Greek territory founded
Austenasia has seen further expansion with the annexation of a territory in Greece finalised on Tuesday 12th December, coming less than a fortnight after the annexation of a Romanian territory. The new Territory of Elmythia consists of a large garden of a residential property in Almiros, and was claimed for the Empire by its owner, the now Lord Konstantinos Papanatsios. It was annexed by Imperial Decree on Tuesday 12th. Lord Papanatsios has been appointed Baron and Governor of Elmythia, and granted Austenasian national status. Elmythia is now one of two Austenasian land claims to border Greece, the other being the crown dependency of Kaiomenia.
Parliamentary representation for non-residential subjects
Non-residential subjects of Austenasia will henceforth be able to vote for Representatives in Parliament, following a new law passed this evening. This sees the culmination of efforts led by Prime Minister Lord William Wilson, whose campaign for the premiership included a pledge to see parliamentary representation for non-residential subjects (an idea originally proposed by his predecessor Lord John Gordon) finally arranged. No parliamentary representation for non-residential subjects was provided for by the Austenasian Constitution of 2011 or its subsequent amendments, due to their historically having made up such a small proportion of Austenasia’s population. However, in recent years the proportion of Austenasians who do not live within Austenasia itself has increased, with a notable jump in numbers happening in May earlier this year as a result of Honorary Subjects being able to apply for naturalisation. While still technically a minority, just under half of Austenasians – 47.3% – now hold non-residential subjectship as opposed to being residential subjects living in traditionally organised territorial Towns. The growing proportion of non-residential subjects has made it a pressing concern of the government to enable parliamentary representation for them, with the Constitution only allotting Representatives to Towns. Today’s Act of Parliament has changed the definition of Town to include a new entity known as a Division, into which Austenasia’s seventy non-residential subjects are henceforth grouped. Four Divisions have been established, grouping together non-residential subjects living in the British Isles, in the rest of Europe and Africa, in Asia, and in the Americas and Oceania. Parliament has appointed a prominent non-residential from each of these regions as Acting Representative of their Division on a provisional basis until elections are organised: Non-residential subjects will be contacted over the coming few days to inform them of these reforms, and to begin organising elections for the new Divisions. With the addition of the four above-mentioned Acting Representatives to Parliament, the House of Representatives now stands at 15 strong, the largest it has ever been.
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.
Naturalisation process introduced for Honorary Subjects
Honorary Subjects of Austenasia who have held this status for a certain amount of time will from now on be able to apply to the Home Office for naturalisation, thereby becoming non-residential subjects with full Austenasian national status. For most of Austenasian history, the only way for a non-resident to become an Austenasian was for an Act of Parliament to be passed specifically authorising it, although in 2020 new rules were brought in allowing the Monarch to grant subjectship to an applicant with the sponsorship of an Austenasian noble. Honorary Subjectship was created in November 2008, when Austenasia was only two months old, after several people interested in Austenasia requested some means of affiliation with the country short of becoming a subject (which, at the time, would have required moving in to the Imperial Residence). Honorary Subjectship is granted by the Secretary-General after an application is made online. The new process sets out three categories under which Honorary Subjects can apply for naturalisation, namely those who have: All 658 of the Empire’s existing Honorary Subjects have been sent an e-mail explaining this new opportunity, and invited to apply if interested and qualified via an online form. This marks the first time that Honorary Subjectship has ever been anything other than completely honorary. Although the position will continue to carry no rights or obligations by itself, it now serves as a potential pathway to naturalisation. This new naturalisation process was set up by the Office of the Secretary-General and the Home Office’s Department for the Census, after being authorised by the Procedures and Offices Act 2023 passed on 2 March earlier this month.
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.
Queen Elizabeth II dies aged 96
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has died after a reign of 70 years. Emperor Jonathan I has announced an Empire-wide state of mourning to last until the Queen’s funeral. For the first four and a half years of the Empire of Austenasia, its entire population also owed allegiance to Queen Elizabeth as sovereign of the United Kingdom, with which all Austenasians up to that point were dual citizens. Even today, due to the various dual nationalities of all Austenasians, Elizabeth II was the joint sovereign of over a quarter of the Austenasian population (27.6%; 29 out of 105). Elizabeth II is now succeeded as monarch by her son Charles, formerly Prince of Wales, who met Crown Princess Caroline in March earlier this year. Shortly after learning of her death, Emperor Father Terry led a formal toast to the Queen’s memory in Parliament Hall. Furthermore, Lord John Gordon, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has suspended all parliamentary business. Full and official tributes to Queen Elizabeth II will be released by the Austenasian Throne and government in due course. Born on 21 April 1926, Elizabeth II became Queen upon the death of her father King George VI on 6 February 1952. As well as reigning over the United Kingdom, Elizabeth II held the thrones of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, and ten other Commonwealth Realms.
Pontunia downsized with cession of claims
Pontunia, Austenasia’s most populated land claim, has been “streamlined” into New Pontunia with the cession of much of its land area and some of its population. Pontunia, which had functioned as an independent micronation for nine months prior to its annexation by Austenasia in October last year, had been comprised of twenty three people living in thirteen houses, with two public parks also claimed. Despite being annexed as a Crown Dependency – giving its leader, Duke Andrew, a completely autonomous local administration – concerns within Cabinet have often been raised over the stability of Pontunia. In one occasion in early December, the Duke led a force of Pontunian knights to apprehend and arrest a group of his citizens after they rebelled against his rule. Embarrassment was also caused for the Empire on the international stage after the Duke – eager to play an active role in diplomatic affairs – repeatedly attempted to apply for membership in international organisations such as the Grand Unified Micronational on behalf of Pontunia, despite it being made clear by said organisations that as a constituent part of Austenasia, it was ineligible. After consultation between Emperor Jonathan I and Duke Andrew, an Act of Parliament was therefore passed yesterday which has reduced Pontunia to a more “manageable” size. Austenasia has relinquished sovereignty over four houses containing those least happy with Austenasian rule, as well as the two public parks (one of which was over 147 acres and unable to be realistically governed by Pontunia). These properties have been claimed by the Duke as a new, independent Duchy of Pontunia, enabling him to take an active part in foreign affairs as per his wishes and to deal with his more troublesome followers outside of Austenasia’s jurisdiction. To avoid confusion, the original polity – retaining Duke Andrew as Governing Commissioner, but now much smaller in size – will from now on be referred to as New Pontunia. The downsizing of New Pontunia has reduced the Austenasian population by eight people, down to one hundred and thirteen.
Ministry of Territories and the Diaspora established
Tuesday 19th January saw a new Cabinet Ministry created by Parliament to enable greater political participation for non-residential subjects and for the governors of uninhabited territories. Out of Austenasia’s population of one hundred and twenty one, only eighty five live in Austenasia itself. The other thirty six, known as non-residential subjects, form an Austenasian diaspora the majority of whom live in the United Kingdom, USA, Greece, and New Virginia. Given non-residential subjects do not live in a Town, they are not represented in Parliament. Their comparatively limited ability to have their voices heard has been noted before, but Emperor Jonathan I and PM Lord John Gordon agreed to enact concrete steps towards enabling their greater political participation. The newly-established Ministry of Territories and the Diaspora has therefore been tasked with creating a group for non-residential subjects which will allow them to have a greater involvement in Austenasian politics and culture. The exact form this group will take and the time-frame for its creation have not yet been confirmed, but membership will be voluntary. The new ministry has also been given the responsibility of “relaying to Cabinet the concerns, requests or opinions of Governors”, that is, the officials that administer uninhabited Austenasian land claims, who have prior to this not automatically had any official means of having their voices heard in lawmaking or policy. Lord Andrew Creed has been appointed the first Minister of Territories and the Diaspora. He is Austenasia’s longest serving Governor, having administered Corinium Terentium since December 2013.
Two new Austenasian Towns founded
Sunday 20th December saw two new Towns formed in the Empire of Austenasia. Blue Ridge, which was founded in July as an uninhabited Territory, became a Town after it expanded to claim a neighbouring residential property. The second new town is New Flat Rock, a property claimed from North Carolina for Austenasia by its residents and owner. Both new towns have a population of five, and so have boosted Austenasia’s population by ten to one hundred and nineteen, a new record. Lady Addison Dillon, governor of Blue Ridge while it was a territory, has been appointed its Acting Representative now it is a town. The now Lord Hunter Prater, who led the initiative of claiming New Flat Rock for Austenasia, has been made its Acting Representative and granted the title Count of Henderson.
Record-breaking expansion with new Crown Dependency
Tuesday 27th October saw the Crown Dependency of Pontunia founded with the annexation of a large number of properties from the outskirts of New Orleans. Pontunia was founded in January 2020, and has existed as a self-governing community since then under the leadership of its duke, Andrew I. Dozens of relatives and family friends joined Pontunia, claiming their houses for the duchy, which also claimed two local parks frequented by its citizens. The idea of coming under Austenasia’s sphere of influence grew in popularity in Pontunia, until Andrew I contacted the Austenasian government earlier this month with a request to join the Empire as an autonomous Crown Dependency. This new annexation has broken several records. For one, it is the largest boost to the Austenasian population in history, with twenty three new residents. The has increased the Austenasian population to a record high of 109. As well as becoming the local-level administrative division with the largest population in Austenasian history (the previous record held by New Richmond at 20), Pontunia is also comprised of the greatest number of non-contiguous areas of land, with fifteen separate land claims (thirteen houses and two parks). As a Crown Dependency, Pontunia now falls under Austenasian sovereignty, but is autonomous from Parliament and Cabinet in regard to domestic affairs, in which absolute power is held by the Emperor and exercised by his governing commissioner (in this case Duke Andrew I). For domestic administration, the Duke has chosen to retain the system of government held by Pontunia prior to its annexation.
