Republic of Dadizele

Republic of Dadizele
*Republiek Dadizele* (Dutch)
Republic of Dadizele Republiek Dadizele (Dutch)
	Flag Coat of arms
	Motto: "Viribus unitis"
	Anthem: Wien Neêrlands bloed (music only);
Capital	Central City (de facto, as Cosuls' place)
Largest city	Kerkvliet
Other languages	Dutch, English and languages of citizens
Government	Direct democracy
• Consuls	annual rotation
Legislature	Voting House
Establishment	5 May 2018 (Second reactivation of Campinia); 1 November 2023 (as Republic of Dadizele)
Currency	sudo (∮) (SPS)
	Website; https://x.com/alarmknight

The Republic of Dadizele (Dutch: Republiek Dadizele) is an Antarctic micronation that claims the Vollmer Island and the western part of Moody Islands in West Antarctica. It claims to be the territorial successor to the Kingdom of Albion and the Principality of Campinia, but this was later contested by Flandrensis. On 1 November 2023 it renounced the formal continuity of Campinia, adopting a new name and proclaiming a republican form of government.

Etymology

Dadizele (in the local dialect Deizel or Daisel) is the name of a Belgian village in the municipality of Moorslede, West Flanders. Under its historical name 'Dadingisila', the Dutch-speaking Kingdom of Dadingisila was founded on 15 January 2010. As it was the basis of the Republic's historical claims, it rebranded itself under this name on 1 November 2023.

History

Foundation: Albion, Campinia and Flandrensis (2010-2017)

About six months after the founding of Dadingisila, on 4 July 2010, King Jan I wanted to reform his nation. The state was renamed Kingdom of Albion, and its monarch changed his throne name to William I. On 26 September 2010 he sent an e-mail to the Grand Duke Niels of Flandrensis with the request if the Kingdom of Albion may become a vassal, just like the Principality of Arkel. On 24 October 2010 the Flandrensisian Commonwealth was founded, where instead of the status of vassal Flandrensis allowed Arkel and Albion to be sovereign nations and gave access to all Flandrensisian institutions to develop their own. The five islands of the Dadingisila-Albion Antarctic claims became part of the Antarctic territories of the Commonwealth.

On 7 January 2012, after attempting a second rebranding as the Kingdom of Flandria Secunda and voting to move to the Micras, the Kingdom of Albion was disbanded. But a month later, in February 2012, the Principality of Campinia - a Belgian micronation - joined the Flandrensis Commonwealth and, along with the status of an Antarctic micronation, received two islands from the Kingdom of Albion's claim - namely, the Vollmer and Moody Islands. In 2013 Prince Guillaume II of Campinia abdicated the throne to Elias I who reformed the principality into a duchy.

On 30 April 2016 the Grand Duke of Flandrensis decided to dissolve the Commonwealth, and less than a year later, on 4 April 2017, Duke Elias I announced the dissolution of Campinia. This decision was met with mixed reactions from citizens, especially those who have been taking decisions since August 2016 by Grand Constable of Campinia Shady Morsi in his attempts to revitalise and reform the nation. According the treaty of Ghent, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis considers itself as the legal successor of the Flandrensisian Commonwealth, its islands and territorial waters.

Restauration (2018)

A year later, in the spring of 2018, some former citizens of Campinia became aware of the plans of King Terrance, the head of the Welsh-speaking Antarctic Commonwealth of Marie Byrd Land, to revive the Kingdom of Albion by joining the Commonwealth. In order to maintain claims to the islands of Vollmer and Moody, two former citizens of Campinia declared themselves captains-regents of the Principality of Campinia on 5 May 2018 (a year, a month and a day after the dissolution of the Duchy of Campinia).

The legal basis for this act was the thesis that after the dissolution of the Duchy, the previous principality was automatically restored, according to the Constitution, the source of its power and sovereignty being the people. Therefore, the nation retained its subjectivity, and citizens have the right to act on its behalf to prevent the seizure of its sovereign territory. The People's Assembly of all citizens (Dutch: Volksvergadering, later to be known as the Arengo, an alternative less official name) was proclaimed the supreme body of state administration, which could be represented by at least 50% of their total number + 1 person. In addition, the People's Assembly had the right to accept new citizens, so the nation began to grow. Captains-regents, who had to be re-elected every six months, governed it between the People's Assemblies.

The original goal of the so-called Second Reactivation of Campinia was only to prevent the Commonwealth of Marie Byrd Land (under the proxy of the puppetically revived Kingdom of Albion) from annexing the Campinian islands (there were no objections to the other three, as there were to the activation of Albion itself).

Despite protests, on 30 May King Terrance announced the accession of the Kingdom of Albion, consisting of five islands, to the Commonwealth and appointed Prince Anthony, Duke of Hurford, as Governor-General.[1] Campinia intensified the struggle for its territories, but the tendency to deny the right of the Commonwealth of Marie Byrd Land to restore the Kingdom of Albion at all prevailed in the micronational community. Under international pressure and sanctions, three months later, on 3 August 2018, King Terrance was forced to renounce his claims to both the territory of the former Kingdom of Albion and its squatter restoration.[2]

Against this background, however, the revival of the Principality of Campinia was paradoxically perceived by many not as a protest against King Terrance's expansion, but as a squatter takeover for an inactive, promoted brand. The arguments for continuity of citizenship seemed unconvincing, and the majority in the National Assembly at that time was already made up of "new" citizens who had no connection to Campinia before its liquidation. In September, the issue of the second dissolution of the country was put to the People's Assembly, but it was not supported. Citizens argued that the threat of annexation of the Campinian islands could be repeated, as well as a similar attempt to seize Campinia itself.

Therefore, on 5 November 2018, the first rotation of the Captains-Regents was successfully completed, after which the first Cabinet was formed - or rather, the former positions of State Secretaries by sector were symbolically restored, and renamed Ministers. Predicting a future decline in citizen engagement that could have led to a blockage of the People's Assembly, the Principality in 2019 passed a law according to which citizens who have not participated in the Assembly for two years are considered legally dead. This was a very prudent move, but even so, it failed to prevent the disruption of the November 2021 elected People's Assembly due to a lack of quorum, so that the regent captains were re-elected only in May 2022, remaining in office for a year.

The Jubilee People's Assembly on 1 May 2023 showed that the majority of citizens agreed that the five-year policy of isolationism had exhausted itself. The Principality began to slowly establish contacts with micronations and international associations. Campinia joined the Oceanic-Antarctic Micronational Association, renewed its membership in the Union Against Micronational War, and prepared a number of bilateral agreements. However, recognition of its continuity and the right to its historical name has been very slow in the micronational community.

Rebranding (2023)

On 1 November 2023, at a regular elected People's Assembly, Campinia was proclaimed a republic and changed its name to Dadizele, thus returning to the origins of Kingdom of Dadingisila in its claims to the islands of Vollmer and Moody. The People's Assembly itself also returned to the Dadingisila name of the Voting House. Instead of captains-regents, republican Consuls were elected for a one-year term.[3] All these reforms were supported almost unanimously, as the principled supporters of the monarchy gradually left the project in 2018.

By February 2024, the Cabinet was formed, which included:

State Secretary of Foreign Affairs;
State Secretary of Information;
State Secretary of Internal Affairs and Justice;
State Secretary of Economy and Finance.

In early 2024, the Republic received certain challenges to its territorial claims. Firstly, the Grand Duchy of Flandrensis officially confirmed that it does not recognise them. Secondly, an analysis of international agreements and documents revealed that both predecessor states had an inexplicable confusion between the names of administrative and geographical units. The Kingdom of Albion confused the islands of Vollmer and Cronenwett on the official map of its claims, and actually began selling the territory of the latter, mistakenly calling it the island (shire) of Vollmer, and later the Principality of Campinia marked Kizer Island instead of Moody Island on the map with its territorial claims.[4] In addition, Moody Island, which is located east of the 150th meridian, is currently the subject of an undeclared territorial dispute between Flandrensis (which claims that after the dissolution of the Flandrensisian Commonwealth, the island is under its control) and Westarctica (which also marks it among its claims).

Following discussions with Commonwealth of South Pacifis and OAMA member states, the Republic considers it possible (in accordance with the decision of the Voting House of 15-17 February 2024) to clarify and revise its claims. Moody Island is excluded from them. The name of Moody nome now refers to the part of Cronenwett (pseudo-Vollmer, according to Dadingisila-Albion) west of the 150th meridian. In turn, the part of the island north of the 77th parallel (closer to Vollmer Island) is now called Barbore topia, and to the south - Toxandria topia. The central part of the island, which rises above the glacier level, is not included in the topias, as the Kingdom of Dadingisila-Albion actually founded the capital, Center Town, which according to documents is located on the Vollmer Island (and now, to overcome confusion, is renamed by the Republic of Dadizele into Central City). However, the Republic has temporarily included it in its claims, offering it to the Commonwealth as a legal address for a diplomatic mission to mediate the territorial dispute.

Political system

The legislative body of Dadizele is the Voting House, a direct democracy body of the citizens of the Republic. Its sessions are organised and conducted online by the Secretary-Moderator and are considered to have taken place if 50% of citizens + 1 person have participated. Given the current small population of the Republic, this system is considered optimal.

On 1-3 November, the Voting House elects two consuls for the year, who are the collective ceremonial head of state and government. Candidates are all members of the current House who have not yet held this position. If there are 1-2 left, they become Consuls automatically; if there is a shortage of candidates, they are selected by a vote of all members.

The newly elected Consuls take up their duties on 5 November. Each of them independently appoints an assistant - a quæstor. Quæstors exercise and control judicial power within their territorial jurisdiction. The Consuls report to a Cabinet consisting of Secretaries of State by profile, whom they can replace as needed, and they report to the Voting House. Proposals for the creation, abolition and merger of the offices of Secretaries of State can be put forward by either the Voting House (after adoption at the Chamber level) or the Consuls (after agreement between both), and come into force after they are accepted by the other party and the relevant legislation is amended.

The Secretary-Moderator of the Voting House is elected on 1-3 May and takes office on 5 May for a one-year term. He presides over the sessions of the Voting House, declaring them open and resolving organisational issues during their conduct, and also performs the duties of the Constitutional Oversight and Court, ensuring that the adopted laws are0 consistent with the current legislation. The Secretary-Moderator may be re-elected for a second term. For a transitional period until 5 May 2024, his duties are performed by one of the Consuls, who succeeds him at the next session of the Voting House, as was done by the Captains-Regents in the People's Assembly of the Principality of Campinia in 2018-23.

Sessions of the Voting House are declared closed by a decision of the Voting House itself (after the issue has been put to a vote and passed) or automatically end three days after opening.

Laws adopted by the Voting House come into force after being signed by both Consuls. If a law is adopted by less than ⅔ of the votes, the Consuls may, by agreement, veto it, which requires ⅔ of the votes of the House to override. A law not signed within a week enters into force automatically (with the prior signature of the Secretary-Moderator) if it has been adopted by ⅔ of the votes, otherwise it is postponed for six months, and if signed by only one Consul - for 3 months, unless it is signed or re-signed by the newly elected Consuls during this time.

Nobility

During the so-called Second Reactivation of Campinia, the issue of recognition and continuation of its noble titles was left to the future prince after his election or invitation of a foreign monarch. After the proclamation of the Republic and the abandonment of the continuity of Campinia, no titles are recognised at the state level.

Instead, numerous knightly orders of Campinia, including those abolished during the Duchy, were recognised after the fact and considered dormant. On 14 July 2021, two of them, the Orders of the Red Griffin and St. Virgin Mary, were formally "awakened", and on 18 May 2023, their new Charters were approved, with the first receiving the new degree of Grand Officer, and the second changing from being exclusively female, as it was under Duke Elias II, to being general again, as in the Principality. The third order, the awakening of which was announced, united of St. John and the Lion, was ignored, but not abolished. However, the only new awarding took place on 12 October 2023, when King Fedor III & IV of Kaçapia accepted the Order of St. Virgin Mary.[5] On 1 November 2023, together with the proclamation of the Republic of Dadizele, the Order of the Republic was established in two degrees. On 17 February 2024, the current status (in three degrees) of the Order of St. John and the Lion was confirmed.

Insignia
of Knight/Dame
of the Red Griffin
Insignia
of Knight/Dame
of St. Virgin Mary
Insignia
of Knight/Dame
of the Republic
Insignia
of Knight/Dame
of the St. John & the Lion

Administrative regions

The nomes of Vollmer and Moody each nominally headed by Consuls. Vollmer is the successor of Dadingisila-Albionese history and culture, and Moody is the successor of Campinian culture, while retaining the respective national symbols. Therefore, the Vollmer is headed by the Consul who received the most votes in the election; if there was a tie, they decide among themselves. The Consul of Vollmer has the right of first signature, and its capital, Central City (called Guillaumeburg in the time of Campinia), is officially the residence of both Consuls.

In contrast, nome of Moody is the legal seat of both quæstors. Since the time of Campinia, it has been divided into two provinces, now called topias. Vollmer's quæstor is also the ex officio mayor of Westeresch, and Moody's quæstor is the mayor of Kerkvliet.

Name	Abbreviation	Capital city
Vollmer nome	VR	Central City
Moody nome
Barbore topia	BB	Kerkvliet
Toxandria topia	TX	Westeresch

The Republic of Dadizele does not have a legal capital, nor does it have a common capital of Moody nome.

Geography

The Republic of Dadizele is located in Western Antarctica in the Sulzberger Bay and consists of the islands - Vollmer Island and the western part of Cronenwett Island.

Vollmer Island is an ice-covered island 20 kilometres (11 nmi) long, lying along the edge of Sulzberger Ice Shelf, 13 kilometres (7 nmi) northwest of Cronenwett Island. It appears that this feature was first observed and roughly mapped from aerial photographs taken by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, 1928-30. Named by Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (US-ACAN) for Lieutenant T.H. Vollmer, U.S. Navy, engineering officer aboard USS Glacier along this coast, 1961-62.

Cronenwett Island is a high, ice-covered island about 40 kilometres (20 nmi) long. It lies between Vollmer Island and Steventon Island in the Marshall Archipelago, off the coast of Marie Byrd Land. The feature was first observed and roughly delineated from aerial photographs taken by the Byrd Antarctic Expedition, 1928–30. It was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for Commander W.R. Cronenwett, U.S. Navy, Photographic Officer for Deep Freeze II, 1956–57, and Public Information Officer for Task Group 43.1 during Deep Freeze 1962. The eastern part of the island is claimed by Westarctica, the western part belongs to the Republic of Dadizele (this is disputed by Flandrensis and New Zealand) and constitutes the nome of Moody, named after the neighboring island, which in turn was named by the Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names for E.L. Moody, a dog-driver with the Byrd Antarctic Expedition (1933–35).

Culture

According to the micronational compass, Dadizele culture is quite clearly defined as predominantly organic. With a Flemish background and Antarctic geography forming its backbone, it is at the same time nourished by the imported culture of its citizens, their macronational influence and their range of interests. The current rule that citizenship is lost after two years of inactivity in the Voting House ensures that cultural development is dynamic.