Government of the Republic of La Rossa
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 The Flag of La Rossa | |
| Overview | |
| State | Republic of La Rossa |
| Leader | Alessandro Spadi (Dux) |
| Advisors | Advisory Council |
| Headquarters | Tolia |
| Annual Budget | 94.3 billion argottos (67 PC) |
 Dux Cuscorrado Papregoli |
 The current composition of the Advisory Council |
The Government of La Rossa is the central executive authority of the Republic of La Rossa. It is headed by the Dux, who serves as the nation's head of state and head of government, and is elected democratically in a national elections. Unlike most democratic republics, La Rossa's government has no rigid or formally defined structure, instead taking its role through a long tradition of the Dux's near-absolute authority in decision-making. As a result, although recognized long-standing institutions exist to carry out the decrees of Duxes past and present, such institutions may be created or abolished through short process.
Within the government, all formal power rests within the Dux, although over the years several institutions have had officials elected or appointed to oversee the nation's functioning, especially after the nation's industrialization. Following the aftermath of the Spirit Revolution, the five-member Advisory Council was established with the ability to override the Dux's decisions, although the Dux is the only one with the power to put forward a decree. The members of the Advisory Council, unlike the Dux, are elected locally, and represent the city-provinces from which the Dux does not rule. Depending on the context, the "Government of La Rossa" may refer either to only the Dux and their appointees, or also include the Advisory Council.
Powers
Although most power formally lies with the Dux, the breadth of tasks required to be performed by the position have led to most executive functioning to be split among a number of appointed figures, spread across eight departments. Taking care of the roles required for the everyday functioning of the nation, the departments of the Rossan government are responsible for implementing the nation's laws into functional policy. Deriving powers from those laws, they tend to assume broad legal powers that are set towards accomplishing the goals set forward by the Dux's decrees, which oftentimes serve as guidelines rather than rigid policy schemes. As a result, while their leadership figures are appointed by the Dux and directly subject to them, such positions are capable of wielding considerable bureaucratic power in the ways they set towards fulfilling their mandated policy conditions. The powers of the government are not unrestrained, however, and if a department is found to be in breach of the nation's laws, its actions may be prosecuted in a court of law.
Institutions, structure and functioning
The Government of La Rossa is currently composed of eight departments, each tasked with managing a delineated aspect of Rossan society. Each of the Departments is led by a Department Head, appointed directly by the Dux, usually at the start of their rule. The Department Head oversees the functioning of the underlying bureaucracy and sets policy agendas. Underneath the Department Head, there tend to exist several parallel managerial bureaucratic structures, divided based on task as well as location. The departments tend to heavily cooperate with city-provincial governments. Although there is formally no hierarchy between the Departments, the nature of their tasks give them varying degrees of power and importance. For instance, the Department of Treasury is tasked with funding the rest of the government, which cannot exist without it. The Department of Justice is capable of prosecuting any of the other departments for violations of the law. The various departments are given the responsibility of fulfilling the legal and policy goals set by the Dux's directives, and are tasked to act in ways compatible with achieving those goals.
Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is one of the nation's oldest departments, and although it was only officially formalized in 220 TT, its roles have historically been performed since early written history on the island. Tasked with collecting, investing and managing the national funds, the Department of Treasury raises revenue through taxation, mints new currency, manages the nation's debt, and allots funds to allow for the functioning of the rest of the government. Banca Nazionale, the nation's central bank, is formally part of the Department of Treasury (but operates largely independently of the Dux), and controls the money supply and interest rates of the country.
Department of Commerce
The Department of Commerce was formed in 220 TT, and is responsible for managing trade and labor law disputes, promoting national growth and managing state-funded infrastructure and welfare projects. Formed as part of Dux Giorgio Miglio di Padeno's national modernization scheme, the department was established with the goal of facilitating private enterprise and the rise of industry. In recent years, following La Denunzia, the role of the Department of Commerce has shifted towards not only economic growth but also ensuring it is spread equitably. It has becoming increasingly involved in settling labor law abuses, and ensuring companies abide by national standards and regulations.
Department of Justice
The Department of Justice was formed in 220 TT as the last of the three original departments, and has been intended as a check on the functioning of government, as well as the enshrining of a fair and just legal system. Originally in charge of the Moschettieri, that role was later transferred to the Department of Internal Affairs, leaving the Department of Justice primarily in the role of swearing in the nation's judges, prosecuting crime and holding the other departments accountable to their duties. Although La Rossa's judiciary does not operate as a separate branch of government and has only limited authority in interpreting the nation's laws (a law may only apply or not apply to a particular case, but a law may not be overruled), an objective and competitive examination-based system of hiring judges (rather than appointment) have historically kept the department's independence.
Department of Education
The Department of Education was officially formed in 186 TT, and is responsible for ensuring equitable education for the nation's youth, writing up school curricula and promoting research. Originally tasked with providing schooling to children across the island, especially in rural and remote location, it has since expanded towards managing educational practices in general, closely setting up education standards, examinations, and outlining material thought in schools. It is also tasked with managing the Rossan University System, although much of the responsibility has remained delegated to the respective deans and staff. Its most prominent role is in approving research and handing out scholarships and grants, for which it is petitioned by universities and their respective professors. The approval process for such projects usually involves passing certain safety guidelines, which the Department of Education both promotes and follows.
Department of the Peace
The Department of the Peace was formed in 116 TT with the role of upholding the domestic peace and security, and has been placed in control of the Moschettieri, the nation's original law-enforcement. They would later be renamed into the Rossan Police Force. The Department's role has since expanded, primarily into carrying out public policy, such as officializing marriage ceremonies, registering deaths and births, carrying out censuses, as well as giving out passports to domestic residents and enforcing immigration law. It has also been placed in charge of the Rossan Press Commission, responsible for government censorship and the prevention of the publishing of illegal material.
Department of Foreign Relations
The Department of Foreign Relations was created in 11 PC, on the advice of the Entrance Commission following the Calming on the island. It would not, however, see a major role until the Rossan Opening, which would only occur in 41 PC. Prior to this point, the existence of the department and employment in it was viewed through the lens of corruption as worthless and nepotistic by the government's opponents, though these views have subsided since. Its primary duties are found in the managing of the nation's foreign policy and relations, administering diplomats and ambassadors, as well as negotiating agreements with other nations, societies and organizations. Since 63 PC, the Department of Foreign Relations has also partially been responsible for managing La Rossa's travel and immigration policy, being responsible for approving passports to international applicants in the nation's foreign offices across the archipelago.
Department of War
The Department of War was created in 13 PC, following domestic efforts to separate the Rossan Police Force from the Rossan Armed Forces, which were both previously managed under the same organization under the Department of Internal Affairs. The Department of War oversees the functioning of the Rossan Armed Forces, alongside several departmental sub-branches tasked with enhancing the national military's functions, including research programs, radio networks and reconnaissance. While a significant portion of the department's research (whether done by the government or through private contractors) remains classified, occasionally projects deemed not fit for military use end up seeing applications in the civilian market, such as, for example, the aeronave. The military's top brass is employed at the department, with the highest-ranking officers requiring the Dux's approval (acting in capacity as admiral) to be promoted to the rank of colonel. Although nothing obligates the Dux to do so, since the department's founding, every one of its heads has previously held the position of colonel, usually following a promotion made by a previous Dux.
Department of Security
Formed in 68 PC, the Department of Security is the youngest department of the Rossan government. Its primary role, as set forward by its founding decree, is the protection of La Rossa from subversive acts of foreign nations through intelligence and counterintelligence programs. Functioning as the nation's secret service and espionage agency, it has consolidated several minor programs from the Department of Internal Affairs and the Department of War into their own department, with the rationale of allowing them to more effectively counteract foreign threats. Formed following an assassination attempt on Dux Bartolomeo Marone, the department has been placed in charge of the Dux's personal security, both through physical presence and intelligence-based counter-terrorist measures.