Triancia
21-10-2005, 23:39
TRIANCIA BRINGS BACK NOBILITY
Controversial decision passes by slim margin
New Triancian Wire Service,
Amar Rabuka
October 21st, 2005
JOSEPH II FEDERAL DISTRICT-With a 35-30 vote in the affirmative yesterday, the Parliament has authorized the revival of the Triancian nobility, ushering into law one of the most controversial Acts since the formation of the Federal Kingdom 115 years ago.
The reemergence of the nobility has been a key plank in the Royalist Party platform, but the new Act of Parliament itself was conceived only a year and a half ago, on April 14th, 2004, by the senior Royalist MP, Donald Shaffer. Mr. Shaffer had argued that the bill itself was not an attempt to reestablish the Triancian monarchy, but, rather, ‘instill in the Triancian citizen a sense of tradition, and to show the international community this great aspect of our culture and history.’
It immediately met fierce opposition from the leaderships of all other major parties, and was, in a few days, initially stuck down by Prime Minister Deckard as ‘unconstitutional and not fit for review’. A challenge to the First Federal Court of Triancia found that it did not, in fact, violate any of the Nobility Clauses of the Constitution of the Federal Kingdom, which collectively state that no person may hold governmental power or office at Federal or Provincial level solely based on heraldic rank, nor may heraldic rank be used as a limiting factor in appointment or election candidacy. The Official Opinion of the Court stated that ‘the Parliament is not restricted from creating a non-governmental nobility, and cannot be stopped from doing so, short of an Amendment to the Constitution.’
The Act itself authorizes the recognition of all previous heraldic lines from Baron to Duke, grants them a stipend and a small amount of public land, charges the Ministry of Interior Affairs with creating an office dedicated to managing benefits and tracking lineage, and, in a surprising delegation of power, authorizes the presidency to grant lower titles, vacant higher titles, and new titles created by Acts of Parliament. Parliament does retain control of oversight, however, by being able to impeach those who use a noble rank in violation of the Constitution. The ranks above Duke will not be recognized, believed mostly to be the result of heavy pressuring from the Office of the President, which, in a statement released a month ago, said that ‘no power should be thought of as sovereign, figurehead or otherwise, unless the Triancian people select them.’
The President and the majority of his Federalist Party have been the main detractors of the Act. The Federalist Party itself, in a joint statement with the leadership of the Republic Party, has stated that noble ranks in any form are detrimental to the fabric of a democracy. This weight offered by these groups were ultimately defeated by what some call a massive public relations campaign privately funded by the Royalist Party, and the rise of self-titled ‘traditionalists’ throughout the Party spectrum who favor Royal accoutrements to the Kingdom that do not interfere with government processes.
The Chairman of the Republic Party, Harriet Wesel, is voraciously opposed to these measures. “What are we saying to our people and the world, when some people in our democracy receive benefits simply because they were born to a certain person? It may be tradition, but it is undemocratic, and it is wrong.”
This wire service has confirmed that Ms. Wesel, by this new Act, would officially be Duchess of the Province of Raligha. When informed of this, she announced that when the act took effect next week, she would immediately resign the title. “I stick by my principles,” she said, “and I will not place myself above my party or my fellow citizens for a part of our culture that should have died in the 19th century.”
Controversial decision passes by slim margin
New Triancian Wire Service,
Amar Rabuka
October 21st, 2005
JOSEPH II FEDERAL DISTRICT-With a 35-30 vote in the affirmative yesterday, the Parliament has authorized the revival of the Triancian nobility, ushering into law one of the most controversial Acts since the formation of the Federal Kingdom 115 years ago.
The reemergence of the nobility has been a key plank in the Royalist Party platform, but the new Act of Parliament itself was conceived only a year and a half ago, on April 14th, 2004, by the senior Royalist MP, Donald Shaffer. Mr. Shaffer had argued that the bill itself was not an attempt to reestablish the Triancian monarchy, but, rather, ‘instill in the Triancian citizen a sense of tradition, and to show the international community this great aspect of our culture and history.’
It immediately met fierce opposition from the leaderships of all other major parties, and was, in a few days, initially stuck down by Prime Minister Deckard as ‘unconstitutional and not fit for review’. A challenge to the First Federal Court of Triancia found that it did not, in fact, violate any of the Nobility Clauses of the Constitution of the Federal Kingdom, which collectively state that no person may hold governmental power or office at Federal or Provincial level solely based on heraldic rank, nor may heraldic rank be used as a limiting factor in appointment or election candidacy. The Official Opinion of the Court stated that ‘the Parliament is not restricted from creating a non-governmental nobility, and cannot be stopped from doing so, short of an Amendment to the Constitution.’
The Act itself authorizes the recognition of all previous heraldic lines from Baron to Duke, grants them a stipend and a small amount of public land, charges the Ministry of Interior Affairs with creating an office dedicated to managing benefits and tracking lineage, and, in a surprising delegation of power, authorizes the presidency to grant lower titles, vacant higher titles, and new titles created by Acts of Parliament. Parliament does retain control of oversight, however, by being able to impeach those who use a noble rank in violation of the Constitution. The ranks above Duke will not be recognized, believed mostly to be the result of heavy pressuring from the Office of the President, which, in a statement released a month ago, said that ‘no power should be thought of as sovereign, figurehead or otherwise, unless the Triancian people select them.’
The President and the majority of his Federalist Party have been the main detractors of the Act. The Federalist Party itself, in a joint statement with the leadership of the Republic Party, has stated that noble ranks in any form are detrimental to the fabric of a democracy. This weight offered by these groups were ultimately defeated by what some call a massive public relations campaign privately funded by the Royalist Party, and the rise of self-titled ‘traditionalists’ throughout the Party spectrum who favor Royal accoutrements to the Kingdom that do not interfere with government processes.
The Chairman of the Republic Party, Harriet Wesel, is voraciously opposed to these measures. “What are we saying to our people and the world, when some people in our democracy receive benefits simply because they were born to a certain person? It may be tradition, but it is undemocratic, and it is wrong.”
This wire service has confirmed that Ms. Wesel, by this new Act, would officially be Duchess of the Province of Raligha. When informed of this, she announced that when the act took effect next week, she would immediately resign the title. “I stick by my principles,” she said, “and I will not place myself above my party or my fellow citizens for a part of our culture that should have died in the 19th century.”