Political system

The Republic of Saint Neots is a unitary parliamentary republic. The central government holds dominant authority, with the regions and local districts possessing limited devolved powers. The government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is led by the prime minister, who serves as the head of government, while the president serves as the ceremonial head of state. The Parliament of Saint Neots is the bicameral legislative body consisting of the Senate as its upper chamber and the House of Representatives as its lower chamber and is responsible for lawmaking and scrutinising the executive. The judicial branch is led by the Supreme Court, which ensures the legality and constitutionality of all governmental decisions. The regions, each with an elected devolved regional council, possess devolved powers. Local districts, governed by local councils, manage municipal matters at the closest, most relatable, and knowledgeable level to the people on a localised level away from the broad governance of the country.

Parliament of Saint Neots

The Parliament of Saint Neots is the bicameral legislature of the Republic of Saint Neots. It is the body that presides over the country legislatively and oversees the executive branch of government. The Senate is its upper chamber whilst the House of Representatives is its lower chamber. The House of Representatives is endowed both constitutionally and conventionally with far more powers than the Senate. The Senate is presided over by the elected president of the Senate whilst the House of Representatives is presided over by the elected speaker of the House of Representatives. Both officeholders must be impartial when presiding over their chamber of Parliament but are not required to be outside of duties.

Senate

The Senate is the upper chamber of the Parliament of Saint Neots. It has far less powers than its counterpart chamber, the House of Representatives, does. It has 84 members known as senators. Senators represent the interests and legislative councils of one of the twelve regions. Each region has seven senators each in the Senate regardless of their populations. Senators are elected once every seven years by the members of the regional councils through the single transferable vote in senatorial elections. Whilst Senate political groups are not led by floor leaders nor are senators subject to the voting decision of their region’s regional council, senators must represent what they believe to be the best interests of the region they represent. The Senate acts more as a reviewing chamber for legislation from the House of Representatives but senators still do choose to table legislation to the lower House of Representatives.

House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Parliament of Saint Neots. It has far more powers than its counterpart chamber, the Senate, does. It has 365 members known as members of Parliament. MPs directly represent the people and their interests. Each region has a number of seats divided up into multi-member constituencies in the House of Representatives based on their populations. MPs are elected once every five years to represent one of 48 multi-member constituencies through open-list party list proportional representation in general elections. MPs are led by floor leaders and whips but are not often suspended for defying party whips. MPs can change their political group affiliation. Following a general election or the vacancy of office, MPs nominate the prime minister to the president of Saint Neots. In the first two attempts to nominate a prime minister, a majority of votes is required by a candidate to become the nominee. On the third attempt, only a plurality of votes is required. The House of Representatives can be dissolved by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The House is the chamber responsible for most, but not all, legislation.

President of Saint Neots

The president of Saint Neots serves as the head of state and is elected once every seven years by the citizens of Saint Neots through instant-runoff voting, ensuring broad public support for their role as the country’s unifying figure. The president’s role is primarily symbolic, representing the unity and continuity of the state. Once the House of Representatives nominates a prime minister, the president appoints them to form a government. The president also appoints cabinet ministers on the advice of the prime minister. Other constitutional duties include signing legislation into law and representing the nation at some events. The president provides political stability, referees politics, and is a stabilizing figure for the country outside of politics. The House of Representatives can be dissolved by the president on the advice of the prime minister to trigger a snap general election for the House of Representatives.

Prime minister of Saint Neots

The prime minister of Saint Neots is the head of government and the chief executive of the state. Nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president, the prime minister is typically the leader of the largest party or coalition. The prime minister is responsible for forming the cabinet, directing government policies, managing national affairs, and usually representing Saint Neots internationally. As the head of the executive branch, the prime minister oversees the implementation of Parliament’s legislative agenda, coordinates the work of ministers, and ensures that government decisions reflect the will of the people. The prime minister’s leadership depends on retaining the confidence of Parliament, as a vote of no confidence can result in their resignation or the dissolution of the House of Representatives for a snap election by the president on the advice of the prime minister or the cabinet itself.

Cabinet of Saint Neots

The cabinet of Saint Neots is the principal executive organ of the government, tasked with advising the prime minister and implementing government policies. The cabinet is composed of ministers appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. These ministers oversee specific areas of governance such as finance, education, health, defence, and foreign affairs. While ministers are often MPs, it is not a strict requirement. The cabinet is collectively accountable to the House of Representatives and works within the framework of parliamentary democracy to ensure the laws passed by Parliament are enforced. The cabinet operates under the leadership of the prime minister and is essential in shaping and enacting policy and agenda.

Twelve regions

The Republic of Saint Neots is divided into twelve regions. Each region is governed by a regional council, which is elected once every three years in regional elections. The regional councils have devolved powers, allowing them to legislate on specific matters such as regional education, healthcare, transportation, and local infrastructure. These councils work within the framework of national law but handle public policy and services that are tailored to the needs of their own individual regions.

Local districts

The Republic of Saint Neots is divided into 328 local districts. Local districts serve as the primary units of local governance and are governed by local councils, which manage municipal services such as housing, waste management, local transportation, and community development. Local councils hold elections every two years, and local councillors represent the interests of their communities. The districts are the closest level of governance to the people, ensuring that national and regional policies are implemented at a localised level.