This was recently added to the Newcomer's Handbook, as a result of work undertaken by the Interior Ministry last term. Hopefully people are checking the Newcomer's Handbook for new and exciting documents (riiiiight? 
), but - just in case you're not - we figured we'd post this here as well for perusal, debate, and the like.
Guide to Europeian Positions
by Pope Lexus X
Citizens of Europeia have the opportunity to hold a vast range of roles within the region, potentially several at a time, which come with their own unique powers and duties. The purpose of this guide is to explain the various roles present in the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, and World Assembly branches and explain more about whatever positions you'd like to learn more about.
The Executive
The Judiciary
World Assembly
), but - just in case you're not - we figured we'd post this here as well for perusal, debate, and the like.Guide to Europeian Positions
by Pope Lexus X
Citizens of Europeia have the opportunity to hold a vast range of roles within the region, potentially several at a time, which come with their own unique powers and duties. The purpose of this guide is to explain the various roles present in the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, and World Assembly branches and explain more about whatever positions you'd like to learn more about.
The Executive
- The President - The President is the leader of our region. The President manages all executive affairs and officers including Foreign Affairs, the Navy, Culture, the Interior and more. The position is considered the most important political role in the region and is therefore also the most hotly contested. The President is elected for terms of no more than 70 days, and all citizens are eligible to vote and stand in that election. Candidates for the Presidency usually present a full platform of their proposed ideas for the upcoming term during the election season although there is no strict requirement to do so.
- The Vice President - The Vice President serves as the President's deputy and can occupy the President's seat when the President is absent, has resigned, or been removed. The Vice President traditionally coordinates the Europeian Civil Service to ensure citizens are able to find opportunities to become involved in the Executive Branch and also assists Ministers with the performance of their duties. Vice Presidential candidates are running-mates of the Presidential candidates so they are elected at the Presidential election.
- Ministers - Each Cabinet Minister has a distinct purpose and department which they oversee for areas like foreign affairs, culture, the military, integration, recruitment. Often Ministries are created to meet the region's needs, so the exact Ministers under each President can vary from term to term. The Attorney General may serve on the Cabinet as the chief legal advisor to the government, but the Attorney General is not required to be in the Cabinet (more information). The Chief of Staff is another position that may be included, and acts as a principal advisor to the Cabinet and assists in many other areas. Each of these officers are chosen by the President, but must be confirmed by the Senate. Even if the same individual is nominated for the same Cabinet position in consecutive terms, they must be reconfirmed each time.
- Grand Admiral - The Grand Admiral oversees the Europeian Republican Navy, the region's military force which exists for the promotion of Europeia's foreign agenda. The Grand Admiral's main duties are coordinating military operations and communicating with other foreign military leaders. The Grand Admiral is appointed by the President as a part of their Cabinet and approved of by the Senate - generally the Grand Admiral is chosen for their experience in the ERN; to join, please sign-up HERE!
- Assistant Ministers - Assistant Ministers work alongside their respective Ministers to implement government policy. Joining a Ministry as an Assistant Minister can help you rise up the ranks to be picked as a Minister subsequently and is a great way to get to know particular areas, like foreign affairs. Gaining experience in multiple ministries as an Assistant Minister is a great way to get a taste for everything and will give you experience that will serve you well when considering a run for the Presidency. It is also a great way to meet other citizens in the region and learn from their insights. Any citizen can become an Assistant Minister in any number of Ministries they want; the Civil Service keeps a handy guide on how to join a Ministry HERE!
- Deputy Minister - Oftentimes, a given Minister will appoint one or more Assistant Ministers to serve as their Deputy Minister. These Deputies are often given a greater amount of responsibility. For example, they may be tasked with coordinating a particular event or creating a new opportunity within a given ministry.
- The Senate Speaker - The Senate Speaker is the highest legislative office in Europeia. The Speaker's principal role is to ensure that each piece of legislation follows the path set down in law from its proposal, to its vote, to finally delivering passed legislation to the President. The President may sign the bill - at which point it becomes law - or he may veto the bill. A vetoed bill may be reintroduced by the Speaker to the Senate for further consideration and revision. The Speaker is also charged with disciplining Senators for breaches of decorum. The Speaker must be an elected Senator and is elected by the Senators at the beginning of each Senate term and in case of a vacancy in the Speakership.
- Senators - Senators are the principal legislative figures in the region. The Senate as a whole has the power to make law, to declare war, sign treaties, and to confirm candidates proposed by the President for Ministerial and Judiciary positions. The Senate also has the ability to impeach the President, Vice President, or any Minister. Senators are elected to terms of no more than 70 days, and all citizens are eligible to vote and stand in that election.
- The Chair of the Citizens' Assembly - Similar to the Senate Speaker, the Chair of the Citizens' Assembly is charged with ensuring that ordinances and pre-legislation drafted and passed within the Citizens' Assembly follow that body's procedures. The Chair has also been known to take a more active role than other legislative officers in integrating and educating new members on the legislative workings of Europeia, as they are responsible for keeping the membership list of the Citizens' Assembly up-to-date. The Chair is elected by the Citizens' Assembly from among its members for terms no longer than 45 days.
- Members of the Citizens' Assembly - The Citizens' Assembly is a place where pre-legislation can be proposed and debated on before being passed to the Senate for consideration. (more information) The Citizens' Assembly also provides guidance on how to write legislation, promotes World Assembly resolution drafting, and provides an area for non-Senators to debate matters being discussed by the Senate. Every citizen of Europeia may join in all discussions within the Citizens' Assembly; however, only full members gain the right to vote. Members simply have to sign-up to join; to do so, please click HERE!
The Judiciary
- The Chief Justice - The Chief Justice is the principal legal figure in Europeia and oversees the management of the Courts, particularly with regard to setting the procedure of the Courts where not express in law and the maintenance of court records. The Chief Justice has usually held a central role in the promotion of legal education within Europeia through the Judicial Training Center. The Chief Justice usually appoints a deputy from amongst the sitting Justices who is known as the Primus Inter Pares. The Chief Justice must be a sitting Justice who is elected by the other Justices privately when the position is vacant.
- Associate Justices - Justices are the key decision makers for matters of law in Europeia, either sitting alone in the Trial Court or with the full court in the case of the Court of Appeal. The role of a Justice regularly writes opinions on what the law is and less frequently resolves matters when a citizen is accused of committing a criminal offence. Associate Justices are appointed by the President and must be confirmed by the Senate to serve terms of no more than 120 days.
- The Attorney General - The Attorney General is the default prosecutor in all criminal matters and also serves as legal counsel to the President and Executive branch in Europeia. The Attorney General traditionally also plays a role in the administration of the Europeian Bar Association, with the Chief Justice of Europeia and Chairperson of the Bar Association. The Attorney General is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
- Members of the Bar Association - Members of the Bar Association offer their services as legal advisers and advocates to other citizens who require them. The are licensed to represent other citizens in Court and are often invited by the Justices to give their input into the state of the law when the Court's opinion is sought. The Chair of the Bar Association is appointed by the Chief Justice. Any citizen can join the Bar Association; to see how, just click HERE!
World Assembly
- World Assembly Delegate - The Delegate is Europeia's representative in the World Assembly and votes on behalf of our region on World Assembly proposals. They introduce proposals from the General Assembly and the Security Council to our Department of World Assembly Affairs, where citizens discuss and vote on what Europeia's stance should be. The Delegate then casts Europeia's vote accordingly. All citizens may vote and stand in this election, which is to be held anytime a citizen challenges the incumbent or when the incumbent resigns. (more information)
