Structure of the Imperial Government

Artoonia's government structure is a limited republic imperial monarchy. Strictly speaking, all authority flows from the Empress, who is constitutionally La Ĉioeblulo (The All-Powerful); however, she derives this power only as the legal personification of the Artoonian people (L'Artuana Personeco). As a practical matter, this means that she primarily exercises a figurehead role; she voluntarily delegates most governmental functions to the Kunsidantaro (the Imperial legislature) and the Courts, but still maintains ultimate veto power over them.

The Empress

The hereditary Emperor for life, Per la Graco Dia, Ŝia plej serena, iluminata Imperiamajesteco Imperiestro Sofia Maria Lea Iª de l'Imperio Artunia kaj Ŝia Regnoj Dominataj, Granda Admiralo de la sep Maroj, Marŝalo de la Kampoj kaj Ĉieloj, Cezarego de la Tria Romo, Fida Defendisto, Patrino de l'Artuana Raso, Fratino de ĉiuj Liberuloj: "By the Grace of God, Her most serene, enlightened Imperial Majesty Empress Sofia I of the Artoonian Empire and Her Dominion Realms, Grand Admiral of the seven Seas, Marshal of the Fields and Skies, Grand Cæsar of the Third Rome, Defender of the Faith, Mother of the Artoonian Race, Sister of all Free Persons". She is Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, Head of State, and Supreme Head of the Church of Artoonia. She is also Sovereign or Grand Master of all chivalric and civic orders.

Imperiestro is a gender-neutral term which may be translated either Emperor or Empress in English as appropriate. Imperiestrino (which would be specifically feminine) would only be used if a male Emperor married a woman who was Empress of another realm in her own right, and the two rule co-regently. Use of Imperiestrino to refer to Empress Sofia is considered pejorative.

Kunsidantaro

The legislature is divided into two chambers. La Domo Popola (LDP) (The People's House) consists of 257 Kusidantaranoj, who are apportioned among the various Shires (of which there are 10) according to their populations according to an heptennial Imperial census, with each Shire to receive at least 5 Kunsidantaroj (the capital city Lumo, however, receives only one Kunsidantaro). Most of the Shire use proportional representation, allocating a percentage of their seats to the top candidates in each political party's slate.* Greĝoshire, however, elects candidates directly, each of its (currently 17) Kunsidantanoj serving a single geographic district. All citizens 16 years of age or older, with the exception of certain felons, may vote in elections.

* There are five major political parties in the Empire (note, however, that "centrist" in Artoonian terms is considered "right-wing" in most modern democracies):

• L'Imperiula Partio (LIP) (The Imperialists' Party), nationalist right-wing, controls 59 seats in LDP

• La Partio Toria (LPT) (The Tories), center-right on mainly economic issues, 78 seats

• Liberalismo (L) (Liberalism), centrist, 60 seats

• La Partio Maldekstra (PMD) (The Left Party), left-wing, 44 seats

• La Verdistoj (LV) (The Greens), the most extreme left-wing, 12 seats

The remaining 4 seats belong to minor, regional parties or idependent candidates.

While the Empress is Head of State, the Head of Government is the Ĉefministro (ĈM-o, "Prime Minister"), elected by LDP members from their own ranks. As LIP and LPT currently form the majority coalition Libereco, the current ĈM-o is LPT Kunsidantaro The Honourable Viktor Petro LOBO el Rekamo, O.A., representing the Muzinoshire.

Kunsidantaranoj are elected to terms of 5 years; however, after 18 months the ĈM-o may call for new elections at any time, LPD may be dissolved by a no-confidence vote (by a simple majority to unseat a speaker, or 2/3 supermajority to dissolve the House) or in extreme cases, by the Emperor (this has only been done once, by Arturo I when a LV-PMD majority coalition attempted to ratify a treaty that would have ceded significant governing power to the WA; the follow-up election resulted in a 108-seat LIP landslide). There are no term limits on Kunsidantaranoj, but according to the Artoonian tradition of Kinkinatismo (Cincinnatism), career politicians are widely distrusted, and most Kunsidantaranoj voluntarily retire from public service after 7 to 10 years in office (LPD may be unique among legislative bodies in that most of its members have held no prior political office; of the 197 current Kunsidantaranoj who are executives or owners of their own businesses, only 14 are lawyers, with most of the remainder being merchants or service-business entrepreneurs -- in fact, LPT and L both have official party planks of never nominating a prospective third-termer to their slates).

In addition to LDP, there is also La Domo Nobleca (LDN) (The House Noblesse), which comprises all hereditary dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, and barons, as well as certain knights and dames granted membership by the Empress (currently comprised of 483 hereditary and 124 life peers). The two houses must independently concur on all legislation, with simple majorities of those present and voting being necessary for most legislation (bills to impose or raise taxes and declarations of wars, however, must be proposed by LDP and pass with 2/3 majorities of both houses).

Courts

The Empress appoints judges of the Imperial courts, while Shire and local court judges are appointed by their respective governors or legislatures, or elected directly. The various Imperiajuĝioj (trial-level Imperial Courts) and Grafjuĝioj (Shire Courts) may appeal to the Apeljuĝio Imperia (AJI) (Imperial Court of Appeals) and the Ĉefjuĝio Imperia (CJI) (Imperial Supreme Court). The CJI may refer cases of utmost precedent directly to the Empress; both CJI and the Empress may also elect sua sponte to redispose appeals.