Republics of Omerica

Omerica is a of twenty-six republics. Originating from the division of formerly s, the republics retain a degree of sovereignty and and maintain administrative independence from the Union government, including independent s, s and judiciaries.

Under the Instrument of Government, certain policy areas, such as foreign affairs and defence, are the exclusive prerogative of the Estates General, while others fall under shared authority; the republics retain all other powers not assigned to the Union or expressly denied to them by the federal constitution. Republics therefore have power and responsibility over, social welfare, , , job training and promotion of the arts and sciences.

Republics form the basis for apportioning the House of Commons and their executives designate the members of the House of Plenipotentiaries. Additionally, in areas under the republics’ legislative authority, republics have the power to enter into compacts among each other and, subject to parliamentary approval, treaties with foreign states.

Terminology
Each republic designates itself as such in its constitution, though certain republics officially refer to themselves by other titles, such as the use of the style "commonwealth", a historic Anglian translation of the Latin "res publica", by Coleraine and the Emerald Isles. Charlescourt, Port-des-Saints and Romainbourg are simultaneously considered to be cities and republics and consequently refer to themselves as a "Republic of the City", while Cinnabar Island officially refers to itself as the "Republic of the County of Cinnabar Island". Furthermore, eight republics (Braganza, Bridgecastle, East Calaverde, Eastavon, the Free State, Great Arden, North Hesperia and South Provence) are considered direct successors to the eight realms of the Octarchy that united to form the Omerican state and consequently refer to themselves as "Most Serene" as a reference to their historic sovereignty.

Constitution
All republics are constitutionally required to have a democratic and an system of government, but otherwise, the republics remain free to organise their individual constitutions as they see fit. All republics are governed by a similar to the federal government, though there is wide variation in its implementation from republic to republic.

Admission of new republics
With the exception of Port-des-Saints, all new republics admitted since Federation have been formed by secession from other existing republics. Since the end of the Omerican Civil War, all republics possess full voting rights regardless of the circumstances of their establishment and any new republics enter the federation on equal standing with existing members.

The admission of new republics requires a referendum among the affected population, though they are only constitutionally mandated when "major changes" would be made to existing republic boundaries. The merger of multiple republics requires a majority in each republic to be merged, while the splitting of a republic requires either a simple majority on both sides of the new border or a two-thirds in the seceding territory. In contrast, the accession of a republic from outside Omerica or of a federal territory within Omerica only requires a simple majority to pass.