Likatonia

The Republic of Likatonia is a nation located in north-western Seleya. It is bordered to the east by the United States of Lodamun and to the south by the Valruzian Federation. It's formed by five cantons (Likatonian: Cantons), Sorbanika, Gēlija, Hukgale, Lukazeme and Merīa. The official language is Likatonian, however English, Valruzian and German are also spoken by minority groups.

History of Likatonia
The history of Likatonia has been rather violent, mostly due to the struggle to unite Greater Likatonia, which was the traditional aim of imperialist movements in Likatonia. The most notable of these incidents are the Keymon-Likatonia_Crisis and the notorious Likatonia-Lodamun War, which ended in the deaths of over 4.5 million people.

Military Revolt
In 3285, in what Likatonian historians call the 'Patriotic Officer's Revolt', the libertarian government of the Federal Republic was overthrown due to the outbreak of a widespread military uprising, culminating in a military coup led by General Solokoff, bringing the Nationalist People's Party of Likatonia to power. The motive for the revolt, according to General Solokoff, was that the government, much like the others before them, had been corrupt and had colluded in the humiliation of Likatonia. The army thus felt compelled to act and to 'restore the former glory of Likatonia'.

People's Republic of Likatonia
The NPPL government has decried what it calls 'the scourge of democracy' and has actively sought to dismantle any traces of democracy within Likatonia. The Likatonian parliament passed an enabling act, appointing Valeri Sokoloff as 'Supreme Commander' and granting him dictatorial powers. A 'National Oath of Loyalty Act' was subsequently passed, requiring that 'all citizens of Likatonia, all members of the Likaton Armed Forces, all public servants, and all government ministers' pledge their unequivocal allegiance to the Supreme Commander, through the recital of an oath of loyalty. Failure to take the oath or to uphold it is regarded as treason by the NPPL government, and a punishment of death has been mandated for those who violate the act.

Persecution of Religion
Since the passing of the 'National Reform Act' in 3286, the Likaton government has been actively engaged in the persecution of religion throughout the nation. The act prohibited the wearing of religious symbols, the advertising of religion, religious schools, prayer in schools, and most importantly, banned religion as a whole. The paramilitary group the Patriotic Guard is alleged to have been enforcing the ban, and has been witnessed emptying and vandalising churches, executing clergy and destroying religious symbols.

Government
Likatonia is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic. Government powers in Likatonia are divided into legislative, executive and judiciary powers. The legal system of Likatonia is civil law, strongly influenced, as is the institutional framework.

The President of the Republic is the head of state, directly elected to a five-year term and is limited by the Constitution to a maximum of two terms. In addition to being the commander in chief of the armed forces, the president has the procedural duty of appointing the prime minister with the consent of the parliament, and has some influence on foreign policy. The most recent presidential elections were held on 10 March 3374, when Alphonso Gunning won his second term.

The government is headed by the prime minister, who has one deputy prime ministers and 14 ministers in charge of particular sectors of activity. The executive branch is responsible for proposing legislation and a budget, executing the laws, and guiding the foreign and internal policies of the republic.

The parliament (The National Asembly) is a unicameral legislative body. The number of The National Asembly members is 182; they are all elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms. The sessions of the The National Asembly take place from 15 January to 15 July, and from 15 September to 15 December. The two largest political parties in Likatonia are the Popular Alliance and the AM Radical Libertarian Party.

Likatonia has a three-tiered judicial system, made up of the Supreme Court, Canton courts, and Municipal courts. The Constitutional Court rules on matters regarding the Constitution. In addition there are misdemeanour courts, commercial courts and administrative courts. Law enforcement in Likatonia is the responsibility of the Likatonian police force, which is under the control of the Ministry of Interior and Immigration.

Politics
Historically, the opposing political fronts in Likatonia were composed of the Axis Mundi and Confederal Movements for the Division of the Likatonian State. There are currently two emerging political parties in Likatonia, the Occitan Alliance and the People's National (Marxist-Leninist).

Armed Struggle in Likatonia
Part of the Likatonian population considers itself not as Likatonian, but as belonging to the individual constituent Prefectures that make up the Res Publica. The Separatist Coalition's Army aim to represent this secessionist movement, and seek greater political independence for the Prefectures, "libertarian socialism", and the recognition of the so-called "Confederation of the Likatonian State" (or the removal of "Axis Mundi" from the official name). The first killings of this paramilitary organisation was outside the Hukatanian Prefectural Assembly (Nevarn City, Hukatai), when three unknown SCA militants killed three politicians of the RSVP (now the DWP). Two of the killers are thought to be in hiding in Migadon (historically part of the region of Hukatai). The SCA is currently disarmed. The movement is now absorbed into the PFL Red Confederal Movement.

Current Politics
Currently, the Likaton Vieniba Partija is in Government. Unopposed, the LVP is starting to change Likatonian Policies to further peace around Terra. Their policies involving human freedoms are specifically a concern for the LVP, with military intervention a very real possibility. The Government has recently created both the Northern Seleya Allegiance (NSA), both in an attempt on international power. The NSA is mainly concrened with maintaining peace and order in Northern Seleya.

Sport in Likatonia
Likatonia enjoys a great sporting heritage, particularly in association football. The national football team of Likatonia have won the Terran FIFA World Cup twice to date, having first participated in the 2500 games. The national team expect to progress to the final stages of each tournament, and have done so numerous times.

The Likatonian Football Association is also one of the founding associate bodies of the North Seleyan Football Association, created under the guidance of former Foreign Minister Henry Vurily of the DWP. The NSFA officially formed in 2525 with the national Football Association of Lodamun. Theo body now boasts five members, and regularly holds a North Seleyan Football Championship.

Current sporting has turned the Hockey. The Likatonian Hockey League (LHL) has recently started and adopted 15 new teams, including the Libertina Tazers, the National Capitol's own hockey team.