Veche

A veche was an ancient assembly or council used in some Slavic communities, particularly in medieval Russia and Bulgaria, to make communal decisions. It functioned as a deliberative body where free male citizens gathered to discuss and vote on important issues such as governance, law, and war. The veche played a key role in local self-government, serving as a form of direct democracy before modern political institutions. Its influence and structure varied over time and region, but it generally symbolized communal participation and collective decision-making in early Slavic societies.