Vorona

[imperialpearl]

An end to Democracy in Vorona

With the nation reeling from the corruption scandal which brought down both the ruling Government and the Opposition, President Netherwood suspends parliament and appoints a "Council of Government" to rule Vorona until the nation's historic woes have been addressed. 

22nd March 5641| By Nicholas Solomon

President Eugene Netherwood officiating over the formal suspension of the Voronan Federal Parliament

In the immediate aftermath of the resignation of the government led by the former Chief Minister, as a result of the recommendations of the Gordon Committee which pointed to a broader lack of confidence in the Voronan political system among the vast majority of the nation’s citizens, President Ewan Netherwood, in an extremely unprecedented move, had formally suspended the national parliament indefinitely, ending centuries of democratic rule in Vorona. In a statement read from the Speaker’s chair in the parliament, President Netherwood cited the nation’s internal political and economic uncertainty as justification for his “extraordinary intervention”, as he argued that the resignation of the previous Samuel Bissoon-led government, broad disillusionment by the general public as to the ability of the nation’s elected officials to resolve the decades long malaise and the potential for broader uncertainty within Voronan society, necessitated “decisive action.” In its simplest form, the Voronan constitution borrows numerous articles from the Luthorian, Hutorian and Kalistani constitutions in that it provides for the head of state to exercise extraordinary powers during periods of uncertainty or national emergencies. Although by convention, such powers have been traditionally exercised within the confines of parliamentary consensus, the constitution nonetheless provides for the President to not only dissolve parliament but to suspend “responsible democratic government” within the nation until a period wherein it is reasonable that democratic procedures may resume. “We must recognise that this is but a necessary step towards resetting the internal psyche of the nation. We must use this as an opportunity to clean up our act and to demonstrate to the world that we [Vorona] are capable of governing ourselves. It is time that we review all aspects of our society,” President Netherwood’s statement read.

What has separated President Netherwood’s intervention from similar moves throughout history is the fact that the decision enjoys both the support of the broader public and the parliament as a whole. Before formally suspending parliamentary proceedings, all 60 representatives of the national parliament (including members of the House of Representatives and the Senate) voted to prompt Netherwood’s response. The collapse of the previous government had left the national parliament is disarray as the wider Voronan body politik voiced their indifference to the government’s collapse alongside the idea of fresh elections. “It is the view of the public that we [the parliament] have failed them. Decades, if not centuries, of malaise have culminated in their rejection of the current system. It is therefore only right that we act in their interests, perhaps for the final time, and suspend democratic proceedings such that we can ‘reset’ society,” Anil Hernandez, leader of now defunct Voronan People’s Party, proclaimed in his final speech prior to the suspension of parliament. Many have resisted the temptation to brand President Netherwood’s decision as the “opening of a dictatorship” as the decision had been long advocated for by the general public and has been met with similarly high praise. Canvasing the opinions of some citizens who held a brief demonstration at the National Assembly building in Port Bradford, many stated that if the suspension of democratic proceedings would translate into the economic and social upheaval which has plagued the nation for the better half of a century to finally be placed at the front burner, then it was a step they would wholeheartedly support. “Time an’ time again, we callin’ on de same parties who say dey lookin’ out for we, to fix de economic an’ social problems dat hauntin’ dis country for donkey years. But wha’ goin’ on? Is de same ole corruption an’ mismanagement every time! If dis is wha’ it takin’ to get tings done, well… so be it!” one citizen remarked.

The suspension of parliament and the formal resignation of the government/cabinet would mean that Vorona would exist in a sort of stasis, as there is unlikely to be any formal elections. In the same statement read in the National Assembly, President Netherwood stated that going forward, Vorona would likely be governed by an “Executive Council”, through which he shall act as its Chief Executive. Much of the day-to-day business of the Executive Council, however, shall be governed by a Chief Secretary appointed by the President. With domestic politics “paused”, some have speculated on the composition of the supposed Executive Council. Given that the suspension of democratic proceedings came as a result of the nation’s precarious situation, it is expected that such a council would likely be results-oriented, with a specific focus on solving the issues at hand. This has led many to believe that the Executive Council may take on the form of a technocracy. “I think we’re transitioning to a brief period of ‘post-politics’, where the idea that long-term goals are to be limited by short-term electoral timelines is ultimately abandoned and when we embrace the idea of long-term planning.” Stefan Modeste, a news columnist and political commentator, explained. Speculation is currently swirling within the public as to who the supposed Chief Secretary of this Executive Council may be. Some have proposed veteran banker Selwyn Browne, administrator Errol Prisban or experienced lawyer Kirk Ragbir SC. The forerunner and the most likely choice, Errol Prisban, previously served as City Manager of Port Bradford and the President of the Treasury Board of Vorona.