Imperium

Imperium (IMP), also known as the Hegemonian Empire, is a confederation of 90 first-level entities that are primarily located in Central Arhet. The confederation has a total area of 13,982,120 km² (5.4 million sq mi) and an estimated total population of nearly 1.2 billion. It is governed as a constitutional monarchy with a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making.

As a confederation, Imperium is governed through eight independent, supranational and intergovernmental Hegemonian institutions: the Hegemonian Council, Epistalma, Senate, High Council, Hegemonian Court, Aerarium, Hegemonian Bank and the Hegemonian Military Council. The Hegemonian Council is seated alternatively between Arx Consularis (map) and Orei (map); while the Epistalma and the Senate are both seated in Magium (map), as they are closely related. The remaining six institutions are seated in Dicaearchus (map), Balisipo (map), Olisipo (map), Merkatos (map) and Lichas (map).

The elected emperor, as the Vicary of Magius Aeternus and the symbol of the unity of the Hegemonian peoples, is the ceremonial head of state. Prior to the current era, constitutional monarchy, Imperium's form of government evolved from an absolutist monarchy in the Ethereal Empire and Dominate, to an elective monarchy during the First and Second Electivate, where the emperor was elected by the High Council and eventually, also by the Senate. The Consules Plebeii, elected by the Senate, are the heads of government.

Etymology and terminology
The term Imperium comes from the Hegemonian language (the dominant language throughout its history), meaning "great power" and, by extension, "empire". By general convention, the version of early historian Fabius Musca is widely accepted as the term's etymology. Musca explains that the term is related to Magius Aeternus, as the "great power over the Hegemonian peoples", the first wielder of magic and his divine origin (being the twin of Zeus and protected by the goddess Rhea; and ascending to the Ether alive).

The adjective Aetherium, from the Hegemonian (meaning "ethereal, celestial, heavenly"), initially reinforced the idea that Imperium was governed by Magius Aeternus through his direct descendants, formally named as the Vicaries of Magius Aeternus and, most of them, also Hegemonian deities. The adjective fell into disuse following the accession to the throne of Titanius II in 221 CE, the first emperor without direct relation to Magius Aeternus and, consequently, losing the right to be a deity - as most of his predecessors were.

Following the proclamation of the First Electivate, the Icarian term ἡγεμονία (hēgemonía), meaning "rule, authority, political supremacy", emerged as synonym of Imperium and as demonym for the Hegemonian peoples, as explained by the 5th century historian Erichthonius: "the name was adopted due to Imperium's undeniable political, economic and military predominance over other countries".

Government and politics
Imperium is a confederation of 90 first-level entities, which is governed as a constitutional monarchy with a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making, and according to the principles of conferral (which says that it should act only within the limits of the competences conferred on it by Hegemonian law) and subsidiarity (which says that it should act only where an objective cannot be sufficiently achieved by the first-level entities acting independently). Laws made by the Hegemonian institutions are passed in a variety of forms. Generally speaking, they can be classified into two groups: those which come into force without the necessity for internal implementation measures (regulations) and those which specifically require internal implementation measures (directives). Hegemonian policy is generally promulgated by Hegemonian directives, which are then implemented in the domestic legislation of its first-level entities, and Hegemonian regulations, which are immediately enforceable in all first-level entities. Decisions can also be issued as part of the Hegemonian policy.

Governance
The emperor is the head of state of Imperium, as the symbol of the Hegemonian state and the unity of Hegemonian peoples, with his position deriving from his legitimacy as the Vicary of Magius Aeternus. As the emperor no longer personally sets public policy, governance is exercised through 8 independent, supranational and intergovernmental Hegemonian institutions. The Hegemonian Council is responsible for defining the political direction and priorities of Imperium and consists of the heads of government from the 90 first-level entities and the Consules Plebeii. The Consules Plebeii are the heads of government of Imperium and representatives of the Hegemonian Government, as well as the chairs of the Epistalma — the executive body of Imperium, responsible for implementing public policy concerning various issues and cooperating with the first-level governments.

The Senate and the High Council are the legislative bodies of Imperium, responsible for formulating, approving and ammending the Hegemonian law. The Senate consists of 952 senators, which are elected to represent their first-level entities at-large by the single transferable vote system; while the High Council consists of 360 members, which must be part of the Concilium Principum, Sapientium, Theurgarum and Hierophantarum. By convention, each of the 4 conciliums appoints one member from each first-level entity, through different procedures that are internally established by each concilium of the High Council. The Hegemonian Court is the judiciary of the Hegemonian Government, responsible for the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law, as well as cooperating with the procedures of first-level judiciaries. The Court is also responsible for resolving legal disputes between the first-level governments and any of the Hegemonian institutions. The Aerarium is the finance and supreme audit institution of Imperium, responsible for providing the budget, monitoring and providing control and accountability of public funds, reviewing the quality and accuracy of government financial reporting, and contributing to anti-corruption efforts within the Hegemonian Government and the first-level entities.

The Hegemonian Bank is the central bank of Imperium and the prime component of the Hegemonian System of Banks, consisting of two governing bodies: the Council of Censors and the Council of Masters. The Council of Censors is responsible for determining monetary policy for the 90 first-level entities, administering the foreign exchange and gold reserves of the first-level entities, engaging in foreign exchange operations, and defining the intermediate monetary objectives and key interest rate of Imperium. The Council of Masters enforces policies and decisions of the Council of Censors, and may direct the constituent banks when doing so; also, the Bank has the exclusive right to authorise the issuance of Argentus banknotes and coins. The Hegemonian Bank also operates some Hegemonian payments systems.

The Hegemonian Military Council is the governing body of Imperium's military, responsible for military operations concerning conscription, intelligence, homeland security, civil protection and defense of the first-level entities. The Council consists of the leaders of the Ministry of Soldiers, the Hegemonian Forces, the Gendarmerie and the Intelligence Force. For operational purposes, the Council is divided into three further governing bodies: the Council of the Soldiers, responsible for the operation of the Division of the Legions, Aeronautics and the Navy; the Council of the Gendarmerie, responsible for operation of the 90 components of the Hegemonian Gendarmerie; as well as the Administration of the Intelligence Force, responsible for the operation of the various intelligence agencies that constitute the Intelligence Force.

Legal system and justice


The constitutional framework of Imperium is based on a series of statutes. These first established the High Council and the Dominate system in 492, and then made amendments to those founding statutes. These are power-giving statutes which set broad policy goals and establish institutions with the necessary legal powers to implement those goals. These legal powers include the ability to enact legislation which can directly affect all provinces (as of 1720, known as first-level entities) and their inhabitants. Imperium has legal personality, with the right to sign agreements and international treaties on behalf of the first-level entities.

The most recent constitutional statute is the Reformatio Rei Publici, issued by the emperor Iulius II on 12 November 1720 with prior advice and consent of the Senate and High Council. It embodies the first-level entities as sovereign political entities, as well as the principles of conferral and subsidiarity, which required eight Hegemonian institutions exercising their duties through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making.

Hegemonian law
The Hegemonian law is the system of statutes and policies operating within the 90 first-level entities of Imperium. The main legal acts of Imperium come in four forms: regulations, directives, and decisions. The regulations become law in all first-level entities the moment they come into force, without the requirement for any implementing measures, and automatically override conflicting domestic provisions. The directives require first-level entities to achieve a certain result while leaving them discretion as to how to achieve the result. The details of how they are to be implemented are left to the first-level entities. When the time limit for implementing directives passes, they may, under certain conditions, have direct effect in first-level law against member states. The decisions offer an alternative to the two above modes of legislation. They are legal acts which only apply to specified individuals, companies or a particular first-level entity of Imperium. They are most often used in competition law, but are also frequently used for procedural or administrative matters within the institutions. Regulations, directives, and decisions are of equal legal value and apply without any formal hierarchy. They all can be issued by any Hegemonian institution, but require the advice and consent of the Senate and the High Council (the legislative bodies of Imperium) before being enforced in the first-level entities.

Legal framework and jurisdictions


As sovereign political entities, first-level entities have their own legal system and law enforcement jurisdictions, with their highest courts and audit institutions holding supremacy over the private law involving their citizens and jurisdiction to enact justice, as well as public law concerning their first-level governments and legislatures. The Hegemonian Court, one of the Hegemonian institutions, is not empowered as an appellate court (for private law) but to ensure the uniform application and interpretation of the Hegemonian law; i.e., it is the highest court concerning public law, overseeing the procedural rules concerning the Hegemonian law within the first-level entities, fundamentally the due process provided by the first-level judiciaries and law enforcement agencies. The Hegemonian Court is also solely responsible for public law involving the Hegemonian institutions and first-level entities, as well as sanctioning the Hegemonian institutions on behalf of individuals, companies and organizations whose rights has been infringed.

The Aerarium, another Hegemonian institution, is responsible for enforcing public law concerning finance and government spending. Therefore, the Aerarium provides the budget of the Hegemonian Government, the control and accountability of public funds, reviews the quality and accuracy of government financial reporting, and contributes to anti-corruption efforts within the Hegemonian Government and the first-level entities. As the Hegemonian Court, the Aerarium is the supreme audit institution concerning public law, overseeing economic policy and government spending of the first-level governments, generally enforced by the audit institutions of each first-level entity.

Military
The military of Imperium consists of 3 service branches: the Hegemonian Forces, the Hegemonian Gendarmerie and the Intelligence Force. The Hegemonian Forces are the main service branch, which are responsible for military offensives and conscription, as well as the defense of Imperium and its first-level entities. The Hegemonian Forces consist of the Division of the Legions (Classis Legionaria),  Division of Aeronautics (Classis Aëronautica) and  Division of the Navy (Classis Navalis). The Hegemonian Gendarmerie is the collective of military forces responsible for the internal security of each first-level entity (collectively, the homeland security of Imperium). The Hegemonian Inteligence Force is the collective of the intelligence agencies, domestic security agencies, and the military intelligence forces responsible for intelligence activities and supporting the foreign policy, internal security and defense of Imperium. These main service branches are supported by law enforcement agencies from the first-level entities and analysis offices from the Epistalma and other Hegemonian institutions.



Every Hegemonian is drafted into the military at the age of 16, for a compulsory one-year service. After conscription ends, they are granted citizenship and decide whether to remain in or leave the military service, as stated by the principle of "freedom is based on service". Hegemonian law provide exceptions to conscription, including including any physical disability or psychological disorder that may affect military performance; as well as other temporary exemptions, that only delay the entrance to the military service. The unjustified evasion of conscription is penalized in every first-level entity with the ban of citizenship; and may imply exile, ban of public services or death penalty, depending on the existing laws of each first-level entity.

Foreign relations
Imperium is widely considered a global superpower, as the largest and strongest military, economy and magical sovereign state; additionally, its political system is considered as one of the most solid and democratic in the world.