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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.
Imperial visit to Green Gate
His Imperial Majesty the Emperor visited Green Gate earlier today in the first ever imperial visit to an Austenasian Territory.
Green Gate was annexed last month, and is comprised of a wooded area bordering a golf course.
This marks the first time that Jonathan I has visited an Austenasian claim other than his home city of Wrythe and the nearby Crown Dependency of Rushymia since Zephyria and Thanasia were ceded to the United Kingdom in 2017.
The geographical proximity of Green Gate to Wrythe – both being enclaves of south London – facilitated the ease of planning the visit.
While in Green Gate, the Emperor raised the Austenasian Star and surveyed the area.
Jonathan I was unable to be received by Lord Zarel Smith, Governor of Green Gate, due to the latter falling ill, but a meeting between the two is planned for the summer.
Austenasia breaks population record
Earlier today Austenasia’s population reached its highest number in history, with the registration of six new residents in New Richmond pushing the number of Austenasians up to 89.
New Richmond is already the most populous inhabited claim of the Empire, with twenty residents now living in its five different boroughs.
The previous population record had been 88, between March and June 2016, reached after a period of almost uninterrupted growth since Austenasia’s foundation (with the sole exception of former emperor Declan I losing Austenasian nationality in August 2013).
The population began to decline with a net loss of one person upon the simultaneous cession of Harenfall and annexation of Ionathanopolis on 27 June 2016. This culminated in a low point of 74 after Zephyria, Thanasia, and Porthbokon were dissolved in August the following year.
However, the number of Austenasians has since begun to steadily climb, and out of Austenasia’s population of 89, at least 53 will be eligible to vote in the upcoming general election.
Austenasia itself is home to 71 people, with 18 Austenasian nationals living abroad; the largest populations of expatriate Austenasians are in the United Kingdom (8 people) and the United States of America (4 people).
Three towns dissolved in unprecedented Act of Parliament
Thanasia (L) and Porthbokon (R), two of the Towns which were yesterday ceded back to the United Kingdom.
At 9:00 am Wrythe time yesterday morning, an Act of Parliament was passed ceding the Towns of Zephyria, Thanasia and Porthbokon back to the United Kingdom.
Zephyria, which was the first inhabited territory to join the Empire outside of Wrythe, was annexed in April 2009. As the residential property of which it is comprised is soon to be rented out by the Town’s residents – the family of Lord Marshal William – while they move to another property, it was considered best that it no longer be part of Austenasia. However, Zephyria’s former population of three have retained their status as Austenasian subjects.
Thanasia and Porthbokon have both been ceded absolutely, with their populations also having lost their Austenasian nationality. Thanasia was ceded by the request of its population, whereas Porthbokon was ceded unilaterally by the government due to it having been unable to contact its Representative, Lady Evren, for over a year.
Two non-residential subjects, contactable only via Thanasia, have also had their status as such revoked.
Speaking earlier to Parliament, Prime Minister Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy stated that the cessions “should not be misinterpreted as a sign of the Empire stagnating. The Government is working on a series of reforms that will soon be presented, and first among those reforms is guaranteeing that the House of Representatives will be comprised of active Representatives who will actually partake in the governance of our beloved Empire.”
The House of Representatives now has six instead of nine members. The three towns which have been ceded rarely voted, meaning that legislation required near unanimity of all voting rather than a simple majority; with the three less active towns gone, the legislature should become far more efficient.
Despite one third of the Empire’s Towns having been ceded, less than a tenth – 9.75% – of Austenasia’s population has been lost. Of even less magnitude has been the effect on the Empire’s land area, with Zephyria, Thanasia and Porthbokon together having comprised a mere 0.21% of Austenasian territory.
One demographic effect of this has been to push the proportion of Christians in the Austenasian population into the majority, from 49% to 54%, with both Thanasia and Porthbokon having been entirely atheist.
The total population of the Empire now stands at seventy four people, including thirteen non-residential subjects.
Easter celebrated by the Imperial Family
Easter was yesterday celebrated by the Imperial Family, and across the Empire.
At the Easter midnight service at the Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen, the Rev. Father George blesses the congregation.
Austenasia recognises both Western Easter and Orthodox Easter as public holidays, which this year fell on the same date.
Emperor Jonathan I attended a midnight service on Saturday evening at his church, the Greek Orthodox Church of Ss. Constantine and Helen, whereas the rest of the Imperial Family joined the population of Zephyria at a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church.
On Sunday afternoon, Jonathan I and Princess Consort Hannah were hosted with the rest of the Imperial Family at the residence of the Boxalls, the maternal relatives of the Emperor. An evening buffet was enjoyed, and board games played.
Western Easter is calculated by the Gregorian calendar and observed by Protestants and Roman Catholics, whereas Orthodox Easter is calculated by the Julian calendar and observed by the Orthodox Church.
The two Easters are therefore usually observed separately, but sometimes – as on this year – fall on the same date. This last happened in 2014, and will not occur again until 2025.
Christmas 2016 celebrated by the Imperial Family
A buffet meal laid out in the Imperial Residence on Boxing Day.
Christmas has been celebrated by the extended Austenasian Imperial Family over the past few days.
Christmas Day (Sunday 25th) begun with the immediate Imperial Family opening presents in Parliament Hall, then joining the population of Zephyria and the Boxall family (the relatives of Emperor Mother Margaret) for a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. Emperor Jonathan I spent the rest of the day with his fiancée Princess Consort Hannah at her house, while the rest of the Imperial Family spent the day at the Boxalls’ house.
Emperor Jonathan I released his Christmas broadcast on YouTube, which can be heard here.
On Boxing Day (Monday 26th), the Imperial Family hosted the Boxalls and Princess Consort Hannah in the Imperial Residence for the afternoon and evening. A buffet was provided and parlour games enjoyed.
Finally, yesterday (Tuesday 27th), the Princess Consort again joined the Imperial Family as they hosted the Allens, family friends of the Imperial Family, for an evening meal.
The Austenasian Times hopes all its readers have had a Merry Christmas, and wishes you all a happy 2017.
Christmas 2015 celebrated in Austenasia
The Christmas trees in (left to right) Terentia Town Hall, the Imperial Residence, and New Richmond Town Hall.
The past few days have seen Christmas celebrated across the Empire.
On Christmas Day, Friday 25th, the populations of Wrythe and Zephyria attended a morning service at Carshalton Methodist Church. The Imperial Family then had Christmas dinner at the residence of the Boxalls (the maternal relatives of the Emperor).
On Boxing Day, Saturday 26th, roles were reversed with the Boxall family being hosted at the Imperial Residence by the Imperial Family. Also joining them was Princess Consort Hannah, the Emperor’s unmarried partner.
Emperor Jonathan I published his third annual Christmas broadcast on YouTube on Christmas Day, which can be heard here. In the speech, he reflected on the events of 2015 and on the meaning behind celebrations and anniversaries.
Furthermore, Pontifex Maximus Alexander III (also known as Bradley of Dullahan) published a Christmas encyclical, which can be read here.
The Austenasian Times wishes all its readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Incumbents stand for local elections
Yesterday saw the end of the week-long period during which those wishing to stand for election as Representative at the end of the month could announce that they would be doing so.
In each of the ten Towns of Austenasia, the incumbent Representative or Acting Representative was the only person who announced that they would be standing.
This scenario was not unexpected. On Twitter, Emperor Jonathan I wrote that the nation-wide lack of competition for the office of Representative showed “local elections every five years makes far more sense than every two years”, referring to one of the constitutional amendments that will also be voted on at the end of the month.
As only a single candidate is standing in each Town, voters will have the option to cast an Abstain vote under the terms of an Imperial Edict passed in 2013. Should there be more votes to abstain than for the candidate in any Town, a new vote will be called for that Town in which more people will be encouraged to stand.
The candidates for each Town are as follows:
- Wrythe: HIM Emperor Jonathan I
- Zephyria: Lord Marshal William K., Baron of Zephyria
- Thanasia: HIH Eritoshi, Countess of Memphis
- Palasia: Lord John Gordon, Baron of Zephyria
- Lichtenstein: Lord Charles Clarke, Duke of Grantabridge
- Porthbokon: Lady Evren Filgert, Duchess of Dumnonia
- New Richmond: HIH Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, Count of Greater Richmond
- Shineshore: Lord Rear Admiral Alastair Cranston, Duke of New Virginia
- Terentia: Lord Vice Admiral Eren (formerly Jacob) Lewis, Baron of Terentia
- Harenfall: Lord Sivert MacLean, Duke of Redcaster
Snow in Greater Wrythe
Edd in Wrythe Public Park this morning.
Greater Wrythe saw a blanket of snow on the ground this morning for the first time since January 2013.
Residents of Wrythe, Zephyria and Thanasia awoke to find roughly two inches of snow had fallen overnight.
Although some snow has fallen already this winter in Greater Wrythe, conditions were not suitable for it then to settle.
The snow fell over south London, including Roehampton, home to the university at which the Emperor currently lives on-campus.
The snow had begun to melt by midday, with none remaining by the evening.
Local Election candidates confirmed
Those standing for Representative in next month’s local election have been confirmed.
All incumbents are standing for election, with some at present only being Acting Representatives due to their Towns having joined the Empire after the most recent local elections in November last year.
In no Town is there an opposing candidate standing for election, but this does not mean that there will be only one choice on the ballot paper. All subjects will have an option to abstain – should the option to abstain gain more votes than the candidate, the respective Town Council may take power for itself or appoint a new Acting Representative.
Those standing for election to the office of Representative are:
- In Wrythe: HIM Emperor Jonathan I
- In Zephyria: Lord Marshal William, Baron of Zephyria
- In Thanasia: HIH Eritoshi, Countess of Memphis
- In Palasia: Lord John Gordon, Baron of Palasia
- In Lichtenstein: Lord Hengest Crannis, Duke of Grantabridge
- In Porthbokon: Lady Evren Filgert, Duchess of Dumnonia
- In New Richmond: HIH Joseph Nobilissimus Caesar
- In Shineshore: Lord Alastair Cranston, Duke of New Virginia
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