Austenasian Crown Dependency
An Austenasian Crown Dependency is a type of division of the Empire of Austenasia, locally administered by a Governing Commissioner. In accordance with the Empire of Austenasia Act 2013, "Crown Dependencies are territories which [...] while under Austenasian sovereignty and an integral part of the Empire, are administered directly by the Monarch or a representative of the Monarch."
Since the transfer of the first Crown Dependency of New South Scotland from New Wessex to Austenasia in January 2013, Crown Dependencies have played a distinct role in Austenasian political culture.
Although Crown Dependencies are under Austenasian sovereignty, they were up until October 2015 not considered fully part of "Austenasia proper", emphasising the distinction between Crown Dependencies (which are autonomous) and Towns and Territories (which are subject to central government). Crown Dependencies are autonomous in that they are not administered by the Cabinet but by a representative appointed by the Monarch (titled Governing Commissioner), and in that Acts of Parliament and Imperial Decrees only apply to them if it is specifically stated in the legislation itself that it applies to the Crown Dependency in question.
Crown Dependencies are therefore in practice ruled by their Governing Commissioners independently of the central Austenasian government, although they are under the Empire's sovereignty and have no independent foreign or military policy. Rushymia is unique in that it does not have a Governing Commissioner but is ruled directly by the Monarch in his capacity as King of Rushymia.
Crown Dependencies can have permanent residents or not have any. If they do, the residents are counted only as Austenasian residents, not as Austenasian subjects, meaning amongst other things that they are counted towards the Austenasian population but do not have a vote in general election. As they are autonomous, they are not administered by the central government and so it is considered unfair for them to electorally influence its composition.
At present, there are fifteen Crown Dependencies. In chronological order of becoming Crown Dependencies, these are New South Scotland, Enfriqua, Dekker, Imperia, Esmondia, Rushymia, Kingeston, Trebizond, Chersoneses, Kaiomenia, New Pontunia, Navurania, Shuhan, New Flat Rock, and Ganapati Vihar
