I submit these three motions to the Speaker. While they are three seperate motions, I wish for them to be considered in the same thread, voted upon at the same time, and (if they get that far) signed by the President at the same time. I.e. I request to treat them as one motion, although they are three.
A MOTION
To amend the Constitution,
Introduced into the Council of State of the Union of Democratic States on the 20th of November, 2023, by Guess and Check
As follows:
BELIEVING that the Union’s current single-leader Executive system has served the Union in an alright capacity in the previous few years,
CONTENDING that this structure nonetheless presents multiple issues that have put the Union in harm’s way, such as the structure’s inability to maintain long-term visions for the region or making its occupants more prone to burn out,
URGING that a change in structure is important to keep the Union going,
BE IT ENACTED by the Council:
Section 1: Amendments to the Constitution
1. The phrase “President” in Article II, Clause 3 shall be replaced with “elected Director”.
2. The phrase “Presidential promulgation” in Article II, Clause 7 shall be replaced with “promulgation by the Directorate”.
3. The phrase “President” shall be changed to “Directorate” in Article II, Clause 8.
4. The phrase “unelected Vice Presidents” in Article II, Clause 9 shall be replaced with “appointed Directors”.
5. Article II, Clause 10 shall be rewritten in full as follows: “The Council may remove from office the Cabinet Ministers, Justices, the World Assembly Delegate, and the Speaker by a successful motion to that effect due to”. Said clause’s subclauses shall remain the same.
6. Article III shall be retitled from “The President” to “The Directorate”.
7. Article III shall be wholly rewritten as follows:
“1. The Directorate shall be the institution whose Directors serve as Heads of State, Commanders-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Head of Government, and Leaders of the Executive Branch, those who execute the law and lead the region on behalf of the people. The Directorate shall execute a long-term vision for the Region and maintain regional stability.
2. There shall be three Directors, two appointed and one elected, that make up the Directorate with equal status. The Directorate shall select one of the two appointed Directors to serve as Director Primus inter pares, or Director Primus, to organize the Directorate and guide it in its duties.
a) In cases wherein the Directorate cannot come to a consensus on a decision, the Director Primus shall have the final say.
3. The one elected Director shall be elected every six months. Directorial Elections shall occur on the first day of January and July. Elections shall be carried out in accordance with regional law.
a). If the elected Director resigns before ending their term, a by-election for the office shall be held if more than three months remain in the term. If less than three months of the term remain, the Directorate shall appoint a third Director with Council confirmation vote to serve in the position of elected Director for the term's remainder.
4. The two Directors who are appointed shall be confirmed through a confirmation vote by the Council of State after nomination by the Directorate. The Council shall decide the first two appointed Directors upon passage of the Directorate’s establishment. There may only be two appointed Directors at any time.
a). The Administration Team of the Union, as founded by Thatcher Whitehall and existing beyond the scope or powers of this Constitution, shall be granted the power to remove appointed Directors. If both appointed Directors are removed, then the Administration Team may work with the elected Director to nominate two new appointed Directors for Council confirmation.
5. During the term of the elected Director, citizens may petition to recall the elected Director, provided that their petition has at least eight citizen signatures. After such a petition is presented to the Electoral Commission, a by-election for the office shall be held in which the incumbent officeholders shall automatically be on the ballot. Such petitions may only be submitted thirty days after the Director assumes office.
6. Following the passage of a law in the Council, the Directorate has five days to either promulgate the law and make it legally binding or veto it. Before promulgation or a veto, the Directorate may consult the Attorney General for legal advice regarding the law and its impacts.
a). Unless it is vetoed, a law automatically becomes promulgated after five days.b). The Council may overturn a veto with a three-fourth supermajority.
7. The Directorate shall have the following powers, subject to regulation by law:
a). The issuance of Executive Orders, directions for the implementation of laws and regulations for the business of executive governance.b). The issuance of Persona Non Grata Declarations, which shall censure non-citizens and prohibit their entry into the region.c). Signing interregional agreements and introducing them into the Council.d). Command of the armed forces.
8. The Executive shall be composed of the office of the Directorate of Directors, the Ministries and the Ministers who lead them.
9. The Executive shall carry out the day-to-day executive governance of the region, including the regulation of foreign affairs, domestic affairs, cultural affairs, and some legal matters.
10. Ministries may be established by law or by the Directorate. Ministers may be appointed to and dismissed from Ministries by the Directorate.
11. The Directorate shall govern the distribution and scope of powers between the different organs of the Executive, and the Ministers shall govern such distribution within their Ministries.
a). The Directorate shall have authority over the executive, and may override the actions of their subordinates within it.b). Ministers shall have subsidiary authority over their Ministries, and may override the actions of their subordinates within it.
12. The Executive shall hold the following powers, subject to regulation by law:
a). Accepting, denying and processing citizenship applications.b). The conduct of diplomacy and defense of the region.c). The administration of programs and initiatives for the benefit of the region.d). The prosecution of criminal law cases.e). The execution of the laws of the Union.f). These powers may be expanded upon via law, either in regard to the Director or a specific Ministry.
13. The position of World Assembly Delegate within the Union’s NationStates region should be held by the holder of the office of World Assembly Delegate as established in this constitution.
a). Vacancies in this office shall be filled by a Citizen appointed by the Commission and confirmed by the Council.b). The holder of this office shall be reconfirmed on the first day of Every March and September.”
8. Article V of the Constitution shall be rewritten fully as follows:
“1. The Electoral Commission, composed of Electoral Commissioners, shall monitor and administer all elections and referendums in the region.
2. The Commission shall be composed of three Commissioners: the two appointed Directors of the Directorate and the Chief Justice. The Director Primus shall lead the Electoral Commission.
a). In extraordinary circumstances, any other justice may serve on the Electoral Commission.
3. Neither appointed Director may run in an election.
4. During a Judicial Election, the prior Chief Justice shall continue to serve on the Commission.
5. If no election or referendum regulations have been established in law, the Electoral Commission shall create election or referendum regulations. All election and referendum regulations, established in law or by the Commission, shall be publicly available and have the force of law.
a). The Electoral Commission’s rule and regulations are subordinate to any passed law.
6. The Electoral Commission shall be responsible for all aspects of setting up and running elections and referendums, including:
a). The counting of votes.b). The distribution of candidacy and voting forms.c). The investigation of electoral fraud.d). The maintenance of an election calendar open for viewing.
7. Following the conclusion of an election or referendum, the Electoral Commission shall release a detailed report on the results of the election or referendum. This report shall, among other things, include:
a). The total number of voters, as long as this respects each voter’s privacy.b). The percentages and votes won by each candidate.c). The placements of each candidate.d). The results of any runoffs that occurred.e). The results of any ties that occurred."
9. Article VI, Clause 5 shall be rewritten in full as follows: “The offices of Director, Chief Justice, Justice, Speaker of the Council, and Deputy Speaker of the Council shall be mutually exclusive. No citizen may hold more than one such position at a time.”
A MOTION
To amend various the Citizenship Act, the Regional Symbols Act 2020
Introduced into the Council of State of the Union of Democratic States on the 20th of November, 2023, by Guess and Check
As follows:
BELIEVING that the Union’s current single-leader Executive system has served the Union in an alright capacity in the previous few years,
CONTENDING that this structure nonetheless presents multiple issues that have put the Union in harm’s way, such as the structure’s inability to maintain long-term visions for the region or making its occupants more prone to burn out,
URGING that a change in structure is important to keep the Union going,
BE IT ENACTED by the Council:
Section 1: Amendment to the Citizenship Act
1. Section I, Clause 3 alongside Section III Clauses 8 and 10 shall have the phrase “President” changed to “Directorate”.
Section 2: Amendment to the Regional Symbols Act 2020
1. In Section II, Clause 4, Section IV, Clause 2, and Section VII, Clause 1 and Clause 1a, the phrase “President” shall be changed to “Directorate”.
Section 3: Amendments to the Awards Act
1. In Section 2, Clause 1c. and Section 3, Clause 1, the phrase “Presidential” shall be replaced by “Directorship”.
2. In Section 2, Clause 2, the phrase “President” shall be replaced by “Directorate”.
Section 4: Amendments to the Delegacy Act
1. Section One, Clause 2a. Shall be rewritten fully as follows: ““The Directorate” is the leading institution of the Union of Democratic States Executive Branch as established by the Constitution.”
2. Section Two, Clause 2 shall have the phrase “President” be replaced by “Directorate”.
3. Section 3, Clause 3 shall be rewritten as follows:
“3. As Chief Diplomats, the Directorate may direct the Delegate to vote for/against an at-vote WA proposal or approve/unapprove a WA proposal. The Delegate must follow the Directorate’s directive.
a. Regarding a directive on an at-vote WA proposal, such a directive shall be given to the Delegate within 48 hours of the vote in question commencing. The Delegate shall execute the directive immediately upon receiving it.”
Section 5: Amendments to the Executive Affairs Act
1. All instances of the phrase “President” within this Act shall be replaced by “Directorate”.
Section 6: Amendments to the Legislation Archive Act
1. All instances of the phrase “President” within this Act shall be replaced by “Directorate”.
2. Section 2, Clause 2b shall be rewritten as follows: “The President may delegate this task to any other person they believe can accomplish this task.”
3. Section 2, Clause 2c shall be struck null and void, and the following clauses renumbered as appropriate.
4. Section 5, Clause 3 shall be rewritten as follows: “The Chief Archivist shall continue serving until they either resign or are explicitly and publicly removed by the Directorate. The same shall be said for any Archivist, although Archivists may also be removed by the current Chief Archivist.”
Section 7: Amendments to the Legislation Archive Act
1. None of these amendments shall take effect unless the Constitutional Amendment motion they accompany is ratified in a referendum by the Citizenry. At such a time, these amendments shall take immediate effect.
A MOTION
To nominate Directors
Introduced into the Council of State of the Union of Democratic States on the 20th of November, 2023, by Guess and Check
As follows:
BELIEVING that the Union’s current single-leader Executive system has served the Union in an alright capacity in the previous few years,
CONTENDING that this structure nonetheless presents multiple issues that have put the Union in harm’s way, such as the structure’s inability to maintain long-term visions for the region or making its occupants more prone to burn out,
URGING that a change in structure is important to keep the Union going,
RESOLVING that only a specific kind of individual can serve in the new structures proposed,
BE IT ENACTED by the Council:
Section 1: Appointments
1. The following appointments and changes shall be made immediately once/if the Constitutional Amendment motion they are accompanying is ratified in a referendum vote by the Citizenry:
a) The individuals commonly known as Phoenix Coalition (Phoenix) and The Glorious Hypetrain (Kade) shall be appointed as Directors of the Directorate.
b) The current elected President of the Union shall immediately take office as the elected Director of the Directorate, and continue service until the next scheduled Directorate election.