Druth Parliament

Druthal is governed by a Parliament. The round Parliament building is on the north side of the Maradaine River, in the city of Maradaine. The appendix in A Parliament of Bodies explains a great deal of its workings, though many of the details are first explained in The Way of the Shield.

History
"The Parliament was originally conceived during the Reunification of 1009 and first convened in 1015. It is composed of one hundred Druth citizens, ten from each archduchy. APOB Appendix]"The Parliament and the Church of Druthal must approve the coronation of the King.

Qualifications
Members of the Parliament ("Chair") are elected within their archduchy, and they must be citizens and residents of that archduchy. They must neither possess nor have reasonable claim to any noble title. APOB Appendix]

Election Cycles and Terms
Each Chair serves a five-year term. These are staggered with annual elections, so each archduchy elects two Chairs each year. The elections are open with often 20 candidates on the ballot, and the two candidates with the most votes win the Chair. In cases with a vacancy, for example, due to death or resignation, the third ranked candidate completes that term.

Voting for Parliamentarians
Men in Druthal have the right to vote. Women do not get a vote, but they may vote by proxy for men who cannot vote themselves. (Enbrain encourages Satrine to vote on behalf of her incapacitated husband, Loren.) Druth colonies and holdings (Druth Napolic Islands, Corvia, Monitel), also do not have representation in Parliament.

There are political movements afoot to grant women suffrage, and the Added Chairs movement seeks to offer wider representation.

Votes are conducted based on defined districts, which can be altered. North Seleth, on the south side of the river, was recently gerrymandered into a district that is otherwise concentrated in North Maradaine, making a Rynax Chair even more implausible.

Parties
There are six political parties: During the first part of the Sequence, Parliament is controlled by a coalition ("Reform Coalition") of the Loyalists, Functionalists, and Free Commercialists. They hold a total of 53 seats.
 * Traditionalists ("Dishers"), who represent entrenched power structures, particularly the hereditary nobility. This often emphasizes policies of greater regional power and authority.
 * Functionalists ("Frikes"), who we would call "technocrats," who emphasize the importance of keeping the government running effectively. Their critics disparage them as having no moral center.
 * Populists ("Salties"), who believe that they represent the "common man" of Druthal. They are the smallest and politically weakest party with five Chairs, after the loss of Erick Parlin. Many of the heroic characters in the Elites series, especially Veracity Press, identify with the Populist politics, though Dayne has more Functionalist leanings. Alphonse Montrose is the leader of this faction in Parliament.
 * Free Commercialists ("Minties"), representing commercial and merchant interests. This often means lowering taxes and tariffs.
 * Loyalists ("Crownies") "support the leadership and authority of the throne, and work on policies that further the King's agenda." APOB Appendix]
 * Ecclesials ("Books"), who represent the Church of Druthal, and are often former clergy.

The Traditionalists and Ecclesials constitute the "Values Coalition." They hold a total of 41 seats.

The Populists do not belong to either coalition, and only hold six seats.

Organization
Parliament is composed of 100 Chairs (Parliamentarians), ten from each of the ten archduchies.

The leadership positions are the Ruling Chairs: High Chair of the Floor, High Chair of the Table, High Chair of the Call, and High Chair of the Decree.

Opposition leadership positions are: the Chair of the Question, the Opposition Chair of the Call.

Procedures
A majority vote is required to pass legislation, unless a member declares the matter "grave," which then requires a 60% vote. There are no limits on declaring votes grave, and so Traditionalists have been "abusing gravity" to block legislation.

Leaders can call votes, and opposition leaders can require a recount if they "question the vote."
 * 1) The High Chair of the Decree calls for a vote.
 * 2) The High Chair of the Call calls each member, recording their votes.
 * 3) The High Chair of the Decree declares the vote finished and announces the tally.
 * 4) He then asks the opposition if they question the authenticity of the vote.
 * 5) If the Chair of the Question does question the vote, the Opposition Chair of the Call conducts a second vote.
 * 6) Votes are reconciled, and the conclusion announced.