Forum:First Chamber

This forum is still under construction. Normally, this will be only opened to Members of the Congress, but as long as we haven't signed the Constitution, this will be open to every Lovian.

Constitution
I made a proposal design of the Constitution.

Content
Please do not edit this text, but propose adjustments underneath the text. The constitution – Design by 


 * 1) Article 1 - Lovia is a monarchy, ruled by a king or queen.
 * 2) The ruling monarch is the person who inherited the throne. This can be the king or the queen.
 * 3) The partner of the ruling monarch is the one who married the person who inherited the throne and
 * 4) A new king or queen:
 * 5) The monarch of Lovia is the first-born child of the previous ruling monarch.
 * 6) The person the most related to the former king will become ruling monarch.
 * 7) * If the former monarch didn’t have any children.
 * 8) * If the first-born child refuses to become king or queen.
 * 9) The heir to the throne has to sign the constitution before his or her inauguration.
 * 10) The king or queen and his or her partner are automatically Members of the Congress.
 * 11) The king and queen have the right to become a federal secretary and/or a member of one or more state governments and/or a member of a city or town government.
 * 12) The ruling monarch receives means by the Department of Finance to compensate his or her expenses. The Secretary of Finance has the right to turn down means if the expenses are not of any general use or if the monarch has spent too much on unnecessary items.
 * 13) The ruling monarch can also:
 * 14) * Grant a civilian an extra living as a gift.
 * 15) * Grant a company or store the right to be an official Royal Warrant.
 * 16) Article 2 – Rights of every human being in Lovia
 * 17) Every human being and citizen has the right:
 * 18) Of freedom of thought, meaning and religion.
 * 19) Of equality, by race, religion, political opinion, language, sex, property, birth or other statuses.
 * 20) Of privacy.
 * 21) To have personal or common property.
 * 22) To be arrested in a trial and to be treated correctly.
 * 23) To have a living.
 * 24) To work and to receive education.
 * 25) To relax and recreate.
 * 26) To live in peace with his or her fellow-men.
 * 27) To live in welfare.
 * 28) To become a Lovian citizen.
 * 29) Every Lovian citizen has the right:
 * 30) To have one or two livings.
 * 31) To participate in federal and state politics.
 * 32) To become a Member of the Congress or to become a Secretary.
 * 33) Every Secretary or Member of the Congress has the right:
 * 34) To have one, two or three houses.
 * 35) The (former) King, Queen or Prime Minister has the right:
 * 36) To have more than three houses.
 * 37) Article 3 – The Lovian citizenship
 * 38) You can become a Lovian citizen
 * 39) If you’re an inhabitant of Lovia, for four days or more.
 * 40) If you have done 50 or more useful edits.
 * 41) If you can give the following information:
 * 42) Your official given name, a surname.
 * 43) Your sex.
 * 44) The rights of a citizen are described in Article 2.
 * 45) Your citizenship can be taken away as a punishment in a trial.
 * 46) Article 4 – The structure of Lovia
 * 47) Federal level: Lovia
 * 48) Executive power: the Prime Minister and the Federal Secretaries
 * 49) Legislature: the Congress
 * 50) Judiciary: the Supreme Court
 * 51) State level: Clymene, Kings, Oceana, Seven and Sylvania
 * 52) Executive power and legislature: the Governor and the State Secretaries
 * 53) Judiciary: the State Court
 * 54) Local level: Cities and towns
 * 55) Executive power and legislature: the Mayor
 * 56) Judiciary: the State Court
 * 57) Sublocal level: Neighborhoods
 * 58) Executive power and legislature: the Chairman or Chairwoman
 * 59) Judiciary: the State Court
 * 60) Article 5 – Legislature and executive power
 * 61) Subjects of the legislature of the federal level:
 * 62) * Highways, international airports and ports
 * 63) * Foreign affairs, war and defense
 * 64) * Healthcare, education
 * 65) * Culture, language, sports
 * 66) * Agriculture, fishery, industry
 * 67) * Trade, finance, economy, business
 * 68) * Federal organization, royal family, federal elections
 * 69) * Justice, Supreme Court
 * 70) Subjects of the legislature of the state level:
 * 71) * State Routes, local airports and harbors
 * 72) * Town and cities
 * 73) * Traffic rules
 * 74) * Nature, environment
 * 75) * State elections
 * 76) * State Court
 * 77) Subjects of the legislature of the (sub)local level:
 * 78) * Neighborhoods
 * 79) * Local streets and avenues
 * 80) * City parks, sporting accommodations
 * 81) * City planning
 * 82) Article 6 – Editing the Federal or State Law
 * 83) A motion can be:
 * 84) * A proposal for a new chapter in the Federal or State Law
 * 85) * A proposal for a change in a certain part in the Federal or State Law
 * 86) * A proposal for a deletion of a certain part in the Federal or State Law
 * 87) Steps of tabling and voting a motion for the Federal Law:
 * 88) One or more Members of the Congress write a motion.
 * 89) The motion is proposed in the First Chamber, where all the Members of the Congress can propose little changes to the text.
 * 90) If the majority of the Members of the Congress approves with the motion, it can go to the Second Chamber.
 * 91) Every Member of the Congress can vote (pro, contra or abstention).
 * 92) If more than 50% of the valid votes is pro, the motion is accepted and will be adapted to the Federal Law.
 * 93) When a majority has accepted the motion, the Prime Minister or monarch can adapt it to the Federal Law.
 * 94) Steps of tabling and voting a motion for the State Law:
 * 95) The Governor or one or more of the State Secretaries write a motion.
 * 96) The motion is proposed to the Governor and all of the State Secretaries, where they can all propose little changes to the text.
 * 97) If the majority approves with the motion, they can vote officially.
 * 98) Every State Secretary and the Governor can vote (pro, contra or abstention).
 * 99) If more than 50% of the valid votes is pro, the motion is accepted and will be adapted to the State Law.
 * 100) When a majority has accepted the motion, the Governor or monarch can adapt it to the State Law.
 * 101) Article 7 – Editing the Constitution
 * 102) The Constitution can’t be edited by a normal majority (+50%) in the Congress.
 * 103) A motion for the Constitution is called an Amendment.
 * 104) Steps of tabling and voting an Amendment:
 * 105) One or more Members of the Congress write an Amendment.
 * 106) The motion is proposed in the First Chamber, where all the Members of the Congress can propose little changes to the text.
 * 107) If the majority of the Members of the Congress approves with the motion, it can go to the Second Chamber.
 * 108) Every Member of the Congress can vote (pro, contra or abstention).
 * 109) If more than 75% of the valid votes is pro, the motion is accepted and will be adapted to the Constitution.
 * 110) When the Congress has accepted the motion, the Prime Minister or monarch can adapt it to the Constitution.
 * 111) Article 8 – Elections
 * 112) Federal elections:
 * 113) Every year federal elections are held.
 * 114) The term of office of every Member of the Congress is exactly one year, so every year the elections should be held at the same date.
 * 115) Steps of the federal elections:
 * 116) Every citizen can run for Member of the Congress.
 * 117) After a month, the period of becoming a candidate is done and the voting can begin.
 * 118) Every citizen can vote for three candidates. It’s not possible to vote contra. Voting for less then three candidates is allowed.
 * 119) The candidates with the most votes, and at least three, will become Members of the Congress. But there is a limit of Members of the Congress. This number is decided by the previous Prime Minister, and should always be between 15 and 30.
 * 120) The candidate with the most votes will become Prime Minister.
 * 121) Federal Secretaries:
 * 122) The monarch and new Prime Minister will chose which Members of the Congress will become Secretaries of a certain Department. If they can’t agree, the Congress will be asked to vote.
 * 123) The monarch and the Prime Minister can fire a Secretary:
 * 124) If there is a good reason.
 * 125) If they (the monarch and the Prime Minister) can agree. If not, the Congress can be asked to vote.
 * 126) State elections:
 * 127) Every two year state elections are held.
 * 128) The term of office of every Member of the Congress is exactly two year, so every two year the elections should be held at the same date.
 * 129) Steps of the state elections:
 * 130) Every citizen can run for Member of the Congress.
 * 131) After a month, the period of becoming a candidate is done and the voting can begin.
 * 132) Every citizen can vote for three candidates. It’s not possible to vote contra. Voting for less then three candidates is allowed.
 * 133) The candidates with the most votes, and at least three, will become Members of the Congress. But there is a limit of Members of the Congress. This number is decided by the previous Prime Minister, and should always be between 15 and 30.
 * 134) The candidate with the most votes will become Prime Minister.
 * 135) Article 9 – Supreme Court Trials
 * 136) Issues for the Supreme Court:
 * 137) * Every case concerning federal issues.
 * 138) * Crimes threatening the nation or the national population.
 * 139) * Cases that can’t be handled by the State Court.
 * 140) Starting a case:
 * 141) The case can be started by: a plaintiff or a public plaintiff (a representative of the government, the nation, the state, the city, the town…).
 * 142) There has to be a defendant: the person or organization accused by the plaintiff. This can also be a public defendant, that’s when the government is accused by someone or something.
 * 143) Both plaintiff or defendant may use a lawyer.
 * 144) The case starts when one of both parties asks the Supreme Court for a lawsuit.
 * 145) The Judge has to examine the case and look at all the evidence. If he thinks this case isn’t appropriate for the Supreme Court, he can redirect it to the State Court.
 * 146) The lawsuit:
 * 147) The Judge starts with reading the file on this case.
 * 148) The plaintiff (or his/her lawyer) has the right to speak to the Judge in public. He or she can also bring witnesses or material on the case. He can ask the defendant questions to prove his or her guiltiness.
 * 149) Then the defendant (or his/her lawyer) can speak and ask questions to witnesses. Bringing material is also allowed, to prove his or her innocence.
 * 150) If the plaintiff wants to speak once more, he gets the chance.
 * 151) At last, the defendant has the right to speak.
 * 152) Judging the case:
 * 153) The Judge retreats and examines all the evidence and considers what both the defendant and the plaintiff have said or shown. He will use the Constitution and the Federal Law as his guidelines.
 * 154) Decision:
 * 155) The Judge will make his decision clear:
 * 156) * He or she can declare someone guilty. The Judge can fine this person or organization, or can lock somebody up, for a time according to the crime.
 * 157) * He or she can warn somebody or an organization, for doing wrong, but not that wrong there has to be a punishment.
 * 158) * He or she can declare the defendant unguilty and free.
 * 159) * He or she can redirect this case to the State Court, because it’s not appropriate.
 * 160) Article 10 – State Court Trials
 * 161) Issues for the State Court:
 * 162) * Every case concerning state, local or sublocal issues.
 * 163) Starting a case:
 * 164) The case can be started by: a plaintiff or a public plaintiff (a representative of the government, the nation, the state, the city, the town…).
 * 165) There has to be a defendant: the person or organization accused by the plaintiff. This can also be a public defendant, that’s when the government is accused by someone or something.
 * 166) Both plaintiff or defendant may use a lawyer.
 * 167) The case starts when one of both parties asks the State Court for a lawsuit.
 * 168) The Judge has to examine the case and look at all the evidence. If he thinks this case isn’t appropriate for the State Court, he can redirect it to the Supreme Court.
 * 169) The lawsuit:
 * 170) The Judge starts with reading the file on this case.
 * 171) The plaintiff (or his/her lawyer) has the right to speak to the Judge in public. He or she can also bring witnesses or material on the case. He can ask the defendant questions to prove his or her guiltiness.
 * 172) Then the defendant (or his/her lawyer) can speak and ask questions to witnesses. Bringing material is also allowed, to prove his or her innocence.
 * 173) Judging the case:
 * 174) The Judge retreats and examines all the evidence and considers what both the defendant and the plaintiff have said or shown. He will use the Constitution and the Federal Law as his guidelines.
 * 175) Decision:
 * 176) The Judge will make his decision clear:
 * 177) * He or she can declare someone guilty. The Judge can fine this person or organization, or can lock somebody up, for a time according to the crime.
 * 178) * He or she can warn somebody or an organization, for doing wrong, but not that wrong there has to be a punishment.
 * 179) * He or she can declare the defendant unguilty and free.
 * 180) * He or she can redirect this case to the Supreme Court, because it’s not appropriate.
 * 181) Article 11 – National symbols
 * 182) The federal capital of Lovia is Noble City, Sylvania.
 * 183) The national symbol of Lovia is a white pine tree.
 * 184) The national colors are: navy, red and white.

Voting
The First Chamber isn't designed for voting. When the proposer of this constitution has made his final edit to it, it can go to the Second Chamber, where it can be voted officially.