The Federal Councils of Kresimiria are the primary executive bodies of the Kresimirian government, functioning as cabinet-level departments responsible for implementing the laws and policies of the Republic. Established by Article 11 of the Constitution, each Council is dedicated to a specific area of national interest and is headed by a powerful, long-serving official known as a Councillor.
Structure and Appointments
The framework for the Councils is strictly defined by the constitution:
- Councillor: Each Council is led by a Councillor (e.g., the Councillor for Education, the Commander of the Army). Councillors are appointed and can be dismissed by the Divine Chancellor. However, their appointment requires a two-thirds majority approval from the Assembly, and their dismissal can be overruled by a two-thirds vote of the Assembly. A Councillor serves a thirty-year term and must have at least twenty years of prior government service.
- Council Members: The staff of each Council are known as Council Members. They are appointed by their respective Councillor, do not require Assembly approval, and also serve thirty-year terms.
- Accountability: Council members are not directly accountable to the public; they are beholden to their Councillor, who is in turn accountable to the Chancellor and the Assembly.
Relationship with Local Government
While the Federal Councils operate at a national level from the capital, Sinj, the constitution allows for the creation of corresponding Local Chambers in each of the ten districts. These chambers are established by the district’s two Senators (acting as governors) and are responsible for implementing Council policies at a local level, dealing directly with citizens on matters like permit applications or local service provision. Local Chambers remain subordinate to their parent Federal Council.
List of Constitutional Councils
The 1921 Constitution established the following core Federal Councils, each with a specific mandate and composition:
- Council for Education
- Councillor Title: Councillor for Education
- Mandate: Manages the provision of universal education, ensures curricula align with the principles of Kresimirianism, and protects the “free and valued flow of information” (as interpreted by the state).
- Council for Defence
- Councillor Title: Commander of the Army of the Republic
- Mandate: Oversees the Kresimirian Army, manages national security, enforces military conscription, and protects the Republic from external threats.
- Council for Foreign Affairs
- Councillor Title: Chief Diplomat of the Republic
- Mandate: Conducts diplomacy with foreign nations, organizes diplomatic events, and issues official statements on behalf of the government.
- Council for Internal Affairs
- Councillor Title: Chief State Councillor
- Mandate: Manages the internal security of the Republic, including policing and counter-insurgency operations. It also advises on legislation and is responsible for maintaining public order.
- Council for Growth and Agriculture
- Councillor Title: Councillor for Growth
- Mandate: Manages the nation’s food supply, oversees agriculture, maintains natural heritage sites, and is responsible for redrawing district boundaries to ensure population equality.
- Council for Development
- Councillor Title: Development Councillor in Chief
- Mandate: Oversees all public and private construction, urban planning, industrial development, and the management of national infrastructure like power plants and factories.
- Council for Divinity
- Councillor Title: High Archbishop of the Kresimirian Divine
- Mandate: The supreme religious authority in the Republic. It is responsible for the stewardship of Kresimirianism, the interpretation of the Books of Kresimir, and has the final say in matters of faith, including appeals regarding the revocation of Divinity Certificates.
- Council for Health
- Councillor Title: Chief Councillor for Health
- Mandate: Oversees the provision of universal healthcare, regulates medical procedures, and manages all health-related contracts and provisions.
- Federal Archive
- Councillor Title: Chair of the Federal Archive
- Mandate: A quasi-administrative body responsible for maintaining all official records of the Republic, scheduling Assembly votes, and providing neutral data for the redistricting process.