Some background information for my sci-fi YA series Terminus…
The Great Alliance is a democratic republic representing 65 worlds. Its leaders are elected, though the highest office of Majestrix retains some traditions from the old monarchy. The Majestrix wears a diadem as a symbol of office and must be a woman. If her daughter is of age and a graduate of the Diplomatic Academy, she is titled the Heir to the Majestrix and will stand in if her mother is incapacitated or killed until an emergency election can be held. The Majesterial election is held every five years as a popular vote amongst all constituents of the GA. The Majestrix can be impeached by a Vote of No Confidence with a two thirds majority of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly is a bicameral legislature comprised of the Somontran Senate and the House of Representatives. There are a total of 194 seats; 50 for the Senate representing the 7 worlds of Capital Sector and 144 for the House representing the 58 Mandates in the other Sectors. The Senate, and thus Capital Sector and the worlds comprising the former Somontran Republic, have disproportionate representation.
The Somontrans are the oldest and most advanced race in the Great Alliance. They were the primary force responsible for the defeat of the Empire and the creation of the new government three centuries ago, and so stacked the deck in their favor. The other member worlds were dependent upon them and reluctantly agreed. It is a common point of friction between the two sides.
House seats are determined by population size amongst the Mandates. The most populace worlds get 4 seats while the smallest only get 1. The Capital worlds get many more; Parid, the capital planet, gets 12.
Political parties are concentrated in certain geographic areas. The mainstream Conservative Party is dominant in Capital Sector and the more affluent worlds in Core and Blue Sectors. The Liberals are in less affluent Mandates in Core, Blue, and Rim Sectors. The Centrists are almost entire based in Sov Sector where they hold a near complete monopoly.
The Majestrix is elected by the people and seats her Cabinet. The top tier Cabinet positions are Director of Defense (military), Director of State (diplomacy), Director of Security Affairs (intelligence), and Director of Justice (police and judiciary). In Somontran and thus GA society, Cabinet Directors are more concerned with direct participation and public appearances than procedural work. Directors regularly enter dangerous combat situations while their support staff does the actual work. Policemen are referred to as Justice Officers or “Joes” and fall under the jurisdiction of the Office of Justice. The military has two branches, the Navy and the Marines. Combat is fought by ships and small teams of Royal soldiers, not by large standing armies numbering in the millions.
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