South Arcasia

Arcasia (Arcasian Irish: Arcáis), officially the Arcasian Democratic Republic (Arcasian Irish: Poblacht Dhaonlathach Arcáis), is a country in north-western Europe just located a few nautical miles off the western coast of the Republic of Ireland. The capital is New Belfast, and the largest city is Fearghal, both located on the eastern side of the country. It is a largely Irish-English-influenced country, which the influence originating from the 15th century where the island of Arcasia originally belonged to the British Empire for more than 200 years prior to the 1902 Arcasian-British Split, and became an independent commonwealth. It is a federalist, Marxist-Leninist, de jure one-party, socialist parliamentary republic, where the President (Uachtarán na Réabhlóide; President of the Revolution), serves as the largely ceremonial head of state, but with some important powers and duties. The First-Secretary of the Socialist People's Party serving as the de facto Vice President, and the head of government is the Prime Minister (Príomh-Aire na Réabhlóide; Prime Minister of the Revolution), who is appointed by the President; Katriona Ormond is the current Prime Minister, appointed in 2019.

The Independent Arcasian Commonwealth was created, with Dominion status, in 1902 following the 1902 Arcasian-British Split. In 1945, the whole island was split into 4 independent states shortly after the end of World War II; the Democratic Arcasian State in the northwest, the Syndicalist Republic of Arcasia in the northeast, the Democratic Federal Republic of Arcasia in the southwest, and the Arcasian Democratic Republic in the southeast. The southeastern communist Arcasian Democratic Republic had so many advantages compared to its three counterparts, mainly military strength, land area, and economy.

Originating from the jingoistic tendencies of the last President of the Democratic Arcasian State Marcas McGinnis, it became a full-scale seven-year civil war (1965-1972 Arcasian Civil War) between the four independent states. It was then-unknown who fired the first shots, with many pointing fingers on Marcas McGinnis, that set the island of Arcasia ablaze with war. After seven, bloody years, Garbhán Mac Íomhair of the Arcasian Revolutionary Red Forces would become the victor of the conflict, later unifying the whole island and then establishing the new Arcasian Democratic Republic.

After the Civil War, the country was plagued with a devastating economic recession and Garbhán Mac Íomhair repressing political dissidents and opponents. Mac Íomhair would pass away in 1979 after a repressive 7-year reign, and Cearbhall Ó Deasmhumhnaigh was elected by the People's Revolutionary Assembly afterwards. After Mac Íomhair's death, Ó Deasmhumhnaigh initiated a program of de-Íomhairization, denouncing the repression, and enacted many reforms which ushered in a less repressive era in Arcasia. During Ó Deasmhumhnaigh's reign, he strengthed the socialist state at the time when Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact began to collapse, and also establishing diplomatic relations with NATO countries, as well expanding the Arcasian economy. Thanks to his policies, education quality and healthcare quality improved drastically, economic inequality decreased, civil rights were strengthed, and political freedom was improved. After 22 years, Ó Deasmhumhnaigh would pass away in 2001, and was succeeded by economist Bridgitte MacMathan, the first female leader as well the youngest in the country's history, taking office at the age of 35 in 2001 before she was surpassed by Katriona Ormond in 2019. In MacMathan's time, she enacted constitutional reforms where the Prime Minister role will be established, and made the President role largely ceremonial. Her economic policies saw the continuation of the expansion of the Arcasian economy, as well the Arcasian economic boom which was the result of MacMathan's "combined economic diversification within a decentralized command economy" plan. After 18 years, MacMathan would resign as the Prime Minister in 2019, with Katriona Ormond being appointed as her successor. Ormond took office at the age of 34, she would surpass her own successor by becoming the youngest person to hold the office in Arcasian history, as well as the world's fourth-youngest state leader after Dritan Abazović of Montenegro, Gabriel Boric of Chile, and Alexandria Sierra of Valenzuela.

A developed country with an upper-middle income economy, it has the lowest income inequality in Europe, followed by Slovakia, Slovenia, and Belarus. During MacMathan's rule, it rapidly industrialized and developed an advanced economy, while building an extensive welfare state based on the Nordic model; the country soon enjoyed widespread prosperity and a high per capita income. Arcasia joined the United Nations in 1992, and adopted an official policy of neutrality. Arcasia is a top performer in numerous metrics of national performance, including education, civil liberties, press freedom, quality of life and human development.

Etymology
The name 'Arcasia' came from the name of the island of Arcasia, which meant the same thing as the word Arcadia. Arcasia is the Arcasian Irish word for Arcadia.

Arcasia under the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The island of Arcasia was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland since the 15th century. Arcasia's population increased during the peak of the Great Famine in the island of Ireland.

For the first time since Arcasia's admission to the Kingdom in the 15th century, the Arcasian Party gained prominence in the Parliament, and the party became the sole party advocating for Arcasian independence.

1902 Arcasian-British Split, the Arcasian Commonwealth and the Arcasian Division
The Anglo-Arcasian Treaty was ratified in 1902, and the Arcasian Commonwealth was created afterwards. Although the commonwealth was relatively stable, ideological division was evident and widespread around the island, ranging from syndicalism to communism.

Thanks to the growing ideological division, Arcasia was divided into four independent states in 1945; the national socialist Democratic Arcasian State in the northwest, the Syndicalist Republic of Arcasia in the northeast, the democratic-capitalist Democratic Federal Republic of Arcasia in the southwest, and the communist Arcasian Democratic Republic in the southeast.

Arcasian Civil War and contemporary era
Originating from the jingoistic tendencies of the last President of the Democratic Arcasian State Marcas McGinnis, the Arcasian Civil War lasted from 1965 to 1972 when McGinnis allegedly fired the first shots of the war to the military powerhouse of the four states of Arcasia, the Arcasian Democratic Republic. During the last months of the bloody civil war, the communist Arcasian Revolutionary Red Forces, led by Garbhán Mac Íomhair, had liberated the city of Devnet, the then-capital of the Democratic Arcasian State, and brought an end to the devastating Civil War. The casualties were in the hundreds of thousands; the economic damage unfathomable. It would take decades for Mac Íomhair to rebuild the government, and repair the economy.

What would've been seven years of restoring harmony became a dark patch in Arcasia's history, Mac Íomhair was an extremist totalitarian dictator who repressed his political opponents and dissidents. Mac Íomhair is regarded as one of the most brutal dictators of the 20th century, and it was evident thanks to the death toll of the '73-'77 Purge. Mac Íomhair passed away in 1979, and was succeeded by Cearbhall Ó Deasmhumhnaigh.

Cearbhall Ó Deasmhumhnaigh developed Arcasia's own ideology, Arcasian socialism. Ó Deasmhumhnaigh's policies heavily relied on his own ideology, which made Arcasian civil rights stronger than before. The economy under his rule also improved, and brought the country closer to the Soviet Union until 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed. Ó Deasmhumhnaigh immediately established diplomatic relations with NATO countries, and joined the United Nations in mid-1992. The later years of Ó Deasmhumhnaigh's rule just saw the continuation of the expansion of the economy and civil liberties.

In 2001, Ó Deasmhumhnaigh died due to natural causes at the age of 78 and was succeeded by economist Bridgitte MacMathan, who was Arcasia's first female leader as well as the youngest, taking office at 35. MacMathan's rule saw a major turning point as for the first time since the establishment of the Marxist-Leninist government, minor political parties were allowed to run in legislative elections. Thanks to MacMathan's "combined economic diversification within a decentralized command economy" plan, the country entered a period known as the 'Arcasian Economic Miracle'. Same-sex marriages were also legalized in 2004, making Arcasia one of the first countries in the world to legalize it.

After 18 years in power, Bridgitte MacMathan would resign as the Prime Minister in 2019 and Member of the People's Revolutionary Assembly Katriona Ormond would be appointed as the new Prime Minister. Ormond promised to keep MacMathan's economic policies and projects, as well to improve relations with former Soviet countries.

Geography
Arcasia is an island in Northwestern Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. The island lies on the European continental shelf, part of the Eurasian Plate. The island's main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by coastal mountains. The highest peak is Bébhinn, which is 1,275 metres (4,183.07 ft) above sea level. It has a total area of 92,559 km2 (35,737 sq mi), slightly larger than neighboring island of Ireland.

Climate
The Atlantic Ocean and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream affect weather patterns in Arcasia. Temperatures differ regionally, with central and eastern areas tending to be more extreme.However, due to a temperate oceanic climate, temperatures are seldom lower than −5 °C (23 °F) in winter or higher than 26 °C (79 °F) in summer.

Politics
Arcasia has had a socialist political system since 1972 (since 1945 before the unification in 1972) based on the Arcasian socialist principle. Arcasia is constitutionally defined as a Marxist–Leninist socialist state guided in part by the political ideas of Cearbhall Ó Deasmhumhnaigh, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels. Albeit regarded as a one-party state, the recent legislative elections held has been seen as multi-party elections, giving the one-party system de jure status. The present Constitution of Arcasia, which was passed in a 2017 referendum, describes the role of the Socialist People's Party of Arcasia to be the "leading force of society and of the state" and as having the capability of setting national policy.

Arcasia has a de facto dominant-party system. The Socialist People's Party (Páirtí na nDaoine Sóisialach) governs Arcasia as a libertarian de jure one-party socialist state.

The head of state is the President of Arcasia, also known as the President of the Revolution. In keeping with the state's parliamentary system of government, the President exercises a mainly ceremonial role but does possess certain specific powers. The presidency is open to all Arcasian citizens who are at least 35, and they are elected by direct popular vote. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Arcasia a "flawed democracy" in 2019.

Constitution
The state operates under the Constitution of Arcasia (Bunreacht Arcáis) which was adopted in 2017 by means of a plebiscite. The constitution falls within the democratic socialist tradition. It defines the organs of government and guarantees certain fundamental rights. The Constitution can only be amended by means of a referendum.

Legislative branch
Arcasia has an elected national legislature, the People's Revolutionary Assembly (Tionól Réabhlóideach an Phobail), which has 500 members, elected every 5 years and holds brief sessions to ratify decisions by the executive branch. The Assembly convenes twice a year in ordinary periods of sessions. However, it has permanent commissions to look after issues of legislative interest. Among its permanent or temporary commissions are those in charge of issues concerning the economy, industries, transportation and communications, constructions, foreign affairs, public health, defense and interior order.

Executive branch
Executive authority is exercised by a cabinet known simply as the Revolutionary Government. Article 28 of the Constitution states that the Government may consist of no less than seven and no more than fifteen members, namely the Prime Minister of the Revolution (Príomh-Aire na Réabhlóide) and up to fourteen other ministers. The Minister for Finance is the only other position named in the Constitution. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President, after being nominated by the People's Revolutionary Assembly. The remaining ministers are nominated by the Prime Minister and appointed by the President following their approval by the Assembly. The Revolutionary Government must enjoy the confidence of the Assembly and, in the event that they cease to enjoy the support of the unicameral assembly, the Prime Minister must either resign or request the President to dissolve the Assembly, in which case a legislative election follows.

Judicial branch
Arcasia is a common law jurisdiction. The judiciary consists of the People's Supreme Court (Cúirt Uachtarach an Phobail), the People's Court of Appeal (Cúirt Achomhairc na nDaoine), and the People's High Court (Ard-Chúirt an Phobail) established by the Constitution and other lower courts established by statute law. Judges are appointed by the President after being nominated by the Revolutionary Government and can be removed from office only for misbehaviour or incapacity, and then only by resolution of the People's Revolutionary Assembly. The final court of appeal is the Supreme Court, which consists of the Chief Justice, nine ordinary judges and, ex officio the Presidents of the Court of Appeal and the High Court. The Supreme Court rarely sits as a full bench and normally hears cases in chambers of three, five or seven judges.

The courts established by the constitution have the power of judicial review and may declare to be invalid both laws and acts of the state which are repugnant to the constitution.

Foreign relations
As of 2022, Arcasia maintains diplomatic relationships with 190 nations throughout the world, including all UN member states and UN observer states other than (i) UN member states Malawi, Bahamas, Tonga and Tuvalu and (ii) the UN observer Holy See. Major steps have been taken by Arcasia to restore diplomatic ties with key countries. Full diplomatic relations were restored with the United States who opened its embassy in New Belfast in 1993, while Arcasia established an embassy in Washington, D.C. in 1995. Germany reopened its embassy in Fearghal in November 1996, and Arcasia opened an embassy in Berlin in October 2000.

Military neutrality
Arcasia tends towards independence in foreign policy, thus it is not a member of NATO and has a longstanding policy of military neutrality.

This policy has helped the Arcasian Revolutionary Red Forces to be successful in their contributions to UN peace-keeping missions since 1960 (in the Congo Crisis ONUC) and subsequently in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Lebanon (UNIFIL), Iran/Iraq Border (UNIIMOG), Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), Liberia (UNMIL), East Timor (INTERFET).

Administrative divisions
Arcasia, as a federal state, consists of ten cantons (cantain). The cantons are are federated states, have a permanent constitutional status and, in comparison with the situation in other countries, a high degree of independence. Under the current Constitution, all ten cantons are equal in status. Each canton has its own constitution and its own parliament, government, police and courts. However, there are considerable differences between the individual cantons, particularly in terms of population and geographical area.