Editing EternalEmpire:Arqualan (section)

=== Comestiati ===

A ''comestia'' is a popular assembly that has the power to pass and repeal certain laws, as well as confirm or reject the decisions of other legislative bodies or individuals. The comestiati date back from the earliest days of the Arqi Republic when private citizens won the right to petition the Optolecton via their local municipal councils. For most of their history, the various comestiati had only very narrow law making authority, but the victory of the Sotori in the Arqi Civil War and the later ascension of Ionomîs to the imperial power greatly enhanced the power of these bodies.

	Comestiati exist at every level of Arqi government, from the small scale, informal petitions of irritated individuals to the highly sophisticated congregations that rule provinces and direct the course of the empire. In modern times, comestiati have more or less complete legislative power for the geographical area of their membership, in addition to the right to elect, confirm, and recall most civil officials, including Monitari. Although the original comestiati comprised only adult (16+ years old) Crudag, Dandrit, or Lenjic males that owned a certain amount of property and were followers of the Chingol, the membership is now open to most adult males of any status or religion, Creel, Drozh, and Sigrech obviously excepted.

	The most important category of comestiati are referred to as the jorian comestiati, which means, essentially, a general council. When capitalized, the ''Jorian Comestia'' refers to whole body of the empire’s voting citizens. This electorate, although it is assembled only very rarely, holds legislative power superior even to the Optolecton and it alone wields the power to declare war. When not capitalized, a comestia is considered a jorian comestia when it is composed of every voting citizen who is to be affected by the comestia’s decisions. Owing to the principle of law that holds “that which touches a man must be approved by him,” this is the only form of comestia that can pass a binding law. 

	With the changes of Ionomîs, all new laws passed by a comestia must be ratified by a supermajority, although only a simple majority is required to repeal laws, including such laws passed by the Optolecton. A comestia has power within the realm of both civil and criminal law, except whereas specifically restricted by the Charter of Limitations of 1119. New laws also automatically sunset at the termination of three years, and are generally decided by secret ballot.