ARTICLE ONE: THE REPUBLIC

1. The name of the State, in the national language, is la Repúblicâ Talossán. In English, the name of the State is The Republic of Talossa, citizens of which shall be referred to hereafter as 'Talossans'.
2. The Republic of Talossa is a democratic, secular and social federal state. All state authority emanates from the people. The population, by means of elections, exercises this authority.
3. A) The territory of the Republic of Talossa consists of the territories of those Provinces of the former Kingdom of Talossa known as Cézembre, Florenciâ, Maricopa, and Maritiimi-Maxhestic.

B) The Republic of Talossa hereby also claims as a part of her territory the villages of Shorewood and Whitefish Bay, both formerly of the State of Wisconsin in the United States of America and formerly claimed by the Kingdom of Talossa as well as the entirety of the census tracts of the United States of America which encompass those parts of the City of Milwaukee west of points equidistant between the banks of the Milwaukee River, east of points equidistant between the curbs of United States Interstates 43 and 94, north of points equidistant between the banks of the Menomonee Rover, all portions of the City of Milwaukee south of the village of Glendale, the village of Glendale itself, the campus of Cardinal Stritch College, and the campus of Marquette University.

C) The Republic of Talossa lays no claim to those provinces of the Kingdom of Talossa known as Atatürk, Mussolini, and Vuode as well as the Territory of Pengöpäts.

4. The National Flag of Talossa is the green and red vertical bicolour with four stars arranged in a diamond in the center of the flag. The green stands for democracy and its virtue; the red for the people and their tenacity. The four stars stand for the four provinces which seceded from the Kingdom of Talossa on 1 June, 2004/xxv/I.
5. The Coat of Arms of Talossa shall exist in two forms: the Lesser State Arms and the Greater State Arms. The Lesser State Arms is an oval shield, long axis vertical, divided vertically in green and red halves, bearing four stars arranged in a diamond in the center. The Greater State Arms consists of the Lesser State Arms with two squirrels as supporters, and as base a scroll bearing the legend "AUDE ALIQUID DIGNUM." Either form of the Coat of Arms of Talossa may be used for official and patriotic purposes.
6. The official motto of the Republic shall be "Aude Aliquid Dignum"; in the national language, "Defisetz Qualse'cosâ Denâ"; in English, "Dare Something Worthy".
7. The national language shall be the Talossan language. English shall be permissible as a useful second language.
8. The capital of the Republic is the Mitchell Building, Pórt Maxhestic Province.
9. The political parties of the Republic participate in the formation of the political spirit of the people. Their internal organization must conform to democratic ethics. They must openly report their finances.
10. Parties that seek to harm or destroy the free democratic basic order or to imperil the survival of the Republic are unconstitutional.
11. The civil officials are servants of the whole community. To all civil officials freedom of political opinion and of association are assured.
12. If a civil official in the exercise of the authority conferred upon him or her by law fails to perform his or her official duty, the accountability is assumed by the province or public corporation in whose service the official is.
13. The general regulations of public international law form part of Republic law. They take priority over the laws of the Republic. Actions undertaken with the aim of disturbing peaceful associations between nations are unconstitutional.
14. This Constitution shall be the supreme law of the Republic. All laws which contradict this Constitution are invalid to the extent of that contradiction.

ARTICLE TWO: CITIZENSHIP

1. As at the ratification of this Constitution, the citizens of the Republic of Talossa shall be the signers of the Declaration of Independence; as well as all those individuals who have been granted citizenship under the jurisdiction of the Provisional Governing Council.
2. Hereinafter, citizenship shall be determined by law.
3. No member of the former royal family of Talossa, the House of Rouergue, shall be admitted as a citizen of the Republic.
4. Throughout this Constitution, the words "Talossan citizen" shall apply only to citizens of the Republic, but shall include any Talossan citizenship prior to the passing of this Constitution.

ARTICLE THREE. THE PROVINCES

1. The founding Provinces of the Republic of Talossa shall be Cézembre, Florenciâ, Maricopa, Maritiimi, and Port Maxhestic.
2. A) Every citizen of the Republic who lives outside the territory of any Province shall be assigned to a Province by act of Parlamînt.

B) The "citizens of a Province" shall include all citizens resident in the territory of that province, as well as any non-resident citizen assigned to that Province.

3. Parlamînt shall assign non-resident citizens to provinces on the basis of their geographical residence. The assignment of citizens to a province shall not be changed without the approval of that province's legislature, if any.
4. Each Province's executive, legislative and judicial powers shall be exercised in accordance with a Provincial constitution, adopted by a majority in referendum of no less than two-thirds of the citizens of that Province.
5. New provinces may be formed by Parlamînt from any territory which may be claimed in future by the Republic under Title One, Article One of this constitution.
6. New provinces may be formed out of the territory of existing provinces by Parlamînt, with the consent of the legislature of those existing Provinces.

The Powers of the Provinces

7. a) The provinces have the power to legislate or take executive decisions on any subject concerning which this Constitution does not bestow exclusive legislative powers on the Republic.

b) If the Republic does not exercise its executive or legislative authority in an area which this Constitution entitles it to do so, the right of authority remains with the provinces. This does not apply in cases where the Republic is granted exclusive authority.

8. Each Province has the exclusive authority over:

a) its forms of government;

b) its cultural, social and linguistic identity.

9. The Republic has the exclusive authority over:

a) Foreign affairs as well as defense;

b) Citizenship;

c) Freedom of movement, immigration and emigration, and extradition;

d) Currency, money, and coinage;

e) Postal and telecommunication services;

f) The employment of those in Republic organizations;

g) Industrial and intellectual property rights;

h) Colonial policy.

10. In all other matters, decisions of the Federal Government and Parlamînt shall take precedence over decisions of the Provinces. The High Court shall arbitrate in any dispute between Federal and Provincial governments or legislatures, and its decision shall be final.
11. The officers directly charged with the administration of Republic affairs in any province shall, as a rule, be citizens of that province.

ARTICLE FOUR: DECLARATION OF FREEDOMS AND PROTECTIONS

1. The rights granted by this Article shall apply to all citizens of the Republic, and also to all those who register with the Government as prospective citizens according to law.
2. No decision of the Government, or of any Minister or government official, may override these rights. These rights form part of the Constitution of the Republic.
3. Any citizen may seek redress in the Courts against the Government, or any citizen or corporation of the Republic, for violation of these rights.

Equality

4. All persons are equal before the law. This is the right of individual value.
5. No one may be prejudiced or favored due to sex, parentage, race, language, homeland or origin, faith, religious or political opinions, or sexual orientation.

Open Freedoms

6. Everyone has the right to the free progress of his or her person insofar he or she does not violate the rights of others or violate any law within the Republic.
7. Everyone has the right to life and to the sanctity of his or her person. The right of individual value is sacred.

Freedom of Expression

8. Everyone has the right freely to express and to propagate his or her belief by speech, writing, and pictures and freely to inform him or herself from publicly available sources.
9. Freedom of the press and of reporting by electronic communications is guaranteed. There shall be no censorship. Secrecy of all communications is sacred. Restrictions may be ordered only pursuant to a law.

Freedom of Belief

10. Freedoms of faith and of conscience, and freedom of creed, religious or ideological, are sacred. The undisturbed practice of religion is guaranteed.
11. The government shall neither endorse or support any organized religious group, nor make any practice that may reasonably be seen as an endorsement.

Freedom of Association

12. All Talossans have the right to form associations and societies.
13. Associations, the objects or activities of which conflict with the criminal laws or which are directed against the constitutional order or the concept of international relations, are prohibited.
14. The right to form labor associations is guaranteed to everyone and to all trades and professions. Agreements that confine or seek to obstruct this right are null and void.
15. All Talossans have the right to assemble peacefully without prior notification or permission.

Freedom to Voice Opinion

16. Every Talossan has the right to petition the suitable authorities or to their representatives. This right may be exercised by individuals as well as by several persons together.
17. It shall be the right of all citizens to vote on or after their fourteenth birthday.

Inviolability of Privacy and Property

18. The home is sacred. Searches may be ordered only by a judge and may be carried out only in the mode set by law. Otherwise, this sacredness may be encroached upon or limited only to avoid a common danger to individuals.
19. The right to ownership of and the protection of property is guaranteed but implies duties.

Intellectual Property

20. Intellectual labor, the rights of the author, the inventor, the composer, and the artist enjoy the special protection and care of the Republic.
21. The products of Talossan scholarship, art, and technical science shall also be recognized and protected abroad through international agreement.

Application of Rights

22. Insofar as under this Constitution a basic right may be restricted by or only pursuant to a law, the law must apply generally and not solely to an individual case. Furthermore, the law must name the basic right, indicating the article.
23. In no case may a basic right be infringed upon in its essential content.
24. The basic rights apply also to corporations established under Talossan public law to the extent that the nature of such rights permits.

Restrictions

25. The freedom of the individual may be restricted only in accord with the formal law and only with appropriate regard to the law.
26. Any person charged with an offense must be brought before a judge the day following the charge. From there, the detainee shall be informed of the reasons for the charge. and be given an opportunity to raise objection.

Right to Fair Hearing

27. In the courts everyone is entitled to a hearing in accordance with the law.
28. An act can be punished only if it was a punishable offense by law prior to the act.
29. No one may be punished for the same act more than once in pursuance of general penal legislation.
30. Bills of attainder are illegal. A bill of attainder is a legislative act which inflicts punishment without judicial trial and includes any legislative act which takes away the rights of a particular named or easily ascertainable person or group of persons without due process before the Courts.

ARTICLE ONE. THE PRESIDENT

1. The President of the Republic (in the national language: el Prüm Citaxhien) is the Head of State of the Republic and the defender of the Constitution.

 

Election of the President

2. The President is chosen by the whole Talossan people, by secret preferential ballot. Details of the conduct of such elections shall be established by law.
3. Every Talossan who has fulfilled one or more of the following criteria is eligible for election:


a) He or she must have been a Talossan citizen for three years, or:


b) He or she must have served as a Member of either house of Parlamînt for two years, or:


c) He or she must have served for one year as either a member of the Government, Secretary of State, or Justice of the High Court.

4. The President may not be a member of Parlamînt or of the High Court.
5. The office of the President of the Republic shall become vacant on the first day of July every year. The election for a new President shall take place no earlier than a month before the office is due to fall vacant.
6. No person may be re-elected to more than two consecutive terms as President.
7. If the President is prevented from exercising his or her powers or if his or her office falls prematurely vacant, his or her powers shall be exercised by the Mençéi for the remainder of the term of office.

 

Powers of the President (Countersignature)

8. The following powers may be exercised by the President only on the advice of his government; and in token of this advice, the Seneschál shall countersign any orders made by the President under this paragraph.
   
   a) The President represents the Republic in matters of international law. In the name of the Republic he or she concludes alliances and other treaties with foreign powers. He or she accredits and receives ambassadors.
   
   b) War is declared and peace concluded with the consent (being a two-thirds majority) of the whole Parliament. Alliances and treaties with foreign states require the consent of Parlamînt.

c) The President has supreme command over the defense of the Republic in time of war.

d) The President appoints and dismisses the Republic's judges, officers and other civil officials, unless otherwise provided for by law or in this Constitution.

e) The President shall make a "State of the Republic" speech to both houses of Parlamînt, at the first meeting of Parlamînt after the President's election.

f) The President shall issue Executive Orders on behalf of the Government.

g) The President of the Republic may be accorded other powers under this section by law.

 

Powers of the President (No Countersignature)

9. The following powers may be exercised by the President at his own discretion:

a) The President has the power to pardon those convicted by a Court of a crime, on behalf of the Republic, subject to any such pardon being approved by referendum.

b) The President shall dissolve either or both Houses of Parlamînt at the times specified in Article 4 and then immediately ask the Secretary of State to conduct a general election.

c) The President may dissolve both Houses of Parlamînt at any other time, and then immediately ask the Secretary of State to conduct a by-election.

d) The President nominates the Secretary of State and the justices of the High Court.

e) The President shall formally appoint the Seneschál elected by the Chamber of Deputies, and the Ministers appointed by the Seneschál.



Impeachment

10. The Chamber of Deputies or the Senäts may impeach the President before the High Court for willful violation of the law. At least one-fourth of the Deputies or one-fourth of the Senators must bring the motion for impeachment forward. The decision to impeach requires a majority of two-thirds of the Deputies or of two-thirds of the Senators. A person appointed by the impeachment conducts the prosecution.
11. If the High Court finds the President guilty of a willful 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 President from exercising the powers of his or her office, or from being elected or re-elected to any public office for a period no greater than one year.

ARTICLE TWO. THE PARLAMÎNT

ARTICLE THREE. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE

1. The executive power of the Republic shall be exercised by the Government (in the national language, el Governmaíntsch).
2. The Government consists of the President, a Prime Minister (in the national language, el Seneschál) and a number of Ministers. The Seneschál and Ministers together shall be known as the Cabinet.
3. Subject to the Standing Orders of the Chamber of Deputies, any citizen of the Republic not otherwise disqualified by this Constitution may be chosen as Seneschál.
4. The Seneschál shall be elected by a majority of the Chamber of Deputies, after every election of a new Chamber and whenever else the position becomes vacant.
5. a) The Seneschál appoints and dismisses the Ministers at his or her pleasure. He or she also determines the general course of Government policy as a whole, approves the text of all Government-sponsored bills, and assumes responsibility to the Chamber of Deputies.

b) In accordance with this general policy each minister conducts independently the particular affairs entrusted to him or her, and is held individually responsible to the Chamber of Deputies and to the Seneschál.

6. The Seneschál and Ministers may be removed at any time, singly or jointly, by a majority vote of the Chamber of Deputies. The motion to remove the Seneschál shall name a replacement Seneschál.
7. a) The roles, powers and functions of Ministers not specified in this article shall be defined by law, subject to this Constitution.


b) One Minister shall be an Attorney-General, who shall keep an updated archive of the Constitution and Laws of the Republic; represent the Government in any suits before the High Court; and exercise any other functions that the Secretary may delegate to him/her.

8. a) The Seneschál and the other ministers may recommend and appoint deputies to their positions. Outgoing ministers may recommend their successors.

b) If any Minister leaves office and no Deputy Minister has been appointed to that office, the Seneschál shall carry out the functions of that Minister until a new Minister is appointed.

c) Every newly elected Seneschál must either reconfirm or replace the existing Cabinet.

9. Executive Orders must be co-signed by both President and Seneschál. They may be overturned by a majority vote of the Government. They shall have no force of law unless adopted by Parlamînt as legislation.
10. The Government shall regularly confer in person, by mail, by telephone, by electronic messaging, or by any combination of the above. Meetings of the Government are chaired by the President.
11. A) The Government makes its decisions by majority vote. In case of a tie, the vote of the President of the Republic shall be decisive.

B) The Ministers of the Republic shall submit to the Government for prior deliberation and resolution all drafts of any bills determining or affecting Government policy which they wish to propose to Parlamînt.

12. Every new Sensechál shall, within a week of assuming office, give an "Address from the Incoming Government" to both houses of Parlamînt.
13. Parlamînt may give the Government or any members thereof additional powers by law.

 

The Secretary of State

14. The Secretary of State is a 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 a joint session of Parlamînt. He shall not be a member of Parlamînt, the Government or the High Court.
15. 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.
16. The Secretary of State conducts Presidential and Parliamentary elections; keeps a register of all citizens of the Republic; and archives and publishes the decisions of the Government, and the proceedings and decisions of Parlamînt.
17. The Secretary of State may be impeached and thereby removed from office in the same manner as the President of the Republic.

ARTICLE FOUR: THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

1. This Constitution shall require the approval of the Provisional Governing Council by at least a two-thirds majority of those voting in a referendum and at least half of the members of the Council. It shall come into force the next day, thus overriding all previous constitutions and organic laws.
2. During the referendum specified in s. 1, the election for the first president shall be conducted. The winner of the election shall come into office on the same day as the consitution comes into force. In the event that the population rejects the constitution, the election shall be considered void and null.
3. Upon enactment of this Constitution, the Provisional Governing Council and the newly elected president shall immediately do the following, in this order:
   
   a) the President shall nominate a Secretary of State, to be confirmed by 2/3 of the Provisional Governing Council.
   
   b) Enact legislation to assign citizens to Provinces as provided in Title One, Article Three of this Constitution.
   
   c) Enact legislation to provide for election of a Parlamînt, and for the conduct of referendums.
   
   d) Call elections for the house of Deputies, and a month later, for the Senate. Until these positions are filled, the Council shall exercise their powers under this Constitution.
4. Until the positions of Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the High Court are filled, their provisional counterparts shall exercise their powers under this Constitution. The elected President shall function as Dean of the Provisional Governing Council.
5. Until they are overriden, repealed, or found to violate the new constitution, all laws passed by the Provisional Governing Council shall remain in place.