Senate (New Virginia)

From MicroWiki, the free micronational encyclopædia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Senate
Type
Type
Upper
History
Founded20 August 2020 (2020-08-20)
Leadership
President of the Senate
Vacant, IND
since 2 August 2021


The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of New Virginia. It is comprised of ordinary and extraordinary senators who hold office by appointment and ex officio, respectively. Senators serve for life with the possibility for resignation or removal. The Senate is presided over and represented by its President.

Etymology

The New Virginian Senate is named for the Senate of Austenasia, the nation which the Commonwealth seceded from in February 2020. The name was chosen to pay homage to the Senate's Austenasian counterpart in acknowledgement of the similar responsibilities shared between them.

Culture

The Senate is considered to be a representation of the Austenasian Roman cultural heritage in New Virginia, given its second-ranking members being Consuls and its stricter admission requirements in comparison with the House of Burgesses. The Senate also differs from the House in its methods of procedure; for example, the Senate takes votes in the traditional "aye/no/present" format whereas the House uses the Austenasian House of Representatives's "support/oppose/abstain" style.

History

The Senate was established with the enactment of the Constitution of New Virginia on 31 July 2020, however it not assembled until the first general election for burgesses was held three weeks late on 22 August 2020.

Powers

The Senate is typically understood as the upper house of the New Virginian Parliament, with vast constitutional and accountability-ensuring responsibilities and judicial oversight. The Senate has various powers under the Constitution and the law, including:

  • The power to interpret the Constitution.
  • The power to declare bills or Acts of Parliament repugnant to the Constitution, but only to the extent of their repugnancy, by simple majority vote.
  • The power to render advice to the President by means of a Senatorial Resolution by simple majority vote.
  • The power to remove an impeached President from office by a vote of at least seventy five percent.
  • The power to forbid a person removed from the Presidency from standing for any public office for a period of time at their discretion by simple majority vote.
  • The power to enact a Senatorial Act with the same status as an Act of Parliament by means of a simple majority vote during periods where the House is dissolved pending a general election.
  • The power to authorize a referendum to amend the Constitution following its passage by the House.

Composition

The Senate is comprised of ordinary and extraordinary senators. Ordinary senators are appointed by the President with the consent of the House of Burgesses. Extraordinary senators are Presidents emeritus, former Prime Ministers and former Speakers of the House who are invited by the President to serve. There can be no fewer than three and no more than seven ordinary senators at any given time, while there are no limits on how many extraordinary senators may concurrently serve. At present, there are three ordinary and two extraordinary senators.

Portrait Name Classification Appointed by/
qualifying office
Other offices In office since
His Honour Consul
Sir Adam von Friedeck
SKSM
Ordinary President Hewitt Consul (2020 - ) 22 August 2020
The Right Honourable Senator
Anthony Clark
MSM
Ordinary President Hewitt Attorney General (2020 - ) 29 October 2020
His Honour Senator
Jacob Valentine
Ordinary President Hewitt 29 October 2020
Her Honour Senator
Dame Elizabeth Lewis
DGCSM DNVI
Extraordinary Former Prime Minister 24 May 2021
Her Honour Senator
Dame Brooklyn Hewitt
DNVI President Emerita
Extraordinary President emerita 2 August 2021

Former Senators

Portrait Name
Term of Office
Classification Appointed by/
qualifying office
Other offices
(Held during Senate tenure)
Reason for Departure
His Honour Senator
Sir Adam Belcher
KCSM
22 August 2020 - 2 August 2021
Ordinary President Hewitt President of the Senate (2020 - 2021)
Consul (2020)
Resigned upon assuming the role of Acting President following the resignation of Dame Brooklyn Hewitt.
Her Honour Senator
Sophia Albina

30 August 2020 - 16 October 2020
Ordinary President Hewitt Resigned to pursue alternative political office.
Her Honour Consul
Dame Magnolia Flowers
DSM


23 February 2021 - 2 August 2021

Ordinary President Hewitt Consul suffectus (2021) Resigned following the independence of the New Richmond Republic
File:Simon White.jpg
The Right Honourable Senator
Sir Simon White
KNVI MSM

30 August 2020 - 19 January 2021
Ordinary President Hewitt Consul (2021)
Chancellor of the Treasury (2020 - 2021)
Resigned to pursue alternative political office.
File:Senator Wellman.jpg Her Honour Senator
Dame Savannah Wellman
DSM


22 August 2020 - 2 August 2021

Ordinary President Hewitt Mayor of New Richmond (2020 - 2021) Resigned following the independence of the New Richmond Republic
His Honour Senator
Sir William Wilson
KNVI

29 October 2020 - 19 February 2021
Ordinary President Hewitt Iconographer General (2020)
Chief Judge of Roanoke (2020 - 2021)
Governor of Carolinia (2020 - )
Resigned for personal reasons.

See also

External links

References