For comments only
WHEREAS King Robert wishes to abdicate in favour of Queen Jenny because he needs a rest, and
WHEREAS permanent abdications are always traumatic to the body politic; and
WHEREAS it would be more traumatic if one day King Robert suddenly wished to rescind his abdication, and
WHEREAS it would also be traumatic if Queen Jenny decides to abdicate too, especially as no one would know who would become monarch next;
THEREFORE this bill seeks to provide a new form of abdication for an orderly constitutional transition in case any of these possibilities should occur.
1. The monarchical powers of the King shall hereby be assumed in one-year terms, from July 1st to June 30th.
a) When a King has succeeded to the Throne, the new King's first term shall end on the June 30th following the first anniversary of his accession to the Throne.
b) When a King has attained the age of majority, the King's first term after his majority shall end on the June 30th following his 19th birthday.
2. Each June the King shall proclaim whether he wishes to retain or resume his monarchical powers for the next term.
a) The King may only make this proclamation if he is of age.
b) The King may make the proclamation on any day of June.
c) The King may only make one proclamation.
3. If the King should proclaim "Yes" or "I retain the powers" or "I resume the powers" [or their equivalents in the Talossan language], then all shall continue as before.
4. If the King should proclaim "No" or "I abdicate the powers" or "I do not resume the powers" [or their equivalents in the Talossan language], then the King shall abdicate for a period of one term all monarchical powers, which shall be passed down to the next person in line, in this order:
The Queen Consort / Prince Consort, should she be a citizen
The Prince / Princess of Prospect, should he be of age and a citizen
All other Talossan citizens, according to seniority determined by total amount of time as citizen, as calculated by the Secretary of State.
This shall be known as an Abdication of the Powers.
a) Should any person in line refuse the monarchical powers, the powers shall be passed on to the next person in line, and so forth until someone is willing to accede to the powers.
b) The King must retain the powers until someone is willing to accede to the powers, even if it takes until after July 1st when someone is finally willing to accede to the powers.
c) If no one is willing to accede to the powers, the King must retain the powers for the next term, even if it is against his will.
5. Should the King make no proclamation before July 1st it shall be treated as if the King had made a proclamation of "No".
6. The title of any person who acceeds to the monarchical powers because of the abdication of the King shall be Regent of the Powers [or its equivalent in the Talossan language].
a) The King shall keep all his titles, including King, whether he has monarchical powers or not.
b) The title of a Regent who is Regent because of the King being a minor shall continue to be Regent.
7. No Regent of the Powers who is neither the Queen Consort nor the Prince of Prospect can be Regent of the Powers for more than two terms, whether consecutive or not.
a) The Queen Consort and the Prince of Prospect shall have no limits on the number of terms either can be Regent of the Powers.
b) Any Talossan citizen who has already been Regent of the Powers for two terms who becomes Queen Consort or Prince of Prospect will thenceforth have no limits on the number of terms he can be Regent of the Powers.
c) No Seneschal, other cabinet minister, or Leader of the Opposition in the Ziu or any provincial assembly may concurrently be Regent of the Powers. Any of these persons must either resign office before assuming monarchical powers or refuse the monarchical powers.
d) A Justice of any Cort may concurrently be Regent of the Powers.
8. The Ziu may depose a Regent of the Powers in favour of the next person in line for the remainder of a term. This shall require a two-thirds majority in both houses.
a) An MC or Senator who would therefore be made Regent of the Powers by such a vote shall only have the choice of voting Austanéu or Contrâ.
9. Should the King be ill or anticipate illness, he may make an emergency declaration for a period of time that he shall specify, at which time he shall automatically resume the powers.
a) No emergency declaration on the King's part shall be valid without specifying a period of time.
b) No such period of time may be longer than the end of the current term.
c) The emergency declaration may be rescinded by the King at any time, whether the specified period has expired or not.
d) The emergency declaration may not be indefinitely renewable. Should the King wish to abdicate his powers for a period after the end of the current term, he must make a normal proclamation in June.
10. Should the King be unable to make the declaration due to his incapacity, the Seneschal may make a Prime Directive calling for a Regent of the Powers that will take effect until the King recovers or until June 30th, whichever shall come first.
a) Such a directive may be indefinitely renewable until the King's death or Abdication of the Throne.
b) Such a Prime Directive must comply with the provisions of Section 7.
11. Should the King wish to abdicate both his powers and his title, he must specifically state "I abdicate the Throne, both my title and my powers" [or its equivalent in the Talossan language.] This shall be known as an Abdication of the Throne, and the King shall henceforth bear the title of Ex-King [or its equivalent in the Talossan language.]
a) Only the King may make such an Abdication of the Throne. No Regent of the Powers may make such an Abdication in place of the King.
b) The King must be of age to make an Abdication of the Throne. No Regent may make such an Abidication in place of a King who is a minor.
c) The Ex-King shall be henceforth be barred from resuming the Throne unless he is the last representative of his House.
d) If the King is the last representative of his House, upon the election according to Article III Section 4 of the Organic Law of a new King he shall be considered to be a representative of that King's House.
e) No Ex-King may be Regent of the Powers.
Ureu q'estadra så,
Ceváglh Scurznicol (Lib-Maricopa)