New England Online > Government & Politics
Government & Politics
| Government of New England |
|---|
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| The Constitution |
| The Crown |
| Executive |
| Parliament |
| Judiciary |
| Politics of New England |
The Government of New England has four major branches which carry out the day to day business of ruling New England. Power is divided between these branches, preventing any one from acting against the basic constitutional principles of the country. The principal instrument of government is the Constitution of New England. The constitution can only be changed by the people through a referendum, and sets out the powers and limitations of each branch of the government. These branches are:
Government
Monarchy - New England is a constitutional monarchy. The King of New England is His Majesty King James II (usually styled HM The King, or simply the King). Although an integral part of the process of government, the King remains politically neutral and does not get involved in the political contest. In New England many important governmental actions are done 'on behalf of' the King or he exercises his powers at the direction of the First Minister. These are generally things which remain within the Royal Prerogative and many of these powers were codified in the constitution.
Executive - All senior ministers are members of the Cabinet, which is the main decision-making body of the government, and the Executive Council, which is offical executive body appointed by the King, on the advice the First Minister. In the simplest terms, the Cabinet is responsible for the policy direction of the government as well as the administration of the country. Much of this business of government is performed by the civil service, but there are other government agencies, organisations and businesses that include crown statutory agencies and crown corporations.
Parliament -
New England's parliament has a single chamber known as the House of Assembly. The principal functions of Parliament are to enact laws, provide a government, allocate funding for the civil service and redress grievances by way of petition.
The Government is accountable to Parliament for its actions and policies. So Ministers are answerable to Parliament for their own actions and policies and for the actions and policies of the departments and state agencies under their jurisdiction.
Judiciary - In New England the courts function is based on the constitutional principle that the judicial decision makers, the Judiciary, are independent of the policy makers, the Executive and Parliament. Judges make decisions by interpreting the laws which are passed by Parliament. Parliament passes laws that represent policy decisions which reflect the intention or interests of the citizens collectively. Hence the laws, once passed, are to be enforced as the formal expression of society's standards.
The Courts system is divided into Civil, Criminal and Statutory branches. All appeals are heard by either the Appeals Court or the full bench of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal, except in matters of clemency and pardon, where the defendant may appeal to the Monarch.
Politics
The Politics of New England takes place within the framework of a parliamentary democracy. The Government of New England is a unitary state, with some minor powers held by the sub-national entities known as Counties. The Parliament operates according to the westminster system of government, with a parliament elected via proportional representation.
Parties - New England has a variety of political parties and interests. The party system is well entrenched, although New England does not have a strong two-party system like many western countries. A range of smaller parties often control the balance of power, and moderate the government. Additionally, there are a number of parties in New England do not have elected members of parliament.
Elections - Every four years, elections are held for the Parliament and the Counties. New England maintains a complex electoral system to ensure democracy for all, and to give all people a voice in the election and running of government. Voting is compulsory for all people over the age of sixteen for the counties and the national parliament.
Political Issues - At any time, a whole range of issues dominate the political sphere of the nation. With the assistance of the media, many issues are brought to the attention of leaders, and also to the people. New Englander's are highly conscious of their society and much of the political discourse revolves around issues affecting it.
