Selidoar

The Free City of Selidoar, informally known as Selidoar, was a country located in Central Syltor in the world of Rathnir. It was a multi-party semi-democratic City Council system under a Strong Director and a free market economy with corporate representation in government. It was last led by Aleksander Deitsch before dissolving into Ryvenate of Ryzan.

The country was one of the first in a long line of Azcorian states, being the original and first official. The Selidoarian culture and people are generally the precurser to the larger Azcorian culture. Selidoar would be a nation focused on banking and trade between the great powers of Syltor at the time, which would lead to the massive economic progress of the nation. The Free City would be the ignition for the massive and modern Azcorian culture which dominates a large region of Eldham.

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Flight from Cymru
In the dawn of Rathnir, small-scale settlements of Selidoarian peoples existed in the central plains region of Cymru. These settlements helped facilitate the first regional trade routes and supported the economic development of the native populations and new settlers. Selidoarians co-existed with other regional tribes, yet they were forced out of Cymru following the destruction of multiple villages by bandits. A makeshift fleet was created and the last of the Selidoarian people fled to the sea in search of a new life. This exodus was faced with famine, desertion, and the constant threat of violence. These ships finally landed on the coast of Ryzan in the Sea of Volkore, causing an immigration crisis for the Ryzani government.

Treaty of Volkoregrod
With Selidoarians settling in an underdeveloped and unpopulated plains region near the Ryzani cities of Volkoregrod and Bjornsull, Selidoarian leading figures such as an aging Maximillian Deitsch came into contact with regional leading powers. These groups included the governments of Aurlunor, Ryzan, and Bardonia. A treaty was signed between Ryzan and Aurlunor to create a Selidoarian settled “Free City” to facilitate trade across the Sea of Volkore and to bring the major powers together on trading agreements. This treaty gave the Selidoarian refugees a land they could call their own, and Selidoarians began to prepare their own official government.

Establishment of a Selidoarian State
Selidoarian leading figures met and decided on a constitution that would maintain stability, improve business cooperation, and give concessions to public representation. The city would have no official military force to make it a haven for businesses, but would maintain a police force to keep the peace. The city would also establish a city council based government under an appointed director that would be given strong powers. While Selidoarian builders began developing the city streets, houses, and infrastructure, a referendum would be held on the passage of the constitution. The referendum would pass 80-20, and small direct elections to necessary positions would be held. These positions would include a transitional police chief, a senate representative to Ryzan and Aurlunor, and two city council positions. Two parties would participate, the left-wing Selidoar Workers United Front, and the right-wing Selidoarian National Alliance. The National Alliance would win a seat in the city council, the position of police chief, the position of senate representative, while the United Front would win the other seat in the city council. Independence was achieved for Selidoar, and the nation began inviting businesses to take up shop.

Governing Systems
Selidoarian National Bank (SNB)

Selidoar established itself as an incredibly free-market trading area with little taxes and little restrictions on business growth. This made Selidoar incredibly enticing to startup companies. Selidoar would handle its market affairs through the establishment of the Selidoarian National Bank (SNB) which would have a chairman appointed by the city council every rotation. The SNB would handle trade, finance, and economic investment/growth in the city. The SNB would have incredible influence and autonomy over monetary policy and was considered the national elite.

Selidoarian Union of Trade and Business Councils (SUTBC)

The SUTBC was established as a government associated political and financial organization that would bring business groups and trade councils representation in the city council through providing the organization 25% of the seats in any given city council election. The SUTBC was established as a permanent organization which would influence foreign businesses to remain on track with Selidoarian fiscal policy. The SUTBC would become extremely influential and supportive of the Selidoarian government and continued economic growth during Selidoar’s existence.

National Democratic Representation System

The City Council of the Free City was given a unique seat apportionment system meant to appease all sides of the ideological line. Its seat distribution was given out in a way that 65% of the seats would be directly elected by the public, giving them a majority of the influence in the council. To appeal to the businesses, 25% of the seats would be apportioned to the SUTBC, providing representation to the domestic corporations. To maintain stability and keep a majority, the Director is given the last 10% of the seats to his own personal selection. Universal suffrage was allowed, and parties of all ideologies were allowed to run.

Regions of Selidoar
Selidoar City

Selidoar City was the administrative center of Selidoar, and the home of the majority of the government buildings, financial institutions, domestic businesses, corporate offices, and the police academy. Selidoar City held around 25% of the total population, and was made up of the upper classes, government bureaucrats, and foreign corporations and diplomats. Selidoar City was in the direct center of the Free City’s territory, and is the capital. This region would on average vote 60% with the Pro-Establishment, 25% with the Pro-Democracy, and 15% with the Pro-Doasterrock camps respectively in LegCo elections. The region was politically fine with the state of things considering its relative wealth within the country.

Volkerstaate Hafen

Volkerstaate Hafen is the home of the more industrialized and market sector of the city. The region was called “Volkers” by locals. The area is more influenced by trade and outside ideals, as it was the connection Selidoar had to the Sea of Volkore. Volkerstaate had the majority of the city's seaside property, and was home to a number of bars and libraries. The region was on the east, and was directly bordering Volkoregrod. Volkerstaate held around 35% of the city's total population. The Selidoarians translated parts of old Volkoregrod signs to turn it into Volkerstaate-Hafen. The region would on average vote 20% for Pro-Establishment, 50% with Pro-Doasterrock, and 30% with the Pro-Democracy camps respectively in LegCo elections. High support for the Doasterrock camp arose from discomfort at the closeness of Ryzani settlements, Horan’s residence in the region, the region being more religious than other sections of the city, and it being a haven for the Hands and their influence.

Westaadegrünes

The region of Westaadegrünes, or just “West Greens” to locals, was the residential and naturally influenced west region of the Free City. This residential area held around 40% of the city's total population, being the region containing the highest population. The area was home to a sprawling middle-class and educated citizenry. This region was generally more expensive to live in, considering the property was more spacious and the area was physically more clean and beautiful. The citizens here would have a variety of skilled jobs, and many would be small business owners. The region would vote on average 30% for Pro-Establishment, 55% for Pro-Democracy, and 15% for Pro-Doasterrock. This region’s liberalism can be attributed to the greater acceptance of other cultures as the region had the highest number of minorities, relatively higher GDP and education over Volkerstaate, and less influence from Bardonia in the region.

Demographics
Selidoarians - 72% - Selidoarians are the dominant ethnic group in the Free City of Selidoar. The majority of Selidoarians were those who fled Cymru and their descendants. Some regional citizens integrated into Selidoarian culture, yet the majority of Selidoarians were of direct descendants. Selidoarians were mainly adherents to the Sunsoul, while very few were irreligious or integrated into regional religions.

Ryzanis - 9% - The Ryzanis in the Free City were mainly from surrounding cities, while some were official government officials from Carthya City. The majority of Ryzanis came to the city for trade opportunities with surrounding nations. Ryzanis made up a plurality of the minorities within Selidoar. Ryzanis were mainly low to middle income businessmen and traders bringing their products to the market stands of the city.

Aurlunorens - 7% - Aurlunoren businessmen and traders came from the cities of Quacomar and other settled regions of Aurlunor-Vendale to contribute to the trade and economics of the region. Aurlunoren citizens mainly worked alongside Ryzanis in the establishment of a trade connection between the two powers.

Korolians - 6% - Many Nebskoslav Korolians came from the northern reaches of Ryzan into the Free City in search of low-skilled occupations within the corporations and businesses existent in the city. International Korolians would participate in the economic development of the city by bringing their own businesses to the city, however the majority of them came over to work.

Bardonians - 4% - Bardonian existence in the city became an incredibly contentious issue. Bardonians came over to the city with the focus on influencing the politics of a possible springboard to invading the Ryzani state. A handful of the Bardonians in the city were directly affiliated or members of the Hands. These connections led to them attempting to support Horan’s agenda of global revenge, and would directly support the National Front of Selidoar when they broke off from the Selidoarian National Party.

Viodoxans - 1% - A strong handful of Viodoxan businessmen came over to the city to gain access to Volkore’s market. Some of these Viodoxan businessmen had old connections to the early trade faciliations by Selidoarians in the Cymru region. A handful of Viodoxans chose to integrate into Selidoarian culture and one of these “integratees” was appointed the Vice-Chairman of the SNB.

Others - 1% - A variety of foreign businessmen settling into the city would make up this section. International traders, bankers, and corporations would quickly move into the city to gain freer access to Volkore’s markets.

Selidoarian Language, Food, and Culture
"O'Vaterlaand" - Selidoarian National Anthem (to the tune of O'Tannenbaum) In Seliduarisch:

O'Vaterlaand O'Vaterlaand, wi ehr wr dch vermiseen werde.

O'Vaterlaand O'Vaterlaand, woer wiseen wr, daas wr gen müssen.

Im schlaamigen sump gbt meer de gedank an de goldeene ebeenen troesst.

Währen ch für dch un deinee freden käpfe, weiß ch, daas ch mih danaack sehn, untr deine bämen zu lebe.

O'Vaterland O'Vaterland, ch werd dch niee vergeesen.

Referendum on Constitution and Appointment of M. Deitsch as Director/Communal election to First Positions
Officially, about ten voters participated in the referendum on the constitution and the appointment of Deitsch to the positon of Director. 80% of the votes were in favor of the appointment, and 20% abstained on the vote. The 80% who were in support of the appointment were generally across ideological lines, but the 20% who abstained were associated with the Selidoarian far-right. A communal election by agreement would be held to select a transitional government that would manage and maintain the country's transition to a proper form of government. Two short-lived parties would conflict for the offices, which would be the generally left-wing Selidoar Workers United Front (SWUF) and the generally right-wing Selidoarian National Alliance (SNA). One city council position would be won by the Mejo and the SWUF while one city council position (won by Insert), one commissioner of the police force (won by KAI), and one manager of the transitional foreign affairs office (Goose) would all be won by the SNA. The election would generally be a landslide victory for the right-wing SNA. The SWUF would go on to form the Selidoarian Workers Party (SWP), which would subsequently split into the League of Social Democrats (right faction) and the Communist Union Party of Selidoar (left faction). The SNA would eventually transform into the Selidoarian National Party (SNP) which would subsequently split into the National Front of Selidoar (radical wing) and the Seldioarian National Party (moderate wing). Not much is known about the actual vote results of the transitional election, besides the fact that ten voters participated.

First Legislative Council Election - Landslide for the Establishment Parties
8 Seats (1 appointed by Director, 2 appointed by SUTBC, 5 elected by public). Turnout was ~30 voters.

Two major parties contested, and some local neighborhood independents contested. The two major parties were the Selidoarian Workers Party, which represented corporate workers and the lower-classes of the Free City. There was also the Selidoarian National Party. The SNP was specifically litigious as it was the largest party, and represented the right-wing of politics in Selidoar. The SNP had two major factions running seperately, the moderates and the radicals. The moderates we're more supportive of democracy and cooperative with the LegCo, while the radicals we're influenced by The Hands, and supported something known as the "Megail Idea" named after an ancient Selidoarian thinker. This idea proclaimed that revenge must be enacted upon the globe, and that Selidoar should focus on rapid expansion and annexation of neighboring countries with Hand support. There was also a multitude of smaller local politicians, representing the interests of their neighborhoods and communities. These independents we're usually Classical Liberals and Social Liberals.

Results: Following the first election, a government was formed by the director Aleksander. For Aleksander's own choice of an appointee, he selected a member of the moderate SNP, to keep the radicals at bay. Now the Legislative Council was made up of two Radical-SNP, two Moderate-SNP, three SUTBC officials, and one SWP representative. During the existence of the Legislative Council, these 8 members would argue on bill passages, and the majority of the conversation was dominated by the Moderate SNP and the SUTBC. However, when there would be issues of vote obtaining between members, the Moderate SNP or SUTBC would cooperate with the SWP. This shutout from policymaking angered the Radical SNP, which continued communicating with Bardonian officials and cooperating with members of the Hands to eventually strangle control of the city for themselves.
 * Selidoarian National Party-Radical (far-right) - 21% - 2 Seats
 * Selidoarian Union of Trade and Business Councils (right-wing) - 21% - 1 Seat (+2 seats from constitutionality) - 3 Seats
 * Selidoarian Workers Party - 18% (left-wing) - 1 Seat
 * Selidoarian National Party-Moderate (right-wing to centre-right) - 17% - 1 Seat
 * Independent Liberals (centre) - 14% - 0 Seats
 * Independent Liberal Conservative Candidate (centre-right) - 5% - 0 Seats
 * Dissenting Socialist Candidate (centre-left) - 4% - 0 Seats
 * Directors Appointee (SNP-M member) - 1 Seat

Second Legislative Council Election - Increasingly Polarized, Establishment Holds On
9 Seats (1 appointed by director, 2 appointed by SUTBC, 6 elected by public). Turnout was ~50 voters (+20~)

Before the second election, all the parties of the Local Independents Organizations combined together and formed the Civic-Democratic Alliance, a single party of Classical and Social Liberals and Constitutional reformists, known to voters as the "CDA". The Selidoarian Workers Party also reformed into the "League of Social Democrats" or LSD, and some others formed the Selidoarian Communist Union Party. The Selidoarian National Party during the pre-election suffered from a split, with the majority of radical SNP members joining the new "National Front of Selidoar". Moderate SNP members just remained within the SNP, moderating its party constitution.

Soon, parties began cooperating with one another over shared policy interests, and 3 major "tents" were born. These included the Pro-Democracy Camp (Pro-Ryzan/Aurlunor, Pro-Constitutional Reform) - LSD/CDA. Third Way (Neutral Foreign Policy, Pro-Constitution as it stands) - SUTBC/SNP (backed by the Director). Pro-Doasterrock Camp (Pro-Bardodonia, Pro-Hand) - NFS/SCUP (backed by the Hands).

Results: By faction: By neighborhood and region, the C-DA did best with intellectuals and citizens in the central urban region of the city, while having support scattered around as well. The National Front did the best on the areas bordering Ryzan, where they obtained support through anti-Ryzani sentiment at the border. The SNP did slightly well across the entirety of the city, with bumps on the border and the central city area. The SUTBC did the best in business centers and shopping districts. The LSD did best in the lower-income apartment regions of Uptown. The SCUP got some votes from the apartment Uptown, but only from siphoning support from more leftist LSD members. While everyone was divided on policy, the one thing all parties agreed to was the creation of a metro system in the city.
 * National Front of Selidoar (far-right) - 31% - 2 Seats
 * Civic-Democratic Alliance (centre to centre-left) - 29% - 2 Seats
 * Selidoarian National Party (centre-right to right-wing) - 18% - (1 seat + 1 from Directors appointee) - 2 Seats
 * League of Social Democrats (centre-left to left-wing) - 16% - 1 Seat
 * Selidoarian Union of Trade and Business Councils (right-wing) - 4% - (0 seats + 2 Seats from Constitutionality) - 2 Seats
 * Selidoarian Communist Union Party (far-left) - 2% - 0 Seats
 * Directors Appointee (SNP member) - 1 Seat
 * Pro-Democracy Camp - 45% - 3 Seats (all by election)
 * Third Way - 22% - 4 Seats (1 by election + 2 from constitutional business representation + 1 from Directors Appointee)
 * Pro-Doasterrock Camp - 33% - 2 Seats (all by election)

With the 9 seats filled, the first LegCo meeting was convened. During this meeting, an argument broke out between members of the CDA and NFS, resulting in a physical brawl ensuing while the public watched. Soon, the police we're called in to quell the violence, and the NFS Councilmen left the room in a huff. While the meeting went on with NFS members not present, voting became difficult. Soon, members of the Police (which were basically the military) flanked by members of the Hands barged into the parliamentary chamber and began attacking politicians in a coup attempt. While the fighting went on in the LegCo floor, loyal members of the police quickly arrived and joined in the fight. The NFS politicians were killed and their Hand allies were injured, resulting in them fleeing the city while being harassed by citizens along the way.