KINGDOM OF ZETELAND

The Kingdom of Zeteland shall be composed of the Monarch, the Ruling Council, and the Ruling Court. These divisions shall be established in order to enable fairness across the land.

The Monarch shall hold full executive power across the nation, including but not limited to: approving citizenship requests with Ruling Council approval, pardoning crimes, setting a civil example for the people, approving submitted laws and amendments, upholding national law, maintaining national order, declaring royal orders, and working for the people.

The Monarch shall hold the title of Overgeneral in all branches of any formed military and shall have command over any generals in the Zetic military.

The Ruling Council shall be composed of elected officials who represent each district and territory of Zeteland. The Ruling Council must represent the majority beliefs of the citizens in each district as long as those beliefs are constitutional. The Ruling Council will also ensure fairness between the Monarch and the citizens to ensure equality across the land. The Ruling Council will also hold the position of Advisors to the Monarch to aid in executive processes. The proportion of the mentioned Ruling Council to citizens shall be proportional to the nation’s population per district in order for representation to be equal to popular beliefs and opinions.

Such proportions shall be laid out as follows: if the district’s population is ten or lower, one Official shall be elected for said district. If the district’s population is from eleven to one hundred, three Officials shall be elected for said district. If the district’s population is from one hundred and one to one thousand, five Officials shall be elected for said district. If the district’s population is from one thousand and one to ten thousand, fifteen Officials shall be elected for said district. If any district hereafter exceeds this census, the Ruling Council shall propose new amendments to make new proportions for higher populations.

The Ruling Court shall be composed of officials elected by the acting Monarch with approval from the majority of the Ruling Council. Judges shall hold supreme judicial powers and will review any and all national-level cases without personal bias in order to uphold the law. The Ruling Court shall approve any and all proposed amendments to the Constitution and approve royal orders.

Royal orders declared by the acting Monarch must stay in line with the Constitution, and Judges will review them on a normal basis. If a royal order is declared unconstitutional, a hearing will be put into play in which the acting Monarch must put forth reasoning for the order, and if the reasoning is sound, the Judges will take a vote on whether to pass the Order or not. If the Order is passed, it shall be reviewed by the Ruling Council and must receive a two-thirds vote of the Council to be officialized. If it is discarded by the Judges or Officials, it shall not be officialized.

Royal orders may not amend statute law or levy taxes; such matters require an Act of the Ruling Council.

All unconstitutional Royal Orders must be temporary, with the Order setting a clear end point in order to pass, so as not to let the Order become de facto law.

All national-level cases must have gone through county and district tribunals before being forwarded to the Ruling Court, in which the Judges shall review the case under the Constitution.

All such hearings must be scheduled within 14 days of their initiation and concluded within 30 days unless extended by mutual agreement of the Ruling Council and Ruling Court.

The term of the acting Monarch shall be from coronation until the end of their life.

The term of an Official of the Ruling Council shall be two years, with elections opening on the fifth day of July.

The term of acting Judges shall be from election by the acting Monarch until they resign, pass away, or request to resign upon the passing of the Monarch who elected them.

The acting Monarch shall lead the Council sessions to maintain order if any disagreements lead to conflict.

Any proposed law written by the Ruling Council shall be presented before the Monarch for approval. If the Monarch approves the proposal, they shall sign it. If they decline the proposal, they shall return the proposed law to the Council with all objections written in a letter for further examination.

If the Council sees no flaw with the proposal, it may take another vote. If two-thirds of the Council votes in favor of the proposal, it may be passed without further approval.

In the event of a tie, the Monarch may cast a deciding vote as a member of the Council, which shall count toward the two-thirds majority if applicable. If this breaks the tie in favor, the law shall be treated as passed and shall not require further approval. If the law does not pass, the Monarch will explain their objections to the Council, and the session shall be concluded until further notice.

The acting Monarch shall possess the power to lay and collect Taxes from Citizens of Zeteland with approval from the Ruling Council, engage in foreign diplomacy as the face of Zeteland with approval from the Ruling Council, declare wars with approval from the Ruling Council, declare letters of Marque and Reprisal, and coordinate actions for obtained land and waters.

No treaty or alliance shall bind Zeteland unless ratified by a two-thirds vote of the Ruling Council.

The Ruling Council shall possess the power to designate proper consequences for any proper law, to coin Money, to establish mailing posts, to constitute tribunals inferior to the Ruling Court, to propose laws for the government, to raise and support a military to protect the land, to deploy the military to suppress insurrections and repel invasions, and to enact a national treasury and annual budget plan.

The Ruling Council shall adopt the annual budget no later than the last day of the fiscal year; failing adoption, the prior year’s budget shall continue month-to-month.

The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended unless, in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion, public Safety may require it.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

Monarch succession shall be primarily hereditary, with the eldest offspring of the acting Monarch being named the Crown Prince/Princess. If the acting Monarch leaves no offspring, any suitable siblings of the late Monarch will take the throne. If there are no suitable siblings to take the throne, succession shall be granted to the eldest niece or nephew of the eldest sibling. If there is not a suitable niece or nephew to take the throne, the Council will vote on a new Monarch from within the Council to take hold of the throne and continue a new lineage, unless the acting Monarch has made a Successional Will that declares who should take the throne when they pass.

A Successional Will must be approved by the Ruling Council. Once approved by the Ruling Council, it shall supersede hereditary succession unless a valid heir, as defined by Section 12 and confirmed by the Ruling Council, clearly exists and the Will explicitly permits hereditary default in such cases.

A district must maintain the borders of the counties, wherein no district may split a county into two districts. Once a district boundary is set, it may not be changed in any case except for the possibility of the annexation of new territory. In this case, a district may only take hold of the land after counties have been established by the local population. Afterward, district expansion must be requested by the county’s citizens, which shall lead to a county-wide vote and, if passed, shall be voted upon by the Ruling Council. In the case that it does not pass, the Ruling Council shall designate a new district for such counties.

In cases in which the Monarch, a Ruling Council member, or a Ruling Judge is found to be abusing their power, incompetent, or attempting to corrupt the government, an impeachment process shall be held.

The impeachment process for the acting Monarch shall be initiated by either the Ruling Council or the Ruling Court, in which one shall hold a vote for impeachment. If passed, it shall be passed on to the next division to hold a vote. The votes shall be considered passing if the majority of either votes in favor of impeachment. In this case, a new Monarch shall be elected, starting a new lineage in order to prevent any further corruption by family ties. In the case that the votes are not in favor of impeachment, it shall still pass to the next division to call for a vote, and if those votes are in favor of impeachment, a hearing shall be called for both divisions to argue their case for impeachment. Afterward, a new vote shall be held. If the outcome is the same, in which one division votes in favor and the other does not, then it shall count in favor of impeachment. If both divisions vote not in favor of impeachment, then the acting Monarch shall remain.

The impeachment process for a Ruling Council member shall be held by the Ruling Court. If passed, it shall move to the Ruling Council, excluding the individual for whom the vote is being held. If passed from there, it shall move to the Monarch, and in the case that the Monarch votes to impeach the Official, it shall be finalized, with the individual being impeached from the Council and an election being held for a replacement in the district. If either the Ruling Council or the Ruling Court votes in favor of impeachment and the other division votes not in favor, it shall still move to the Monarch, in which case, if the Monarch votes in favor of impeachment, it shall conclude with the individual being impeached. If both the Ruling Council and the Ruling Court vote not in favor of impeachment, the Monarch still gets a vote, in which, if the vote is in favor of impeachment, a hearing shall be called with a final vote from the Ruling Council and Ruling Court. If the votes turn back to not being in favor of impeachment, the individual shall remain. In the case that the Ruling Council or the Ruling Court votes in favor of impeachment, the other division votes not in favor, and the Monarch votes not in favor, the individual shall be impeached. If both divisions vote in favor of impeachment but the Monarch votes not in favor of impeachment, it shall return to the divisions after a hearing, in which case, if the votes come out in favor of impeachment, the individual will be impeached. If all divisions, including the Monarch, vote in favor of impeachment, then the individual shall be impeached.

The impeachment process for a Judge shall be held by the Ruling Council. If passed, it shall move to the Ruling Court, excluding the Judge for whom the vote is being held. If passed from there, it shall move to the Monarch, and in the case that the Monarch votes to impeach the Judge, it shall be finalized, with the Judge being impeached from the Court and a new Judge being elected to replace the former Judge. If either the Ruling Council or the Ruling Court votes in favor of impeachment and the other division votes not in favor, it shall still move to the Monarch, in which case, if the Monarch votes in favor of impeachment, it shall conclude with the Judge being impeached. If both the Ruling Council and the Ruling Court vote not in favor of impeachment, the Monarch still gets a vote, in which, if the vote is in favor of impeachment, a hearing shall be called with a final vote from the Ruling Council and Ruling Court. If the votes turn back to not being in favor of impeachment, the Judge shall remain. In the case that the Ruling Council or the Ruling Court votes in favor of impeachment, the other division votes not in favor, and the Monarch votes not in favor, the Judge shall be impeached. If both divisions vote in favor of impeachment but the Monarch votes not in favor of impeachment, it shall return to the divisions after a hearing, in which case, if the votes come out in favor of impeachment, the Judge will be impeached. If all divisions, including the Monarch, vote in favor of impeachment, then the Judge shall be impeached.

Should a public petition gain signatures from at least 20% of a district's citizens regarding any official, the Ruling Council shall be required to initiate an impeachment review within 10 days. Signatures shall be verified by the Royal Electoral Office within seven days.

All such hearings must be scheduled within 14 days of their initiation and concluded within 30 days unless extended by mutual agreement of the Ruling Council and Ruling Court.

An official under impeachment shall be suspended from office pending the outcome.

All citizens in Zeteland are given the right to vote once they reach the age of eighteen, after which they may vote for county-elected officials, district-level officials, and national officials.

There may not be any amendment or act that may impede citizens’ ability to vote in any way. Any future laws regarding the right to vote must remain consistent with the protection of universal suffrage for all citizens of Zeteland, without exception based on status, identity, or background.

An individual shall be defined as any human being, regardless of country of origin, race, ethnicity, gender, sex, orientation, belief, culture, or lifestyle.

A citizen is defined as an individual who was either born on Zetic land or lawfully approved through a citizenship application process.

Any act of discrimination shall be deemed unconstitutional and unlawful when committed by any individual across the land of Zeteland. All people of Zeteland retain the right to defend themselves from such discriminatory acts.

Individuals may seek civil or legal remedies for acts of discrimination. Self-defense may only be used in accordance with established law.

This article applies to all governmental bodies, private institutions, and individual persons within Zeteland.

Discriminatory acts include, but are not limited to: the separation of individuals based on origin, race, ethnicity, gender, sex, orientation, belief, culture, or lifestyle; threats made on such bases; as well as verbal or physical assault motivated by such factors.

When a citizen in Zeteland turns eighteen, they must register to vote to carry out their right. Registration must be free for all citizens and must not include questions requiring a citizen to disclose their race, ethnicity, religious belief, sex, gender, orientation, or lifestyle. It must also not include questions that may disqualify a citizen from voting based on their educational background or attainment. Polling and registration locations must be within 10 miles of all population centers where feasible, and accommodations must be made for remote or disabled citizens. Online voting and registration may be provided with sufficient security, oversight, and alternatives for citizens who cannot access digital platforms.

Acts of discrimination shall be prosecutable offenses under federal law. An independent Equal Rights Tribunal shall investigate and prosecute such cases.

The Equal Rights Tribunal shall be an independent body composed of appointed nonpartisan justices confirmed by the Ruling Council and shall be protected from political interference in its investigations or judgments.

All land in Zeteland shall be organized into official land and territory. All official land shall be divided into municipalities known as counties, in which a municipal government elected by the people shall hold governance over the county.

Counties will make up districts across the land, in which Officials of the Ruling Council shall be selected according to Article 1, Section 3, and a district government elected by the people shall hold governance over the district.

All districts shall follow the accord of Article 3, Section 2.

Zetereiks shall function as a singular municipal and district entity under the direct governance of the Monarch. National laws and citizen protections shall remain fully in effect within Zetereiks, and the citizens thereof shall retain the right to petition, protest, and access courts under the Constitution of Zeteland.

The national government shall hold direct authority over the district government. The district government shall hold direct authority over the municipal government.

Therefore, the national government holds superiority over the districts, and the districts hold superiority over the counties.

Territory claimed by Zeteland but not yet incorporated into a county or district shall follow only the laws of the Constitution and statute laws until enough citizens settle there to hold a vote for the creation of a new county, at which point district protocol shall be enforced as established in Article 3, Section 2.

Every Monarch, Council Member, and Judge shall, before assuming office, solemnly swear or affirm an oath to uphold the Constitution of Zeteland and to ensure justice, fairness, and equality for all citizens under the law.

The oath sworn or affirmed shall be as stated: "I solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution and laws of Zeteland, to serve its people with integrity, and to ensure justice, fairness, and equality without bias or partiality."

The government of Zeteland shall remain secular, with a clear separation between religious institutions and the functions of the state.

No law shall be made to promote, favor, or discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.

Any official found to have enacted policy or made governance decisions with clear and provable religious bias, in contradiction to this Constitution, may be subject to impeachment proceedings under due process.

From the date of its enactment on June 12, 2025, this Constitution shall be the supreme law of the land and shall take precedence over all other laws, statutes, regulations, and legal codes in Zeteland.

All courts, public institutions, and officials shall be bound by its provisions.

All future laws, statutes, regulations, and constitutional amendments must conform to this Constitution.

Any law or act found to be in conflict with this Constitution shall be deemed invalid to the extent of the conflict.

All laws, decrees, and regulations in effect prior to the enactment of this Constitution shall remain in force unless they are expressly repealed or found to be in conflict with this Constitution.

Within one year of enactment, all pre-existing laws shall be reviewed by the Ruling Council and relevant judicial authorities to ensure conformity with this Constitution.

Any positions, titles, or government institutions that are not compatible with this Constitution shall be dissolved, replaced, or restructured in accordance with its provisions.

Until such adjustments are completed, the functioning of the government shall continue under existing procedures, provided that they do not violate the rights or principles set forth herein.

Every citizen of Zeteland shall have the right to personal privacy, including but not limited to: the privacy of their person, residence, communications, personal effects, and digital data.

No government body, official, or institution shall infringe upon this right without a judicial warrant issued by the Ruling Court based on probable cause.

Laws regulating surveillance, search, and data retention shall be enacted in accordance with this right.

All citizens shall have the right to access affordable and essential healthcare services, including preventative care, emergency services, and mental health support.

The government shall establish and maintain a healthcare system to promote the health and wellbeing of the population, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

No citizen shall be denied emergency medical care based on their economic status, identity, or origin.

Every citizen has the right to secure, habitable shelter.

The government shall ensure that housing policies support low-income citizens, prevent homelessness, and promote fair housing practices.

No citizen shall be unlawfully evicted without due process under the law.

All citizens shall have the right to freedom of thought, opinion, speech, press, and expression, including political, religious, and artistic forms.

No law shall be made to abridge the freedom of speech or of the press, except where such speech incites violence, constitutes defamation, or threatens public safety.

This right shall extend to peaceful protest and the dissemination of information through all lawful media.

Every citizen has the right to the free exercise of religion or non-religion.

The state shall not establish any religion nor favor one religion over another.

Religious practices may not violate the rights of others or contravene public law and order.

No individual may serve more than four consecutive terms as an elected Official of the Ruling Council.

An individual who has served four consecutive terms may be eligible to run again after one full term of absence from office.

This amendment shall take effect at the next national election following its ratification.

Any declaration of national emergency by the Monarch must be submitted for review within seven days to both the Ruling Council and Ruling Court.

The declaration shall be revoked if not approved by both bodies.

A state of emergency may not exceed sixty days unless renewed by majority vote of both the Ruling Council and Ruling Court.

A national referendum may be initiated by citizens through a petition receiving valid signatures from ten percent of the registered national electorate.

Petitions shall be submitted to the Royal Electoral Office, which must verify all signatures within twenty-one days.

Upon validation, a national vote shall be scheduled within ninety days. A simple majority of valid votes cast shall determine the result.

No referendum may contravene the fundamental rights established by this Constitution.

All candidates for public office must publicly disclose the source and amount of campaign contributions received, including those from individuals, organizations, and political parties.

Disclosures shall be submitted quarterly to the Royal Electoral Office and published for public access.

The Ruling Council shall establish by law contribution limits and penalties for failure to disclose or unlawful funding.

Governmental meetings, deliberations, and votes shall be conducted openly, and records thereof made publicly available except in cases of national security.

Citizens shall have the right to access non-sensitive public records, including legislative proposals, budgets, and council transcripts.

The Ruling Council shall establish by statute procedures for information access, appeals, and redactions in accordance with public transparency.

An independent Anti-Corruption Bureau shall be established to investigate misuse of public funds, abuse of power, bribery, and ethical violations by public officials.

The Bureau shall be led by a Director confirmed by a two-thirds vote of the Ruling Council and protected from political dismissal.

The Bureau shall have power to subpoena, audit, and refer cases to the Ruling Court for prosecution.

The government shall preserve and promote the historical, cultural, and linguistic heritage of Zeteland and its people.

Funding shall be allocated to support museums, cultural archives, traditional crafts, and education in the Zetic language and heritage.

Destruction or degradation of protected cultural sites shall be punishable under law.

Every citizen has the right to a clean, safe, and sustainable environment.

The government shall enact laws to prevent environmental harm, regulate pollutants, and promote renewable energy and conservation.

The Ruling Council shall appoint an Environmental Protection Commission to oversee environmental policy and enforcement.

A Constitutional Review Council shall be convened every five years to examine the Constitution and make non-binding recommendations for reform.

The Council shall be composed of an equal number of members from the Ruling Court, and appointed citizen representatives.

The Council shall issue a report within one hundred eighty days of convening. The Ruling Council may consider any proposed amendments resulting from under Article 7.