Madyamu (ma.ɟa.mu / ma-dya-mu)

It would be a great lie to say there isn't something quite fun about attending regular meetings with the leaders from other counties, and seeing their ranks change and churn while I remain. But it would be just as great a vanity to say that is because of an exceptional leadership - I am, after all, the only one among them who does not face the vote of the people.

— Ugiida Riebaan, Madyamu

The Madyamu is the head of government in the Skarhan county of the Yulemta Islands. They are elected to the position by an absolute majority of the governing Yulemto Council. Uniquely among the heads of government of Skarhan counties, the Madyamu is not directly responsible to the citizens of the Yulemta Islands, due to the nature of membership in the Yulemto Council. The current Madyamu is Ugiida Riebaan, appointed in 392 AC.

History

While self-governance in the Yulemta Archipelago has a history dating back to the 600s BC, the position of Madyamu is far more recent, having been instituted in 335 AC following the archipelago being made a protectorate of the Republic of Skarhu. Where the islands would previously be governed as a very loose coalition of hereditary and spiritual leaders, the Madyamu would serve as a uniting leader that could represent Yulemto interests in the Republic.
A total of 36 Madyamu have represented the Islands at various times, with term lengths varying from decades to a few weeks. The 350s AC notoriously saw a dozen Madyamu in as many months, with the instability briefly halting talks about the Yulemta Islands being 'upgraded' to a county within Skarhu. This carousel was finally halted by Winun Daledan, who was able to hold the position for 6 years and implement a number of changes to how Madyamu are chosen, bringing stability to the talks with Skarhu and to the role.

Appointment

Madyamu are elected by an absolute majority by the Yulemto Council, who form the governing body of the Yulemta Islands. In all but one occasion, the Madyamu is chosen from within the members of the council, which introduces a handful of quirks into the system. This is because the councillors come from two sources - from the largely-hereditary leaders of each island in the archipelago, and from elected senior members of the Yulemto Divine Church, which is a Divinity-worshipping church spanning the archipelago. This means that only some members of the council are responsible to the people, and that anyone who does not consider themselves a member of the Divine Church is not represented, traits which extend to the relevant Madyamu.

Removal

There are two methods to remove a Madyamu from office. The first, and by far most common, is to pass a vote of no confidence by absolute majority in the Yulemto Council, the success of which immediately strips the Madyamu of the title. The second, which only applies to councillors whose position comes from the Divine Church, is to be removed from the Church heirarchy by the leaders of the Church, automatically voiding their eligibility for the Council and forcing a new Madyamu election. While this is typically done as a result of the expressed opinion of their congregation, some 'divine' Madyamu have lost the position due to contravening church doctrine in some manner, or for clearly personal reasons.

Type

Civic, Political

Form of Address

The Honourable

Equates to

Premier

Length of Term

Indefinite, subject to the will of the Yulemto Council

Related Organizations

• Yulemta Islands

Camogli by dexmac

Protected County

The Yulemta Islands' path to Skarhan county was a long process taking some 30 years, only resolving in 365 AC. For many centuries it had instead been considered a duchy within the Vosti Empire, with the Duke of Yulemta often governing at a distance.
It changed hands in 332 AC following the disastrous Wenzi War, as a result of the treaty's clause ceding all Vosti island territory to the Republic of Skarhu. To mollify the local people, Skarhu granted them the pseudo-independence of being a Skarhan Protectorate, allowing them to re-establish self governance and begin redefining itself outside of imperial control.
The Yulemto people later voted to become a Skarhan county, which would afford them official representation in Skarhu's parliament outside of the Madyamu, though the legal process was delayed by political jostling.

Old Open Book by congerdesign