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We the people of Avalon do hereby establish this Constitution.
Name of the State
Art. I
The state shall be known commonly as Avalon.
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🔒 common name
Art. II
This Constitution may be amended only by a supermajority vote of
greater than two thirds of all seats of the Parliament
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No amendment shall take effect within 1 year of any previous amendment, nor may any amendment be proposed while another remains under debate.✏️
The constitution was last changed on the 27th of October 2024 (1 month ago).
Suffrage
Art. IV
Avalon does not have a monarchy.
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Art. V
The Supreme Court of Avalon shall be the final arbiter of the law of Avalon. Any party may appeal to it on the ground that a law in force is unconstitutional, that a cabinet member or the holder of an elected office is acting illegally, or that a constitutional amendment is invalid. The Court shall hear the parties of Avalon, and its justices shall rule by majority. Its rulings take direct effect and are not subject to appeal.
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Art. VI
The Parliament🔒 shall comprise 100 seats (400 from the next election), directly elected by the people every 12 months. The Parliament shall be the confidence chamber, responsible for the formation and dissolution of government.✏️
The Parliament shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
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Art. VII
The Prime Minister shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
This office holder shall be the Head of Government.
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The Prime Minister shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. VIII
The Chancellor of the Exchequer shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
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The Chancellor of the Exchequer shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. IX
The Home Secretary shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
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The Home Secretary shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. X
The Foreign Secretary shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
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The Foreign Secretary shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. XI
The Secretary of State for Defence shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
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The Secretary of State for Defence shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. XII
The Minister for Foreign Direct Investment and International Commerce shall be chosen by a majority vote of the Parliament.
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The Minister for Foreign Direct Investment and International Commerce shall be responsible for: No powers currently assigned — drag a power here to assign it.
Art. XIII
The following powers shall be reserved for independent officials, administered by permanent non-partisan civil servants:All powers shall be assigned to cabinet members and none shall be held by civil servants.
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Art. XIV
There shall be established an independent Government Standards Commission in aid of the national goal of political transparency. It will be responsible for promoting accountability, integrity and proper standards in politics. The Commission shall exercise its duties independently of Parliament, and will not be subject to direction by any member of Parliament, any government or any political party.
I. Purpose
1. The Commission shall seek to ensure that the exercise of public power is carried out with:
a. honesty and transparency;
b. with proper regard for the public interest;
c. without improper personal or financial influence.
2. The Commission shall not treat political or ideological disagreement as grounds to consider misconduct or a breach of governmental standards.
3. For the purposes of the Constitution, "public interest" shall refer to the consideration of whether public power has been exercised honestly, transparently, and for a legitimate political purpose.
II. Function
1. The Commission may investigate whether public officials have:
a. failed to disclose a relevant personal, financial or other interest;
b. acted upon a conflict of interest without properly declaring or resolving it;
c. knowingly provided materially false or misleading information in the exercise of public office;
d. improperly accepted gifts, benefits, financial interests or other advantages;
e. improperly used public resources or public office for personal or political benefit;
f. improperly sought to influence or been improperly influenced by another person or organisation;
g. deliberately withheld information which ought lawfully to have been made available to the public;
h. otherwise breached standards of conduct established by the Constitution or by law.
2. The Commission may examine whether proper conduct and procedures were followed in the making of significant governmental decisions.
3. Even if a specific individual is not suspected of misconduct, the Commission may investigate systemic weaknesses in government procedures.
4. The Commission shall not investigate any complaint purely on the basis of ideological disagreement. This Constitution decrees that a lack of regard for public interest may not be conflated with a party's view that a decision is politically wrong.
III. Appointment and Independence
1. The Commission shall be headed by a Standards Commissioner. They may be appointed by an independent process. The Standards Commissioner is responsible for the submission of proposed appointments of the other members of the Commission.
2. The Standards Commissioner, or the other members of the Commission, or anyone who advises on the procedures of the Commission, shall not be affiliated with any political party.
3. All Commission appointments, including the Standards Commissioner, the other members, and any advisers, must be confirmed by a majority of 67% in Parliament.
4. No member may be removed from the Commission except for serious misconduct, incapacity or the violation of any other Avalon law. Any removals from post must be confirmed by a majority of 67% in Parliament.
5. The Standards Commissioner shall serve a term of 3 years from the day of their appointment.
6. No person shall be appointed to the Commission who has held, or ran for, a Parliamentary seat in the 5 years before they are submitted to Parliament for confirmation.
IV. Finances
1. The Commission shall receive such public funding as is reasonably necessary to carry out their investigations and exercise its function as described by this Constitution.
2. No government or organisation may withhold funding for the purpose of delaying or otherwise influencing the outcome, length or process of an investigation.
3. In the Avalon Budget, the funds directed to the Commission shall be given from the Infrastructure area.
V. Parliamentary and Public Access
1. The Commission shall maintain mechanisms through which members of the public may raise concerns regarding transparency, integrity or standards in public life.
2. Parliament may by law establish procedures governing complaints, including requirements concerning evidence, identity and admissibility.
3. The Commission shall publish sufficient information concerning its procedures to enable Members of Parliament and members of the public to understand:
a. what matters fall within its jurisdiction;
b. how complaints may be submitted;
c. how investigations are conducted; and
d. how findings and recommendations are reached.
VI. Findings
1. Following an investigation, the Commission may publish a report setting out:
a. the matter investigated;
b. the relevant evidence and findings of fact;
c. whether a breach of applicable standards has occurred;
d. the reasoning supporting its findings; and
e. any recommendations for remedial or preventative action.
2. The Commission shall publish its findings in a manner accessible to the people of Avalon, subject to lawful restrictions necessary to protect personal privacy, national security, confidential information or the integrity of ongoing proceedings.
3. Parliament is entitled to debate, and comment on, the outcome of any Commission decision, but shall not order the Commission to alter the outcome of any decision made as part of its independent duties.
VII. Protection of Parliamentary Democracy
1. Nothing in this Constitution shall permit the Commission to overturn, veto or invalidate a lawful decision of Parliament solely on the basis of disagreement with its substantive political merits.
2. The Commission shall not determine whether a political party, Member of Parliament or Government has adopted the correct political, economic or social policy merely because another person considers that policy contrary to the public interest.
3. Nothing in this Constitution shall restrict the right of Members of Parliament to vote, speak, campaign or advocate according to their political judgement, subject to the Constitution and laws of Avalon.
4. The Commission shall distinguish between:
a. disagreement with a political decision; and
b. evidence that the decision was reached through corruption, undisclosed interests, improper influence, deliberate deception, unlawful conduct or a material failure of required transparency.
VIII. Submission of Complaints
1. In Lawmaker, a party that wishes to submit a complaint which is in line with the Commission's given reasons may do so via the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will be responsible for interpreting the duties of the Commission and acting as they would do with relation to the complaint made.
This Amendment may be referred to in short as Transparency Amendment. ✏️
I. Purpose
1. The Commission shall seek to ensure that the exercise of public power is carried out with:
a. honesty and transparency;
b. with proper regard for the public interest;
c. without improper personal or financial influence.
2. The Commission shall not treat political or ideological disagreement as grounds to consider misconduct or a breach of governmental standards.
3. For the purposes of the Constitution, "public interest" shall refer to the consideration of whether public power has been exercised honestly, transparently, and for a legitimate political purpose.
II. Function
1. The Commission may investigate whether public officials have:
a. failed to disclose a relevant personal, financial or other interest;
b. acted upon a conflict of interest without properly declaring or resolving it;
c. knowingly provided materially false or misleading information in the exercise of public office;
d. improperly accepted gifts, benefits, financial interests or other advantages;
e. improperly used public resources or public office for personal or political benefit;
f. improperly sought to influence or been improperly influenced by another person or organisation;
g. deliberately withheld information which ought lawfully to have been made available to the public;
h. otherwise breached standards of conduct established by the Constitution or by law.
2. The Commission may examine whether proper conduct and procedures were followed in the making of significant governmental decisions.
3. Even if a specific individual is not suspected of misconduct, the Commission may investigate systemic weaknesses in government procedures.
4. The Commission shall not investigate any complaint purely on the basis of ideological disagreement. This Constitution decrees that a lack of regard for public interest may not be conflated with a party's view that a decision is politically wrong.
III. Appointment and Independence
1. The Commission shall be headed by a Standards Commissioner. They may be appointed by an independent process. The Standards Commissioner is responsible for the submission of proposed appointments of the other members of the Commission.
2. The Standards Commissioner, or the other members of the Commission, or anyone who advises on the procedures of the Commission, shall not be affiliated with any political party.
3. All Commission appointments, including the Standards Commissioner, the other members, and any advisers, must be confirmed by a majority of 67% in Parliament.
4. No member may be removed from the Commission except for serious misconduct, incapacity or the violation of any other Avalon law. Any removals from post must be confirmed by a majority of 67% in Parliament.
5. The Standards Commissioner shall serve a term of 3 years from the day of their appointment.
6. No person shall be appointed to the Commission who has held, or ran for, a Parliamentary seat in the 5 years before they are submitted to Parliament for confirmation.
IV. Finances
1. The Commission shall receive such public funding as is reasonably necessary to carry out their investigations and exercise its function as described by this Constitution.
2. No government or organisation may withhold funding for the purpose of delaying or otherwise influencing the outcome, length or process of an investigation.
3. In the Avalon Budget, the funds directed to the Commission shall be given from the Infrastructure area.
V. Parliamentary and Public Access
1. The Commission shall maintain mechanisms through which members of the public may raise concerns regarding transparency, integrity or standards in public life.
2. Parliament may by law establish procedures governing complaints, including requirements concerning evidence, identity and admissibility.
3. The Commission shall publish sufficient information concerning its procedures to enable Members of Parliament and members of the public to understand:
a. what matters fall within its jurisdiction;
b. how complaints may be submitted;
c. how investigations are conducted; and
d. how findings and recommendations are reached.
VI. Findings
1. Following an investigation, the Commission may publish a report setting out:
a. the matter investigated;
b. the relevant evidence and findings of fact;
c. whether a breach of applicable standards has occurred;
d. the reasoning supporting its findings; and
e. any recommendations for remedial or preventative action.
2. The Commission shall publish its findings in a manner accessible to the people of Avalon, subject to lawful restrictions necessary to protect personal privacy, national security, confidential information or the integrity of ongoing proceedings.
3. Parliament is entitled to debate, and comment on, the outcome of any Commission decision, but shall not order the Commission to alter the outcome of any decision made as part of its independent duties.
VII. Protection of Parliamentary Democracy
1. Nothing in this Constitution shall permit the Commission to overturn, veto or invalidate a lawful decision of Parliament solely on the basis of disagreement with its substantive political merits.
2. The Commission shall not determine whether a political party, Member of Parliament or Government has adopted the correct political, economic or social policy merely because another person considers that policy contrary to the public interest.
3. Nothing in this Constitution shall restrict the right of Members of Parliament to vote, speak, campaign or advocate according to their political judgement, subject to the Constitution and laws of Avalon.
4. The Commission shall distinguish between:
a. disagreement with a political decision; and
b. evidence that the decision was reached through corruption, undisclosed interests, improper influence, deliberate deception, unlawful conduct or a material failure of required transparency.
VIII. Submission of Complaints
1. In Lawmaker, a party that wishes to submit a complaint which is in line with the Commission's given reasons may do so via the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court will be responsible for interpreting the duties of the Commission and acting as they would do with relation to the complaint made.
This Amendment may be referred to in short as Transparency Amendment. ✏️
Proposed new amendments
Add an amendment: “Section 1
Avalon recognizes the sovereignty, independence, and territorial in…”
Section 1
Avalon recognizes the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Free City of Port Avalon.
Section 2
Avalon shall make no territorial claim against the Free City of Port Avalon, nor shall any public authority pursue its annexation, reunification, or incorporation by force, coercion, or unilateral action.
Section 3
It shall be the constitutional duty of the State to foster peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and close cooperation with the Free City of Port Avalon through diplomacy, trade, cultural exchange, and other peaceful means.
Section 4
Nothing in this Amendment shall prevent either State from entering into voluntary agreements or partnerships in accordance with international law and the freely expressed democratic will of their peoples.
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