Venice (A Federation of Equals)

The Most Serene Republic of Venice [Itl: La Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia] is the newest, thirteenth state of the Danubian Federation [Ger: Die Donauföderation] and is colloquially known as the "Third Republic" after the independent Venetian Republic of pre-Napoleonic times and the first Dogal state within the Federation. One of the oldest continually-sovereign states in Europe, Venice as a sovereign state was founded by Roman refugees from the Hun threat in 697.

Eventually becoming a medieval and Renaissance-era superpower through her maritime exploits and mastery of the sea, Venice extended her domains down the Adriatic and into the Mediterranean in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade. Falling into a slow decline after the Portuguese rounded the Cape of Good Hope and broke Venetian trade dominance; Venice ended up losing most of her Aegean territories in her seven successive wars with the Ottoman Empire before finally falling to French armies in 1796.

Ceded to Austria as the Venetian Province/the Duchy of Venezia, it remained under Austrian administration until the defeat of Hapsburg forces at Austerlitz; afterwards the Province was ceded to the French-controlled Kingdom of Italy which fell almost as fast as it was created, and was soon back in Austrian hands alongside neighboring Lombardy as the Kingdom of Lombardia-Venetia. It was in this form that, after a few brief rebellions in both Milan and Venice, Venezia existed during the Revolution of 1848. The Republic would go on to restore the Dogado early in the history of the Federation and existed as the Most Serene State of Venezia until the Revolution of San Marco in 1855.

Afterwards the Venetian government was extinguished, and the city and the mainland ruled by the socialist revolutionary government of San Marco. The union of San Marco and Lombardia just seven years after the Revolution lead to the birth of the liberal State of Cisalpina under which Venice had a role as one of the state's two capitals. However, discontent in the metropole and lasting bitterness over the Revolution of San Marco lead to the outbreak of the piccolo rivoluzione in 1872 and the declaration of a Third Venetian Republic. The resulting Trieste Conference and Miramare Protocol lead to the birth of the Serene Commonwealth and temporary restoration of Venetian sovereignty, however the Grand Council refused to ratify it which lead to the Belvedere Conference in Vienna. The Belvedere Conference resulted in the admission of the city of Venice as a full state in the Federation with only minor concessions.

The Podestàte

 * Strictly honourary, with no executive powers whatsoever


 * Retains a handful of old dogal prerogatives (that of pardon, dispensing money, etc)


 * Awarded to elderly patricians who have served the state


 * Serves for life, or a 2/3rds dismissal vote of the Arengo

Quarantia - Signoria

 * Upper house of the Signoria


 * Numbers 20 appointed and 20 elected Signori

May block legislature with 2/3rds majority


 * Only patricians are eligible to be elected, anyone may be appointed

Elected signori serve 4-year terms, appointed signori serve life appointments

Arengo - Signoria

 * Consists of 32 directly elected representatives


 * Three seats per sestiere, and two each for the islands of the Laguna Quartiere


 * May propose and pass legislature


 * Patricians are ineligible to run or vote for the Arengo


 * Serves two year terms

Passing Legislature

 * Bills originate in the Arengo, where they must pass a simple majority vote, and if passed, are sent and voted upon by the opposite chamber. Should both votes succeed (i.e. pass through a simple majority in the Arengo and not be blocked in the Quarantia) the bill will be drafted into Venetian law. Alternatively, the Cisalpine Parliament may also institute legislature, in which case, the Quarantia may pass an opt-out resolution through a simple majority.

Administrative Subdivisions
The Most Serene Republic of Venice is divided into the following two quartiere:

La Città Quartiere


 * Cannaregio

Castello


 * Dorsudoro


 * San Marco


 * San Polo


 * Santa Croce

La Laguna Quartiere


 * Murano


 * Torcello


 * Burano


 * Chioggia


 * Lido

Guidecca


 * Pellestrina

Notable Individuals from the Serene Commonwealth

 * Niccolo Donato, Admiral and former President of San Marco

Bonaventura Mocenigo, former Councillor for Cisalpina