The Palentine Government 101:a Primer

Overview
The Palentine is a hereditary Imperial Monarchy formed by the uniting of the various tribes and clans by the warrior queen Kimmoniwannalaya the Unchaste. It is currently ruled by Empress Jhessan Spaulding I of House Spaulding.

The Imperial Throne
The nation is ruled by an Emperor or Empress from the Imperial Palace in the Capital City. The nation is is usually classified as a absolute monarchy, but the truth is a lot more complex than a simple label or classification. While all power rests in the hands of the Emperor or Empress, the citizens do have rights. The Palentine does have a codified legal system including courts and a judiciary. While the Judges are usually Imperial appointees, historically the rulers, especially after the rise of House Spaulding to the throne, have pretty much let the judiciary act in an independent manner(except in the cases of blatent judicial corruption and malfesience.) Citizens in serious felony cases also have the right to appeal to the Emperor or Empress to hear their case after conviction.

Citizens have also throught history gradually been given certian rights, while not part of a Constitution, have been codified into law. These rights are similar to the American Bill of Rights.

While it is true, the Emperor or Empress is an absolute ruler and rules by decree, the Imperial Throne does hold to certian traditions that have theoretically placed some limits on its power. Also unlike Imperial Dictatorships in the Antarctic Oasis(like The Imperial States for example),the leadership is not paranoid and does not see treason everywhere and oppress its citizens. The Imperial Throne, especially after the rise of House Spaulding, takes a more hands off approach, and tries to keep Government interference at a minimum in its citizen's lives. In many ways a Palentine Citizen has more freedoms than many in the region.

Political Parties and the Legislature
The Palentine has a two house Legislative/deliberative Branch of government and multi political parties. The main parties are The Crown Royalists, The Centrists, the Conservative Union, The Progressive Party, and The Liberal Party.
The Crown Royalists: the members very firmly support the actions of the Imperial Crown.
The Centrists:would most likely be considered Republicans by Americans. Generally pro business, pro Imperial, and pro fiscal responcibility. They tend to form a block with the Crown Royalists.
The Conservative Union: very small ultra conservative party affilliated with the nobility. They tend to try to keep the rights and privilages of the Nobility from being infringed. They tend to oppose Empress Jhessan on principle.
Progressives: these tend to be those too batshit crazy to be members of any other party. Mostly communists, socialists, and ultra nationalists. They have been known to offer their support to any party who will throw them the bigger bone.
Liberal Party: these are you typical classic liberals and political leftists. Favor social and domestic programs over business and the military.

The Imperial Senate
This deliberative body is the lower House. Its 152 members are elected from the Palentine's 75 political districts, plus 2 non voting seats reserved to the Kawaiian Autonomous Reserve. The body serves as an advisory body to the Emperor or Empress. And while the Ruler is not required to accept their decisions or advice, most of the time the Rulers do accept or at least take it into consideration when making decisions. The body does have one power allotted to it. All financial bills for the government must originate and be approved by the Senate. Thus Senate elections and seats are highly sought after and contested with vigorous campaigns. Each Senator serves a 4 year term, with a three consectutive term limit. Each District has two senators who's terms have alternating elections with two years between elections.

The House of Lords
This body is made up of members of the Noble Families of the Palentine, usually the head of the Noble House or a designated Proxy. Since membership is hereditary it tends to be more insular and conservative than the senate and far more interested in protecting their perogatives as they see them. While membership is open to every noble family in the Palentine(including newly created nobles by the Imperial Crown) The Lords are not required to accept or seat the noble, and cannot be legally forced to do so. While the Ruler can force them to seat a noble, the throne generally does not as it usually requires much negotiations and expediture of political capital, not to mention sometimes eroding Imperial power.

However as each seat is hereditary and not subject to term limits, it is not unusual for a new noble to be refused admittance, yet have their children or grandchildren or future heir be seated as after a generation or two they become accepted as an old noble family.

The House of Lords also hold one power, The Lords can veto financial bills originating from the Senate, which have to be then overridden by a 2/3 vote in the Senate. This has caused some friction between the two Houses and the Imperial Throne in tbe past. However it has also encouraged fiscal responsibility in the government and limited Governmental and Bureaucratic waste.

Other Offices
The Imperial Throne also appoints many advisors and officials to run the government or act on his or her behalf. The two most important of these is the Prime Minister and the Ambassador to the WA. The Prime Minister tends to conduct the day to day affairs of the nation, and handles most diplomatic issues at the early stages before the Imperial Throne needs to get involved. The Ambassador to the WA represents the Palentine goverment in the Festering Snakepit and Security Council. The appointment is made by the Emperor or Empress, but is overseen by the Prime Minister's office.