Uhuhland Council

The Uhuhland Council is an international legislative assembly established by the Uhuhland Union. It is located in the Ariddian capital city Rêvane.

The Council comprises one representative from each of the Union's seven member States. It is empowered to pass binding legislation on all member nations, making it an effective supra-national governing body. The Council may choose to defer any issue to the Uhuhland Parliament.

Although the Council was established with the ratification of the Uhuhland Union Charter on October 6, 2118, it was decided its first session would be on January 1st, 2119. A random draw gave the first ever Presidency of the Council to the People's Democratic Social Republic of Ariddia.

Presidency of the Council

In accordance with article 2, section 2 of the Uhuhland Union Charter, Presidency of the Uhuhland Council rotates twice annually between member States.

Traditionally, a nation's head of State or head of government assumes the honourific title of President of Uhuhland when his or her nation is exercising Presidency of the Council. Hence, the first President of Uhuhland was Prime Secretary Aj Ud (Ariddia), as from January 1st, 2119.

Past and current Presidencies

Current Presidency is bolded.

2119 : Ariddia ; ESAT
2120 : Uhuh-Topia ; Uhuh-Ropa
2121 : West Ariddia ; San Adriano
2122 : North-West Ariddia; Maxxe (former member)
2123 : San Adriano ; Uhuh-Ropa
2124 : Ariddia ; North-West Ariddia
2125 : Uhuh-Topia ; ESAT
2126 : West Ariddia ; Uhuh-Topia
2127: ESAT ; San Adriano
2128: Uhuh-Ropa ; West Ariddia
2129: North-West Ariddia ; Ariddia
2130: San Adriano; North-West Ariddia
2131: ESAT ; Uhuh-Ropa
2132: Ariddia ; Uhuh-Topia
2133: West Ariddia ; San Adriano
2134: North-West Ariddia ; Uhuh-Topia
2135: West Ariddia ; ESAT
2136: Uhuh-Ropa ; Ariddia
2137: San Adriano; West Ariddia
2138: Uhuh-Ropa ; North-West Ariddia
2139: ESAT ; Ariddia
2140: Uhuh-Topia; North-West Ariddia

Upcoming Presidencies

2141: San Adriano ; Ariddia
2142: ESAT ; Uhuh-Ropa
2143: West Ariddia

List of Uhuhland Presidents

Italics indicate probable future Presidents

2119 (January-May): President Aj Ud (Prime Secretary of Ariddia)
2119 (May-July): President Nuriyah Khadhim (Prime Secretary of Ariddia)
2119 (August-December): President Christelle Zyryanov (Secretary of ESAT)
2120 (January-July): President Wanda Fisher (Prime Minister of Uhuh-Topia)
2120 (August-December): President Ted Jacobse van Es (Prime Minister of Uhuh-Ropa)
2121 (January-July): President Luc Sands (President of West Ariddia)
2121 (August-December): President Serena Eu (Monarch of San Adriano)
2122 (January-July): President Eric Pétillon (Second Secretary of North-West Ariddia)
2122 (August-December): President Jehoiakim Clopas (Sacred Sovereign of Maxxe)
2123 (January-July): President Serena Eu (Monarch of San Adriano)
2123 (August-December): unknown (Uhuh-Ropa)
2124 (January-July): President Nuriyah Khadhim (Prime Secretary of Ariddia)
2124 (August-December): President Eric Pétillon (Second Secretary of North-West Ariddia)
2125 (January-July): unknown (Uhuh-Topia)
2125 (August-December): President Christelle Zyryanov (Secretary of ESAT)
2126 (January-July): President Ea L'lew (President of West Ariddia)
2126 (August-December): unknown (Uhuh-Topia)
2127 (January-July): President Christelle Zyryanov (Secretary of ESAT)
2127 (August-December): President Serena Eu (Monarch of San Adriano)
2128 (January-July): unknown (Uhuh-Ropa)
2128 (August-December): President Ea L'lew (President of West Ariddia)
2129 (January-July): President Eric Pétillon (Second Secretary of North-West Ariddia)
2129 (August-December): President Nuriyah Khadhim (Prime Secretary of Ariddia)
2130 (January-July): President Serena Eu (Monarch of San Adriano)

Notes

• When San Adriano was due to assume Presidency of the Council in August 2121, the issue arose of whether the small country's hereditary monarch could accept the title "President of Uhuhland". The Sanadrianese Parliament discussed the matter, and decided Princess Serena should indeed be able to accept that title.

Council legislation

Under President Aj Ud (PDSRA, 2119)

• Freedom of Movement Act: granted all inhabitants of Member States the right to freedom of movement within the Union. This legislation was made binding. It was adopted by six votes to one, with only San Adriano voting against. All six assenting Councillors agreed to make the Act binding.
• The Council agreed that Member States would implement measures to encourage students from all Member States to study in universities of other States (i.e., exchange programmes, grants, etc... to facilitate this). There were six votes in favour and none against, with West Ariddia abstaining.
• The Council decided that there would be cities, towns or villages in each Member State twinned with cities, towns or villages in other Member States. Only Uhuh-Topia and Uhuh-Ropa voted against; as the decision was non-binding, they were excused from compliance.
• A measure to encourage towns to create cultural exchange programmes with towns in other Member States. This was adopted unanimously.
• Creation of a Committee designed to discuss establishing an international Uhuhland Museum. This measure was adopted with five votes in favour and none against; the two Ropa-Topian Members abstained. A Committee for the Creation of a Museum of Uhuhland (CCMU) was established by the five nations who had voted in favour.

Under President Nuriyah Khadhim (PDSRA, 2119)

During her short presidency (two and a half months), President Khadhim continued the policies begun by her predecessor. She oversaw in detail the creation of the Uhuhland Red Triangle:

• Creation of an Uhuhland Red Triangle to coordinate the humanitarian efforts of all Member States' humanitarian agencies. The use of a triangle as a symbol was suggested by the Ropa-Topian States, and gladly accepted by the secular Ariddian Isles. The measure was adopted unanimously.
  

The URT includes the Ariddian Red Star, the West Ariddian Red Cross, the Croix Rouge de l’Ariddia du Nord-Ouest, the Sanadrianese Red Cross and Ropa-Topian humanitarian agencies.

Under President Christelle Zyryanov (ESAT, 2119)

• International Judiciary Act: All international disputes between Member States to be brought to the Sophia International Court. The Act was adopted unanimously, with all seven Members agreeing to make the legislation binding.

• The Housing Act obliges all Member States to provide decent housing to any person unable to obtain housing by other means. Uhuh-Topia, Uhuh-Ropa and West Ariddia voted against, but the Act was adopted by four votes to three. It was made binding, as all four Members in favour agreed to make it so.

Under President Ted Jacobse van Es (Uhuh-Ropa, 2120)

• The Sacred Domain of Maxxe was admitted as a full member. There were five votes in favour, while Ariddia and ESAT voted nay.

Under President Luc Sands (West Ariddia, 2121)

• The first Economic Freedoms Act created an Uhuhland economic partnership, and abolished all barriers against free trade between UU member states. The Act was adopted by six votes in favour and two against (Ariddia and ESAT), but it was not made binding, due to four countries (Ariddia, North-West Ariddia, San Adriano and ESAT) having opposed giving it binding status.
• A second Economic Freedoms Act was rejected by four votes (Ariddia, North-West Ariddia, San Adriano and ESAT) to four. It would have committed member states to governmental non-interference in multinational companies originating from any member state.

Under President Serena Eu (San Adriano, 2121)

President Eu acted as a figurehead, while Sanadrianese Councillor Lorenzo Shau was the one to submit legislation proposals on behalf of his country.

• Education Act. Its several clauses were voted on seperately.

The main clause was adopted unanimously. It made education free and compulsory until the age of 16 in all member states. It was made binding by seven votes to one (West Ariddia being the sole dissenting voice).

A clause enabling UU citizens to attend any public university in any UU member state for free was adopted unanimously. It was made binding by seven votes to nil, with one abstaining (North-West Ariddia). It should be mentioned that there is no university in San Adriano nor in ESAT, and that there is no public university in West Ariddia.

A clause stating that history courses in all member states' education systems will cover the history of Uhuhland (and not just national history) was adopted unanimously, and made binding by seven votes to nil (with West Ariddia abstaining).

Under President Eric Pétillon (North-West Ariddia, 2122)

• Lesgislation was passed enabling the Uhuhland Red Triangle to cross borders freely within the UU to respond to humanitarian emergencies. It was adopted by seven votes to one (with Maxxe voting against), and made binding by the same seven votes to one.
• A proposal for each government to provide free health care ("from cradle to grave") to all nationals on its territory was adopted by six votes to two (with Uhuh-Topia and West Ariddia voting against), and made binding by five votes to three (Uhuh-Topia, West Ariddia and Maxxe opposed).
• An Uhuhland Fair Wages Committee was established, to decide on what the minimum wage would be in each member state, with a stipulation that it had to be sufficient to meet a worker's basic needs. The vote was six to one in favour (West Ariddia opposed, and Uhuh-Topia abstained). It was, however, not made binding. Ariddia, North-West Ariddia, San Adriano and ESAT approved of giving it binding status, Uhuh-Ropa, West Ariddia and Maxxe opposed, and Uhuh-Topia abstained. Thus the Committee may only make recommendations.

Under President Serena Eu (San Adriano, 2123)

President Eu acted as a figurehead, while Sanadrianese Councillor Lorenzo Shau was the one to submit legislation proposals on behalf of his country.

San Adriano introduced a detailed Uhuhland Citizenship Act, containing four different clauses (proposals) to be voted on seperately.

• Creation of an Uhuhland citizenship, with passports. This was adopted by five votes to two (the two Ropa-Topian States voting against). It was, however, not made binding (Ariddia, San Adriano and ESAT in favour, the Ropa-Topians against, the two Limean States abstaining). In practice, this means that there is now a common Uhuhland citizenship (and passport) shared by citizens of the Ariddian Isles and San Adriano, but it does not include Ropa-Topia.
• A clause allowing a citizen of one Member State, resident in another Member State, to vote in all elections in that country was defeated, by four votes (Ariddia, ESAT, Uhuh-Topia, Uhuh-Ropa) to three.
• Creation of an Uhuhland Cabinet, to be comprised of the Uhuhland President, an Uhuhland Ministry of the Environment, an Uhuhland Ministry of Culture, an Uhuhland Ministry of Social Issues, an Uhuhland Ministry of Health, an Uhuhland Ministry of the Economy, an Uhuhland Ministry of Defence, and an Uhuhland Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These seven Ministries were each to be filled by a representative (Minister) of a different member State, approved by the Council. Each Cabinet would last seven years. The Cabinet may make suggestions to the Council. This proposal was adopted unanimously (see the article on the Uhuhland Cabinet for more detail).
• The Minister for Foreign Affairs is empowered to represent the Uhuhland Union abroad, with the assent of the Council on specific issues. He / she may establish Uhuhland Union embassies abroad, and welcome foreign ambassadors accredited to the whole of the Uhuhland Union, with the approval of the Council. This proposal was adopted unanimously.

Under President Nuriyah Khadhim (PDSRA, 2124)

• The PDSRA brought in a proposal making it illegal for any public or private company whose profit margin has increased over the past three months to fire an employee, except if said employee has verifiably committed an actual fault. This was adopted by five votes to two (Uhuh-Topia and Uhuh-Ropa voting against), and made binding by the same margin.
• Creation of an Uhuhland Environmental Council, empowered to pass binding environmental legislation on all UU members. The Council would be comprised of two scientists from each of these countries, chosen by their respective governments: Ariddia, Uhuh-Topia, Uhuh-Ropa, West Ariddia, North-West Ariddia. The proposal was adopted (and made binding) by five votes to two, with Uhuh-Topia and Uhuh-Ropa voting against.

Under President Eric Pétillon (North-West Ariddia, 2124)

• North-West Ariddia requested that the decisions of the Uhuhland Fair Wages Committee (est. 2122) be made binding. This was approved by five votes to two, with the Ropa-Topian nations voting against.

Under President unspecified (Uhuh-Topia, 2125)

• The consitution of a member State was always to have priority over legislation passed by the Uhuhland Council, whether that legislation be binding or not. The proposal was adopted, with four votes in favour (Uhuh-Topia, Uhuh-Ropa, North-West Ariddia, San Adriano), two against (Ariddia and ESAT) and one abstaining (West Ariddia). In consequence, Ariddia asked the Council to defer the matter to the Uhuhland Parliament. The request was rejected, by four votes (Uhuh-Topia, Uhuh-Ropa, North-West Ariddia, San Adriano) to three (Ariddia, ESAT, West Ariddia).
• A proposal allowing citizens of one member State to vote in any regional or local election in any other member State in which he or she was a long-term resident. This was adopted by five votes to nil, with Ariddia and ESAT abstaining. It was not, however, made binding: Uhuh-Ropa and San Adriano voted in favour, Uhuh-Topia, Ariddia and ESAT against, and the Limean States abstained.

Under President Christelle Zyryanov (ESAT, 2125)

• A proposal banning all experimentation on animals involving physical pain or mental anguish was adopted and made binding, unanimously.

Under President Ea L'lew (West Ariddia, 2125)

• West Ariddia's proposal, adopted unanimously, created the Uhuhland Defence Force. It was not, however, made binding. Only the Ropa-Topian States and West Ariddia favoured binding status, while the others abstained.

Choosing of Councillors

The Uhuhland Union Charter does not specify how each country should select its representative to the Council, thereby giving the government of each member State considerable leeway.

In the PDSR Ariddia, the Councillor is appointed by the People's Prime Parliament, upon recommendation by the Council of Secretaries.

In San Adriano, the Councillor is chosen by Parliament, and the monarch may veto Parliament's choice.

In ESAT, the head of State represents the country in the Council directly, unless he or she chooses to delegate this function.

Current list of Councillors

The Council has seven members:

• Her Excellency, Councillor Christelle Zyryanov (ESAT)
• Her Excellency, Councillor Sophie A (Ariddia)
• His Excellency, Councillor Lucas Marsh (West Ariddia)
• His Excellency, Councillor Jassim Abdulrahman (North-West Ariddia)
• His Excellency, Councillor Lorenzo Shau (San Adriano)
• His Excellency, Councillor Kent Brockman (Uhuh-Topia)
• Her Excellency, Councillor Froukje Visser (Uhuh-Ropa)