The initial Idea I wanted to pitch was simply for special narrative events that were voted on by the world congress. Nothing too different from the narrative events we have now... But I started thinking more about this idea and how it could be much deeper.... and I came up with this idea....

I would like for there to be a new category of things to vote on in the Congress of Humankind in the Together we Rule expansion. These would function like a mix between a narrative event and a civic choice. These choices will pop up throughout the game and depending on the results, provide modifiers to everyone based on the voting results, and maybe even change how diplomacy works... Think of these as events that "change the rules" of the game, but not too fundamentally.

I would like most of these events to be guaranteed to happen every game. Specifically events that effect international sway bonuses. These would be very crucial early votes that could possibly determine who will have the majority international sway throughout the game. 

Below are UI mockups that I made which hopefully conveys my idea.

Congressional Event Examples

Ex: Who should have a say?

Event trigger conditions: Triggers when the Congress of Humankind is founded.

Description: The Congress of Humankind has been founded! Empires from around the world gather together to vote on various issues. It is unprecedented, and with unprecedented events come unprecedented questions, specifically on how this Congress is going to work. The first question the Congress of Humankind must answer is, Who should have a say in this Congress?

Answers

1. "The Empires"

Description: Only the biggest major empires should have a say in the Congress of Humankind.    

Effect: The international sway bonus effect from Client states is reduced by 45%

2. "Everyone"

Description: Every nation deserves a voice. No matter how small.

Effect: Nothing is changed. Client state International Sway bonus remains the same.

Ex: How shall Unsanctioned Wars be dealt with?

Event trigger conditions: Triggers the first time and unsanctioned war is declared.

Description: Cooperation is a fragile and fleeting thing. Attempting it on a global scale was bound to lead to some... "disagreements" at some point... (insert player name here) in particular has escalated their disagreements into outright defiance by declaring an unsanctioned war! Now the Congress of Humankind is forced to answer the long foreseen question... How shall we deal with unsanctioned wars?

Answers

1. Collective Defense

Description: An unsanctioned war on Congress is a war against everyone! And it everyone's obligation to respond in kind...

Effect: Players declaring unsanctioned wars will now automatically be at war with every other player by default.

2. Up to discretion

Description: While betrayal has consequences, the Congress of Humankind is not the enforcer of the world. Every Empire should decide for themselves how to act on such transgression

Effect: Nothing chances. Unsanctioned war grievances occur as they normally do.

3. Penalize

Description: Despite their actions, They should still have a say in Congress, though not without penalty!

Effect: Player that declared unsanctioned war receives - 20% international sway as long as the war occurs, and for 5 turns after the war is over. The player declaring unsanctioned war loosed all trade agreements with other empires. If economic sanctions are unlocked, every other player enacts the economic sanctions leverage action on unsanctioned empire by default. (Leverage cost will be free in this case.)

Ex: How should sway be measured?

Trigger condition: Can be enacted by session leader

Description: Sure, everyone can at least agree that we should all have a say in the Congress of Humankind. However not all empires are created equal, neither is their international sway. Much debate has occurred over how international sway should be measured, and how the voting power should be distributed, or if it should even be equal at all? How should international sway be determined?

Answers

1: By territory

Description: Every territory should have a say in the world. And it is the duty of empires to represent said territories...

Effect: +10 International sway on territory owned. International sway from leverage is reduced by -10%

2. By population

Description: Empires should represent their people, and their international sway should reflect that...

Effect: +1 International sway on population. . International sway from leverage is reduced by -10%

3. By leverage

Description: Sway should be measured on the leverage between empires, regardless of how that leverage was obtained, honestly or otherwise....

Effect: No change, International Sway is calculated as it normally is.

4. By Influence

Description: Leaders are the ones most influential. Empires that are most influential should be treated as such.

Effect: +10 International sway per territories in sphere of influence. International sway from leverage is reduced by -10%

Ex: How shall Vassals vote?

Description: While every nation has a say in Congress, there are some smaller nations that must do so under the preassure of an overlord. Some empires have vassals. Some argue vassals are still nations and should be able to vote how they please. Others argue vassals still awnswer to their sovereign, and should be expected to vote in line with their Soverign. As the empires and vassals bicker with each other over this issue, we must decide... how shall Vassal states vote?

Answers

1. For the sovereign

Description: Vassals do not have diplomatic autonomy. Diplomacy is controlled by the Sovereign, and so should their votes.

Effect: Vassals will now automatically be forced to vote for the same as their sovereign.

2. For themselves

Description: Vassals are still nations, and should still be able to vote as they please. What happens between the Vassal and their Sovereign as a result is strictly between them. It is not the place of the Congress  to interfere...

Effect: No change.

3. Vassal Vote protection

Description: Vassals are still nations, and should still be able to vote as they please, without the coercion of their overlords.

Effect: Sovereigns can no longer gain grievances with vassals for voting against them in the world congress. A special grievance for a sovereign declaring war on their vassals can now be triggered by other empires.

Really nice idea  =O

Agree. Nice idea.

On the topic of sway, I wonder whether the calculation could or should be revisited. I feel like, intuitively, size or power levels should affect it in some way, even if other factors, like having client states, could outweigh it. Case in point - in my current game, I have more than twice as much fame as the next player and yet one of the has three times my international sway. It's mainly because few grievances seem to have happened or recently forgiven, but it just seems odd that I could be outvoted so easily and massively.