Grand Council of Verionian States
| Grand Council of Verionian States | |
 | |
| Type | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1682 |
| Succeeded by | Congress of the Confederated States of Gran Verionia |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 300 |
Political groups |
Verionian Unionist Coalition (189) Delegación de Valentia : 125 seats Verionist Union: 23 seats Partido de Liberación Nacional: 19 seats Association of Merchants: 17 seats Princely Delegation: 5 seats
Coalition for Tradition and Values (91) Al-Wafd: 55 seats Hizbusoufi: 24 seats Kasterburger Volksbond: 5 seats Partido Conservador: 4 seats Nationalist Coalition of Benacia: 2 seats Partido Fascista Republicano: 1 seat
Group for Democracy (17) Cambio Democratico: 14 seats Syndicalist Front: 2 seats Progressieve Alliantie: 1 seat
Coalition for the Regions (3) Sovereign Keraqi Front: 1 seat Acción Popular de Timaro: 1 seat Elsenari and Lunatic Union: 1 seat |
| Elections | |
Voting system |
System of appointment differs across the States |
| Meeting place | |
Marble Palace | |
|
The Grand Council of Verionian States was the legislature of Gran Verionia until it was replaced by the Congress of the Confederated States in 1683. It ws a unicameral body that convened in the Marble Palace in Valarion. Members of the Grand Council were elected or appointed in their representative states. Seats were distributed according to population of the Verionian States. The Grand Council has the power of legislation, but this legislation, either through acts or resolutions, have no binding power. Acts may have binding power when they receive the support of a 2/3rd majority of the Verionian States, and the promulgation of the Elu. Resolutions never have binding power, but are recommendations that may or may not be implemented by the governments of the States.
Distribution of Seats
Since the members of the Grand Council are appointed in their own States, there are no confederation-wide elections or political parties that contest these. Even the method of appointment differs widely throughout the States. Four States hold elections for their Grand Council seats, these are Chryste, Kasterburg, Los Liberados and the Mercantile Realm of Souf. The two largest States, the State of Valentia and the Federated Tribes of Torosh, have their representatives directly appointed by respectively the Governor and the High Sha'ikh. In addition, the Princess of Valarion also appoints the five representatives of the Capital Territory directly.
Although there is no centralised system of appointment, the representatives of the States do align themselves in parliamentary groups. There are four groups that made up the Grand Council. These groups are, in order of membership, the Verionian Unionist Coalition, the Coalition for Tradition and Values, the Group for Democracy and the Coalition for the Regions.
Groups in the Grand Council of Verionian States
| Group | Seats | Ideology | Member groups | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verionian Unionist Coalition | 189 | Verionian Unionism |
| |
| Coalition for Tradition and Values | 91 | Conservatism, Religious interest |
| |
| Group for Democracy | 17 | Democracy, Liberalism |
| |
| Coalition for the Regions | 3 | Regionalism |
|
Washar
The Grand Council elected a chairman, or Washar, from its ranks. The Washar is tasked with leading the debates and maintaining the order in the debating chamber. In addition, the Washar is the first advisor to the Elu, often mitigating between the wishes of the Grand Council and the monarchy. The last Washar was Godolphin Viqh, who is a member of the Association of Merchants, representing Souf.
