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Constitution of the Free Republic of Gabon
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Constitution

of the

Free Republic of Gabon

Preamble

0.1 Purpose

The purpose of this constitution is to establish the structure, functioning and powers of the government of the Free Republic of Gabon.

0.2 Supremacy

  1. As of the passage of this Constitution, it is the supreme legal document within the Free Republic of Gabon; any previous constitutions are hereby null and void.
  2. To the extent that there is any inconsistency between this constitution and any Act of the Lord’s Council, this constitution shall, to the extent of the inconsistency, prevail.

0.3 Definitions

  1. The ‘government of Gabon’ as used in this document refers to both the Chancellery & Lord’s Council collectively.
  2. The ‘populace of Gabon’ as used in this document refers to the residents of Gabon.
  3. Residents of Gabon shall be defined as any individual who holds the ‘Resident’ role in the Gabon Discord.

Article 1 - Chancellery

The Chancellery is the executive branch of the Gabonese government, consisting of, in descending order of precedence—

  1. The Lord High Chancellor,
  2. The Vice Chancellor,
  3. The Cabinet.

        1.1 Lord High Chancellor

The Lord High Chancellor is the Head of State of Gabon. Ordinarily, they are jointly elected along with the Vice Chancellor via Chancellery Elections as per §3.2.

                Functions & Powers—

  1. To, along with the Vice Chancellor, represent the public face of the Gabonese state and her people.
  2. To moderate the regular functioning of all Gabonese institutions of state listed within this document and to uphold the Constitution.
  3. To be the sole representative of the Gabonese State in all its relations with foreign countries, to the advice of the Lord’s Council, with the authority to conclude treaties and other diplomatic affairs, subject to the limits listed in this section.
  1. To, for easing of the burden of their duty, delegate authority to represent Gabon to specific countries or organisations to Ambassadors of the Cabinet Office, on an ad-hoc basis, as per §1.3.
  1. To, along with the Vice Chancellor, be the plenary authority on matters of residency, such as granting and revoking thereof.
  2. To maintain and administer the Sovereign Fund of Gabon. The Sovereign Fund is defined as the wealth accrued by the Gabonese State from various revenue sources.

                Limits—

  1. Qualification on Harmful Treaties;
  1. With respect to the otherwise plenary authority over diplomatic affairs  given to the Lord High Chancellor in the previous section, there are limits on the unilateral conclusion of ‘harmful treaties’.
  2. Harmful Treaties are defined as those which would cede Gabonese territory or property, affect the sovereign rights of the Gabonese State, impose any financial or other burden on the populace of Gabon, or otherwise assume any obligation that would limit the rights of Gabonese residents.
  3. In the case of these Harmful Treaties, a majority vote is needed from the Lord’s Council to confirm their passage into law.

                Style of Address—

The Lord High Chancellor shall be referred to in text ‘His Excellency The Lord High Chancellor of the Free Republic of Gabon’, and in conversation with either the prefix Lord High Chancellor or Your Excellency.

        1.2 Vice Chancellor

The Vice Chancellor is the Head of Government of Gabon. Ordinarily, they are jointly elected along with the Lord High Chancellor via Chancellery Elections as per §3.2.

Functions & Powers—

  1. To, along with the Lord High Chancellor, represent the public face of the Gabonese state and her people.
  2. To administer the internal affairs of Gabon such as;
  1. Interfacing with the Lord’s Council on the implementation of legislation.
  2. Administering Gabon’s state enterprises.
  3. Managing Gabon’s state storages of materiel.
  1. To, along with the Lord High Chancellor, be the plenary authority on matters of residency, such as granting and revoking thereof.
  2. To, for easing of the burden of their duty, delegate roles to Ministers of the Cabinet Office on an ad-hoc basis as per §1.3.

                Style of Address—

The Lord High Chancellor shall be referred to in text The Right Honourable The Vice Chancellor of the Free Republic of Gabon, and in conversation with either the prefix Vice Chancellor or the Right Honourable.

        1.3 Cabinet Office

The Cabinet Office consists of Ministers and Ambassadors appointed and dismissed on ad-hoc basis at the pleasure of the Vice Chancellor, in the case of Ministers, and the Lord High Chancellor, in the case of Ambassadors - subject to a veto by the Lord’s Council per §2.1 - and invested by them with specific powers relative to their portfolio.

Functions & Powers—

  1. Ministers of the Cabinet Office are appointed by the Vice Chancellor with a specific portfolio, e.g. Defence, Housing & Urban Development, granting them delegated powers in those specific areas.
  2. Ambassadors of the Cabinet Office are appointed by the Lord High Chancellor to serve as Gabon’s representatives to specific countries or organisations.

                Style of Address—

Ministers/Ambassador of the Cabinet Office shall be referred to in text The Right Honourable Minister/Ambassador for — of the Free Republic of Gabon, and in conversation with either the prefix the Right Honourable.

        1.4 Stipulations of Office

A person’s eligibility to hold office in the Chancellery rests on meeting all of the following criteria—

  1. They have been a current resident of Gabon for at least three days.
  2. They are not an executive member of the government of any foreign nation.
  3. They are not currently serving a court-imposed sentence in relation to a criminal offence against Gabon’s laws.
  4. They do not currently hold any other office in the Gabonese government - excepting the role of Mayors, which are considered local offices.

                Members of the Chancellery shall remain in office indefinitely until—

  1. They become invalid for office by no longer meeting the criteria defined here previously.
  2. They are voted out in an election called by the populace of Gabon via the mechanisms defined in Article 3.
  3. In the case of Ministers & Ambassadors to the Cabinet Office, they are removed by the Vice Chancellor.
  4. They announce their resignation of their own free will.

In regards to Vacancies—

  1. Should any vacancy in the Chancellery appear due to the mechanisms listed previously, no Chancellery office is to remain vacant for more than five days.
  2. If the Vice Chancellor’s position becomes vacant, the Lord High Chancellor shall appoint a replacement. Should they be unable to appoint a replacement for whatever reason, a Chancellery election shall immediately begin.
  3. If the Lord High Chancellor’s position becomes vacant, the current Vice Chancellor shall assume the position of Lord High Chancellor, and appoint a new Vice Chancellor.
  4. Should both offices become suddenly vacant, a Chancellery election shall immediately begin.

           

Article 2 - Lord's Council

The Lord’s Council is the elected legislature & judiciary of the Gabonese government, consisting of an Assembly of at least three Councillors. Ordinarily, councilors are elected according to the mechanisms of a Council Election as per §3.3.

        2.1 Functions & Powers

  1. The Lord’s Council may pass and repeal legislation, by simple majority, having jurisdiction over any internal Gabonese matters.
  2. The Lord High & Vice Chancellors, while not sitting on the Lord’s Council, both possess a vote each on any motions.
  3. The Lord’s Council has authority to set its own size, being able to vote to increase or reduce itself, with a hard minimum of three members. In doing so, it is advised that the Lord’s Council seek to maintain a ratio of 3:1 voters to Councillors.
  4. The Lord’s Council may appoint Mayors at any time to administer the specific needs of local areas such as a City or Borough within Gabon.
  1. Mayors may also hold other offices such as on the Lord’s Council or Chancellery.
  1. The Lord’s Council retains a veto by simple majority over the nomination of Ministers/Ambassadors to the Cabinet Office, should they object to the appointment.
  2. The Lord’s Council also serve an ad-hoc judiciary role in the event of a legal trial;
  1. In a trial, the accused may defend themselves or appoint a lawyer to argue their case to the Lord’s Council.
  2. The Lord’s Council will hear these arguments and review state evidence for the prosecution.
  3. Subsequently, the Lord’s Council shall decide on a guilty or not guilty verdict and enact a sentence accordingly.
  1. The Lord’s Council appoints Electoral Commissioners to oversee Elections in Gabon as per §3.1.
  2. The Lord’s Council has the power to amend this Constitution as they see fit.

        2.2 Sitting

  1. A legislative session of the Lord’s Council may be called at any time by any Councillor, or the Vice Chancellor. Any member of the Council and both Chancellors are entitled to sit on any legislative session and may not be excluded.
  2. To be considered a proper session with valid authority to enact legislation, at least half of Councillors need to be present.

        2.3 Stipulations of Office

A person’s eligibility to hold office on the Lord’s Council rests on meeting all of the following criteria—

  1. They have been a current resident of Gabon for at least three days.
  2. They are not a member of the government of any foreign nation.
  3. They are not currently serving a court-imposed sentence in relation to a criminal offence against Gabon’s laws.
  4. They do not currently hold any other office in the Gabonese government - excepting the role of Mayors, which are considered local offices.

                Councillors shall remain in office indefinitely until—

  1. They become invalid for office by no longer meeting the criteria defined here previously.
  2. They are voted out in an election called by the populace of Gabon via the mechanisms defined in Article 3.
  3. They announce their resignation of their own free will.

In regards to Vacancies—

  1. In the event of a vacancy on the Lord’s Council, there shall be an immediate by-election for any vacant seats, following the usual method of a Council Election.

Article 3 - Elections

Elections in the Free Republic of Gabon are to elect the Chancellery & Lord’s Council respectively.

        3.1 Election Functions

Initiation of Ordinary Elections—

  1. Ordinary elections consist of joint Chancellery and Council Elections at the same time.
  2. Ordinary elections in the Free Republic of Gabon may be initiated at least 28 days following the last ordinary election by a petition of any five or more residents of Gabon submitted to the Lord’s Council.
  3. Once a valid petition has been submitted to the Lord’s Council, they must have a proper session as defined in §2.2 to receive the petition within 48 hours. The session serves two primary purposes;
  1. To record that the majority of the Council have seen and understood the petition.
  2. To appoint a Electoral Commissioner to oversee the election.

Timetable of Ordinary Elections—

  1. Once a valid petition has been received by the Lord’s Council, a five-day campaigning period begins.
  2. At the conclusion of the five-day campaigning period, 48 hours of polling begin.
  3. Within 24 hours of the polls closing, the result is announced by the Electoral Commissioner and the newly-elected government officials take their offices.
  4. This standard timetable is also used for Vacancy Elections.

In the case of Vacancy Elections arising for a specific office, e.g. a Councillor, or either Chancellor in certain circumstances as per §1.4 and §2.3, a limited Chancellery or Council By-Election to fill the required vacancies may be held.

                All elections in Gabon are overseen by an Electoral Commissioner—

  1. An Electoral Commissioner is appointed by the outgoing Lord’s Council during their reception session of an electoral petition, or otherwise for a Vacancy Election within 7 days of the voting period.
  2. The Electoral Commissioner serves for the duration of that election alone.
  3. The Electoral Commissioner is responsible for;
  1. Designating a building within Gabon as the polling station.
  2. Suitably advertising the election and the polling station in-game to the Gabonese populace.
  3. Declaring in the announcements channel of the Gabonese Discord the opening of the polls and highlighting the voting period.
  4. After the close of polling, counting the votes and publicly announcing the results within 24 hours.
  1. Any resident of Gabon is eligible to serve as an Electoral Commissioner provided they;
  1. Have been a resident of Gabon for at least three days.
  2. Are not a member of the government of any foreign nation.
  3. Are not currently serving a court-imposed sentence in relation to a criminal offence against Gabon’s laws.

        3.2 Chancellery Elections

  1. Chancellery Elections elect the Lord High & Vice Chancellor of Gabon, and run as such on a joint ticket.
  2. Any two residents of Gabon who meet the criteria for Chancellery office in §1.4 may jointly run for office on a Chancellery Ticket.
  3. The candidacy declaration must clearly state which individual is running for Lord High Chancellor and which individual is running for Vice Chancellor.
  4. Upon the conclusion of the election period, the candidate ticket with the most votes shall assume the Chancellery positions according to the initial candidacy announcement.

        3.3 Council Elections

  1. Council Elections ordinarily elect the entire Lord Council of Gabon.
  1. Excepting a Vacancy by-election for empty seats on the Council, which are for only the vacant seats.
  1. Any resident of Gabon who meets the criteria for Council office in §2.3 may run for office in a Council Election.
  2. The three or more candidates (depending on the number of vacancies on the Lord Council) with the most votes are elected to become Councillors.

        3.4 Voter Eligibility

  1. All persons who are residents of Gabon at the opening of the polls of a specific election are eligible to vote in that election.

Article 4 - Formalities

        4.1 Territory

The Free Republic of Gabon consists of the Boroughs of Salisbury, Bakerswood, Highgrove, Venice, and Balie Ban.

The Capital of Gabon is the city of Salisbury.

        4.1 National Symbols

The national flag of the Free Republic of Gabon is a horizontal tricolour of green, yellow and blue descending vertically.

The national motto of Gabon is “Justice, Peace, Prosperity.” 

The national anthem of Gabon is ‘Hail to Gabon’s Peoples’.

The currency of Gabon is the Gabonese Franc, which operates on a ratio of 1i-1fr.