The Commonwealth of Neo-Europe

The Commonwealth of Neo-Europe, Neo-Europe proper, or simply Europe, was one of the six jurisdictional Commonwealths of Neo-Europe. The second most populous, it was the one most responsible for scientific, political and cultural advancements throughout the Commonwealths.

Creation[]

As a Commonwealth, it was formed in the constitutional reforms of 2155 and is reminiscent of Neo-Europe from a century prior.

Organisation[]

Unlike other Commonwealths, most of this Commonwealth's Government was shared with the Federal government of Neo-Europe as a whole, given this is the founding region of the superstate. For this reason, it can be considered the main part, with other regions having a large level of autonomy.

The Premier was elected by public vote and will act as the overall Premier of the other Commonwealths in addition to Neo-Europe.

List of States[]

Map[]

CNEMap — Simplified version of the Commonwealth (blue) in Neo-Europe (dark grey)

Demographics[]

Ethnic Groups[]

White Europeans formed the vast majority of the population at 82%, with the other 18% having ancestry from other Commonwealths, mainly India and Africa, as well as a smaller proportion of international immigrants from nations such as Nordica, GUISS and Indomalaya. A sizeable minority of Chinese people lived in Neo-Europe, who fled GUISS in several waves; they are perhaps the best example of a large group of foreigners in the Commonwealth. The ethnic 'white Europeans,' however, are more mixed, with an upward of 30% having some level of ancestry relating to India, Africa or the Middle East in the past four generations, owing to assimilation by these people. This gives some people a more tanned appearance. In large cities such as London and Berlin, there was a higher proportion of non-white Europeans, with some people from virtually everywhere on Earth. Groups like the Romani have all but assimilated.

White Europeans can be further divided into those of Germanic, Italic, Slavic and Finno-Ugric (Mainly Magyarus') ethnic groupings.

Ethnic Jews were in the hundreds of thousands, with much of them assimilating into the wider European group. This proportion that is left is mainly an Orthodox side, who dislike intermixing with other ethnicites. While the stereotypes of Ashkenazi Jews remain relatively common in the media, it is very difficult to determine a Jew by physical appearance in Europe in the modern day.

Languages[]

The western Germanic language Anglisch was the most prevalent language and is the official language and lingua franca of the Commonwealth, as well as the native tongue of Britannia, Eire, Prussia and Frisia in various dialects.

It is common for most major cities across the Commonwealth to use this langage, and it is taught to all pupils. Sometimes it can be a native language in other states, though drives for language preservation have mostly reversed this. French, Italian, Common Iberian, Modern Slavonic and Greek are all still widely spoken, but each of these languages have evolved and have substantially higher Anglisch loan words than before. This has led to various creoles and pidgins such as ' Frankisch,' combining the vocabulary of Anglisch with French grammar and pronunciation - it is extremely common in the Normandy region.

Drives to resurrect dead languages are common; languages like Irish have made a comeback and Basque has been successfully preserved. It is common for classical English and German to be taught, though these are often understood, depending on the dialect of Anglisch.

Religions[]

The Commonwealth of Neo-Europe was the least religious of the Commonwealths, with over 75%, or about 375 million, being irreligious (whether atheist or agnostic).

Christianity was practiced by about 15%, or 65 million, of the population, mostly being broken down into Catholicism, Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The Slavic states had a higher proportion of belief in religion, though it continues to decline, following an increase from the 2150s. Non-denominational Christians are also common. With church attendance very low, the vast majority of Christians are not as devout as in previous time periods. Smaller denominations such as Quakers, Methodists and Latter Day Saints are quite rare but are much more devout than the general population, making them stand out more than other beliefs.

Islam is a religion practiced in Turkia and several regions of Slavo-Balkia, as well as pockets in urban cities. Again, apart from a minority, most are less devout than in previous times. Overall, about 7%, or 25 million, of the Commonwealth are muslim. They are mainly of the moderate Aghari sect but Sunni and Shia muslims are still relatively common.

Judaism is practiced by approximately one million in this Commonwealth, with a mostly even spread (though higher proportionally in eastern Europe). Most European Jews do not publicly practice their religion, with Synagogue attendance very low, even before restrictions were placed.

Mythic and Pagan religions number around 5.5 million, with Roman, Greek, Celtic and Germanic belief being the most prevalent. It is not known whether these people legitimately believe, or if it is simply due to greater cultural appreciation without the influence of Christianity.

New religions are also present, such as Uberlebanism (the belief in which humanity must survive by any means necessary; they worship a metaphysical force known as 'Segen' that will guide mankind forever), which originated in Prussia in the 2090s and has about four million worshippers. Doharism and Takatifuism are less common in the Commonwealth, mainly present in a minority of immigrants from India and Africa, though they are slightly on the rise among Europeans. They are collectively worshipped by one million in the Commonwealth.

Economy[]

The Commonwealth, like the rest of Neo-Europe, follows a mixed economy.

Exports include wines, food products and various digital products such as software and applications.

Culture[]

Neo-Europe was a multicultural Commonwealth with strong Germanic roots.

Christian festivities such as Christmas have turned into secular holidays, with most of Neo-Europe, regardless of religion or ethnicity celebrating it. Also, until 2178 'Ascension Day' was celebrated on 18 February to celebrate the Stuttgart Dynasty. Typical celebrations included a large meal and spending time with family.

The influence of Christianity can still be felt somewhat, with morals still common despite its decline as an actual religion.

Cuisine[]

France/Francia has greatly inspired the cuisine of Neo-Europe, with many of its well known dishes originating in the state, such as Coq au Vin and Bouillabaisse. Other large influences are Romia, Punjab and the Middle East. Romia in particular is responsible for much of the Commonwealth's cuisine.

Many day-to-day meals are a mixture of common national dishes and regional varieties, such as pasta combined with a regional variety of sausage, or pizza topped with locally grown vegetables and locally produced cheeses.

Breads, pastries and cheeses are common breakfasts; most states have a speciality of each.

Restaurants of food from the other Commonwealths are common, especially India (Punjab and Hindustan in particular) - with each town typically having at least one curry house. Most Europeans claim to enjoy the spices from the Indian Commonwealth, though this is often debated. Owing to the Chinese minority, Chinese restaurants and takeaways are popular too; the cuisines of Neo-Europe and the Chinese migrants have taken inspiration from each other too.

Drinks[]

While alcohol consumption has declined a lot due to a greater awareness of health issues, it is still a popular drink for celebrations and special occasions. Prussia in particular is a large producer of beers, Britannia and Eire of ales and dark spirits like whiskey and brandy, the Mediterranean states of Iberia, Catalonia, Francia and Romia of wine, and the slavic nations of spirits like vodka.

Non-alcoholic beverages are common too, with tea and coffee often drank in the mornings. Tea is very common in Britannia, and they are known for creating several varieties. Hot chocolate has been refined over the years and is now most common as a dark, bitter drink consumed between meals.

Carbonated beverages and fruit juices are enjoyed by many, though large brands have fallen out of favour. Instead, each region tends to produce their own from various small buisinesses, giving each region a unique variety of carbonated drinks, with each having a distinct taste. The southern Romian Vinolia, for example, has the additon of grape and mint, while the far eastern Trans-Polish Marrinovla is made of pickled fruit.

British inspired Pubs can be found throughout the Commonwealth, though the reliance on alcohol has diminished.

Sport[]

Association Football is the most commonly played and watched sport. Each state has their own Zustanleague, split into usually four divisions. Following this is the Commonwealth-wide Bundesleague, in which each state has a team and plays against the others. The top four states then play in the nation-wide Weltleague which features other Commonwealths. This is male-centred, though female football has a similar structure, but lacks the popularity found in the male game.

Tennis and Badminton are common recreational sports, and Tennis is still popular to watch as the Wimbeldon tournament has continued.

Film and Television[]

The Commonwealth is a large producer of films and television programmes. It is a mostly private sector, with NEBC being the only state-owned channel, and between 2113 and 2181 was partially paid through advertisement. It now has a negative public opinion, acting as a propaganda channel for Tekin.

Science-fiction and fantasy is a popular genre. The Commonwealth inherited many well-loved franchises such as Doctor Who and Star Wars, which both continue to this day in some form. Unfortunately, Tekin's propaganda has hijacked even programmes like these, and they are rife with political messaging supporting the Supreme Marshal (to name one, an episode of Doctor Who from 2203 had the Doctor ally with Tekin to fight against the tyrannical Alexander Miliband, who was in league with the Daleks). This hijacking continues, and an average of six propaganda films are produced each year glorifying Tekin.

The Anglisch-language film industry is concentrated in Britannia, as well as the Commonwealth of America. Each state has their own industry too, though most are all quite small.

The vast majority of television is subscription-based. Many services offer bundles with others, making this more affordable for the Neo-European.

Historical programmes are often watched for the sake of nostalgia and to understand the past. It is common for students to study films such as Casino Royale and analyse their cultural impact

Prior to Tekin's coup, it was common for films to be exchanged between Neo-Europe and Nordica, though this is much rarer now.

Science and Technology[]

The Commonwealth is easily the most technologically developed when compared to other Commonwealths.

Relationships[]

Neo-Europe has strong relations with the [[Commonwealth of America]] due to shared language and similar cultural values.