United Nations General Assembly
The United Nations General Assembly is the principal legislative body of the United Nations of Earth. Originally a representative forum for the myriad nations of Earth, over the 22nd century it evolved into a federal lawmaking body for the United Nations. It meets at the United Nations Complex in the BosWash Metropolitan Axis on Earth. The formal term for a legislator elected to the UNGA is "Member", however "Representative" is also accepted and widely used.
The UNGA is a unicameral legislature with 2,501 elected representatives and headed by the Secretary-General. Seats in the UNGA are apportioned to districts based on population, determined every five years during a census. Each member of the UNGA represents their district, which can consist of regions of a planet, habitat orbitals, deep space stations, and even entire planets (with small populations). Elections are held every five years for the entire legislature, and there are no term limits. The timing of elections is determined by the President when they dissolve the General Assembly, upon advice from the Secretary-General.
Voting is conducted through a ranked-choice voting system, and overseen by the United Nations Electoral Commission, an independent agency that operates on behalf of the federal government. All citizens that are of the age of majority of their species are required by law to vote, facing fines if they do not comply. Voter registration is handled automatically by government records, and individuals verify their identity via biometric scan when voting. Voting is held across the UN on a single day (a Saturday and public holiday), though provisions are in place for remote and early voting. Traditionally, volunteers often set up stalls to provide food and beverages to voters, a tradition that began in the nation of Australia on Earth. One of the more famous examples of this is the democracy slice often found in polling stations in the BosWash Metropolitan Axis.
Once all seats have been assigned in the General Assembly, the position of Secretary-General is selected via a majority vote. They serve until the end of their term, or they lose a vote of no confidence. The Secretary-General also heads both the Executive Council (responsible for the executive of government) and the Security Council (foreign policy, defence, and intelligence briefings). The Secretary-General nominates ten members of the General Assembly to act as Ministers, who are formally appointed by the President.
The General Assembly is responsible for the passage of legislation, including laws, regulations, and budgets. There is a minimum quorum of one-tenth of the members (250) to be present in order for the General Assembly to meet, but in practice, this rule is often ignored unless a representative specifically calls a quorum. Any member of the UNGA may propose a bill at any point during a session by providing advance notice to the Clerk of the General Assembly. The Clerk then adds it to the UNGA proceedings in the next available slot (typically the following meeting day).
Bills in the General Assembly go through three readings. The first reading involves the introducing representative reading the name of the bill and its general provisions. After the first reading, the bill is adjourned for at least one week to allow other members of the UNGA to read and examine it. The second reading involves significant debate over the bill, as other members of the UNGA are allowed to comment on it. At the conclusion of this stage, the General Assembly holds a vote on the ideas and themes of the bill. If it receives an affirmative majority, it can move on to the next stage. If a bill passes the second reading, it is considered in detail by the General Assembly, and potentially referred to GA Committees for further study. This is also the period where the bill may be amended. The third reading is the final stage of a bill, where the General Assembly holds a simple majority vote on whether to pass the bill and its amendments. If it passes, it is sent to the President, who may sign the bill into law or veto it. If a law is vetoed, the veto may be overridden by a supermajority (two-thirds of present members).
In addition to creating and passing laws, the UNGA is also responsible for the establishment of committees. Committees are semi-permanent bodies that oversee various operations of government. They come in two forms: standing committees, which are established by legislation for long-term oversight; and select or special committees, which are established until a final report is published.
Although the UNGA is majority Human, there are a large number of non-Human members. As of the most recent election, there are 232 non-Human members of the General Assembly. The first non-Human member, the Scyldari Seri B'Eren, was elected in 2242 CE. Although she was born within Scyldari space and only moved to the UNE as a young adult, there were no laws preventing non-Humans (or those with foreign citizenships) from running for the General Assembly. These traditions have since been maintained, and the UNE prides itself on its pluralistic attitudes.
The UNGA is a unicameral legislature with 2,501 elected representatives and headed by the Secretary-General. Seats in the UNGA are apportioned to districts based on population, determined every five years during a census. Each member of the UNGA represents their district, which can consist of regions of a planet, habitat orbitals, deep space stations, and even entire planets (with small populations). Elections are held every five years for the entire legislature, and there are no term limits. The timing of elections is determined by the President when they dissolve the General Assembly, upon advice from the Secretary-General.
Voting is conducted through a ranked-choice voting system, and overseen by the United Nations Electoral Commission, an independent agency that operates on behalf of the federal government. All citizens that are of the age of majority of their species are required by law to vote, facing fines if they do not comply. Voter registration is handled automatically by government records, and individuals verify their identity via biometric scan when voting. Voting is held across the UN on a single day (a Saturday and public holiday), though provisions are in place for remote and early voting. Traditionally, volunteers often set up stalls to provide food and beverages to voters, a tradition that began in the nation of Australia on Earth. One of the more famous examples of this is the democracy slice often found in polling stations in the BosWash Metropolitan Axis.
Once all seats have been assigned in the General Assembly, the position of Secretary-General is selected via a majority vote. They serve until the end of their term, or they lose a vote of no confidence. The Secretary-General also heads both the Executive Council (responsible for the executive of government) and the Security Council (foreign policy, defence, and intelligence briefings). The Secretary-General nominates ten members of the General Assembly to act as Ministers, who are formally appointed by the President.
The General Assembly is responsible for the passage of legislation, including laws, regulations, and budgets. There is a minimum quorum of one-tenth of the members (250) to be present in order for the General Assembly to meet, but in practice, this rule is often ignored unless a representative specifically calls a quorum. Any member of the UNGA may propose a bill at any point during a session by providing advance notice to the Clerk of the General Assembly. The Clerk then adds it to the UNGA proceedings in the next available slot (typically the following meeting day).
Bills in the General Assembly go through three readings. The first reading involves the introducing representative reading the name of the bill and its general provisions. After the first reading, the bill is adjourned for at least one week to allow other members of the UNGA to read and examine it. The second reading involves significant debate over the bill, as other members of the UNGA are allowed to comment on it. At the conclusion of this stage, the General Assembly holds a vote on the ideas and themes of the bill. If it receives an affirmative majority, it can move on to the next stage. If a bill passes the second reading, it is considered in detail by the General Assembly, and potentially referred to GA Committees for further study. This is also the period where the bill may be amended. The third reading is the final stage of a bill, where the General Assembly holds a simple majority vote on whether to pass the bill and its amendments. If it passes, it is sent to the President, who may sign the bill into law or veto it. If a law is vetoed, the veto may be overridden by a supermajority (two-thirds of present members).
In addition to creating and passing laws, the UNGA is also responsible for the establishment of committees. Committees are semi-permanent bodies that oversee various operations of government. They come in two forms: standing committees, which are established by legislation for long-term oversight; and select or special committees, which are established until a final report is published.
Although the UNGA is majority Human, there are a large number of non-Human members. As of the most recent election, there are 232 non-Human members of the General Assembly. The first non-Human member, the Scyldari Seri B'Eren, was elected in 2242 CE. Although she was born within Scyldari space and only moved to the UNE as a young adult, there were no laws preventing non-Humans (or those with foreign citizenships) from running for the General Assembly. These traditions have since been maintained, and the UNE prides itself on its pluralistic attitudes.
Founding Date
1945
Type
Governmental, Senate/Parliament
Alternative Names
UNGA
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Comments