Non-Territorial Republic of Flammancia

Flammancia
Flag of Marland (The Ocean Banner) Flag National Coat of Arms Coat of arms
Motto: "Et Navigantibus Maria!" (To Sail the Seas)
Anthem: Marland, oh great Marland
File:Queensland, Australia
Capital	City of Reine Marine
Official languages	De Jure - None
Demonym(s)	Marlander, Marlandic
Government	Directorial Republic with Mixed Member Proportional Representation
• Council of the Sea	Benjamin Felix Jamie Giles Sarah Davis Matthias Eames Elizabeth Crighton Sam Crighton Raphael Wixted Samuel Moore Matthew McDonald
• Chancellor	David Ross
• Vice Chancellor	Tom Barham
Legislature	Assembly of the Sea
Establishment	20 April 2014
Population
• Census	24
Currency	Marlandic Dollar
Time zone	(UTC +10:30)
Website Marland Website, Marland Forum
Member of the OUES

Flammancia, or more officially, the Non-Territorial Republic of Flammancia, is a Directorial Republic with Mixed Member Proportional Representation. Based in part in Queensland, the nation has plans to expand onto a peninsula near to the founder, Benjamin Felix's home town. It aims to create a government, a serious Micronation, and also to create a fully functioning community, and eventually state.

The establishment of the NTR is officially dated to the 20th of April 2014, although this is an arbitrary date, as the founder has neither the means, nor the support to claim the area and begin the micronation as of yet. Therefore, the date is described by the founder, Benjamin Felix, as Ex Animo, roughly translated to 'in the mind'. However, the founder does intend to create a base of operations, and a steady support base to begin the country in time. The founding date makes Flammancia one of the most recently founded micronations on MicroWiki.

Flammancia has a stable government which is active and often busy with many things, including small changes, like deciding the national cuisine and government status, and larger changes, like ratifying and amending the constitution. The national legislature makes it considered significantly democratic by many of its members, and works with a bicameral system, including an upper house, the Council of the Sea, and a lower house, the National Council. Flammancia has relations with many other Micronations, as well as being a member of the OUES.

Etymology

The old name of Flammancia was Marland. It was changed on 30 June 2014.

The name 'Marland' comes from the widely used European root 'Mar' which means 'Sea', and the English word 'Land', meaning that Marland is land in the ocean. It is meant to mean a sanctuary of land in the endless oceans of Earth.

Since Marland is planned to be a very marine nation, the term 'Land of the Sea' does describe Marland very well indeed.

History

Foundation

Marland was founded on the 20th of April 2014, more as a theoretical idea of a micronation, but with aims to build a firm base of support and micronationalism. The founder, Benjamin Felix, theorised one day that although all land in the world is claimed (with a few small exceptions, which are mostly covered by law) 71% of the Earth is sea and ocean, and so one could theoretically set up a nation in this way. The idea is to create a nation which could run apart from mainstream society, and could actually form a viable nation.

The Dawn of Democracy

On the 22nd of April, the Marlandic National Party was founded by Tom Barham. This became one step on the road to free and fair elections in Marland. Later that day, David Ross created the Monarchist Party, and elections ensued. The first votes took place, mainly being about small things like national food and drink, but eventually, they were decided, and Marland took its place among the stable democracies of the world.

Later, on the 24th of April, a new party was founded by Matthias Eames, named the League of Shadowdawn, which created a three party system. The League of Shadowdawn, after much negotiation with the MNP, decided to form a coalition with their party, creating what is dubbed as the League of National Shadows.

First Elections

The first set of elections began on Monday April 28 2014, and a survey was set up to decide the winner. Voting is non-compulsory in Marland, and not everyone voted, however, the League of National Shadows received a large majority of the votes, with 22 points to 8.

Voters were given a choice for first place and a choice for second place, and the first votes were given 2 points of value, while the second choice was given a weighting of one vote, as per the Mixed-Member proportional representation system.

This election cemented Tom Barham as the Vice Chancellor of Marland for at least the year.

On 30 June 2014, Marland was renamed to Flammancia by the Council of the Sea.

Government and Politics

Flammancia is a Directorial Republic with Mixed Member Proportional Representation, quite similar to Switzerland. There is no de Jure head of state, although the founder claims a role as the chancellor and speaker to make sure that any council meetings goes ahead well and without problems.

The main body of legislature is the Assembly of the Sea, the national assembly, consisting of an upper house, the Council of the Sea, and a lower house, the National Council.

The two main political parties are the League of National Shadows - a coalition between the Marlandic National Party and the League of Shadowdawn - and the Monarchist Party. Though the MNP holds more votes both publicly and in the Council of the Sea, the MP has more political members. However, the recent formation of the coalition has led to the political majority of the LNS. Other parties include the Purple Party.

Amongst government officials, there is speculation as to whether the Monarchist Party has changed its name and ideology from Monarchist to Conservative, making it the Conservative Party. However, this has neither been confirmed or denied by the leader of the Monarchist Party publicly.

Elections and First Council Session

The Marlandic Government is planning a set of Council sessions for mid-June 2014, where each government representative will come forward with propositions and suggestions for how Flammancia should be run. At present, nearly all members of both councils have been informed about this session, and are expected to attend via internet link on Skype.

Law and Order

The Government of Flammancia has commissioned a Police Subminister, acting as Commissioner of the Police Force under the Subministry of Internal Affairs, a part of the Marlandic Ministry of State. The Police Subminister is currently Sam Crighton, a member of the League of Shadowdawn in the Council of the Sea. There are currently, however, no members of the Police Force other than its Subminister.

Foreign Relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Marland

At present, Flammancia has opened diplomatic relations with ten other micronations.

Military

FLammancia has no military force, however this is due in part to the nation being very young, but also due to the fact that it is constitutionally prohibited. The issue of Military is one of the issues to be raised in the upcoming First Council Session.

Geography and Climate

Flammancia is based in Queensland, Australia. It has no proper land from which it can base its operations, but has plans to gain land at some point.

Economy

The Economy of Flammancia is very poor, and the national currency of the Marlandic Dollar is still only a pipe dream at present. As of this, many Marlandic citizens trade in foreign stocks and currency while others have adopted the bartering system.

Culture

Flammancia has no de Jure national language, but it has the de Facto national language of English. It has very little distinguishable culture of yet, as it is still very young.

Media

Flammancia has no state media, and generally borrows Australian state media for the present time, although it does have a Media minister named Sarah Davis. The nation does have a YouTube channel, but this has no videos at present.