Dragonih
25-09-2004, 03:09
The new Dragonihian Constitution, the result of three months of furious fighting followed by two months of equally furious negotiating, has been approved by a landslide 76% of the population. The Constitution, agreed to reluctantly by both the monarchy and the rebels, mandates a system where power is shared between the Sultan and a proportionally-elected National Congress.
While at first both the monarchy, in its defense of the political status quo, and the rebels, in opposition to it, were unmoving, nearly three months of bloody warfare, resulting in over twenty-six thousand deaths, brought both sides, tired of the war and reluctant to destroy their nation, to the negotiating table. Only an extreme reluctance to continue the battle violently persuaded both sides to agree to the proposal, and the rebels only did with one condition: that the populace approve it, a condition met by the results of the referendum.
The Constitution guarantees a wide range of civil liberties, as well as a number of worker's rights (a requirement from the socialist monarchy). It creates a proportionally-elected, two hundred member parliament to be known as the National Congress. According to the Constitution, bills passed by the National Congress can be vetoed by the Sultan, but with a five-eights vote this veto can be overturned. The Sultan also has the power to create a Cabinet, though his nominations to that body must be approved by at least eighty of the National Congress' members.
Elections for the National Congress are scheduled in one week, and a variety of parties have surfaced. The Sultan, allying with traditionally pro-monarchy organized labor, has created, and is leading, the Dragonihian Socialist Party, and the leadership of the Freedom Fighters of Dragonih - the main rebel group - have formed the Dragonihian Democratic Party, opposing the monarchy and its leftist economic policies. Much of the working and lower classes, distrustful of the Sultan, have allied with more independent labor unions and have formed the Socialist Labor Party, economically in agreement with the DSP but opposing the monarchy nevertheless. A variety of worried Dragonihians have formed the Popular Security Party, apathetic about economic matters but fiercely dedicated to "improving Dragonih's security through stregthening an ailing military and police force." Many harmed by the civil war have joined the party.
Current polls place the Socialist Labor Party and the Dragonihian Democratic Party leading, the former with around 24% support and the latter with around 23%. The Popular Security Party comes in third, with 17% support, and the Dragonihian Socialist Party has around 13%. 23% still remain undecided, and new parties - which will almost certainly come to be before the election - may considerably change this arrangement.
While at first both the monarchy, in its defense of the political status quo, and the rebels, in opposition to it, were unmoving, nearly three months of bloody warfare, resulting in over twenty-six thousand deaths, brought both sides, tired of the war and reluctant to destroy their nation, to the negotiating table. Only an extreme reluctance to continue the battle violently persuaded both sides to agree to the proposal, and the rebels only did with one condition: that the populace approve it, a condition met by the results of the referendum.
The Constitution guarantees a wide range of civil liberties, as well as a number of worker's rights (a requirement from the socialist monarchy). It creates a proportionally-elected, two hundred member parliament to be known as the National Congress. According to the Constitution, bills passed by the National Congress can be vetoed by the Sultan, but with a five-eights vote this veto can be overturned. The Sultan also has the power to create a Cabinet, though his nominations to that body must be approved by at least eighty of the National Congress' members.
Elections for the National Congress are scheduled in one week, and a variety of parties have surfaced. The Sultan, allying with traditionally pro-monarchy organized labor, has created, and is leading, the Dragonihian Socialist Party, and the leadership of the Freedom Fighters of Dragonih - the main rebel group - have formed the Dragonihian Democratic Party, opposing the monarchy and its leftist economic policies. Much of the working and lower classes, distrustful of the Sultan, have allied with more independent labor unions and have formed the Socialist Labor Party, economically in agreement with the DSP but opposing the monarchy nevertheless. A variety of worried Dragonihians have formed the Popular Security Party, apathetic about economic matters but fiercely dedicated to "improving Dragonih's security through stregthening an ailing military and police force." Many harmed by the civil war have joined the party.
Current polls place the Socialist Labor Party and the Dragonihian Democratic Party leading, the former with around 24% support and the latter with around 23%. The Popular Security Party comes in third, with 17% support, and the Dragonihian Socialist Party has around 13%. 23% still remain undecided, and new parties - which will almost certainly come to be before the election - may considerably change this arrangement.