Republic of Basiliania

Foundation of the Republic
The Republic of Basiliania [IPA: /bazi'ljanja/] was founded by a group of southern European exiles led by some Christian socialist idealists who were looking for a new land away from political tyranny of Fascist regimes and economic tyranny of Capitalist systems. The new State took its name from the ancient bishop and Father of the Church Saint Basil of Caesarea, whose wise sermons asserted that property is a form of theft of common goods given by God to the whole mankind. Its motto is "Omnium et Communia".

Constitution
Basiliania is a socialist representative democratic republic. It has a long and rigid Constitution that recognizes civil, politics and social rights and liberties and sanctions equality between citizens, without distinction as to sex, race, language, religion, political opinions, or personal or social condition. Property is public and there is not protection for economic freedom.
Legislative power is held by a bicameral Parliament, elected with universal suffrage every five years. The voting system of the lower house (the Chamber) is majoritarian, while the election of the smaller higher house (the Senate) is characterized by the proportional representation. The right of legislative initiative is held by each Member of Parliament, the whole Government and groups of common citizens.
Senate elects the President of the Republic, who has a very limited role. He charges the Prime Minister in pectore to form a new Government.
Executive power is held by the Government, that is formed by the Prime Minister and has to obtain a vote of confidence in the Chamber, that could also pass a no confidence motion later. The Government has very few power in the activities of bureaucracy and civil service, which are quite independent and recruits their employees with meritocratic exams.
Judicial system is independent and judges and prosecutors are recruited like other civil servants.
There is a Constitutional Court charged to examine laws challenged to be unconstitutional. Its members are elected by Senate with a qualified majority.

Administrative divisions
Basiliania is divided into seven districts. The three inner districts (Aequalitas, Libertas and Pax) are more densely populated and multicultural, whereas the outer districts were founded by more nationally uniform settlers.

Aequalitas
A small, but densely populated inner district, seat of the national government and of the Catholic Primatial See. In this district there are the oldest cities and towns: the capital city Aequalitas, Gaudium and Fides. Other important centres are Passio, Ascensio and Assumptio. This is the wealthier region of the country and is multicultural, progressive and open-minded.

Libertas
The smallest inner district of the southern coastland. Libertas is an important port, an industrial city and a prestigious episcopal see. Other important towns are Spes, Salvatio, Primitia and Communio.

Pax
The third coastal inner district known for intensive agriculture and the famous University of Pax. Its major towns are Charitas, Compassio, Iustitia and Salus. Iustitia, Charitas and Salus are also important vacation destinations for people of inner districts.

Dignitas
A big outer district founded by Spanish refugees, famous for its environmental beauty. Besides the district city Dignitas, there are only two big towns, Trinitas on the coastland and Donum in the inland.

Devotio
An outer district populated by Italian refugees.

Immaculata
The smallest outer district founded by Portuguese refugees. Its only important city is Immaculata, the episcopal see, a quite important trade node, famous also for smuggling. The district is isolated and sourrounded by the forest.

Umbra
The largest outer district, occupied by mountains, hills and forests, stronghold of the Theocratic party and traditionalism. Very few populated, it represents nearly half of the national area.

Political life
Basilianian political life is dominated by three great parties (Welfarist, Conservative and Green), united by their socialist constitutional faith. Because of its activism for civil rights and personal freedom, Libertarian party plays an important role in political scene too.
After general election of 2011 Welfarist party lost absolute majority in the Chamber, so Basilianian Government in office is supported by a coalition formed by Welfarists and Greens.

You can follow Basilianian political debates on the National Bulletin of Parliamentary Debates

Current composition of the Senate

Welfarist party
The Welfarist party is one of the main political forces. It pursues a strong centralized State with a high welfare budget. Its priority is to increase investments in education, health and social security. It is mildly hostile to economic freedoms and most advanced claims of personal freedom activists.

Personal freedom: medium
Social rights: very high
Political rights: high
Environmentalism: medium
Economic liberties: very low
Religiousness: high

Conservative party
The Conservative party is the "centrist" poilitical force in Basilianian Parliament. Its aim is the conservation of the present-day society from too advanced reforms and dangerous liberalist and free marketist temptations.

Personal freedom: medium
Social rights: medium
Political rights: medium
Environmentalism: medium
Economic liberties: hostility
Religiousness: high

Green party
The Green party is one of the main poitical forces. Its vision is that ecological themes shold be prioritized in national political agenda and that environmental protection should be more important than economic and (for the most radical faction) even social development.

Personal freedom: low
Social rights: medium
Political rights: high
Environmentalism: very high
Economic liberties: hostility
Religiousness: medium

Libertarian party
The Libertarian party is a political force that focuses on personal freedom. Even though it is not one of the greater parties, it has a critical importance in main battles for civil rights.

Personal freedom: very high
Social rights: medium
Political rights: very high
Environmentalism: medium
Economic liberties: hostility
Religiousness: medium

Anarchist party
Born from a cleavage of the Libertarian party, the Anarchist party is a minor political party whose final goal is the dissolution of the constitutional system and the making of a new society without any political or economic power. Because of the unconstitutionality of its main goal, the party focuses on short-term political battles, supporting the improvement of personal liberties and people's self-management.

Personal freedom: very high
Social rights: medium
Political rights: medium
Environmentalism: low
Economic liberties: medium
Religiousness: low

Liberal party
The Liberal Party is a minor political party whose final goal is the total reform of Basilianian Republic in a capitalist nation. Because of the unconstitutionality of its main goal, the party focuses on short-term political battles, supporting the development of the first forms of private economy.

Personal freedom: very high
Social rights: very low
Political rights: high
Environmentalism: low
Economic liberties: very high
Religiousness: low

Theocratic party
The Theocratic party is an insignificant tiny radical Catholic political force whose goal is the creation of a theocracy.

Personal freedom: very low
Social rights: high
Political rights: medium
Environmentalism: medium
Economic liberties: low
Religiousness: very high

Marxist Transitionist party
The Marxist Transitionist party (briefly: Transitionist party) was found as Marxist Transitionist Movement. Its aim is the full implementation of Communist International League Guidelines for transition to Communism: they are pro-market and a natural ally of Liberal party against the constitutional order. They are also authoritarian and anti-democratic.

Personal freedom: low
Social rights: very low
Political rights: low
Environmentalism: low
Economic liberties: very high
Religiousness: hostility

Religion
Basilianian law recognizes the importance of religion in private and public life of the Republic and the Government supports the Church to satisfy people's religious needs. However, Constitution recognizes religious freedom.

Roman Catholicism
The Roman Catholicism is the religion of the most part of Basilianian population. According to last polls, about 85% of respondents considered themselves Roman Catholics and more of 2/3 of them declare themselves practicing Catholics. For historical reasons, local Church was heavily conditioned by innovative interpretations of Catholic social teaching and in '60s and '70s many Basilianian members of the clergy supported liberation theology.

Curch organization
The local church is lead by the metropolitan see of Aequalitas, pertaining to the Archbishop of Aequalitas, Primate of Basiliania. There are also six suffragan diocesan sees: Dignitas (in the West), Libertas, Pax (both in the Center), Umbra (in the North), Devotio (in the South) and Immaculata (in the East).
The diocese of Umbra, in the North, is the largest, but the least populated, because its terriority is mountainous and covered by forest. It's a stronghold of zealotry and supporters of Theocratic party.

Other Christian Churches
The main religious minority is the Waldensian Church, followed by 4% of population. Other Evangelical churches (mainly Lutherans and Pentecostal) and Christian confessions (like Vetero-Catholic Union) take on lesser importance: less than 2% of Basilianians declared to belong to them.

Unbelievers
According to last polls, more than 4% of Basilianians consider themselves atheists and 3% agnostics.

Public holidays
There are 22 public holidays: traditional Catholic holidays, settlers' national days and Labour Day.

• 1 January: New Year's Day

• 2 January: St. Basil

• 6 January: Epiphany

• moveable: Good Fridey

• moveable: Easter Monday

• 23 April: St. George

• 25 April: Italian Liberation Day and Portuguese Freedom Day

• 29 April: St. Catherine of Siena

• 1 May: Labour Day

• 13 June: St. Anthony of Padua

• 25 July: St. James

• 15 August: Assumption of Mary

• 11 September: National Day of Catalonia

• 29 September: St. Gabriel

• 4 October: St. Francis

• 12 October: National Day of Spain

• 15 October: St. Teresa of Avila

• 11 November: All Saints Day

• 8 December: Immaculate Conception of Mary

• 24 Decembre: Christmas Eve

• 25 December: Christmas

• 26 December: St. Stephen
  

In fieri