Parliament of Meckelnburgh

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Parliament of Meckelnburgh
15th Parliament
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	College of Lords Chamber of Deputies
History
Founded	1685 AN
New session started	1753 AN
Leadership
Monarch	Queen Ĉielero III
Chancellor	Masterman Gibbs, GN since 1720 AN
Lord Speaker	Lady Sunna, 7th Viscountess Eiðsdóttir, NAZ since 1748 AN
President of the Chamber of Deputies	Remington Ayers, SP since 1723 AN
Leader of the Opposition	Arwyn Alfredson, NAZ since 1720 AN
Structure
Seats	478, consisting of —187 Lords Temporal, Spiritual and Ordinary —291 Deputies of Parliament
College of Lords political groups	The Lord's Majority (76)      New Progressive Alliance (51)      The Greens United (23) The Lord's Minority (58)      Royalist Party (27)      Nazarene Heritage Union (21)      Meckelnish Alternative (12) Other groups (16)      Rhinoceros Party (3)      Independent (13) Non-affiliated (37)      Lords Spiritual (20)      Lords Ordinary of Appeal (17)
Chamber of Deputies political groups	TRM Government (156)      The Greens United (77)      New Progressive Alliance (77)      Party for the Animals (2) TRM Loyal Opposition (89)      Nazarene Heritage Union (40)      Royalist Party (32)      Meckelnish Alternative (17) Other groups (46)      Socialist Party (25)      New Revolutionary Party (14)      Rhinoceros Party (7)
Elections
Chamber of Deputies voting system	Party-list proportional representation
Chamber of Deputies next election	1758 AN (unless dissolved)
Meeting place
Enolany Palace Royal City of Alexandretta
Website
parliament.mb

The Parliament of Meckelnburgh is the bicameral legislature of Meckelnburgh, the majority constituent country of the United Kingdom of Meckelnburgh. Parliament comprises two distinct chambers, the College of Lords and the Chamber of Deputies, encompassing the representative democratic functions of Meckelnburgh proper. Parliament serves as the primary legislative authority in Meckelnburgh, including the autonomous County Palatine of Hergilsey, responsible for enacting laws and overseeing the government's functioning. Parliament is convened in the chambers at Enolany Palace in Alexandretta.

The majority coalition in the Chamber of Deputies is responsible for the formation of Their Royal Majesty's Government and the country's cabinet. The Chamber also elects the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor, Meckelnburgh's heads of government, who formally serve at Their Royal Majesty's pleasure.

Structure and authority

The Parliament of Meckelnburgh is formally the legislature of Meckelnburgh proper as a constituent nation of the Kingdom. However, because there is no legislature representing citizens from Meckelnburgh as well as the constituent countries of Branniboria, Salem and Iselande, the Parliament of Meckelnburgh enacts laws for the benefit of the entire kingdom when necessary. Meckelnburgh's legislative authority preempts the authority of Branniboria, Salem and Iselande, and retains sole authority in areas such as:

1. Maintaining independence and defense.
2. Conducting foreign relations.
3. Legislating Meckelnburghish nationality.
4. Administering the nobility, orders of chivalry, and symbols of the kingdom.
5. Regulating navigation, aviation, and shipping.

As a semi-constitutional monarchy, all legislation from Parliament requires the royal assent of the Monarch, currently Queen Ĉielero III, and no override is possible. Though not common, the power to withhold consent is an active function of the Meckelnburghish crown. The Monarch may also dissolve Parliament when deemed necessary, triggering a mandatory election.

Sky through Enolany Palace by Lucienne Arthur

College of Lords

The upper house of Parliament is the College of Lords, which represents the nobility and serves as a forum for the concerns of the country's noble and ecclesiastical individuals. Members gain their positions through hereditary titles or are appointed, as are the Lords Spiritual, representatives of the Church of Meckelnburgh, and the Lords Ordinary of Appeal, who serve as the highest court in the Kingdom as a whole.

Chamber of Deputies

The lower house of Parliament is the Chamber of Deputies, which represents the common citizens of Meckelnburgh. The Chamber comprises elected representatives, Deputies, who are elected at least every five years, unless Parliament is prematurely dissolved under the authority of the Monarch. Since its creation in 1685 AN, Parliament has only been dissolved early once, in 1723 AN.

Effectiveness

As the principal legislative organ of the Kingdom, the Parliament of Meckelnburgh is recognized with a perfect score on the Micras Democracy Index in electoral process and pluralism, with high functioning and involvement from the public.

Elections

Elections to the Chamber of Deputies occur by party-list proportional representation, calculated under the D'Hondt method. Accordingly, no independent candidates are permitted. Elections are closed list: each party designates a priority list of those candidates who will take their seats. Parties seeking to be elected must reach an electoral threshold of 3% of the total votes to sit.

Parliament is elected at large across all provinces in Meckelnburgh. However, the autonomous community of Hergilsey elects its own 15 deputies, leaving a remainder of 276 seats designated for voters on the mainland.

Eligible voters

Party for the Animals New Revolutionary Party Socialist Party The Greens United New Progressive Alliance Rhinoceros Party Nazarene Heritage Union Royalist Party Citizens' Nation Meckelnish Alternative

Any person who obtains the age of 17 and is otherwise eligible may vote for Parliamentary elections. Voting is permitted for Meckelnburghish citizens or nations anywhere in the world and for permanent residents. A citizen or national from a nation granted freedom of movement must demonstrate an intent to domicile in Meckelnburgh for at least 180 days prior to an election. It is constitutionally impermissible to disenfranchise a voter for a crime or other act.

Voting in Meckelnburgh is mandatory for any capacitated voter residing within the country, though the ballot may be blank. Failure to vote incurs a Ʀ 5.00 fine.

Campaigns

Candidates and parties may pursue election funds beginning 59 days prior to a general election. Advertisements and other forms of organized "electioneering" are permitted 34 to 3 days prior to an election. In the case of a snap election, all forms of campaigning may begin on the dissolution of Parliament, with an election held the first Saturday no fewer than 34 days following.

Campaign funds are heavily regulated. In no election for Parliament may a party spend more than Ʀ 3.00 per eligible voter or receive from donations in kind. Volunteers as natural persons do not apply. Public funds of 50 ⱥ per eligible voter are given to parties who held a seat in the previous Parliament, have a membership of 1% of the national population, or obtain a petition signed by as many people during the fundraising period. A "party" for electioneering and fundraising is itself and any other affiliated committees or foundations.

A campaign may use donations from a current election or recurring membership fees outside an election cycle. Only natural persons, who must be eligible voters of Meckelnburgh proper, may donate to a campaign, at a limit of Ʀ 450 per contest.

Political parties

A political party in Meckelnburgh is any group of one or more natural persons who seek election to any local or national role within a five-year period. Parties may be registered with the Electoral Commission for any cause, save advocacy of treason under the law or the degradation of any peoples. Any political group must give a semi-annual accounting of income and expenditures, available for public reading.

Party		Abbr.	Ideology	Position	Leaders(s)	Deputies	Lords
	The Greens United	GN	Green politics Liberal socialism	Left-wing	Chancellor Masterman Gibbs	77 / 291	20 / 187
	New Progressive Alliance	NPA	Social democracy Big tent (left)	Center-left		77 / 291	56 / 187
	Nazarene Heritage Union	NAZ	Nazarene democracy Classical liberalism	Center-right		40 / 291	16 / 187
	Royalist Party	RP	Monarchism Conservative liberalism	Right-wing		32 / 291	27 / 187
	Socialist Party	SP	Democratic socialism Left-wing populism	Left-wing		25 / 291	Speaker Remington Ayers
	Meckelnish Alternative	ALT	Social liberalism Libertarianism	Center-right		17 / 291	15 / 187
	New Revolutionary Party	REV	Libertarian communism Secularism	Radical left		14 / 291	—
	Rhinoceros Party	RNO	Syncretism Direct democracy	Center		7 / 291	3 / 187
	Party for the Animals	PFA	Animal rights Democratic socialism	Left-wing	Vice Chancellor Noëlle Flora Boer	2 / 291	—
	Citizens' Nation	CN	National conservatism Right-wing populism	Radical right		—	1 / 187

Former political partes

Party		Abbr.	Ideology	Position	Final leaders(s)	Final membership	Notes
	Party for Harmony	HMY	Progressivism Humanism	Center-left			Merged with the New Progressive Alliance in 1722 AN
	Voluntaryist Bloc	VB	Voluntaryism Social liberalism Libertarianism	Right-wing			Merged with Meckelnish Alternative in 1721 AN

Previous contests

Parliaments

• First Parliament: 1685 AN–1690 AN
• Second Parliament: 1690 AN–1695 AN
• Third Parliament: 1695 AN–1700 AN
• Fourth Parliament: 1700 AN–1705 AN
• Fifth Parliament: 1705 AN–1710 AN
• Sixth Parliament: 1710 AN–1715 AN
• Seventh Parliament: 1715 AN–1720 AN
• Eighth Parliament: 1720 AN–1723 AN
• Nineth Parliament: 1723 AN–1728 AN
• 10th Parliament: 1728 AN–1733 AN
• 11th Parliament: 1733 AN–1738 AN
• 12th Parliament: 1738 AN–1743 AN
• 13th Parliament: 1743 AN–1748 AN
• 14th Parliament: 1748 AN–1753 AN
• 15th Parliament: 1753 AN–present

Election of 1723

The 1723 AN general election for the Chamber of Deputies was the first off-cycle election in the history of Meckelnburgh following the dissolution of Parliament by Queen Ĉielero III two months prior. The election was triggered by the so-called "Florian Question." In 1722 AN, the New Progressive Alliance, in coalition with The Greens United for 38 years, abandoned the coalition to vote with Their Royal Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition to end sanctions against the Confederate States of Floria following the Florian invasion of Port Balaine in 1706. The eventual backlash resulted in the collapse of the coalition and the failure of Parliament to govern. A snap election was thus held after Parliament was dissolved.

Results

Affiliation		Votes				Deputies
		Total	%	HGY	%	Before	Elected	Change
	The Greens United	1,644,326	37.9%	63,548	28.3%	77	112	+35
	Nazarene Heritage Union	624,902	14.4%	27,189	12.1%	40	43	+3
	Socialist Party	454,998	10.5%	15,910	7.1%	25	29	+4
	Royalist Party	370,046	8.5%	13,694	6.1%	32	25	-7
	New Progressive Alliance	348,808	8.0%	43,606	19.4%	77	25	-52
	Meckelnish Alternative	263,856	6.1%	28,096	12.5%	17	19	+2
	New Revolutionary Party	285,094	6.6%	9,263	4.1%	14	19	+5
	Party for the Animals	157,666	3.6%	4,831	2.2%	2	10	+8
	Rhinoceros Party	136,428	3.1%	13,994	6.2%	7	9	+2
	Citizens' Nation	41,476	1.0%	3,939	1.8%	—	—	—
Total		4,327,600	99.7%	224,070	99.7%	291	291	—
Invalid ballots		12,619	0.29%	585	0.26%
Registered (% turnout)		5,045,554	86.0%	267,533	84.0%
Majority of Government						156	151	-5

Election of 1753 AN

The election of 1753 AN came after the dissolution of the 14th Parliament on the regular five-year election cycle. Major officials in the Meckelnburgh government, including Chancellor Masterman Gibbs, announced they would not run for reelection. The large retirement of officials would bring an end to the "Second Generation" of the Meckelnburghish government (starting ca.1720 AN), permitting the ascension of third-era leadership.

Various major issues proposed during the election included:

• Incorporation of Branniboria and Iselande into the Parliament and raising Parliament to the legislature of the United Kingdom, instead of relying on devolved assemblies only (put forth by the leftist block of parties, opposed by the Royalist Party).
• Reinstituting sanctions against Floria as a reactive measure to the departure of Hurmu from the Xäiville Convention (put forth by the far leftist block of parties, opposed by the right block).
• Continuing extended funding for the Integrated Defense System Program (big tent proposal, opposed by the Meckelnish Alternative).
• Disbanding the Church of Meckelnburgh as the state religion and secularizing the Princely Archabbey of Salem (put forth by the New Revolutionary Party, opposed by a big tent).
• Banning the Citizens' Nation political party and other xenophobic and fascist organized groups (proposed by independent caucus of conscience, primarily left wing).

Affiliation		Votes		Deputies
		Total	%
	The Greens United
	New Progressive Alliance
	Nazarene Heritage Union
	Socialist Party
	Party for the Animals
	Royalist Party
	Rhinoceros Party
	New Revolutionary Party
	Meckelnish Alternative
	Citizens' Nation
Total
Invalid ballots
Registered (% turnout)
Majority of Government