Population reaches 150 as naturalisation applications approved

The population of Austenasia yesterday saw a huge expansion to its highest ever level, rising to 150 after an unprecedented grant of non-residential subjectships. Thirty six applications for naturalisation have been approved by the Home Office, the largest ever single increase in Austenasia’s population. The applications came from the Empire’s Honorary Subjects, who were invited to apply for naturalisation in March after a new process for such was authorised by Parliament. Of the thirty six new non-residential subjects, seven already served as honorary diplomats representing the Empire abroad. The new Austenasians are from around the world, living in countries including Bulgaria, Egypt, Poland, and Venezuela, although most are from the UK, United States, India, Argentina, and Italy. This huge influx has resulted in a dramatic change to the proportion of residential and non-residential subjects. The former have always been a significant majority, but although residential subjects still outnumber non-residentials, they now do so only by seventy nine to seventy one. Political representation of non-residential subjects – already a topic of interest since the premiership of Lord John Gordon – will now be a far more prominent topic of prospective reform. The government will be communicating with the new Austenasians to find ways in which their specific skills and interests can contribute to the nation.

Territorial changes see population increase

The population of Austenasia has reached 110 upon various changes made to its territorial make-up. Thursday 1st December saw an Act of Parliament passed which annexed a new town, Valens, as well as a new Crown Dependency, Ganapati Vihar. Valens, annexed from Montreal in Canada, has a population of six, making it the Empire’s joint most populous land claim alongside Chalcedon. It is comprised of a three-floor apartment building, all the inhabitants of which have signed a request to joing Austenasia. Ganapati Vihar, annexed from Kolkata in India, is uninhabited, and consists of a currently uninhabited residential property claimed for Austenasia by its owner, Soumyadip Sengupta. Three other changes were also made which affected the demographic and administrative make-up of the Empire. First, New Flat Rock, which was founded as a Town in December 2020, has been transitioned into a Crown Dependency. This is primarily due to none of it residents wishing to serve as an active Representative, while at the same time they wish to retain Austenasian nationality. It will therefore be governed autonomously by its former Representative, Lord Hunter Prater, as Governing Commissioner. Second, Oberfalcer – a Territory annexed from France in August 2019 – has been dissolved after its founder and governor, Lord Paccard, dropped out of contact with the government last year. Lastly, Austenasian subjectship was removed from Lord Paccard, together with another Austenasian non-residential subject who is likewise believed to have no desire to retain nationality, while also being granted to the Empire’s newly appointed Ambassador to the Philippines, Manuel Salta. Although the cession of Oberfalcer has resulted in a net loss of territory, the annexation of Valens and the grant of subjectship to Mr Salta has raised the total number of Austenasians to 110, 76 of whom live in Austenasian land claims.

Consulate opened in New Delhi

The Austenasian Consulate in New Delhi was officially opened yesterday with traditional Indian prayers and offerings. Dr Kalra, the Empire’s Consul-General at New Delhi, was joined by Swami ji Acharya Sailesh Tiwari, who officiated at the ceremony. Dr Kalra was appointed Austenasian Consul-General at New Delhi by Emperor Jonathan I on 9 March earlier this year. As the Empire has no diplomatic relations with India, the primary functions of unaccredited diplomats such as Dr Kalra is to raise awareness of and support for Austenasia abroad, working more in the field of public relations than diplomacy proper. As the office is a consulate and not an embassy, the Empire has not claimed extraterritoriality for it. However, the consulate will be used as a base for Dr Kalra’s work in spreading awareness of the Empire.