The constitutional crisis in Hutori continues. President-Elect Ultrackius asserted his status as the President of Hutori by introducing several treaty ratification bills - a constitutional duty reserved only for foreign ministers and Presidents. The bills were ruled allowed on the House floor, and now must be voted on. The bills cover a range of topics from cryptocurrencies to civil servant independence to LGBT rights and slavery. Furthermore, he introduced a new budget that increases taxes on high income earners and all but eliminates taxes for the poor.
Said Dr. Pietro Cassetti, a constitutional law scholar at Williams University:
"It is a brilliant move by Ultrackius. He's basically forcing all the other parties to either abstain from voting or tacitly accept his status as President. If they don't vote on the resolutions, they risk the wrath of voters who want to see results. If they vote yes, they de facto accept Ultrackius's position as President and supporting his agenda. If they vote no, they will be voting against very popular provisions such as codifying LGBTQI rights and the condemnation of slavery! There is no way for the government to win in this case."
Said Philip Stevens, Professor of Constitutional Law at Lexington University:
"What Ultrackius is doing is a direct affront to our system of government. It completely flouts all of our norms as a nation. Yet again, the USPH has trampled over the constitution and threatened to throw our nation into chaos. But is it illegal? I don't know that it is. If tomorrow the entire Monarchy died, leaving no one left, we wouldn't make Carmichael President for life! written Constitution says nothing about the Oath of Transfer. Ultrackius, while irresponsibly flouting the norms of this country, may actually be within the bounds of the law. And that terrifies me."
At the same time, New Liberal Leader Rebecca Doyle's crusade to demand concessions from the government in exchange for coronating her highness Mary III continued. Doyle proposed a 12 provision bill of which several of the provisions clearly aligned with the Federalist's policy platform. While voting is still open, the Federalists have voted against the bill - putting them on the record as having opposed devolution of decision-making around tobacco use, prostitution, selective schooling, and farm size to local authorities. With the Federalists voting against the bill, it will need all of the Royalist Party and all of the Scientians to vote for it to pass. As both parties oppose omnibus bills on principle, the so-called compromise is dead on arrival.
Professor Casetti explains Doyle's reasoning as follows:
"What Doyle is doing here is simple, she's made the calculus that the New Liberals are going to lose mightily in the next election. She knows she may not even be allowed in Parliament much longer due to her conduct. She's doing everything she can to make the other parties have to abstain from voting, or vote against their own policy interest. It is spiteful, and completely changes the game."
Doyle rival and New Liberal "Resistance" leader Peter Knox actually supported the compromise bill, saying:
"I fully expect that the government, if it passed the compromise, could easily just introduce an omnibus bill without constitutional changes that undid whatever Rebecca put forth - and I'd support them in it. In fact, I'd even introduce the 'return to the status quo' bill if there were enough votes to pass the compromise myself."
Casetti may be correct that Doyle may not be the leader of the New Liberal Party much longer. A bill has been put forward to examine her ethics and conduct as a member of Parliament. Should she be found guilty of misconduct, she would be barred from serving in the Parliament much longer. Even if she is exonerated, Knox and other key party figures have been developing plans to remove her as leader. Knox was seen boarding a plane to Davostag this morning - presumably to visit former leader and current Ambassador to St. Muron and Davostan, Russell Selwyn, who many in the party think is the only person able to end the crisis and heal the divisions between the Doylite and Knoxian wings of the party.