Congreso Honorable del Imperio
| Honorable Congress of the Empire | |
 | |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 500 |
Political groups |
Government (317)
Opposition (183) |
| Elections | |
Voting system |
Party-List Proportional Representation |
Last election |
September 1712 |
Next election |
1718 |
| Meeting place | |
| Ciudad de Anahuaco | |
The Honorable Congress of the Empire (Martino: Congreso Honorable del Imperio) is the legislative branch of the government of Anahuaco. It is a unicameral congress with 500 elected members, meeting in Ciudad de Anahuaco.
Powers
The states of Anahuaco comprise a semi-federal federation, with government functions split across two levels: federal government, and state governments. The Honorable Congress operates at the federal level. The two branches of the federal government (executive and legislative) have the final say on four key policy areas.
Defense
Defense of the Empire is considered to be the primary responsibility of the federal government, and the legislative branch has an important role to play in the running of the Imperial Armed Forces. While the Emperor and executive branch retain the right to make peace and declare war, and the Emperor acts as Commander in Chief, it is customary for the Honorable Congress to be consulted before significant actions are undertaken.
Additionally, the approval of the Honorable Congress is required before the Imperial Armed Forces can be deployed outside of the borders of the empire, except in cases of utmost emergency. In such instances, the approval of Congress should be sought as soon as possible after the emergency has been addressed.
Members of the Honorable Congress are also tasked with overseeing the finances of the Imperial Armed Forces and providing feedback and recommendations to the Executive.
Tax Collection
While the majority of government spending in Anahuaco occurs at state level, the federal government is responsible for the collection of both federal and state taxes.
In consultation with the executive branch, the Honorable Congress is tasked with scrutinizing, amending, and approving the federal budget for each calendar year.
Additionally, the legislature oversees the work of the tax authorities, who collect both the federal taxes and those levied by state governments. State taxes are distributed to the respective states from the federal level. While the Honorable Congress can not control or amend the tax levels agreed by state congresses, the federal legislature can make recommendations or comments on the budgetary choices of individual states.
Foreign Policy
The foreign policy of the empire is a shared responsibility of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, with the Emperor retaining a large degree of discretion in determining the international relations of the empire. However, the Honorable Congress oversees the day-to-day operations of the diplomatic service, and can both propose and approve the creation or removal of diplomatic missions in other nations.
State security
Internal security, like defense, is considered one of the key priorities for the federal government. The Honorable Congress sets the budget for, and oversees the work of, the Policía Federal. Alongside municipal police, who come under the remit of state governments, the Policía Federal is responsible for tackling organized crime, acts of subversion against the government, and other significant threats such as terrorist attacks (primarily by Republicanos).
Elections
Elections for the Honorable Congress take place every 6 years, with half of the seats in the congress up for grabs at any election. Members of congress can stand in a maximum of two elections, meaning that nobody can remain in the legislature for more than 24 years in their lifetime.
The last election took place in 1712, and the results can be seen in the diagram to the right. The election produced a four party coalition government, consisting of the Partido Liberal Anahuacano (127), Partido Popular (93), Unión Popular (73), and Partido Regionalista de Estado de Anahuaco (24)
