1967 Urcean political crisis: Difference between revisions

The '''1967 Urcean political crisis''' was a major breakdown in the systems of the [[Government of Urcea|government of Urcea]] that began in February [[1967]] and lasted until May [[1967]]. During that period, the [[Concilium Daoni]] did not meet, the longest such period in the modern history of the Daoni. The crisis, which introduced questions about the [[Constitution of Urcea|Urcean constitution]] into the public sphere, was ultimately resolved with a complex arrangement of [[Apostolic King of Urcea|Royal]] appointments as well as {{wp|confidence and supply}} agreements.

==Background==

{{Main|Urlazio Synod}}

In [[1956]], the [[Catholic Church]] began backroom negotiations with the [[Government of Caphiria|Caphirian government]] about the possibility of mending or lessening the [[Great Schism of 1615]]. These talks occurred against the backdrop of the [[Occidental Cold War]] on one hand and a new global era of diplomacy backed by the [[League of Nations]] on the other. These negotiations culminated with an agreement to hold a synod of Catholic and [[Caphiric Church]] bishops in [[Urlazio]] in March [[1956]]. The [[government of Urcea]], then controlled by the [[Commonwealth Union (Urcea)|Commonwealth Union]], secretly collaborated with the Caphirian government to scuttle the talks, successfully cancelling the synod in late winter. As Procurator, John Donnula played a major role in undermining the talks. The sabotage of Church affairs was not known to King Patrick IV, who discovered it privately in [[1965]]. In his deathbed last will and testament published at his death on 1 February 1967, the King revealed the duplicity to the public.

Efforts to suppress the document were only partly successful. Minor publications published news of it on the morning of 2 February, and though their reach was limited, it nonetheless caused a major sensation in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]]. Minor court officials, who had seen the document themselves, were seen in discussions with the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] minority leader of the Concilium Daoni, Felix Finnean. The new King, in his first full day as [[Apostolic King of Urcea]], awoke to significant controversy in the Palace. He summoned Procurator Donnula to a private audience - ostensibly a normal King-Procurator meeting - at 10 AM that day. According to Palace insiders, Donnula was largely evasive with the new monarch, avoiding questions about the Urlazio Synod directly and successfully focusing on issues related to the coronation planning. Only later in the day did the coverup effort become known - an audience between the two Censors and their new monarch made it plain that not only did Caelian II not authorize Donnula to request the will be censored, but the Procurator had deliberately hid the growing controversy to the King. The reportedly enraged new King demanded the Censors retract any attempted censorship. With Censorial restrictions removed and no evidence forthcoming that the will was actually a forgery, most outlets - including the [[Levantine Times Union]] - printed the news in special afternoon or evening editions.

The news was a major shock to the Urcean political environment. Besides questions of his conduct related to the Urlazio Synod, many journalists began to question the Procurator's decisionmaking with respect to covering up the will. Discussion in the newspaper that night, and on the morning of 3 February, questioned not only the ethics but the legality of the Procurator's actions, as suppressing the last will and testament of a King could be conceived as a criminally treasonous act. On the morning of 3 February, Donnula attempted to have another audience with King Caelian II, attempting to convince the monarch to make a public show of confidence in the King, but the King refused to see him. As 3 February was a Friday, the Concilium Daoni was not in session, but over that weekend nearly every newspaper in the country was now covering the Synod controversy as well as the coverup. Before the end of the weekend, several leading members of the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] and even leaders of the [[Julian Party (Urcea)|Julian Party]] publicly stated that they thought Donnula should resign. As the Daoni met on the morning of Tuesday, 7 February, a {{Wp|motion of no confidence}} in Donnula's leadership as Chancellor was made, but the meeting was adjourned "on an emergency basis" until the next day, when the measure would be taken up.

Out of options and facing likely legal trouble, Donnula arrived at the Julian Palace on the morning of the 16th. In a private audience with the King, he asked if he might be pardoned in exchange for his immediate resignation. King Caelian II reluctantly agreed because he thought Donnula's removal might end the crisis but also because he thought a trial of a sitting Procurator would be harmful to the state. In a brief televised address, Donnula announced his resignation effective at noon on 16 February. Critically, his resignation was not only as Procurator, but as member of the [[Concilium Daoni]], reducing his party's seat share by 1. The King followed with his own address, reassuring the nation that the Urcean system of governance would overcome this crisis. In addition to announcing the indefinite postponement of his coronation, Caelian II explained in brief terms how the nation would now be governed. The [[Concilium Purpaidá]] would continue to make the day-to-day administrative decisions necessary to run the country. However, it would now exercise the executive power of the [[Procurator]] collegially, with the body being temporarily chaired by Cassio Loughlin. As man with the largest plurality support in the Daoni, the King would appoint Loughlin as "special envoy of the King to the Privy Council" which would enable him to chair the body as an ex officio member. Although unspoken, it was understood to the ministers that consequential foreign policy decisions would be made now by the [[Apostolic King of UrceA|Apostolic King]] in consultation with the [[Ministry of State (Urcea)|State Minister]]. The King would also now retain the ability to make {{wp|recess appointments}} for functionally any public office that required Daoni approval; while he imposed this condition largely as an inducement for the Daoni to choose a leader, he would instead be called upon to make dozens of appointments during the crisis.

==National Pact minority government attempt==

==Julian Palace accords==

==End of crisis==

[[Category:Politics of Urcea]]

[[Category:IXWB]]

[[Category:History of Urcea]]