Alduria

[EdwardBishop]

Monarchist Coalition gains Supermajority in the National Assembly

September 3223
A Coalition of Far-Right (Ultraroyalist) & Center-Right (Christian Democrat) parties wins 525 seats out of the 750 on National Assembly, constituting a Supermajority, beating out the Center-Left "Democratic Party of Alduria", after the Far-Left "Republican Workers Party" who constituted the previous Republcian government was expelled from the Legislature in the August elections...

A new Cabinet was constituted led by Henri-Jules d'Arkonia, Duke of Harkonia, as Premier, "Republican" Alduria's Head of Government...

Political Pundits in the Capital City of Aldur report that a return to the Imperial Constitution is already in the works, pending the nation's withdrawal from the International Alliance of Terran Republics, an interntional treaty that would otherwise hinder transitioning back to a Restored Imperial Government...

[EdwardBishop]

Restoration of the Monarchy in Alduria

August 3224
The Royalist Coalition restored the Imperial Constitution to the nation of Alduria, returning to its rightful place within the Holy Terran Empire, whose sovereign Emperor Siegmund II reigns from the Holy Luthori Empire...

The Offices of Government formed a smooth transition with no changes in personnel, merely a change in title and in some cases, location ... the Office of the Imperial Viceroy was reopened in the Palais de l'Orange, and the Office of the Popular Consulate in Aldur was converted to the Office of the Imperial Ministry of the Interior, an office held by Count-Palatine, Geoffroi d'Aldur, appointed aristocrat-mayor of the Capital City of Aldur... The office of the Premier was directly converted into the Imperial Chancellory, where His Grace, Henri-Jules, Duke of Harkonia, the elected-premier turned Chancellor announced his elation at the news that the duly elected representitives of the citizens of the "Departments" had ratified the Constitution and the Duchies could once again begin their administrative duties...

Crown Prince William d'Orange-Villayn, heir to the throne and Viceroy of Alduria, representing his Imperial Uncle, invited His Imperial Majesty, and entourage of nobility from the Holy Luthori Empire to visit Alduria and celebrate the Restoration, and reunion of their historic fraternity...

[EdwardBishop]

Early Elections & Low Voter Turnout Blamed for the Loss of the Monarchist Majority in the Estates-General; His Majesty's Government remains active regardless citing the Opposition Government as Unconstitutional...

February 3227

For the first time since the Restoration of the Monarchy, the Ultraroyalist Party of Alduria lost the simple majority in the Estates-General... by a mere 0.13% ...

Voter turnout during the last Election was only 61.78%, higher perhaps than some other national averages, but quite low for an Aldurian election...

Claiming 'tacit consent' support of the remaining percentage (taking as proof polls establishing a supermajority during the ratification of the Imperial Constitution), giving the regime an 'implied approval rating' of ~70% and lack of any proper candidates for leadership fielded by His Majesty's Party of Opposition, the 'old' government continues to operate from Le Palais de l'Orange, under the Imperial Viceroy, & Heir to the Throne, Crown Prince William d'Orange-Villayn...

Though the Estates-General is currently held by the Opposition to His Majesty; His Majesty's Government remains firmly in control of the Offices of State, and hopeful that the Election of 3229 will correct this tiny statistical anomaly, merely needing a single seat to once again regain the simple majority...

In the meanwhile, the Estates-General under control of the Opposition have begun illegally undermining the Imperial Constitution itself, taking their simple majority as a liscense to subvert the Constiution ratified by a supermajority a mere decade earlier... Before being censured by removal from Office, Lord-Justice Francois de la Court, Marquis de Verrici, decried these acts as making the government established by the opposition as Unconstitutional... the former Lord-Justice of Alduria was made Attourney-General to the Viceregal Government pending the results of the next election and his predicted restoration to the former office...

[EdwardBishop]

1st Amendment Passed - Reforms the Estates-General

January 3236

A drastic reformation of the Estates-General was conducted after passing the 1st Amendment of the Imperial Constitution of Alduria, unseating 90% of the membership by reducing the number of seats in the Chamber from 750 to 75... The move comes merely a year after the removal of the Parties deemed as Unconstitutional from the Estates-General...

The Amendment futher clarifies the specific arrangement of the seatings of the remaining 75 members to the following constitution:

15 seats in each of the 5 Duchies: Harkonia, Bendiri, Zanyal Valley, Monadalat, and the Grand Duchy (aka Grand Aldur, Old Orange, or New Bindiri)

Divided between the following:
5 from the Aristocracy:
1 Duke, or Grand Duke
4 Counts

5 from the Church:
1 Archbishop
4 Bishops

5 from the Commons:
1 Senator
4 Representatives

[EdwardBishop]

L'Empereur est Mort, Viva l'Empereur!

August 3241

Emperor Siegmund II passed on to be with The Lord, and was succeeded by his nephew, who had been serving as Imperial Viceroy of Alduria, Crown Prince William d'Orange-Villayn, Prince of Orange

The Emperor is set to be crowned soon in both Luthori & Alduria as:

Son Excellence Impériale, l'Empereur William II d'Aldurie et V du Luthori

[EdwardBishop]

Les Estates-Genereaux d'Alduria recognizes HSH Philippe d'Orange-Villayn as heir to the Throne

In the first session of the Estates-General since the election of His Serene Highness, Philippe d'Orange-Villayn, the Prince of Orange, as Viceroy of Alduria; the 75 members of the Estates-General recognized the His Highness, the Viceroy, as Heir to the Throne of Alduria with a Supermajority made up of the representatives of the Aristocracy & Clergy & Loyal Commons, while several of the electors of the Commons refused to assent in the name of Radical Republicanism...

[EdwardBishop]

Ultraroyalists win 100% of the seats in the Estates-General reserved for the Aristocracy, 0% of the Commons

August 3260

Elections proved to be decisive this year after Les Ultraroyalists d'Alduria announced support for the formation of the Imperial Union of Canrille between their neighboring nations of Kanjor & Rildanour;

With 75 Seats total in the Estates-General, with 25 Seats reserved for the Aristocracy, The Ultroyalists kept every seat in that Estate but lost the 2 seats from the Commons that had allowed them previously to enjoy a bloc against any potential supermajority coalition forming...

However, they remain the largest single party in the nation, with their candidate for Viceroy, Crown Prince Philippe d'Orange-Villayn confirmed by election for another term, winning 57.21% of the votes in the General Election for the Monarchist Coalition vs. 42.65% for the Republican Coalition's Candidate; with their Imperial Alliance (IA) Coalition Partner, the Parti Democrate Chretien forming the second largest party,

Thus, they still constitute the Government of Alduria, with the the aging Grand Duke Henri-Jules of Harkonia serving yet another term as Imperial Chancellor of Alduria, making him the longest serving Head of Government in Aldurian history, beating out the previous recordholder, Bruno Lajoie, who was eventually imprisoned and sentenced to death for treason against the people, after he had refused to give up his office in Val Alfred upon the Aldurian Government's return to the Capital of Aldur & eventual Restoration of the Monarchy in 3186...

[EdwardBishop]

Imperial Marriage in South Seleya

The Aldurian Imperial Herald is most pleased to announce to all of Terra the imperial marriage between the Imperial Houses d'Orange-Villayn & d'Orleans-Vasser et Villiers,

The Groom:

His Royal & Serene Highness, Philippe d'Orange-Villayn, Prince of Orange & Viceroy of Alduria

Heir to:

His Imperial and Most Excellent Majesty, William V and II, Emperor of Luthori & Alduria

The Bride:

Her Serene Highness, Nöelle d'Orleans-Vasser & Villiers, Princess de la Canrille

Sister of:

HIM François I, l'Empereur de la Canrille et du Noumonde, Roi des Rildanoriennes, Roi du Kanjor et La Tondelle

The wedding ceremony is to take place in the Royal Chapel at the Chateau du Zanyal in Alduria just beyond the common border with the Kingdoms of Canrille...

Security will be provided by the Aldurian Ministry of Defense, overseen personally by the Minister of Defence, Lord-General Charles-Pierre Piedmonte III, grandson of the late Grand Marshal of the Aldurian Armed Forces...

The Aldurian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be on standby to assist citizens of the Holy Luthori Empire who wish to attend the wedding in making arrangements for travel and lodging...

Government officials report that, if the Emperor himself attends, he will be given his right of precedence whilst in Alduria along with His Imperial Chambers in the New Orange Palace just outside Aldur, which would make the first time both the Emperor & His heir were in the same nation together since His Majesty's Coronation in Fort William, due to the stipulations outlined in the the "Union of Luthori & Alduria" written 550 years ago...

[EdwardBishop]

An Heir is Born

His Royal Highness, Philippe d'Orange-Villayn, Crown Prince of Orange & Viceroy of Alduria, and his wife, Princess Nöelle d'Orleans-Vasser & Villiers, are proud to announce the birth of their firstborn son,

Gustave d'Orange-Villayn

Gustave will be Baptised "Gustavus" after his paternal great-grandfather, Emperor Gustavus II, in the traditional rite of the Holy Luthorian Church, and is second in line for the Imperial Throne, after his father Philippe (who will reign as Philip III), and will reign as Gustavus III upon taking the throne,

[EdwardBishop]

Aldurian Citizens gain Priviliges for their Local Governments

September 3299

In a surprising turn of events, l'Assemblee Populaire d'Alduria passed the Privilyges de le Noblesse d'Alduria Act passed in a vote of 315 (Les Ultraroyalistes) to 190 (Democrate Chretiens) without a veto by the Crown, which would have required a 2/3rds majority in order to pass. Most surprising because Les U, with the landed aristocracy as its membership base, had previously supported the authority of the Crown as Absolute in Alduria, partly in reaction against rising Anti-Monarchist sentiment. Political scientists have sugguested that now that the threat of militant republicanism is gone, the government can now trust citizens of Alduria can now begin to govern themselves more directly and locally without fear of anarchic uprisings.

Speaking for the Crown, His Royal Highness, Crown Prince Philippe d'Orange-Villayn, Viceroy of Alduria said of this fundamental shift away from Absolutism: "My father, our Lord Emperor William V of Luthori & II of Alduria, and I have enjoyed the loyalty paid to us by our Aldurian People, and in His Grace, we have decided to support the traditional priviliges and authority of the local citizens of Alduria with greater responsibility in the decisionmaking process at the local level," he went on later to add, "after all, what may be the best decision on a certain issue for citizens in Harkonia or Mondalat, may not be right for citizens in the Zanyal Valley," and concluded with, "it is our chief concern to see to the rights and privilges of our citizens of Alduria protected and expanded free from the threat of chaos and civil war that had been hanging like a dark cloud over our fair land in past centuries,"