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Summary
Prior to this point, the Cabinet of Wintreath was an ad-hoc structure that was not clearly defined in any document. This decree not only brought that formal structure, but heralded elections for thanes, a position that until then had been appointed by the Jarls of the ministries.

Announcement: Here

History
2017.12.18 - Original decree
2018.05.21 - 1st Standalone Amendment
2020.05.26 - 2nd Standalone Amendment
2021.02.23 - 3rd Standalone Amendment
2021.08.27 - 4th Standalone Amendment

Current Text

Decree 012 of the Monarch of Wintreath
Regarding the Structure of the Cabinet

For many years now, our community has been mature and stable. This is a good thing, and a requirement for having the warm and friendly community that we have. However, it also raises challenges such as how to keep things vibrant. It's important that we be able to come up with and consider new ideas and new ways of doing things, and that we don't lose either the drive to experiment with change or the hunger to keep advancing ourselves, our region, or our community to greater heights...a drive that has always led to our best accomplishments in years past.

Last month, I began a discussion in the Cabinet to address concerns I had about stagnation within it...a cycle that's existed for years where people join the Cabinet and then either go inactive or burnout, neither of which is good for the Cabinet or the individual person. This is the result of that discussion: a new experiment for electing thanes into the Cabinet.

Of course, we remember how the first attempt at thane elections failed back in 2014, so this time around we have made changes to improve the quality of the candidates and winners. Candidates for thane positions will be vetted by the Jarl of that ministry to make sure that they're contributors to the area they're running for, and only fellow people who have contributed in that area will be able to vote for the thane that will lead it.

Our hope is that this will provide a clear avenue into the government for those interested in helping to build the Wintreath of tomorrow, while also being an opportunity for us to develop a bench of talented and motivated leaders. We hope that this new system will encourage those with new and interesting ideas and in turn create a new sense of vibrancy throughout the community that keeps us getting better into the future.

Let's see how this experiment goes, shall we?

1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksraad, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksraad shall include the following ministries:
  a) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
  b) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interests by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
  c) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.

3) Each ministry shall be led by a Jarl, who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) With the consent of the Monarch, Jarls may delegate clearly-defined portions of their portfolio to subordinate positions, which shall be held by Thanes. Jarls shall maintain a current list of Thane positions that include a list of duties and responsibilities for each position.
  a) Thanes shall be chosen during elections among the members of the Riksraad that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Thane shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) The Monarch or supervising Jarl may reject a candidacy for a Thane position by posting their decision along with the reasoning behind it in the candidate's campaign topic prior to the beginning of the election.
  c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksraad, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
  d) Supervising Jarls may appoint members to fill vacant Thane positions for the remainder of a term.
  e) The duties and responsibilities of the legal delegate of the Wintreath NationStates region shall be vested in a Thane position within the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

5) Alders shall represent the active Citizens of Wintreath, and shall be appointed by the Monarch at the beginning of every season based on their contributions and accomplishments during the previous season.
  a) Members who resign from other positions in the Riksraad may be appointed as Alders for the remainder of a term if their contributions and accomplishments during the previous or current season merit the appointment.

6) The Monarch may appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond those listed in Section 7.

7) Members of the Riksraad shall:
  a) Hold no more than either one Jarl and one Thane position or two Thane positions at any one time
  b) Not hold both an Alder position and any other position on the Riksraad at the same time
  c) Maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account
  d) Participate in discussions in the designated Riksraad forums and Discord channels

8) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made

So decreed on this, the 1,523rd day of our region.

Inric Nordrim Kestar (Wintermoot I of Wintreath)
Monarch and Founder of Wintreath
Suzerain of New Hyperion
Regent of Nowhere

Original Version

Time in Effect: December 18th, 2017 to May 21st, 2018

Version Text

Spoiler

Decree 012 of the Monarch of Wintreath
Regarding the Structure of the Cabinet

For many years now, our community has been mature and stable. This is a good thing, and a requirement for having the warm and friendly community that we have. However, it also raises challenges such as how to keep things vibrant. It's important that we be able to come up with and consider new ideas and new ways of doing things, and that we don't lose either the drive to experiment with change or the hunger to keep advancing ourselves, our region, or our community to greater heights...a drive that has always led to our best accomplishments in years past.

Last month, I began a discussion in the Cabinet to address concerns I had about stagnation within it...a cycle that's existed for years where people join the Cabinet and then either go inactive or burnout, neither of which is good for the Cabinet or the individual person. This is the result of that discussion: a new experiment for electing thanes into the Cabinet.

Of course, we remember how the first attempt at thane elections failed back in 2014, so this time around we have made changes to improve the quality of the candidates and winners. Candidates for thane positions will be vetted by the Jarl of that ministry to make sure that they're contributors to the area they're running for, and only fellow people who have contributed in that area will be able to vote for the thane that will lead it.

Our hope is that this will provide a clear avenue into the government for those interested in helping to build the Wintreath of tomorrow, while also being an opportunity for us to develop a bench of talented and motivated leaders. We hope that this new system will encourage those with new and interesting ideas and in turn create a new sense of vibrancy throughout the community that keeps us getting better into the future.

Let's see how this experiment goes, shall we?

Cabinet Makeup, Structure, and Duties
1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksråd, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksråd shall be composed of ministries as defined in this document, led by Jarls who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Thanes shall assist the Jarls in advancing a defined portion of the ministry portfolio.

3) Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) Jarls may create new thane positions within their ministries with the approval of the Monarch, and shall maintain a list of current thane positions that shall include at a minimum a description of the position's responsibilities and groups that may participate in the election of the position.

5) Thanes shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September.
a) To participate in thane elections, candidates must be vetted and approved by the the Jarl of the ministry that the position is within on the basis of activity and contribution to the region within the area the candidate wishes to run in. They must also be vetted and approved by the Monarch on the basis of fit within the Cabinet.
b) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksråd, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
c) In the event of a vacancy between elections, the Jarl of the ministry the position is within may appoint a thane with the approval of the Monarch to serve the remainder of the term.
d) An initial special election shall occur two weeks after publication of this decree to determine thanes until the March 2018 election. For the purposes of this election "last term" shall refer to the months of September, October, November, and December 2017.

6) The Delegate shall also be considered a member of the Riksråd, whose selection and duties are described in Decree 010.

7) In addition to the position-specific duties determined by the Monarch and Jarls, all members of the Riskråd shall be responsible for participating in Cabinet discussions, informing the rest of the Cabinet of topics and issues within their portfolio that may require discussion by the entire Cabinet, and engaging with Citizens and members of the community in general.

Cabinet Ministries
8) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
9) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interest by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
10) The Ministry of Integration shall be responsible for initiatives and programs to improve the retention of Citizens in the region.

Modification of this Decree
11) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made.

So decreed on this, the 1,523rd day of our region.

Inric Nordrim Kestar (Wintermoot I of Wintreath)
Monarch and Founder of Wintreath
Suzerain of New Hyperion
Regent of Nowhere

1st Standalone Amendment

Summary: The decree was amended to update the names of current ministries, adopt a new rule limiting how many Cabinet positions one person could hold, and established a position for advisory members.

Time in Effect: May 21st, 2018 to May 26th, 2020

Amendment Effect:

Spoiler

Decree 012 of the Monarch of Wintreath
Regarding the Structure of the Cabinet

For many years now, our community has been mature and stable. This is a good thing, and a requirement for having the warm and friendly community that we have. However, it also raises challenges such as how to keep things vibrant. It's important that we be able to come up with and consider new ideas and new ways of doing things, and that we don't lose either the drive to experiment with change or the hunger to keep advancing ourselves, our region, or our community to greater heights...a drive that has always led to our best accomplishments in years past.

Last month, I began a discussion in the Cabinet to address concerns I had about stagnation within it...a cycle that's existed for years where people join the Cabinet and then either go inactive or burnout, neither of which is good for the Cabinet or the individual person. This is the result of that discussion: a new experiment for electing thanes into the Cabinet.

Of course, we remember how the first attempt at thane elections failed back in 2014, so this time around we have made changes to improve the quality of the candidates and winners. Candidates for thane positions will be vetted by the Jarl of that ministry to make sure that they're contributors to the area they're running for, and only fellow people who have contributed in that area will be able to vote for the thane that will lead it.

Our hope is that this will provide a clear avenue into the government for those interested in helping to build the Wintreath of tomorrow, while also being an opportunity for us to develop a bench of talented and motivated leaders. We hope that this new system will encourage those with new and interesting ideas and in turn create a new sense of vibrancy throughout the community that keeps us getting better into the future.

Let's see how this experiment goes, shall we?

Cabinet Makeup, Structure, and Duties
1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksråd, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksråd shall be composed of ministries as defined in this document, led by Jarls who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Thanes shall assist the Jarls in advancing a defined portion of the ministry portfolio.
a) Members of the Riksråd shall simultaneously hold no more than either one Jarl position and one Thane position or two Thane positions unless they were appointed to additional positions in order to fill vacancies.

3) Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) Jarls may create new thane positions within their ministries with the approval of the Monarch, and shall maintain a list of current thane positions that shall include at a minimum a description of the position's responsibilities and groups that may participate in the election of the position.

5) Thanes shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September.
a) To participate in thane elections, candidates must be vetted and approved by the the Jarl of the ministry that the position is within on the basis of activity and contribution to the region within the area the candidate wishes to run in. They must also be vetted and approved by the Monarch on the basis of fit within the Cabinet.
b) In the event that a candidate is elected to more positions than allowed under Section 2a, the candidate shall accept the positions they prefer up to the limits allowed. The remaining positions shall go to the person with the next most votes unless there are no other candidates, in which case the position shall be considered vacant.
b c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksråd, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
c d) In the event of a vacancy between elections, the Jarl of the ministry the position is within may appoint a thane with the approval of the Monarch to serve the remainder of the term.
d e) An initial special election shall occur two weeks after publication of this decree to determine thanes until the March 2018 election. For the purposes of this election "last term" shall refer to the months of September, October, November, and December 2017.

6) The Delegate shall also be considered a member of the Riksråd, whose selection and duties are described in Decree 010.

6) The Monarch may also appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond advising the Monarch and Cabinet in a specific area.

7) In addition to the position-specific duties determined by the Monarch and Jarls, all members of the Riskråd shall be responsible for participating in Cabinet discussions, informing the rest of the Cabinet of topics and issues within their portfolio that may require discussion by the entire Cabinet, and engaging with Citizens and members of the community in general.

Cabinet Ministries
8 ) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
9) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interest by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
9) The Ministry of Integration shall be responsible for initiatives and programs to improve the retention of Citizens in the region.
10) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.
a) The Thane of World Assembly Affairs shall be the legal World Assembly Delegate under the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

Modification of this Decree
11) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made.

So decreed on this, the 1,523rd day of our region.

Inric Nordrim Kestar (Wintermoot I of Wintreath)
Monarch and Founder of Wintreath
Suzerain of New Hyperion
Regent of Nowhere

2nd Standalone Amendment

Summary: By 2020, virtually all Cabinet discussions happened on the Discord chat server, making it vital that Cabinet members have be active there. The decree was updated to make this a requirement.

Time in Effect: May 26, 2020 to February 24th, 2021

Amendment Effect:

Spoiler

Decree 012 of the Monarch of Wintreath
Regarding the Structure of the Cabinet

For many years now, our community has been mature and stable. This is a good thing, and a requirement for having the warm and friendly community that we have. However, it also raises challenges such as how to keep things vibrant. It's important that we be able to come up with and consider new ideas and new ways of doing things, and that we don't lose either the drive to experiment with change or the hunger to keep advancing ourselves, our region, or our community to greater heights...a drive that has always led to our best accomplishments in years past.

Last month, I began a discussion in the Cabinet to address concerns I had about stagnation within it...a cycle that's existed for years where people join the Cabinet and then either go inactive or burnout, neither of which is good for the Cabinet or the individual person. This is the result of that discussion: a new experiment for electing thanes into the Cabinet.

Of course, we remember how the first attempt at thane elections failed back in 2014, so this time around we have made changes to improve the quality of the candidates and winners. Candidates for thane positions will be vetted by the Jarl of that ministry to make sure that they're contributors to the area they're running for, and only fellow people who have contributed in that area will be able to vote for the thane that will lead it.

Our hope is that this will provide a clear avenue into the government for those interested in helping to build the Wintreath of tomorrow, while also being an opportunity for us to develop a bench of talented and motivated leaders. We hope that this new system will encourage those with new and interesting ideas and in turn create a new sense of vibrancy throughout the community that keeps us getting better into the future.

Let's see how this experiment goes, shall we?

Cabinet Makeup, Structure, and Duties
1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksråd, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksråd shall be composed of ministries as defined in this document, led by Jarls who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Thanes shall assist the Jarls in advancing a defined portion of the ministry portfolio.
a) Members of the Riksråd shall simultaneously hold no more than either one Jarl position and one Thane position or two Thane positions unless they were appointed to additional positions in order to fill vacancies.
b) Members of the Riksråd shall maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account.

3) Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) Jarls may create new thane positions within their ministries with the approval of the Monarch, and shall maintain a list of current thane positions that shall include at a minimum a description of the position's responsibilities and groups that may participate in the election of the position.

5) Thanes shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September.
a) To participate in thane elections, candidates must be vetted and approved by the the Jarl of the ministry that the position is within on the basis of activity and contribution to the region within the area the candidate wishes to run in. They must also be vetted and approved by the Monarch on the basis of fit within the Cabinet.
b) In the event that a candidate is elected to more positions than allowed under Section 2a, the candidate shall accept the positions they prefer up to the limits allowed. The remaining positions shall go to the person with the next most votes unless there are no other candidates, in which case the position shall be considered vacant.
c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksråd, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
d) In the event of a vacancy between elections, the Jarl of the ministry the position is within may appoint a thane with the approval of the Monarch to serve the remainder of the term.
e) An initial special election shall occur two weeks after publication of this decree to determine thanes until the March 2018 election. For the purposes of this election "last term" shall refer to the months of September, October, November, and December 2017.

6) The Monarch may also appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond advising the Monarch and Cabinet in a specific area.

7) In addition to the position-specific duties determined by the Monarch and Jarls, all members of the Riskråd shall be responsible for participating in Cabinet discussions, informing the rest of the Cabinet of topics and issues within their portfolio that may require discussion by the entire Cabinet, and engaging with Citizens and members of the community in general.

Cabinet Ministries
8 ) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
9) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interest by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
10) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.
a) The Thane of World Assembly Affairs shall be the legal World Assembly Delegate under the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

Modification of this Decree
11) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made.

So decreed on this, the 1,523rd day of our region.

Inric Nordrim Kestar (Wintermoot I of Wintreath)
Monarch and Founder of Wintreath
Suzerain of New Hyperion
Regent of Nowhere

3rd Standalone Amendment

Summary: The active provisions of the decree were almost entirely rewritten to be better organized. In addition, the decree changed the name of the Cabinet from the Riksråd to Riksraad, included the new elected Alder position, and removed the requirement that Jarls explicitly approve each thane campaign before an election. A provision that defined the first Thane elections was also removed as it was not relevant to current law.

Time in Effect: February 24th, 2021 to August 27th, 2021

Amendment Effect:

Spoiler

Decree 012 of the Monarch of Wintreath
Regarding the Structure of the Cabinet

For many years now, our community has been mature and stable. This is a good thing, and a requirement for having the warm and friendly community that we have. However, it also raises challenges such as how to keep things vibrant. It's important that we be able to come up with and consider new ideas and new ways of doing things, and that we don't lose either the drive to experiment with change or the hunger to keep advancing ourselves, our region, or our community to greater heights...a drive that has always led to our best accomplishments in years past.

Last month, I began a discussion in the Cabinet to address concerns I had about stagnation within it...a cycle that's existed for years where people join the Cabinet and then either go inactive or burnout, neither of which is good for the Cabinet or the individual person. This is the result of that discussion: a new experiment for electing thanes into the Cabinet.

Of course, we remember how the first attempt at thane elections failed back in 2014, so this time around we have made changes to improve the quality of the candidates and winners. Candidates for thane positions will be vetted by the Jarl of that ministry to make sure that they're contributors to the area they're running for, and only fellow people who have contributed in that area will be able to vote for the thane that will lead it.

Our hope is that this will provide a clear avenue into the government for those interested in helping to build the Wintreath of tomorrow, while also being an opportunity for us to develop a bench of talented and motivated leaders. We hope that this new system will encourage those with new and interesting ideas and in turn create a new sense of vibrancy throughout the community that keeps us getting better into the future.

Let's see how this experiment goes, shall we?

Cabinet Makeup, Structure, and Duties
1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksråd Riksraad, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksråd shall be composed of ministries as defined in this document, led by Jarls who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Thanes shall assist the Jarls in advancing a defined portion of the ministry portfolio.
a) Members of the Riksråd shall simultaneously hold no more than either one Jarl position and one Thane position or two Thane positions unless they were appointed to additional positions in order to fill vacancies.
b) Members of the Riksråd shall maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account.

2) The Riksraad shall include the following ministries:
  a) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
  b) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interests by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
  c) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.

3) Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

3) Each ministry shall be led by a Jarl, who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) Jarls may create new Thane positions within their ministries with the approval of the Monarch, and shall maintain a list of current Thane positions that shall include at a minimum a description of the position's responsibilities and groups that may participate in the election of the position.


4) With the consent of the Monarch, Jarls may delegate clearly-defined portions of their portfolio to subordinate positions, which shall be held by Thanes. Jarls shall maintain a current list of Thane positions that include a list of duties and responsibilities for each position.
  a) Thanes shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Thane shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) The Monarch or supervising Jarl may reject a candidacy for a Thane position by posting their decision along with the reasoning behind it in the candidate's campaign topic prior to the beginning of the election.
  c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksraad, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
  d) Supervising Jarls may appoint members to fill vacant Thane positions for the remainder of a term.
  e) The duties and responsibilities of the legal delegate of the Wintreath NationStates region shall be vested in a Thane positions within the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

5) Thanes shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September.
a) To participate in Thane elections, candidates must be vetted and approved by the the Jarl of the ministry that the position is within on the basis of activity and contribution to the region within the area the candidate wishes to run in. They must also be vetted and approved by the Monarch on the basis of fit within the Cabinet.
b) In the event that a candidate is elected to more positions than allowed under Section 2a, the candidate shall accept the positions they prefer up to the limits allowed. The remaining positions shall go to the person with the next most votes unless there are no other candidates, in which case the position shall be considered vacant.
c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksråd, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
d) In the event of a vacancy between elections, the Jarl of the ministry the position is within may appoint a Thane with the approval of the Monarch to serve the remainder of the term.
e) An initial special election shall occur two weeks after publication of this decree to determine Thanes until the March 2018 election. For the purposes of this election "last term" shall refer to the months of September, October, November, and December 2017.

5) Citizens shall elect three Alders to the Riksraad, who shall represent Citizens directly to the Riksraad.
  a) Alders shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Alder shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) In the event of a vacancy, candidates who lost the last regular election for Alder shall have the opportunity to fill it in order of the candidate with the most votes to the candidate with the least votes. In the event that there are no remaining candidates, the vacancy shall be filled by special election unless there are fewer than 14 days left until the next regular election, in which case it shall remain vacant.

6) The Monarch may also appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond advising the Monarch and Cabinet in a specific area.

6) The Monarch may appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond those listed in Section 7.

7) In addition to the position-specific duties determined by the Monarch and Jarls, all members of the Riskråd shall be responsible for participating in Cabinet discussions, informing the rest of the Cabinet of topics and issues within their portfolio that may require discussion by the entire Cabinet, and engaging with Citizens and members of the community in general.

7) Members of the Riksraad shall:
  a) Hold no more than either one Jarl and one Thane position or two Thane positions at any one time
  b) Maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account
  c) Participate in discussions in the designated Riksraad forums and Discord channels

Cabinet Ministries
8 ) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
9) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interest by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
10) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.
a) The Thane of World Assembly Affairs shall be the legal World Assembly Delegate under the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

Modification of this Decree
11 8) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made.

So decreed on this, the 1,523rd day of our region.

Inric Nordrim Kestar (Wintermoot I of Wintreath)
Monarch and Founder of Wintreath
Suzerain of New Hyperion
Regent of Nowhere

4th Standalone Amendment

Summary: This update changed Alder positions from being elected to being appointed based on Citizens' contributions from the previous season, as well as restricted voters in Thane elections to members of the Riksraad. The announcement recognized that elections in Wintreath had not been active in some time, and that there was a need to recognize and focus on the people who were contributing to the community, which was the basis for these changes.

Time in Effect: August 27th, 2021 to present

Amendment Effect:

Spoiler

1) The Cabinet of Wintreath shall be named the Riksraad, which shall be headed by the Monarch and consist of Citizens who have been delegated authorities by the Monarch.

2) The Riksraad shall include the following ministries:
  a) The Ministry of Culture shall assist the Citizens of the region in the development, maintenance, and advancement of discussions, games, and activities that are outside the purview of other ministries.
  b) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall promote Wintreath and Wintrean interests by creating and fostering partnerships and communications with other communities.
  c) The Ministry of Regional Affairs shall be responsible for maintaining and improving the NationStates region page and RMB community.

3) Each ministry shall be led by a Jarl, who shall have the authority and responsibility to advance the portfolio of their respective ministries. Jarls shall serve at the will and pleasure of the Monarch, who shall appoint and dismiss them as needed.

4) With the consent of the Monarch, Jarls may delegate clearly-defined portions of their portfolio to subordinate positions, which shall be held by Thanes. Jarls shall maintain a current list of Thane positions that include a list of duties and responsibilities for each position.
  a) Thanes shall be chosen during elections among the members of the Riksraad that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Thane shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) The Monarch or supervising Jarl may reject a candidacy for a Thane position by posting their decision along with the reasoning behind it in the candidate's campaign topic prior to the beginning of the election.
  c) Once elected, Thanes shall serve at the will and pleasure of their Jarl and the Monarch. If dismissed from the Riksraad, the person who dismissed them shall notify the community of the reasons behind their dismissal.
  d) Supervising Jarls may appoint members to fill vacant Thane positions for the remainder of a term.
  e) The duties and responsibilities of the legal delegate of the Wintreath NationStates region shall be vested in a Thane position within the Ministry of Regional Affairs.

5) Citizens shall elect three Alders to the Riksraad, who shall represent Citizens directly to the Riksraad.
  a) Alders shall be chosen during elections that begin on the first day of December, March, June, and September. Prior to the start of the election, candidates for Alder shall stand for election in the designated nomination topic and post a campaign topic addressing any questions listed for candidates in the nomination topic. Candidates who fail to do this shall be dropped from the election and not placed on the ballot.
  b) In the event of a vacancy, candidates who lost the last regular election for Alder shall have the opportunity to fill it in order of the candidate with the most votes to the candidate with the least votes. In the event that there are no remaining candidates, the vacancy shall be filled by special election unless there are fewer than 14 days left until the next regular election, in which case it shall remain vacant.

5) Alders shall represent the active Citizens of Wintreath, and shall be appointed by the Monarch at the beginning of every season based on their contributions and accomplishments during the previous season.
  a) Members who resign from other positions in the Riksraad may be appointed as Alders for the remainder of a term if their contributions and accomplishments during the previous or current season merit the appointment.

6) The Monarch may appoint advisory members who shall hold no duties and responsibilities beyond those listed in Section 7.

7) Members of the Riksraad shall:
  a) Hold no more than either one Jarl and one Thane position or two Thane positions at any one time
  b) Not hold both an Alder position and any other position on the Riksraad at the same time
  b c) Maintain an account on the main Wintreath Discord server which is linked to their Wintreath website account
  c d) Participate in discussions in the designated Riksraad forums and Discord channels

8) The Monarch may modify this decree at any time, and shall notify the regional community of doing so by creating a new post in the topic in which the decree was published detailing the modifications made