Union Passes New Constitution
by British Isles And Commonwealth Realms
In May, the region replaced its past Constitution with a new one, written by Die Kronprinzessin with contributions and amendments by other Unionists, and brought a multitude of changes to the Union.
Firstly, the abolition of the General Assembly means that the region now possesses a unicameral legislature. The General Assembly was the lower chamber of the Legislature and had contained the citizenry of the Union. The upper house - the Senate - is now the only legislative chamber, with the number of Senators determined proportionately from the average voter count in the previous three elections. In the first term since the Constitution passed, the Senate contained five seats, which will increase to six in the August Senate Elections.
The Office of the Chancellery was also closed and its election-running duties were transferred to the newly created Electoral Commission. The Electoral Commission consists of a Chief Commissioner (a presidential nominee confirmed by the Senate), the Chief Justice, and a Deputy Chief Commissioner appointed by the other two.
In a bid to keep the Judiciary and the Executive separate, the new constitution removed the President’s power to nominate Supreme Court Justices, instead giving that duty to an elected Chief Justice who then must be confirmed by the Senate. Judicial elections are only held when a Chief Justice fails reconfirmation.
There were further small changes, including the abolition of term limits and the inclusion of recall elections. The new constitution, dubbed ‘Kronstitution’ in honor of its author, is a result of months of deliberation and discussion.
June Senate Elections
by Asdersland
The most recent Senate election, conducted at the beginning of June, was a tremendous success punctuated by a large turnout of 28 voters, as well as 10 candidates standing for election. Josephto, Kingdom of Sacento, British Isles and Commonwealth Realms, Xandorian Plexora, and Glaciosia were the candidates elected - Xandorian Plexora a newcomer to the region. The next regular elections are those for President, which will be conducted at the beginning of July.
Unionists Receive Special Honors
by Kingdom of Sacento & Zeneste
Two Unionists recently received special recognition for their work in the Union.
After spending four years in the Union, serving many roles including but not limited to, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Chancellor, OOC Administrator, President, and Speaker, Phoenix Coalition has decided to take a hiatus from the UDS as a citizen and relinquished all IC positions while continuing work as an Admin in hopes of exploring pastures new. Phoenix was subsequently awarded Honorary Citizenship by the Senate by a unanimous vote. The decision was widely supported among the citizenry considering the exemplary service of Phoenix during his tenure in the region, and we wish him all the best moving forward.
Josephto was the Union’s final Chairperson, and he served the position diligently up until the Union’s most recent change in constitutions. Over the past few months, Josephto has become synonymous with the General Assembly as both a member and eventually as Chairperson. When the General Assembly was abolished under the new constitution, Joe was honored with the title of Chairperson Emeritus for his extensive work in the chamber.
Ministry of Justice Introduces Union Bar Exam
by Glaciosia
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice Glaciosia announced the long-awaited Union Bar Exam and Union Attorney program. The test consists of a multiple-choice and written portion, examining applicants’ knowledge of the constitution, criminal code, and judicial procedure. So far, 7 applicants have sought to become Union Attorneys, able to represent others in court and demonstrate their legal prowess.
