Imperium

The Empire (Magonian: Imperium, [imˈpɛːrium]; Icarian: ἡγεμονῐ́ᾱ [he:gemonia]) is a country in Central Arhet. It is the largest country in the world by area, covering over 13 million square kilometers (5.2 x 106 sq mi) and, with 1.1 billion inhabitants within its 89 constituent provinces, is also the world's most populous country. Imperium shares borders with 26 countries. Its territory is composed of Mainland Imperium, and the 8 territories of Maritime Imperium throughout the world. The nation's capital and largest city is Magium.

Due to its strategic geographic location in Arhet and the inmense size of its territory, The Empire has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures. In addition to the various ancient civilizations dispersed throughout what is the modern-day Imperium, the most predominant were the Phocaean and Icarian peoples who expanded their culture for most of the Empire. The Phocaeans established the Res Publica Phocaeensis, while the Icarians established many poleis. The most relevant peoples before them were the Isopan, Hespedian, Skyran, Caerulean and Viridian. Following the end of the Phocaeo-Icarian War, the Phocaean and Icarian unified their territories, under the leadership of Magius, to form the Ethereal Empire, which is considered to be the origin of the modern Imperium. The empire was led by Magius for more than 500 years, and by his descendants for 200 years.

The Dominate began with Titanius III, who was the first emperor to have no blood connection with Magius. This absolutist system prevailed for about 225 years until the rise of the High Council: an institution composed of religious leaders, regional leaders and magicians, who from the First Electivate had the power to choose the right person to be the emperor and lead the empire with him until its death. The system was reformed to Second Electivate in which it began to gradually incorporate democracy in the government of the Empire. This was done by establishing the Senate: an institution whose members are democratically elected and would have the power to confirm the High Council's election for emperor. Due to the popular clamor for a greater democratization of government, the current system of government began in 1720: the constitutional monarchy. In this system, the executive branch is made up of the Epistalma and two Consuls Plebeius, who are elected by the Senate. State autonomy was also granted to all 89 constituent provinces, and the emperor began to have a ceremonial role, but now he would be chosen from among the members of the Bassus-Cotta Family.

Today, Imperium is considered the world's most culturally, militarily and economically advanced country. Its system of government (Magonian system) is considered one of the most transparent and efficient in the world, especially for state autonomy, separation of powers and regulation of authority. The Empire is a country with great cultural wealth: almost all its cities have preserved their historic areas, which are attractive to tourists from all over the world. Imperium is also the cradle of philosophy, the social sciences and the exact sciences, as well as housing the most important educational centers in the world.

Borders
The Empire shares international land borders with 26 sovereign countries. The largest border is Imperium shares its longest border with Patrie (4,176 km), while the shortest with Ecija (5 km) in the territory of Issus, Pharos.

Mainland and maritime areas
More than 99% of the territory of the Empire corresponds to what is known as the Mainland Imperium, the uninterrupted part of territory located in central Tellus, the main continent of Arhet. In this mainland area, which conventionally includes the archipelagos of the Mare Mercatorium, 87 of the 89 constituent provinces of the Empire are located in their entirety. The areas outside the mainland are called Maritime Imperium and are incorporated in Arces Limites (in the east) and Pharos (in the west).

The closest territory to the Mainland Imperium is Tenebrium in the Mare Schismatis, very close to Teus (capital of Arces Limites), while the most distant is Issus, which is near the coast of Ecija. In total, the Empire has 8 territories of which only 3 are continental. Despite being entirely in the "maritime zone" of the Empire, Pharos constitutes its own constituent state because the archipelago in the Mare Icarium has been historically linked to the Imperium since the Phocaeo-Icarian period; therefore, it has been a subdivision equal to other constituent provinces since the Empire's formation.

Administrative divisions
The Empire is a confederate state and has 89 constituent states. Each province, except for the archipelagos, has an entirely autonomous government with its own constitution and freedom to determine its internal organization. Therefore, each constituent state has its own type of government that is organized according to its own constitutions and laws. As of 2021, the Empire is divided into 51 republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos (autonomous islands groups that as a whole have limited functions, but wherein the individual islands have a high level of autonomy).

Government and politics
The Empire is a confederation under a parliamentary monarchy. Imperial legislative power is vested by the First Imperial Law in the Senate and the High Council. The Senate has 828 members, known as senators, elected through direct elections using the single transferable vote system. The High Council has 267 members (89 for each council), appointed as representatives from the Concilium Principum, Theurgarum and Hierophantarum for each constituent state.

The Consules Plebeii (sing: Consul Plebeius) are the heads of government of the Empire and are elected by the Senate each 1 December for a 1 year term. The consules are known as "Primus" or      "Segundus" according to their place in the Senate vote (although this does not mean any difference between their functions) and both chair the Epistalma, the chief executive body of the Empire.

The Epistalma consists of 18 cabinet ministers, which are heads of the executive ministries and are appointed by the Senate committees; and 7 counselors, which advise the cabinet ministers on matters under their jurisdiction and are appointed by the High Council as a whole.

The emperor is the head of state of the Empire, which has a ceremonial role. From 1720 the emperor is elected by the Senate among the suitables candidates from the Bassus-Cotta Family, which are selected as such by the Representation of the Emperor. The current emperor, as of 2018, is Gregorius IX. The emperor's role has its origins in the Ethereal Empire, with the proclamation of Magius as "emperor of all beings" in 512 BC, from which it has been transformed through the Dominate, First Electivate, Second Electivate and the current Constitutional monarchy. Since the coronation of Titanius III (and the formation of the Dominate) in 221, none of the following emperors are direct descendants of Magius.

The senators are elected by their constituent states at-large for a term between 5 and 8 years, depending on the population of each state. The electioneering process and electoral regulations for the Senate is overseen by the election commission of each constituent state. The members of the High Council are appointed by their conciliums (Principum, Theurgarum and Hierophantarum) to represent its constituent state through different through different procedures according to its council. The High Commissioners (Principum) are nominated by their state government from among its members, usually a long-time member of the state legislature or a retired government official (former head of government or cabinet member), and formally nominates it to the Concilium Principum, which must formally approve it to guarantee the transparency and legitimacy of the process.

Political parties
The Empire has a multi-party system, in which multiple political parties across the political spectrum run for federal elections and several of them have the ability to win Senate seats and government positions thanks to the single transferable vote system. As of October 2021, the following 15 parties have seats in the Senate:

State government


Under the Magonian system, each of the 89 constituent states of the Empire has an entirely autonomous government, similar to the unitary governments of other nations, composed of 3 branches: executive, legislative (some of them with fused executive) and judicial. The only condition required at the federal level for state governmental organization, defined by Second Imperial Law, is that at least one legislative body must be elected entirely by the inhabitants of the constituent state. Except for this condition, which was included after the collapse of the Second Electivate, the federal government has no power over the organization and activity of state governments as long as they are done within the framework of Imperial Laws. Of the 89 constituent states, 51 are republics, 32 kingdoms and 6 archipelagos (autonomous islands groups that as a whole have limited functions).

Military
The Senata as a whole chooses a commanders-in-chief (Dictator OF-11 or Polemarchus OF-10) of the Imperial Forces who appoints its leaders, the secretary of the Soldiers and the Joint Military Tribunes. The Ministry of the Soldiers administers t3 of the 4 service branches, which are composed of the Classis Legionaria (Army of the Legions), Classis Navalis (Imperial Navy), Classis Aëronautica (Imperial Air and Space Force). The Classis Praetoriana (National Gendarmerie) is the military police of the Empire and is administered by the Gendarmerie Community, made of the military leaders of each of the 89 constituent states, and is the only military institution empowered for domestic operations if authorized by state legislatures. The other military branches can only execute domestic operations due to the inefficiency of the Classis Praetoriana, high treason or violation by the state governments of the constitutional fundamental rights established by the Imperial Laws. All these operations must be approved by 2/3 of the Senate and the High Council.

All Magonians are drafted into the military at the age of 18. Both men and women must serve 1 year. After mandatory service, citizens can be recruited to remain active members of the Imperial Forces or become a civilian according to the principle of "freedom is based on duty". The permanent members of the military receive extensive training in the service branches to which they are assigned, and they receive military ranks according to the military hierarchical system existing in the Empire. The Office of Military Duty, subordinate to the Ministry of the Soldiers, is responsible for coordinating conscription throughout the Empire and guaranteeing the provisions of the Third Imperial Law on disqualifications and temporary exemptions.

The Empire has the most powerful and largest military in the world, with 2.1 million active members and about 850.000 reserve members, with a large fleet of transport aircraft, high-tech weapons, missiles and powerful nuclear weapons. Imperial troops, conventionally divided into legions, have extensive training in hand-to-hand combat and handling of large-caliber weapons, which constitutes a fundamental part of the military power in ground combat and in the management of domestic operations.

Law enforcement and crime
Law enforcement in the Empire is primarily the responsibility of local police departments, with state enforcement agencies providing broader servicies and guaranteeing civil rights, state and national security. At the federal level, there are several law enforcement agencies, subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, whose main purpose is to enforce the Imperial Laws and other federal laws approved by the Senate, as well as the rulings of the Imperial Court System. Provincial and local courts conduct the majority of criminal trials, while federal ("high") courts are primarily responsible for trials related to non-compliance of Imperial Laws, treason, or high-profile federal crimes.