Politics of New Courland
Since its independence in 1962, New Courland is a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations. The British head of state is also duke or duchess of New Courland. The executive consists of the prime minister, currently Laila Miró-Rozenberga (PDP), and her government. The legislative is a unicameral parliament of 29 members, the Diet.
Elections
Elections for the Diet occur at least every four or five years by Single Transferable Vote. Each municipality is represented by a certain number of members in the Diet, based on population. Currently, Louise Charlotte has 10 seats, Zelta Kalni 6, Yeovil 4, Jaune Piltene 3, Penllergaer 2, Kettler's Port 2, Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Dolor 1, and Maza Osta/Little Harbour 1.
There are not many political parties, the two most important currently being the Conservative Party and the Progress and Development Party. The Independence Party, big in the 60's and 70's, still get some seats in the Diet and is generally considered a likable coalition partner if one party doesn't get an absolute majority. However, since 1998 there have been only majority governments. Other parties include the National Freedom Party, Constructive Vision, the Legal Union, Social Consideration Party, the Citizen's Alliance and the Labour Party, but these don't always gain seats with every election. In recent years, the Baltic Action Front has gained popularity among right wing Balts; the party claims sovereignty over the island for historical reasons and considers all other ethnic groups inferior.
The last elections were held on 2 June 2019. The new Diet was installed on 10 June. The new government was approved on 11 June. The latest date for the next parliamentary elections to be held is 10 July 2023.
| PDP | CP | LP | SCP | IP | CV | NFP | CA | LU | BAF | |
| Louise Charlotte | 7 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| Zelta Kalni | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Yeovil | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Jauna Piltene | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Penllergaer | 2 | |||||||||
| Kettler's Port | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| NSdPD | 1 | |||||||||
| Little Harbour | 1 | |||||||||
| TOTAL | 18 | 7 | 3 | 1 |
Themes
The most important themes in the last few elections were the growing emigration figures and how to keep New Courland sufficiently attractive for people to stay, the increasing popularity of the right wing Baltic Action Front and how to deal with it, as well as the unemployment rate, which has been brought down in the past few years. The Conservative Party and the Progress and Development Party both claim that it were their measures that helped the rate to decrease.
Dukes and Duchesses
| # | Duke/Duchess | reign started | reign ended |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elizabeth | 15 September 1962 | 8 September 2022 |
| 2 | Charles | 8 September 2022 | incumbent |
The Governor-General
The Duke or Duchess of New Courland is represented by the Governor-General of New Courland. The Governor-General is appointed by the Duke or Duchess on the advice of the prime minister of New Courland for a non-specified term. The official residence of the Governor-General is Easter House, sometimes unofficially called the 'Ducal Palace'. The current Governor-General is Satyavant Bhandare, since 1 June 2013.
| # | Governor-General | took office | left office | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Gustavs Bļodnieks | 15 September 1962 | 6 October 1975 | |
| 2 | Sir Jasper Llewelyn | 6 October 1975 | 21 June 1982 | |
| 3 | Sir Arthur Fowke | 21 June 1982 | 16 May 1997 | |
| 4 | Sir Jonas Petrulis | 16 May 1997 | 27 September 2002 | |
| 5 | Sir Ewen Gray | 27 September 2002 | 1 June 2013 | |
| 6 | Sir Satyavant Bhandare | 1 June 2013 | incumbent |
| # | Deputy Governor-General | took office | left office | remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Ayres | 15 September 1962 | 6 September 1966 | |
| 2 | Mariss Elsbergs | 6 September 1966 | 13 March 1969 | |
| 3 | Arnold Cronwald | 13 March 1969 | 20 November 1974 | |
| 4 | Jasper Llewelyn | 20 November 1974 | 6 October 1975 | |
| 5 | Felipe Herrera | 6 October 1975 | 21 June 1982 | |
| 6 | Jonas Petrulis | 21 June 1982 | 16 May 1997 | |
| 7 | Ivar Hoare | 16 May 1997 | 11 May 1998 | |
| 8 | Ewen Gray | 11 May 1998 | 27 September 2002 | |
| 9 | Vilis Zīverts | 27 September 2002 | 2 January 2007 | |
| 10 | Yogesh Azhikode | 2 January 2007 | 8 July 2013 | |
| 11 | Rasa Boss-Butkeviciene (f) | 8 July 2013 | incumbent | acting until 9 September |
Government
The government consists of the prime minister and the ministers. After being elected by the Diet and confirmed by the Governor-General, the prime minister appoints the ministers of his government. Although it is not mandatory for the prime ministers to have their ministers approved by the Diet as well, it is common custom to do this anyway. Governments of New Courland were generally quite large, with some administrations having up to 30 ministers. The third government of Luis Lavalleja reduced the number of portfolios in 2011.
The current government, which has been in office since 11 June 2019, is thus composed:
- Laila Miró-Rozenberga (f) (prime minister)
- Jerry MacAlister (domestic affairs and national security)
- Eda Liepiņa (f) (finance)
- Baltasar Latorre Berreta (economy and budget)
- Tomás Caycedo (defense)
- Rafael Lesporis (justice)
- Hilario Holguín (foreign affairs)
- Cecil Linford-Hull (trade and industry)
- Jadviga Priedniece (f) (education, science, culture and sports)
- Carolina Stewart Crespo (f) (agriculture and fisheries)
- Dorothy Stormont-Dunk (f) (public health)
- Frank Isaacs (housing, planning, and tourism)
- Iveta Jansone (f) (traffic and transport)
- Richard B. Owen (social affairs, labour, equal rights)
- Aiva Ozola-Balode (f) (energy and environment)
Prime ministers
New Courland has had ten prime minister since its independence. The official residence of the prime minister is Matheson House in the centre of Louise Charlotte.
| # | prime minister | took office | left office | party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edgar Betterton 1st time | 16 October 1962 | 12 June 1963 | Independence Party |
| 2 | Janis Krasts | 12 June 1963 | 7 February 1966 | Progress and Development Party |
| 3 | Eric Seymour | 7 February 1966 | 23 January 1970 | Conservative Party |
| 23 January 1970 | 18 November 1971 | |||
| (1) | Edgar Betterton 2nd time | 18 November 1971 | 22 November 1972 | Independence Party |
| 22 November 1972 | 2 March 1976 | |||
| 2 March 1976 | 12 June 1978 | |||
| 4 | Ramaswamy Ayyangar 1st time | 12 June 1978 | 15 December 1978 | Progress and Development Party |
| (1) | Edgar Betterton 3rd time | 15 December 1978 | 29 February 1980 | Independence Party |
| (4) | Ramaswamy Ayyangar 2nd time | 29 February 1980 | 11 January 1984 | Progress and Development Party |
| 5 | Charles Jurdzs | 11 January 1984 | 25 October 1984 | Progress and Development party |
| 25 October 1984 | 10 June 1987 | |||
| 6 | Jaime Gonzales | 10 June 1987 | 15 September 1989 | Conservative Party |
| 15 September 1989 | 10 January 1994 | |||
| 10 January 1994 | 19 November 1997 | |||
| 19 November 1997 | 11 May 1998 | |||
| 7 | Ivar Hoare | 11 May 1998 | 17 October 2002 | Conservative Party |
| 17 October 2002 | 17 June 2005 | |||
| 8 | Linda Gascoyne-Macleod (f) | 17 June 2005 | 14 December 2006 | Conservative Party |
| 9 | Luis Lavalleja | 14 December 2006 | 6 February 2008 | Progress and Development Party |
| 6 February 2008 | 26 October 2011 | |||
| 26 October 2011 | 19 June 2015 | |||
| 10 | Laila Miró-Rozenberga (f) | 19 June 2015 | 11 June 2019 | Progress and Development Party |
| 11 June 2019 | 21 March 2023 | |||
| 11 | Herbert Dalrymple | 21 March 2023 | incumbent | Conservative Party |
Ministers of foreign affairs
| # | minister | took office | left office | party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Timothy Fowle 1st time | 16 October 1962 | 12 June 1963 | Independence Party |
| 2 | Boris Elvidge 1st time | 12 June 1963 | 7 February 1966 | Labour Party |
| (1) | Timothy Fowle 2nd time | 7 February 1966 | 18 November 1971 | Independence Party |
| (2) | Boris Elvidge 2nd time | 18 November 1971 | 22 November 1972 | Labour Party |
| (1) | Timothy Fowle 3rd time | 22 November 1972 | 2 March 1976 | Independence Party |
| 3 | Sonja Moloney (f) 1st time | 2 March 1976 | 12 June 1978 | Independence Party |
| 4 | Jorge Cario Márquez | 12 June 1978 | 15 December 1978 | Social Consideration Party |
| (3) | Sonja Moloney (f) 2nd time | 15 December 1978 | 29 February 1980 | Independence Party |
| 5 | Einars Purgailis | 29 February 1980 | 25 October 1984 | Progress and Development Party |
| 6 | Richard Miles | 25 October 1984 | 10 June 1987 | Labour Party |
| 7 | Māris Zīle | 10 June 1987 | 15 September 1989 | Independence Party |
| 8 | Thomas Slade | 15 September 1989 | 14 December 2006 | Conservative Party |
| 9 | Oliver Murtogg | 14 December 2006 | 6 February 2008 | Progress and Development Party |
| 10 | Sandra Thurstan-Greenvald (f) | 6 February 2008 | 13 December 2013 | Progress and Development Party |
| 11 | Andrejs Berķis | 13 December 2013 | 11 June 2019 | Progress and Development Party |
| 12 | Hilario Holguín | 11 June 2019 | 21 March 2023 | Progress and Development Party |
| 13 | Hugo Ochoa | 21 March 2023 | incumbent | Conservative Party |