Flanders: Difference between revisions
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===Institutional system=== | ===Institutional system=== | ||
Flanders has a presidential system of governement. The Parliament (''Vlaams Parlement'') represents the legislative power and is elected by the people every four months. The executive power is represented by the President and the government (''Vlaamse Regering''). Every eight months, the President is directly elected by the people. The members of the judicial power (''Rechtbank'') are nominated by the President and approved by the Parliament. | Flanders has a presidential system of governement. The Parliament (''Vlaams Parlement'') represents the legislative power and is elected by the people every four months. The executive power is represented by the President and the government (''Vlaamse Regering''), who reside in the Ivory Tower. Every eight months, the President is directly elected by the people. The members of the judicial power (''Rechtbank'') are nominated by the President and approved by the Parliament. | ||
Revision as of 10:50, 28 August 2010
 | |
| Official language | Dutch |
|---|---|
| Capital | Bruswerp |
| Largest cities | Ambetanterrijk |
| Website | Flanders website |
| Forum | Flanders forums |
| Number of citizens | 21 |
| Number of active citizens | 14 |
| Date founded |
November 29, 1997 1997-2003 (First Republic) 2004— (Second Republic) |
| Government | Presidential Republic |
| Current leader | President M. Mattiassen |
| Currency | Flemish Ducat (VDK) |
| National animal | Lion |
| National fruit/food | / |
| National drink | / |
 | |
| Map versions | 13.9.7- Present |
The Republic of Flanders is a Dutch micronation that was founded November 29, 1997 by Gert Geens. After an hiatus between 2003 and 2004, the republic was refounded as the Second Democratic Republic of Flanders on October 2, 2004. It was the first Dutch speaking micronation.
Institutional system
Flanders has a presidential system of governement. The Parliament (Vlaams Parlement) represents the legislative power and is elected by the people every four months. The executive power is represented by the President and the government (Vlaamse Regering), who reside in the Ivory Tower. Every eight months, the President is directly elected by the people. The members of the judicial power (Rechtbank) are nominated by the President and approved by the Parliament.
Presidents of Flanders
November 29th, 1997 till December 14th, 1998: Gert Geens
December 15th, 1998 till October 25th, 1999: Jan Van Eynde
October 26th, 1999 till August 25th, 2000: Gert Geens
August 26th, 2000 till February 10th, 2001: Fran Cooman
February 14th, 2001 till May 6th, 2002: Steven Burvenich
May 6th, 2002 till April 11th, 2003: Kevin De Mulder
April 11th, 2003 till October 2nd, 2004: hiatus
October 2nd, 2004 till January 13th, 2005: Erwin V.H. (as Temporary Head of State)
January 14th, 2005 till July 13th, 2007: Evert De Smet
July 14th, 2005 till November 14th, 2006: Erwin V.H.
November 14th, 2006 till April 18th, 2008: Bert P.
April 19th, 2008 till March 14th, 2009: [Gert Geens]
March 15th, 2009 till September 11th, 2009: Hieronys Erasmus
September 12th, 2009 till January 31th, 2010: Mateo Mattiassen
February 1st, 2010 till July 2nd, 2010: Petrvs Fidelis
July 3rd, 2010 till August 7th, 2010: Nick Asselberghs
August 8th, 2010-current: Mateo Mattiassen
Currently, 28 out of 50 seats in Parliament are held by independent members, and 22 by the Socialist Party. The monarchist and federalist KGF (King, Faith and Federalism) of former president Petrvs Fidelis did not gain enough support to enter Parliament.
Flanders has a civil legal system. Law arises primarily from written acts and regulations; the judicial power is not to make law, but merely to interpret it. The laws of Flanders are codified in the Offical Journal (Staatsblad).
Geography
After long hesitations, Flanders acquired territory on Micras on August 27th, 2009. By law of June 18th, 2010, the territory has been divided into two provinces (gouwen): the Province of Ambetanterijk and the Bruswerpian Capital Province, hosting the national capital of Bruswerp (Bruswerpen). However, these provinces are for historical and cultural purposes only; no powers have been devolved upon them. Additionally, has attempted to create another subdivision, the "Autonomous Heterodox Area of the Praised and Holy Saint Kalmoetza", to be administered by the Heterodox Church, of which he himself is the patriarch. This was, however, struck down by Parliament.
Economy
The Republic of Flanders has an isolated economy. The banking infrastructure runs on the phpbanking-technology of Sander Dieleman. The official valuta of Flanders is the Flemish ducate (VDK). A total of 1.000.000 Flemish ducates were minted, though only half of them are in circulation.
Civil servants receive a salary from the Departement of Finance, ranging from a 50 (vice-president of the Parliament) to 250 ducates (President) per month.
Religion
According to article 4 of the its constitution, Flanders does not recognise any religious or philosophical doctrine as its state doctrine. Religion only has a minor role in the country's politics. The two main religions are catologism and heterodoxy.
The Flemish Catological Church has been in communion with its Batavian counterpart since the First United Concilium in 2009. Central to its doctrine that sins are praiseworthy, as they allows sinners to buy indulgences from the Church. Since the murder of the church founder, the Prophet and Successor of Cato Hieronymus Erasmus, the Church has been lead by Pope Erwin I. Presumably because both the church's founder as well as its pope are former Flemish presidents, their colleague Gert Geens once called 'the official state joke'.
Secondly and perhaps more seriously, there is the Flemish Heterodox Church, which holds a 'soft polytheistic' creed and describes its doctrine as 'fundamentalist syncretism', in that sence that its faithfull are obliged to simultanously adhere to another religion - any religion, as long as it isn't catologism. The church is headed by Patriarch Petrvs I, who also heads the KGF, a minor political party which, amongst other things, proposes making heterodoxy the country's official religion.
International relations
As of August 25, 2010, the Republic of Flanders maintains diplomatic ties with the Kingdom of Batavia, the Empire of Alexandrians, the Republic of Antica, the High Realm of Stormark, the Royal Kingdom of Gotzborg, le Saint-Empire Avarois and the Kingdom of Babkha.
The Republic of Flanders is currently not a member of any inter- or supramicronational organisations. In the past, Flanders was a member of the Low Lands Confederation (confederation between Flanders, Mayo and Charlotta), the Universities Association (with Mayo) and the Dutch Treaty Organisation (with Batavia and the Republic of the Netherlands).
Links
- Official website (Dutch)
- Foreign Office (English)
- Official boards (Dutch)
