Aedelant Constitution

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The Aedelant Constitution is the supreme law of the Republic of Aedeland and the framework for the Aedelant government. The constitution's four articles establish the organs of the national government: a bicameral parliamentary legislature led by the Fører and a judiciary headed by the seven members of the Nævninger. They also specify the powers and duties of each. The Aedelant Constitution, together with the Rights of Aedelmen and the First Laws of the Aedelmen, are the foundational documents of Aedeland known collectively as the Dōm.

Preamble

In the name of Almighty God, We Aedelmen do hereby declare, by God's Grace, to be a free and independent people and as a sovereign and self-governing association do resolve that, under fundamental rights, first laws, and principles of government, the Aedelant Republic shall henceforth be established and, constituted by our equal sovereignty, we hold this Covenant to have force as the supreme law of the land.

First Article

Being sovereign and self-governing associations freely submitting to this Covenant, all Aedelmen retain supremacy in all other laws and shall hold these rights in common. To freely constitute and dissolve regional associations, to be secure within borders and raise militias for the defense against invasion, to form treaties, to assume or revoke delegated powers, to demand by initiative and enact by plebuscite any act, bill, order, resolution or vote, to reject, in part or in whole, any act, bill, order, resolution or vote of the Althing by referendum, to ostracize elected representatives, to amend this Covenant with the consent of a double majority, to secede from this Covenant upon direct consent of the majority of their citizens, and to retain all such freedoms, powers, jurisdictions, rights and privileges not herein expressed.

Second Article

The Althing shall be vested with all power herein granted.

The Lögrétta shall be composed of one hundred and one Jarldormen chosen by the majority vote of the senior thing of each hérað no less than every five years. No man shall be a Jarldorman whose child has not attained the age of majority, not been born an Aedelmann, and who shall not, when elected, be a land owning resident of that hundred from which he shall be chosen. Each Jarldorman shall have one vote, shall serve no more than two terms unless ostracized by a majority of his constituents. The Lögrétta shall assemble at least once every year and shall elect its own officers, determine the rules of its proceedings, punish behavior unbecoming of a Jarldorman, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

The Lögrétta shall have the power to annually raise revenue by uniform fee for services according to individual requirement; to lay customs duty on foreign sourced goods, to fix the standard of weights and measures; to provide for the punishment of counterfeit; to grant the exclusive right to writings and discoveries; to define and punish piracy and felonies committed on the high seas; to declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules regarding captures on land and water; to raise and support armies and navies, but no appropriation of funds to that use shall be longer than one year; to make rules for the regulation of the land and naval forces; to provide for calling forth the militia to repeal invasions that no standing army shall be maintained; to provide for the organizing and discipline of the militia, and for governing that part of them that is employed to service, reserving to the each hundred respectively, the appointment of officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by the Lögrétta; to make all laws, necessary for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, but no law may remain in force beyond the fifth anniversary of its passage nor legislate more than the expressed singular purpose or appropriation.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed. No capitation or tax shall be laid on income or property. No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue of one man over another or one hérað over those of another; nor shall vessels bound to, or from, one hundred, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in another. No money may be drawn from the treasury nor, in the case of declared emergency, borrowed on the credit of the Republic, but in consequence of appropriations made by law and with income and expenditure in balance; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public funds shall be published annually. The Lögrétta shall pass no law abridging the freedom of production and trade, nor deny any occupation or business enterprise.

A Folkmōt shall be chosen every second year by the people in common of the age of majority, one Nefndarmen according to every twenty thousand as determined on the release year. One half is to be chosen every other year. No person may serve as Nefndarmen in the Folkmōt who shall not have achieved age of majority and be a resident of that hundred from which he shall be chosen. Each participant shall have one vote and shall serve no more than two terms. The Folkmōt shall meet at least once every year and shall elect its own officers, determine the rules of its proceedings, punish disorderly conduct, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member.

The Folkmōt shall have the power to veto, with a majority vote, any order, resolution, or vote passed into law by the Lögrétta; to declare, by a one third vote, any law to be unconstitutional, to impeach, by a vote of two thirds majority, any jarldorman, the Fører, or his officers.

Third Article

The Fører shall be vested with all power herein granted.

The Fører shall be elected from within the Lögrétta by his fellow jarldormen for a single term of five years from the day of his election. The Fører shall be first among the Jarldormen, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. The Fører shall be commander of the armed retinues of the several hundreds, when called to service by a full vote of the Lögrétta. He may require the opinion, in writing, of his principal officers upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. The Fører shall have the power to direct the agenda of the Lögrétta and to dissolve that body after its first year; grant reprieves and pardons with the majority consent of the Lögrétta, except in cases of impeachment; to make treaties; to appoint ambassadors, public officials, and all other officers with the advice and consent of the Lögrétta, by simple majority.

The Lögrétta may dismiss the Fører and his government by withholding Supply, passing a motion of no confidence, or defeating a confidence motion. No official act of the Fører or any officer of the state shall be exempt from review of the Folkmōt. The Fører and his officers shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanors.

Fourth Article

The Nævninger and inferior Lægridómi shall be vested with all power herein granted.

The Nævninger shall consist of seven eldest members of the Althing. The Nævninger shall have the power to try all cases, in law and equity, affecting public officers, and those in which a hérað shall be party. The Nævninger may hear any case on appeal from a lower court.

The Lægridómi shall consist of three eldest members of the appropriate thing. A Lægridóma shall have the power to try all cases, in law and equity, that may arise between men within the boundaries of the thing.

Epilogue

Done at Frábær Lögrokk by the Unanimous Consent of the Hundred present on the Sankthansaften of the Year of our Lord nine hundred forty three in the Twelfth year of Conquest.