Third Constitution of Ryzan

Constitution of the Fourth Tsardom of Ryzan
We, the People of Ryzan:

United by our common history,

Dedicated to individual liberty, justice, and the rule of law;

Recognizing that a united, indivisible Ryzan belongs to all her peoples;

Desiring to live in peace with all nations;

Through our freely elected representatives, do adopt the following Constitution of the 4th Tsardom of Ryzan:

I. General Provisions
Article 1.

Ryzan is an independent, secular, and sovereign democratic republic wherein the supreme power of the state is vested in the people.

Article 2.

The name of our country shall be the Tsardom of Ryzan.

Article 3.

The capital of the Tsardom of Ryzan is Carthya City.

Article 4.

The current borders of Ryzan are inviolate, and Ryzani territory may not be given to any foreign power, either external or secessionist, without a two thirds absolute majority vote in the Duma in favor of said cession and the approval of the leader of the Freehold who would be losing territory. The approval of a Freehold leader may be overridden by a nine tenths absolute majority vote of the Duma.

II. The Duma
Article 5.

The legislative power shall be vested in the Duma.

Article 6.

The Duma shall be elected by secret ballot.

Article 7.

The Duma shall be elected for a term of four weeks.

Article 8.

Each Citizen of Ryzan shall be entitled to vote for the party of their choice.

Article 9.

Any party which receives at least three votes shall be entitled to representation in the Duma and shall receive a number of votes in the Duma equal to the number of votes it received in the national elections.

Article 10.

Each party may select any number of Delegates which may cast the votes of their party.

Article 11.

All delegates must be approved by the Crown.

Article 12.

The Duma shall establish its own rules of order.

Article 13.

The Duma shall make decisions by absolute majority of the votes received by each party.

Article 14.

The Duma shall have the power to ratify treaties.

Article 15.

The Duma may impeach the Tsar with a two thirds absolute majority vote, and a concurrent two thirds absolute majority vote from the Council of Freeholds.

III. The President
Article 16.

The executive power shall be vested in the President.

Article 17.

The President is elected by the citizens of Ryzan in elections running concurrent with the Duma’s. Their term expires when a new Duma is seated.

Article 18.

The Duma may by a two thirds absolute majority vote to impeach the President and remove them from office under the grounds of treason, bribery, or other high crimes.

Article 19.

The President shall represent Ryzan in international relations; receives ambassadors and appoints Ryzani ambassadors to be approved by the Crown; and sign treaties with foreign powers.

Article 20.

The President is the supreme commander of the Armed Forces of the Tsardom of Ryzan.

Article 21.

The President may delegate any of their powers as they see fit.

IV. The Prime Minister
Article 22.

The Prime Minister acts in place of the President during the latter’s absence and is President of the Duma, where they may only cast tie-breaking votes.

Article 23.

The Prime Minister is appointed by the Duma concurrent to the Presidential elections.

Article 24.

If the Prime Minister is unavailable for the session, the party with the most seats in the Duma may select their party leader as the Acting Prime Minister for the duration of the Duma session.

V. The Cabinet
Article 25.

The Cabinet shall be composed of the President and Ministers chosen by the President.

Article 26.

The number of Ministries and their respective responsibilities is determined by the President.

Article 27.

If the existence of the Tsardom is seriously threatened by an internal or external emergency, the Cabinet may declare a State of Emergency.

VI. Judiciary
Article 28.

All criminal cases will be heard by a court, comprising a judge appointed by the President and a jury of at least three but no more than seven citizens of Ryzan randomly selected from those available. The number of jurors will always be odd.

Article 29.

Both the prosecution and the defense may dismiss one juror without cause. The judge may dismiss any number of jurors.

Article 30.

No juror so dismissed shall be re-selected to serve on the same jury unless no eligible jurors remain.

Article 31.

The jury shall deliver a verdict of guilty or not guilty. If the jury issues a verdict of guilty, the judge shall decide the sentence.

Article 32.

During a State of Emergency, any General Officer in the Armed Forces may act as both judge and jury.

VII. The Tsar and Tsarina
Article 33.

The Tsar or Tsarina is the head of state and the Crown of Ryzan.

Article 34.

The Crown moderates all elections within Ryzan.

Article 35.

The Crown approves or rejects proposed Delegates to the Duma from each elected party. The Tsar must seat at least one Delegate from each party.

Article 36.

The Crown can dissolve the Duma and call for the immediate emergency election of a new Duma. The Crown may not exercise this power within twenty-four hours of the Duma being seated.

Article 37.

The Crown is given the power to represent Ryzan abroad as an ambassador, and approves the ambassadors proposed by the President.

Article 38.

The Crown may veto all new legislation proposed by the Duma, in which case they must with a two thirds absolute majority vote to approve it again.

Article 39.

The Crown may give the title of Knight of the Tsardom to those the Crown sees deserving of it through meritorious action, and has the authority to give awards to units in the armed forces.

Article 40.

The Crown is an office dedicated to political stability, and may not be held at the same time as membership to any party.

Article 41.

The line of succession is based on primogeniture. All heirs to the Crown must be approved by the Duma prior to taking the Crown. If the Duma rejects an heir to the Crown, the Duma may choose a new Tsar or Tsarina to take it.

Article 42.

The Tsar or Tsarina may be removed from the Crown by a two thirds absolute majority vote in both the Duma and the Council of Freeholds.

VIII. The Council of Freeholds
Article 43.

The Council of Freeholds discusses Freehold issues, Freehold borders, by an absolute majority votes to approve or deny all amendments to the constitution, and by a two thirds absolute majority vote to remove the Tsar or Tsarina from the Crown with the consent of a two thirds absolute of the Duma.

Article 44.

Inter-Freehold disputes, if they cannot be settled by the leaders of the Freehold, are resolved by the Judiciary, not the Council of Freeholds.

Article 45.

Each Freehold is entitled to one delegate, selected by a method of their choosing, to the Council of Freeholds.

IX. Rights
Article 46.

No person shall be stripped of their life, liberty, property, or citizenship except as punishment for a crime.

Article 47.

No citizen shall be deprived of their right to vote.

Article 48.

The right of all persons to free worship, free speech, and free assembly shall not be restricted.

Article 49.

All people are equal before the law.

Article 50.

No person shall be forced or coerced into the admission of a crime during a criminal case.

Article 51.

Laws that violate the constitution are illegal to pass, and any citizen has the right to sue to repeal an unconstitutional law.

X. Miscellaneous
Article 52.

Amendments to this Constitution may be proposed by an absolute majority of the Duma and confirmed by an absolute majority of the Council of Freeholds, then passed by a national vote of the Ryzani people. The simple majority of the responses must be in favor for the amendment to pass.

Article 53.

No person shall simultaneously hold any two or more of the following offices:

(a) Tsar

(b) President

(c) Prime Minister

(d) Delegates

(e) Representative to the Council of Freeholds