Join the new world

Hello citizens and congressmen of Austria,
Today I am releasing a draft of a new constitution of Austria and all of you can vote. Vote in the form of commenting on the article by saying either "Congressman - I approve/disapprove" or "Citizen - I approve/disapprove". It is only accepted when all four - Minister of Domestic Affairs, President, Congress and the public accept the constitution as a replacement and will formally become the new constitution as soon as all have been completed.

Updated Regularly (Current Update as of Wed 21 July 2010 at 19:38 PM BST)
The President of Austria, Penegrin Approves
Five Congress Members Approve (100% of total congressmen voted)
Nine Citizens Approve (100% of total citizens voted)

Below is the final draft for Version 2.1 of the constitution, revised from Lynari's version that was out of date by a while.

UPDATE: Polling for citizens and congressmen will end on the 22nd of July at 4 am BST (5 am CEST). After that time whether or not there are above 50% in each category, the constitution will be in full effect and enforced for the congress elections and beyond.

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FOREWORD

Here is the sovereign nation of Austria. The people, of whom elected officials are a part, jointly rule this nation with the nation's best interests at heart. Austria is a democracy.

A. THE BASICS

1. Austria is an independent nation.
2. Austria’s flag contains three horizontal stripes: the first red, the next white, and the last red.
3. The currency of Austria is the ATS.
4. The languages of Austria are English and German.
5. The original regions of Austria are Burgenland, Carinthia, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Upper Austria and Vorarlberg.
6. No act of Congress or the President can formally unionize this nation with another.
7. The active population is defined by the number of people to vote in the previous Presidential election.

B. THE PEOPLE

1. The people will pay taxes approved by Congress.
2. The rules of eRepublik are laws of Austria.
3. Freedom of speech is assured, but discrimination is discouraged.
4. It is the right of every citizen to vote in each election.
5. Citizens have the right to live wherever they please.
6. Citizens are encouraged to make an effort to relinquish their citizenship if they feel they are more loyal to a different nation.
7. Citizens of Austria have the right to unionize.
8. Citizens of Austria have the right to form companies and to export wherever they choose.
9. If a petition acquires more than fifty percent of the active population’s consent, the official whom the petition pertains to is expected to respond. The word "signed" constitutes as consent.
10. Citizens have the right to form and join political parties.
11. Citizens have the right to speak in their native language.

C. THE CONGRESS

1. Congressmen are elected by the people to serve the people.
2. Upon becoming a Congressman, Congressmen are bound by the power of this Constitution to give two (2) gold of the amount they receive with their Congress Treasure Map as Congress tax to any organization of government.
3. A Congressman may post a debate for every law he or she proposes with the exception of donations to the Austrian Central Bank.
4. Congressmen can serve an infinite number of terms.
5. Congressmen possess all the powers granted to them by the game mechanics.

D. THE PRESIDENT

1. The President is elected by the people to serve the people.
2. Presidents may post a debate area for every proposal.
3. Presidents may establish certain Ministries.
4. Presidents can serve an infinite number of terms, but not more than four consecutively.
5. Presidents possess all the powers granted to them by the game mechanics.
6. A President has to give 24 hours notice prior to resigning.
7. The President is not allowed to willingly forfeit any region (Article A-7) permanently, or for more than ten days.
8. If Austria and another country do an “attack-retreat region swap” and the President obtains any amount of gold from a treasure map and a Battle Hero medal, the gold belongs to Austria and should be donated to the Austrian Central Bank or to the other nation’s bank, whichever is appropriate.

E. THE MINISTRIES

1. The president must appoint ministers for his or her chosen ministries.
2. It is recommended that there is a Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. It is recommended that there is a Ministry of Finance.
4. It is recommended that there is a Ministry of Defence.
5. It is recommended that there is a Ministry of Education.
6. It is recommended that there is a Ministry of Health.
7. Citizens can become ministers an infinite number of times.
8. A president can have an unlimited number of ministries within reason. 10 is the recommended maximum for successful running of Austria.

F. THE POLITICAL PARTIES

1. All citizens have the right to form political parties as per Article B-11.
2. Political parties may embody any political ideology including ones that are contrary to this Constitution.
3. Any citizen is able to candidate for Party President, even if it against the current Party President's wishes.

G. ALLIANCES

1. Austria is allowed to freely join an alliance.
2. The president must approve of joining an alliance.
3. The congress must approve of joining an alliance.
4. The citizens must approve of joining an alliance.
5. For citizens and congress, there must be a majority of 25% in order to join the alliance.
6. The alliance must also approve of Austria joining an alliance.
7. In the event of Austria leaving an alliance:
7.2. The congress must approve of leaving an alliance.
7.3. The citizens must approve of leaving an alliance.
7.4. For citizens and congress, there must be a majority of 25% in order to leave the alliance.

H. IRC

1. The official IRC channel for Austria is #eAus
2. The official cabinet IRC channel for Austria is #eAutcab
3. The official congress IRC channel for Austria is #eAutCong
4. The official German IRC channel for Austria is #eOesterreich
5. Passwords must be given to members of the cabinet and congress if necessary.
6. Official channels of Austria must have some degree of government control in the form of moderators.

I. FUTURE AMENDMENTS

1. No individual can revise the Constitution and pose it to Congress except for a Minister of Justice or equivalent appointed by the President.
2. In order for a Minister of Justice or equivalent to be official, he or she must not have been any other kind of Minister during that Presidential term. A Minister of Justice or equivalent must have served at least one complete term in Congress. A President cannot appoint more than one Minister of Justice or equivalent during one term.
3. An amended Constitution is passed in the same manner as the Constitution is first ratified (See J. RATIFICATION).

J. RATIFICATION

1. In order for this Constitution to take effect, it must have first been approved by the Minister of Justice, the President and Congress:
1.2. The Minister of Justice or equivalent approves a particular version Constitution when he makes it public by posting it either in his newspaper or on the Austrian forum.
1.3. The President approves the Constitution either by comment on the forum or on the Minister of Justice’s newspaper.
1.4. A poll will be held for Congress to either vote in or deny the Constitution when it has been approved by the Minister of Justice and the President.

AFTERWORD

Version 2.1 Approved by Thomas765, 1st minister of Domestic Affairs and his deputies, past and present, Rangeley, Oraizan and Riboldo.
Version 2.1 Approved by Penegrin, 27th President of Austria
Version 2.1 Awaiting approval by vote of Congress.
Version 2.1 Awaiting approval by the public.