Svobodna Dnevnik

[Hadash]

El Correo Internacional

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Michael Haydn is ousted as Khibland's President in impeachment vote
By: Albrekt Mogensen
Published: Dein 24, 1583


Cynebaldina Mazzini becomes 4th Khibland president sine independence.

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Khibland's National Council, the unicameral Khiblander parliament, has impeached President Michael Haydn yesterday, removing him from office for the rest of the term, which ends in 1585.

The National Assembly voted 36 to 14 to convict Mr. Haydn on charges of interfering with state and judiciary institutions and violating the constitution. Before the vote, it was unclear if the impeachment was likely to be successful but the vote of two Conservative Party MPs, who unexpectedly changed their vote in the last moment, was enough to reach the constitutional minimum of 36 votes.

The impeachment is the last chapter of the confronation of President Haydn and the leader of the Progressive Democratic Party, First Minister Primoz Destovnik. Former political allies, their alliance broke up in late 1570s, on deep differences on foreign and institutional policy, but also on personal differences, according to the local media.

In his last speech as president, defending himself of the charges used for the impeachment motion, Michael Haydn accused First Minister Destovnik of attempting to usurp power through pseudo-constitutional means. A representative of the Social Democratic Party, Michael Haydn's political party, went further an denounced the impeachment vote as an "unlawful coup...which violates the Khiblander constitution" and undermines Khiblander young democracy. Following the vote, there were demonstrations in support to Haydn in Macharaviaya and Südenberg, but they ended without incidents.

Michael Haydn was elected President in 1577 and reelected again 1581. He had previously been elected President in 1571, being ousted from power in a military coup d'etat the next year. The military dictatorship was ended in 1573, after Mordvanian Armed Forces intervened in the country.

Former Foreign Minister and First Minister Cynebaldina Mazzini, as current Speaker of the National Council, will serve as interim president, and she is expected to remain in office until the end of the current term in 1585. Mazzini, former leader of the Progressive Liberal Party, and currently a prominent member of the center-left Progressive Democratic Party, becomes the first women President in the short history of Khibland, which became independent from the Kingdom of Abdania and Mordvania in 1566. Mazzini is also a member of the Messanic Society of Pious Believers, also known Muliners, becoming the first Muliner head of state in history.

It is unlikely that Michael Haydn faces criminal prosecution, most of local experts agree, as the charges are rather doubtful or at least difficult to prove. But it is feared that Haydn impeachment may increase political confrontation in the country.

Haydn remains a relatively popular politician, although his party is not, as many Social Democratic Party politicians and officials were involved in corruption charges in the late years. However, Haydn won't be able to run as president candidate in 1585, as the impeachment vote disqualifies him to run for office in 5 years. Next year there will be legislative elections, which are likely to be decisive for the future of the country.

First Minister Primoz Destovnik has argued that Haydn's impeachment will help to end the "dysfunctional state of politics for the last three years", and "allowing the government to deliver policies for the well-being of all Khiblander citizens". Destovnik has promised that the government will implement a "much needed" anti-corruption campaign and reforms, which is likely to ousted Haydn's political allies from state institutions, local commentators believe.

So far, there were no international reactions to the impeachment of President Michael Haydn, besides Mordvanian ambassador Miroslaw Wolinsky, who declared that "the Republic of Mordvania respects the sovereignty of the Free State of Khibland...and we have nothing to say about the internal affairs of the country, besides our government will keep working with Khiblander authorities in order to defend the interests and well-being of the citizens of both nations", in a public statement.