Government and politics of Livonia
Government and Politics in Livonia are organized in a free environment. All citizens are guaranteed representative government and are free to express their opinions in the public sphere.
Government
The Government of Livonia is dominated by the central government which is composed of four distinct institutions. These institutions are the Imperial Throne (or Emperor), the Imperial Council, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court.
The Imperial Throne
The Emperor is the head of state of the Empire. He is the primary representative to foreign nations. He may also exercise significant power domestically. The Emperor can draft Imperial Decrees that are binding law. He also has the power of Imperial Prerogative which allows him to vote any act passed by the House of Representatives, although this can be overridden by the House. He also appoints the Imperial Council with the consent of the House of Representatives.
Imperial Council
The Imperial Council is the main advisory body to the Emperor. They serve as the nation's cabinet and preside over the various governmental ministries. They are headed by the Prime Minister who acts as the head of government of Livonia. Aside from running the various governmental ministries, the Imperial Council can also issue "Orders in Council" that are binding law unless overridden by the Emperor or House of Representatives.
House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is the legislature of Livonia. It is comprised of representatives from each of Livonia's constituent states. Each constituent states is granted a maximum of three representatives. Each state is then given the power to determine how it selects its representatives, so long as the selection process is democratic in nature.
The House has the power to pass Acts. These Acts are the primary method of policy formulation in the Empire. Acts pass with a plurality of representatives and are then sent to the Emperor for approval. As a matter of practicality, Imperial approval is considered automatically given until the Emperor says his opinion. This allows the policy to begin the implementation process thus allowing it to be implemented quicker.
The House also has the duty of approving Imperial appointments to the Imperial Council and the High Council of the Imperial Defence Force. Treaties and laws pertaining to money must also originate in the House.
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the judicial branch of the government. It hears all criminal and civil cases in the Empire. The Supreme Court is unique in that it is constitutionally guaranteed the right to judicial review. The Supreme Court may, of it own accord and without prompt, issue a ruling on the constitutionality of any Imperial Decree, Order in Council, Act of the House, or any other governmental policy at any level in the Empire. If the Court finds the policy is unconstitutional then the policy must be ceased and its implementation ended. The Court must, however, provide a legal reasoning for its finding on the constitutionality of a policy.
Politics
There are numerous political parties in Livonia. All political parties must register with the government. This is only for the purpose of record keeping; the government is not permitted to decline a request to form a political party.
The current parties in Livonia are the Labour Party and the Social Liberal Party.