Nordwalt

Politics

Political power resides in an elected Duma which consists of 100 officials, 5 of which are executive Ministers who are responsible for various areas of the government's actions. Every citizen has a vote and can vote for any candidate they wish. The 100 with the most votes are elected to the Duma where they sit as electees as part of a lower parliment for three year periods. Members of the Duma participate in the Executive Elections, in which they elect the Ministers.

Foreign Minister (External Affairs, Diplomacy etc.)                   - Leonard Adler
Economic Minister (High level - Monetary and Fiscal Policy)           - Roland Branders
Trade and Industry Minister (Lower Level - Microeconomic scale)       - Meyer Shulz
Civil Minister (Legal issues, cultural issues, other internal issues) - Dieter Nauman
Securities Minister (Police and Military)                             - Horst Schlosser

These ministers are given executive powers in order to best govern, with the help of the Duma, their respective responsibilities. Ministers are elected every year in order to be acccountable to the Duma. Ministers will choose teams of aides from within the Duma to help make decisions.

Other Duma Electees of Note:

• Johann Sandeck - liberal, calling for international openness

Geography

Capital City :

• Tormarkt

Other Large Cities:

• Rottburg
• Bauernsitz
• Waldreinung
• Gelseite

Economy

Tax Regime and Government Income

Practically all products except the more dangerous drugs are publically available in Nordwalt, but some (such as alcohol and other drugs) are taxed by the government. There is a small amount of income taxation - 10% - with an inital exemption of 10,000Pb and a break at 70,000Pb, thereafter adddition income is taxed at only 5%. Other government income comes from a flat 5% corporation tax on company profits for all firms with limited liability (those with unlimited liability count company profits as part of their income and are taxed on it as such).

Government Expenditure

The government is libertarian in its expenditure, the overriding principle in Nordwalte Government is a hands off approach. The main government expenditure is in heavy subsidies to firms providing healthcare and education, with other expenditures as benefits for jobseekers (expiring after 6 months of unemployment) and incapacity (a very basic level of income). Other public works such as roadbuilding receive some spending. The courts, police and the army make up the rest of the budget along with necessary administration expenditure.

National Service

At the age of 18 every citizen in Nordwelt is expected to either be in an extended course of full time education (e.g. a University degree), to join the army (though not on front line duty) for a year, or to perform other work for government departments (examples being administrative work or highway maintainance) for a period of 18 months.