Lord John Gordon elected Prime Minister

Lord John Gordon, Viscount of Thetford, has been elected the seventh Prime Minister of the Empire of Austenasia, with 60.6% of the vote.

His rival candidate, Lord Andrew Creed, received 36.1% of the vote, whereas an option to Abstain – which, if it gained a majority, would have forced fresh elections – received 3.3% of the vote.

This translates to thirty seven and twenty two votes respectively from the sixty one Austenasian subjects who voted yesterday. With one hundred and eight of Austenasia’s population eligible to vote, this was a 56.5% turnout.

Lord Andrew Creed has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister by Lord Gordon.

Both Lord Gordon and Lord Creed have a long history in Austenasia. Lord Gordon is the longest continually serving Representative, having represented Palasia in Parliament since July 2013, whereas Lord Creed is the longest serving Governor, having administered Corinium Terentium since December 2013.

Lord John Gordon is the first former Prime Minister to resume the office, having also served from June 2020 to September 2021. This was a term feted for its political and cultural prosperity, the memory of which no doubt helped in his election.

Lord Gordon – who held office as Speaker during the previous government – is also known for his sense of humour, leading the effort to have baked beans declared Austenasia’s national dish in reference to an in-joke on the national Discord server, and adopting as his campaign portrait a photo with a highly edited hairstyle.

Lord Gordon’s campaign promised organising projects for Austenasians to work on to promote engagement with national life, an active approach to foreign affairs, promotion of Austenasia’s Roman heritage, and exploring initiatives to involve Austenasia with UN-related international bodies as some other small nations have done.

Constitutional amendments passed in referendum

The Third Amendment to the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 has been approved in referendum, with a majority of Austenasia’s subjects now having voted in support for the proposed changes.

The precise voting figures will be confirmed tomorrow morning, alongside the results of the ongoing election for Prime Minister.

However, the proposed amendments will now definitely pass, as the threshold has now been reached of over half of all Austenasian voters in support of them.

The Third Amendment consists of two parts. The first reforms parliamentary representation of non-residential subjects to a STV-based proportional list system, whereas the second is a combination of relatively minor reforms primarily related to titulature and the functioning of the Senate and the Counsellors of State system, as well as the correction of some spelling and wording mistakes.

The Third Amendment will officially enter into force on Empress Day, 27 February 2024. The current Representatives for non-residential subjects will remain in office as such until an election is called for their seats.

The First Amendment was made in September 2015, and the Second in January 2018.

UPDATE 13 FEBRUARY 08:40 – Total turnout for the referendum was 57.4%. However, both parts of the Amendment gained massive support, with 90.3% voting for the first and 96.8% for the second.

Lord Wilson gives final speech as PM

Lord William Wilson, Duke of Taysha earlier today gave a farewell speech as outgoing Prime Minister.

Lord Wilson, who is not standing for re-election in today’s ongoing general election, gave the speech in an online group call on Discord attended by other Representatives and dignitaries.

At the conclusion of his speech, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor thanked him for his time in office as Prime Minister and for his contributions to the nation.

Fellow Austenasians,

More than two years ago, I embarked on a journey with you – a journey to strive together with the objective of making our nation more robust and vibrant than before.

As I stand before you today, my time as your Prime Minister draws to a close. It is with some sorrow and regret that I depart, but moreso than these, I depart with a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to serve this remarkable nation.

Upon recollection, I find that the causes for my withdrawal, my unwillingness to seek re-election, have not been evident nor explicit. Now is the best time to let these causes be known clearly. For the past half-year, I have begun my tenure at University, with my studies withholding, the time I have spent in the dealings of government and with the representation of my native Nahona decreased to the point of rendering my duties unexecutable. Concurrently, my time has been taken up by what I consider to be my new priority. It is with some shame that I recognize that my time here should have ended before beginning this new chapter.

One of my guiding principles is that of responsibility, the very principle leading me to bid you farewell now rather than later. I feel a responsibility to our Empire that compelled me to leadership in the summer of 2021 and a calling to guide our government for the next two years. It is with the same sense of responsibility that I chose to seek to earn a commission to become an officer in the United States Army. My values have not changed, my loyalties have not changed, but to whom I should dedicate more and more of my time to in the commencement of those values and loyalties have.

The time spent as your Prime Minister makes Austenasia a part of me, and a part which I love deeply. Any regret I feel is not that I wish I had not done this at all, but that I wish I had done better for our nation.

To my successor, I offer these words of wisdom: lead with courage, govern with compassion, and always remember that the true measure of a leader lies not in the power they wield, but in the lives they touch and the hearts they inspire.

And to the citizens of Austenasia, I say this: continue to cherish the principles that bind us together as one nation, one people. For in the end, it is not the titles we hold or the offices we occupy that define us, but the legacy we leave behind and the values we uphold.

Thank you, my fellow Austenasians, for the privilege of serving as your Prime Minister. May God bless you, and may God bless the Empire of Austenasia.

Election becomes two-horse race as O’Halloran drops out

The next Prime Minister of Austenasia will be either Lord John Gordon or Lord Andrew Creed, with Lady Addison O’Halloran having dropped out of the election earlier today.

General election candidates have dropped out in previous elections – Lord Marshal William in 2013, and Lord Anthony Clark in 2019 – but technically remained on the ballot.

Now, however, an Imperial Decree has been passed by Emperor Jonathan I permitting candidates who wish to withdraw to do so completely.

With O’Halloran no longer running, the choice has narrowed to either Lord Creed or Lord Gordon.

Both have released statements outlining their positions and policies.

From Lord John Gordon:

“As a familiar face in Austenasia I will ensure a prosperous future and new reforms to several government departments to make government more open and streamlined. A more proactive approach will be taken to macronational affairs to make our presence known to all on the world stage. Your voice will be safe in my hands.

I promise to work for all Austenasians for the advancement of our nation. I will work on projects that everyone can work on together, and to increase our influence within the community. I will also discuss and possibly pursue UN non-consultative status as some prominent micronations have to increase awareness of our great state and her peoples.“

And from Lord Andrew Creed:

“I’m the longest serving Austenasian Governor, so my loyalty and commitment to Austenasia cannot be held in any doubt, and I led the charge in overhauling MicroWiki from a toxic cesspool to just a regular cesspool. I believe I can do the same for Austenasia, reforming our nation to be great once again. I’d like to take a more isolated stance with the international micronational world, to allow us to focus our energy on our own internal development. If elected, I would leave all intermicronational organisations that offer Austenasia no benefits.

And the most pressing matter, which is not acknowledged. The Moon, what the hell is it? Each night, it comes out and glares at us, watching children and women as they sleep. I would order an immediate investigation into the Moon’s activities and intentions. On Day 1.“

It remains to be seen whether Lord Creed’s anti-Moon rhetoric will affect the outcome of the vote in any meaningful way.