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Hesperian Republic
Repubblica Esperiana
Timeline: Great Nuclear War

OTL equivalent: Southern Italy and Cyrenaica
Flag Coat of Arms
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Meridione
Location of the Republic of South Italy (Cyrenaica isn't show)
Anthem "Suona la Tromba Intrepido"
Capital
(and largest city)
Naples
Other cities Palermo, Bari, Catania, Messina, Reggio Calabria and others
Language
  official
 
Italian
  others Arab, Albanian, Greek and others
Religion
  main
 
Christianity
  others Islam, Atheism, Orthodox and others
Ethnic Groups
  main
 
Southerner
  others Greek, Arab, Albanian, Italians and others
Demonym Hesperian
Government Unitary Semi-Presidential Republic
  Legislature Parliament
President Giorgio Napolitano
Prime Minister Angiolino Alfano
Area 434.236 km²
Population 25,830,107 
Established 30 October 1962
Independence from Italy
  declared 28 October 1963
  recognized 10 August 1967
Currency Hesperian Lira
Time Zone + 1

The Hesperian Republic (Repubblica Esperiana) is a state created after the nuclear war, the actual form was created after the annession of the southern Italy to the Sicilian Republic.

History []

Sicily was one of the most great regions of Italy, and the most populous. On the 28 of October 1962 the bombs fell on Italy, battering on Rome. The President of the region Giuseppe D'Angelo attempted to contact Rome or any authority outside of the Island, though when no one have responded, they realized they were alone. D'Angelo have called for a special reunion of the regional parliament, after have decide to increase the police forces and that of Carabinieri for previde order most of the parliamentaries decide of declare the Provisional Sicilian Republic, with capital at Palermo and agriculture was temporarily put in state control.

The winter of 1963 had no effect on the island, this thanks to it's position within the Mediterranean. 

A New Republic[]

The 30 of October of 1963 the regional assembly of the Sicily (Now called the Sicilian Parliament) proclaimed the independence of the Sicily from the Italian government, and any institution made to follow it. The new government was named the Sicilian Republic. The National Constituent Assembly held conference to write a Sicilian Constitution, it have take half then a year to write that, inspirated from that of the Italian Republic. The flag and the coat of arms selected were the Sicilian Flag with the triskelion, an ancient and a traditional symbols for the Sicilians, who used it first during 1282, for the revolt against Charles I of Sicily. 

Giuseppe D'Angelo was elected President of the Republic by the Sicilian Parliament, on the 1st of February of 1964.

The Sicilian Mafia was a new threat to the forming government, and this led to massive crackdown on clan chiefs. Since this, the mafia has been in decline, and some predict the organized mobs will be totally eradicated by 1965.

Diplomatic incident and expeditions.[]

In the summer of the 1967 a ship from the Italian Navy docked in the port of Palermo, saying that it was part of the Italian Republic. The ship was immediately seized and it's crew. After a interrogation of some hours return to their ship, the ship is returned to the crew, and the men released. In light of this Italian Republic, the Sicilian Government sent an ambassado for open a embassy in Turin.

The Republic have also a colony in Cyrenaica, the colony was created in the 1970 after the discover of a provisional republic led by the Italian and Jews who before their expulsion was live in the Kingdom of Libya.

Over the years, Sicily has also started exploring the rest of the Mediterranean, and the republic has made contact with San Marino, Romagna, Republic of Venice, France, Yugoslavia, Spain, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Israel, United Arab Republic, Monaco, Albania, Greece, Cyprus, Sardinia

They have also started to annex the ex-region Calabria, the first city at be liberated by the Sicilian forces was Reggio Calabria and ironically it was also the capital of the Republic of the Calabria, ruled by Antonio Macrì.

131136245-99a8a7b2-3a1d-494f-ae77-c664bd60cc71

The maxi-process of Palermo, where the judge Antonino Caponnetto have condemned more of 100 ex-boss of the Mafia in Calabria.

In the 1966 they have send humanitarian and medical aid at the Tuscany, it also have send 100 Military for help city of Florence. 

In 1965 the Calabria was unificated with the Sicily with a parliamentary law, after this the republic have fight the Ndrangheta, who was a allied of the Cosa Nostra, of the Sacra Corona Unita and of the Camorra.

After the battle of Cosenza the three family who have ruled the Ndrangheta have a fleet in the Neapolitan Republic. The gangsters who remain in Calabria have served at least 40 years in jail or it was executed. 

A new decade of peace[]

In the 70s with the international trade restore Sicily was able of insure relations with the other nations of the southern hemisphere, and also with that of the Asia and Northern America, the restore of the international trade don't bring only goods or service who wasn't anymore available in Sicily, but also more job for the young peoples, more foreign tourists and for this the economy was have a boom, it was in this period that the literacy rise at the 100%, also it was in this year that the Sicilian president; Piersanti Mattarella and the Italian president; Aldo Moro have started to make reunions with both government in Palermo for talk about the Mafia, and for improve relations with Sicily, it was decided in a secret clausola that Italy would keep north and central Italy with Sardinia, while Sicily will take all South Italy, in one of this meeting it also signed the Italian-Sicilian Treaty, that it would give free access and free travel between the territory of the two republics at both citizens, free medical assistance at both citizens in the same territory, and a ratio of 1:1 in the exchange of Sicilian Lira and Italian Lira.  

War for liberty[]

In the year that fallows this treaty Sicily would give secret assistance and support at that underground resistance group hostile to the Neapolitans, with the sabotage of communication line, compulsory disobedience, strikes and workers protest, and even the infiltration of agents of the S.I.S. info Neapolitan territory, this with the goal of make their more weakness and for obtain more allied in the unification of south Italy.

But in the late 80s Neapolitan police discover the presence of a S.I.S. hideout in Bari, undercover as a bakery, the policemen arrest them and all the others present in the shops but the agents of the S.I.S. helped by some member of the Communist Party was able of kill most of the Policemen before flee info the countryside, at the end they was founded and killed, with the exception of one agent, this agent was brought at Naples for be processed and then killed, but before he was tortured for information in exchange of the life, he refuse and then he was killed, this event was transmitted on the national TV and it was there the president decide to declare war on Sicily with the invasion of Calabria, naturally the Sicilian was prepared to this and if this would happening then the agents would cause riots and revolts again the war supported by citizens and members of the exiled parties.

The Neapolitans have more men, they could deploy a much more large army, but they are much less technologically advanced of Sicily, who have one of the most modern and big navy in Europe and a far more modern and advanced army, with this elements the Sicilian Army started to enter at Potenza after three month of fights between them and the Neapolitans, they was welcomed as heroes by the citizens of the Neapolitan Republic, next their objective was the city of Bari and the Puglia himself, after have liberate Matera from the Neapolitans they have march forward, but they was stopped by the massive line of land mines and fortifications around the borders of the region, this stop take two weeks before clearing the way for Bari, from there the army have two main objects; Bari and Taranto, the column was split in two and both arrive at their objectives, but with heavy casualties and with many vehicles destroyed, thankfully at the end the Sicilian navy broke the siege in both Taranto and Bari with a landing assault of the Sicilian marines.

With the Basilicata and Puglia free from the truth of the Mafia Sicily will focus their eye on what remain of the Neapolitan Republic, for the Christmas Day surprised no one faction make any military operation or attack again each other, maybe why they know that was the Birthday of Jesus, in early spring the Neapolitan Army repelled a few attacks over the city of Campobasso, but the Sicilian Marines quickly with the support of the navy take the city of Isernia, and from there preparing the Operation "Sabbath", with the object of liberate the Abruzzo with the help of the rebels.

As it was in a weakness position the Italian Army invade the Marche and liberate them from the mafia in a mouth, with much gratitude from their inhabitants, and from there they was able of liberate the other parts of central Italy from the control of the Italian Social Republic, that have take much less time because the Duce flee from the country as soon they reach Perugia, leaving them without any power.

But as for the Sicilian the situation is good but still not the most good, they take in the meantime the city of Pesaro after some attacks and bombarded from the Neapolitan Air Force, and from there they consolidate their position and clear the way for arrive at L' Aquila, again here the Neapolitan Army have use land mines and artillery attacks for repelled the Sicilians, but thanks at the engineer's work and at the ability of the mechanized divisions the Sicilian army was able of clear the road for L' Aquila, in only one year and 6 months they have conquered all south Italy except Campania and Naples, who is heavily and well defended by the elite and the most determinate troops and citizens of the Republic, the president with his stuff decide to retreat in Ischia and ordered his man to "Die or Win"; with this order the last loyal troops of the Neapolitan Army begin a furios fight.

But as the Sicilian troops get much closer to Naples many Neapolitans decide to give up and of surrender to the enemy, this for save the city of Naples and for don't fight for a lost cause, so the 10th May when the Sicilian Army arrive at the doors of the city the commandor of the Neapolitan Forces declare their surrender to the Sicilians, the garrison in the city of Naples was reliase from his duty and many of his member join at the Sicilian Armed Forces. 

With this unexpected victory also the force present in the Campanian Archipelago decide to surrender to the Sicilian, but before doing this they have arrested the president and the prime minister and transmitted a message to the Sicilian generals that the war is over, the next day a group of Sicilian marines land on the isles of the archipelago and take the control of the islands, and bring both the president and the prime minister at Palermo for being guilted by the court of justice, his accuse was that of crime again humanity, the disrespect of the convention of Ginevra and many other crimes, the president was executed by the Gendarmerie the same day, while his prime minister was give a life sentence, after this the 14th May of the 1990, the day next of the execution the president of the Sicilian Republic made a public speech in Palermo for say that the war is over and that Sicily have bring freedom and democracy to a tortured land, most of the nations of the world, among the first the USSR and the US, talking about how Sicily "Bring an end to a pariah state with the thankful from the international community". With this victory a huge change of the republic was necessary. 

A new start []

With the war Sicily acquire the hole South Italy, with a population of 20 millions, an area of 434.236 km² the Sicilian Republic become a major power in Europe, but this new territory bring also new problems and a hole change to the political structure of the republic.

The president Piersanti Mattarella decide that this was a new start for the republic and his citizens, so he decide to made various reforms, one of the first was that of move the capital from Palermo to Naples, this not without problems as most of the deputies of the parliament oppose this reform initially, but at the end they accept it, other various reforns was the change of the political structure from parliamentary to semi-presidential, the change of the name of the republic, the change of the flag, of the coat of arms and the other reforms for nationalize the new country, even with the amnesty give to all the ex-member of the Neapolitan Armed Forces and of his Republic.

For the next decade the Southern woud suffer a slow economical crisi caused by the cost of the war and by the rebuild cost of the war zone, but with new economical reforms as reform of the jobs and an increase of the public works in healthcare, educational and transport the economy of the republic faster recover, thanks also to the oil fields in Cyrenaica. 

In the new century the Southern Republic woud become a prosper country able to ever overpass the Italian Republic in some sectors of the economy like electricity, informatic, software, yard and other sector, also new workers and people was bring from cyrenaica for create more jobs in the most poor parts of the republic like in Basilicata or Calabria, other then this the Southern Republic have the intention to create new relations with the countries of North America, the first country at open relations with the Sicilian Republic, so before the war again Naples, was Maine in 1978. 

When the 2002 reached out the International League was created with the support of UK, USP, USSR, Republic of China and France, the South accept the invitation from the creators of the project and the president Raffaele Fitto would participate at the open ceremony of the league in Kingston, West Indies, among with several others head of state, the republic was also chose by the league for host the regional headquarters and his office in Palermo, with competence over the Mediterranean Sea.

Constitution[]

Formally and according to the Southerner Constitution is organized as such:

  • President of the Republic, elected by the Citizens every ten years, the first president of the Republic was Giuseppe D'Angelo.
  • Prime Minister, nominated by the Parliament every five years. The Prime Minister, the President and their government are responsible for the administration of the republic, the first prime minister was Benedetto Majorana della Nicchiara.
  • The Prime Minister appointment his government, under suggestion of the President.
  • The President cannot hold office in any other branch of power, and the office's salary and privileges are established by law.
  • The Parliament have a unicameral system and is the legislative body of South Italy. It is composed of deputies elected by direct universal suffrage every seven years.
  • The South Italian Parliament can proclaim and vote the laws, they must be countersigned by the President and Prime Minister.
  • According to the Constitution, any citizen that is thirty on the day of the election, and enjoys civil and political rights, can be elected President.
  • In addition to powers inherent in being a member of the cabinet, the prime minister holds specific powers, most notably being able to nominate a list of cabinet ministers to be appointed by him, but after the approve by the President of the Republic.
  • Often the President's activity consists more in mediating between the various parties in the majority coalition, rather than directing the activity of the Council of Ministers.

Political Parties []

The political parties of the Southern Parliament are: 

  • Southern Communist Party, a party founded on the ash of the PCI in Sicily, is one of the most popular parties in the republic, but is also the third party for seats in the Parliament, with only 50 seats, is led by Giuseppe Berretta, their ideology and their support is linked at the Comitato Sindacale Generale del Lavoro, a communist syndicate and on various communist circle in small town and rural zone.
  • Christian Democracy, like the party during the time of the old Italian Republic this party is the most popular party in the republic, for his right and moderate position, is the first party of the Parliament by seats with 60 seats, is led by Ciriaco De Mita, the party take his support from the middle and upper class, many of his supporters are the same who are in the parliament and who financed him, mainly the people who financed the party are the industrial and manager directors, but also members of the Catholic Church in the republic, first of all by the Bishop of Naples and Palermo. 
    EVIS flag

    Flag of the Sicilian National Party, who was also the ex-flag of the MIS, is similar to the Catalan flag.

  • Sicilian National Party, this party was created in 1972, by the ex-member of the Movement for the Independence of Sicily, the party himself is focused on the Sicilian history, culture and on the Sicilian nationalist, thinking this is the gold era for Sicily why they aren't part of Italy anymore, they have many support in the main cities of the island and also in the small cities, but they don't have any support in other areas of the republic, they are led by Alessandro Pagano. The SNP have gathered 25 seats from the least elections, and they have many mayors or member of communal junta of their party, for now five cities are in their hands; Palermo, Catania, Agrigento, Messina and Enna have a SNP mayor.
  • Giovine Italia, the Giovine Italia is a party created by the members and the leader of the MSI in Sicily and Calabria, the goal of this party is the union of the Southern Republic with the Italian Republic, it celebrate not only the Southern history and culture but also the Italian history and culture, is led by Gianfranco Miccichè, they are also the third most great party in the continental part of the Republic, with 30 seats in the parliament, with a margin of victory of the 40-50% in some rural zone and of the 90% in continental cities, from the 1965 to the 2009 Reggio Calabria would have all his mayor of the Giovine Italia, the last mayor at win the election is a demochristian.
  • A Great South, one of the most young party of the republic, born in the 2000, ten years after the war again Naples, the party was founded by Roberto Fico, an opponent of the power of the Mafia in the south, the party was found with the goal that the south has a common history, a common culture and a common people that need to build together a better future, it has a ideology based on nationalism, liberalism, regionalism and meridionalism, the Great South is one of the most popular party in Campania, Basilicata, Calabria, Puglia and Molise, by now is also a member of the government with the DC, the party have 35 seats and is led by Luigi di Maio.

Administrative organization[]

The Southern Republic is divided into regions, provinces and communes. The Regions are led by a President, elected by the citizens of the Region. The Provinces are in the charge of a Prefect, named by the President, who is in charge of all aspects of the state administration and public order. The chief magistrate of a commune is a mayor, elected by the citizens of a city or in special case by a prefect. He was assisted by a Municipal Consul, composed of five councilors named by the Mayor. The Republic have also a region in Cyrenaica, the colony was created in the 1970 after the discover of a provisional republic led by the Italian and Jews who before their expulsion was live in the Kingdom of Libya and after the give assistance at the provisional government they have accept of become a colony, in 1990 the colony become a region, a gift to Cyrenaica in his effort in the war.

The Regions are:

  • Sicilia (Palermo) 
  • Calabria (Reggio Calabria)
  • Lucania (Potenza)
  • Puglia (Bari)
  • Campania (Napoli)
  • Abruzzo (L'Aquila)
  • Molise (Campobasso)
  • Cirenaica (Bengasi)

Economy []

The republic has a mixed economy system. Though traditionally the Southern economy has been dominated by agriculture and tourism. From the 60s and the 70s was facing a economic boom, this thanks to the oil supply in Libya. Education, banking service, security service, telecommunication, transport, health care, social security and access to cultural resources are under the control of the state.

The economy is based heavily on agriculture, tourism, small and medium companies, naval industry, energy, light manufacture, mineral extraction, viticulture, fishing and shipping.

The South is also one of the few nations in Europe who have a unlimited supply of oil, the 95% of the oil wells is under the control of the public body ANGP (Agenzia Nazionale del Gas e Petrolio), the rest 5% is held by French, American and English private oil company, but other that is also rinomate for his great use of renewable energy, this why oil isn't unlimited.

From the 2003 a new project about the creation of a valley similar to the Silicon Valley was created by the government for build a technological and modern industrial zone where microprocessor, microchips and new technology where tested and created, at the end of the 2005 the project was finished and since then the Etna Valley is the main rival to the Silicon Valley in California, as most of the European company decide to create new offices and branches are created, also many state company are located here. 

Health Care[]

Health care is free and accessible for all the citizens of the republic, funded by the state through general taxation and direct revenues collected by local health, through prescription charges and other chargeable services. 

Most major cities have a hospital or a general hospital. The smaller cities or the villages have a Health Office.

Education[]

Schooling is required by law, and free, compulsory education is obligatory until 16 years of age. The South Italian school system is divided into three stages of education:

  • Primary education, which includes kindergarten for three years and primary school, five-year.
  • Secondary education, which includes the secondary school level (Middle school) for three years, and the secondary school of second degree (High school) of five-year duration.
  • Higher education, including the universities, the higher education in art, music and dance and vocational training.  

The best universities are located in Naples, Bari, Palermo and Pesaro, in Benghazi the university was open in the 1975 and it was also open a branch of the University Ruggero II in Tobruck.

Mass media[]

In the republic, the official news agency is the Agenzia Stampa Meridionale Associata (ASMA). The most read newspapers are Il Corriere del Mezzogiorno, Il Meridione, Il Sole 24 ORE, Il Messaggero, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tuttosport and Il Secolo XIX. There are no restrictions upon the press based on religion or other factors.

The Radio Televisione Meridionale (RTM) is the national television of the republic under the authority of the government, it was created in 1963 with the name of Radio Televisione Siciliana (RTS) and it have keep this name until the end of the war, after it was renominated to the odiern name, the RTM has 3 channels; RTM 1, RTM 2 and RTM 3. The main studios of the RTM are in Naples and in Palermo, but other minor studios are also located in Benghazi, Bari, Reggio Calabria and Pescara, the most important studios located outside the republic are in Milan, Paris, Birmingham, Berlin, Addis Ababa, Osaka,  Mexico City and Brasilia, apart from the television of state other televisive company was created after the war, one of the first at be created was Tele Sud in 1975, other company have succeeded Tele Sud like Televisione Siciliana or Al Libya and also Mediaset, located in Italy but with enough signal to be broadcast also in South Italy.

Military[]

The Southern Armed Forces (Forze Armate Merdionali) are a armed force made up of volunteers. From the 1990 the conscription was dissolved and from the 2000 also the woman can also join in the armed forces.

Sicilian Troops

A soldiers with a Beretta BM-59, in the 1980.

Armed Forces: []

  • Southern Army (Esercito Meridionale): 104,567 Military
  • Southern Navy (Marina Militare Meridionale): 24,697 Military
  • Southern Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Meridionale): 22,256 Military
  • Southern Gendarmerie (Gendarmeria Meridionale): 57,989 Gendarmi

Internal Security:[]

  • Southern Gendarmerie (Gendarmeria Meridionale): 57,989 Gendarmi
  • Southern Police (Polizia Meridionale): 45,667 Policemen

Equipment: []

The Southern Armed Forces are equipped with the Beretta AR 70/90 assault rifle, adopted in the 70s when the Sicilian military decide to dismiss the Beretta M59 battle rifle, as side gun the Beretta 92 FS was adopted in the 90s. For vehicles the military use the tank Leopard II, used since the 80s, and the jeep FIAT Nuova Campagnola. 

Fleet:[]

The Navy is composed by four fleets; The Mediterranean, Adriatic, Terrenic and Cyrenaican, the total strength of the navy is of 135 ships and 24,697 sailors. 

International relations[]

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