Campaign:NHNE/Governments/New Earth Council
The New Earth Council is a diplomatic forum for interplanetary and international discussions for the recognised nations of the New Earth System
Description[edit]
Councillors are appointed for 2 planetary year (1060 day) terms, but may be reappointed. How they are appointed varies by state.
The Councillors elect the Captain of the Council for a 4-year term and that person is then (notionally) considered independent of the constituency that originally appointed them. The Captain of the Council may only stand for re-election once in their lifetime, and few are re-elected.
There are 29 members of which 27 may vote. The Captain of the Council holds a casting vote. (Councillor-Observers may not vote, and must speak on any motion first (after the proposer) - if they wish to speak at all). Each councillor is limited to a speech of no more than just 12 minutes in support of, or opposing, each motion.
History[edit]
The New Earth Council was initially formed as an advisory council to the Fleet Captains and as such was full of technocrats expert in various subjects in 1.
This council has now evolved into a body for agreeing international and interplanetary standards and discussing matters that affect the system. It was restructured in 43 as "A United Nations for New Earth".
145 was a year of scandals. Two Captains of the Council were forced to resign, along with 9 other councillors.
Organisation[edit]
Councillors are appointed for 2 planetary year (1060 day) terms, but may be reappointed. How they are appointed varies by state. Periods of office take effect from the first day of each year.
The Captain of the Council is probably the most influential person in the New Earth System and is the political head of the Council Secretariat.
Membership[edit]
- Captain of the Council
- Councillor for Adeland
- Councillor for the Afro-Pacific Complex
- Councillor for Ares-Down
- Councillor for Ares-Orbital
- Councillor for the Belt
- Councillor for Cloud Republic
- Councillor Observer for Dis
- Councillor for East Sapphire
- Councillor for Freetown
- Councillor for Greenway
- Councillor for the Highlands
- Councillor for Hoffenstat
- Councillor for Llamas
- Councillor for Matabele
- Councillor for Nairobi
- Councillor for New Fiji
- Councillor for New Heaven
- Councillor for Okami
- Councillor for Oudhbaru
- Councillor for Outback
- Councillor for Poseidon
- Councillor for Santa Maria
- Councillor for Selene
- Councillor for Shelter
- Councillor Observer for Sulphur
- Councillor for Touchdown
- Councillor for Walthersland
- Councillor for West Sapphire
Ongoing Issues[edit]
The New Earth Council is grappling with a number of issues across the system. New Heaven's generally aggressive stance has seen direct conflict with all of its neighbours in recent decades, and off-world with their settlement on Sulphur. Additionally, the somewhat anarchic state of The Belt has seen multiple attempts to split the representation to the council between the various factions - a state of affairs that has been resisted, and which fell into abeyance for a period due to an internal piracy issue. Finally, the council has been grappling with the possibility that there is a viable inter-stellar drive in existence. Any such drive will allow settlement beyond the New Earth System and the interests of the various states flip-flop between ensuring general access (if they fear they will be excluded from the technology) and self-interested political advantage (if they think they may acquire it).
The Captain of the Council has also had to grapple with the issue of the security of members of the New Earth Council. With the assassination of the Councillor for West Sapphire, the security function of his office appeared to have been compromised. Rather than accept the resignation of the Head of Council Security, the Captain decided that "I have left you to clean up the mess that occurred on your watch - and when you've done that you can retire".