Praetonia
16-12-2004, 18:07
The Imperial Parliament of Praetonia stood on the bottom floor of a grand tower. For as long as the ancient tower stood it had marked the geographic and political centre of the nation. The grand building stood on deep foundations, into which it had been sinking for the last 1,000 years so that there was a visible dip in the ground as it was approached. Still, the great artifice stood thousands of metres above the Praeton landscape, bristling with ancient firing ports of muskets and cannon. At its top a massive flag blew in the wind, attached to a solid gold flagpole that was asserted to have been 'liberated' by Praetonian citizens at the fall of Rome. The flag had stood atop the great Obsidian Tower since the inception of the Praetonian state, long before the civil war which made her a Democratic Republic, and later a Democratic Imperium.
Below was a large courtyard in front of the entrance to the Imperial Parliament. Ever since the civil war, no living soul has set foot above the first floor of the Obsidian Tower, which was the historic residence of the deposed feudal Kings of Praetonia. In the courtyard, a troop of Horseguards, immaculate in polished brass helmets and striking red uniforms, paraded before the grand hallway into the heart of Praetonian government. Before them rested 24 great cannon, each rescued from the chaos of the end of the civil war 248 years ago.
Inside the building, MPs has filed through the lobbies about a half hour prior, and were now, for the most part, in the MPs’ bar. Sarius Publius, the Prime Minister of many years, was sitting at a very large table, surrounded by his closest Parliamentary friends. Almost exactly a year earlier, at Christmas, a Private Members’ Bill was submitted to create a position of Imperator of the Democratic Imperium and Her Imperial Possesions and minutes ago, the Bill had been voted on.
“It’s incredible,” said the Prime Minister in disbelief, “I never thought it would actually happen.”
“Perhaps it won’t,” pointed out the Foreign Secretary, sitting opposite him. The man had always been an opponent of the Establishment of Imperium Act, but as it was his good friend the PM who was to be made Imperator, he was willing to put that aside in his company.
“I still don’t know why they put your name forward,” said a junior minister from somewhere to the right, “I mean you’re an excellent politician and most certainly popular, but coming from a Conservative…” He was referring to the fact that the bill, which would make the current Liberal-Imperialist Prime Minsiter Imperator, was written by the opposition Conservative Party leader.
“Perhaps they want me out of the way,” the Prime Minister thought aloud. He had supported the Act, even before it was decided that he would be the first Emperor. He felt it befitting of an Empire, even if the Imperator of Praetonia would be a mere figurehead with largely ceremonial powers, “but in any case, if this Act is passed, tomorrow we will be a real Imperium, and it won’t just be a name.”
“Hear, hear!” said the rest of the table in unison.
“To the Imperium!” said one, raising his glass.
“To the Imperium!” the rest agreed. The Liberal-Imperialists, and indeed to an extent the Conservatives, did not understand why other nations looked down on Empires. Ture, in the past, some Empires had committed grave human rights abuses, but not the Praetonian. Following on from, and attempting to correct the mistakes of, the British Empire, Praetonia pumped funds and manpower into her colonies, and they were given fair representation in Praeton. As in mainland Praetonia, patriotism was huge, and with no First World War to instigate social change, Praetonia could be described as a 19th Century society, although with a welfare state.
As they put their glasses back on the table, a tremendous boom emanated from the courtyard outside. Through the massive granite and obsidian walls, it reached them more as a great rumble, but they each understood what it meant. Thirteen of the great guns had fired, indicating the time of one o’clock in the afternoon. MPs all around the room finished off their drinks in one or two gulps, and then made their way from the wood-beamed room through the public lobby and into the House of Plebians. Once the 1,324 MPs had found seats, the speaker of the House made his way to a large podium at the front of the room where he sat during a Parliamentary session.
“Right Honourable Members of the Imperial Parliament, the results of the vote on the Establishment of Imperium Act Private Memebrs’ Bill is as follows:” the entire House watched with bated breath. The issue had been deeply contended on both sides, and it had been agreed that no party would advise their members to vote one way or another. Some, like may Liberal-Imperialists, saw the Act as the final move needed to establish Praetonia as a proper Empire. Others, however, saw the bill as a dangerous piece of legislation, which got the foot of totalitarianism firmly in the door of Praetonian politics, “Those in favour of the Act: six hundred and fifty three.”
There was a sigh from throughout the Chamber. The proponents of the bill lacked a majority, but it was not over yet. Although no one had had time to work it out yet, they only needed nineteen abstentions for the bill to pass, “Those in abstention: twenty two. Those in opposition: six hundred and forty nine.”
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Official Statement, Imperial Government
In the past few days, the Imperial Parliament of Praetonia has passed a bill instating former Prime Minister Sarius Publius as Prime Minister of the Democratic Imperium. The official coronation ceremony is scheduled to take place two weeks from now, at which point the previously un-opened upper areas of the Obsidian Tower in the centre of Praetonia will be opened. We therefore welcome foreign emissaries to travel to Praetonia to witness these two epic events in the history of the Democratic Imperium.
Below was a large courtyard in front of the entrance to the Imperial Parliament. Ever since the civil war, no living soul has set foot above the first floor of the Obsidian Tower, which was the historic residence of the deposed feudal Kings of Praetonia. In the courtyard, a troop of Horseguards, immaculate in polished brass helmets and striking red uniforms, paraded before the grand hallway into the heart of Praetonian government. Before them rested 24 great cannon, each rescued from the chaos of the end of the civil war 248 years ago.
Inside the building, MPs has filed through the lobbies about a half hour prior, and were now, for the most part, in the MPs’ bar. Sarius Publius, the Prime Minister of many years, was sitting at a very large table, surrounded by his closest Parliamentary friends. Almost exactly a year earlier, at Christmas, a Private Members’ Bill was submitted to create a position of Imperator of the Democratic Imperium and Her Imperial Possesions and minutes ago, the Bill had been voted on.
“It’s incredible,” said the Prime Minister in disbelief, “I never thought it would actually happen.”
“Perhaps it won’t,” pointed out the Foreign Secretary, sitting opposite him. The man had always been an opponent of the Establishment of Imperium Act, but as it was his good friend the PM who was to be made Imperator, he was willing to put that aside in his company.
“I still don’t know why they put your name forward,” said a junior minister from somewhere to the right, “I mean you’re an excellent politician and most certainly popular, but coming from a Conservative…” He was referring to the fact that the bill, which would make the current Liberal-Imperialist Prime Minsiter Imperator, was written by the opposition Conservative Party leader.
“Perhaps they want me out of the way,” the Prime Minister thought aloud. He had supported the Act, even before it was decided that he would be the first Emperor. He felt it befitting of an Empire, even if the Imperator of Praetonia would be a mere figurehead with largely ceremonial powers, “but in any case, if this Act is passed, tomorrow we will be a real Imperium, and it won’t just be a name.”
“Hear, hear!” said the rest of the table in unison.
“To the Imperium!” said one, raising his glass.
“To the Imperium!” the rest agreed. The Liberal-Imperialists, and indeed to an extent the Conservatives, did not understand why other nations looked down on Empires. Ture, in the past, some Empires had committed grave human rights abuses, but not the Praetonian. Following on from, and attempting to correct the mistakes of, the British Empire, Praetonia pumped funds and manpower into her colonies, and they were given fair representation in Praeton. As in mainland Praetonia, patriotism was huge, and with no First World War to instigate social change, Praetonia could be described as a 19th Century society, although with a welfare state.
As they put their glasses back on the table, a tremendous boom emanated from the courtyard outside. Through the massive granite and obsidian walls, it reached them more as a great rumble, but they each understood what it meant. Thirteen of the great guns had fired, indicating the time of one o’clock in the afternoon. MPs all around the room finished off their drinks in one or two gulps, and then made their way from the wood-beamed room through the public lobby and into the House of Plebians. Once the 1,324 MPs had found seats, the speaker of the House made his way to a large podium at the front of the room where he sat during a Parliamentary session.
“Right Honourable Members of the Imperial Parliament, the results of the vote on the Establishment of Imperium Act Private Memebrs’ Bill is as follows:” the entire House watched with bated breath. The issue had been deeply contended on both sides, and it had been agreed that no party would advise their members to vote one way or another. Some, like may Liberal-Imperialists, saw the Act as the final move needed to establish Praetonia as a proper Empire. Others, however, saw the bill as a dangerous piece of legislation, which got the foot of totalitarianism firmly in the door of Praetonian politics, “Those in favour of the Act: six hundred and fifty three.”
There was a sigh from throughout the Chamber. The proponents of the bill lacked a majority, but it was not over yet. Although no one had had time to work it out yet, they only needed nineteen abstentions for the bill to pass, “Those in abstention: twenty two. Those in opposition: six hundred and forty nine.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Official Statement, Imperial Government
In the past few days, the Imperial Parliament of Praetonia has passed a bill instating former Prime Minister Sarius Publius as Prime Minister of the Democratic Imperium. The official coronation ceremony is scheduled to take place two weeks from now, at which point the previously un-opened upper areas of the Obsidian Tower in the centre of Praetonia will be opened. We therefore welcome foreign emissaries to travel to Praetonia to witness these two epic events in the history of the Democratic Imperium.