14RC31 - The Mother of All Constitutional Amendments

Note: The following Mega-Amendment is to be voted on as a bloc. It is written to accomplish two aims: 1) Make the King a ceremonial position while contirming the historic position of King Robert in the heart of the nation, and 2) Transfer all the King's political and govern mental powers to a new elected office of State President, to fully open up the 1 alossan political process to every Citizen. Note that part I amends the Vague Principles; a referendum on part I must be held at the earliest possible opportunity. If the referendum fails to obtain the 2/3 majority needed, the entire package below is considered to have been defeated.

I. Vague Principle 3 is changed to read as follows:

3. The Kingdom of Talossa historically owes its existence to the Monarch, and we accord him ceremonial and symbolic offices. In keeping with the political maturity of Talossa, we grant to an elected State President appropriate powers to force the Kingdom to reflect on its course when he deems such reflection urgent We further deem the checks and balances these powers entail, to be a necessary aspect of our goverment, and we therefore establish a method for their perpetuation.

II. Articles 10-27 of the 1988 Constituziun are hereby abolished. In their place, the following text is put:

The King

Art. 10. The historic, symbolic Head of State of the Kingdom of Talossa shall be the King of Talossa. In line with tradition his Throne shall be styled the Somewhat Battered Throne.

Art 11. The King is the symbolic head of the nation. The nation itself owes its existence to the Monarch, and reciprocally, the nation democratically grants unto the King and his descendants certain dignities, which are herein enumerated. The King shall have power to declare national holidays, grant titles of nobility, design such symbols and emblems which pertain to the Royal (rather than the national) dignity, and make the Speech from the Throne on the 26th of December, as well as other Speeches which he shall deem important.

Art 12. The historic and official title of the King of Talossa is: "(name), by the Grace of God, King of Talossa and of all its Realms and Regions, King of Cézembre, Viscount of Vuode, Sovereign Lord and Protector of Pengöpäts and the New Falklands, Head of the Church, Defender of the Faith, Leader of the Armed Forces, Viceroy of Hoxha and Vicar of Atatürk, Founder of the Great Nation of Talossa." The aforementioned historical and official title shall, along with the Royal dignity, pass to the King's heirs and successors. However, the phrase 'Founder of the Great Nation of Talossa' shall not pass but shall appertain solely to His Majesty King Robert I.

Art. 13. The Throne shall be inherited by the descendants of His Majesty, Robert I, King of Talossa. The present Royal Family shall be styled, in the national language, «La Casa és la Dunastà Desmats.» In the English language, «The House and Dynasty of Madison.» The coat of arms of the Royal Family Is the national coat of arms as defined in Article 7, supported by two squirrels standing on a ribbon bearing the national motto.

Art. 14. On the demise or abdication of a King, the Throne shall pass to the next in line, as by the House Law appended to this Constituziun.

Art. 15. Where there is no person entitled to succeed to the Throne under the rules of Article 17, the na tion shall elect, by a two-thirds majority, a new King, to whom and to whose family the existing laws of succession shall immediately apply.

Art. 16. The former King Robert II (of the House of Dobberpuhl) and any of his descendants are excluded permanently from the line of succession.

Art. 17. In dire circumstances, when the King is judged by competent medical authority to be incapable of executing his dutles, or if he is convicted by the Talossan Uppermost Court of violation of the Constituzlun, treason, bribery or other high crimes, the nation may remove the King from the Throne. The Cosa shall pronounce by a two-thirds vote that the King is to be deposed, and this pronouncement shall immedlately be transmitted to the people for their verdict in a refe rendum. If a two-thirds majority of the people concur, the King is considered deposed and the Prince or Princess of Prospect is Immediately vested with the titles and powers of King Art. 18. The King must be of or above the age of fourteen in order to bear the Regal Powers. If he as sumes his Throne below this age, a Regent shall be appointed by the State President to execute the King's dutes, until such time as the King shall come of age.

The State President

Art. 19. The powers pertaining to the leadership of the Talossan state shall be vested in the State President, or, in the national language, el Presedînt Estatal. The State President is the effective head of state. His powers and duties are: 1) To nominate a candidate Prime Minister after elections (Art. 46); 2) To dissolve the Cosa (Art 57); 3) To assent to bills passed by the Cosa, or to veto them (Art. 69; Art 71-2); 4) To nominate persons to fill vacancies in the Uppermost Cort (Art. 78); 5) To assent to Constitutional Amendments or to veto them (Art. 98); 6) To appoint a Regent (Art 18); 7) To pardon or reprieve offenders, either unconditonally or subject to such conditions as he sees fit.

Art. 20. Any Talossan Citizen may be elected State President If the Prime Minister becomes the State President, he shall be considered to have resigned from his position as Prime Minister. No person may be PM and State President at the same time. No State President shall be elected to more than two consecutive terms.

Art. 21. Elections for the State Presiidency shall occur at regular intervals and the Presidency is not subject to dissolution. The term of office for the State President shall be eighteen months. The first election to the State Presidency shall be held so that the Election Deadline falls on the first Tuesday in November. (In the next election it falls on the first Tuesday in May, and they alternate thereafter.)

Art 22 The State President shall be elected personally and not as a representative of a party (although he may indicate his party affiliation). To run for the State Presidency, a Citizen shall register himself with the Secretary of State at any time, by obeying the following procedure: First, the candidate must provide the Secretary of State with a 50-word (or less) description of his aims and views, and with an officlal 10 x 17cm advertisement for himself, Second, the candidate must name his prospective Vice-President (Art. 27). Third, the candidate must pay the Secretary of State a fee, to be set by law, to help cover the cost of the Presidential election. The procedure for election of the State President shall be the same as that for the election of the Cosa (see Articles 31-37).

Art. 23. The candidate who obtains the most votes for State President is declared elected. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates for first place, the Coså shall select from those candidates who will be elected State President.

Art. 24. Upon being declared elected, the winning candidate shall take the following Oath in Talossan or English (the language of his preference), and shall swear if possible upon a copy of The Loom of Language:

"Eu, [nôminâ], perventürá xhuréu, solenămint, a façarë 'n endevör d'estarë 'n ben Presedînt Estatal per el Regipäts Talossán, es eu promiséu tociziua q eu promotarel. toct gi va avançar, és q'eu opoçaréu toct gi sera scade lěsch për el Regipäts; që véu uveidiar, tgonoûrar, sostire és mintenençar la Constituziun és toct i altreux legeux del Regipats; qé veu rompliar va deveirs cün toct va forziun és cun toct va capacitans, al mighor da va sap es da v'avalita, és fiéiramint àls diktats da va cunschençu; qe façaréu la justiciâ à toct; és qe me cunsecrataréu àl ben-estarë del Regipäts és dad o popul. Sâ viva el Regeu!"

"I, [name, do hereby solemnly swear to endeavour to be a good State President for the Kingdom of Talossa, and promise at all times to promote that which will advance, and to oppose all that may harm the Kingdom; to obey, honour, uphold and maintain the Constituziun and all other laws of the Kingdom; to discharge my duties with all my strength and talents, to the best of my knowl edge and ability, and true to the dictates of my con science; to do justice unto all; and to devote myself to the Kingbeing of the Kingdom and its people. Long live the King!"

Art. 25. The State President shall only be removed from office (impeached) prior to the end of his term by a two-thirds vote of the Cos. In the event of his impeachment the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of State President.

Art. 26. Every candidate for State President must run with a candidate for Vice-President. The two are elected on the same ticket and are not voted for separately. The Vice-President has no duties but may attend funerals. He may be Prime Minister (but must resign as PM if he becomes State President).

Art. 27. In the event of the death, resignation, or removal of the State President from office, the Vice-President becomes the new State President and shall be sworn in at the earliest possible opportunity. In this case, or in the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice-President, the State President shall nominate a new Vice-President who shall take office with the approval of a majority in the Cosâ.

III. All references to "the King/Regent" in the remainder of the Constituziun are hereby changed to read "the State President."

IV. The word "Regent" in Art. 45 is changed to read "State President."

Uréu q'estadra så,
Ben Madison (King of Talossa)