The Doruidéate (variant translation: Council of Druids) is the delegative court of the (Jaillish Realm) Roïgne Jaillois. The Doruidéate is charged with advising the King-of-Kings (Roïquéroïqs), as well as exercising the administrative duties that the King-of-Kings has delegated to the court.
The Doruidéate sits on the first Sunday of each season (except Winter), as well as whenever the King-of-Kings summons the Doruidéate, such as during wars or political crises.
The Doruidéate is composed of 204 Doruidés, each of whom has one vote in general sessions. Not all Doruidés choose to participate in every vote, with many members having responsibilities outside the court.
The court is often divided into subdivisions (Corta) based on specific matters: for example, ecclesiastical and royal members vote on matters relevant to religious matters, and martial and royal members vote on military matters. The generals sessions are only called for matters of relevance to the entire realm, such as: the administration of the realm treasury, general taxation, et cetera. The King-of-Kings may end a session, or invalidate a court vote at any time when he feels the court has overstepped its realm of responsibility.
In 311, King-of-Kings Anaut VII invalidated a vote which aimed to end the special wartime tax on salt. The invalidation was legally based on the principle that the King-of-Kings had not delegated power over special taxation to the Doruidéate, and the King-of-Kings wished for the tax to continue in order to support the system of poor-hostels in major cities. The subsequent political crisis led to the replacement of the entire court leadership by 313, and a political realignment along Legalist vs. Reformist lines.
When a Doruidéaton vote is tied, the King-of-Kings is responsible for making the final decision. In practice, this means the King-of-Kings casts a second tie-breaking vote.
There are two formal leadership positions in the Doruidéate.
The Chief (Chapét) of the Doruidéate supervises the sessions of the Doruidéate (in consulation with the King-of-Kings), and has the power to censure certain Doruidés who break the rules of decorum (e.g. insulting a member of the royal family, insulting a fellow Doruidé). The Chiefhood is traditionally reserved for a female priest, and must be impartial between the factions.
The Secretary-General (Mérégraphe) of the Doruidéate is the leader of the government, confirmed by a simple majority vote of the Doruidéate. The Mérégraphe supervises the bureaucracy, and makes day-to-day governance decisions. The Mérégraphe also proposes candidates for bureaucratic positions which require Doruidéate confirmation. Voting for the Mérégraphe typically lasts multiple rounds, as each faction presents their candidate, and horse-trading for each faction's support takes place.
Candidates for Doruidéate leadership may only come from aristocratic constituencies.
The Counter-Secretary (Contragraphe) is the informal leader of the opposition to the Mérégraphe, and the voice of the court minority. The Contragraphe is an informal position, elected by a majority of those who voted against the successful Mérégraphe, and has no real power outside rhetoric.
The Mérégraphe may also appoint other informal deputy leadership positions, usually as ways to appease certain factions.
Seats on the Doruidéate (referred to as Doruidéaques) come from diverse constituencies, each with unique methods of choosing who fills the seat. The present Doruidéaques are:
- 10 Royal seats:
- the King-of-Kings, who automatically recieves a seat;
- and 9 members of the extended royal family: siblings, children, spouse of the King-of-Kings automatically recieve seats for life
- the King-of-Kings, who automatically recieves a seat;
- 33 Aristocratic seats:
- 4 emissaries (Ambeicstadors) from the vassal kings (Ambeicsta), sent as personal representatives of the kings to the court;
- 4 delegates from protected states (Pérstégerates), who are elected by whatever method the protectorate chooses;
- 4 emissaries from the Aristocratic Circuits, where the representatives are elected by the members of the aristocratic families in each circuit region;
- 12 heads of eminent families, who recieve their seats hereditarily, based on their seniority over the main line of one of the 12 Ancient Families;
- 3 descendants of the ancient heroes, who recieve their seats hereditarily, based on their direct descendance from one of the 3 Mythic Heroes of Jaille;
- and 5 representatives of the knightly orders, where the representatives are elected by the members of the venerable societies of knights
- 30 ecclesiastical seats:
- the 3 High Priests (Primapésca), who automatically recieve seats on the court;
- 4 emissaries of the governing Prince-Bishophrics (Arcébiscépregs, priests who hold lands to govern), sent as personal representatives of the Bishops to the court;
- 13 representatives of the Episcopal Circuits, where the representatives are elected by the bishops (biscépïes) of each circuit region;
- 5 elected representatives of the priestly classes, where the representatives are elected by the priests of the realm on a general ticket system;
- and 5 representatives of the monastic orders, where the representatives are elected by the members of the ancient orders of monks and nuns
- the 3 High Priests (Primapésca), who automatically recieve seats on the court;
- 17 corporate seats:
- 12 representatives of the guilds, where the guild members elect a representative by whatever method the guild chooses;
- and 5 representatives of the common classes (artisans, labourers, merchants, farmers, pastoralists), which are directly elected on a two-round system
- 12 representatives of the guilds, where the guild members elect a representative by whatever method the guild chooses;
- 22 martial seats:
- 6 Marshals and Admirals, top military commanders who recieve seats upon being honoured by the King-of-Kings with the title of Marshal or Admiral;
- 4 emissaries from the Legions, which are elected on a two-round system by the members of the Royal Legions;
- 4 representatives of the Officer corps, which are elected on a single non-transferable vote system by the officers of the military;
- 4 representatives of the soldier corps, which are indirectly elected by delegates from each army division on a single non-transferable vote system, with the delegates elected on a first-past-the-post basis by the rank-and-file of each army division;
- and 4 representatives of the naval corps, which are indirectly elected by delegated from each naval vessel on a single non-transferable vote system, with the delegates elected on a first-past-the-post basis by the rank-and-file of each vessel
- 6 Marshals and Admirals, top military commanders who recieve seats upon being honoured by the King-of-Kings with the title of Marshal or Admiral;
- 92 common (geographic) seats:
- 3 representatives of the autonomous provinces, elected on whatever method the province chooses;
- 24 representatives of independent municipalities (Commeïnés), elected through a wide variety of systems:
- some municipalities allow their mayor and/or council to appoint a representative
- municipalities may elect their representative through an indirect system of delegates, or directly by the citizens of the commune
- municipalities may have suffrage limited to just aristocrats, or only those who earn over a certain income, or have unlimited suffrage
- some municipalities explicitly exclude some 'undesirable' groups (homeless, religious minorities, women, labourers) from voting
- one municipality (Véronne in Vautén) allows the citizens to vote as many times as they want, as opposed to the standard method of one-person-one-vote
- 12 emissaries of the governors (Chévétans), who may send representatives to the court with the consent of their advisory councils;
- 52 representatives from the common provinces (Prouïes), elected through a wide variety of systems:
- many provinces only send one representative, while the more populated provinces are allowed multiple representatives (based on the Compromise of 272). These additional representatives may be elected on a general-ticket system, a single non-transferable vote system, or a preferential system.
- provinces may elect their representative through an indirect system of delegates, or directly by the inhabitants of a province
- provinces may have suffrage limited to just aristocrats, or only landowners, or those earning over a certain income, or have unlimited suffrage
- most provinces restrict some 'undesirable' groups (vagrants, religious minorities, women) from voting, and few provinces accept votes from those who were not born in the province
- many provinces only send one representative, while the more populated provinces are allowed multiple representatives (based on the Compromise of 272). These additional representatives may be elected on a general-ticket system, a single non-transferable vote system, or a preferential system.
- and 1 representative of the Western Condominium, where only subjects of the King-of-Kings may vote for the representative (and not natives, or subjects of the River Lords)
- 3 representatives of the autonomous provinces, elected on whatever method the province chooses;
Constituencies limit the eligibility for those who wish to run for their seat. All constituencies require the candidate to be a member of the constituency. Many require the candidate to meet certain requirements, such as paying an amount to the constituency leadership, meeting a certain income level, or being a member of the upper classes.
Most Doruidés form factions, associations of members with common priorities and views. These factions form informal pacts to cooperate on certain issues, trade votes on matters relevant to their constituencies, and typically vote in blocs for the Mérégraphe.
The Mérégraphe's Union, which supports the current Mérégraphe, Catém Corte Charron, is composed of the following factions:
- The Hériste (Aristocratic) faction is conservative and aristocratic, seeking to maintain the existing social and constitutional order, aiming to reduce social mobility. They have long agitated for requiring all Doruidés to be of aristocratic blood, and the reduction in proportion of non-aristocratic seats on the Doruidéate.
- The Altavérré (Orthodox) faction is conservative and clerical, seeking to maintain the power and privilege of the higher religious leadership. They vote to maintain the legal corruption loopholes which allow priests to grow rich and powerful.
- The Pathpérodeurs (Swordgivers) are upper-class militarists, seeking to protect the privilege of the officer corps in the Jaillois military. They are typically aggressive, voting to deploy troops in neighbouring regions, and to increase military role in public life. Paradoxically, they also oppose increases in common troop recruitment, as well as the introduction of new technologies in the military.
- The Boundeurs (Binders) are a plutocratic faction, seeking the maintain the privileges of rich merchants. They vote to increase barriers to entry in markets, as well as to protect the trade privileges of their own companies.
- The Átirous (To The Land) faction are agrarian conservatives, seeking to maintain the power of rural landowners, primarily through the disempowerment of small landowners and rural labourers, and the maintenance of high prices for food.
- The Leutére (Lighter) faction is composed of liberal aristocrats, who seek to help improve the conditions of the lower classes without social revolution. These oppose any changes to the Doruidéate's membership, as well as voting in favour of aid to the poor, and the rationalist reform of government.
- The Louthérate (Liberation) faction is made up of liberal clerics, who reject the hierarchical orthodoxy of the spiritual leaders in favour of a simpler, more flexible and ecumenical approach to religious governance. The faction favours a reduction in aristocratic power, in favour of the moneyed classes who sponsor them.
- The Vérdéceur (Guardian) faction represents the interests of common soldiers. Primarily, the interest of the faction is in improving pay and conditions for soldiers. They vote against troop deployments, and seek to reduce the role of the military in public society, however they also support technological development in the military, as well as increased recruitment in times of need.
- The Solannos (All-Soul) faction is a populist religious faction, made up of only one representative, Cïril Vitalé Cégreur from the Bennotine Order. He promotes the interests of the common lower-class faithful, who are largely poor and unfree. The faction supports aid for the poor, the redistribution of land, and political reform in favour of the autonomy of ordinary communities.
- The Aratréens (Plowers) are a faction which promotes agrarian collectivism, promoting the needs of poor rural provincials. They vote in favour of land redistribution, the weakening of aristocratic power, and the maintenance of price minimums for grain.
- The Pércoraquiens (Corporates) are a faction representing the interests of the urban working classes. They seek to improve aid to the poor, abolish grain price minimums, and reform society along populist lines.
Four members are impartial: The King-of-Kings, the Crown Prince, the High Priest of the Sélta, and the current Chapét. These members do not adhere to any one faction, though they are often informally considered members of certain factions based on their voting records, past adherence to a faction, or rhetorical support for a faction's positions.
The Doruidéate sits in the Doruidéaton, an octagonal tower built in an eclectic style, decorated with colourful mosaics and stained glass windows. It is located in the heart of the palatial fortified hill of the Écrocégre, itself the centre of the capital city of Rouméa.
Author's note: I did not expect it to be this long... I've had the idea of a diverse and non-standardised parliament floating around for a while, and it eventually connected to the idea of a complex pseudo-Gallic empire.
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