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EARLY ELECTION BILL PASSES REPRESENTATIVES
Moments ago parliament passed the Early Parliamentary General Election Act 2021 - invoking an emergency general election to be held twenty days from after it is given Royal Assent by the King tomorrow afternoon.
It is the first time in parliamentary history in this country where the government has circumnavigated the Fixed-terms Parliamentary Act of 1999. A previous attempts earlier in the day to get a favourable vote for an early election had failed, and after the government issued a tweaked amendment to the Anti-Terrorism Bill, which also failed - PM Barvata introduced an election bill to the House of Representatives to circumnavigate the two thirds requirements as laid out in law - which passed with 1139 votes FOR, 584 abstentions and 64 votes against.
After the House of Peers conduct their formal reading of the Act, the King is set to give the Act his Royal Assent tomorrow afternoon, at one pm, after which parliament will dissolve at 00:01AM on the 11th of March 2021, exactly twenty days before polling day as set out in law as the minimum time between dissolution and polling day. This period will be a purdah where the government continues to govern and ministers remain in post, however with a number of restrictions in place. No new bills regarding Joralesia will be allowed, and all current debate will be dropped.
Since polling day is set for Thursday the 1st of April 2021, the government will exercise its rights in tackling the Joralesian rioting and violence as prescribed in law. All terrorism suspicions and action taken with authority from the government must follow what is laid out in the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
On Monday the 5th of April, Parliament shall return for the Speaker Election, and will be the first day they do so. On the same day, they shall swear the oath of allegiance to King and Country, or alternatively they can make a solemn affirmation if they cannot swear an oath for religious reasons. On Wednesday the 7th of April, the State Opening will mark the formal start of the parliamentary year. The King’s Speech will establish the government’s proposed policies and legislation for the coming session.