Description
The Free Republic of Liberland is a jurisdiction between Croatia and Serbia pursuing international recognitian as a nation state.
Discussion
Overview
The territory of Liberland spans approximately seven square kilometres and is situated along the Danube River.
While it is not universally recognized as a nation, neither Serbia nor Croatia makes claim to the territory under by Liberland’s jurisdiction. Liberland claims it meets the legal criteria to be recognized as a nation.
As at November 2024, Liberland has received over 760,000 applications for citizenship. Applications are from nationals of every country around the globe.
Context and Politics
Liberland was founded on 13 April 2025. The founders intended to structure a nation which maximizes individual liberty and harnesses the benefits of free trade.
The nation is a constitutional republic based on corporate governance practices.
The functions of the congress include:
- appointing and dismissing the executive officers, and
- proposing budget allocations.
Elections under direct democracy take place every three months via blockchain. Citizens are eligible to vote using digital merits.
Liberland and Live and Let Live
Liberland is a primary case study of how a nation state can respect the Legal Principle.
Fundamentally, Liberland is a nation which seeks to avoid aggressing in both the non-political and political domains.
The government’s powers are limited, non-exclusive, and exist only to the extent they:
- prevent and remedy the initiation of aggression
- adjudicate disputes
- enforce restitution, and
- defend against external threats where voluntary arrangements prove insufficient.
For instance, the government explicitly acknowledges taxation is theft. The government only accepts payments made voluntarily and recognizes that removing tax reduces the incentives for the government to aggress.
In place of taxation, Liberland uses Liberland Merits, a digital token with market and political value. Liberland Merits may be used to vote on congress, referenda, acquire land. As Liberland Merits can be held by e-residents and business, they are also used to gain citizenship.
Liberland reduces bureaucracy by carrying out government affairs on blockchain, making process and administration remarkably streamlined compared to typical nations.
The government considers every person is exclusive controller of their own body and mind. In Liberland’s words, this authority includes a “right to life and personal autonomy”.
Live and Let Live’s Moral Principle is also embraced in the law of Liberland. The country does not permit the government to manage personal morals where the initiation of aggression has not been committed.
Even Liberland’s motto is to live and let live.
Law in Liberland
As at 5 March 2026, Liberland has draft positive laws for comment on the following matters:
- citizenship
- judicial process
- constitution and referendum
- crime (delict)
- corporations
- construction.
You can view and comment on these draft laws here, here, and here.
Implementation
The Articles of the Provisional Government of the Free Republic of Liberland
§1. The Articles of the Provisional Government of the Free Republic of Liberland shall constitute the supreme law of the Free Republic of Liberland until the Constitution of the Free Republic of Liberland enters into force.
§2. The Provisional Government shall be the only body responsible for the establishment and management of the Free Republic of Liberland until the Assembly is sworn in following the first General Election.
§3. The Provisional Government shall disband once the Assembly is sworn in following the first General Election.
§4. The Provisional Government shall be chaired by the President of the Free Republic of Liberland who shall be responsible for the work of the Provisional Government and shall represent the Free Republic of Liberland in its relations with other entities.
§5. The President shall be elected by the Preparatory Committee of the Free Republic of Liberland with a simple majority vote.
§6. The President may appoint and dismiss the Vice-Presidents of the Free Republic of Liberland and Ministers of the Provisional Government.
§7. The President shall delegate special tasks to Vice-Presidents and departmental work to appropriate Ministers.
§8. The Provisional Government shall be bound by the contracts it enters into.
§9. The President shall grant citizenship of the Free Republic of Liberland.
§10. The Provisional Government shall have all the powers it deems appropriate for the promotion and protection of the state of Free Republic of Liberland until the Assembly is sworn in following the first General Election.
§11. The President, Vice-President and the appointed Ministers may issue Orders which shall legally bind the Provisional Government and any Person finding him or herself within jurisdiction of the Free Republic of Liberland.
§12. All Orders of continuous application shall remain binding after the first General Election in so far as they do not contravene the Constitution of the Free Republic of Liberland or their operation is terminated or altered by an Act of the Assembly passed in accordance with the Constitution.
§13. All Orders and decisions of the President, Vice-President and the appointed Ministers which have been completed or otherwise fulfilled shall remain valid after the General Election.
§14. The Provisional Government shall call the first General Election whenever it deems appropriate as long as it is on equitable terms.
§15. The Provisional Government shall prepare a draft of the Constitution of the Free Republic of Liberland which shall be approved or rejected following the first General Election.
§16. The Provisional Government shall observe the rules of natural justice.