The Gallente Federation is a treaty-based interstellar community of semi-independent and autonomous nations, planets and solar systems, based on a democratic and libertarian system. Officially the Federated Union of Gallente Prime, Federation government itself functions as a supranational authority that promotes and protects individual rights, free economies, and democratic governance across the stars. As a democracy, it is unique in the sense that ultimate power rests with the Federation’s peoples, who actively participate in the political process. Its existence as a pluralistic union of nations has created a level of social, cultural, and political diversity unseen anywhere else in New Eden.
History
The Gallente’s habit for progressive government and constant reform has resulted in the different eras of Federation politics being grouped by academics into so-called ‘Unions’.
First Union
The First Union is synonymous with the founding of the Gallente Federation in 23121AD. The union was designed to cultivate interplanetary trade and space development as the sole representative body of humanity, created as a replacement of the various diplomatic agreements that had existed for several centuries prior. The founding members were the nations of the Gallente, Caldari, Intaki, and Mannar homeworlds, signing the treaty known as the Federal Charter. Other members would join over time (such as the Achura), but would lack the size or influence of the founding races.
This incarnation of the Federation was very loose in structure, acting as a supraplanetary colonial alliance that was mostly concerned with interstellar economic affairs and trade, though it would operate a as a peacekeeping armada. Post-nationalism and post-racialism were two of its founding principles, and thus the Federation did not regard itself as a nation in the traditional sense (given contact with the Amarr Empire had yet to be established). At this time, the government was composed only of a Senate, with representatives appointed by the Federation’s member governments. Internally, Senators would elect a President from their ranks, who would be able to exhibit some executive powers.
Second Union
The Second Union came about not long after the invention of Faster Than Light Communication in 23146AD. The establishment of FTL relays across the Federation allowed popular democracy to take place at an interstellar level, which was previously considered a logistical impossibility. Eventually, the Federal Charter was amended so that voting by universal suffrage would elect one-third of the members of the Federation Senate, rising to half within the following years.
The creation of a Luminaire-dominated interstellar media network would cultivate the notion of ‘human rights’ across the member planets of the Federation. Member nations would often bypass the Federal government to sanction or penalize ‘unsavory’ states directly, as the Federation had no legal basis to intervene in planetary affairs. As this proved disharmonious, a Constitution was eventually created that would outline and protect the rights for every single citizen. The Federal Charter was amended to recognize the treaty to be binding across all member nations.
Many academics consider the Second Union to be the first step to the Federation taking on the concept of traditional nationhood, something that was previously considered outdated and anachronistic by many. The Constitution’s use of the term ‘Federation citizen’ for the first time pointed to this notion.
Third Union
After the departure of the Caldari from Luminaire in 23156AD following the outbreak of the Gallente-Caldari War, the Federation underwent a series of reforms to prevent a further political calamity from occurring a second time. In order to avoid future divisions, a standardized system of democracy implemented at the interstellar level would be see as one of the means to this ideal, deemphasizing the focus on nations using the Federation as a forum to compete against one another.
The Third Union created the modern day three pillar system, composed of an executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Each would have clear separation of powers to prevent totalitarian forces from wrestling control of the government. Rather than being elected from the Senate, the President would occupy a separate executive branch, as the nominal head of the newly-established Federal Administration. Every Federation citizen past the age of suffrage would be entitled to vote for the President every five years. The Senate would occupy the legislative branch, now fully elected (again every five years) rather than half of the chamber being appointed by member nations. Finally, the judicial branch was composed of a Supreme Court, which would protect and uphold the Federation Charter and Constitution.
Districts were also created as a product of the Third Union, in response to protests from colonies of the Federation member nations that did not have representation in the Senate. Member nations were no longer permitted to operate colonies outside of their home constellation, effectively granting these vassal territories full independence from their motherlands. Instead, newly-created districts (each taking up a constellation for the most part) would be granted its own parliament and court for the member states to consolidate under. Member states could use these Federation-recognized districts to deal with local issues and advise the Senate as a collective entity.
Rather than representing their home countries, Senators would now represent districts instead. It was to be emphasized that politicians at the Federation level were to be representatives of the people regardless of member state. Signatory nations would now use their district parliaments rather than the Federation as localized interstellar forums.
Further appeasement came with the granting of certain member states the power of ‘opt-out’, which allowed territories to refuse to take part in elements of the Federation’s laws. Some considered this to be a knee-jerk and paranoid response to possible union instabilities, even unjust as citizens from opted-out territories could still vote in Federation elections yet not be subject to all its laws. Member nations in the Luminaire and Intaki solar systems would have the most opt-outs. The Jin-Mei nation would be granted opt-outs to protect its caste system when it joined the Federation in 23174AD.
Fourth Union
The Fourth Union emerged following the social, cultural, and political shocks of encountering the Amarr Empire in 23180AD. No longer the sole interstellar civilization of humanity in known space, doubts were raised amongst its members, considering the possibility that subscribing to democracy was not a compulsory requirement for ascending into the stars. Reforms would be undertaken to maintain unity in the face of the Amarr.
A movement emerged, concerned with reviving the once-discarded concepts of nationhood to implement across the entire Federation. Portions of this movement emphasized the Federation as a “nation of nations” (rather than just an alliance), while other segments focused more on individuals. Federal citizens came to regard the Empire as a corrupt, oppressive tyranny eager to stamp out other cultures, and that only through slavery and heavy-handedness had it emerged so large. In some circles, the Federation would still be seen as the only representative of human civilization, with the Amarr Empire deemed as enemies of mankind altogether.
Through this movement, the Senate passed a series of laws in order to appear as a more cohesive entity before the Amarr Empire. A system of general taxation would be introduced (prior to this, founder nation funding and trade tariffs were the primary sources of Federal revenue). Though the introduction of taxation was immensely unpopular at first, member state funding was abolished, resulting in lowered local taxes. This meant that the average citizen would pay no more than they usually would, ultimately quelling protests. Trade tariffs were lowered, stimulating further trade between Federation members.
The new laws would generally limit and curb the spacefaring powers of planetary nations somewhat, with the exclusion of those in the home systems. Member state militaries no longer being able to operate beyond their respective nation’s boundaries was one notable law. Smaller protocols were introduced, such as starship licenses granted by planetside bodies no longer being recognized, only documentation given to space captains by the Federation. To enforce the new laws and protocols, an interstellar gendarmerie known as the Federal Police was created, taking the best of the best from local planetary and system law enforcement agencies. FedPol (alternatively the more colloquial ‘Gallente Police Department’, or GPD) fell under the judicial branch, becoming the enforcer of the new ‘Federal Law’ that was emerging.
Fifth Union
The Fifth Union started with the founding of CONCORD in 23233AD, and became further realized after peace was signed with the Caldari in YC12. The creation of an international system where the Federation was just one of five major nations saw the union take a different approach to decades prior, focusing more on internal affairs rather than stellar expansion.
As territorial expansion of the major factions had effectively halted in the wake of CONCORD’s founding, the Federation looked to developing large tracts of its space that had been ignored up until this point. Eventually, the groundwork for a welfare program would be laid out, where the Federation government would start handing out financial aid to planetary governments or individuals to assist in local development or alleviate poverty. The end of the war and the subsequent slashing of the military budget gave the Federal government plenty of capital to invest in development projects across its territories, and generally work to improve quality of living for the first time.
Successors of President Aidonis Elabon failed to live up to the high standard that he had set. Presidents in this era became puppets of the various political alliances working behind the scenes, and while most acted independently, they always did so within the strict framework set by these groups. As a result, they became perceived as weaklings who could not think or act for themselves, frequently brow-beaten by the Senate. Instead, it was the Senate that began to see itself as the true leader of the Federation.
The atomization of Federal politics between hundreds of Senators resulted in lobbyist factions pushing through the use of electronic referenda to utilize public opinion, believing in a more open democracy for all. However, the negligible interaction an everyday citizen has with the Federation combined with the fact the central government primarily legislates on spaceside affairs would result in extremely low turnouts for these referenda, averaging around 10% each time.
The Fifth Union’s focus on social and planetary development would see a political alliance called the Social Democrats (or Sociocrats) emerge as the main political force in the Federation for that time. The Sociocrats advocate social equality on all levels, believing that the Federal government’s highest priority is to aid underdeveloped member worlds and those in the lower stratas of the Gallente societies. This came at the cost of planetary autonomy and the more laissez-faire approaches of the Federation. Towards the end of the Fifth Union, the welfare system would break down when supporting it became uneconomical, especially when corrupt planetary governments would hoard the aid for themselves rather than distribute it to their constituents. Over time, the more individualistic-focused Progressors would become the largest alliance, slightly ahead of the Sociocrats.
Sixth Union
The Sixth Union began with the election of President Souro Foiritan in YC103. The era would be characterized by the rise of big personalities amongst the Federal government and the significant increase of member autonomy previously curbed under the Sociocrats. It also saw the creation of the constitutionally questionable Black Eagles.
Although President Souro Foiritan was elected as a Progressor in YC103, his first action was to expel his main competitors from the alliance, and subsequently distance himself from the faction in following years. The President did not intend to be a puppet of the alliances, and proceeded to overturn the popular perception that the Senate were the true leaders of the Federation by using his charisma and shrewd intelligence. Not since Aidonis Elabon a century ago had a big personality arisen in Gallente politics, causing Souro Foiritan to be one of the most popular Presidents in Federation history.
To counterbalance President Foiritan’s charisma, Head Senator Mentas Blaque would rise as his main rival. The Senate as a whole, in order to compete and contrast with Foiritan’s populism, became a champion of megacorporate and entrenched interests for its main source of support. This would turn Federation politics into a spectacle of competing personalities and ideologies. However, the massive increases of member and citizen autonomy under President Foiritan meant that such trends on the Federal stage would rarely affect the average citizen. The Supreme Court, as the impartial arbiter of the Federation, would regularly intervene to prevent the spectacle from threatening the core principles of the union.
One major constitutional change pushed through by Souro Foiritan was that Presidents can now be elected for a maximum of two terms. It was widely considered that a single five-year term rule was an outdated concept in the contemporary era, and was simply not long enough for a President to have any lasting effects on the massive bureaucracy the Federation had become.
President Jacus Roden, elected in YC111, would be another so-called big personality President, though he is considered much more of a pragmatist than a populist. He would continue the trend of the previous administration to increase citizen and member autonomy, while using the Black Eagles to defactionalize the Federal government and serve as an intervention force. The spectacle that had defined Federation politics in previous years has been subsiding through Roden’s policy of tightening control of the executive and legislative branches, castrating the power of alliances and politically eliminating any other potential ‘big personalities’.
Jacus Roden’s extensive knowledge of Federal Law means that the President has been able to work his way around the system to avoid the Supreme Court intervening to declare his methods as illegal or unlawful. Indeed, one of President Roden’s key policies is to unite the three branches by eradicating the self-aggrandizing politics of the previous administration. Many critics point out that it is an irony that the Federation could only remain solvent in the face of record levels of freedom and autonomy (almost equal and in some parts exceeding First Union standards) thanks to the existence of the Black Eagles, who seem ever ready to remove destabilizing elements who would exploit their newfound liberties.
Treaties
The core of the Federation is its Charter, and its Constitution to a slightly lesser extent. Unlike other empires, power in the Federation ascends from the bottom, rather than being dictated top down. Thus, if all signatories withdrew from the Charter, then the Federation would cease to exist, at least in theory. On the other hand, as the Constitution identifies individuals existing as citizens of the Federation independent of its member states, the solvency of the union is a unique question amongst academics.
Federation Charter
The Federation Charter is the founding document of the union. It stipulates the creation of an interstellar alliance of nations, planets and colonies for three main purposes;
- Regulation of free and fair trade between its signatories
- Facilitation of peaceful stellar expansion for its signatories
- Promotion of democratic governance amongst its signatories
The Charter outlines the powers and limitations of the Federation government, the rights of each member state, and the expectations of each signatory. There are three core requirements of joining the Federation, outlined by the Charter. The first is that the economy of a member state must not be closed to free trade with other signatories. The second is that the government of a member state must be democratic, with regular elections and universal suffrage. The third requirement was added later with the introduction of a Constitution, stipulating that the society of a member state must respect and abide by the latter document’s articles.
Outside of these three core requirements, a member state is free to govern itself as it wishes, although Federal Law takes supremacy over local politics. This has given the territories of the Federation an unrivalled level of political diversity, to the point that the trappings of a government in Placid would be completely different to its counterpart in Solitude.
The benefits of Charter membership are many, though the two considered the most desirable is the opportunity to compete economically and the ability to exploit Federal representation for local benefit. Military and diplomatic protection is another major benefit for signatories less concerned with central participation.
Federation Constitution
The Constitution of the Federation was created some years after the invention of FTL communications. Although not a founding document, it is nonetheless binding for all member states and citizens to abide by. It stipulates that the Federation be founded on a system of semi-direct democracy, and on the values of equality, justice and freedom. The document is designed to be politically neutral and a human universal, independent of culture and history (though plenty do not deny it is simply an extension of ideas taken from Gallente Prime)
The Constitution has titles in the following order;
- Dignity: Human dignity is inviolable. Articles primarily concern the physical and mental integrity of the individual, and the outlawing of slavery.
- Freedom: Right to liberty. Includes right of (such as thought, identity, and religion), right to (such as education, privacy, and expression), and right from (such as persecution, censorship, and expulsion). Also covers the right to self-determination, notably including articles on territorial freedoms.
- Equality: Everyone is equal before the law. Enforces non-discrimination and respects cultural, religious, and linguistic diversity.
- Justice: Fairness and impartiality in the justice systems. Concerns the right to a free trial, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and that penalties must be proportionate to the offences committed.
- Solidarity: Freedoms of citizens within larger social structures. Protects the rights of workers, consumers, and families. Entitles citizens to social assistance and healthcare. Enforces environmental protection in the interests of social comfort.
- Citizenship: Right to political participation. Articles regarding the right to vote and stand as a political candidate, the right to good governance, the right to petition, and the freedom of movement and residence.
The Constitution also has a seventh title regarding the interpretation and application of the document. The Gallente, when proposing the creation of a constitution and having centuries worth of experience in democracy themselves, were fully aware of the issues with how such a document can be twisted for personal agendas. Because each citizen and politician interprets liberty in their own way, the Constitution is careful to ensure that the individual freedoms given by the Federation do not involve the freedom to oppress other individuals, which is a constant political and legal issue in the union. Articles in this section ensure that the constitutional freedoms cannot be abused, nor can they be disproportionately taken out of scope or context.
The existence of such a constitution is unique across the four empires. Its emphasis on the rights of the individual over the rights of governments is what attracts millions of immigrants to the Federation each year. Indeed, those who have spent any significant amount of time in the Federation (or outside of it) often reportedly begin to feel that the levels of freedoms provided by the Constitution makes the other empires appear irredeemably oppressive and totalitarian.
Members
The Federation is composed of tens of thousands of member states that are organized into 62 constellation-sized districts. Colonies, an important building block of the contemporary Federation, slot into this structure with their own set of liberties and laws. In addition to these two types of member territories, there are also special city-states called registered megalopoli, and territories that are under direct Federal control (known as FCTs). The member state is the first point of interaction and identification for the vast majority of citizens, with the Federation government having secondary or tertiary relevance at best, if one at all.
The member states are libertarian in nature, meaning they are expected to take full responsibility for all their own affairs, and are assumed to conduct themselves in a way that abides by and is not in direct violation of any interstellar protocols. The central Federation authority and other bodies are available to assist a member state in fulfilling these responsibilities (but only when remit is granted), or punish should they fail to live up to the standard. Outside of following democratic principles, the member states are proscribed no method of self-governance. While this has given member states a very large amount of freedom and diversity, it equally results in widespread divisiveness due to the political relativism present in the system. This has created a paradox where a member state's pursuit of freedom and security may undermine another's, or even the wider whole.
Signatories
The member signatories of the Federation compose the fundamental administrative makeup of the union. They are smaller nations that have agreed to abide by the laws and principles of the Charter and Constitution in exchange for the political, economic, and military benefits of Federation membership. In many ways, each member nation can be considered sovereign or independent insofar as its level of self-governance, although neither CONCORD nor the other empires recognize the constituent nations of the Federation to be independent. This comes despite the fact that member states can be extremely distinct from one another, having their own language, culture, and customs.
Territorial
Federation member signatories vary in size. There is generally a preference towards higher levels of territorial fragmentation in the Federation, as larger authorities suffer a negative stigma for being seen as homogenizing and bureaucratically cumbersome (thus perceived as authoritarian).
In relatively newer areas of the Federation, member nations are found as entire solar systems. This may involve a single planet that claims authority to the whole system and all colonies within it, to smaller nations that come together to form a single solar union. The smallest nations are found as individual territories on planets, from island-states to continental confederations. This is common in areas settled before the Federation’s founding, particularly on homeworlds such as Gallente Prime, Caldari Prime, and Intaki. These historical legacy states were founded centuries before the Federation, or even centuries before spaceflight in the case of a homeworld. They are not just found on the major homeworlds, and can be found as minor civilizations as well.
Other types of planetary nations are territories that declared their independence from a larger government (a practice which is mostly bloodless and protected by the Federal Charter). In many cases, worlds colonized by a single state can proceed to fragment into multiple territories once the planet has been settled and/or developed in full. If large enough, certain artificial habitats (in space or otherwise) can be categorized as member signatories.
Political
A Federation member state's government and political format must be democratic in some form or another. So long as a system abides by certain rules (eg. universal suffrage and regular elections), any type of government imaginable is permitted in the system. This gives member states the freedom to construct a government that reflects their indigenous culture. Ancient areas of Gallente Prime (or neo-classical Gallente nations elsewhere) can be constitutional or elective monarchies. Recently elevated civilizations can use a tribal parliamentary system. Future-minded communities may experiment with a digital form of government.
Trends indicate that the level of technology available to a member nation influences its execution of democracy. Advanced countries may use direct democracy or variations thereof (such as demarchy or consensus), while countries that aren’t as developed rely on representative forms of democracy. The level of education plays a similar role, with better-educated societies showing greater inclination to direct democracy. Either way, all are built on the assumption that each system is ultimately accountable to the people.
Diplomatic
Member states reserve the right to engage in diplomatic agreements with other members as well as the Federation itself. Travel and trade agreements are the most common, and there is generally little limitation on how member states can interact. Member states reserve the right to refuse any sort of outside presence in their borders, and are under no obligation to cooperate with one another or the central government whatsoever (assuming there is no breach of Federation treaties). A franchise system is used by member states to delegate out various responsibilities to outside bodies regarding the economic activities of their wider solar system, as it is generally considered that member states are too weak to engage in interstellar development on their own.
Even if member states have the power to theoretically defy central authorities outright, doing so can potentially sour relations with other signatories. Cooperation is encouraged in the name of promoting interstellar harmony. By tradition, it is assumed that if a member state is not interested in cooperating with their neighbors, then they would have not signed the Charter in the first place. The agreement to this collective goal is one element that keeps the Federation relatively cohesive. Isolationism is more than tolerated, so long as that member state does not attempt to impose itself on others.
Though most member states have their own armed forces, they are restricted from sending them beyond their designated territories unless they are a participant of the Federation Army. For interstellar defense, member states delegate out the Federation Navy or other reputable outfit. This does not come from any legal obligation, but more as a practice of tradition and habit.
Economic
Member states rely heavily on trade with one another for their economic affairs. All member states must be open to free and fair trade. A member state may specialize in one product to export, or rely completely on imports. Generally, there is a complex weave of economic interdependency across the member states, and it has been said numerous times that it is this particular reality that has kept the union cohesive in the face of the massive social and political divisions that characterize the Federation. Other member states may prefer to be self-sufficient, treating the Federation as nothing more than a trade organization. Member states who are economically influential (especially those found in a major home system) are notorious for being able to leverage greater rights than what traditions would typically allow.
Legal
The laws of a member state are their own, but they must not be in violation of Federal Law. Moreover, member states are expected to pass their own laws that reflect any legislation made by the Federation government. This enhances the perception of a member state's freedom, as they are able to implement the Federation's wide-sweeping legislation in forms that are compatible with the culture and society of their jurisdiction. This has given the reputation of the Federation government being a very distant entity; even if the majority of a member state's laws are derived from higher authorities, they will appear to be a product of the local government. Member states who fail to abide by Federal Law are either fined or placed under economic sanction, though they can appeal to the Supreme Court in such instances.
A certain number of member states are designated as having the power of opt-out by the Federation government. This means that these signatories can refuse to take part in any aspects of the Federation’s laws. This is highly controversial for a number of reasons, as citizens from opt-out territories can still vote in Federation elections, leading to criticisms regarding political inequality. Opt-outs are deemed as necessary for appeasing nations who do not perceive themselves as compatible with the Federation, yet their continued membership is seen as critical to the union’s wellbeing.
The most notable example of a signatory with the power of opt-out is the nation of Jin-Mei. The Jin-Mei are regarded as key financial players in the Federation yet have opted-out of clauses that compromise their caste system. Other signatories with the most opt-outs reside mainly in the Luminaire and Intaki solar systems. Special ruling can override an opt-out in theory, but the severe and potentially fatal backlash this would cause means this has never been done in Federation history.
Colonies
The member colonies of the Federation are considered one of the union’s main building blocks. Many Federation signatories were once colonies that acquired independence to become a nation unto itself. Colonies fall under various different administrations depending on who they have been established by and where they have been founded. The largest and most successful colonies tend to be those settled by member states themselves, followed by corporate settlements.
As all colonies must be democratic, a colonial government is typically composed of an elected director and their staff. As the size of the colony expands, more advanced government trappings may be adopted. Their administrative style and format tend to follow the mother culture of the colony.
Government and Corporate Colonies
Colonies established by member states have various rights entitled to them by the Federal Charter. Their mother nation is expected to take care of military protection and ensure that the rights of these colonists are identical to the citizens living back home. If a colony and/or its citizens feel it is not being taken care of by its home country, it can protest to the local district court or the Federal Supreme Court with its grievances.
Corporations who wish to establish a colony typically have to acquire permission to do so from the nearest authority, either a member state or district government. Colonies established beyond the borders of the Federation who desire political representation and/or association are accountable solely to Federal Law.
Independent Colonies
Independent colonies established by non-governmental and non-corporate groups or individuals can exist in unclaimed areas, particularly in so-called ‘unorganized systems’(where no member states reside). They may peripherally tie themselves to or freely associate with a member state elsewhere (through trade or paying taxes for example) in exchange for political representation and/or other benefits. Many of these independent colonies forgo paying taxes altogether, thus lacking any political representation. These types of colonies can be controversial in the Federation, particularly settlements established by immigrant groups (such as Minmatar clans or former Amarr slaves). Local laws and opinions on them vary greatly.
Founding colonies in areas already inhabited by previously unknown indigenous groups (such as planetary tribes) is a problematic practice in the Federation. Unlike other empires, the Federation considers all individuals on its planets as entitled to citizenship by default, especially individuals who have always resided on a world. Nonetheless, long legal battles have been conducted by colonists who feel their rights as frontierspeople are greater than those of ‘uncivilized’ birth. No clear law has emerged on this practice.
Capsuleer Colonies
A new development as of YC112, colonies run by independent capsuleers in the Federation are founded by negotiating with the local member state (or district in the case of an unorganized system), either by the capsuleer personally or a representative. They may be staffed by local citizens. In instances when the affected authority is unhappy with the colony’s establishment (even with the ISK involved in the equation), the colony would be inhabited by drones and/or off-worlders instead.
There are reports of independent capsuleers threatening member states reluctant to allow capsuleer operations in their borders with orbital bombardment. The Federation has since gone out of its way to remind its signatories that these attempts at coercions are bluffs, and that the sovereignty of a member planet is not at the dictat of independent capsuleers.
Ascension
Once a colony reaches a certain size, it can apply to the Federal Administration to become a full member signatory of the Charter. A colony must consider whether the benefits of becoming a full Federation member outweigh the downsides. Often, a home nation or its controlling corporation may not want to relinquish authority of their colony vassal for various economic or political reasons, and frequently attempt to do everything in its power to prevent the colony from ascending to full membership. Capsuleer colonies are unlikely to ascend at this present time, due to the fact that few have been founded with any sense of permanency. This is the main process that previously uninhabited areas of the Federation have achieved full political franchise and representation.
Registered Megalopoli
A registered megalopolis is a special planetside city that is entitled to autonomy independent of the district and member state it is enclaved by. Effectively city-states that wield enough economic and political influence that rival entire solar systems, many registered megalopoli are considered microcosms of the wider Federation. These cities are highly cosmopolitan, well-travelled, and well-integrated with New Eden’s economy.
Registered megapoli universally use a three branch system, composed of a mayor, city council, and local court. They are also counted as a sub-district, granting it a single seat on the Federation Senate. Becoming a registered megalopolis is no easy feat, and it is possible for the Federation to revoke the prestigious status if the city does not live up to the standard expected.
Hueromont and Des Ponticelles are two of the most well-known registered megalopoli in the Federation, having never lost the status. Although Caille is far more of a major political and economic player than these two cities, it has never submitted itself to become a registered megapolis, preferring to remain the capital of its ancient Garoun state.
FCTs
Federally-Controlled Territories (or FCTs) are under the direct control of the Federation government. The capitals of the Federation are FCTs, as well as the Gallente Border Zone constellation. Smaller FCTs exist across Federation space, mostly military bases or prisons. The Federation must negotiate to establish an FCT in a territory already under the control of another authority. In the case of the capitals, the Federation often devolves powers to smaller areas for the purposes of bureaucratic ease. Unlike the rest of the Federation, these powers are not protected, and can be revoked by the central government at any time.
Branches
The responsibilities of the central Federation government, or FedGov, are the following;
- Representation of all Federation nations and citizens to non-signatories
- Maintenance of the union's cohesion for the benefit of all Federation participants
- Promotion of the articles present in the Federation's founding treaties
Effectively, FedGov is an interstellar regulatory body that binds the union together by executing and upholding the values laid out in the Federation Charter and Constitution. It is made up of a three branch system composed of an executive, legislature, and judiciary, all with clear separation of powers. The intent of this system is to prevent one arm from gaining undue influence over the affairs of either the other two branches, the wider Federation, or both. There are as many as three capitals to symbolically emphasize this principle, although Villore IV (better known as Libertopolis) is the symbolic capital world.
The Federation government operates on a semi-direct or hybrid democratic system. The intent of this is to strike a balance between the flaws of both full direct and full representative systems, where the former may see the oppression of minorities by majorities, and the latter may result in an oligarchy that only superficially interacts with its constituents. While the Federal government has very rarely fallen to either extreme wholesale, it has exhibited tendencies in different areas to varying degrees occasionally throughout its history. While turnouts for public referenda at the Federal level is only 10% on average (which can throw the legitimacy of these votes into question), it is generally accepted that citizens who do participate are those who will be the most affected by the outcome.
Compared to the interstellar governments of other empires, the Federation government has no influence on the average citizen, at least not without going through many layers of separation. This is because FedGov's power is mostly military or economic in nature. While this ensures that individual and social freedoms are protected from off-world influence, it does mean that enforcement against violations of such may be lax. It is the member states who are entrusted with carrying forward the Federal government’s decisions to their respective citizens. The extremely light touch the Federation has on its citizens has resulted in the low rates of political participation at the interstellar level.
Executive
The President heads up the executive branch, which is primarily composed of his or her cabinet and the Federal Administration. Elections for the President run every five years, and can only be re-elected once. The executive branch is in charge of executing and implementing the law in the spirit of the Federation’s principles. The President is the Chief of Command of the Federation armed forces.
The Office of the President is located in the Federation executive capital of Ladistier, with auxiliary offices found in Parts. The flag of the President is represented by an eagle on a green background with a single diagonal stripe. The eagle stands for the citizen in both Gallente and Caldari cultures (albeit the citizen as a free individual in the former and the citizen as a part of the flock in the latter), while the green coloring is designed to represent moral integrity. The single stripe is a gesture of an oath.
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the President are the following;
- Execution of all the union’s laws and treaties in the spirit of the Federation’s founding principles
- Defense of all human life from both natural and man-made threats
- Ambassadorship of the Federation government on behalf of her participants to non-signatories
The President’s first responsibility of executing the law is mostly ceremonial, as it is the Federal Administration who do the day-to-day work. In this area, Presidents are seen as nothing more than a figurehead. The President will speak on behalf of the bureaucracy or the entire Federation government, with each cabinet member also filling the role of spokesperson for the respective policy department they head.
The second responsibility is unique in New Eden in the sense that a non-combatant is in ultimate control of one of New Eden’s largest militaries, where other empire forces are in control of a senior military figure (such as an [Empress]Emperor Family) or are otherwise a faction unto themselves (such as the Caldari Navy). Civilian oversight of the military is seen as key to preventing wartime atrocities taking place that are contradictory to the values of a liberal democracy. It is the President’s job to ensure that all branches of the Federation armed forces do not commit actions that would violate Gallente ideals, such as what occurred in the beginning of the Gallente-Caldari War, while still being able to lead them effectively against forces that would threaten the safety and security of the union.
The third responsibility of the President is serving as the face of the Federation to foreign entities. Although the Senate has certain diplomatic powers, the President is most frequently called upon to act as first ambassador to other factions, having the power to propose treaties with foreign empires to be approved by the legislature. Presidents have acted on their own in this regard, or have been at the whims of a Senate alliance.
Procedures
For the defense of the Federation from natural or man-made threats, the President heads the Federal Security Council. It is generally regarded as the highest and most powerful civilian body in the Federation despite no laws ever having identified it as such. The Security Council is made up of relevant cabinet officials, senior military officers, and chairpersons of relevant Senate committees. Representatives from member states either affected by or in need of military action are legally obliged to attend Security Council meetings and briefings (which can be open or closed door). Though the President has ultimate command of the military, they almost always deliberate with the Security Council, which can be dominated by specific personalities who are not the chief executive. This can result in very long responses to military flashpoints, far slower than the response times of other empires. For this reason, military commanders are trained to be able to act decisively and without executive support, while at the same time attempting to minimize any potential political fallout.
On the assumption that not all man-made threats can be dealt with in open channels, the Federal Intelligence Office is under the exclusive control of the President (albeit with some scrutiny from the Senate), giving the chief executive great powers beyond their more codified roles. The FIO is considered a controversial entity, sometimes seen as a private military force exclusively for executive interests. The other branches as well as the rest of the Federation merely tolerate the existence of the FIO as a necessary evil, trusting the President to act morally in protecting the union from the hidden threats within and without it. The FIO's foreign intelligence network is on par with the Jove, giving the President international sway.
The President has certain law-making powers. The President can pass Federal decisions known as executive orders, which pertain to particularly issues requiring central intervention. Presidents can also propose voluntary Federation-wide initiatives to member states. The President can propose legislation to the Senate, but takes no part in the deliberative process. All legislation proposed by the President goes to public vote by default, while Senate proposals can be forced to go to public vote by the executive. Senate bills can be vetoed by the President, on the assumption that the executive has either found the proposal to be unsuitable, or lacking in having gone through proper deliberation.
How freely a President utilizes their legislative power is heavily dependent on current traditions and their approval level. Presidents who are puppets of Senate alliances may be maneuvered to reflect the will of that faction. Only Presidents who are popular with the Federation public would dare to propose any legislation, as the outcome of the subsequent plebiscite will often reflect on their current popularity. The majority of Presidents have stuck to using their law-making powers only when it is absolutely necessary, although the more recent ‘hands-on’ chief executives such as Souro Foiritan and Jacus Roden have discarded these long-established traditions, at least temporarily.
Reputation
In many respects, the President can be considered the most powerful individual in New Eden. This is especially true when the President’s role of being seniormost ambassador of a diplomatically, culturally, and economically influential empire is combined with their command of New Eden’s second-largest armed force (which, in addition, has the greatest clusterwide presence), and their near-exclusive control over an extremely extensive interstellar intelligence network. As this mostly concerns perceptions of interstellar political and military power, the average citizen is unlikely to think a President to have any bearing over their everyday lives.
Outside of their codified responsibilities, the President is generally accepted to have influence in setting the impetus and direction for the rest of the Federation government, either on behalf of a Senate alliance or as an independent figurehead. Often times, the President will appear as an actor or actress playing the role of the kind, considerate and generous mother or father of the people, dispute the harsh factionalism beneath the surface.