Parliament of Meckelnburgh

Parliament of Meckelnburgh
8th Parliament
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	College of Lords Chamber of Deputies
History
Founded	1685 AN
New session started	1720 AN
Leadership
Monarch	Queen Ĉielero III
Chancellor	Masterman Gibbs, GN since 1720 AN
Lord Speaker	Lord Wilburn Arkwright, 7th Baron Townsville, RP since 1685 AN
President of the Chamber of Deputies	Rosa Leroy, NPA since 1715 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)      Party for Harmony (39)      The Greens United (20)      New Progressive Alliance (17) The Lord's Minority (58)      Royalist Party (27)      Nazarene Heritage Union (16)      Meckelnish Alternative (8)      Voluntaryist Bloc (7) Other groups (16)      Rhinoceros Party (3)      Citizens' Nation (1)      Independent (12) 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 (57)      Party for Harmony (20)      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	1725 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 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 Palatinate of Hergilsey, responsible for enacting laws and overseeing the government's functioning.

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 Prince-Archabbacy of Salem and Grand Duchy of Iselande, the Parliament of Meckelnburgh enacts laws for the benefit of the entire kingdom when necessary. Meckelnburgh's legislative authority preempts the authority of 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.

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 Lord 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 never been dissolved early.

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. Voters are permitted a spare vote to allocate towards a second party should their first choice not meet the threshold.

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

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	Hergilsey	Alexandretta	Membership
		The Greens United	GN				77 / 291	20 / 187
		New Progressive Alliance	NPA				57 / 291	17 / 187
		Nazarene Heritage Union	NAZ				40 / 291	16 / 187
		Royalist Party	RP				32 / 291	27 / 187
		Socialist Party	SP				25 / 291	—
		Party for Harmony	PH				20 / 291	39 / 187
		Meckelnish Alternative	ALT				17 / 291	8 / 187
		New Revolutionary Party	REV				14 / 291	—
		Voluntaryist Bloc	VB				—	7 / 187
		Rhinoceros Party	RNO				7 / 291	3 / 187
		Party for the Animals	PFA				2 / 291	—
		Citizens' Nation	CN				—	1 / 187