New Imperial titles

Overview

Only the Imperial Senate has the power to create a new Imperial title. If another house, such as the Imperial Synod wants a new Imperial title to be created to help them discharge their responsibilities then they must importune the Senate to create the position for them.

New titles have the potential to possess wide-ranging powers with little or no oversight or constraints. Because of this new titles are subject to constitutional scrutiny by the Officers_of_the_Law#Magistrates to ensure that they preserve the spirit of the Imperial Constitution and do not unduly disturb the separation of powers between the five great houses of the Empire, the Synod, Senate, Bourse, Conclave and Military Council.

Powers

A title may be assigned one or more legal powers. In the vast majority of cases these are either powers exercised by members of one of the arms of government - or they are powers exercised by that house collectively. For example a burser created by the Senate to investigate expenditure by senators and seek out malfeasance, could be granted the power of inquisition (a power normally exercised collectively by the Synod) and the right of address in the Senate (a legal power normally granted to senators and the like).

Titles created by the Senate in this way do not need to follow the normal restrictions on their usage. For example, for the Senate to employ the power of commission requires a motion be proposed by a senator and approved by majority vote. If the Senate wished to give greater support the Imperial Military Council they could create a title with the power of commission over military procurement - with the duty to arrange the resupply of Imperial armies.

Creating New Powers

The powers of the houses and the titles associated with those houses are well known and understood by constitutional scholars. It is perfectly possible for the Senate to create a new legal power - but any attempt to do so will bring close scrutiny from the magistrates to ensure it is compliant with the ethos of the Constitution. It is usually simpler to incorporate existing legal powers rather than create new ones.

Limitations

It is not possible to dictate how a power may be used - the Senate is forbidden from extending its power by creating titles under their control. However the Senate can set limitations on how any legal powers can be used. The standard limitations are by nation, territory or house - the holder of that title can then only use those powers on members of that nation, territory or house or commissions based in that nation or territory.

Any title which includes one or more legal powers may not also the oversight of a mercantile investment - it is not possible to grant legal powers to a sinecure or minister - all attempts to do so are always ruled unconstitutional - an attempt to bundle too many responsibilities and power together.

Responsibilities

Senators are encouraged to define carefully what the responsibilities of any Imperial title they propose to create. It is not possible to place instructions on how the powers a title possess must be discharged, the holder of an office cannot legally be directed on what actions to undertake to uphold their office. However the responsibilities of an office are important - it is not unknown for citizens to face the threat of revocation by the Synod for failing to adequately discharge the responsibilities of an Imperial title they have accepted.

Stipend

Any title may be granted a stipend - a regular income which is drawn directly from the Imperial treasury. Titles with responsibilities that are likely to incur significant costs are the most eligible for a stipend, but any post can have one attached to it in theory. A tiny stipend is occasionally used to demarcate an Imperial title from a ceremonial title.

A title may not be given a disbursement - they may be assigned a stipend but it is not legal to allocate a one-off payment from the treasury to the first holder of a title.

Appointment

When a title is created, the Senate must decide which arm of the Imperial government the title will be bound to; the Senate, the Synod, the Conclave, the Military Council or the Bourse. This decision normally dictates how appointment to the title will take place - and how the occupant can be removed. Once a title is created, the house association cannot be changed - a title can be abrogated - dissolving it completely - but it cannot be amended to associate it to a different house.

The association between a title and a house should be chosen on the basis of the nature of the title - not on the powers the title possess. For example, the Master of the Imperial Mint is bound to the Imperial Bourse - but the holder of the title has powers to speak in the Senate. Likewise the Conscience of the Senate is bound to the Synod - but has the power to vote in the Senate.

The Senate can choose to declare a bound title to be a national appointment or an Imperial appointment. A national appointment is still an Imperial title, but it affects who is eligible for the title and how it is appointed. In addition a title that is bound to the Synod may be declared a virtue appointment.

Titles bound to the Senate

A title bound to the Senate is appointed by vote of the Senate. Any such vote requires the greater majority to pass, that is two-thirds of all the Senators of the Empire must approve the candidate - otherwise no candidate is appointed. The occupant of such a title can only be revoked by the General Assembly of the Synod.

A national appointment bound to the Senate is chosen by unanimous approval of the senators of that nation. If the senators cannot come to a unanimous agreement, then the appointment is made by majority vote of the Senate present at the next session. The title-holder can be revoked by the appropriate National Assembly, the General Assembly or The_Assembly_of_Nine.

Although the Imperial generals serve on the Military Council, they are examples of national appointments bound to the Senate; they are appointed by the senators of their nation. The Throne is an example of an Imperial appointment bound to the Senate.

Titles bound to the Synod

A title bound to the Synod is appointed by vote of the General Assembly of the Synod. This vote requires the support of 50% of all the members of the Synod - not simply those who vote - so such posts are historically rare and difficult to fill. The title-holder can be revoked by the General Assembly of the Synod.

A national appointment bound to the Synod is chosen by majority vote of the members of the appropriate National Assembly. The title-holder can be revoked by the appropriate National Assembly, the General Assembly or The_Assembly_of_Nine.

Automatic Titles

Some mercantile investments by the Senate result in the automatic creation of a title - either a sinecure or a minister. When these investments are complete then a procedural motion takes place in the Senate to determine the appointment of the title.