Politics of Bashenk

The Confederated Communes of Bashenk are a political oddity in the sense that the country has no national government. All political authority rests in the communes - that is, small-scale local councils which exercise direct democracy.

Communes vary in size from a few dozen people to a few hundred, and, in some rare cases, a few thousand. In rural areas, an entire village often constitutes a commune, and villagers gather to make decisions pertaining to village matters, usually communal work or events. Towns are often divided into several communes to ensure that groups remain small and that consensus can be reached. The country's few cities - most notably Mbasewe and Ko - are divided into hundreds of (sometimes shifting) communes, with no city-wide authority whatsoever. Communes within a city may sometimes gather and work together for specific projects.

Communal discussions are most often informal but respectful, and very rarely disorderly. Despite the country's egalitarian ethos, it is customary to allow a commune’s elders to speak first (especially in rural areas), but their wisdom and recommendations are by no means binding. The importance of consensus is emphasised, and members of a commune will try to make sure that no-one is left feeling displeased or ignored. Reaching a compromise is usually favoured over a simple "show of hands" majority.

As there is no national government, defence of Bashenk's borders is the task of communes located on or near the borders. Minimally armed volunteers man entrance points. There is no nation-wide immigration policy, so each border commune decides who may enter. The country's two international airports, however, have security personnel provided by several communes in the vicinity.

The only national elections are presidential, and take place every six years. The President's function is purely ceremonial. The current President is Seydou Diawara.