New Amsterdam Treaty

The Treaty on the Commonwealth of Peoples, generally referred to as the New Amsterdam Treaty, was signed on 20 October 2006 in New Amsterdam, Laneria. It followed extensive negotiations between the states which were to be Commonwealth members.

The Treaty divided the powers of the Commonwealth between four bodies: The Commonwealth Council of State, Commonwealth Interministerial Council, Commonwealth Commission and Commonwealth General Assembly. In a very general sense, these four bodies mirror the major constitutional elements of a democratic monarchy with the Council of State filling the role of the monarch, the Interministerial Council that of the Cabinet, the Commission that of the civil service and the General Assembly that of the legislature.

The Treaty clearly establishes the Commonwealth in the name of the members states, not the people of the whole Commonwealth. The members of the various bodies are all members of their own governments, appointed by their own governments or selected by some body made up of delegates appointed by the various member governments. None of them are directly elected by the people of the Commonwealth to an office of trust under the Commonwealth.

Although the Treaty gives most members an equal say on most issues, it reserves some notable powers for the larger members. For example, on questions of war and peace, the Commonwealth requires the affirmative votes of a majority of members including the Resurgent Dream, Nabarro Abarca and Laneria to carry any binding resolution. The Presidency of the Council of State is permanently attached to the Danaan Monarchy.