Political: Arnland

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Political Overview

Arnland’s capital is Alsstad and the language spoken is Arnish. Arnland has an area of 52,300 square kilometers (km2), bordering Torrike to the north, Denmark to the south, the Baltic Sea to the east, and the Kattegat to the west. The coast line is 12,900 km long.

Politics: Arnland is a multi‐party democratic republic with open elections. While there are now currently six political parties with varied representation in the Alltinget (National Assembly), two political parties have dominated the political landscape in Arnland since 1991. These two parties are Arnland Prosperity Party (APP) representing the center‐right and the Arnland Socialist Party (ASP) representing the social democrat segment of the population. The new constitution was ratified in 1992.

Government: Arnland’s unicameral Alltinget consists of 135 seats which are held by members of multiple parties; a First Past the Post system determines the composition of the representation. All members of the Alltinget serve four‐year terms. The President is the Head of State and is elected by an electoral college made up from the six Arnish Counties (Län). The Prime Minister is appointed from the majority party in the Alltinget and has two deputies who assist him in leading the Executive Branch of the government and ensuring influence and oversight of the Legislative Branch.

Foreign Relations: Diplomatic relations with most countries.

Legal System: Civil law.

Legal System: Civil law.

International Agreements: Arnland is a member of the United Nations (UN) and a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which was ratified in 1994. It joined the Skolkan Cooperation Organization (SCO) in 2001. At the April 2014 Council of Heads of Government the Arnish Prime Minister announced Arnland’s withdrawal from the SCO.

Historical Summary

The Skolkan Empire coalesced slowly during the late 14th and early 15th Centuries, expanding and contracting as circumstances permitted. In its heyday in the mid‐19th Century, it comprised all of what are now the countries of Arnland, Framland, Bothnia and Otso and had over lordship of Norway. Periodically, the Skolkan Empire attempted to extend its power into Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, but its influence was always tenuous and despite the expenditure of considerable effort and resources, never amounted to much.

Towards the end of the 19th century it became more and more obvious that the cohesion amongst the Skolkan nations was rapidly degrading. Arnland felt that their contribution to the Skolkan Empire far exceeded the return. Consequently Arnish leaders raised their voices strongly for independence. These arguments were reinforced as Framland declared independence, and finally Arnland followed on 11 December 1917.

In the first years of independence Arnland kept the political structure inherited from Torrike. Alexander the First (Optimistic Alexander) was elected as the first king of Arnland. Arnland had a fairly strong economy based on agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Arnland was at that time self‐sufficient, and had good relations with Germany, Poland, Denmark and the Baltic countries. Fish and agricultural products that in former times were consumed in the Skolkan Empire (mainly Torrike) became important export articles, and Arnland’s main source of income. Alexander ruled for 13 years until the monarchy was abolished in 1931 after a communist state coup.

The global economic crisis in the 1930s had a dramatic effect on Arnland. The economy collapsed, and people lost confidence in the government. Arnland had also neglected the technological development that took place in the rest of Europe which also contributed to economic decay as Arnland no longer was able to compete on the European market.

During World War II, Arnland maintained her neutrality. After the war, Communist Party leader Lars Peterson, through a combination of ruthlessness, effective control of the State Security Services and strategic alliances, managed to preserve Arnland's territorial integrity. Arnland adhered to a strict communist philosophy. During this period, the governing elite enriched themselves at the cost of ordinary people. This resulted in increased poverty in the country as a whole. Anger and mistrust in the government ultimately led to the assassination of Lars Peterson 1 May 1991 and the subsequent violent fall of communism in Arnland in that same year.

Arnland reorganized itself into a multiparty democracy in 1992. Arns were extremely wary of creating a government structure that centralized power. Their fear of returning to a system where regional interests were ignored at the expense of the political elite caused them to create a Republic which balanced power across national and regional lines. Further, it placed the judicial power with the Presidency, the executive power with the Prime Minister and the Government and the legislative power with the Alltinget.

Arnland sought closer ties with the rest of Europe in order to improve economic conditions. It instituted a government structure that would facilitate Arnland's need for foreign investment in the nation's financial future. Arnland‘s efforts to overcome its historical isolation and underdevelopment saw it make initial strides in the areas of public infrastructure and public services as Arnland's fragile democratic structures were developing. During this transitional period from 1992‐1996, the center‐right Arnland Prosperity Party (APP) formed the government.

However, without the experienced structures and processes in place to provide proper oversight of these efforts, both legitimate and illegitimate business entities at the Län level exploited these opportunities and a system of corruption and organized crime took root. Government agencies did not have enough depth or span of control to oversee government spending and national government efficiency and effectiveness was perceived by the population to be nonexistent.

Unscrupulous investment companies, fronts for organized crime and defrauded investors all over Arnland used pyramid schemes in the early days of capitalism. In early 1996, during the run‐up to the elections, several of these pyramid schemes collapsed, leaving thousands of people bankrupt, disillusioned, and angry. Armed revolts broke out across the country, leading to the near‐total collapse of government authority. Arnland's already inadequate and antiquated infrastructure suffered tremendous damage, as people looted public works for building materials. Weapons depots all over the country were raided. Torrike and Bothnia, vying for the role of conciliator in Arnland’s internal struggles, both made unsuccessful attempts to calm the situation (in an effort to increase their influence in the region). However, the Arns had no desire to cede any of their independence.

Organized crime (OC) had infiltrated the political system on all levels and influenced political decision‐making to their own advantage. Through a mixture of brute force, political status, and social leadership, the OC gangs imposed themselves as middlemen between the local community and bureaucrats and politicians at the national level. They granted privileges and protection and intervened in favor of their clients in return for their silence and collusion against local authorities and the police. With their political connections, the heads of the OC groups became power brokers in local and national political contexts, providing politicians with broad electoral support and in return receiving benefits for their constituency. Worryingly there was a general belief that someone can do a good job as a politician but have a disreputable private life. Also the system of ‘exchanges’ in which public officials provide support in return for certain privileges was intricately woven, and accepted, in the social system. At a lower level OC syndicates exploit local business enterprises (food processing and trade, gas stations, retailers, property market) to influence the daily life of Arns. Through this they can easily influence the political processes and voting results, by “suggesting people” for whom they need to vote.

Arns blamed the inability of the APP to start and successfully enforce the required political and economic reforms during the transition period and that manifested itself in a 1996 election victory for the Arnland Socialist Party (ASP); gaining control of the office of the Prime Minister (Kasper Bro), the Council of Ministers and the Alltinget. They were not successful in unseating the President, Sture Pallesson. The leader of the APP succeeded in gaining the Electoral College votes from the six Län and remained as the Head of State for a second term. With change slow to take hold, people were forced to explore other possibilities to maintain the standard of life that they had been used to in the past. Corruption and illegal sources of income increasingly became an important part of the economy and Arns continued to see this as the easiest way to succeed. As the national economy decayed, Arnland’s six Län, each under the rule of a Landshövding (Governor) developed into semi‐autonomous regions that primarily took care of their own interests. The Län also competed with each other on a variety of social and economic and cultural issues as Arnland’s new democracy slowly took root.

The continued presence of poor national administration, and flaws in the electoral process as a result of manipulation by business and OC interests continued to block public confidence in the national government system. Progress on economic and political reforms suffered noticeably due to political infighting and a government structure that was not suited to allow change. Arns’ apathy with the political system and their distrust of the electoral process caused them to pay little attention to the election in 2000. With Sture Pallesson unavailable for re‐election and thus unmotivated to empower a successor his party, the APP focused on regaining control of the office of the Prime Minister’s and the legislature. While successful in doing so, forming a coalition government with the Arnland Republican Party (ARP), it lost control of the Presidency to the Arnland Socialist Party (ASP) (Kasper Bro). Arns once again ensured political stalemate by distributing the balance of power and this held true for the elections in 2004 as well.

In 2008, the Arnland Socialist Party (ASP ‐ Prime Minister Bror Jeppessen) formed a minority government, passing government legislation based upon support from other parties on an issue by issue basis. This created a delicate balance of power in the Alltinget. The Arnland Socialist Party (ASP) pledged to fight crime and corruption, decrease the size and scope of government, and promote economic growth by exploring membership of the EU. The Arnland Prosperity Party regained control of the Presidency with Sture Pallesson returning to his previously held position. Corruption, regional influence and manipulation of the political and legal systems remained firmly rooted in the daily lives of Arns. The lack of a cohesive will, and the adherence to party and individual interests caused the executive and legislative branches of the government to struggle to bring about real reform in its efforts to demonstrate to the EU and other international organizations that it was ready to be taken seriously.

At the 2012 election the Arnland Socialist Party (ASP), with a reduced percentage of the vote and decreased number of seats again formed a government but this time on a more formal coalition footing (with the Social Democratic Party and Arnland Communist Party) to gain an overall majority of one in the Alltinget. Corruption continues to permeate the Government who have failed to deliver on its previous terms pledges of fighting crime and corruption, reducing central government control or improving services on a national scale. Linked to this were allegations of possible vote rigging but as yet nothing has been proved. On the positive side the Government continued to explore its aspiration of EU membership following initial negotiations in 2010, though was unable to enter into a Stabilization and Association Agreement. This is an issue which is causing a significant rift between Prime Minister Bror Jeppessen and President Sture Pallesson who also secured a second and final term in 2012. All of this coupled with the increasingly powerful role of key Landshövding (Skåne, Jönköping and Kalmar) and the 2014 announcement of withdrawal from the SCO is further weakening central government and fueling growing social unrest over Arnland’s perceived increasing regional isolation.

Strategic Aim

Arnland seeks to maintain her independence and to become a member of the European Union (EU).

Constitutional Framework

In an effort to safeguard these ideals and the future of its democracy, Arns established a republic which physically separated the responsibility for executive, legislative and judicial functions. They further attempted to protect their form of government by requiring a 75% vote in the Alltinget to change the constitution. While the powers of government are physically separated, the articles and processes established to enable government actually served to cripple it. Instead it succeeded in placing the real power in the dispersed regions at the Län level without effective national checks and balances.

The President, as Chair of the Council of High Justice, uses his position to directly influence the local and regional affairs rather than through the ineffective and inefficient national government apparatus. In doing so, he is seen to be more responsive to the needs of the people and their local and regional initiatives than the government. As an individual, his office is most effective when it undermines the other branches of the government and responds to these local interest groups. His control of the High Council of Justice and the Supreme Court enables him to thwart attempts by the executive and legislative branches to re‐balance power or to modify the laws otherwise.

Central Structure

Central Structure of the Arnland Government

Head of State

The head of state in Arnland is the President of the Republic. The President, not necessarily a member of the political establishment, is elected by the people of Arnland every four years through an electoral college. This is based upon representation in ‘clusters’ of five or so electoral districts; there are 35 of these larger electoral districts across the six Län in Arnland (Skåne seven votes, Jönköping, Halland and Blekinge six each, Kalmar and Kronoberg five each). Arns vote for party candidates in their political district to represent them nationally. The President is eligible to stand for re‐election once. Following a term out of office, the President may stand for election again with the same restrictions on re‐election. After a period of eight years out of office from 2000‐2008, Sture Pallesson is again serving as the President of the Republic in his second term.

The President is charged with ensuring that the constitution and all laws are complied with. Constitutionally, he is further charged with the following:

1. Approves the appointment of the Prime Minister (Chairman of the Council of Ministers) from the political party with the most seats in the Alltinget and all of the members of the Council of Ministers;
2. Authority for appointing the Attorney General;
3. Authority for appointing the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and all Supreme Court Justices;
4. Chairs the High Council of Justices;
5. Serves as the ceremonial Commander in Chief of the Arnish Armed Forces in peacetime; and
6. Serves as the Commander in Chief of the Arnish Armed Forces in a state of emergency as decreed by the Alltinget.

There are two types of states of emergency:

1. A non‐military emergency situation which is a governmental declaration, enforced in case of a natural disaster or civil unrest. It also delegates certain powers to the Landshövding in cases of civil emergency.
2. A military state of emergency, debated in the Alltinget, but which can only be enforced by the President. The military comes under the control of the President. The civilian population is subject to strict regulations, imposed by the type of emergency. All private and public non‐crucial activities are suspended. Essential services might be disrupted. This situation can be enforced in case of extreme circumstances, such as war.

Branches of Government

Executive

The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (cabinet) exercise the executive power in Arnland. The Prime Minister (Chairman of the Council of Ministers) is appointed by the President from the political party with the most seats in the Alltinget. All of the members of the Council are appointed by the President on the basis of the Prime Minister's recommendation. In practice this has tended to be a formality but where, for example, there is a political split between President and Prime Minister it gives the President the opportunity to influence the executive power of the government.

Arnland Council of Ministers

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers directs and controls the activities of the ministries and other state institutions.

Arnland Council of Ministers Organization

Ministry/Deputy	Post Holder	Party
Prime Minister	Mr. Bror Jeppesen	Arnland Socialist Party (ASP)
Minister of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Prime Minister – Council)	Mr. Alexis Palmgren	ASP
Minister of Interior	Mr. Otto Hellstrom	ASP
Minister of Defense	Mr. Morgan Sten	ASP
Minister of Labor	Mr. Aaron Tapper	Social Democrat Party (SDP)
Minister of Public Works, Transport, Telecommunications and Information Technology	Mr. Thorsten Hertz	ASP
Minister of the Environment	Mr. Wolfgang Windell	ASP
Minister of Public Order (Deputy Prime Minister – Alltinget)	Mr. Ficke Winger	ASP
Minister of Health and Social Affairs	Ms. Driva Rapp	ASP
Minister of Economy, Trade, Industry and Energy	Mr. Rudi Busk	ASP
Minister of State and Parliamentary Relations	Mr. Tage Krabbe	ASP
Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs	Mr. Quintus Blumenthal	SDP
Minister of Education and Research	Mrs. Lissbet Spong	ASP
Minister for International Development and Cooperation	Mr. Raimo Palmberg	ASP
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports	Mr. Torgim Younggren	Arnland Communist Party (ACP)
Minister of Justice	Mr. Rolf Frisk	ASP
Minister of Finance	Mr. Moje Silverberg	ASP
Ex Officio Members	Post Holder
Director Arnland Intelligence and Security Service (AISS)	Mr. Kol Hagberg	Not Affiliated
Governor Arnland National Bank	Mr. Halle Bagge	Not Affiliated
Commissioner Arnland State Police Service	Mr. Carlberg Curlin	Not Affiliated

Legislative

The National Assembly (Alltinget) consists of 135 seats and is elected based upon a 'First Past the Post' system. Parties run candidates in electoral districts and successful individuals serve 4‐year terms. With the exception of votes on constitutional amendments, all votes in the Alltinget are based upon a simple majority.

The Alltinget performs the following functions:

• Power to modify the Arnland Constitution with a 75% majority vote of the entire National Assembly
• Debates the direction of domestic policy (to include normative ministerial and government agency acts, regulations, and orders)
• Debates the direction of foreign policy based upon recommendations from the Council of Ministers
• Enacts domestic laws and ratifies international treaties
• Declares states of emergency as required in times of national or regional crisis

The Composition of the Court System of Arnland

Judicial

When the republic was created, Arns sought to further safeguard their new democratic process by constitutionally embodying the judicial power in one body of the government and the executive and legislative powers in another. Although the Judiciary was meant to be controlled by the President, Arns ensured that there were processes and procedures defined in the Constitution to protect against creating a dictatorial regime.

The Constitution provides that all citizens enjoy the right to a fair, speedy, and public trial; however, limited material resources in many instances prevent the court system from processing cases in a timely fashion. If convicted, the accused has the right to appeal the decision within 10 days to the Courts of Appeal.

The assignment of cases to judicial panels at all levels of the judicial system is done by lottery according to procedures provided by law.

As there are no jury trials under the Arnish system of justice, a panel of three judges renders court verdicts.

In September 2006, Arnland ratified Protocol No.6 to the European Convention on Human Rights, abolishing the death penalty for peacetime offences, but has yet to ratify Protocol 13 for the complete abolition of the death penalty despite pressure from the Arnland Supreme Court.

High Council of Justice. The High Council of Justice is composed of nine members. Three members on the High Council of Justice hold seats based upon the office they represent: the President of the Republic (Chair), the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Minister of Justice. The other six seats are allocated to each of the six Län, and are appointed by the President of the Republic from the Län Courts of appeal, based upon the Landshövding recommendation. They are appointed for four year terms and are not restricted in their rights to seek re‐appointment. The High Council of Justice is responsible for selecting and disciplining the judges for the courts subordinate to the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the highest court in Arnland. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the 17 judges of the Court are appointed by the President to a four year term without restrictions on subsequent re‐appointment. The appointments however, must be confirmed by the Alltinget. The Supreme Court is split into three panels: Constitutional, Civil and Criminal. The constitutional panel is chaired by the Chief Justice and serves to judge the constitutionality of all Arnish laws. The criminal panel tries military and criminal cases and the civil panel tries commercial, administrative, family, labor cases etc. Military personnel are also subject to military law under the Military Act of 1992. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, after taking the opinion of the judges, can move cases from one panel to the other. Decisions of the Supreme Court are proclaimed, along with the reasoning behind the decision, no later than 30 days from the date of the termination of the judicial examination.

Courts of Appeal. Each of the six Läns of Arnland has a Court of Appeal. The Courts of Appeal review decisions of the Courts of First Instance in all matters. The Courts of appeal review decisions of the Courts of First Instance in all matters. These courts sit in panels of three judges. Judges of the Courts of appeal are nominated by the High Council of Justice and appointed by the President.

Courts of First Instance. The Courts of First Instance work according to rules provided in the Codes of Civil and Criminal Law. The territorial jurisdiction of each Court is defined by a Decree of the President of the Republic, based on the recommendation of the High Council of Justice. The Courts are aptly named as “The Court of First Instance” as they are responsible for initially hearing all forms of legal cases regardless of their nature.

Regional Administration

Most Arns believe strongly in moving away from their communist past and its centralized government structure which ignored regional priorities to one that acknowledges local and individual identities and provides opportunities for their success within a national government structure. To date progress has been slow helping to fuel social unrest.

Län

Arnland is divided into six regions, which covers nearly 52,300 km2 with a population of 3,382,608 (2010) situated on the southern tip of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The geographic location is a strategically important one with proximity to the Baltic Approaches and to NATO nations such as Denmark and Germany.

Figure P-4. Arnland Län Map

Halland Län

Halland is situated in north western Arnland on the Baltic Approaches. The Län covers a total area of about 5,800 km2. The Län capital is Halmstad, which is a significant port city. This city was founded in the 12th Century. The Län has six municipalities.

Halland is a Län rich in resources with forestry being an important one. About 53% of the area is spruce forests. The public sector is the largest employer in the Län, with the Ringhals nuclear power station being an important one. In addition, there is both paper industry and glass industry in the Län.

The population of Halland is about 389,484, with more people moving into than out of the Län. The net inflow was about 800 last year.

The following municipalities constitute Halland Län:

Kungsbacka                        Hylte

Varberg                              Halmstad

Falkenberg                         Laholm

Skåne Län

Skåne Län is located on the southwest part of Arnland. The Län covers an area of about 11,000 km2 and the Län capital is Alsstad, which is also the national capital of Arnland. The city was founded in the 12th Century. The Län has 33 municipalities.

The preeminent natural resource is agriculture, with 48% of the being cultivated farm land. The public sector is the largest employer in the Län, but the packaging industry is also significant.

The total population of Skåne Län is more the 1,144,366 and there are more people moving into the Län than out of the Län. The inflow last year was about 6,700.

The following municipalities constitute Skåne Län:

Bruv                       Horby                    Malmoe                               Tomelilla

Bromolla              Hoor                    Osby                                      Trelleboirg

Burlov                   Klippan                Perstorp Simrishman      Vellinge

Baastad                Kristianstad        Sjobo                                    Ystad

Eslov                     Kavlinge               Skurup                                  Astorp

Helsingborg        Landskrona         Staffanstorp                       Angelholm

Hassleholm         Lomma                 Svalov                                   Orkelljunga

Hoganas               Lund                      Svedala                                Ostra

Kronoberg Län

Kronoberg Län is a land‐locked Län in the middle of Arnland. Traditionally a relatively wealthy Län with long traditions in the manufacturing industry and therefore also traditionally it has low unemployment rates. The Län covers an area of about 8,500 km2, and the Län capital is Vaxsjo, which was founded in the 13th Century.

The manufacturing industry glass, metal, masonry and paper industries are important export industries, in fact the most preeminent in the country. There is also a significant IT industry and considerable research, both important in maintaining the industrial manufacturing footprint in the Län. 69% of the Län is covered by forest providing the foundation for the paper mill industry in the Län.

The total population of Kronoberg Län is in excess of 183,940 with a net inflow of about 1,500 people moving to the Län.

The following municipalities constitute Kronoberg Län:

Alvestad                              Tingsryd

Lessebo                              Uppvidinge

Ljungby                               Vaxsjo

Markaryd                            Almhult

Kalmar Län

Kalmar Län is located on the east coast of Arnland and the Län covers an area of about 11,700 km2. The coastline is long with roughly 16,000 islands off the coast and there are also numerous lakes. The renowned Linné University is situated in the Län capital city of Kalmar. The city of Kalmar was founded in the 11th Century.

It is also a relatively prosperous Län with about 6,000 registered businesses in the manufacturing and service sectors located within the Län borders. 64% of the land is covered in forests. Forestry and tourism are the main industries in the Län.

The total population of Kalmar is in excess of 333,536 with almost 1,000 in net inflow of people over the past year.

The following municipalities constitute Kalmar Län:

Borgholm                            Monsteraas                        Vastervik

Emmaboda                         Nybro

Hultsfred                             Oskarshamn

Hogsby                                 Torsaas

Kalmar                                  Vimmerby

Blekinge Län

Blekinge Län is the smallest Län in Arnland, and is located in southern of the country and covers an area of nearly 3,000 km2. The Län measures about 40 km from north to south, and 110 km from east to west. The Län capital is Karlskrona, which also houses a large naval base currently being leased to Torrikan naval assets.

Fisheries and agriculture are preeminent industries in the Län. There is also a significant tourist industry in the Län. Blekinge also has a long industrial tradition, and the advent of new technologies has made it possible for industry in the Län to modernise and maintain its position. Every fourth employee in Blekinge is currently employed in the industry.

The total population of Blekinge is in excess of 213,227 and the urban areas of the Län have the highest population density in all of Arnland with 52 inhabitants per km2.

The following municipalities constitute Blekinge Län:

Karlskrona

Ronneby

Karlshamn

Solvesborg

Olofstrom

Jonkoping Län

Jonkoping Län is landlocked in the middle northern Arnland. It covers a total area of 10,500 km2. There are more than 2,000 lakes in the Län, which constitute 14% of the area of the Län. The Län capital is Jonkoping and the Län has existed since 1687.

The main industries are in manufacturing of tree, metals and plastics creating an environment of employment opportunities. There is also a significant service industry in the Län.

The total population of Jonkoping Län is 419,092 with a population density of 22 inhabitants per km2.

The following municipalities constitute Jonkoping Län:

Aneby                                   Jonkoping                           Mullsjo

Eksjo                                     Mullsjo                                 Vaggeryd

Gislaved Gnosjo                               Nassjo                                  Vetlanda

Habo                                     Savsjo                                   Varnamo

Domestic Policies

Arnland outwardly represents itself as a modern democratic republic providing equality for all of its citizens through a nationally driven, regionally delivered civil administration system. The national government apparatus is organized into 16 ministries and several agencies and services. The processes and procedures for delivering services are determined nationally; Ministers propose policy and legislation is passed in the Alltinget to codify that into law. Ministries fund national government programs according to the budget passed in the Alltinget; usually an annual budget passed in the Spring each year. The civil service is responsible for monitoring government programs and services in their respective areas of responsibility. Most of the responsibility for delivering these programs is passed to the Landsting (regional administration) in the six Län within Arnland. The only ministries that are the sole purview of the national level are Foreign Affairs, State and Parliament Relations, Defense, Finance and Justice. Staffing throughout the civil service is at the pleasure of the government and traditionally incoming governments reward key supporters with patronage appointments in influential offices of the government.

The national budget is established and approved centrally each fiscal year and funding is then provided to the Landsting to deliver the national programs to the citizens of Arnland in all other areas. Service delivery is mandated to be in accordance with the budget and is to be administered following the processes and procedures outlined in the nationally approved policy. Civil servants representing the ministries dispersed throughout the six Län are tasked with providing oversight to ensure this process is respected. The Landsting, under the direction and guidance of the Landshövding, is provided with a significant budget to deliver national programs within its respective Län.

Arns understand the limited power that the national government apparatus actually holds and as such, generally lack confidence in national institutions and officials. They do not perceive the national civil service structure as a useful source of assistance. They have traditionally turned towards the real power structure, the network created by the Landsting, and work within that network using bribery as a means to achieving the services and support they need.

The equality of citizens before the law is questionable. However, neither awareness of human rights, nor a culture of standing up to protect them, has been promoted among citizens. That said the Arnish Workers Union have conducted rotating non‐violent strikes in attempt to highlight workers’ rights, unfortunately with only limited effect. The involvement of a large proportion of the population in the shadow economy, the need to adjust to living under conditions of imperfect laws and high fiscal pressure does not contribute to fostering a law‐abiding culture among citizens. In practice, the “laws” defined by the activities of local authorities play a greater role on influencing society than effective laws, norms or the official authority of the nation do.

Ministry of the Interior

The Arnland Ministry of the Interior is responsible for the following:

• National Registration Directorate (deals with registering Arnland citizens, issue passports, driving licenses, etc.)
• Aliens Registration Directorate (deals with registering the immigrants in the country and providing them documents like resident permits)
• Internal Politics Directorate (deals with electoral processes and refugees requests)
• Cyber Security Directorate (deals with cyber defense of critical infrastructures and information systems; and with cyber crime like online child pornography, internet fraud, etc.)

Ministry of Public Order

The Arnland Ministry of Public Order is responsible for administering the following: law enforcement, penal services, border security, Coast Guard and fire and ambulance services. The Ministry sets the policy and allocates national funding to programs according to the priorities outlined in the budget established by the Alltinget. Specific policies and standards for the level of service to be provided in both peacetime and in times of crisis are established by the Arnland Civil Defense Agency on behalf of the Ministry staff who perform a more administrative role. Each service or agency, while maintaining national organizational structures, is controlled at the Län level, with the exception of the Arnland Border Security Service.