Government of Westarctica

The government of Westarctica is the system by which Westarctican rule is implemented. Westarctica is a constitutional monarchy with the nation's ruler, the Grand Duke, as the national sovereign. The Sovereign is assisted in these duties by a number of people in positions that, as a whole, make up the Royal Council.

As mandated by the Constitution of Westarctica, the government is comprised of three branches:

The Sovereign

The role of sovereign is to serve as the head of state. The current Sovereign, Grand Duke Travis, currently retains many of the rights of an absolute monarch, including the personal power to enact laws, appoint members of government, and function as the judiciary. The role is primarily hereditary, although Westarctican law dictates that the Sovereign may choose their successor.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Grand Duke of Westarctica Grand Duke Travis   21 September 2012

The Prime Minister

The role of Prime Minister is currently the only elected position within Westarctica's government. The Prime Minister's primary function is to represent the citizens of Westarctica to the Crown and to speak on their behalf during sessions of the Royal Council. In accordance with the Charter of Westarctica, the Prime Minister is responsible for presenting laws and ordinances to the Crown for approval. The Prime Minister is also responsible for suggesting new and replacement Ministers to the Grand Duke.

The current Prime Minister, Brendan Cook, was elected in February of 2023 to a term of four years.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Prime Minister of Westarctica Brendan Cook   20 February 2023

Ministers

The largest group of government appointments are those that make up the higher tier of the Royal Council, which include the title "Minister," as they are each respectively the head of a Ministry. There are currently seven Ministers on the Royal Council.

Current Ministers

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Minister of Defense Duke Wolf of Waesche   29 July 2005
Minister of Communications Countess of Carter   29 June 2018
Minister of Culture Duke of Fox Grove   28 January 2020
Minister of Colonial Affairs Duke of Tapley   2 November 2021
Minister of Citizen Affairs Baron of Hull Bay   2 November 2021
Minister of Sports Dame Kristina Sullivan   2 November 2021
Foreign Minister Sir Charles Ross   12 November 2022

Open Ministry positions

As of 2024, several governmental positions remain without a personal appointment. Until such an appointment occurs or as long as that appointment remains open, the Grand Duke is the offices' de facto holder. These vacancies are:

The High Commissioner

The High Commissioner of Westarctica is a role that is largely advisory. It is intended to serve as a sort of "right-hand person" to the Grand Duke. The High Commissioner's role is also intended to act as an occasional liaison between the Grand Duke and his council-level appointments, much as the Prime Minister does with the Ministers. Much of the minutiae of the role's responsibilities are unclear.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
High Commissioner of Westarctica Count of Discovery Ridge   2 November 2021

Council-Level positions

These positions, often called "Commissioners," are ad hoc appointments, usually for a limited and specific purpose. These roles are created and filled solely at the discretion of the Grand Duke, and are not subject to direct oversight from the Prime Minister. While these are members of the Royal Council, they are distinct from ministries, as they report directly to the Grand Duke and often have a much smaller scope and area of responsibility. There are currently two such positions. With the creation of the Royal Household of Grand Duke Travis in April 2023, several of these positions were absorbed into the royal household and it is anticipated that the rest will be phased out completely.

Current Council-Level positions

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Commissioner of Economic Development David Eckhard   2 November 2021
Commissioner of Elections Baron of Abele   18 December 2018

Executive roles outside of the Royal Council

There are a number of additional roles in Westarctica's government that do not have a place on the Royal Council. These roles are typically very limited in scope or may even be largely honorary, with no actual responsibilities required of the holder.

Territorial and Regional Governance

Westarctica currently has three territorial claims on areas not within the area of Marie Byrd Land addressed within the Claimant Letter. Each of these are ruled by a Viceroy holding the authority of the Grand Duke within their colony.

The Balleny Islands

The Balleny Islands became a colony when Westarctica formally annexed it from New Zealand on 14 January 2005. Westarctican citizen Jorge-Fernandez Vidal was made Governor of the new territory and subsequently made the Count of Sturge. This was made both in recognition of his new role as the Minister of the Treasury, and his related permission to mint Westarctican coins. The vast majority of these coins were minted as currency of the Colony of the Balleny Islands. On 15 March 2024, Grand Duke Travis' eldest son was appointed Viceroy of the Balleny Islands, making him the senior executive of the colony.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Viceroy of the Balleny Islands Prince Ashton Roman   15 March 2024

Calsahara

In October 2017, Grand Duke Travis became concerned that the leaders of Calsahara weren't taking a big enough role in managing the internal or external affairs of the nation. Rather than see the country he founded continue to stagnate until it descended into oblivion, Travis made the strategic decision to liberate Calsahara from its absentee landlords.

On 29 October, the Grand Duke led a coalition force comprised of the Westarctican Royal Guards and the Knights of Shiloh to Calsahara, liberating it from negligent rule. He subsequently set up a Colonial government, comprised of a Viceroy and a military governor to oversee the transition from an independent kingdom to a colony of Westarctica.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Viceroy of Calsahara Prince Daniel Nicholas   29 October 2017
Captain-General of Calsahara Damien Kramer   18 March 2021

Raphania

On 19 November 2022, following the conclusion of the Westarctica-Raphania War, the micronation of Raphania became a colony of Westarctica. Its previous Grand Emir was made a Royal Viceroy with the title Prince of Raphania while Grand Duke Travis gained the additional title Sultan of Raphania.

Position Current Appointee Portrait Since
Royal Viceroy of Raphania Prince Charles I   19 November 2022

The Honorary Consular Corps

Main article: Honorary Consular Corps

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs directs the various Honorary Consuls, who serve as overseas diplomatic representatives of Westarctica's government. They are a key part of Westarctica's foreign affairs program. In the future, some of these Consuls will likely be allowed to enter into official negotiations on behalf of Westarctica.

The Peerage of Westarctica

Main article: Peerage of Westarctica

These are the nobility, and they are sometimes consulted by the Grand Duke on important national issues. While they have no formal decision-making power, their voices may have a large influence over national decisions. Occasionally the Grand Duke may invite them to express their desires in a one-peer-one-vote system, though he is not legally bound by the outcome of such a vote.

The Grand Ducal Court

Main article Grand Ducal Court

The Grand Ducal Court is comprised of four justices who serve as the primary adjudicators of Westarctica's constitutional law and law in general in the nation. It is the highest court in the nation, and is analogous to the United States Supreme Court.