Tussenland

Tussenland
Federation of Tussenland
Tussenlandt


Location of Tussenland
Established	1655
Capital	Daesemus
Largest City	Peoria
Population	105 Million
Languages	Amerikaans (Official) Hollandic Dutch French Irokees

Tussenland (Amerikaens: Tussenlandt, French: Toussenlande), officially the Federation of Tussenland is a nation in North America. Tussenland is unique in that the country borders every nation of continental North America except New England. Along with Mexico, Tussenland stretches across the continent bordering both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

With over 100 million people, Tussenland is the second largest nation by population in North America and the largest by land area. The nation's capital is the historic city of Daesemus and its largest city is Peoria, both located in the interior of the country. Tussenland consists of 10 federated provinces, each with a high degree of autonomy, sharing power with the central government.

The country's three primary languages are Amerikaens, French and Irokees. Other indigenous and settler languages, especially spoken in the vibrant urban centers of Mereenlandt and Westerzee, include Corean and Djavanese.

Etymology

Tussenland is the English form of the country's name in the Amerikaans language: Tussenlandt, which in turn is derived from tussenin (in between) + landt (country). This refers to Tussenland's geographical position in the 18th century: in between the Appalachian and Rocky mountain ranges. Although its territory has expanded over the 19th and 20th centuries, its original name has been preserved.

History

Before the Federation of Tussenland was created in 1861, the region was composed of multiple colonies and protectorates under the Dutch crown. During the 17th century, the Dutch West India Company ruled over the entire interior of the Americas, including New Netherland. In 1656, a new colonial charter was created for New Netherland, barring the Dutch West India company from New Netherland government. As a result, the Dutch WIC moved operations west of New Netherland.

In 1755, the quadruple alliance of Spain, the Netherlands, Britain, and Austria won against France and Prussia in the Great Silesian War. As a reward for their war efforts, the Dutch were granted the region of Pays d'en Haut from New France, which became later known as the Meerenland colony. As a counterweight to the Francophonic colony, the Dutch opened land west of the Mississippi river for European settlement. Thus, the colony of Mississippi was created.

During the French Revolution, the Dutch Republic was subjugated by the French in Europe in 1795. In the next year, New Netherland declared independence from the Dutch. This separatist movement did not spread westward, and the Dutch West India Company was able to maintain control of the interior. In 1815, the Dutch West India Company was dissolved, and replaced by the Royal Tussenland Company.

Flag of Dutch Tussenland (until 1903)

In 1816, two nations in the Hoodenoshieöné (Seneca and Cayuga) moved southwestward to what is now Irokesenland, to flee the encroaching New Netherlanders. They signed a treaty with the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1817, establishing the protectorate of Irokesenland.

During 1810-1840, the western coast of Tussenland became an important node in the Asian trade. This also brought substantial Asian immigration into Tussenland, most notably from Corea, Japan, and the Dutch East Indies.

In 1850-1855, the Dutch were embroiled in two different conflicts, one against Spain in America, and another against France and Britain in Asia. The Dutch navy and military were overstretched, and resulted in the loss of both wars. In Tussenland, the Spanish gained a substantial territorial gains. Simultaneously, the southern region of Tussenland underwent a revolt by slaves of the Royal Tussenland Company, supported by Spain. The Southern region broke off, and the new state of South Tussenland was established, effectively landlocking Dutch Tussenland. However, the Dutch were able to regain lost land during the Dutch-Mexican War.

In 1905, Tussenland underwent a republican revolution, inspired by the recent revolution two years prior in New Netherland.

Government

Tussenland is a unicameral semi-presidential parliamentary republic. It is divided into the National Government and the Provincial governments. The national government oversees the overarching economic, diplomatic, and military policies of Tussenland, while the semi-autonomous provincial governments oversee local policies and legislature. They are all bounded by the 1905 Tussenland constitution.

Central Government

Executive

Tussenland has a popularly elected president via a direct vote in a single national constituency, with a maximum of 2 terms of 6 years (12 years max). The president appoints the Prime Minister, but requires the approval of the national assembly. Under the Tussenland Constitution of 1905, the president of Tussenland is charge of diplomatic and military affairs, while the Prime Minister is in charge of domestic and economic policy. However, both are directly answerable to the National Assembly, and can be removed via a vote of no confidence.

Legislative

The Federation of Tussenland has a bicameral legislature composed of the Tussenland National Assembly and the Council of Provinces. The National Assembly is composed of 220 members from each province and the capital (federal district) 20 seats are given to each province and the district and are elected by the principle of majority through an open-list proportional election with provincial constituencies. The National Assembly is where most legislative power is concentrated in the Tussenland federal government and their responsibilities include approving bills of finance, appointment ministers of internal importance such as Finance and Commerce, drafting and passing federal legislation and more.

The upper house of the legislature which takes a more advisory role is the Council of Provinces which is a 60 member body with 1/3rd of the provincial delegation appointed by provincial legislatures (excluding the Federal District) every six years, term limit of two appointments and the other 2/3rd of the delegation elected on six year staggered terms (term limit of three terms) seats are given proportionally to provincial population. The Council of Provinces has the power to veto bills from the National Assembly (needing a simple majority to do so), approves the omission of new provinces and can advise the president on the dismissal of ministers of external importance.

Judicial

The judiciary system of Tussenland is similar to that of New Netherland. The judicial system consists of the Magistrates' Courts, which hear lesser criminal or civil cases; the Provincial Courts, which based on the eight provinces of New Netherland; and the Supreme Court, the highest court in Tussenland.

Provincial Government

Province map of Tussenland in the present-day.

Present-day Tussenland is composed of 10 semi-autonomous provinces. They are:

Meerenlandt (ML, Capital: Saint-Alexis)
Irokesenland (IK, Capital: Bloemendael)
Mississippi (MI: Capital: Groenveldt)
Suydt-Mizürie (ZM: Capital: Zweerstadt)
Nürdt-Mizürie (NM, Capital: Nieuw-Amsterdam)
Crÿnssenslandt (CY, Capital: Nackota)
Ruyterslandt (RU, Capital: Melckstadt)
Westerzee (WZ, Capital: Melenssel)
West-Vorstlandt (WV)
Öst-Vorstlandt (OV)