| Cluster Political Structure
When the current government of the Jewel Cluster was first formed in the aftermath of the war with the Dark Nebulans it was as a pseudo-monarchy with the original Jewel Knights becoming Queens and the provisional government of the time being reshaped into a bureaucracy to support the new regime in true autocratic fashion. Eventually, however, the need for more authoritarian leadership passed as order was restored. And a new system grew up from the ashes of the old political and legal landscape which relied less and less on the Queens and more on the people who ran the day to day functions of the government. As a result there was a shift from a pseudo-Monarchy into more of an oligarchic socialist state with a non-elected head of state who had to pass rigid requirements in order to achieve that position. In layman’s terms, this is how the Government of the Cluster functions: The Cluster is ruled by a Empress, who rules it from the time she is elected until her death. The Empress is chosen from the 8 Queens by vote, and then that selection is approved of by the Imperial Senate and finally approved by the Jewel Armour Lio acting as the final arbiter of acceptance by accepting to bond with the new Empress or not. The Imperial Senate is a collection of 88 Senators and 1 Speaker of the House representing the 88 Provinces of the Jewel Cluster. These are duly elected citizens from each of the provinces who have served their people first in the Planetary Senates. All legislation must be passed by a minimum 70% vote through the senate in order to become law, and is then ratified by the Empress as the final arbiter of the people. Each planet is ruled by a Queen, whose selection from the royal family is approved first by the Planetary Senate, then by the 8 Queens, and then finally by the Jewel Armour which she will wear in defense of her people should the time ever come. Under the Queen is a council of Lords, who have been chosen by the Queen to act as her administrators, usually from those in her realm who have proven themselves to be the best in their fields by accomplishments in other aspects of business and government. They have direct power over their areas of expertise, and function to advise the Queen in policy. The Planetary Senate of each of the 8 planets is the body under the Queen which makes policy and functions almost identically to the Imperial Senate, again the Queen is the final arbiter, and must ratify each bill before it becomes law. These people have again been elected to these positions after serving as a Provincial Governor, which last for a term of 3 years, after which they may not sit again in the Planetary Senate, but may try for a position on the Imperial Senate. (Senators are also forbidden from holding a government position once their term is finished.) Each Province is ruled by a Governor, who is elected by the people after serving as a Mayor. Each city is run by a Mayor who is elected after serving as a councilman on the City Council. Each Councilman is elected after serving as a Ward Officer in the city. A fairly traditional pyramid hierarchy. |