Ateni Meinaratu Ŋuri-Eilari

Ateni Meinaratu Gguri Eilari is the 14th monarch of Baranxtu from the dynasty of Ggurυa-Eilarυa.

Biography

He was born on February 24th, 1960 in the small town of Laguria and was officialy made crown prince in 1962. He studied Sumyaian Languages at the University of Mányazei from which he graduated in 1988.
He began to represent Baranxtu in place of his mother afterwards, and in 1992, the Queen abdicated in his favor.
The king announced his engagement to Iðari Nemuritu Aliφi-Neurani, a member of the aristocracy of the Kingdom Baranxtu, in 1994. The two were married on June 4th, 1995. The couple has publicly announced their disapproval of the idea of hiring a surrogate mother for biological children, but in 1997, they adopted the king's orphaned nephew Asuani and in 1999 the daughter of Iðari Aliφi-Neurani's deceased cousin.
As Ateni Gguri-Eilari and Iðari Aliφi-Neurani are the first royal male same-sex couple of Baranxtu, the parliament had to decide wether or not their adopted children could be considered legitimate heirs to the throne, as the Constituion of 1860 demanded that the regnant was 'of royal blood'. A law that would have made the children rightful heirs was struck down by 33-31 votes in the House of the Moon, but a referendum in 2000 made the law pass with a majority of 82.76% of the vote.
On February 14th, 2002, the king barely survived an assassination attempt when a member of the Anarchistical Union for Baranxtu shot him three times in his chest and right thigh. During his five months of recovery, his husband took over his responsibilites. This too led to a heated discussion in parliament, but the public showed almost no negative reactions. Ateni Gguri-Eilari resumed his position July 20th, 2002, a week before the celebration for the tenth anniversary of his reign began.
In late July, the king and his husband announced that they were planning on adopting a third child. More details are yet unknown.

Politics

Over the last thirteen years Ateni Gguri-Eilari came to be known as a very liberal and sensible king, supporting and advocating civil rights and a peaceful path for Baranxtu.
He drafted laws on less strict immigration laws and minority's rights. His support for the Minority Educational Act was particularly popular, and political analysts think that without his support, the parliament might not have passed the law which granted minorities the right to have their children taught in their mother tongue.
In 2005, he became one of the strongest advocats of his country's entry into both the International Democratic Union and the United Nations.

Quotes

• "Sometimes, we might have to agree to something we don't approve of. Maybe because they're inconvenient to us, or because we're really against it. But if we can find a compromise, or if it helps the greater good, we should just do it and not complain. That's part of being adult." (1998, from an interview with the "Baranxtuan Weekly Review", on the question why he gave royal assent to a law calling for a minimum income for adoption parents when he did not actually approve of it)
• "Mayst thou churn thy own butter!" (2003, to a delegate of the Traditional Baranxtuan Council of Abasina who wanted him to ban the internet)
• "Politics should stay out of people's private, intimate lives - as long as they don't hurt anyone. For child molesters, however, I would actually advocate the reintroduction of the death penalty." (31.7.2005, on the "Frank and Uncensored" programme of the "Republic of Baranxtu" national radio station)