a monthly update on Talossan affairs to be distributed to Talossan citizens that do not appear so often on our discussion board.

Senator Ián Anglatzarâ has served as an organized and hard working Immigration Secretary, and I have no doubt that my confidence in Senator Ián Anglatzarâ’s ability is well placed. Senator Anglatzarâ has agreed to serve with delegated authority as Immigration Secretary during my term as Seneschal. Of course, concentrating on a steady influx of new citizens and presenting our glorious Republic is a priority that we share with many past governments, and it’s because of this that I have dedicated a whole ministry towards this. Senator Kane Gruber will hold the position of Republic Marketing and Recruitment Minister, and has my full confidence.

I shall serve as the Republic’s Foreign Minister, but our foreign policy will not change as such.

We can’t be expected to better Talossa without the input of the very Talossans that we work for, and so I’m calling for your feedback. Talk to me, question me, voice your opinion and together we can make Talossa a better place for all of us. Thank you for this opportunity.

Talossans everywhere celebrate Liberation Day with great hopes for the future and renewed appreciation for our past.  Here is digest of news for 1/June/2010. Watch for more detailed information.

Miestrâ Schivâ is elected President of the Republic.  The Minister of Information and staff add to the congratulations that are pouring in. Check out the official results here

The Constitution of the Republic has been officially amended.  Watch for much change and evolution in Talossan governance. Check out the official results here.

Eovart Þevél is elected to the Chamber of Deputies. He will add a political dimension to his activity in Talossa. Check out the official results here.

Miestrâ Schivâ has resigned as governor of the Great Southern Province stating “It’s been lulz-tacular being your provincial figurehead and pompous speechmaker for the best part of a year. But now the Federal government needs me to kick butt and take names.”

The first Senate of the Republic was summoned; Eiric Börnatfiglheu is currently nominated to be the first speaker.

D. N. Vercáriâ dismissed as Seneschal by the President, C. Carlüs Xheráltsëfiglheu appointed to the position and is currently working to form a government.

Naturally C. Carlüs Xheráltsëfiglheu has resigned as speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.

Many other developments are under way in what is without a doubt the busiest news day since the start of this digest.  A new history of Talossan elections has been prepared and we are seeking permission to publish it here on Talossa.org. Registration for the second annual Florencia Open (Bola Vuit) is underway.

Comments will be opened on this topic.

Check out the debate.

Although the official web domain of the Republic of Talossa is currently Talossa.com, the Wittenberg bulletin board, host of the national dialogue was transferred to Talossa.org a long time ago.  Recently the Ministry of Information transferred its entire operation to Talossa.org and has transferred all the Talossa.com content to Talossa.org.

All indications are that the official proclamation of Talossa.org as official web domain of the Republic of Talossa will be timed to coincide with June 1 celebrations.

All indications are that a national referendum will be concluded. If successful, the newly amended constitution will be officially enacted on June 1.

Draft of a new Constitution

TITLE II : The Institutions of State
General Remarks
1.The State comprises those institutions set up by general consent of the citizens of the Talossan Republic, to embody the collective will and act in the collective interests of those citizens.
2.The functions of the State are divided between the President, the Government, the Parlamînt, and the Secretary of State.
3. The Law of the Talossan Republic shall consist of the following, in order of priority:
(a)this Constitution;
(b)legislation passed by Parlamînt according to this Constitution;
(c)decisions of the Court of Justice;
(d)Executive Orders.
4. The Law of the Talossan Republic must be clear and comprehensible to the average citizen.

ARTICLE 1: The President of the Republic
1.The President of the Republic (in the national language: el Prüm Citaxhien) is the Head of the State and provides strategic and long-term leadership for the Republic.
2.The President has the power and responsibility, subject to the Law of the Republic:
(a)to defend the Republic, its Constitution and laws, and the institutions established by the Constitution and laws;
(b) to supervise the actions of the Government;
(c)to put into effect the laws passed by Parlamînt;
(d)with the advice and consent of the Government, to represent the Republic to foreign entities, and accredit ambassadors and other representatives of the Republic to such entities;
(e)to pardon those convicted of a crime by the judicial powers, subject to confirmation of any pardon by a referendum;
(f)to make a “State of the Republic” speech to a joint session of Parlamînt, at the first meeting of Parlamînt after the President’s election;
(g)any other responsibilities which are granted by law.

Election of the President
3.The President is chosen by all Talossan electors, by universal, direct, free, equal and secret preferential ballot. Details of the conduct of such elections shall be established by law.
4.Every Talossan citizen of eighteen full calendar years of age or older who has fulfilled one or more of the following criteria is eligible for election as President of the Republic:
(a)He or she has been a Talossan citizen for a total of at least two years, or:
(b)He or she has served as a Member of either house of Parlamînt for a total of at least one year, or:
(c)He or she has served for a total of at least six months as any of the following: Seneschál, a Minister, Secretary of State, Mençei, Túischac’h or Justice of the High Court.
5.The President may not be a member of Parlamînt.
6.The office of the President of the Republic shall become vacant on the first day of June every year. The election for a new President shall take place no earlier than two weeks before the office is due to fall vacant.
7.No person may be re-elected to more than two consecutive terms as President.

ARTICLE TWO. The Parlamînt
1.The legislative power of the Republic of Talossa shall be exercised by a Parliament (in the national language, el Parlamînt).
2.The Parlamînt consists of a Chamber of Deputies (in the national language, la Camera dels Deputats), representing the democratic will of the Talossan nation; and a Senate (in the national language, el Senäts), representing Talossan tradition and the collective memory of long-term Talossans. Members of the Chamber of Deputies shall be known as Deputies (in the national language, Deputats). Members of the Senäts shall be known as Senators (in the national language, Senatôrs).
3. No Deputy shall at the same time be a Senator.

The Chamber of Deputies
4.The Chamber of Deputies shall be elected by all electors voting as a single electorate, by a method of proportional representation. Elections shall be universal, direct, free, equal and secret, and the details of their conduct shall be established by law.
5. The Chamber of Deputies shall be elected to a six month term. The Secretary of State shall commence preparations for a new general election immediately upon the dissolution of the Chamber.
6.(a)The President of the Republic shall dissolve the Chamber no more than six calendar months after the election of that Chamber, and summon the new Chamber to meet as soon as practicable after its election.
(b)The President may dissolve the Chamber at an earlier date than specified in section a) above, by means of an Executive Order co-signed by the Seneschál.
(c)The President may dissolve the Chamber at an earlier date than specified in section a) above without the consent of the Seneschál, if the Seneschál has lost the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies.
7. Any elector of the Republic not otherwise disqualified by this Constitution can be elected to the Chamber of Deputies.
8.Until Parlamînt otherwise decides, the number of seats in the Chamber of Deputies shall be five.
9.Parlamînt may by law establish procedures for elections to fill vacancies that occur from time to time in the Chamber, to be known as “by-elections”.
10. No seat in the Chamber shall be filled by a candidate who has not been directly chosen by the voters, either individually or as a named member of a party list.

The Senäts
11.The Senäts of the Republic shall consist of all former Presidents, Senescháis and High Cort Justices who have held that office for at least one half of a full term, who do not currently hold elected office, and have not been impeached or otherwise judicially barred. The current Secretary of State will be a non-voting member.
12. Not including the sitting President and the Deputies, other citizens may be named to the Senäts by law. Any law appointing a Senator shall mandate a term of office for that Senator of no more than 2 years, and be endorsed in referendum.
13.The Senäts shall be in continuous session, as long as it has a quorum.

Both Houses
14. Changes in the size of either House of Parlamînt shall only come into effect at the next election of that House.
15. The quorum for both Houses shall be 3 members.
16. The Chamber of Deputies and the Senäts shall each elect a Chair (called the Túischac’h and Mençéi respectively) from among their members who will organise the business of that house, keep a published archive of the proceedings and decisions of that House, and enforce the Standing Orders of that House. Neither Chair shall be a member of the Government.
17.The Chamber of Deputies and the Senäts may discuss their business in person, by mail, by telephone, by electronic messaging, or by any combination of the above.
18.Each House is sovereign in the conduct of its business. Each Houses shall conduct its business in accordance with its own Standing Orders, which shall be adopted by majority vote of that House and made public.
19.The meetings of both Houses of Parlamînt, and the votes cast by all members in those Houses, are public. Decisions of each House require a majority of votes cast unless this Constitution provides otherwise.
20.Factual and precise reports of the public meetings of the Houses of Parlamînt and of their committees shall not give rise to any liability.
21. The Chamber of Deputies and Senäts and their committees can require the presence of the Seneschál and any minister or secretary of the Government. The Seneschál, the ministers, and secretaries have the right to be present at the sittings of the Chamber of Deputies and Senäts and their committees.

Joint Sessions
22. The Túischac’h and Mençéi may by agreement call a Joint Session of Parlamînt for those purposes set out elsewhere in this Constitution, and for any other purpose. Members of both Houses shall be provided with one week’s notice of any Joint Session.
23. The Joint Session may elect a Chair Pro Tempore. Unless and until a Chair Pro Tempore is elected, the Joint Session shall be chaired by the Túischac’h.
24. Unless Parlamînt otherwise decides, Joint Sessions shall be held under the Standing Orders of the Chamber of Deputies. The quorum of a Joint Session shall be half of the Deputies, and three Senators.

Legislation
25. A proposal for legislation shall pass both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senäts by simple majority vote, except for constitutional amendments, which shall be dealt with as below.
26. The Constitution can be amended only by a law that expressly amends or supplements the text thereof. The amending bill must specify which portion or portions of the Constitution it is amending. Such law requires the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of the Chamber of Deputies.
27. Bills which authorise taxation of the citizens of the Republic, or spending of public money, must originate in the Chamber of Deputies.
28.A bill (other than a Constitutional Amendment) introduced in, and passed by, the Chamber of Deputies shall be passed to the Senäts, who may:
(a)return the bill to the Chamber with suggested amendments;
(b)pass the bill to the President, with a recommendation that it either:
i.be promulgated;
ii.be put to referendum;
iii.be rejected.
29.A bill (other than a Constitutional Amendment) introduced in, and passed by, the Senäts shall be passed to the Chamber of Deputies, who may:
(a)return the bill to the Senäts with suggested amendments;
(b)reject the bill;
(c)pass the bill to the President, with a recommendation that it either:
i.be promulgated;
ii.be put to referendum.
30. A bill adopted by one House, returned to that House by the other House for amendment, and then passed again by the original House without amendment may not be returned, but shall either be passed to the President or (in the case of a bill originating in the Senäts) rejected.
31. A bill to amend the Constitution shall be debated according to sections 28-30 above, except that instead of being passed to the President by one House after being adopted by the other House, it shall be passed to the Secretary of State who will put the bill to referendum.
32. A bill (apart from a bill to amend the Constitution) shall become law once the President promulgates it (that is, publicly announces his assent) and the Secretary of State shall thereupon publish it as law. The President shall have deemed to have promulgated any bill on which he takes no action for seven days.
33. If the President refuses to promulgate a bill, the Secretary of State shall pass that bill back to Parlamînt for amendment. If Parlamînt passes the bill once again unamended, and the President still refuses to promulgate the bill, the Secretary of State shall present that bill to the people in a referendum as provided by law.
34. Legislation approved in a referendum shall be deemed to have been promulgated without need for the President’s signature, and shall be published as law by the Secretary of State.
35. The Seneschál may from time to time instruct the Secretary of State to publish texts of the Constitution and Laws, updated with all amendments.

Impeachment
36. The Chamber of Deputies may impeach the President, the Secretary of State or any Senator before the Court of Justice for wilful violation of the law, or for conduct which brings the Talossan Republic into disrepute. At least one-fourth of the Deputies must bring the motion for impeachment forward. The decision to impeach requires a majority of two-thirds of the Deputies. A person appointed by the impeachment conducts the prosecution.
37. If the Court of Justice finds the defendant guilty of a wilful violation of any law, it may declare him or her to have forfeited his or her office. After impeachment, it may issue a temporary order barring the defendant from exercising the powers of his or her office, or from being elected, re-elected or appointed to any public office for a period no greater than one year.

Referendums
38.Referendums are the procedure by which the people of the Republic as a whole endorse or reject extraordinary decisions of the institutions of state, including but not limited to constitutional amendments, pardons, the resolutions of legislative deadlocks, or the appointments of extraordinary Senators.
39.Referendums shall be open to participation by all Talossan electors, and conducted by a secret ballot. The details of their conduct shall be established by law, including provisions for both two-choice and multi-choice ballots.
40.A binding or advisory referendum may be declared on any subject by Executive Order.

ARTICLE THREE. The Government and the Secretary of State
The Government
1.The executive power of the Republic shall be exercised by the Government (in the national language, el Governmaíntsch).
2. The Government consists of a Prime Minister (in the national language, el Seneschál) and a number of Ministers. The President and the Secretary of State shall not be members of the Government.
3. The Government has the power and responsibility, subject to the Law of the Republic, to:
(a) ensure that the laws of the Republic are carried out;
(b) administer the common property, intellectual, financial, digital, physical and otherwise of the Republic;
(c) set policy and provide day-to-day leadership and for the Republic;
(d) any other powers and responsibilities given to them by the laws and Constitution of the Republic.
4.The Seneschál is the Head of the Government. He or she is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic, and shall appoint the other members of the Government, known as Ministers. The Seneschál may also delegate Government functions to civil officials outside the Government, known as Secretaries.
5.The Seneschál has power and responsibility, subject to the Law of the Republic, to:
(a)appoint and dismiss the Ministers and any Secretaries;
(b)chair meetings of the Government;
(c) make sure that the Government and all its members, as well as Secretaries, carry out their functions;
(d) take the leading role in establishing Government policy;
(e) define the roles of individual Ministers, to the extent that they are not already defined by law;
(f) approve the text of all Government-sponsored bills;
(g) account to the President and Parlamint for the general performance of the Government, and for that of Secretaries;
(h) perform the functions of any Minister who fails to carry out that function, whether because of absence, negligence, or any other reason;
(i) exercise any other powers given by the laws of the Republic.
6. Each Minister shall have the power and responsibility, subject to the Law of the Republic:
(a) to carry out the functions assigned to them by the Laws of the Republic and by the Seneschál;
(b) to participate in the functions of the Government as a whole, as described in section 3 above;
(c) to account to Parlamint for their individual performance.
7.The Government of the Republic is collectively and individually responsible to both the President and Parlamînt. The members of the Government hold office while they retain the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies. The Government and any individual members thereof may be censured by the Chamber of Deputies or the Senäts.
8. Any power granted by the laws of the Republic to the Government, to the Seneschál or to an individual Minister may be exercised instead by a civil official outside the Government designated by the Seneschál, known as a Secretary. Secretaries may not set policy, nor exercise any powers not specifically granted by law to the Minister whom they take the place of. The Seneschál shall be responsible to Parlamînt for their performance. They may be censured by the Chamber of Deputies or the Senäts.
9. If the Seneschál resigns or is dismissed, all the Ministers and Secretaries shall also be deemed to have resigned.
10. The Seneschál and the other ministers may recommend and appoint Deputy Ministers to exercise specific delegated functions. The Deputy Seneschál shall be called el Distáin in the national language. Deputy Ministers shall be Acting Ministers in the absence of the primary Minister. Outgoing ministers may recommend their successors.
11. Executive Orders must be co-signed by both President and Seneschál. They may be overturned by the Chamber of Deputies.
12. The Government shall regularly confer in person, by mail, by telephone, by electronic messaging, or by any combination of the above.
13. The Government makes its decisions by majority vote. In case of a tie, the vote of the Seneschál shall be decisive.
14. Every new Seneschál shall, within a week of assuming office, give an “Address from the Incoming Government” to a joint session of Parlamînt.
15. Parlamînt may set age limits by law to exercise any function or role of the Government, its members or subordinates, which requires handling money or conformity with the law of other jurisdictions.

The Secretary of State
16.The Secretary of State is the pre-eminent civil official of the Republic. The Secretary of State shall be nominated by the President and confirmed in office by a 2/3 majority of the Chamber of Deputies. He or she shall shall be of eighteen full calendar years of age or older and not be a member of the Government or the Court of Justice. He or she may participate in all the debates of the Senäts, but shall have no vote.
17. The President shall nominate a new Secretary of State on the first business day of January every year, and also whenever the office becomes vacant. A sitting Secretary of State may be re-nominated.
18. The Secretary of State shall have the power and responsibility, subject to the Law of the Republic:
(a) to conduct Presidential and Parliamentary elections in accordance with law;
(b) to keep a register of all citizens of the Republic, and of which citizens are qualified to be Senators;
(c) to act as chief legal advisor to the Government;
(d) to keep an updated public archive of the Constitution and Laws of the Republic.

ARTICLE FOUR: The Administration of Justice
1.The judicial power of the Republic shall be exercised by the Court of Justice (in the national language: el Cort dàl Xhuricinâ), and by any other courts of the Republic which shall be established as provided for in this Constitution.
2.The Court of Justice shall be composed a committee of Senators (known as Justices, or in the national language Cadìns) acceptable to both parties in any dispute that may arise. Other Courts, subordinate to the Court of Justice, may be established by law.
3.Parlamînt may establish by law:
a.a maximum number of Justices;
b.procedures for bringing cases to the Court of Justice, and for the conduct of hearings before that Court.
4.Unless overruled by law as in section 3 above, the Senäts shall determine procedures for bringing cases to the Court of Justice, and for the conduct of hearings before that Court.
5.The Secretary of State shall publish and archive the decisions of the Court of Justice, the reasons for those decisions, and any minority opinions. Any other Courts established by law shall nominate a Clerk to carry out the same function.
6. The Court of Justice shall have sole jurisdiction:
a.on the interpretation of this Constitution in the event of disputes concerning the extent of rights and duties;
b.in cases of differences of opinion or doubts on the formal and material compatibility of Republic law or provincial law with this Constitution;
c.in cases of differences of opinion on the rights and duties of the Republic and the provinces;
d.in cases where the decision is of basic value for the consistency of the management of justice;
e.as established otherwise in this Constitution.
7.The Government shall appoint a Minister, to be known as the Attorney-General, to represent it in any suits that may be brought in the Court of Justice.

Other Courts
8.Other courts may be established by law for the areas of ordinary, administrative, finance, labour, and social jurisdiction. Decisions of these courts may be appealed to the Court of Justice.
9. The judges of other Courts are subject only to the law, and can be removed from office only under authority of a judicial decision and only on grounds and in the form provided for by law.
10. Extraordinary courts are prohibited. No one may be removed from the authority of his or her lawful judge. Only a law may establish courts for special areas of jurisdiction.
11. No Court shall decree any punishment more severe than expulsion from the Republic. The Court of Justice alone may decree expulsion from the Republic.
12. All Courts shall make their decisions by majority vote.

ARTICLE FIVE: Emergency Procedures
1. While one House of Parlamînt is not in session, or is inquorate, the other House shall assume all functions of Parlamînt, given that it has a quorum itself.
2. In the absence of the President, the Senäts shall elect a President Pro-Tempore with a 2/3 majority and a quorum of at least 3. The term of the President Pro-Tempore shall last until the President returns, or until the next regularly scheduled Presidential election.
3. A petition of no less than 40% of current citizens of the Republic shall be sufficient to declare a General Assembly of the Republic, which shall have the power to suspend the Constitution and rule by direct democracy.
4. If there is neither an active President nor a quorate House of Parlamînt, and if there are still more than 5 active citizens, the citizens may elect a “Politbureau” consisting of three persons for the coordination of all adminstrative and other tasks.
5. Emergency provisions shall cease to have effect as soon as the Constitutional order is restored. If the Constitutional order is not restored by the time of the next scheduled election, a General Assembly of all citizens shall be convened as under section 3 above.

Here is the agenda of your new government. It is only a short list, but I hope that by the end of the term we can proudly say: Mission completed.

First, there is the issue of Immigration. We all know that we can’t expect miracles from our Minister, but I’m sure we’ll all like to know that the ministry is in the competent hands of a man who is doing his job with patience and passion. I hope he can give us some transparence by issuing immigration reports every once in a while, so that we know that someone is actually there to receive and welcome people who are interested in joining us, as citizens or as friends.

Second, Information: I hope we can finally complete our long process of the nationalisation of webspace. For this, no glossy artwork is expected or needed (by now); all that this goverment wants to achieve is that our legal documents are transferred and made accessible on our new homepage, either for readers and for the Secretary of State, who has to keep the collection up-to-date.

Third, but not least, fun and activities beyond the sports of lawsmithing and political bickering are the salt that are making the soup of our community edible. Dav is already doing his best to shake us into a life beyond the aforementioned traditonal “sports” of Talossa – I liked to acknowledge this by appointing him a Minister. I know he will keep on trying his best to get on with it.

So, Citizens, please support your new Ministers Dav, Eovart and Ián, so that in August, when the next election is due, we can proudly say that this coming term was a good time in the ongoing history of the Republic of Talossa.

Thank you.

Deputat Dav Rôibeardét delivered a fiery Address-In-Reply, criticising the lack of new ideas and concrete action by the Cînxh government. As the Address-In-Reply is usually the perogative of the leader of the largest opposition party in el Camerâ, this signals a new departure in politics-the return of a genuine parliamentary opposition.

S:reu Lixhità therefore becomes the seventeeth citizen of the Republic. He plans to focus on artistic, cultural and philosophical matters, and has already created a number of websites in pursuit of his cultural and artistic vision, including http://downtowntalossa.blogspot.com/.

The candidates elected were:

BÖRNATFIGLHEU, Eiric (Cînxh)
CROVÂ, Inxheneu (Cînxh)
RÔIBEARDÉT, Davïu (independent)
VALCÁDAC’H, Gödafrïeu (independent)
XHERÁLTSËFIGLHEU, C. Cauvesc (Cînxh)

Restéu voastrâ për la Repúblicâ,
Miestrâ Patricâsëfiglhâ Schivâ
Secretár d’Estat

The details of the count process can be consulted on Wittenberg.

“Estimat Tuischac’h, Deputies and my fellow citizens,

Thank you S:reu Tuischac’h for allowing my the opportunity to come before this august body and fulfill one of my duties as el Prüm Citaxhiên. As they brevity is the soul of wit I shall attempt to be as brief as possible.

I would like to thank my fellow competitors in the election for a spirited campaign and one of the more interesting in our history.

Also allow me to thank my supporters and those who did a little painful arm-twisting.

We stand here today on the Fifth anniversay of the day when a group of brave rebels overthrew a tyrannical monarch and rebuilt the nation based on the principles of freedom and democracy. On this day seems it seems most appropriate to shout their deeds loud and proud. We must never forget the sacrifices they made in their struggle for freedom which began several years prior in the Exodus. It was a long, tough struggle but a worthy one.

But I also wish to salute every citizen of the Republic who has had the courage to stay in the fight even on the days when the struggle hardly seemed worth the effort. We’ve had many a struggle in these five years. We’ve been kicked in the teeth more times than I care to count. We’ve had governments collapse. We’ve had our political parties fold ignominiously. We’ve had our infightings and bickerings. We’ve gained a few citizens who never participated and we’ve lost a few who were. But you know what?…

WE ARE STILL HERE!

We have weathered the battles. We have fought the fight and come out on the other side victorious. Let’s take a moment and look at some of our accomplishments:

-We have thrown off the yoke of tyranny and it has not returned.

-We have kept that hallmark of Talossan culture, Talossan 2.1, alive.

-We have a government that is both transparent and flexible.

-We have a citizenry that is just as active as the Royalist’s who claim five times our number.

-While the governments may never agree to speak with each other the Royalists and the Republicans are on speaking terms.

-We have achieved the respect of the world community.

-We have lived in  peace and have not gone to war with anyone real or imaginary.

While others may think that we are on the cusp of failure I say that we are on the cusp of something WORTHY!

Now is the time for us to work on cultural, nation building issues. Rather than just being a place for trite talk and links to ephemera let us bind together and work for the greater good of the Talossan republic.

The Constitution stiles this speech the State of the Republic. What do I think the State of the Republic is? I think the Republic is a little bruised and tired but is healthy and doing well.

Now let’s get out there and Dare Something Worthy.”