Snakey Saturday

Snakey Saturday
Portrait completed by Lord Jack.
Date 30 May 2020 Location Essexia
Belligerents
Turning Point Essexia/Giraffe Concordat Earl Jamie Lord Jack Princess Becky Crown Minister Matthew Lord Ben Junior Minister Harley	PWP and Rhino Alliance Earl Finn Lord Matthew Lord Sam Lord Zabëlle Lord Newton

Snakey Saturday was a political event within the Commonwealth of Essexia, in which the Rhino Alliance came to power over the Giraffe Concordat through the alleged alliance with Lord Zabëlle of the Shrek Super Party.

History

After Jamie M (Essexia) switched allegiance from the Rhino Alliance to the Giraffe Concordat on the 25th March 2020, the Liberal Socialist and Cooperative Party of Essexia was left in opposition. They reformed the party into the Progressive Workers' Party on the 19th May 2020, on a basis of representing the Essexian working class (Who the Giraffes denied existing).

On the night of the 29 May 2020, Lord Matthew had put two pieces of legislation to Parliament votes: The New Citizenship Reform Act 2020, and the Electoral Law Act 2020. The first of which passed with little delay, however on the second piece, Earl Jamie and Lord Jack had pointed out their beliefs that it should require a two thirds majority as it amended the constitution. They attempted to reassure Matthew that they intended to vote for it, and thus pass it, as long as it required a two thirds majority, but Matthew contested that it didn't, going so far as to claim his actions in the May 2020 Essexian Constitutional Crisis were incorrect so as to ensure his Bill passed with a simple majority. Matthew put the Bill to a vote without settling the dispute, and as such the Giraffes voted against it. However, amidst the flurrying votes, Lord Newton voted for the Bill, alongside the Rhinos and against the Giraffes, of which his party was a member of (The Union of Greens & Nationalists). The Bill passed as a result. Newton later announced that he had taken his party out of the Giraffe Concordat.

The morning of the 30th May 2020 was marked by Lord Sam attempting to call a vote of no confidence against "the government" at 14:38 BST. Despite his actions during the previous 24 hours, Newton voted to abstain, essentially dooming the vote to fail. He then announced, at 14:45, that his party would be joining the Rhino Alliance. Emperor Terry later cancelled the vote on behalf of Matthew. Following this, at 14:48, Jack proposed investigating Sam regarding his political affiliations with communism, to which Jamie agreed, however Terry pointed out that communism was no longer illegal, and as such Sam could not be investigated. At 14:52, Matthew announced that Zabëlle had previously and privately disclosed his consent for the Shrek Super Party to join the Rhino Alliance. Jamie and Jack debated this with Terry, who gave a prolepsis that the PWP were attempting to seize power before showing the National Investigative Service the screenshot Matthew had sent him of Zabëlle consenting.

Finally, at 15:00 on the dot, Lord Sam requested to form a government with the Rhino Alliance, with himself as First Minister. Emperor Terry allowed this at 15:03, but also noted that if the PWP had lied about Zabëlle joining their alliance, there would be "repercussions".

At 15:10, Matthew admitted to "the snakery that has occured here", but justified it as being "for the worker". He also reassured the cabinet that the 1st July general election was going ahead.

Zabëlle finally and in-person confirmed that he had joined the Rhino Alliance at 15:19 BST.

Outcome

Only days later, on the 1st June 2020, Essexia would briefly see yet another split, with much of the Giraffe Concordat forming the Second Federation of Essexia. However, this split was short lived, and led to Lord Jack leaving the Commonwealth for much of June.

Activity within the nation also very evidently died throughout much of june and July 2020, but the exact cause of this is unknown. Many political opponents have blamed the Rhino Government headed by Lord Sam, whilst others have pointed the finger at the COVID-19 pandemic.