Contest

Contest is an official legal status of The Protectorate-Commonwealth, which results when an Emperor is elected by plurality, but not by majority, after all protectorates (electors, kingdoms, duchies, and counties) have been included in the vote.
During a state of contest, the emperor is given wide-ranging authority to rearrange the titular make-up of the empire, though he cannot alter the special status of kingdoms except to provide them an electoral title. At the same time, all protectorates are given sweeping powers to decentralize the Commonwealth, and to depose the emperor (with majority vote) if he trespasses during this process. In theory, an emperor who wins by plurality could immediately be deposed by a union of his opponents, but this has never happened before, even when civil struggle has been the result of an election.