Senate convened as Emperor celebrates five years on the Throne

The Empire yesterday celebrated Imperial Ascension Day, the yearly anniversary of the reigning Monarch’s ascension to the Throne. It has now been five years since Emperor Jonathan I accepted the Throne upon the abdication of his predecessor Emperor Declan I. Yesterday also saw the recently passed Second Amendment to the Constitution formally come into force after having been approved by both a referendum and by Parliament. As part of the Second Amendment, an Austenasian Senate has been established. The task of the Senate will be to keep the Monarch to account, and as part of this, the Monarch must make a yearly address to the Senate. The first such address was made by the Emperor yesterday to the Senate before being published publicly, and can be read below: To the Most Illustrious Senate, greetings from Our Imperial Majesty! We are pleased to deliver this address to you, five years since the day we ascended the Throne, on the founding day of an institution that is at once both new and ancient. You inherit the legacy of the Empire’s Senates of old, and we are pleased to have restored this institution. Austenasia now has seventy nine people and over thirty two hectares of land, spread across every continent in the world but Antarctica. The fifth year of our reign saw sixteen Acts of Parliament, six Imperial Decrees, and seven Imperial Edicts passed. Constitutional amendments were approved by a vote taken by our people in a referendum, and successfully passed into law. The Empire grew with the annexations of the Towns of Ionisia and Jovanovo and the Territory of Hoagland, and diplomatic relations were entered into with Imvrassia and Ashukovo. Perhaps the most momentous event in the past year was the passage of an Act of Parliament in June adopting Christianity as the official religion of Austenasia. This decision was not made lightly, and important questions regarding religious freedom were considered before the Act was passed. Nevertheless, an unanimous vote in Parliament, followed by the majority of the population voting in support of similar measures in the recent referendum, reveals that this decision has been far from unpopular. As Austenasia forges on towards its tenth anniversary, organically constructing and realising its own national identity, we can now affirm that we are a Christian country. The tenth anniversary of our nation will indeed be something to celebrate. It is not often that an endeavour such as the one undertaken by the now Imperial Family in September 2008 endures for a decade, and far less often that so many other people feel drawn to take part in it and help to make it a success. We plan to celebrate this success – our shared achievements and experiences over the past ten years – with a celebration hosted at the Imperial Residence on Independence Day 2018, and hope that all who are able to shall attend. We also look forward to seeing plans realised for other ways of celebrating this momentous milestone in our small nation’s history. As a result of one of the amendments made to the Constitution as a result of the recent referendum, Cabinet ministers are no longer required to be Representatives. This opens up the executive branch of our government to a far greater number of people, with different skills and abilities to draw on. We shall discuss with our Prime Minister the best way in which to utilise this new pool of talent, and to what extent Cabinet ministries may be reallocated to ensure that we have the most suited and capable people working to govern the country. Over this coming year, we shall engage upon a publicity drive for Austenasia in London and more specifically the Borough of Sutton, seeking to draw upon local interest in order to revitalise the Carshalton Nations and, if possible, to find new talent to benefit the Empire itself. As authorised by an Act of Parliament passed last year, we shall designate an area of land to be claimed as the Kingdom of Rushymia reborn, after ascertaining that there are no local objections to the annexation of said territory. Personally, we intend to remain at the Austenasian Consulate-General in Castile and León with Princess Hannah until we return back to Wrythe in late June, with a visit back for Easter of a week or two in April. In late September, we shall take up residence in Chester as we begin a year-long Master’s degree at the university there. Throughout this coming sixth year of our Imperial Majesty on the Throne, we shall continue to actively oversee the smooth running of the state, and to work with our Prime Minister, Cabinet, and the Representatives of our people to ensure stable, just, and efficient governance. God bless you all, and God bless the Empire. I C J A Soria 20 January 2018

Constitutional amendments approved in referendum

A referendum held yesterday saw proposed amendments to the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 approved by the Empire’s electorate. Out of the 54 subjects eligible to vote, 37 did so, a turnout of 68.52%. The amendments had been divided into four parts, each of which could be voted on separately. The first part establishes a Senate as a body responsible for the accountability of the Monarch which may in extreme circumstances vote to depose them. It also removes the requirement for Cabinet ministers to be Representatives. This part of the amendments passed with 81.08% of votes in support. The second part of the amendments makes it a requirement for the Monarch to be a baptised Christian, and explicitly claims that Austenasia is a continuation of the Roman Empire; this part passed with 70.27% of votes in support. The third part of the amendments clarifies that marriage in the Empire is between one man and one woman, and also permits Parliament to expand upon various human rights laws in the Constitution which until now were unable to be repealed and put into more detail. This part passed with 64.86% of votes in support. The fourth and final part of the amendments changes the office of Deputy Prime Minister from being the runner-up in a general election to being a Representative nominated by a newly elected Prime Minister. This part passed with 81.08% of votes in support. Now that the amendments have been approved by referendum, they must be approved by Parliament. A requirement of over 80% of Representatives to be in favour of any constitutional amendments means that if more than one of Austenasia’s seven Representatives opposes the changes, they will not be able to be passed. Upon approval, these amendments will come into force cumulatively as the Second Amendment to the Constitution at one second past midnight in the morning of Imperial Ascension Day, 20 January, the fifth anniversary of the Emperor’s ascension to the Throne.

Constitutional amendments proposed

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor yesterday promulgated an Imperial Edict which ordered a referendum to take place on 6 January in which all Austenasian subjects will be able to vote on proposed amendments to the Constitution. The proposed amendments have been grouped into three parts, and voters will be able to vote Yes, No, or Abstain on each of the three parts. The first part of the proposed group of amendments establishes a Senate as a body responsible for the accountability of the Monarch which may in extreme circumstances vote to depose them; the second part reflects the Roman and Christian culture of the Empire by explicitly claiming that Austenasia is a continuation of the Roman Empire and by making it a requirement for the Monarch to be a baptised Christian; and the third part defines marriage as between one man and one woman. As each of these three parts has the potential to be controversial, voters will be able to vote in support of one and reject the other two, vote for two parts but against one, or vote for all or against all. If no changes to the Austenasian population take place before then, there will be an electorate of 54 subjects eligible to vote in the referendum. The full list of proposed amendments can be seen here. UPDATE 7 DECEMBER 10:20 – The Emperor yesterday promulgated another Imperial Edict adding a fourth part of the amendment to be voted on in the referendum. This fourth part of the amendment states that the Deputy Prime Minister shall be chosen from amongst the Representatives by a newly elected Prime Minister; at present, the position of Deputy Prime Minister goes to the candidate with the second-highest number of votes in a general election.

Rushymia to be re-established as Crown Dependency

An Act of Parliament was passed earlier today authorising land to be claimed on which to restore the former kingdom of Rushymia. Rushymia was an entity existing under British sovereignty between 1995 and 2000 in the primary school attended by the now Emperor Jonathan I and Crown Princess Caroline. The last of the kings to have ruled Rushymia abdicated without a successor. He left the right to his title to whoever could first retrieve a plastic bottle he placed high up a fence, a feat only achieved by Emperor Esmond III in October 2010. The title King of Rushymia has been held ever since by the Austenasian Monarch, but in an entirely ceremonial capacity. This Act of Parliament has authorised Rushymia to be re-established as a territorial entity, this time under Austenasian sovereignty. No options have yet been announced as to possible locations for the Crown Dependency-to-be.

Nine years of independence celebrated

The Empire of Austenasia yesterday celebrated nine years since its foundation in 2008. Although the actual anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is on the 20th, Independence Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of September. Emperor Jonathan I was not in Austenasia itself due to having recently moved to Spain for several months, but published a brief video statement from the newly-claimed Austenasian Consulate-General in Castile and León. As is customary, an honours list was published by the Emperor, albeit one smaller than previous years due to a large amount of honours having been already granted this year less than four months ago on 4 June, when Imperium Day coincided with the moveable feast of Pentecost. Furthermore, a parade in celebration of the occasion took place in Jovanovo, and messages of congratulations were received by the imperial government from numerous dignitaries and national leaders from across the world. Planning has now begun for next year’s Independence Day celebrations, which will see the tenth anniversary of Austenasia’s foundation.

Emperor, Princess Consort and Emperor Father arrive in Soria

Emperor Jonathan I, Princess Consort Hannah and Emperor Father Terry arrived safely in the Spanish city of Soria on Monday evening. The Princess Consort, as part of her university degree, is spending an academic year abroad in Spain working as a language assistant in a Spanish primary school. Emperor Jonathan I will be living with her for the year, working as a private tutor. Emperor Father Terry flew out with the imperial couple from London Gatwick airport on Monday 11th, and will be staying with them until Friday. The Emperor retains full access to the internet, and has stressed that living in Spain for a year will not negatively impact his level of communication with members of government or his ability to exercise his duties as Monarch. Jonathan I and Princess Hannah will return from Spain for a week around Easter next year, and return permanently in June.

IGS Expedition to Cheam and Nonsuch Parks

The Imperial Geographical Society yesterday conducted an expedition of exploration through Cheam Park and the adjoining Nonsuch Park. The two parks together make up a large area of fields and woodland which straddles the border between the London Borough of Sutton and the county of Surrey. The expedition of three was led by Emperor Jonathan I, and discovered a dry riverbed, some basic wooden shelters constructed in the woods, and some wild parakeets. Views of various London landmarks, including Battersea Power Station, Wembley Stadium, and the BT Tower were available from high ground on Cheam Park.

Relations cut with Delvera following plot discovery

Emperor Jonathan I and Prime Minister Lord Admiral Kennedy yesterday announced the cutting of all diplomatic relations with Delvera after it was discovered that a member of Delveran government had attempted to provoke a coup in Austenasia. Relations between the Empire and Delvera have been strained for the past month following the reaction of the Delveran government to Jonathan I withdrawing from an online discussion group several weeks ago. It was yesterday announced that Jordan Brizendine, Delveran Minister of the Interior, had approached Iron Lord Daniel Dankovsky, Director-General of the State Intelligence Agency, and suggested he seek to have Emperor Jonathan I replaced with another member of the Line of Succession. This suggestion was of course refused and reported to the Emperor, who confronted Dylan Callahan, leader of Delvera, with the information. Callahan responded that the incident was an example of “trolling,” attempting to downplay the seriousness of the situation. As stated in the joint statement issued by the Emperor and Prime Minister yesterday evening, “whether the proposal was genuine or not, it shows Delvera to be at best unable to control the interactions of its members of government with foreign officials and at worst actively seeking to overthrow the legitimate Austenasian Monarch.” This decisions brings to an end the recent tensions between the Empire and Delvera, as all communications directly from the latter will now simply be ignored.

Counsellors of State appointed following hospitalization of Emperor

Emperor Jonathan I has been hospitalized due to a serious illness and has appointed two Counsellors of State to exercise the powers of the Throne in his absence. His Imperial Majesty made the appointment earlier today following his hospitalization. The Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy and the Governing Commissioner of Oregonia, Lord Adam, have been appointed Counsellors of State, jointly exercising the powers of the Throne in the Monarch’s absence. The Prime Minister’s Office issued the following statement not long ago: THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE New Richmond – 3 September 2017 AN ANNOUNCEMENT His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has recently been hospitalized due to a serious illness, and as such he has appointed the Prime Minister and Lord Adam, Duke of Washington to serve as Counsellors of State, jointly exercising the powers of the Throne. The illness which afflicts the Emperor is not yet known to anyone outside of the Imperial Family, however the Counsellors of State ask all Austenasians and members of the international and MicroWiki communities to pray for the well-being of the Emperor. UPDATE 4 September 08:00 – The Emperor was discharged from hospital in the early hours of this morning following an improvement in his condition, and is back at the Imperial Residence. The Counsellors of State will remain appointed so as to reduce his workload during his recovery. UPDATE 9 September 07:30 – The Emperor has declared an end to the appointment of the Counsellors of State, having now recovered sufficiently to return fully to his duties as head of state.

State Intelligence Agency publicly acknowledged

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor publicly confirmed the existence of the secretive State Intelligence Agency in an Imperial Edict published earlier today. The existence of the State Intelligence Agency (SIA) had been kept a carefully guarded secret since its creation eight years ago today, on 8 August 2009. The then Emperor Terry I had instructed his son the then Prime Minister, Crown Prince (now Emperor) Jonathan, to create an intelligence agency to guard the national security of the young Austenasian state. Since then, the SIA has engaged in several information-gathering operations to protect the Empire against both foreign and domestic threats. In today’s Edict, the Emperor relinquished direct control over the SIA. Iron Lord Daniel Dankovsky, Acting Representative of the newly-annexed town Jovanovo, has been appointed Director-General of the SIA. The precise activities of the SIA will remain covert.