United Cities

The United Cities (UC) (Énqutsa: Énqusa Pányezhíca) was an intergovernmental organisation whose purposes were to strengthen the economic and political bonds between the nations of the Énqusqan peninsula. The UC was headquartered between Cílonyósqu and Tsétlaxó until it’s reformation into the RCE in 1967, making it the first example of an intergovernmental organisation centralising into a single state.

The UC was formed in the years directly preceding the Third World War. Growing global tension triggered action amongst some of the members of the PCESE who saw a further world war as an existential threat. On the 12th of August 1952, 6 nations met in Tsétlaxo to sign the Treaty of Póo Mín Tsetli and established the UC. The treaty outlined the creation of a political forum to further cooperation amongst states and also created a series of fundamental rights for every citizen of the signatory nations.

The remaining 5 independent Énqusqan states had been reluctant to join the UC as it was perceived to be a way for the south western powers of the PCESE to gain more political dominance, jeopardising the sovereignty of the other states. However, the sovereignty of the city was codified within the treaty in a way that also allowed the treaty to function as a de-facto mutual defence pact. Under reactionary pressure from the growing economic base of the UC in the PCESE and the threat of world war growing more probable the remaining independent states had joined the UC.

The forum quickly demonstrated its usefulness when WW3 broke in 1954, where the UC, with Riyatian support, played an important role in the Kidal front.

Economic
The Treaty of Póo Mín Tsel (TPMT) was signed in 1952 by six members of the Post-Colonial Economic Sphere of Énqusqó (PCESE) in Tsétlaxó, breaking the tradition of international treaties being signed in Cílonyósqu. The treaty was an attempt to align the interests of the peninsula under a common political and diplomatic system called the Énqusa Pányezhíca [United Cities] (in standard Énqutsa). A growing pressure for unification had been created by the increasing tension on the world stage. The treaty established a diplomatic forum for the leaders of signatory members known as the Regal Senate (standard Énqutsa: Alaxótli Tsézalal) alongside a group of government ministers known as the Regal Council (standard Énqutsa: Xényúxótli Tsézalal). It was more common for the Regal Council to meet than the senate, as it was the sole role of these ministers to engage on diplomatic endeavours with other member states of the United Cities (UC). There was also an internally elected Grand Councillor (standard Énqutsa: Énxényútli) who presided over the meetings of the council and ensure proper discourse. This council had the role of proposing bills for potential international treaties that would benefit the prosperity of the constituent nations they represented. Many of these proposals did not make beyond the council to the the Regal Senate for debate, refinement and signing.

An additional measure included within the signing of the treaty was the promise to incorporate a series of common laws between member states. Many of these laws were introduced under the reign of Empress Póo Mín Tsetli, for who the treaty was subsequently named, but were abolished by subsequent foreign and colonial powers. These laws were largely focused on providing the individual with rights to life, expression and justice. These rights were intentionally classified into ambiguous and broad categories in order for the possibility that amendments and clarifications may be made to the TPMT in the future without violating the integrity of the original wording of the treaty.

In order to enforce these new common laws, it was also agreed that there should be a new high court created to uphold the citizen's rights to justice at the supranational level. This new high court was formed by a high judge from each of the high courts of the member nations.

The treaty was written to contain a clause that acted to protect any member state from being bullied by the other states. The clause stated that all members must act to uphold the sovereignty of their fellow states, which has been called sufficiently vague that it can be interpreted as anything from a mutual defence pact between members, to an opportunity for the nations to justify a war with any power that would not see Énqusqó ruled by its native people. Fortunately, the clause has never been used for the latter, but the mutual defence pact interpretation did come into play during World War Three.

The offer to sign the final version fo the treaty, which was originally negotiated by only the five founding members of the PCESE, was extended to the remaining members of the free-trade agreement and only one other state agreed to join, Mílálzalqu. The others were happy to remain within the free trade agreement of the PSESE but saw this new organisation as a breach of their sovereignty. Upon this rejection by other members, which was considered as shocking by many politicians at the time, amendments were made to the economic reforms proposed that allowed member states to be both part of the PCESE and the newly suggested customs union.

Modern scholars treat the signing of this treaty as the start of the republic in all but name. The EP remained open for other members of the PCESE to join for its entire existence and has no requirements beyond the signature of the TPMT and subsequent adoption of its contents.

The EP had already begun to realise its goals on a region level and had become the most prosperous economic bloc in the PCESE. The combination of this economic pressure plus growing world tension saw the accession of three additional city-states in 1953, bringing the entire independent southern coast of Énqusqó under the EP.