Lords' Court (Tigerna Ota) Royal Advisors (Ather Koghail)
Leadership
Monarch
Richard II
Premier Sudan
Eklin Gadra, Viscount Gadra of Odùchar
Sudan of the House of Rep.
Sir P̣l Uzun
Prime Minister
Douglas Miadhachàin
Leader of the Opposition
Cormac Anam
The Commonwealth does not have an overall parliamentnor does it have an overall political structure. This cause dates back to the early eighteenth century, when the Treaty of Concord was published on July 1st, 1714, officially recognising the Kingdom of Westplain and the Kingdom of Tolcor as one. However, the document allowed the two states to continue governing with their own parliament without interference from the other, except when it comes to matters that affect the Commonwealth as a whole. The Commonwealth is a federal semi-constitutional monarchy, and like most other confederations, compared to a federal state, has a relatively weak central authority and is closer to an international organisation than a single country. It has allowed devolved governments even after the Commonwealth's amalgamation unto its member states/legal jurisdictions, being Westplain-Narn, governed by the Parliament of Westplain (known as the Kurultai) and Tolcor and its neighbouring islands governed by the Parliament of Tolcor (known as the Brehon). It is important to note that these partitions are only relevant to politics, and don't correspond to the geographical subdivisions of the country of which there are three. In contrast, with political subdivisions there are two. The head of state of the Commonwealth is Richard II and the Commonwealth's two Prime Ministers, one for each of the two political subdivisions, Douglas Miadhachain being the one for Westplain-Narn.
An exterior view at night
of the Vessam, seat of the Kurultai
The Parliament of Westplain (Kurultai an Arsola), otherwise known as the KAA, is the supreme legislative body of the Kingdom of Westplain and the Principality of Narn. The seat of the Kurultai is the Vessam, a majestic and gargantuan building that has stood for over fourteen centuries and remains its beauty today. Its internal and external design is a mix of Shulian, Dardin, Ucerian, and Gaelic architecture, displaying Arsola's multiculturalism due to its complex history. The Kurultai possesses legislative supremacy and thereby holds semi-ultimate power over in Narn and is not restricted to just Westplain, as the name would suggest.
While the Kurultai is bicameral, it has three parts: the sovereign (King-in-Parliament), the Provincial Assembly (upper house), and the House of Representatives (the lower house). You could also count the populace as a fourth part as Westplain has a tradition of direct democracy, allowing the electorate to vote on policy initiatives without elected representatives as proxies to a degree. For any change in the constitution, a referendum is mandatory (mandatory referendum); for any change in law, a referendum can be requested (optional referendum). Politics slightly varies in the different provinces, which may have different systems. In addition, the people may present a constitutional popular initiative to introduce amendments to the Commonwealth's constitution, if accepted by the Parliament of Tolcor. The people also assume a role similar to the constitutional court, which does not exist, and thus acts as the guardian of the rule of law.
As stated before, the Kurultai is bicameral. The House of Representatives is composed of 225 seats and the Provincial Assembly, has 54 seats. The houses have identical powers. Members of both houses represent the provinces, but, whereas seats in the House of Representatives are distributed in proportion to the electorate size for each of the 30 provinces and half-provinces (twenty-seven being in Westplain and three being in Narn) each canton has two seats in the Provincial Assembly, except the six 'half-provinces', which have one seat each. Both are elected in full once every four years, with the last election being held in 2026. For a law to pass, it must be passed by both houses and then by a bḥtalasma, in which the populace vote to accept or decline the new proposition. The two houses may come together in certain circumstances, such as to elect the Pachà (a body of high-ranking state officials, consisting seven of the executive branch's top leaders that act as head of government of Westplain), the Prime Minister, judges or (only in times of great national danger) a general. The judicial branch is headed by the Brihev, whose judges, called kazaskers, are elected by the Kurultai.
----The Monarch
Risteard II (Richard II) is King/Khan/Huchumar of the Commonwealth. Richard was born in Nathracha Palace, Idrasil, Westplain, on January 10th 1959 during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King G̣rdan VI, and became heir apparent when his mother, Ciaran I, acceded to the throne in 1963. He was created Prince of Narn six years later in 1969 and his inauguration was held in 1980. He was educated at Peadaran Academy and Aifric School for Boys, and later spent six months at the campus of Kushana Grammar School in Kushana, Lucedeia. After earning a history degree from the University of Nahamungo, Richard served in the RA Air Force and the RA Navy from 1983 to 1988. In 1993, he married Laird (Lady) Ancarat Prosser, who is now Queen of the Commonwealth. They have two daughters, Barabal (Barbara) and Ealasaid (Elizabeth). As heir apparent, Richard undertook official duties and engagements on behalf of his mother. He founded the Prince's Trust in 1988 and became patron or president of more than 800 other charities and organisations. He advocated for the conservation of historic buildings and the importance of architecture in society. An environmentalist, Richard supported organic farming and action to prevent climate change during his time, earning him awards and recognition as well as criticism; he is also a prominent critic of the adoption of genetically modified food, while his support for alternative medicine has been criticised. He has authored or co-authored 17 books. Richard became king upon his mother's death on 8 September 2040. At the age of 81, he became the oldest person to accede to the Commonwealth throne, after having been the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Narn in the Commonwealth's history. His coronation took place at Jachmer Mansion on 6 May 2039, which had over 9,000 attendees.
A picture of King Richard
minutes after his coronation
----Symbols
As the royalty rules as head of two different governments, they are represented by many flags which are seperated into two groups: the Royal Standards used in Westplain, and the Royal Standard used in Tolcor. The Royal Standards of Westplain presently refer to either of two similar flags: the Royal Standard of Westplain and the Royal Standard of Narn. It represents the whole royal family, not the monarch as an individual. Although almost universally called a standard, such flags when used in Westplain and Narn are banners of arms, as they comprise the of the Royal Arms of Westplain in some way or another. It may be flown on any building, official or private, during a visit by the Monarch or any member of the royal family, if the owner or proprietor so requests. It famously replaces the Green Saltire over the Vessam when the Monarch visits during the State Opening of Parliament. The Royal Standard of Westplain was flown aboard the royal yacht when it was in service, and Queen Ciaran I was on board. The only place that may fly a Royal Standard, even without the presence of the Sovereign, is Vessam, a Royal Peculiar.
The Royal Standards used in Westplain are flown at royal residences only when the royal family is present. If the Green Saltire flies above Jachmer Mansion or Livanbuvanyu Castle, it signals that no member of the royal family is in residence. When the Royal family is present in Moltka Tower, or any residence in Narn, the Royal Standard of Narn is flown, occasionally with the Royal Standrd of Westplain. Unlike the Green Saltire, the Royal Standard should never be flown at half-mast, even after the demise of the Crown, as there is always a sovereign on the throne. Controversy arose regarding the lack of a flag at half-mast over Jachmer Mansion following the death of Adalet, sister of Richard in 2029. The Queen was then in summer residence at Nahamungo; and according to established custom, no flag was displayed over Jachmer Mansion, as the monarch was not present. The Queen proposed a compromise whereby the Green Saltire would be flown at half-mast on the day of Adalet's funeral. Since then, the Green Saltire has flown regularly in the monarch's absence and has been lowered to half-mast to mark several occasions such as the death of Queen Ciaran, the 7 July 2025 Idrasil bombings, and many other national holidays that mark sad occassions where important people to the nation have died. The flag will next be flown at half-mast in 2042, commemorating the 1900th anniversary of the Battle of Maganchile, also known as the Maganchile Miracle.
Flag of the Kurultai (1600-present)
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Royal Standard of Westplain (10th century)
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Royal Standard of Narn (1819 - Present)
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Prime Ministerial standard of Westplain (1899 - Present)
----History
The history of the Kurultai traces all the way back to the dawn of the 14th century. At the time, Baltar (whose reign started in 1301) was the King of the newly-independent Kingdom of Issola. He lost the Duchy of Kudan and most of his other Lucedeian lands to the Chuwar, resulting in the downfall of the Arsolite navy and contributing to the subsequent growth in power of the Chuwar during the Warring Khanates period of Lucedeia. He also raised taxes in Issola much higher than they had been before, causing officials to become more and more oppressive in the way they collected these taxes. Raising taxes made Baltar increasingly unpopular with the barons, whom the king relied on to assist him in governing the kingdom. The baronial revolt at the end of Baltar's reign led to the sealing of the Proan Sluaigh, a document to limit the king's power considered an early step in the evolution of the constitution of Westplain and Narn. The Proan Sluaigh would also join the Lords' Court (a group of barons, dukes, viscounts, and other high ranking nobles that would attempt to challenge the king's decisions) and the Royal Advisors (a group of wise men that would advise the king on policies but did not have the final say in them) into a large body called Kurultai in February 29th 1312 (designated as Parliament Day) that would have a massive say in the politics of the country unlike its predecessors and which would evolve to be what it is today. In 1714 The Kingdom of Westplain and the Kingdom of Tolcor would eventually confederate into one entity, the Commonwealth, but their parliaments would not.
The area which would become Narn was filled with a people. They were not a country with one single ruler, just a people with similar cultures. In 1277, under the reign of King Dura, the Kingdom of Westplain (Issola/Arsola/Westplain whatever you wanna call it) attacked the people of Narn in a war that would last until 1283, with Dura coming out victorious and establishing the Principality of Narn which he gave dominion of to his son, the heir apparent, a tradition that still goes on today. The Principality of Narn would not gain representation until May 4th 1819, due to the Selwyn Riots, a series of civil uprisings all across Narn revolting against Arsolite rule unless given seats in Kurultai, which worked in the long term as the Westplain and the Commonwealth as a whole was suffering from an economic slump and wanted to maintain the stability of the Commonwealth or just couldn't be bothered to deal with it; you decide.
The Commonwealth of Westplain and Tolcor.
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