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Lord William Wilson elected Prime Minister
Lord William Wilson, Count of Oribrazos, has been elected the sixth Prime Minister of Austenasia.
Precise figures are yet to be confirmed, but the preliminary count indicates that Lord Wilson has received 76.6% of the vote whereas his rival candidate, Lady Addison Dillon, received 23.4% of the vote.
This translates to thirty six and eleven votes respectively from the forty seven Austenasian subjects who voted yesterday. With seventy three of Austenasia’s population eligible to vote, this was a 64.4% turnout.
Lady Addison campaigned on a platform of electoral and governmental reform and environmentalism, whereas Lord Wilson campaigned to promote Austenasian culture and government activity and accessibility.
The past several weeks saw Wilson’s campaign dominate the news. Although Lady Addison published a campaign website, Lord Wilson also released weekly campaign videos in which he explained his policies and positions.
Lord Wilson is expected to release his first Prime Minister’s Broadcast later today.
Wilson’s predecessor, Lord John Gordon, was thanked and congratulated in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Monarch and other Representatives for his time in office as the Empire’s head of government.
Lord Wilson’s first involvement with Austenasia came in April 2019, when he was appointed the Empire’s diplomatic Consul to Texas.
Wilson became an Austenasian national in January 2020 upon founding the Town of Nahona, which he represents to this day as Representative. He was further instrumental in arranging the annexation of the Town of North Nahona in June and the March of Campo de Jonatán and Territory of Jackson in August late that year.
Appointed Deputy Prime Minister on 1 June last year, Lord Wilson also served as Home Secretary from August 2020 to February earlier this year, and has held the office of Chief Herald since 3 June 2020.
Lord Wilson and Lady Dillon confirmed as general election candidates
Emperor Jonathan I yesterday confirmed two candidates for next month’s general election.
Lady Addison Dillon, Representative of Blue Ridge, will be running against Lord William Wilson, Representative of Nahona.
Both candidates have recently founded political parties to organise their supporters: Lady Dillon the Alliance Party and Lord Wilson the Arete (Excellence) Party.
The Alliance Party describes itself as “syncretic” and “endorses civil rights, equality before the law, Athenian direct democracy, and broad technological and social reform.” Lady Dillon has noted that it “focuses on social issues rather than ideological economic specifics.”
Lord Wilson has stated that the aim of the Arete Party “is to bring about the best of cultural, economic, and political life in Austenasia through the application of the 11 moral virtues described in Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.”
The Arete Party held a party conference earlier today, in which incumbent Prime Minister Lord John Gordon was elected party secretary. Two other Representatives have also joined.
The general election will take place on 17 September, and will elect the country’s sixth Prime Minister.
The winner of the election will come into office the following day, 18 September, which this year as the third Saturday in September will also be Austenasian Independence Day.
The incumbent Prime Minister, Lord John Gordon, has been in office since June last year, but is stepping down as head of government due to increasing demands on his time, as well as the fact that despite enjoying broad popular support he was not directly elected.
Lady Addison Dillon became an Austenasian governor in July 2020 upon claiming the then Territory of Blue Ridge. This was expanded into a Town in December with the annexation of her adjoining residence, of which she was elected Representative in February. She currently serves as one of Austenasia’s three delegates to the Grand Unified Micronational.
Lord William Wilson joined Austenasia with the creation of the Town of Nahona in January 2020. He currently holds office as Deputy Prime Minister and Chief Herald, and also served as Home Secretary from August 2020 to February 2021.
Gordon not to stand in September general election
Parliament has authorised an early general election to take place this September, in which Lord John Gordon, incumbent Prime Minister, has said he will not stand for re-election.
Under the Elections Act 2020 passed in November last year, general elections are meant to be held every four years. However, exceptions can be made by Parliament, as took place this morning.
Although the next general election was not due until February 2024, it will now take place on 17 September later this year.
Lord Gordon is currently training with the British Army, and the increasing demands on his time have led to his decision not to run for re-election as Prime Minister.
Lord Gordon has served as Prime Minister since 1 June last year. Uniquely, rather than being elected, he was appointed directly to the position by Emperor Jonathan I after the latter assumed emergency powers to calm the May 2020 political crisis.
The new Gordon premiership saw a quick return to stability and normality, reaching a record-breaking growth in Austenasia’s population and land claims and a flowering of culture. The demographic changes accompanying this growth are another factor in the decision to call an early general election.
The candidates for the upcoming election will be confirmed by 20 August.
Electoral reforms for general elections
Saturday 28th November saw Parliament pass legislation establishing a regular schedule for general elections and preventing Prime Ministers from running for a third consecutive term without parliamentary approval.
Under the 2008 Constitution, general elections were to take place every three years, on January 1st. After the 2009 general election, the next was scheduled to take place on 1 January 2012, but the 2011 Constitution came into force before this date was reached.
Under the current 2011 Constitution, the date of a general election is decided at the discretion of the Monarch or Prime Minister, and can take place anywhere from six months to four years after the previous one.
Saturday’s Act of Parliament has added a restriction to this clause, to the effect that the full range of dates constitutionally available can only be considered in an emergency; otherwise, under ordinary circumstances, general elections are to take place on a day between the 1st and 12th of February every four years.
This provides greater certainty regarding the future, with the next general election now scheduled to take place in early February 2024.
A second reform affects the ability of a Prime Minister to run for three or more consecutive terms. Although not a term limit in a strict sense, in future, a Prime Minister who has served more than seven of the past eight years in office will have to seek a vote of approval from the House of Representatives in order to stand for re-election.
No limits on consecutive terms have previously been applied. The only requirements to run in a general election are to be a sitting Representative with the (never before refused) approval of the Monarch; requirements which also have to be met by a Prime Minister running for re-election.
The longest serving Prime Minister in Austenasia’s history was Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy. He held office from 4 March 2015 to 13 February 2020, just three weeks shy of five years.
Prince Dionisiy elected Prime Minister
HSH Dionisiy I, Prince of Montescano and Duke of Lycaonia, has been elected the fourth Prime Minister of Austenasia with 52.27% of the vote in a closely-fought election.
His rival candidate, Lord John Gordon, received 40.91% of the vote, whereas an option to Abstain – which, if it gained a majority, would have forced fresh elections – received 6.82% of the vote.
This translates to twenty-three, eighteen, and three votes respectively from the forty-four Austenasian subjects who voted yesterday. With fifty-nine of Austenasia’s population eligible to vote, this was a 74.58% turnout.
Lord Gordon campaigned on a platform of social democracy and progressivism, but also pledged to nationalise private businesses.
Dionisiy’s campaign promises focused on promoting the Romano-Christian culture of the Empire, as well as implementing internet-based referenda on important legislative issues.
Despite criticism from some quarters for referring to “climate change hysterica”, the Prince has also pledged to minimise Austenasia’s carbon footprint, and is currently overseeing the construction of a solar farm in Seleucia ad Cilicia.
Prince Dionisiy is expected to release a Prime Minister’s Broadcast tonight detailing his plans for the rest of the year.
As well as the general election, local elections for Representative took place in the towns of Palasia, Gebirgspark, Chalcedon and Nahona. Palasia saw its incumbent, Dionisiy’s rival Lord Gordon, re-elected, whereas the other three towns had the Acting Representatives appointed upon their annexations (Lord Kristof Fondrk, Lord Ismetcan Sarac, and King William I, respectively) elected to the position proper.
General election takes place after New Virginia given independence
Yesterday saw New Virginia set up an independent state under outgoing Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy. Tomorrow will see the Lord Admiral’s successor take office as Prime Minister.
Austenasia’s sixth general election is currently underway, as Prince Dionisiy I and Lord John Gordon battle for the public’s votes to become the fourth Prime Minister of Austenasia.
As announced at Christmas, the towns of New Richmond, Terentia and Augusta were yesterday granted independence from Austenasia as the newly independent Commonwealth of New Virginia.
An uninhabited part of Augusta has been retained by Austenasia as the territory of Fraternitas, which now borders both New Virginia and the United States of America.
Yesterday also saw the Crown Dependency of Oregonia leave Austenasia. Although it did not likewise join New Virginia, the decision to dissolve the crown dependency by its governing commissioner, Adam I of Uberstadt, was based partially on the departure of Lord Admiral Kennedy from government.
Although these losses only saw Austenasia lose 3.28% of its land claims, the population has dropped from 102 to 80.
Outgoing Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, has published a speech for the occasion:
My fellow Austenasians – as you all know, yesterday, the Commonwealth of New Virginia seceded from the Empire. Today marks a general election, and my last day as Prime Minister of the Empire of Austenasia. Together, we’ve built this nation up as a testament to the success a small country can achieve. Our nation has gone from a small home south of London with four residents to a vast empire on which the sun never sets, from North America to Australia. We are one of, if not the, largest functioning democracies in the community of small nations, and it has been my absolute pleasure to oversee this growth for almost five years now.
We’ve accomplished a lot since I assumed the office of Prime Minister back in 2015. We’ve expanded our territories exponentially and more than doubled our population. We’ve established ourselves as a military superpower in our community. We secured peace in New South Scotland, and returned full administration of that crown dependency to the central government. We’ve reformed the executive branch to ensure ministerial accountability to the Prime Minister’s Office and to Parliament through ministerial reports. We’ve made Parliament more accountable to the people through the reformation of our elections and the introduction of the Parliamentary Gazette. We’ve completely reformed our judiciary and introduced the Ministry of Justice. We’ve introduced the Ministry of Culture, which has undertaken various efforts such as a registry of historic locations. We’ve reformed the way Parliament operates through the Parliament Act 2019. We’ve amended our Constitution twice through national referenda.
The Empire as it stands today, the last day of my term, is vastly different from the one I knew when I came to office, and I am very proud – not of myself, but of the Austenasian people, because my team and I couldn’t have accomplished any of this without your mandate and support. I cannot possibly articulate my appreciation for you, my fellow Austenasians, and for the opportunity you have given me to be your highest elected official. As I leave this noble office, I can say wholeheartedly that this Empire is better than ever.
As I’ve said, I’m eternally grateful for my time as Prime Minister of the Empire of Austenasia. Personally, I’ve grown as an individual during my time in office. I was sixteen years old when I took office, and I am twenty-one years old as I leave. I’ve spent the most important formative years of my life as the head of government of a micronational superpower, and it has been a surreal and incredible experience. We have, as stated, accomplished a vast number of reforms and growth.
Speaking now as Chairman of the Provisional Council of New Virginia, I affirm that the Commonwealth will take great measures to ensure the fraternal bonds shared by our peoples, for which the Territory of Fraternitas is so aptly named, continue to thrive. I am very, very excited to see where our national friendship will take us in the future.
I am furthermore announcing the dissolution of the Imperial Party. The party has achieved a great deal of success in the Empire, however the bulk of its membership has amicably departed for the Commonwealth. I thank the party’s many supporters for the confidence they placed in me as Leader of the Imperial Party.
After discussion with the Emperor, it has been decided that I will stay on as the Emperor’s deputy in North America as Caesar, the Chief Advisor of the Privy Council, and will assume a seat in the Illustrious Senate. While I leave my high offices and retract from political life within the Empire, I will remain a trusted friend and advisor to the Monarch, government and people of Austenasia.
I wish the best of luck to whoever is elected to assume the premiership. I thank you, my fellow subjects, for your continued confidence in myself and my team over the past five years. Serving as Prime Minister has been one of the most challenging – yet rewarding – experiences of my life, and I’m proud to leave the Empire in a better place than I found it. God bless you all, and God save the Emperor.
The results of today’s election will be announced on the morning of Thursday 13th.
New Virginia to secede on 11 February
Yesterday saw an Act of Parliament passed establishing Tuesday 11 February as the day on which the majority of New Virginia will secede from Austenasia to become an independent state.
As announced at Christmas, the City of New Richmond and the Towns of Terentia and Augusta will be leaving Austenasia to form the Commonwealth of New Virginia.
An uninhabited part of Augusta will be retained by Austenasia as the Territory of Fraternitas, which will be administered by Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy as its Governor.
Lord Admiral Kennedy, the incumbent Prime Minister, will remain in office throughout February 11th and 12th, with the latter due to see his successor elected in the upcoming election to take office on February 13th.
Lord Admiral Kennedy will retain Austenasian nationality alongside Lady Vice Admiral Eryn Lewis and Lord Riley Kennedy, the three Representatives of the towns in question. The other residents of New Virginia will lose Austenasian nationality, bringing Austenasia’s population down to the mid-seventies.
Furthermore, the Imperial Navy – the modern iteration of which was based entirely in New Virginia – has by the same Act of Parliament been disbanded.
The legislation authorising the creation of the Commonwealth of New Virginia states that “maintaining a close and special relationship with the Commonwealth of New Virginia… [will be] a top priority of the Austenasian Government.”
Emperor announces changes for 2020 in Christmas broadcast
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor used his annual Christmas broadcast to announce that February 2020 will see a general election and the secession of New Richmond and Terentia from Austenasia.
He has also revealed exclusively to the Austenasian Times that the Town of Augusta will be joining them, and was not mentioned in his broadcast due to a mistake.
The three towns will create a new Commonwealth of New Virginia, to be recognised as an independent state.
New Richmond is the most populated single town of the Empire, with 15 inhabitants, and is home to the current Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Kennedy.
Augusta – which was part of New Richmond before becoming its own town in June this year – has three inhabitants, and Terentia has six.
New Richmond and Terentia both originally joined Austenasia in 2013. It is understood that their desire to leave Austenasia and create their own country is primarily due to the growth of their own local identity and culture during this time.
With the impending departure of the incumbent Prime Minister’s hometown, a general election has been called for 12 February 2020.
At the time of writing, the Whig Party is expected to put forward Lord John Gordon and the Fatherland Party Lord Dionisiy Tezdzhan-Smahin as candidates. Applications for candidacy will be confirmed by the Emperor by 15 January.
The Christmas broadcast was published this morning on YouTube, and can be heard here. Jonathan I has broadcast a Christmas message every year since his ascension to the Throne in 2013.
Other than the publication of the Emperor’s Christmas broadcast, the Imperial Family celebrated Christmas Day by attending a morning church service at Carshalton Methodist Church and later opening presents and enjoying a Christmas meal at the Imperial Residence.
The Imperial Family was joined at the church service by members of the extended Imperial Family as well as the former residents of Zephyria.
Although most of the Imperial Family is Methodist, Emperor Jonathan I joined the Orthodox Church in 2011. He attended a service at his own church yesterday for Christmas Eve, but often attends the morning Christmas Day service at the Methodist church with his priest’s blessing in order to spend time with his family at Christmas.
During this year’s service, Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline were invited to light all five of the Advent candles to mark the beginning of the service.
Christmas wishes have been sent to and received from numerous foreign national leaders by cards and e-mails.
Kennedy re-elected in landslide as Clark drops out of election
HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, Duke of Bohemia has been re-elected as Prime Minister with 86.84% of the vote after his sole opponent, Lord Anthony Clark, announced the day before the election that he no longer wished to run.
Despite the announcement, Clark – the Representative of Amerdansk – still received 5.26% of the vote; the option to abstain (which, if it gained a majority, would have forced fresh elections) gained 7.89% of the vote.
The election saw a total turnout of 73.08%, with thirty eight of the fifty two subjects eligible to vote doing so.
Every Town of the Empire saw a 100% turnout, with the exception of Clark’s town, Amerdansk, from which no votes were reported. Just under half – 47.6% – of the Empire’s twenty one non-residential subjects voted.
Kennedy’s victory of 86.84% is the most decisive in any general election since that of January 2009, when the then Crown Prince Jonathan was unanimously elected Prime Minister by all four subjects of the new Empire.
A victory speech from the re-elected Prime Minister is expected to be published shortly.
Lord Admiral Kennedy and Lord Clark selected as general election candidates
Emperor Jonathan I has chosen the candidates for next month’s general election.
HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, the incumbent Prime Minister, will be running for re-election against Lord Anthony Clark, Baron of Amerdansk. The general election will take place on 28 February, with campaigning now starting to get underway.
Lord Admiral Kennedy is leader of the Imperial Party, the sole political party currently registered in Austenasia.
Lord Anthony announced his intention to stand for election back in December 2018, and has already published a campaign website.
Lord Admiral Kennedy has served as Prime Minister since the previous general election in 2015, and also holds the rank of Caesar. As Representative of New Richmond – the most populous Austenasian land claim – he holds a large advantage in terms of predicted votes.
Lord Anthony Clark joined Austenasia in 2016 as the Governor of Amerdansk, which in August last year transitioned into a Town. Since 14 January, Lord Clark has served as Minister of Defence.
Under the Austenasian Constitution of 2011, the Monarch selects applicant Representatives to run for Prime Minister three weeks after a general election is called, four weeks before voting takes place (general elections taking place seven weeks after being called).
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