Galactic+Constitution

Galactic Constitution
To become a citizen, visit [|The Lunar Embassy] and [|purchase] land on one of the Solar Entities. View a copy of the [|documents ratified and accepted]by The United States on December 8, 2009.
 * The Galactic Government**

[|Galactic Constitution pdf]

=Galactic Constitution History=

"//When power is invested in many, it can never be seized by one! That was the plan and the purpose when the Republic was formed.//"―[|Bail Prestor Organa]

The **Galactic Constitution** was the founding document and highest set of laws in the [|Galactic Republic]. The Constitution was written around [|25,053 BBY] to unify the [|Core Worlds], and it is widely believed that the same Constitution existed throughout the Republic's existence; however, it certainly underwent drastic revisions and modifications at times (for example, the [|Ruusan Reformation]). There is evidence that, as time went on, the Constitution was continually modified to grant more power to the central government. The "Fathers" of it are largely unknown. [[|show]] == Overview [|Edit] == The Constitution invested executive powers in the [|General Ministry] and [|Galactic Senate], legislative powers in the [|Galactic Senate], and judicial powers in the [|Supreme Court] and the [|Regional Courts]. It placed the Republic's capital at [|Coruscant], set its official language as [|Old Galactic Standard] (later [|Galactic Basic Standard]), and made its official currency the [|Galactic Credit Standard]. It made the [|President of the Senate] (later [|Supreme Chancellor]) [|Head of State] and [|Head of Government] and the [|Minister of Defense] [|Commander-in-Chief]. The Senate was granted the authority to levy a military and to regulate trade. The Constitution had strict provisions against persecution of one's personal beliefs. Two notable clauses of the Constitution were the //[|Rights of Sentience]// and //[|Contemplanys Hermi]//. The first provided the rights all citizens in the Republic were entitled to, and included the formal outlawing of [|slavery]; the second allowed for the Corellian system to enact temporary autonomy in exchange for withdrawal from the Senate. The [|Coruscant Accords], possibly part of the Constitution, determined guidelines for Republic membership. The [|Emergency Powers Act], passed in [|24 BBY], contained (among other things) an amendment to the Constitution that eliminated term limits for Supreme Chancellors, giving them the choice of when to stand down. During the [|Clone Wars], the Constitution was increasingly modified by the Senate (among whom a supermajority were loyal to Palpatine) including the controversial [|Fourth Constitutional Amendment] and granting more powers to the executive branch. This led to the establishment of the [|Galactic Empire]. The Galactic Constitution presumably was the basis for the [|Imperial Charter], no doubt with several major changes including the nature of the executive branch, military, law enforcement, and the Rights of Sentience. Whatever constitution the Empire used was presumably overridden by the state of emergency declared in [|0 BBY]. Later, the [|New Republic] would develop a [|new constitution] that, although somewhat different, was based on the Old Republic's.
 * ==Contents==
 * [|1] [|Overview]
 * [|2] [|Appearances]
 * [|3] [|Sources]
 * [|4] [|See also]
 * [|4.1] [|In other languages] ||

include component="page" page="Second Galactic Constitution"

=Second Galactic Constitution History=

The Second Galactic Constitution was the founding document and highest set of laws in the [|Galactic Union]. The new order's Constitution was written in [|138 ABY] at the [|Coruscant Convention]. It established the framework for the organization of the Union's government as well as for the relationship between the central government and the planetary governments, and citizens. It also laid out the [|Jedi Order's] relationship with the Union.

Overview
The //Second Galactic Constitution// established three branches to the Union's government; legislative, executive, and judicial, as well as a checks-and-balances system to effectively keep the government's power limited. The [|Supreme Chancellor] (the executive branch) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Union's army and navy, and had the power to pardon any crime against the Union, except in the case of impeachments. He could also appoint members to his advisory board to advise him on various situations, and the power to veto legislation from [|Congress] that he didn't agree with. The legislature was split into two houses, unlike that of the Old Republic; the [|Second Galactic Senate] and the [|Galactic House of Representatives]. To them was the power to collect taxes, duties, imports and excises, to provide the common defense and general welfare of the Union. Judicial powers were invested in the [|Galactic Court]. In addition to serving as a "court of last resort" and as a determiner of constitutional legality, the Galactic Court also tried cases involving the highest politicians and most noteworthy people in the Union. However, at least some cases (including the trial of senators for treason) were handled by the Senate. The Constitution also set the relationship between the Union and the [|Jedi]. The Jedi were allowed free reign in the Union, provided they stay out of government affairs and abide by the Constitution. This was put in place to prevent a defector of the Jedi from rising to power and becoming a dictator. It included a bill of rights, allowing citizens freedom of speech, religion, press, the right to own weapons, protection from quartering of troops, protection from unreasonable search and seizure, trial by jury, rights of the accused, a ban on double jeopardy, prohibition of excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishment, protection of rights not specifically enumerated in the Constitution, and lastly, powers of planetary governments and people. One thing it did outright ban, was the ability of a [|Sith] to become a politician. While controversial to some galactic citizens, it was decided at the Coruscant Convention, that, due to the nature of past Sith leaders ([|Palpatine] and [|Darth Krayt]), Sith were simply untrustworthy and banned from the government.

include component="page" page="Constitution of the Galactic Government"