Cities Act passed

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor earlier this morning granted Imperial Consent to the Cities Act 2016. The Act of Parliament allows certain towns to be given the status of cities, and designates Wrythe (the capital) and New Richmond (Austenasia’s largest and most populous town) as the Empire’s first two cities. Wrythe and New Richmond will officially become cities in January. Cities will not only elect a Representative to elect them in Parliament, but a Mayor to oversee their local government. The Cities Act specifies that Mayors will be elected alongside Representatives in local elections, but forbids the two offices from being simultaneously held by the same person.

Local election results in

The results of yesterday’s local elections are now in. Elections for the office of Representative took place in the towns of Thanasia, Palasia, New Richmond and Harenfall. In Palasia and New Richmond, the incumbents – Lord John Gordon and Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, respectively – were re-elected. In Thanasia, Countess Eritoshi – who had served as the town’s Representative since its foundation in May 2013 – was replaced by her sister, Lady Imogen, who has chosen to assume the pseudonym of Lady Strawberry. In Harenfall, every voter voted to abstain. The incumbent, Lord Sivert MacLean, has remained as Acting Representative, and he will soon take part in discussions with the Emperor and Prime Minister in regards to the future of the town.

Countess Eritoshi not to run for local election as candidates confirmed

The candidates have been confirmed for the local elections being held on 28 May. Local elections for Representatives will take place in the towns of Thanasia, Palasia, New Richmond, and Harenfall. In Palasia, New Richmond, and Harenfall, the incumbents – Lord John Gordon, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy, and Lord Sivert MacLean, respectively – are standing unopposed for re-election. In Thanasia, however, the incumbent Representative, former Prime Minister HIH Countess Eritoshi, is not running for re-election. Her younger sister, Lady Imogen, is running instead. This decision marks a continuation of the Augusta’s decision to gradually withdraw from politics, having resigned as Chief Ambassador in March.

Emperor announces local elections as exile ends

As his final fortnight of exile comes to an end, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has announced local elections for four of the Empire’s ten towns: Thanasia, Palasia, New Richmond and Harenfall. The local election will take place on 28 May next month. Those eligible, between the 7th and 14th of May, may stand to be elected their town’s Representative. Since 8 April, Emperor Jonathan I has been in exile from Austenasia, voluntarily serving out a recommended sentence given after the outcome of a trial he arranged after pledging to have the legality of actions he committed while still Crown Prince against Esmond III examined by a court. The Emperor was sentenced to three fortnights of exile, the timing of which would be at his discretion. This final fortnight of exile was served primarily at the Austenasian Embassy to the United Kingdom in Roehampton. In one of the amendments to the Constitution passed last year, local elections can now take place in one or some towns instead of all at once. This is the first time since then that such has taken place. Although the Emperor’s self-imposed exile is now at an end, he will spend six days with his unmarried partner Princess Consort Hannah at her university accomodation in the British city of Chester before travelling back to Wrythe. He will arrive back at Carshalton station on the evening of Thursday 28th.

Lord Charles Clarke elected Speaker of the House of Representatives

Lord Charles Clarke, Duke of Grantabridge was yesterday elected as the first Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Speaker of the House of Representatives Act 2014 was passed in October last year, but specified that the first holder of this new office would be elected after the next local election. With the local election that took place on 31 August now over, the Representatives – newly confirmed in their mandate – chose Lord Charles as the first Speaker. The duties of the Speaker will be to preside over and maintain order of meetings of the House of Representatives, recognising motions and counting votes. To date, this function had been de facto performed by the Monarch or Prime Minister. Lord Charles Clarke has served as Representative of Lichtenstein since that Town’s foundation.

89% approve proposed constitutional amendments

A referendum held yesterday saw proposed amendments to the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 approved by a majority of 89.47%, while local elections held at the same time saw all incumbent Representatives re-elected. Out of the 49 subjects eligible to vote in the referendum, 38 did so, a turnout of 77.55%. Three votes (7.89%) were cast in abstention, and only one person (2.63%) voted against the proposed amendments. The main amendments which had been proposed were explained for the benefit of voters in a YouTube video which can be seen here. 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 ten Representatives opposes the changes, they will not be able to be passed. Should Parliament approve the amendments, they will come into force at one second past midnight on the morning of Sunday 20th September. Alongside the voting for the amendments was voting for Representatives, with local elections taking place at the same time. All the incumbents were re-elected, and under the provisions of an Act of Parliament passed in October last year, the Representatives will shortly choose from amongst themselves a Speaker to help moderate parliamentary proceedings.

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

Referendum for constitutional amendments to coincide with local elections

His Imperial Majesty the Emperor yesterday promulgated an Imperial Decree which ordered a referendum to take place on 31 August in which all Austenasian subjects will be able to vote on proposed amendments to the Constitution. Local elections will also take place on 31 August, in which each Town will choose who to serve as its Representative in Parliament. Several of the proposed amendments are little more than corrections to mistakes in the spelling and grammar of the Constitution, which was adopted in September 2011. The main amendments which have been proposed are: Local elections shall take place at least once every five years instead of at least once every two years. Local elections will be able to take place in Towns individually. At present, all Towns have their local election at the same time. The structure of the judicial system will be able to be reorganised by Parliament (it currently being entrenched by the Constitution). Parliament will be able to make provision for whom the Throne should pass to should the Line of Succession come to an end. The Monarch will be able to temporarily suspend the Constitution should there be an emergency so severe (an “existential threat to the state”) that normal government becomes completely impossible. Subjects will have the option to vote Yes, No, or Abstain to the proposed changes. Should over half of all Austenasian subjects vote Yes, then an Act of Parliament will be proposed to put the amendments into effect, which will require the support of over 80% of Representatives to pass.

Local election results announced

Local elections were held yesterday, with the results as expected by many. All Towns have elected or re-elected the sole candidate standing for election. Shineshore is the only Town to have not yet announced their results, but it is assumed that as elsewhere the only candidate – in this case Lord Centurion Alastair – has been elected Representative. All elections had the option to abstain – if this got more votes than the candidate running for election, the respective Town Council would have had the authority to take over from the Representative. Several of the candidates had only been Acting Representatives, having been appointed as such by Parliament upon their Town joining Austenasia but not until now elected. As all members of the House of Representatives are now fully elected Representatives, it is expected for changes in the composition of Cabinet to be announced in the following days. UPDATE 17 OCTOBER 15:29: Lord Centurion Alastair was elected in Shineshore.

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