Imperial Senate

Overview

The Imperial Senate is the legislative body for the Empire. The Senate is a representative chamber; each territory in the Empire selects a single senator according to the customs of that nation. The Senate has a wide range of political powers which makes senators some of the most powerful political individuals in the Empire.

The Senate is responsible for passing new laws, authorizing expenditure by the Imperial Coffers and the power of appointment for many Imperial positions up to and including The Throne.

Role within the Empire

The Imperial Senate consider and vote on procedural measures - these are vital policy decisions required for the administration of the Empire. They authorize expenditure and are responsible for appointing individuals to Imperial positions, up to and including The Throne. It is the responsibility of the Senate to pass declarations of war and also to end a state of warfare. Any changes to the Imperial Law must be approved by the Senate; changes which have constitutional implications also require ratification by The Throne.

Entry Requirements

A single senator is appointed by each territory in the Empire. To be eligible to return a senator, the majority of the territory must be under Imperial control. If more than half of a territory is controlled by barbarians or foreign powers, then it cannot be represented in the Senate.

A territory must be part of one of the nine nations that makes up the Empire. When new territories are captured, they are allocated to a nation by majority vote of the Senate. A territory may only return a senator who is recognized as a member of that nation by the nation's egregore.

Each naton has a traditional mechanism to return a senator for a territory. Usually, but not always, the ability to directly influence the choice is limited to those who dwell in the territory. The Imperial Civil Service are responsible for overseeing the appointment processes for senators and do their utmost to ensure due process is followed. When a new territory is assigned to a nation, the Imperial Civil Service consult the egregore of that nation to determine how the senator for the territory will be selected.

History

The Senate structure comes from the traditions of the Winterfolk. It was created at the start of the Empire to give all particpating nations a voice within the political structures of the Empire and to ensure their control over the laws that governed them. It is broadly the same as it was when established, although some minor tweaks have been made constitutionally to increase the power of the Senate in the time of a weak Throne and some traditions in procedure have grown over the ages.

Structure and Dynamics

Functionaries from the Civil Service are responsible for maintaining civil debate and procedure within the chamber.

All motions, of whatever type, to be placed before the Senate are to be passed to the Speaker of the Chamber, who is appointed for each session from the available Iron Voices, before the session begins.

Each motion is announced by the Speaker with the name of who has proposed it and that proposing Senator may then speak on the motion. There follows a short debate, and then a vote.

Any Imperial Citizen is allowed to enter the Senate but those who are neither Senators nor civil servants are expected to remain silent and observe.

Powers and Functions

• Creation and amendment of Imperial Law, by majority vote.
• Amendment of the Imperial Constitution, by majority vote of every nation’s senators (absent senators count as NO votes).
• Declaration of War by assignment of Foreign Nation and Barbarian status of external nations.
• Such powers of the Throne as fall to the Senate if the Throne is vacant.

Children and the Senate

Children are often used as messengers in the Senate.

It is also common for those who near their tests of citizenship, and can do so, to attend a session or two to see their government in action and decide if they have political ambition.