ATTENTION - Citizens of Fremont - Second Constitution Proposed (user search)

Yesterday evening, the Legislative Assembly voted unanimously to adopt my proposed draft of the Second Constitution of the Commonwealth of Fremont. This bill seeks to address many of the structural deficiencies present in the existing constitution, to increase transparency and accountability in government, and to set in place a series of emergency measures that will allow Fremont to continue to function even in times of crisis.

Why we need a Second Constitution.
Six months ago, the people of Fremont approved a draft constitution prepared by the legislative committee of this region. This constitution was riddled with flaws. It vests significant constitutional responsibilities in an office that does not exist; it mandates that the governor be elected to a four month term every six months, except when he is elected every two months; it seemingly cannot decide what to call itself (the West? Fremont? the Western Region? the Northeast? All of the above?). It is imprecise, ungrammatical, and close to unworkable; this paper skiff need to go.

How it all works.
The Second Constitution would reform the government of Fremont in three major ways. First, it corrects the structural deficits of the current constitution, establishing a document that is both logical and consistent. Second, it replaces the existing governor-assembly model with a semi-parliamentary system inspired by that used by Israel from 1996 to 2003. Third, it sets in place a "crisis proof" line of succession that provides for every eventuality, borrowing ideas from the Northern Constitution and the Reconstruction Act to build a government that is durable and accountable to the people.

The Government
Legislative power is vested in the House of Commons, whose members are elected every other month. The number of seats in the Commons varies in proportion to the number of candidates in the most recent election, according to the following formula:

where x is the number of candidates and n is the number of seats in the Commons

if x ≤ 3, then n = 2
if 3 < x ≤ 6, then n = x - 1
if x > 7, then n = x - 2

The government is headed by a Prime Minister, who is directly elected every four months. This method of direct election ensures that the ministry is chosen by, and accountable to, the people. The Prime Minister shares administrative responsibilities with the Speaker and may vote on questions before the legislature; he likewise reserves the right to call a public referendum on any act of the Commons he believes contrary to the general welfare.

When Inactivity Strikes
Inactive legislators may be removed by a 3/4 vote of the Commons, and all officeholders are subject to expulsion whenever a majority of the people vote to recall them from office. It is the duty of the Prime Minister to administer recall elections, unless the Prime Minister himself is being recalled; in that case, the title of "election administrator" falls to the Speaker of the House of Commons. If neither officer is able to administer the election, the President of Atlasia will appoint an Emergency Commissioner to act as the temporary elections officer for the region.

In the event that the office of Prime Minister falls vacant, the line of succession is as follows:

(1) the Speaker of the House of Commons
(2) the most senior Member of the House of Commons
(3) an Interim Prime Minister, appointed by the President of Atlasia

The person designated as temporary Prime Minister will then organize a special election to chose a permanent replacement.

What if it's not perfect?
The penultimate article of the Second Constitution allows the House of Commons to propose constitutional amendments, which must be ratified by a majority of voting citizens before taking effect.

What's next?
The Second Constitution will come before the people on February 10, 2017. The citizens of Fremont will then be able to confirm or (if they are foolish) reject the proposed Second Constitution. If it is adopted, the first elections for Prime Minister and House of Commons will begin on February 17, one week later. For now, I have created this thread for citizens to ask and answer (serious) questions relating to the Second Constitution and the government's reform program.

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