Svobodna Dnevnik

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El Correo Internacional

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Hôinôm: Empress Hông announces new Prime Minister
By: Bruno Wong
Published: Treizen 28, 1582


Quang Công Quang was Minister of National Security from 1576 to 1579.

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Empress Hông has named Quang Công Quang as the Imperial Kingdom of Hôinôm's new Prime Minister, and asked him to form a new government following consultations with several prominent members of the National Assembly. A month ago, Prime Minister Bûi Quang An has resigned after he lost a vote of confidence in the National Assembly.

Quang, a former Minister of National Security will replace Prime Minister Bûi Quang An, and although no names were confirmed so far, it is expected that a more right-leaning administration will come to power. Quang, 57, comes for a nobility family, and his father was a prominent general in the Hôinômese Armed Forces. He started his career in the 1560s, being previously the CEO of a Hôinômese security company before being appointed Governor of the Ham Miêt province.

Prime Minister Bûi Quang An had been appointed in Quartyr 1579, in the middle of a political crisis caused by social unrest and political repression. An, a former advisor of the Empress, called for parliamentary elections -the first ones in several decades-, and introduce some liberal reforms, such as suspending military censorship and pardoning some political prisoners, and passing some social laws such as introducing a minimum wage for first time in the country's history. On economic policy, An did not introduce many deep changes -and although the government attempted to introduce administrative reforms in order to attract investment in the country-, and it continued the pro-trade and moderatively free-market policies of the former government.

The 1581 elections were both hopeful and disappointings as, although they introduced parliamentary politics for first time since the failed liberal revolution of 1548, they had clearly shortcomings. Many unemployed and women were limited the right of voting, political parties were still illegal, and the electoral campaign was riddled with political abuses, violence, and denounces of electoral fraud. Still, the process was witnessed by many as a realistic first step, and Empress Hông promised that she was willing to sign "A Bill of Rights" to be discussed in the parliament, which was expected to introduce some important constitutional changes.

The elections, however, complicated the reformist agenda of Prime Minister Bûi Quang An, as pro-government and moderate had a poor result in the elections, only a few dozens of seats in the 222-member National Assembly. While a dozen of ethnic minority, left-wing and human rights activist were able to enter in the parliament, a large majority of the candidates elected were Conservatives and "Hard-Right" monarchists, who opposed big changes in the country, and who were often hostile to some of the government's reforms and policies.

Prime Minister Quang Công Quang is expected to face less hostility, as analysts agree that he will have easily a majority in the parliament, but it is unclear if he will attempt to offer cooperation to moderate and reformist parliamentary factions, or rather move toward to the most ultraconservative ones.

In either case, both the national government and the parliament will have only a relative freedom of action, as the monarch retains many executive and legal prerogatives, such as veto power, suspending parliamentary activity, and the power to appoint and fire the Prime Minister.

In a public statement, Empress Hông thanked An for his service as Prime Minister, praising him for his "effectiveness, competence, and self-sacrifice".

It is expected that Prime Minister Quang Công Quang will announce a new national cabinet in the coming days.