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Constitution of Kingdom of New Jerusalem
Form of government
1 §
The New Kingdom of Jerusalem is a free, Christian, independent, indivisible and inalienable kingdom. Its form of government is a constitutional hereditary monarchy. When the ruling family dies out, a new ruler will be elected in the manner provided for in this constitution.
2 §
The Kingdom of New Jerusalem upholds the spiritual, legal and cultural heritage of the historic Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Kingdom is committed to peace, inviolability of human dignity, Christian charity, respect for holy places and peaceful coexistence of different religions. Historical heritage does not imply territorial claims or justify violence or discrimination.
Executive power, King and royal family, and religion
3 §
All executive power is vested in the King or Queen, if he or she has succeeded to the throne in accordance with the conditions set out in this Constitution. In such case, the Queen shall have all the same powers and rights as this Constitution vests in the King. The King shall exercise his or her executive power in conjunction with and through the High Court appointed by him or her.
4 §
The king must always profess the Christian faith.
5 §
The person of the King is inviolable. He cannot be accused or convicted. Responsibility for the King's actions lies with the High Court appointed by him.
6 §
When the royal family dies out, the king is elected in elections open to all adult citizens. Voting rights are universal and equal. In the elections, the High Court may elect a candidate who meets the following conditions:
- the candidate must profess the Christian faith
- the candidate must be a citizen of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem
- the candidate must be of legal age
- the candidate must not have been convicted of a crime
- the candidate must be of impeccable reputation
- the candidate must be familiar with the history and traditions of the kingdom
7 §
When the King dies without an heir or abdicates, the High Court shall immediately convene a Royal Election. The election shall take place no later than sixty (60) days after the King's funeral or ninety (90) days after the King's abdication. The High Court shall be responsible for the organization and legality of the election.
8 §
After the election, the elected King makes a public announcement to the kingdom and swears an oath to respect the constitution and laws before the start of his reign.
9 §
As soon as the King, having attained the age of majority, assumes power, he must make the following oath before the Diet: "I promise and affirm before the Almighty and Omniscient God that I will govern the Kingdom of the New Jerusalem according to its constitution and laws. In this God help me." If the Diet is not in session when the King assumes power, he shall make a written declaration and present it to the Diet as soon as it has convened.
10 §
The king cannot accept the crown or right of administration of any other state.
11 §
The King appoints the High Court. The Diet elects three members to the High Court from among its members and the King two members. The High Court is headed by the Chancellor of the State, whom the King elects on the proposal of the Diet. The King assigns the members of the High Court (ministers) their offices.
12 §
When the King is traveling or is unable to act, he may authorize the High Court to act in his name. In this case, the High Court scrupulously follows the Constitution, regulations and laws, as well as advice and instructions separately given by the King. When deciding on matters, the High Court shall vote, with each member having one vote and the Chancellor of the State having two.
13 §
The King may appoint a permanent secretary to assist a Minister in the performance of the duties of the High Court. Each permanent secretary acts on behalf of the Minister to whom he has been appointed.
14 §
Every member of the High Court has the obligation to submit his or her resignation as soon as the Diet has expressed its will towards the member or the entire High Court through a vote of no confidence. In this case, the King is obliged to grant the resignation of the member of the High Court. Once the Diet has submitted a vote of no confidence, only measures aimed at the proper resignation of the member may be taken.
15 §
All religious communities must be treated equally. All members of the state have freedom of religion and the freedom to practice their religion in the manner they see fit.
16 §
The King may issue and repeal regulations relating to trade, customs, all means of trade and public administration, as long as they do not conflict with the Constitution or a law enacted by Diet. These regulations shall be applied provisionally until the next session of Diet.
17 §
The King is responsible for collecting taxes and mandatory payments set by the Diet.
18 §
The King's duty is to ensure that state property and insignia are utilized in a manner that complies with the regulations established by Diet and the public good.
19 §
The King has the right to grant a pardon to a criminal after the court's decision has been announced. In a case brought from the Court of Impeachment to the Diet, a pardon may only be granted for a life sentence without the approval of the Diet.
20 §
The King, after consulting the High Court, selects and appoints all senior civil and military officials. Before appointment, every civil servant must take an oath – unless the law requires the taking of an oath of office – in which they solemnly swear obedience to the King and the Constitution. Hereditary princes or princesses may not hold a senior civil service position.
21 §
The King may dismiss the Chancellor of the State and other members of the High Court from their duties immediately without a court decision, after consulting the High Court. The same applies to senior civil and military officials of the State. All State officials may be dismissed from their duties without a court decision upon reaching a retirement age specified by law.
22 §
The King may freely grant memberships of orders and titles of nobility to whomever he wishes as a reward for services rendered to the state. Memberships of orders shall be publicly announced immediately after the granting of membership. Senior officials may retain their titles and titles upon honorable retirement from office. This does not apply to members of the High Court or Permanent Secretaries.
23 §
The King appoints and dismisses the royal household and court officials at his discretion.
24 §
The King is the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Realm. The size of the army may not be increased or decreased without the approval of the Diet. The Defence Forces may not be transferred to the command of a foreign power. The State Defence Forces may not be deployed outside the borders of the State without the unanimous approval of the Diet.
25 §
The King has the right to raise an army, declare war and conclude peace, and send and receive state representatives. Treaties that, according to the Constitution, require the approval of the Diet do not have legal force until the Diet has approved them.
26 §
All members of the High Court must attend meetings of the High Court unless they have a compelling and legitimate reason to abstain from the meeting. The High Court cannot make decisions unless at least half of the members are present.
27 §
All proposals for the appointment of civil servants shall be made at a meeting of the High Court by the minister responsible for the position in question, and the appointment shall be made in accordance with the High Court's recommendations. However, the King has the right to disregard the High Court's recommendations in the case of military civil servants.
28 §
All meetings and reports of the High Court must be recorded in minutes and archived. Diplomatic matters that the High Court deems to be confidential are recorded in a separate record. Likewise, matters concerning the defence forces shall be recorded in a separate minute, which shall be kept confidential. Every member of the High Court has a duty to express his or her own opinion honestly, which the King must take into account. However, the decision-making power in the matter shall rest with the King himself and he or she may decide on the matter at his or her own discretion. If any member of the High Court is of the opinion that the King's decision is contrary to the constitution or laws of the kingdom, he or she must strongly object to this to the King, and the objection will also be recorded in the minutes. If a member of the High Court has not done so, he or she shall be fully responsible for the matter within his or her sphere of administration, including the possibility of being prosecuted in the Court of Impeachment.
29 §
All decisions drawn up by the King must be confirmed by signature. Decisions concerning the Defence Forces are signed by the person who raised the matter. All other decisions are confirmed by the Chancellor of the State or, in his absence, by the most senior member of the High Court.
30 §
Until the Diet has convened and decided on the arrangements for the royal election, the High Court is responsible for governing the kingdom in accordance with the Constitution.
31 §
If the King is absent from the realm, except in war on the battlefield or too ill to attend a meeting of the High Court, the Chancellor of the State exercises the King's executive power in the High Court.
32 §
The Chancellor of the State, who exercises the King's executive power pursuant to Article 31, shall take the following oath before his first meeting of the High Court: "I promise and affirm before Almighty and Omniscient God that I will govern the Kingdom of the New Jerusalem in accordance with its constitution and laws. In this God help me." If the Diet is not in session at the time, the Chancellor of the State shall take the oath in writing and present it to the Diet immediately after the Diet has convened.
33 §
As soon as the Chancellor of the State, exercising executive power pursuant to Article 32, hands over power to the King, the latter must report on his actions to both the King and the Diet.
Citizens' rights and legislative power
34 §
The citizens of the New Jerusalem Kingdom exercise legislative power through the Diet. The Diet members are elected by direct and secret ballot.
35 §
All citizens of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem, men and women, who have reached the age of majority in the election year prior to the holding of the elections are entitled to vote in Dietary elections.
36 §
The maintenance of the electoral register and the personal register is regulated by law.
37 §
Those who have lost the public trust after being convicted of treason, high treason or lèse majesté have lost their right to vote.
38 §
Election of the Diet are held once a year, in May.
39 §
Elections are held in a manner prescribed by law. Disputes regarding voting rights and nomination of candidates are resolved by the Electoral Commission. The Diet may overturn the decisions of the Electoral Commission.
40 §
The number of members of Diet is twenty.
41 §
No one can be elected as a representative to the Diet unless they are entitled to vote.
42 §
Civil servants, judges of the Supreme Court, ambassadors, or employees of a embassy or consulate cannot be elected to the Diet. Nor can anyone from the general staff of the Defence Forces be elected to the Diet.
43 §
A candidate elected to the Diet is obliged to accept the position of a Member of Diet. Only for serious reasons can a candidate refuse their seat, in which case their place will be taken by the first candidate in reserve.
44 §
The representatives elected according to the above conditions shall constitute the Diet of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem.
45 §
The Diet generally meets twice a year, in the first week of June and the first week of January, at a place previously determined by the Diet, unless the King decides otherwise due to exceptional circumstances, such as an attack by a foreign power or a contagious disease. In such cases, notice must be given well in advance.
46 §
When the Diet is not in session, the King may convene it if he deems it necessary.
47 §
Members of Diet serve in office for one year at a time.
48 §
The Diet elects one chairman and one secretary from among its members. The Diet has a quorum when at least half of the elected members are present and voting. To amend the Constitution, two-thirds of the representatives must be present.
49 §
When the Diet has convened, the King officially opens the Diet with a speech in which he states his wishes for the matters he wishes the Diet to decide. It is not permitted to discuss matters in the presence of the King. Members of the High Court have the right to participate in the sessions of the Diet, but they do not have the right to vote in the Diet.
50 §
The duties of the Diet are
- to enact and repeal laws; to determine taxes, customs duties and other public charges
- to take a loan in the name of the state
- to supervise the use of state funds
- to allocate the necessary funds for state expenditure
- to allocate the necessary funds to the Royal Family and the High Court
- to investigate decisions made by the High Court
- to investigate agreements made in the name of the King with foreign powers
- to summon any person, except the King, unless they hold public office, to appear before the Diet
- to inspect the salaries and pensions of state officials and make necessary adjustments to them
- to appoint two auditors who will audit the state accounts and report thereon to the Diet
- to grant citizenship to foreigners
51 §
Every bill must be presented at a session of the Diet by either a Member of Diet or a Member of the High Court. The High Court sends the draft law for preparation to the law commission appointed for that purpose, which prepares the draft law in such a form that it can be accepted as a general law. After this, the bill will be considered by the Diet again, in which case it can either be accepted or rejected.
52 §
Once the Diet has passed a law, it is sent to the King with a request for his assent. If the King approves the law, he signs it, which will enter into force immediately. If he does not approve it, he sends it back to the Diet and states that he does not see it appropriate to approve the law for the time being. In this case, the law cannot be submitted to the King until the next meeting of the Diet.
53 §
If the King has rejected a law twice and the Diet considers the law in question to be necessary for the security of the state, the legal protection of citizens or the well-being of the people, the Diet may, by a two-thirds majority, send the law to the King with a request for his assent. If the King still does not approve the law, the Diet shall enact the law without the King's assent.
54 §
The Diet shall be in session for as long as it deems necessary, but not for more than four months at a time. During this period the King shall consider all bills submitted to him. Any bills which he does not expressly approve during that period shall be deemed to have been rejected.
55 §
All approved resolutions shall be drawn up in the name of the King, under the State Seal of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem, with the following words: “We, X, make the following known publicly: on the said date, the Diet has submitted to Us the following proposal: (here follows the proposal). We have therefore approved and confirmed it with Our signature, Our seal and the Seal of the Realm. Accordingly, this proposal (name of the proposal) shall enter into force on this date and shall remain in force until the Diet proposes to Us its repeal.”
56 §
The High Court shall submit to the Diet all documents and information it needs and requires for the matter to be considered in the session. No member of the High Court may present false or misleading information to the Diet.
57 §
The Diet may request advice from the Supreme Court in its decisions.
58 §
The sessions of the Diet are public and the minutes of its sessions are published, unless a majority of the Diet decides otherwise.
59 §
Anyone who, either voluntarily or at the behest of another, attempts to obstruct the activities of the Diet or threatens its security is thereby guilty of treason and will be sentenced accordingly.
The Judicial Power
60 §
The Court Impeachment pronounces the first and final judgment in cases brought before it by the Diet against a member of the High Court or the Supreme Court or a private person who has violated the Constitution. The operation of The Court Impeachment is regulated by separate law. The Court Impeachment consists of five members, two members of the Diet and three representatives of the Supreme Court, one of whom is the President of the Supreme Court.
61 §
The general courts are the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the District Courts. They hear and decide on civil and criminal cases.
62 §
The courts have the power and duty to review whether the application of a provision of law is unconstitutional and whether the application of other decisions made in the exercise of public authority is unconstitutional or contrary to the law of the land.
63 §
Judges are appointed by the King on the recommendation of an independent council. Specific provisions concerning the appointment of judges are laid down by law.
64 §
The Supreme Court pronounces the verdict as the final court of appeal. The law specifically provides for matters that can be brought before the Supreme Court.
65 §
The Supreme Court consists of the President and at least two members.
66 §
Decisions of the Supreme Court may be appealed to the King. The King must seek advice from the members of the Supreme Court when making a decision in a matter.
Human rights
67 §
The following articles contain the inalienable human dignity of every person, which must be respected in all actions, decisions and judgments of the state. The public authority must secure the realization of basic rights and human rights. Anyone who violates these inalienable values can be tried in the national court for a crime against humanity.
68 §
People are equal before the law.
No one may be placed in a different position without acceptable grounds on the basis of gender, age, origin, language, religion, belief, opinion, health, disability or any other reason related to the person.
Children must be treated equally as individuals and must be able to influence matters that concern them in accordance with their development.
Gender equality is promoted in social activities and in working life, especially when determining remuneration and other terms and conditions of employment, as further provided by law.
69 §
Everyone has the right to life, liberty, security and personal safety.
No one shall be subjected to the death penalty, torture or other degrading treatment.
No one shall be deprived of his or her personal integrity or liberty arbitrarily or without a basis in accordance with law. A sentence involving deprivation of liberty shall be imposed by a court. The legality of other deprivations of liberty may be reviewed by a court. The rights of a person deprived of his or her liberty shall be protected by law.
70 §
No one shall be held guilty of a criminal offence or sentenced to a penalty on the basis of an act which was not punishable by law at the time it was committed. No heavier penalty may be imposed for a criminal offence than was provided for by law at the time it was committed.
71 §
A citizen of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem and a foreigner legally residing in the country shall have freedom of movement in the country and of residence.
Everyone has the right to leave the country. This right may be subject to necessary restrictions by law to ensure the execution of a trial or sentence or to ensure the fulfillment of the duty of national defense.
A citizen of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem may not be prevented from entering the country, expelled from the country, or extradited or transferred against his will to another country. However, the law may provide that a citizen of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem may be extradited or transferred to a country where his human rights and legal protection are guaranteed for a crime or for the purpose of trial or for the enforcement of a decision concerning the custody or care of a child.
The right of a foreigner to enter the Kingdom of New Jerusalem and reside in the country shall be regulated by law. A foreigner may not be expelled, extradited or returned if he is threatened with the death penalty, torture or other treatment degrading to human dignity as a result of this.
72 §
Everyone's private life, honour and domestic peace are protected. The protection of personal data is regulated in more detail by law.
The secrecy of letters, telephone calls and other confidential messages is inviolable.
The law may provide for measures that are necessary to protect fundamental rights or to investigate crimes and that extend to domestic peace. The law may also provide for necessary restrictions on the secrecy of messages in the investigation, trial and security checks of crimes that endanger the security of the individual or society or domestic peace, and during deprivation of liberty.
73 §
Everyone has the right to freedom of religion and conscience.
Freedom of religion and conscience includes the right to profess and practice religion, the right to manifest belief, and the right to belong or not to belong to a religious community. No one shall be obliged to participate in the practice of religion contrary to his or her conscience.
74 §
Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. Freedom of expression includes the right to express, publish and receive information, opinions and other messages without prior restriction by anyone. More detailed provisions on the exercise of freedom of expression shall be laid down by law. The law may provide for restrictions on video programmes necessary to protect children.
Documents and other recordings in the possession of an authority are public, unless their publicity is specifically restricted by law for necessary reasons. Everyone has the right to receive information about public documents and recordings.
75 §
Everyone has the right to organize meetings and demonstrations without obtaining permission and to participate in them.
Everyone has the freedom of association. Freedom of association includes the right to establish an association without permission, to belong or not to belong to an association and to participate in the activities of an association. Likewise, professional freedom of association and the freedom to organize to protect the interests of others are secured.
More detailed provisions on the exercise of freedom of assembly and freedom of association are provided for by law.
76 §
Everyone's property is secured. The expropriation of property for public needs against full compensation is provided for by law.
77 §
The historical and ceremonial language of the Kingdom is Latin. The languages of administration, legislation and the administration of justice are determined by law.
Everyone’s right to use the languages prescribed by law in court and other authorities in their respective cases and to receive their official documents in this language is guaranteed by law.
The rights of those who use sign language and those who need interpretation and translation assistance due to a disability are guaranteed by law.
78 §
Everyone has the right, according to the law, to gain his livelihood by work, occupation or trade of his choice. The public authorities shall ensure the protection of the workforce.
No one may be dismissed from employment without a reason based on law.
79 §
Responsibility for nature and its diversity, the environment and cultural heritage belongs to everyone.
Public authorities must strive to ensure that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and the opportunity to influence decision-making regarding their living environment.
80 §
Responsibility for nature and its diversity, the environment and cultural heritage belongs to everyone.
Public authorities must strive to ensure that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and the opportunity to influence decision-making regarding their living environment.
81 §
Temporary exceptions to fundamental rights may be provided for by law or by a decree of the High Court issued on the basis of a power provided for in the law for a specific reason and with a precisely limited scope, which are necessary during an armed attack on the Kingdom of New Jerusalem, as well as during other exceptional circumstances provided for by law that seriously threaten the nation. However, the grounds for temporary exceptions must be provided for by law.
Decrees of the High Court concerning temporary exceptions must be submitted to the Diet without delay. The Diet may decide on the validity of the decrees.
82 §
Violation of official regulations against an individual must be based on law.
General provisions
83 §
The assets of charitable foundations are used exclusively for the benefit of the foundations themselves.
84 §
As a general rule, every citizen of a State is equally obliged to serve in the defence of the country for a certain period, regardless of birth or property. The application of this principle and the restrictions thereon shall be determined by law.
85 §
The shape and colors of the flag of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem are determined by law, as are the seal and coat of arms of the Kingdom.
86 §
The Holy Temple Bank of Jerusalem serves as the central bank of the New Kingdom of Jerusalem.
87 §
If experience shows that any part of the Constitution of the Kingdom of New Jerusalem should be amended, the proposal shall be submitted to the first, second or third Diet after the new Diet elections and published in print. But the decision whether or not to accept the proposed amendment shall be left to the first, second or third Diet after the next Diet elections. Such an amendment, however, shall never be in conflict with the principles of this Constitution, but shall concern only changes to specific provisions which do not alter the spirit of the Constitution, and two-thirds of the Diet shall approve such an amendment.