Supreme Directive

This is the Supreme Directive with amendments applied. For the original Supreme Directive as of July 2013, see Supreme Directive (unamended).

The Supreme Directive

Article I – Fundamental Law

1. In accordance with Article 5 of the Supreme Directive of the 16th of April 2013, this Supreme Directive shall take effect as the fundamental law of the Empire of Adammia and replace the previous Directive if more than 50% of Adammic voters choose so in a fair referendum. The aforementioned referendum took place on the 30th of June 2013 and resulted in 100% support out of a 57% voter turnout, hence proclaiming this Supreme Directive.

Article II – Replacement and Entrenchment

1. I, Adam Belcher, the son of Kevin Belcher, who is the son of Kenneth Belcher, who is the son of Frederick Belcher, who was the son of John Belcher, who was the son of John Belcher, who was the son of William Belcher, who was the son of Richard Belcher who was the son of George Belcher of Pontefract, by my self-given right as Founder and Emperor of the Empire of Adammia, declare that the fundamental law of the Empire of Adammia shall consist of this Supreme Directive, alongside the first sentence of the Supreme Directive of April 2013 which established the state; the remainder of the Supreme Directive of April 2013 shall be considered null and void.
2. This Supreme Directive is declared to be impossible to amend or suspend, except if the will of the Founder is invoked in accordance with Article VI Section 4 of this Supreme Directive, or if a proposed amendment or suspension is both approved by the Parliament, and supported by at least half of full citizens voting in a free and fair referendum.
3. Any of the constituent parts of the Parliament may order a referendum for the purposes of the above Section 2 to be held without the agreement of the other constituent parts, but no amendment or suspension shall come into effect until it has the agreement of all the constituent parts and has passed the referendum.

Article III – Sovereignty and the Outside World

1. The state acknowledges and respects the law of the macronations that surround and claim sovereignty over the Empire's territory. While its governing bodies may make laws that contradict the laws of those macronations, the macronational laws should still be upheld. Only if the macronation in question recognised the state would this not apply.
2. The governing body of the Empire of Adammia is prohibited from interfering with the rights given by macronational legal ownership of land to landowners within the territory it claims.
3. With the exception of the above sections, the Empire of Adammia claims the status of a sovereign state with territory, citizens and functioning government, with all the rights and responsibilities that go along with that status.

Article IV – Territory

1. The Empire of Adammia claims sovereignty (to the extent set out in the article above) over land given to it in Treaties of Annexation, Imperial Decrees and Acts of Parliament. This land is collectively referred to as the Empire's territory.
2.
- a) The Empire of Adammia's territory is made up of the Country, its Colonies, and any miscellaneous Territories.
- b) The Country of Adammia includes all territorial divisions from which a representative could theoretically reach the meeting place of the Ruling Council with relative ease. The Monarch has the power to decide whether or not a territorial division meets this criteria.
- c) The Colonies of Adammia are territorial divisions beyond the range of the Country of Adammia which have been granted their own governments with a degree of autonomy.
- d) Provinces are those territorial divisions of the Country of Adammia which are inhabited.
- e) Territories are territorial divisions which are not Provinces or Colonies. Territories may or may not be a part of the Country of Adammia.
- f) Provinces, Colonies and Territories may be grouped together into Regions. Regions correspond to a particular geographic area.
- g) All territorial divisions can be further divided into subdivisions. Subdivisions of Provinces or Colonies can also be Territories. This should be the case with subdivisions which are not under the direct control of the government of the Province or Colony.
3.
- a) All of the Empire's territory is subject to the laws contained within this Supreme Directive.
- b) By default, laws created by Imperial Decrees and Acts of Parliament will hold effect over all the Provinces of the Empire, except for the subdivisions of Provinces that are Territories, and will not hold effect over Colonies or Territories. Deviations from this default extent of jurisdiction are permissible such that laws may be applied over any combination of individual territorial divisions, where explicitly specified by the particular Decree or Act.

Article V – Citizenship

1. A citizen of the Empire of Adammia can be a full citizen or an honourary citizen.
2. Full citizens
- a) A resident of any land claimed by the Empire of Adammia who acknowledges the sovereignty of the Empire over said land should be made a full citizen of the Empire, subject to other conditions imposed by legislation. Other individuals may be made full citizens if they have contributed to the Empire in a meaningful way.
- b) A full citizen is expected to follow and is subject to the laws set out by the governing body of the Empire of Adammia.
- c) Only full citizens are counted in the population of the Empire.
3. Honourary citizens
- a) A person who lives abroad but has good relations with the Empire can be granted honourary citizenship by the Head of State.
- b) Honourary citizenship has no specific rights or responsibilities.
4. No governing body can force a job or role upon a citizen.

Article VI – Founder's Rights

1. As the Founder of the Empire of Adammia, I, Adam Belcher, author of this Supreme Directive, retain certain rights, even if I lose the position of Head of State.
2. The title of Founder is irremovable and the rights that come with it shall be terminated with my death.
3. The Founder holds the ability to choose a new Monarch at any point, even after my own abdication (if this happens).
4. The Founder also holds the right to determine the fundamental law of the Empire, as exercised with the creation of this Supreme Directive, but only if the Founder is still Head of State. Following my death, this right can only be exercised by the will of the People (through public referendum).

Article VII – The Monarch

1. The Monarch's Status
- a) The Empire of Adammia is ruled over by the Monarch, who holds the position of Head of State. The Monarch is the highest in precedence of all citizens of Adammia, and is the highest authority over all matters legislative, executive and judicial, within the constraints of this Supreme Directive.
- b) The Monarch is known as Emperor if male, Empress if female, or Monarch if non-binary.
- c) The Monarch holds the title of His/Her/Their Imperial Majesty Emperor/Empress/Monarch Forename Ordinal of Adammia, where Ordinal is the number, in Roman numerals, of Monarchs that have ruled Adammia and the states that preceded it (these being the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of England, and the Roman Empire during the existence of the Province of Britannia) under that forename (Example: His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia).
- d) The Monarch holds the secondary title of Imperator(male)/Imperatrix(female) Adammiae Numeral, where Numeral is the number, in Roman numerals, of Monarchs that have ruled Adammia in total (Example: Imperator Adammiae I).
- e) The Monarch must never hold the position of Prime Minister under any circumstances.
2. Legislative Powers of the Monarch
- a) The Monarch may at their leisure promulgate Imperial Decrees, which may enact any legislation which is lawful under this Supreme Directive, for any purpose.
- b) Imperial Decrees, unless otherwise specified therein, shall take immediate effect upon receiving the Monarch's signature.
- c) As soon as is reasonably possible after the promulgation of an Imperial Decree, the Monarch shall present the Decree to the Ruling Council. The Ruling Council may then, by simple majority vote, decide to overturn the Decree in question; in such case, the Decree shall immediately cease to be in effect, and all of its actions shall be undone.
3. Executive Powers of the Monarch
- a) The Monarch has the right to issue titles to any citizen or non-citizen.
- b) The Monarch has the right to exempt individuals from rulings of any government bodies.
- c) The Monarch has the right to grant or remove full or honourary citizenship to any person.
- d) The Monarch shall be the head of a body known as the Office of the Emperor when the Monarch is male, and the Office of the Empress when the Monarch is female. This Office shall be responsible for assisting the Monarch with their duties, under this Supreme Directive or otherwise. The Monarch may appoint citizens to this Office as Advisors, including a Chief Advisor.
4. Abdication
- a) The position of Monarch is held for life unless the Monarch chooses to abdicate.
- b) In order to abdicate, the Monarch must present a signed document declaring their wish to abdicate to both the Ruling Council and a citizen outside the Ruling Council.
5. Succession and the Imperial Family
- a) Upon the death or abdication of the Monarch, the Heir shall be invited by the Chancellor to become the new Monarch. Should the Heir accept the invitation, they shall immediately become Monarch. If the Chancellor is unavailable or there is no Chancellor presently appointed, the Prime Minister or their Deputy may carry out this function.
- b) The Heir shall be:
  - i) The Monarch's eldest child;
  - ii) If they have no children, their eldest sibling;
  - iii) If they have no children or siblings, their eldest uncle or aunt, first on their father's side, then on their mother's side; and so on, in this manner, for great-uncles and great-aunts, and so forth;
  - iv) If none of the aforementioned relatives exist, a person nominated by the Monarch, who should be as closely related to the House of Belcher and/or the House of Hall as possible;
  - v) If, under the above clause iv), the Monarch is incapable of nominating an Heir, the Ruling Council shall select an Heir, according to the aforementioned criteria.
- c) If the person who should have been Heir has died, or if the Heir rejects the throne following the death or abdication of the Monarch, then the Heir shall be whoever would have been Heir had that person been Monarch; in this manner, the Monarch's grand-children, nephews, nieces, cousins et cetera may be the Heir.
- d) A former Monarch may not be an Heir for the purposes of actual succession, but the above section c) shall still apply to them, in the cases of both death or abdication.
- e) The Heir shall hold the title of Crown Prince of Adammia and the style of His Imperial Highness if male, the title of Crown Princess of Adammia and the style of Her Imperial Highness if female, or the title of Crown Princex of Adammia and the style of Their Imperial Highness if non-binary.
- f) All descendants of the current Monarch, and all siblings of the current and any previous Monarchs, shall hold the title of Prince and the style of His Imperial Highness if male, the title of Princess and the style of Her Imperial Highness if female, or the title of Princex and the style of Their Imperial Highness if non-binary.
6. Regency
- a) If the Monarch finds themselves unable to effectively rule the Empire for any period of time longer than a week, they may declare a Regency and appoint a Regent out of the members of the Ruling Council.
- b) If the Ruling Council deems the Monarch unable to effectively rule the Empire for any period of time longer than a week, they may vote to begin a Regency and appoint a Regent out of the members of the Council. The Monarch may override this decision unless the vote passed with more than 80% support.
- c) If the Monarch is below the age of 14, a Regency is automatically in place. The Monarch may choose their own Regent in this scenario, but if they cannot provide an answer, the Ruling Council should choose for them.
- d) In a Regency, the appointed Regent takes the full powers of the Monarch. They shall not, however, assume any titles or styles associated with the Monarchy, and the Line of Succession will stay with the actual Monarch.
- e) While the Regent holds power, they shall hold the style of Lord (alternatively His Lordship) and the title of Lord Regent if male, the style of Lady (alternatively Her Ladyship) and the title of Lady Regent if female, or the style of The Noble and the title of Sovereign Regent if non-binary.
- f) The first choices of the position of the Regent should be: The Heir, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. If the Prime Minister is chosen, they must temporarily leave office as the Prime Minister, and their Deputy PM should fill their place.

Article VIII – Imperial Parliament

1. Powers and constituent parts
- a) The Parliament is the primary legislature of the Empire of Adammia.
- b) The full name of the Parliament is the Imperial Parliament of Adammia.
- c) The Parliament consists of:
  - i) The Monarch, who in this capacity may be referred to as the Emperor-in-Parliament if male, the Empress-in-Parliament if female, or the Monarch-in-Parliament if non-binary.
  - ii) The Ruling Council, which is the upper house of the Parliament.
- d) The Parliament has the power to create and alter whatever primary legislation it sees fit in order to promote the security and general welfare of the Empire, provided it is lawful under this Supreme Directive. Such legislation may take the form of Imperial Decrees issued by the Monarch and approved by the other constituent parts of the Parliament, or of Acts of Parliament.
- e) The Parliament has the power to direct the Imperial Government, and any Imperial Government serves only at the pleasure of the Parliament.
- f) The Parliament may take any executive action it considers necessary, including, but not limited to, the granting or revocation of full or honourary citizenship to any person, the the granting or revocation of titles to any person, et cetera, provided such actions are lawful under this Supreme Directive.
- g) In general, the powers of the Parliament may only be exercised by agreement of all three of its constituent parts, unless otherwise specified.
2. Ruling Council
- a) The composition of the Ruling Council shall be:
  - i) A representative from each Province;
  - ii) A number of national Councilors, which shall be equal to the number of Provinces at the time of the last General Election.
- b) Each Province shall appoint its representative to the Ruling Council by provisions which may only be adopted or altered by the Province’s local council by a two-thirds majority of those present, provided that such provisions do not violate this Supreme Directive. In the absence of such provisions, the landed noble for a Province shall automatically be its representative.
- c) The Monarch is the Chair of the Ruling Council. The Chancellor shall be a Vice-Chair of the Ruling Council. The Monarch may appoint up to two more members of the Ruling Council to serve as Vice-Chairs.
- d) The Ruling Council may meet as often as it considers necessary, but it must meet at least two times per year.
- e) In order for a meeting of the Ruling Council to take place, at least three of its members must be present, including its Chair or one of its Vice-Chairs.
- f) Meetings of the Ruling Council are started and ended by its Chair or one of its Vice-Chairs.
- g) Acts of Parliament may further regulate the meeting procedures of the Ruling Council. The Ruling Council may also adopt and alter its own Standing Orders for the purposes of regulating its meetings.
- h) All decisions of the Ruling Council, unless otherwise specified in legislation, are taken by a simple majority vote of the members who are present. If a vote is tied, the Chancellor has a casting vote.
3. Nobility
- a) Each division of land in the country of Adammia has an allocated noble or “landed noble”.
- b) The noble for a Region shall hold the style of His Grace and the title of Archduke of Region if male, the style of Her Grace and the title of Archduchess of Region if female, or the style of Their Grace and the title of Archdukex if non-binary. They can only be appointed by the Monarch with the approval of the Ruling Council via vote.
- c) The noble for a Province shall hold the style of His Grace and the title of Duke of Province if male, the style of Her Grace and the title of Duchess of Province if female, or the style of Grace and the title of Dukex if non-binary. They can be appointed by the landed noble of the Region the Province is part of, with the approval of the Monarch and the Ruling Council, or can be appointed by the Monarch and the Ruling Council directly.
- d) Nobles of sub-divisions of Provinces may be appointed by the landed noble of that Province.
- e) Nobles hold their positions for life unless they are removed from power by the Monarch or the Ruling Council or a noble directly above them in the hierarchy of nobility. Their position is hereditary.
4. National Councilors and General Elections
- a) The national Councilors serve for a term of a minimum of one month and a maximum of two years. At any point in this period, the Monarch may call a General Election to elect all of the Councilors. The General Election shall take place on a date specified by the Monarch and shall be at least three weeks after the Monarch calls the election.
- b) All full citizens of the Empire who are above the age of twelve have the right to nominate themselves as candidates in a General Election. Nominations should be done during the period between the calling of the General Election and the date of the Election itself.
- c) If, on the day of a General Election, the number of nominated candidates is less than or equal to the total number of Councilors to be elected, then all of the candidates shall be automatically deemed elected, and no poll shall take place.
- d) If, on the day of a General Election, the number of nominated candidates is greater than the total number of Councilors to be elected, then a poll shall take place, in which all full citizens of the Empire who are over the age of twelve have the right to vote. Voting shall take place according to the following procedure:
  - i) Each voter may rank as many or as few candidates as they wish, with a “1” indicating their highest preference, a “2” their second-highest preference, and so forth. Voters wishing only to indicate a first preference may write an “X” instead of a “1”.
  - ii) At the first count, all of the candidates shall be ordered by their number of first preferences.
  - iii) A quota shall be calculated, which shall be the number of valid ballots cast, divided by the number of seats available for election plus one. In the event of a fraction, this number shall be rounded up.
  - iv) If, at any stage of counting, the number of votes for a candidate is equal to or greater than the quota, that quota is elected as a Councilor.
  - v) When a candidate is deemed elected, if no further seats remain to be allocated, the counting shall end. However, if further seats are to be allocated, the votes cast for the elected candidate shall be transferred to the remaining candidates according to the next-highest preference indicated on the ballot. These transferred votes shall have a weighted value, which shall be:
    - 1. The multiple of the surplus and the value of the ballot when it was received by the elected candidate, divided by the total number of votes assigned to the elected candidate. Here, the surplus is the total number of votes assigned to the elected candidate minus the quota.
    - 2. If a vote does not already have a weighted value from a previous transfer, its value shall otherwise be one.
  - vi) If, after a round of voting, there are no candidates which have reached the quota, but further seats remain to be allocated, then the candidate with the fewest number of votes shall be eliminated, and the votes shall be transferred to the remaining candidates according to the next highest preference indicated on the ballot.
  - vii) If, whenever votes are being transferred, there are no remaining preferences on a ballot for candidates which have not yet been elected or eliminated, the ballot shall be discarded. Whenever any ballots are discarded during a round, the quota shall be recalculated at the end of that round.
  - viii) If, at any stage, there is a tie between candidates, this shall be resolved by random chance.
- e) The counting of ballots in General Elections, and the announcement of the results of General Elections, shall be done by the Chancellor, or a respresentative of the Chancellor appointed by them.
- f) If a national Councilor dies or resigns during their term, the seat shall remain vacant until the next General Election. However, if more than half of the national Councilor seats become vacant during the term, the Monarch shall call an immediate General Election.
5. Acts of Parliament
- a) Any member of the Ruling Council may propose an Act of Parliament to the Council.
- b) An Act of Parliament is of equal legislative power to an Imperial Decree and each may override the other.
- c) In order for an Act of Parliament to be passed by the Council, it must be approved by a majority vote in which at least half of all the members of the Council have voted.
- e) Once an Act of Parliament has been passed by the Council, it shall then be sent to the Monarch, who must give Imperial Consent in order for the Act to pass into law. Unless otherwise specified, an Act of Parliament becomes law immediately after it is signed by the Monarch.

Article IX – Office of State

1. The Office of State is a political entity responsible for ensuring that democracy and the Supreme Directive are upheld properly.
2. It is the responsibility of the Office of State to:
- a) Organise all elections and referendums. The Office of State must ensure that all votes in elections and referendums are kept anonymous.
- b) Keep records of all Ruling Council meetings and of all the legislation passed by the state.
- c) Maintain the Monarchy and the Line of Succession. It should keep the Line of Succession fully updated.
3. The head of the Office of State is the Lord/Lady/Noble Chancellor of the State of Adammia.
4. The Chancellor is chosen out of the members of the Ruling Council by the Monarch. The Council must then vote to approve the Chancellor.
5. The Chancellor serves for life, unless they resign, or if the Parliament decides to impeach them having tried them for showing political bias in the dispensing of their functions as Chancellor.

Article X – Imperial Government

1. The Imperial Government is the executive of the Empire of Adammia.
2. It is the responsibility of the Imperial Government to enact the laws and instructions set by the Parliament, and to maintain the security of the Empire on a day-to-day basis, to administer the assets of the state, and to represent the Empire to outside bodies.
3. Within the constraints of this Supreme Directive and the legislation which is applied to it by the Parliament, the Imperial Government may take whatever executive action it deems necessary to fulfil its roles, though it may not levy taxes, undertake expenditure, enter the Empire into treaties, or declare a state of war without the consent of the Parliament.
4. The Imperial Government is led by the Prime Minister, who is the Empire's Head of Government.
5. The Prime Minister must be a member of the Ruling Council.
6. The Prime Minister is nominated by the Ruling Council following each General Election or following the death or resignation of a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may only serve with the confidence of the Ruling Council, as expressed by majority vote. The member nominated by the Ruling Council shall then be appointed as Prime Minister by the Monarch.
7. The Prime Minister may delegate the authority of the Imperial Government to any number of ministers, including a Deputy Prime Minister, who may exercise the powers of the Prime Minister if the Prime Minister is not available, and who may assume the position of Acting Prime Minister if the Prime Minister dies or resigns. The Deputy Prime Minister must accordingly be a member of the Ruling Council.
8. If the Ruling Council has not confirmed a Prime Minister by two months following a General Election or the death or resignation of a Prime Minister, the Monarch shall call a General Election.
9. The Imperial Government shall be held accountable to the Parliament; its ministers, including the Prime Minister, should maintain regular contact with the Monarch and should from time to time make themselves available before the Ruling Council to answer questions.

Article XI – Local Government

1. Each Province shall have a Local Council, which shall comprise of all of the full citizens over the age of twelve who live in that Province.
2. Local Councils have general legislative and executive competency over their Province, but must comply with all primary legislation set by the Parliament, and should not interfere with the work of the Imperial Government.
3. The Ruling Council representative of a Province should, from time to time, make themselves available to the Local Council of their Province to answer questions.

Article XII – Judiciary Process

1. Any dispute which arises regarding the interpretation of an Act of Parliament or an Imperial Decree, regarding a breach of such legislation, or regarding legal matters in general, may be resolved in either the Grand Court or a lower-level court.
2. Legislation may dictate the system of courts and the means by which they operate. However, the Grand Court must always be the highest court of appeal for all matters not relating to the Supreme Directive.
3. Decisions made by the courts are considered legally binding unless they are successfully appealed at a higher court. The Imperial Government must assist the courts in the implementation of court decisions, particularly the sentencing of criminals.
4. The Judge of the Grand Court is the Monarch. The Chancellor may act as a backup judge if the Monarch is unavailable.
5. In cases where interpretation of the Supreme Directive is required or where the Supreme Directive may have been violated, the case may be heard by the Office of State, where the Chancellor is to act as Judge.

Article XIII – Rights of Citizens

1. All citizens are born equal and shall be treated as such by the law and governing bodies.
2. All citizens have the right to life and capital punishment is prohibited.
3. All citizens have the right to freedom of expression and speech.
4. No citizen shall be imprisoned or physically restricted against their will unless they have forfeited this right by committing a crime.
5. All citizens have the right to practice any religion or belief freely, as long as this does not present any risk to the rights of other humans or national security or stability. The state is secular and shall treat all religions, or lack thereof, as equal.
6. All citizens have the right to have control over their own bodies. No other human may make changes to their body without their permission. If it is medically necessary for something to be done by a government-backed institute, a parent or guardian may give permission on their behalf if they are under-age. Such practices as FGM are prohibited.
7. All citizens, once reaching a certain age, have the right to practice any sexual activities they so wish in the privacy of their own homes so long as there is no risk of serious injury or death, and all parties involved give their explicit content.
8. All citizens have the right to own property and property may not be taken from them unless it is for good reason.
9. All citizens have the right to an Internet connection, as long as they can pay for it.
10. No citizen may be discriminated against on the grounds of their gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or faith.
11. Every citizen has the right to their own opinion.
12. Every citizen has the right to, where they are eligible under this Supreme Directive, vote, to stand as candidates, to register political parties and to maintain membership of political parties, and in general terms to participate freely in the political process of the Empire.

Article XIV – Miscellaneous

1. The full name of the state is the Empire of Adammia. Its shortened form is Adammia.
2. The official language of the state is English. All legislation and other state documents shall be written in English.
3. The official government system of the state is an Executive Constitutional Monarchy. The government runs a Parliamentary System.
4. The official demonym of the state is Adammic.
5. The official foundation date of the state is the 13th of April 2013.

Signatures

Signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Imperator Adammiae I
30th June 2013, LXXVIII day of his reign, at 20:47

First Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Imperator Adammiae I
17th November 2013, CCXVII day of his reign, at 00:07

Second Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
3rd August 2015, DCCCXLIII day of his reign, at 01:00

Third Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
1st January 2017, day I of year V of his reign, at 23:40

Fourth Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
29th October 2017, day CCCII of year V of his reign, at 23:02

Fifth Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
31st July 2018 at 01:37

Sixth Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
1st July 2019 at 00:12

Seventh Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
11th August 2021 23:16

Eighth Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
8th February 2022 19:57

Ninth Amendment signed,
His Imperial Majesty Emperor Adam I of Adammia, on behalf of the People
Adamus Primus Imperator
3rd November 2022 20:32