Difference between revisions of "Lyon"

Revision as of 18:56, 24 November 2015

Lyon Republic
Motto: United in Independence
Capital and largest city		Port Lyon
Official languages		Lyonese
Recognised national languages		Lyonese, Codexian
Ethnic groups (2015 Estimate)		100% Human
Demonym		Lyonese
Government		Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
-	Prime Minister	Alexis Jacobs
-	Speaker of Parliament	Marcus Levin
-	Chief Justice	Hailey Hanson
Legislature		Parliament
Independence
-	From the Tyrsis Imperium	2006
Area
-	Total	29,250 km2 11,293.5 sq mi
Population
-	2015 estimate	7,506,035
-	2010 census	6,622,877
-	Density	256.6/km2 664.6/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2015 estimate
-	Total	$259,302
-	Per capita	$34,545.81
GDP (nominal)		2015 estimate
-	Total	$211.7 billion
-	Per capita	$28,200.66
Gini (2015)		36.4 medium
HDI (2015)		.729 high
Currency		Dollar (FD)
Date format		MM/DD/YYYY
Drives on the		right (side of road)
Calling code		+96
ISO 3166 code		LY
Internet TLD		.ly

Lyon, officially the Lyon Republic, is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic in Yasteria. Lyon covers an area of approximately 29,250 square kilometers (11,293.5 square miles), and has a largely temperate climate. It has a population of 7.5 million, nearly half of whom live in the capital of Port Lyon. Two major national groups occupy the nation, the native Lyonese and the immigrant Tyrsins, and significant animosity exists between these groups. Located in Southeastern Yasteria, Lyon borders the Gulf of Joy, Pax-Draconica, and the Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States.

The Packo Empire conquered Lyon in the 13th century, annexing a previously sparsely populated territory with only a small, democratic government. The Packo Empire ruled the territory until 1896, when it withdrew as the last Packo Emperor unsuccessfully sought to save the empire by consolidating its territory. A short-lived federal constitutional republic ruled Lyon until 1911, when the Tyrsis Imperium invaded. Tyrsis occupied Lyon until 2005, when the death of the Tyrsin Emperor led to a civil war. The Federated Alliance deployed peacekeepers into Lyon as part of an international effort to restore order, and after several months, Lyonese leaders declared independence with FPS support. Lyon adopted a constitution in late 2005, and weeks later, held its first election in nearly a century. Over the next several years, Lyon and FPS jointly quelled a Tyrsin insurgency, largely by incorporating most Tyrsin leaders into the government. Lyon has enjoyed an immense economic boom since that time, thanks to trade with FPS and the Pax.

Lyon is a newly developed country thanks to ten years of unprecedented economic growth. The nominal gross domestic product has grown by ten times over the last decade to $211.7 billion in 2015, and standards of living have substantially improved with household incomes skyrocketing. Most economists nonetheless agree that nominal economic growth has vastly outstripped actual growth, though actual inflation-adjusted incomes have tripled. Lyon is an incredibly strategically important nation, given its placement between Pax-Draconica and the Federated Alliance. The Federated Alliance is closely aligned with the Lyon Republic, but the Lyonese have also maintained good relations with the Pax. The Federated Alliance provided approximately $43.5 billion in aid to Lyon in 2015, providing billions in infrastructure investment, and funding the entire Defense, Interior, and Foreign Ministries.

History

The Packo Empire withdrew from Port Lyon in 1896 after six centuries of occupying the territory. The occupants of the port and its surrounding areas united to create the Lyon Federation a year later. For the next fifteen years, the Lyonese lived in peace, and saw an economic boom from trade with the then-disunited Free Pacific States.

The Tyrsis Empire violently ended this period of prosperity in 1909, annexing the state based on a flimsy pretext, but the Lyonese Army was wholly unable to resist. The Lyonese people resisted Tyrsin rule over the next ninety years but the Tyrsins repeatedly used force to ensure compliance. By the mid 1990s, few resistance groups remained in existence, and only one resistance leader maintained any influence.

But opportunity struck in 2005, when the Emperor of Tyrsis died, and the Tyrsin government collapsed into civil war. The Lyonese rebel organizations united at that point to attack the territorial government, which led to a complete breakdown of order in the Lyon area. After several months, Dannistaan deployed troops to Tyrsis to restore order, and the Federated Alliance of Free Pacific States followed suit in Lyon.

A group of Lyonese leaders met with the head of the Free Pacifican peacekeeping force soon after the invasion. The Free Pacificans granted a request during the meeting for a new constitutional convention, which led ultimately to the creation of the Lyon Republic. The first elected Parliament in Lyonese history, not to mention the first independent Parliament in a century, met in 2005.

But the creation of a government in Lyon did not mean an end to the ills of that nation. The Tyrsin portion of the population, largely disenfranchised by the new government, resisted the occupation violently. The Lyonese resistance leaders, who saw election to most top government positions despite a complete lack of administrative experience, failed to efficiently organize the new state. And the Free Pacificans, who were trained to fight the Pax not an insurgency, repeatedly alienated the populace. By the end of 2006, the situation was rapidly deteriorating.

The Federated Alliance and the Lyon Republic undertook a major program in 2007 to address the ongoing insurgency. The Federated Alliance replaced deployed marine and special forces units in place of regular Army units to conduct counter-insurgency operations with a greater focus on preserving civilian life. The Lyon Republic simultaneously offered immunity to any Tyrsins willing to join the military, police, or government. Most Tyrsins had previously worked for the government, government contractors, or major government-aligned corporations, and flooded the ranks of the security services. Prime Minister Alexis Jacobs took the final step of negotiating directly with Tyrsin Action Party leaders in 2008, leading the rebel group to transform into a peaceful political party. By the end of 2008, the insurgency was effectively over.

The country elected a new parliament in 2010, led by the Unity Party, and that parliament re-elected Jacobs as Prime Minister. But in a nod to the Tyrsin portion of the population, Kim named former Tyrsin politician Chris Hartin to the position of Deputy Prime Minister. The Free Pacifican military ceased peacekeeping operations in 2012, leaving the Tyrsin-dominated security services to keep law an order. A substantial Free Pacifican military presence remained in the nation, though, for the purpose of defending it against the Pax. The Tyrsin Royal Guard, a militant resistance group, continues to operate in Lyon to this day, though it has not attacked the Lyonese government since 2011.

Lyon is today best known for its strategic importance. Both the Pax and the Federated Alliance maintain close relations with Lyon, given its important strategic position. The Pax Empire has declared Lyon a protectorate, while the Federated Alliance has signed a defense pact with Lyon. The Free Pacific States currently possesses the upper-hand in influencing Lyon, maintaining a sizable military presence in Lyon, and funding the Lyonese government to the tune of $43.5 billion in 2015. The Lyonese economy has grown substantially in the last decade because of these two relationships, and a major economic boom continues today.

Government and politics

Lyon is a unitary state, parliamentary constitutional republic, and representative democracy. Governance is conducted at the national level unicameral Parliament and the Judiciary, the two branches of government established by the Constitution of Lyon, the supreme legal document of the nation. Municipalities also provide local governance, though only with powers directly granted by Parliament. The Parliament exercises legislative authority including the power to make laws, declare war, approve treaties, control government spending, and remove government officials. The Parliament appoints the Prime Minister, who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, appoints members of the cabinet and judiciary with the consent of Parliament, and generally oversees the execution of laws. The common law judiciary, comprised of the Constitutional Court and lower courts, interprets laws and overturns those found unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court, led by the Chief Arbiter, has seven members, who serve for renewable ten year terms.

The Parliament is comprised of 250 members, who are elected through instant runoff voting to represent single-member districts. A nonpartisan commission conducts redistribution following each decennial census, though the total number of constituencies is set by law by Parliament. There is presently a member of parliament for approximately every 30,000 citizens. Elections scheduled every five years, but Parliament can call snap elections at anytime, resetting the 5-year clock. Parliament determines the length of elections. Most elections involve multiple candidates as there are no primary elections. Elections are generally considered free and fair. Universal suffrage exists for all citizens aged 18+.

The Lyon Republic operates under a multi-party system. Three parties have dominated politics since the 2014 election: the Unity Party (founded 2006), the Liberty Party (founded 2010), and the Nationalist Party (founded 2006 as the Tyrsin Action Party). Independent candidates often achieve success as well. The Unity Party is a Western centre-left party focused largely on building up the new independent nation. The Liberty Party is a Western libertarian party advocating for a smaller government, and for the creation of semi-autonomous municipalities. The Nationalist Party is Western right-wing party largely focused on defense, foreign affairs, and security issues. Though it has broadened its appeal, the Nationalist Party is still widely viewed as a minority political party representing Tyrsins.

The Unity Party is presently the dominant political party. Prime Minister Alexis Jacobs is the leader of the Unity Party, who has been prime minister since 2005. The Parliament currently consists of 142 Unity members, 48 Nationalist members, 34 Liberty members, and 26 independents. The Unity Party curries broad support outside the capital, while the Nationalist Party is strongest in Port Lyon. The Liberty Party has a more evenly distributed base of support.

Government and finance

The Lyon Republic gains revenue through two major sources: taxes and foreign aid. The national government gains tax revenue primarily through the progressive national income tax, though the government also imposes import, estate, gift, and sales taxes. Municipalities gain revenue primarily through property taxes. Capital gains are treated as regular income, but there is no tax on corporate income. Taxes collected by the national government amounted to approximately 40% of GDP in 2015, a total of $84.7 billion. Taxes collected by municipal governments amounted to approximately 3% of GDP in 2015, a total of $6.4 billion. Altogether, government tax revenue in Lyon amounted to $81.1 billion in 2015. The government receives foreign aid primarily from the Federated Alliance. The Free Pacific States provided $43.5 billion in 2015, earmarking that funding to cover all military, intelligence, security, foreign affairs, and infrastructure spending.

The Lyonese national government spent approximately $134.5 billion in 2015, and budgeted $149.2 billion in 2016. Major categories of spending in 2015 included healthcare ($30.2 billion or 22.5%), defense ($26 billion or 19.3%), welfare for non-retirees ($23 billion or 17.1%), welfare for retirees ($17.4 billion or 11.2%), infrastructure ($12.5 billion or 9.2%), and education ($10.9 billion or 7%). Lyonese municipalities spent approximately $6.6 billion in 2015, and budget $7.5 billion for 2016. Municipal spending priorities vary from municipality to municipality, though healthcare, education, and law enforcement tend to be focuses. Corruption is a major issue in Lyon with most experts estimating that as much as $8 billion was wasted, embezzled, or misused in 2015.

The Lyonese government commonly runs deficits, issuing bonds to cover debts. The Federated Alliance guarantees these bonds, keeping interest rates substantially low. The 2015 national budget contained a $7 billion deficit, equal to approximately 2.8% of GDP. Total national public debt at the end of 2015 was $36 billion, approximately 17.7% of GDP. In 2015, municipalities altogether ran $258 million in deficits, bringing total municipal debt to $1.1 billion. The Lyon Republic uses the Free Pacifican dollar as its currency.

Foreign affairs

The Lyon Republic is a small power with little international influence, few diplomatic exchanges, and a small foreign affairs ministry. Yet Lyon is a major focus of international diplomacy due to its location in Southeast Yasteria, bordering both the Federated Alliance and the Pax. Free Pacifican President Christopher Arctoris views Lyon as an important bulwark against the Pax, and maintains incredibly close relations with the Lyonese government. The Arctoris administration provides Lyon with approximately a third of its government budget, covering the entirety of its defense, intelligence, security, and infrastructure spending. Pax-Draconica also emphasizes its relationship with Lyon, which its leaders view as an important prospect for future expansion. Pax leader Noi famously declared Lyon a protectorate in 2011. Lyon remains a major point of contention between FPS and the Pax.

Military

The Prime Minister of Lyon is the commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces. The prime minister in selects the leaders of the Lyonese military, the civilian Defense Minister and the uniformed Adjutant, with the consent of Parliament. The Lyonese Defense Ministry administers the armed forces, which are divided into three services: the Army, Navy, Air Service, and Intelligence Service. The Ministry of Defense also supervises the Coast Guard during wartime. In 2015, the Defense Ministry supervised approximately 65,000 active duty personnel, 35,000 reserve personnel, 25,000 civilian personnel, and approximately 2500 intelligence personnel.

Military service is voluntary, though conscription may occur in wartime. The Lyonese military is focused almost exclusively on defense, though the small Lyonese special forces are capable of expeditionary operations. The Federated Alliance maintains sizable military installations in Lyon, stationing nearly as many troops in the country as Lyon has in its military. The Free Pacific States largely provides for Lyon's air and sea defense, and the Lyonese Navy and Air Force are very small as a result. The Lyonese Army is vastly larger, and is an equal partner with FPS in defending Lyon's borders. The Lyonese government funds the Defense Ministry using aid from the Federated Alliance, which spent $26.8 billion in 2015 on the Lyonese armed forces.

The military operates nearly entirely independently of the civilian government, despite the role of the prime minister as commander in chief. The military is comprised nearly entirely of ethnic Tyrsins, most of whom previously served in the Tyrsin Imperium, and some of whom participated in the Tyrsin insurgency. The Federated Alliance pays, equips, and trains these Tyrsins, who operate in joint command structures with Free Pacifican personnel. The military uses Codexian as its primary language, whereas the official national language is Lyonese. The military largely contracts with Free Pacifican firms for goods and services, and these firms overwhelmingly employ Tyrsins or Free Pacificans. There are many concerns in Lyonese society regarding the military's power and seeming independence, but Prime Minister Alexis Jacobs has denied that there is any reason for concern.