Politics
The
People's Republic of San Huberto is a parliamentary representative democratic federal republic. Under the Constitution, the
President is both the head of state and head of government, as well as commander-in-chief. Typically, the
President is the leader of the largest party in the
Constitutional Assembly. The
President is elected by the
Constitutional Assembly and must maintain the confidence of the
Assembly in order to remain in office.
The Constitution of
San Huberto bans the formation of any party founded on a religious, linguistic, racial, sex, corporatist or regional basis, or violating the fundamental liberties, the fundamental values and components of the national identity, the national unity, the security and integrity of the national territory, the independence of the country and the People’s sovereignty, as well as the democratic and republican nature of the State.
Constitutional Assembly:The
Constitutional Assembly is the unicameral national legislature of San Huberto. It consists of exactly 120 members. Each of San Huberto's 12 Counties elects 10 representatives to this legislative body.
Parties in Government:Margravists: (Spanish:
Marquistas) Monarchists of various shades, (Constitutional, Absolutist, etc.) advocating for a restoration of the Margrave. This faction no longer exists openly; they either work underground, or are members of other parties, notably the
Falangists and
Constitutional Democrats.
Constitutional Democrats: (Spanish:
Demócratas Constitucionales) During the Margraviate, composed of Liberals from the propertied classes, the
Constitutional Democrats were the great party of
political reform. Following the abdication of the margrave in 1936, it was this party that released the “
Plan de Buenpueblo”, named for the settlement it was drafted in, that declared
San Huberto to be a republic with universal suffrage and a secular government. This provisional government was overthrown by antagonistic elements of the armed forces that same year. It is common sentiment within the party, that the republican revolution they began has been hijacked by the
Distributist Party. As
Distributists have focused more and more on
social/economic reform, the
Constitutional Democrats have grown more and more conservative.
Falangist Party: (Spanish:
Partido Falangista) Promoting strict national and social conservatism,
Falangists maintained absolute power over the country for nearly three decades, from 1936 to 1962. Following the abdication of the final margrave and the defeat of republican forces in 1936, military officers joined with sympathetic Catholic clergy and the then small
Falange Party, the former two taking up membership in the latter. The dictatorship presented its mission as "national reconstruction” and the creation of a “responsible government”. This junta dissolved the legislature and outlawed or suspended all political activities, exempting the
Falangist Party. Despite their overthrow in 1962, the party maintains a sizeable base of support among the older generations, and the middle and upper classes. More recently, representatives have been elected from this party with policies characterized as centre-right such as the privatization of state-run companies, closer relations with the Catholic Church and embracing free-market capitalism.
Distributist Party: (Spanish:
Partido Distributista) The
Distributist Party is the largest and most powerful political party in
San Huberto. Originally a revolutionary party of peasants, educated and rallied by radical Catholic priests in the countryside, the
Distributist Party proposed immediate proletarian insurrection, and seizure of the government to implement its ideology based on Catholic social teachings. The
Distributist Party has held uninterrupted power in the country for over 57 years from 1962 to present. After the previous
Falangist government was overthrown, the
Distributist Party was joined by many who had never been revolutionaries. Besides holding the Presidency of the Republic, until 1983 all members of the legislature belonged to the
Distributist Party, while all of the County Governors were also from the
Distributist Party until 1986. Among them there is, however, a wide difference of shades of political and economic opinion. Though unofficial, two distinct factions within the party are widely recognized:
- Radicals: The radical wing of the party, internationalists, and opposed to all coalition with the propertied classes yet unwilling to break loose from the more conservative elements of the Distributist Party. This wing includes all shades of socialists who believe that society must progress by natural evolution towards socialism, and that the working class must conquer political power first.
- Moderates: Numerically the larger group of Distributists, composed of cautious intellectuals, the leaders of the cooperative societies, and conservative peasants. Professing to be socialists, the moderates really support the interests of the petty bourgeoisie – clerks, shopkeepers, etc. The moderates are a nationalistic faction.
Other Notable Parties:United Social Democrats: (Spanish:
Socialdemócratas Unidos) Also called the “
Nueva Vida” (English:
New Life) group, from the name of the very influential newspaper which is its organ. A little group of intellectuals with a very small following among the working class, except the personal following of Maximiliano Siqueiros, its leader.
Riveristas: A very small and dwindling organization, composed almost entirely of the personal following of Salvador Rivera, one of the pioneers of the
Distributist movement in the 1960s, and its greatest theoretician; now an old man, Rivera is extremely patriotic, too conservative for the
Moderate Distributists.
Immediate Revolution Party: (Spanish:
Partido de Revolución Inmediata) An offshoot of the
Distributist Party during the revolution, when it was a powerful peasant movement, demanding immediate and total application of the
Distributist program. Now an insignificant group of peasant anarchists.
Partido Ecotopía: The Green Party of
San Huberto, chiefly an urban-ecology movement, concerned with a new approach to urban planning and a soft-energy path.
Communist Party: (Spanish:
Partido Comunista) Formerly the
Left Socialist Revolutionary Party (Spanish:
Partido Revolucionario Socialista de Izquierda), its members now call themselves the
Communist Party, in order to emphasize their complete separation from the tradition of moderate or parliamentary socialism, which dominates the
Radical Distributists. Supporting a dictatorship of the working class, the
Communist Party is largely seen as a mouthpiece for, and puppet of, the nearby
USR.
Legislative Procedure The “
Directorio” is the presiding committee of the
Constitutional Assembly, composed of representatives of the groups and political parties represented in the
Assembly, customarily the most senior among them, in proportion to their numbers, and headed by the
President. The
Directorio arranges the Order of Business, and its members can be called upon by the
President to take the chair
pro tem.
Each question is stated in a general way and then debated, and at the close of the debate resolutions are submitted by the different factions, and each one voted on separately. The Order of Business can be, and usually is, smashed to pieces within the first half hour. On the plea of “
¡emergencia!”, which the rest of the Assembly almost always grants, anyone from the floor can get up and say anything on subject. The delegates control the meeting, practically the only legislative functions of the
President being to keep order by banging on his desk, with a gavel traditionally, but really whatever is on hand (a book, a shoe, etc.) and to recognize speakers. Almost all the real work of the session is done in the caucuses of the different political parties and factions, which almost always cast their votes in a body and a represented by floor-leaders, these being more senior members and party lieutenants. The result is, however, that at every important new point, or vote, the session takes a recess to allow the different factions to hold a caucus.
Government Policy PositionsPolicies | Stance |
Drugs Law | Possession of controlled substances is criminalized with severe sentences |
Same Sex Marriage | Illegal |
Education | Schooling from ages 4-18 and standard national testing from 12-18 mandated by law, schools run as enterprises owned by their teaching staff or operated pro bono by the Archdiocese of San Huberto |
Property Ownership | Only citizens may own private property in San Huberto |
Voting | All citizens over the age of 18 |
Prostitution | Illegal |
Freedom of the Press | News stations have quotas for required "public service" broadcasting, media enterprises subjected to same regulations as other businesses |
Freedom of Movement | Border crossings manned by San Huberto's Defense Force, visas and passports presented to soldiers there. Marine and aerial entrances operated by local law enforcement, visas and passports presented to customs stations |
Abortion | Illegal, except in cases of rape or incest, or if the mother's life is threatened |
Health Care | Craddle-to-grave medical insurance |
Gun Laws | Semi-automatic Rifles (except .22) banned from civilian ownership, arms for hunting/sporting/defense are legal and registered at the municipal level |
Internet Neutrality | Net-neutrality mandated by law, websites based in USR are blocked |
Business Ownership | Businesses must be jointly owned by all employees/apprentices |
Marriage | Encouraged by the Government |