Doggerland

Doggerland is the country in which the Imaginary Elections Mock Elections are held. It is located in the middle of the North Sea.

Geography
Doggerland is located in the North Sea, about halfway between the United Kingdom and Denmark. There exists the Vikingland Islands, which is to the north of the main Doggerland island, east of the Shetlands.

Timezone
Doggerland uses Central European Time (Doggish: Sintrel Tiyd Europeinse).

History
The modern day Kingdom of Doggerland was established in 865 AD however there have been disputed and temporary settlements set up since the late 6th century. The land has been continually inhabited since the mid-700s, being populated largely by Germanic (Scandanavian, English, Dutch), and Celtic peoples. For as long as Doggerland has existed, administrative duties have been delegated to Lords and other nobles, but the first mention of a "County" wasnt until 1703 when the original counties of Ostland, Scuvell, Brunland, Centra, Nieuw Frisia and Zuiland were established. From 1755 to 1761, a large migration of Brits occurred, many of them settling in Zuiland province and formally establishing the city of Kensingston in 1759. Whereas this did not make up a large amount of the population initially, the size of their settlement gradually grew, and their descendants make up the majority of the modern population of the entire main island. The city of Nivelford formed after a brief wave of German immigration during the Franco-Prussian War in the early 1870s. The city of Hoovsted was founded in the 1690s and became the largest city by 1800. Port Nandels became the largest city in 1947 after a surge in immigration and birth rates.

Capital Cities
Although there was not an official capital city until 1778, Kensingston is considered to have been the de facto capital until that point, due to its population and being the main trading point in the early days of the country.

In 1777, the monarchy began to choose an official capital city. On January 1, 1778, Hoovsted was officially declared the capital city of Doggerland, as it was becoming the main port of the country.. In the mid-20th century, the port and communities further down the Nandels Bay in Port Nandels grew largely, and on February 3, 1992, the capital was officially changed to Port Nandels. On January 25, 2021, due to the political crisis of 2021, Port Nandels was stripped of its title. A new capital has yet to be decided.

Languages
The official language of Doggerland is English. Doggish, Dutch, and Quebecois are recognized secondary languages. A recent rise in French-Canadian immigrants had steadily increased the popularity of Quebecois in the country.

Doggish
Main article: Doggish

Doggish is the most popular of the languages spoken in Doggerland. Doggish takes its roots primarily from Celtic languages, particularly Irish and Scottish. It's the native language of Doggerland

Military
During WWI, Doggerland took a neutral stance.

During WWII, Doggerland opted to also take a neutral stance. However, after the Blitz in nearby London, much fear was sent into the Dogger population. Doggerland officially joined the Allies in 1942, though they did not have a major presence on account of their relatively small military. Their location was very convenient and strategic to the British forces especially, as it was close to both the United Kingdom and Germany. Doggerland was used as a place for care and supply storage for the Allies (especially Britain) during the remainder of the war.

As of 2021, the military size is 11,000. The military is currently dormant as Doggerland is not participating in any active wars.

Culture
Doggerland has a mixture of Doggish, Dutch, English and Scandinavian cultures. Cultural regions like Zuiland and Brunland have distinct cultures despite being just kilometers away.

Politics
Since the 1700s, Doggerland has been governed by an absolute monarchy. On January 25, 2021, the country decided to adopt a democracy as well as maintaining their monarchy.

Denonym referendum
On January 29, 2021 at 00:34 STE, King Moose held a referendum to decide the status of Doggerland's denonym, the results are as follows:

Legislative Elections
On the 28th of the month, unless called earlier by the sitting Prime Minister or Monarch, or delayed by a parliamentary vote, a legislative election is held to determine the Prime Minister. A party needs 50% of available seats to win. If any party fails to obtain this, a period of negotiation is entered until a party successfully forms a coalition with enough other parties to achieve a combined 76 seats. The leader of the most populous party wins, however, this government can be dissolved at any time by a vote of no confidence.