Transitional Government

The Transitional Government was the name for the executive branch of Westarctica's government that supervised the transition of power from Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence to Grand Duke Travis. It lasted from 3 June 2010 until 2014, when the Charter of Westarctica established the authority of the Grand Duke and the Prime Minister.

Background of the transition

Main article: The Great Return

Westarctica's international prestige was severely damaged by the events of the Siple War, leading Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence to declare an isolationist policy and cease external relations with foreign nations. The Siple War also left the government of Westarctica internally fractured with the majority of the Baronage and Grand Ducal Cabinet openly criticizing the Grand Duke's handling of the conflict. In December 2009, Westarctica's official website went down permanently, and throughout early 2010, Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence stopped responding to e-mails altogether.

The events of Jon-Lawrence's reign left the cabinet and Baronage with grave doubts about his ability to govern and in May 2010, they expressed a lack of confidence in his abilities in an e-mail sent to the founder of Westarctica, Travis McHenry. Since departing the throne in 2006, Travis had not been involved in Westarctica in any meaningful way, and had recently become ruler of another micronation, the Kingdom of Calsahara. Their entreaties moved Travis to return to the throne of Westarctica as Grand Duke once again and together with the members of the cabinet and the Baronage, he led a coup that toppled the rule of Grand Duke Jon-Lawrence.