Constitution of the United Provinces

The Constitution of the United Provinces is the supreme law of the United Provinces. This constitution was created March 5, 2002 and is composed of seven articles. The constitution was ratified on June 19, 2002 and has been the supreme law of the nation ever since. It outlines the powers of the government and it's basic principles and all the laws applied to it's citizens, and the rights of the people. The constitution served as the Snowinian constitution even after Snowiny switching to the monarchic type of government in mid-2014, and only minor parts of the text were changed.

The Constitution
This is the present-day constitution of the United Provinces.

Preamble
We, the People of the United Provinces of Snowiny, Need a New Safe-and-Secure government that will seek Liberty, Justice and Peace, Rights to all it's citizens regardless of race, gender and nationality, and Freedom for all Penguins, do ordain and estabilish this Constitution for the Kingdom of Snowiny.

Section I
All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in the Snowinian Council which consists of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Section II
Parliamentary elections Shall occur every 4 years after the previous Parliamentary election. The Run-ups shall last 3 weeks minimum.

The Constitution gives every Snowinian citizen, no matter what species and/or gender, the right to vote and participate in elections. In order to participate in the elections, a penguin must be:

1. A penguin who has lived in Snowiny for at least 10 years

2. At least 19 years of age

The Parliament is an Unicameral body and is Consisted of 250 Members.

Section IV
No State should Ever be allowed to Secede from the United Provinces; the Constitution hereby Prohibits that and Any Declaration of Independence from the Kingdom is Illegal and will Not be Recognized and the State would still be a de facto Part of the Country. The Government is Willing to go to War to Suppress the Declaration of Independence.

Section I
The Executive Power of the United Provinces shall be held by the President who reigns from the Day They were Elected until the Day their Term is Over.

Impeachment of the President of the Republic is possible if At Least 65% of the Population of the Republic is Discontent with the President AND if the Parliament votes Yes to the Citizens' Discontent with the King and Queen too. The Parliament has no right to impeach the President unless, like Said, the 75% of the Population is Discontent with the King and Queen. The Parliament has Every Right to Object to the Impeachement of the President.

The Impeached President has the Right to Announce Who His Successor Shall be, usually Expected to be the Vice President. If a President Dies, the Vice President Shall come to Power.

Section II
The King shall Be the Commander in Chief of the Snowinian Army and it's Navy, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the Republic; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the Kingdom, except in Cases of Impeachment.

Section I
The judicial Power of the UP, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Parliament may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services, a Compensation, which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

Section II
The Trial of all Crimes, except in Cases of Impeachment, shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed.

Section III
Treason against the Republic, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Parliament shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attained.

Section IV
Capital Punishment is Illegal in the Republic and the Nation does Not Encourage Torture.

Section I
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Parliament may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Section II
The Citizens of All States in the Kingdom shall be entitled to all Rights and Immunities of Citizens in all the States. A Person charged with a Crime who shall flee from Justice and be found in another State shall on demand of the Executive Authority of the State from which They fled to be Taken back to the State and Face the Consequences of their Actions.

Section III
The Republic shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Form of Government the Main Government of the entire Kingdom has, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive, against domestic Violence.

Article V
All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the Kingdom under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the Kingdom which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the Kingdom, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

Article VI
The Ratification of the Conventions of the States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the Same.

Article VII
Shall a Person take Office in the Government of the Nation, as a Senator, A Representative in the House of Representatives, or a Judge in the Supreme Court, they shall take Oath for those Positions and Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the Kingdom of Snowiny.

Article VIII
All Penguins in the Country have the Right to Bear Arms, Unless they are Mentally ill and are uncapable of holding Small Arms. If a Citizen wants to obtain a Gun, They will have to Take an Application, Be Interviewed, and If the results are Good, they can have a gun. A person is Not allowed to use his gun to endanger others safety. Misuse of Guns targeted against Other People will result in immediate suspension of gun rights and ban from Getting a Gun for 15 years, and jail between 5-20 years, depending on how serious the injury is.

Citizens which have a history of crime commitment (with or without guns) Shall permanently NOT be allowed to use a Small Arms weapon.

Article IX
Mass shooting and terrorism is punishable by 30 years in a prison, which can be extended by a maximum of 20 years more.

Fair Parliament Act
The Fair Parliament Act was a bill proposed to the UP Parliament on August 5th, 2017 to amend the Constitution of the United Provinces so the Parliament is a bicameral body with two houses, the Senate and the Diet. It passed on August 9th, 2017.

P.A. 148 IN THE PARLIAMENT OF THE UNITED PROVINCES ''5 August 2017 Proposed by: Senator Jodie Collins (LIB), Senator Henry David (LIB), Senator Monica Le Ben (NAT), Senator Jonathan Reid (SOC), Senator John Novak (NFC), Senator Patrick Smith (CON), Senator Nicholas Surgeon (PNP), Senator James Monroe (PNP), Senator Lisa McClark (LIB)

AN AMENDMENT To amend Article I, Section II of the Constitution of the United Provinces to make the Parliament a bicameral body, consisted of the upper house, the Senate, and the lower house, the Diet. The Diet shall be consisted of 310 Members, elected through Proportional Representation, and the Senate shall be consisted of 100 Members, elected through a First-past-the-Post method. Both shall be elected every 4 years, on the same date, September 1st. The next election is set to be on August 28, 2017. The President will have the right to dissolve the Parliament if it cannot succeed in forming the Cabinet of Ministers or adopting the budget. The Marshals of both houses shall be elected the same day as the opening of the Parliament by Members of both Houses. The Parliament opens 7 days after an election, no less, no more. Prime Minister shall be the Leader of the Majority Party. If there is no Majority Party, the Diet votes to elect a Prime Minister. The Marshal of the Diet has the right to break a tie. To enter the Diet, which is elected through Proportional Representation, a party must get at least 5% of the vote. Parties representing minorities require 1% to enter the Diet.

Trivia

 * This is one of the shortest constitutions in Antarctica.
 * The constitution is inspired after the United States constitution.