The West Atlantic Bloc

The Allied States of The West Atlantic Bloc, or simply The West Atlantic Bloc, is a joint agreement between 5 autonomous member-states who agree to share joint legislation and federal administration, operating as a single governing unit with a shared currency, defense, and economy. The member-states entered into the bloc by way of national referendums.

Government is by way of a bi-cameral parliamentary system, in which representatives are elected from their respective member-states through a closed ballot proportional representation election.

The islands that make up The West Atlantic Bloc are located in the Atlantian Sea near the equator. All member-states are modernized, though not overly industrialized.

History

The West Atlantic Bloc is an alliance of 5 diverse states within the Anticapitalist Alliance.

Pre-Alliance History

Before the Federation Council met to form the Alliance, each member-state was an fully autonomous government entity, each with its own economic, social, and political structures. The former autonomous states are Gendarmarie, Majlisistan, Free Hellenia, South New Canada, and Atlantic Macedonia.

Gendarmarie

Located on the far east of the main island, Farfigneuton, the Gendarmists were an English speaking people, leaving their homelands in search of better climates and political freedoms. Traditionally, the Gendarmists were ardent militarists, and as a result, developed a Spartan military state. All Gendarmists of legal age were required to enter into compulsory military service.

The official language of Gendarmarie was English, the currency was the Silver Pound.

Majlisistan

The Majlisistani arrived in the early millenium, and have since maintained a close knit republic, based on the tenets of Islam. A peaceful, industrious people, they were commited to the social welfare of others and the advancement of humanity as a whole. They abhored violence, and deplored violence over diplomacy as a political means. The state of Majlisistan is the western most state on Farfigneuton.

The official language of Majlisistan was Arabic, and the currency was the Rial.

Free Hellenia

The people of Free Hellenia were a purely socialist people. They left the mainlands originally as a small group of Greek immigrants who desired to build a self sufficient socialist state. They settled on the mountainous interior of Farfigneuton, and began what would become the framework of the Alliance.

The official language of Free Hellenia was Greek, and the currency was the Drachma.

South New Canada

When the Canadians began vying for a piece of the imperial pie, this expeditionary group landed on the small island of Cheval, NE of Farfigneuton. However, as they formed the Colony of South New Canada, the residents soon wished to no longer be associated with the burgeoning Canadian Empire, especially after the levy of a tax on maple syrup. They declared their independence 3 years after the initial landing on Cheval.

The official languages of South New Canada was Canadian English, and the currency was the Maple Leaf.

Atlantic Macedonia

A small republic of Jews from Eastern Europe, fleeing the Macedonian governments policy of complete religious persecution. The people of Atlantic Macedonia settled on an island in the SE of Farfigneuton, Knigata. Before the alliance, they had set what would be the model of government, a bi-cameral legislature with no official head of state.

The official language of Atlantic Macedonia was Hebrew, and the currency was the denar.

The Alliance

In the mid-century, the people of each city state began to face food and economic crises. As each republic was acting indepedant of one another, large amounts of aid and sharing programs were instituted between the mainland governments and the island republics. However, time went on and there was no relief to the shortages, and governments were finding it increasingly hard to repay their debts.

The acting president of Free Hellenia, Konstantinos Zaimis, began to contact the surrounding nations, expressing is wish for "solidarity amongst the island people of this particular region." Soon, he gathered the Federation Council, made up of five representatives of the island republics: General Wilshire Stratford of Gendarmarie, Shiekh abd Muhammed al-Alou of Majlisistan, Director-Admiral Dudley de la Croix of South New Canada, Senior Representative David Ben-Israel of Atlantic Macedonia, and Zaimis represented Free Hellenia.

The five representatives met for several months in the chambers of the People's Electoral House. After much deliberation, and hurried calls to their respective states, they soon agreed on the Constitution of the Alliance, which would be the unifying document that would bring the nations together.

The Constitution had to be ratified, however, by a supermajority of the people of each state. A week after the Constitution was finalized, it was sent to each state to ratify by popular referendum. It passed in each state by a narrow margin, thus creating the new intra-island government.

On the convening of the Second Federation Council, it was decided that the islands would henceforth be known as The Allied States of The West Atlantic Bloc.

Government

Government in The West Atlantic Bloc is administered by the Allied Councils of Member States, a bicameral parliament with an lower house (the Assembly of the Popular Alliance), and a upper house (the Assembly of the People's Ministers).

All lower house elections are closed ballot, proportional representation style elections.

All upper house elections are majoritarian elections.

Assembly of the Popular Alliance

The lower house of the the Allied Councils of Member States is the Assembly of the Popular Alliance, or the Popular Assembly. Representatives to the Popular Assembly are based on populations of the member-states who elect them to the Assembly, currently supporting 6,000 councillors.

This level of the government proposes all legislation to be ratified in the upper house of the Allied Councils. Once a piece of legislation is introduced, it must muster a plurality of the votes in order to ascend to the upper house. It is required of all members of the house to read every piece of legislation, and to have open debate. Failure to read a piece of legislation can lead to expulsion from the house.

Seats are given in direct proportion to the amount of votes their party receives. Currently, the Front for Democratic Socialism controls 40% of the lower house, followed by the Agraian Populist Action Committee who control 22% of the seats in the lower house. The last 38% of the seats are divided amongst the various minority parties of the islands.

Assembly of the People's Ministers

The upper house of the Allied Councils, the Assembly of the the People's Ministers, or Ministerial Assembly, is comprised of 50 ministers, 10 from each member-state, who vote on ratification of legislation that has been ratified in the Popular Assembly.

Ministers debate each measure, and are required to research each bill. Vigorous debate is not just encouraged, it is mandated. Every minister must weigh in on a bill, lest he or she be ejected from parliament.

The upper house is nominitively non-partisan, and is voted in by voting districts assigned in each state. There are 10 voting districts in every state.

It is important to note that only members of the upper house can hold the positions of 'Senior Councillor.'

Political Parties

Elections are held every 3 years for the lower house, and every 4 years for the upper house. The most interesting races, however, are those of the lower house, with it's myraid of political representation.

Currently, the most powerful party in the Alliance is the Front for Democratic Socialism, a European Socialist style party that legislates much in favor of the labor force, giving people such luxuries as free education, tax based healthcare, subsidized food, subsidized housing, the 25 hour work week, and 10 weeks mandatory paid vacation.

The next most popular party is the Agraian Populist Action Committee, a far left Leninist party who wish to use military action to spark popular revolution across the globe. They appeal with the agricultural community of the Alliance, who feel as if they have little control over the urban governments and the Central Administrative District.

The other parties that make up the unique lower house are Union of Nuclear Power (far-right Gendarmist party), Islamic Shari'a Party (far-right Majlisistani party), People's Choice for Compassionate Social Action (left wing South New Canadian party), Shalom (left wing Atlanic Macedonia party), and the Ethnikos Laikos Apeleftherotikos Stratos or ELAS (far-left Free Hellenic party).