Associations Act 2025
Associations Act 2025
Passed on 18 October 2025 and signed on 19 October 2025. <ref name="fourth">Amended by the Political Leadership and Administration re-Structurization Effort Act (PLEASE Act) passed 7 November 2025 and not vetoed within 72 hours.</ref> <ref name="why">PLEASE Act repealed by the Why do people pass terrible legislation Act, passed and signed on 13 November 2025.</ref>
Author: Creative
“By which the regulations for citizen associations such as communities, political parties and movements, may be organized, formed, operated, and dissolved”
Explanatory Notes This Act serves as a unification of our legislation regarding the association of citizens in political or non-political; parties, movements, and communities. It regulates the formation, dissolution, merger, and otherwise.
Part I - General Provisions
Article 1. Object
§1. The object of this Act is to regulate the right of citizens to freely associate by establishing the legal framework for the formation, registration, operation, governance, merger, and dissolution of associations, whether political or non-political, within the jurisdiction of r/SimDemocracy.
§2. This Act seeks to ensure that associations are recognized as legal entities, enjoy the rights necessary for their functioning, and fulfill the obligations required to safeguard transparency, legality, and compliance with the Constitution of r/SimDemocracy.
§3. In doing so, this Act aims to promote democratic participation, civic organization, and the orderly development of collective citizen activity.
Article 2. Definitions
§1. "political party" or "party" means any legal entity formed by an association of citizens whose primary purpose is to nominate and support candidates for public office, articulate and promote specific political ideologies or programs, and seek to influence governmental policy through electoral and legislative processes.
§2. "political movement" or "movement" means any legal entity comprising an organized association of citizens whose primary objective is to effect specific changes in public policy or societal norms through advocacy, public discourse, and collective action, without primarily seeking to nominate candidates for elected office.
§3. "community" means a non-political legal entity consisting of an association of citizens united by a shared common interest, hobby, cultural pursuit, or mutual aid, organized for purposes of collective enjoyment, advocacy for their specific interest, or social interaction, and expressly excluding any primary intent to influence governmental policy or support candidates for public office.
Article 3. Regulation
§1. Associations, once established in accordance with this Act, shall be recognized as legal entities under the Civil Code and shall possess all rights and obligations afforded to such entities therein.
§2. The provisions of this Act shall govern the specific formation, operation, internal governance, merger, and dissolution of Political Parties, Political Movements, and Communities, in supplementation of and consistent with the general principles and provisions of the Civil Code. In the event of a conflict between this Act and the Civil Code, the provisions of the Civil Code shall prevail.
§3. Associations must adhere and respond to their internal rules that govern their organization.
Part II - Formation and Registration of Associations
Article 4. Requirements for Formation
§1. Any association seeking legal recognition under this Act shall be founded by a minimum of three citizens of r/SimDemocracy. The purpose of such an association must be lawful and abide by the Constitution of r/SimDemocracy.
Article 5. Registration Process
§1. To formally establish an association, its founders shall submit an application for registration to the Electoral Commission. This application must include:
- §1.1. The proposed name of the association, which shall be unique and not misleading;
- §1.2. A list of at minimum three (3) founding members, including their full usernames and Discord IDs, or reddit usernames;
- §1.3. Link to a formation post on the r/SimDemocracy subreddit if reasonably possible;
- §1.4. Other requirements as prescribed by this Act.
Article 6. Regulatory Authority
§1. The regulatory authority for political associations shall be the Election Supervisor, as the head of the Electoral Commission. This authority includes the administration of the registration, merger, and dissolution of all political associations within r/SimDemocracy.
§2. The regulatory authority for non-political associations shall be the Secretary of Expansion, as the head of the Department of Expansion. This authority includes the administration of the registration, merger, and dissolution of all non-political associations within r/SimDemocracy.
§2. The Discord Supervisor shall provide assistance as appropriate to the Secretary of Expansion and Election Supervisor in administering these duties, specifically concerning matters related to their official role and responsibilities within the Discord server.
Article 7. Legal Status Upon Registration
§1. Upon successful registration by the relevant authority, an association shall acquire legal personality as defined by this Act and the Civil Code, enabling it to exercise the rights and undertake the obligations pertinent to its classification.
§2. The registration shall grant the association the right to hold assets in its name, enter into agreements, and engage in activities consistent with its stated purpose and the laws of SimDemocracy.
§3. Nothing in this Act may prevent a legally formed association from being proscribed under law.
Part III - Rights and Obligations of Associations
Article 8. General Rights of Registered Associations
§1. All associations registered under this Act shall have the right to organize their internal affairs freely, provided such organization complies with their own founding documents and the laws of SimDemocracy.
- §1.1. Associations must maintain minimum governance requirements as set forth in Part IV.
§2. Registered associations shall have the right to express their views, advocate for their objectives, and engage in public discourse within the bounds of SimDemocracy's Constitution and regulations.
§3. Registered associations shall have the right to acquire, hold, and manage digital assets or resources relevant to their operations, and to receive contributions from their members and supporters, subject to any financial transparency regulations set forth in this Act.
Article 9. General Obligations of Registered Associations
§1. Every registered association shall maintain accurate records of its founding documents, membership, and, if applicable, its digital assets and transactions.
§2. Registered associations shall operate in a transparent manner concerning their stated objectives and activities, and shall provide information to the competent authority as required by this Act.
§3. Associations shall promptly notify the relevant authority of any significant changes to their founding documents, name, primary digital identifier, or the composition of their leadership.
Part IV - Governance
Article 10. Leadership
§1. For the purposes of this Act, "leadership" of an association shall be understood as those members who, according to the founding documents and internal mechanisms of the organization, perform governmental, administrative, or control functions within the association.
§2. All associations shall designate a primary point of contact or leadership body responsible for internal administration and communication with the relevant authority.
Part V - Political Associations
Article 11. Special Provisions for Political Associations
§1. Political Parties, as defined in Article 1§1, shall constitute the primary organizational vehicle for citizens to aggregate political interests, articulate distinct platforms, and present candidates for election to public office within r/SimDemocracy.
§2. Political associations, those being either political parties or movements, at the time of registration and for the purpose of public identification, must additionally:
- §2.1. Present an identifying color hex code,
- §2.2. Present an official symbol,
- §2.3. Name a designated party leader.
Article 12. Electoral Participation
Repealed<ref name="amendnov25" />
§1. Formal participation in elections for public office under a party banner shall be exclusive to political parties registered under this Act; otherwise, a candidate for public office may run as an independent.
<ref name="amendnov25" />§1. Formal participation in elections for public office shall be exclusive to political parties registered under this Act; otherwise, a candidate for public office may run as an independent.
§2. Political parties shall reserve the exclusive right to determine which individuals may run as candidates under their banner in any given election.
§3. No political movement shall nominate or endorse candidates for elected office under its own name or banner.
Article 13. Double Militancy
§1. A citizen may not concurrently hold membership in more than one (1) Political Party at any given time.
§2. Nothing in this Article shall prevent a citizen from concurrently holding membership in multiple political movements.
Article 14. Coalitions
§1. Two or more political parties, or political parties and political movements, may form a coalition by mutual agreement to pursue common electoral or legislative objectives.
§2. Any agreement forming a coalition must be formally documented and publicly disclosed to the citizens of r/SimDemocracy.
§3. Coalitions shall reserve the exclusive right to determine which individuals may run as candidates under their banner in any given election.
§3.1. Members of political movements may run as candidates of coalitions with no prejudice.
Part V - Alteration and Dissolution of Associations
Article 15. Dissolution of Associations
§1. An association may be dissolved voluntarily by a decision of its members, made in accordance with the procedures outlined under their discretion. A notification of such dissolution shall be submitted to the relevant authority within seven (7) days of the decision.
§2. The relevant authority may initiate the compulsory dissolution of an association if it is determined by the relevant authority that the association:
- §2.1. Is operating in violation of the Constitution of r/SimDemocracy or the laws enacted thereunder;
- §2.2. No longer meets the minimum founding requirements specified in Article 5§1, or other requirements as specified by this Act;
§3. In the event of dissolution, the association's legal personality shall cease, and its presence within r/SimDemocracy shall be formally terminated, effective upon acknowledgement by the relevant authority.
§4. Any association undergoing dissolution shall settle outstanding obligations and manage the orderly transfer or liquidation of its assets. Creditors shall have priority in satisfaction from available patrimony.
- §4.1. In the case of forceful dissolution, the relevant authority to the association shall administer the outstanding obligations and the orderly transfer or liquidation of its assets.
Article 16. Merger of Associations
§1. Two or more associations, each registered under this Act, may merge to form a single new or continuing association, provided such merger is approved by the members of each merging association in accordance with their respective founding documents.
§2. A joint application for merger shall be submitted to the relevant authority. This application must include:
- §2.1. The names of all merging associations.
- §2.2. The proposed name of the resulting association.
- §2.3. Evidence that the merger has been approved by the relevant procedure of each merging association.
§3. The relevant authority shall review the merger application for compliance with this Act and the Constitution of r/SimDemocracy. Upon approval, the relevant authority shall:
- §3.1. Register the resulting association.
- §3.2. Formally dissolve the merged associations that cease to exist as separate entities.
§4. The legal personality of any merged association shall cease upon the successful registration of the resulting association, and the resulting association shall assume all rights and obligations of the former entities.
Article 17. Alteration of Associations
§1. Associations may, at any time, alter their classification upon providing proper notification to the relevant regulatory authority.
§2. The relevant regulatory authority may, within its powers, alter the classification of an association if it determines that a different classification is more appropriate for the activities conducted by the association.
- §2.1. If a non-political association is reclassified as a political association, the Department of Expansion shall notify the Electoral Commission of the transfer of oversight for the association.
- §2.2. If a political association is reclassified as a non-political association, the Electoral Commission shall notify the Department of Expansion of the transfer of oversight for the association.
- §2.2.1. Further, the Electoral Commission shall publicly announce any such reclassification and provide the considerations underlying its decision.
§3. In the event of a dispute regarding classification, the matter shall first be heard by the relevant authority. If the dispute remains unresolved, jurisdiction shall lie with the inferior courts of SimDemocracy.
Repealed<ref name="amendnov25" />
- §3.1. In the event of a dispute arising from a reclassification by the competent authority, the matter shall be heard in the first instance by the inferior courts of SimDemocracy.
Part VI - Final Provisions
Article 18. Severability
§1. If any provision of this Act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Act, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.
Article 19. Repeals
§1. The Political Parties and Communities Act 2023 is hereby repealed and rendered null and void.
§2. The Party Leader & Election Registration Act 2024 is hereby repealed and rendered null and void.
§3. The Party Membership Act is hereby repealed and rendered null and void.
§4. The Political Parties and Communities Act 2023 is hereby repealed and rendered null and void.
§5. The Communities Act 2025 is hereby repealed and rendered null and void.
Article 20. Temporary Provisions
§1. From the moment this bill is enacted, existing associations, be it political or non-political will have a period of fourteen (14) days to adhere to the regulations found herein.
Article 21. Enactment and Effective Date
§1. This Act shall come into force and effect immediately upon its successful passage and promulgation in accordance with the Constitution of r/SimDemocracy.
References
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