Politics of Oceania

The politics of the United Kingdom take place within a system of conventions and traditions unbound by a formal constitution. Executive power rests with the Sovereign, a hereditary monarch whose power is exercised by the government. The government also exercises legislative power through a bicameral parliament composed of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Judicial power is exercised by a judiciary independent of both the executive and legislature.

Branches of Government

Monarchy

Despite the official term of Sovereign, sovereignty no longer rests with the Sovereign but rather Parliament. Similarly, while much executive power rests with the Sovereign through royal prerogatives these rights are executed at the advice of the government, drawn mostly from the elected House of Commons. (The current Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, sits not in the House of Commons, however, but rather the unelected House of Lords.)

While the Sovereign now performs primarily ceremonial roles, he or she remains the head of state and must give royal assent to every bill passed by Parliament. Since the transfer of sovereignty from the British Parliament to the Parliament in Imperium, no bill has been rejected—but the royal prerogative to decline royal assent serves to provide a check on the executive powers carried out by the government. Additionally, the Sovereign is the commander-in-chief and wields command authority over the Royal Armed Services, all members of which swear allegiance to the Sovereign.

Executive

Parliamentary sovereignty, as practiced in the United Kingdom, results in the executive functions of the Sovereign being carried out by the Government. According to the theory of constitutional conventions, the Sovereign is free to choose his or her Prime Minister, however current traditions and conventions result in the Sovereign’s choice being the leader of the majority party in the House of Commons, in the absence of a majority any other person capable of maintaining a coalition government.

The Prime Minister heads His Majesty’s Government and draws its ministers and officials from Parliament, which holds them accountable for the Government’s actions. Should Parliament hold a successful vote of no confidence, the Government would be forced to resign or request the Sovereign dissolve Parliament and order new general elections held.

Legislature

Parliament consists of two branches, one elected by the people, the House of Commons, and one of hereditary peers, the House of Lords. Parliament is the supreme authority in accordance with Parliamentary sovereignty and the Government is thus answerable to Parliament, as well as comprised of members of Parliament.

The House of Commons holds the purse strings of the Government, and as such is tasked with drafting the budget and bills relating to fiscal policy. Often, it is the body from which the Prime Minister and most of the Governmenet is drawn—the current Prime Minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, being a notable exception.

The House of Lords holds veto power over legislation passed by the House of Commons. Its members are hereditary and life peers and bishops of the Church of Azazia. While not-elected, the House of Lords has thus far avoided attempts to limit its power by generally conceding and following the manifesto of the elected Government. There are, however, several proposals to restructure the House of Lords into a chamber of the home countries, colonies, and other parts of the Empire or a chamber of technocrats appointed from within the ranks of the non-elected and technically politically neutral civil service. As of 2006, however, the current government of Lord Salisbury has not introduced any reform legislation.

Judiciary

The Sovereign, whose authority is exercised on his or her behalf by the Lord Chancellor, nominally heads the Oceania judiciary. However, the most senior court of appeal within the United Kingdom—in most instances—is that of the House of Lords, and in particular the Law Lords. The Law Lords are qualified and certified judges and as such comprise the House of Lords Judiciary Committee.

In cases involving devolution, the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal.

Devolution of Government

As a unitary state, the only legislative body guaranteed existence under constitutional law and/or convention is that of the UK Parliament, currently seated in Imperium. However, since the late 20th century, numerous regions have argued for more local government and the government of Lord Salisbury accommodated each home country with the creation of local paraliaments with the sole exception of Azazia. Azazia is traditionally governed by the UK Parliament and as such there are no plans to create regional houses of assembly—although some communities, particularly in the predominantly Russian north-west and the aboriginal Azazian western end of New Australia, have been campaigning for their own legislative bodies.

It is important to note that all said bodies created by the UK Parliament are not granted the full rights and purview over affairs as that of the UK Parliament. In many cases, the home country’s parliament can only draft and pass legislation pertaining to the domestic policy of the home country.

Elections

Currently, the United Kingdom adheres to a mixed member proportional representation voting system—inaugurated by the Salisbury administration to better include smaller parties of the home countries within the government. However, the sheer size of the two dominant Oceanian political parties, the Democratic Socialist Party and the Conservative Party, have resulted in a largely two party government.

Recent trends and polls, however, have indicated that the massive majority enjoyed by the Democratic Socialists is dwindling, by-elections held in Novikov to elect newly organized Parliamentary constituencies indicate that by January, when the full set of by-elections are due to be completed, the current Democratic Socialist majority will be much reduced. This had led to numerous Democratic Socialist ministers and MPs wanting to resort to a first-past-the-post to better safeguard the Democratic Socialist majority ahead of the general election expected to be called for in late 2006 or early 2007.

Political Parties

Currently, there are two dominant political parties within the United Kingdom: the Democratic Socialist Party, currently in the majority and forming the Government, and the Conservative Party, greatly reduced since the Accession Crisis of 2005 although believed to be on the rebound according to polling data.