Provisional Council of New Virginia

Provisional Council of the Commonwealth of New Virginia
Type
Type	Provisional unicameral legislature
Leadership
Chairperson	Dame Vera Hewitt K DNVI since 11 February 2020
Seats	5 Provisional Councillors
Elections
Last election	20 January 2020 (for New Richmond, Terentia and Augusta) 7 March 2020 (for Carolinia) 2 May 2020 (for San Scoglio)

The Provisional Council of the Commonwealth of New Virginia was the provisional government of New Virginia which governed the Commonwealth between its independence from the Empire of Austenasia on 11 February 2020 and the adoption of the Constitution of the Commonwealth on 31 July 2020. The Provisional Council exercised executive, legislative and judicial authority until the constitutional was enacted. The Provisional Council was led by its Chairperson, who served as the head of state and government of the Commonwealth.

Every municipality was represented in the Provisional Council by a provisional councillor, elected by universal suffrage of the citizens within a municipality. Elections for provisional councillors were held under first-past-the-post, and provisional councillors served indefinite terms. The first election for provisional councillors was held prior to secession on 20 January 2020 by direction of then Austenasian Minister for New Virginian Affairs Vera Hewitt. Elections were later held in Carolinia and San Scoglio following their annexations.

Powers and duties

The Provisional Council was primarily tasked with laying the foundations of New Virginian statehood and enacting a constitutional statute. The Provisional Council exercised its authority through the enactment of resolutions by a simple majority vote. Resolutions of the Provisional Council hold the authority of an act enacted by a standard legislature and continued to hold legal weight to the degree that they have not been superseded by the Constitution and subsequent Acts of Parliament.

The Provisional Council collectively constituted the executive and judicial authorities of the Commonwealth under the leadership of the Chairwoman. The Provisional Council may establish and oversee government ministries, and may collectively serve as the judge for any criminal or civil trial.

Chairperson

The Chairperson of the Provisional Council acted the head of state and head of government of New Virginia under the provisional government. The Chairperson presided over sessions of the Provisional Council, directed the provisional government in its executive functions, served as presiding judge for criminal and civil trials, and represented the Commonwealth at home and abroad. The only Chairwoman was Dame Vera Hewitt DNVI, the Provisional Councillor for New Richmond and a former leader of the New Virginian independence movement.

Composition

The Provisional Council had five members, representing the five municipalities which comprised the Commonwealth between its independence and the enactment of the Constitution.

Portrait	Name	Constituency	Other offices	Elected
	Dame Vera Hewitt DNVI	New Richmond	Chairwoman of the Provisional Council	11 February 2020
	Sir Riley Hewitt KNVI	Augusta		11 February 2020
	Dame Elizabeth Lewis DNVI	Terentia	Minister of Defence	11 February 2020
	Sir William Wilson KNVI	Carolinia	Home Secretary	31 March 2020 (acting until 7 April 2020)
	Sir Edward Jacobs KNVI	San Scoglio	First Ambassador	25 April 2020 (acting until 2 May 2020)

See also

• Secession of New Virginia