Why the Relocation?

As the Clone Wars intensify, one of the most consequential decisions made by the Confederacy of Independent Systems has received surprisingly little scrutiny: the quiet relocation of its political center away from Geonosis and onto the planet Raxus Secundus. While Geonosis remains synonymous with Separatist militarization, Raxus has emerged as the Confederacy’s true seat of power, raising important questions about how and why the movement is choosing to govern.

For much of the war, Geonosis functioned as the Confederacy’s operational heart. Its harsh desert climate, limited water supply, and near-total Geonosian population made it ideal for secrecy and industrial production.1 The planet’s surrounding asteroid ring further restricted access, complicating any attempt at invasion.2 Yet these same conditions have proven incompatible with sustained political governance. Geonosis is difficult to reach, inhospitable for long-term residence, and largely disconnected from the wider galactic population the Confederacy claims to represent.

Raxus Secundus offers a dramatically different model. Located within the Tion Hegemony in the Outer Rim, the planet sits near major hyperspace corridors, including the Shaltin Tunnels and routes running through the Tion Cluster.3, 4, 5 These connections place the Separatist Senate closer to densely populated systems and established trade networks, such as the Perlemian Trade Route, making inter-system coordination significantly easier.6 From a logistical standpoint, Raxus allows the Confederacy to function less like a hidden insurgency and more like a centralized government.

Security has clearly remained a priority. Raxus has been heavily blockaded by Separatist forces, limiting access and ensuring that entry to the capital remains tightly controlled.7 Unlike Geonosis, however, Raxus combines security with accessibility for approved political actors. Its temperate climate, oceans, and expansive urban center of Raxulon allow senators and officials to reside there permanently, rather than rotate in and out of an industrial war zone.

That distinction has already begun to reshape Separatist politics. A growing number of senators have relocated their residences to Raxus, enabling more consistent legislative activity. Among them is Mina Bonteri of Onderon, a prominent member of the Confederacy’s peace faction.8 Her presence highlights how the environment of Raxus has created space for sustained debate, diplomacy, and internal disagreement, developments that were far less feasible on Geonosis.

The Confederacy’s shift from Geonosis to Raxus suggests more than a change of scenery. It reflects a strategic effort to consolidate political legitimacy, streamline governance, and project stability during this prolonged conflict. As the war continues, Raxus Secundus is increasingly where the future of the Confederacy is being decided.

Real-World Relocations: Myanmar and Iran

In the Star Wars universe, the Confederacy of Independent Systems’ decision to relocate its capital from Geonosis to Raxus Secundus reflects a calculated shift in power motivated by geopolitical factors. Geonosis, while useful for secrecy and weapons production, was a hostile and inhospitable world, poorly suited for sustaining a permanent legislative body. By moving to Raxus Secundus, the Confederacy established its seat of governance in a more secure, accessible, and politically functional environment, reshaping the balance between military necessity and administrative control. This provides a useful framework for understanding why real world countries may choose to relocate their capital cities. A strikingly similar logic underpinned Myanmar’s real-world decision to relocate its capital from Yangon to Naypyidaw in 2005. Officially framed as an administrative improvement, the move was executed rapidly, without public consultation, and under strict secrecy. Like the Confederacy’s transition, it represented a top-down effort to redesign how political power was exercised, and protected from external pressure.

Geography played a central role in both relocations. Geonosis’ asteroid ring and desert terrain made it defensible but isolating, while Raxus Secundus’ position within the Tion Hegemony placed it near vital hyperspace routes such as the Shaltin Tunnels and the Tion Traverse and provided easier space protection. This shift allowed the Separatist government to maintain security while improving internal coordination across its systems. Similarly, Naypyidaw was built inland, far from Myanmar’s coast and largest population centers. Its location reduced vulnerability to foreign invasion and mass protest, effectively creating what analysts have described as a “military cocoon” around the state’s leadership.9

The move from Geonosis to Raxus Secundus significantly improved the Confederacy’s ability to coordinate governance across its territory. Raxus’s location within the Tion Hegemony placed it near major trade routes such as the Perlemian Trade Route, allowing Separatist systems to communicate and mobilize more efficiently than was possible from Geonosis’s remote position in the Arkanis Sector. Myanmar’s decision to construct Naypyidaw followed a similar logic. The new capital was intentionally placed near major road networks linking northern and southern Myanmar, enabling tighter administrative control and more efficient movement of government personnel.10 Designed around government buildings and wide, multi-lane roads, Naypyidaw prioritized internal coordination and logistical efficiency over commercial activity or public accessibility, reinforcing its function as a centralized seat of power rather than an economic hub.11

The political environments of the new capitals further reinforced elite control. Raxus Secundus’ temperate climate and natural beauty attracted Separatist politicians to relocate permanently, fostering sustained legislative engagement. Figures such as Senator Mina Bonteri illustrate how the new capital was designed to encourage elite political presence while remaining insulated from popular pressure. Naypyidaw mirrors this model: a sprawling city built almost exclusively for government officials and military leaders, complete with grand buildings and amenities largely unused by the general population.12 Rather than emerging organically, both capitals were constructed to serve governing elites first.

Capital relocation remains a relevant geopolitical strategy rather than a relic of the past. Iran’s recent declaration that relocating its capital from Tehran is increasingly unavoidable illustrates how environmental stress, overpopulation, and resource scarcity can intersect with centralized decision-making.13 Although framed primarily around ecological necessity, the proposal mirrors earlier relocations in that it remains a leadership-driven process with significant political implications. As governments confront mounting logistical and security pressures, understanding how and why states restructure their seats of power offers valuable insight into future political transformations that may emerge under similar conditions.

Citations: 

[1] Wallace, D., & Fry, J. (2009). Star Wars The Essential Atlas. Random House Worlds.

[2] Wookiepedia. (n.d.). Geonosis. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Geonosis

[3] Wookieepedia. (n.d.). Tion Hegemony. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tion_Hegemony

[4] Wookieepedia. (n.d.). Shaltin Tunnels. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Shaltin_Tunnels

[5] Wookieepedia. (n.d.). Tion Cluster. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tion_Cluster

[6] Wallace, D., & Fry, J. (2009). Star Wars The Essential Atlas. Random House Worlds.

[7] Wookieepedia. (n.d.). Raxus Secundus. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Raxus_Secundus

[8] Wookieepedia. (n.d.). Mina Bonteri. Wookieepedia the Star Wars Wiki. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mina_Bonteri

[9] Myanmar's Ghost Capital Rises From The Jungle. (2011, November 18). NPR. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.npr.org/2011/11/18/142506821/myanmars-capital-a-white-elephant-in-the-jungle

[10] Berger, M. (2021, February 8). Myanmar’s military built a new capital as a haven for power. Other countries have tried that, too. Washington Post. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/02/06/myanmars-military-built-new-capital-haven-power-other-countries-have-tried-that-too/

[11] Kennard, M., & Provost, C. (2015, March 19). Burma's bizarre capital: a super-sized slice of post-apocalypse suburbia. The Guardian. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/19/burmas-capital-naypyidaw-post-apocalypse-suburbia-highways-wifi

[12] Kennard, M., & Provost, C. (2015, March 19). Burma's bizarre capital: a super-sized slice of post-apocalypse suburbia. The Guardian. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/mar/19/burmas-capital-naypyidaw-post-apocalypse-suburbia-highways-wifi

[13] Glenn, M. (2025, November 21). Iran's president says moving capital from Tehran 'unavoidable' due to mounting water crisis. Washington Times. Retrieved January 23, 2026, from https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/nov/21/irans-president-says-moving-capital-tehran-unavoidable-due-mounting/