The Hudson Contravention is a proposal to temporarily suspend the 77th amendment to the Federal Accord for President Zachary Hudson. If approved by Federal Congress, this would allow Hudson to run for a second term in office in the next Federal presidential election, which is scheduled to take place in June 3309. The proposal was delivered to Federal Congress on February 4, 3308 by Secretary of State Lana Berkovich on Hudson's behalf, and it is currently under debate.
The primary argument for the Hudson Contravention's implementation was that the Federation appeared likely to face numerous external and internal crises in the coming years, including rising instability within the Empire and the Alliance as well as the ongoing conflict with the Thargoids, and President Hudson had the experience necessary to guide the Federation through this tumultuous period. Although the Hudson Contravention was enthusiastically supported by Hudson's Cabinet and voter base, moderate Republicans signalled wariness about setting aside a centuries-old part of the Federal Accord. Shadow President Felicia Winters and former presidents Jasmina Halsey and Antonia Madison condemned the Hudson Contravention as blatantly unconstitutional and likened it to a dictator's power grab. President Hudson countered that the change would only allow him to run for the presidency again in the 3309 election and not automatically or indefinitely extend his term, since other Republican, Liberal, and third party candidates would still be able to run against him and Federal voters would be given the opportunity to vote him out of office.
Timeline[]
04 MAR 3308
- President Zachary Hudson has made a public broadcast regarding his proposal to remove the single-term limit of the Federal presidency. Speaking from the White House on Mars, he directly addressed the anxiety that citizens have expressed about the Hudson Contravention: "If Congress agrees to temporarily suspend the 77th amendment of the Federal Accord, it will mean that I become eligible to stand for election again in 3309. It does not guarantee that I – or any future president – can remain in office indefinitely. Furthermore, the Republican Party will be able to field other electoral nominees, as will the Liberal Party and any independent candidates. As always, the votes of the people will determine who forms our government. I strongly believe that our constitution is robust enough to accommodate changes such as this, especially during these trying times. The Federation remains a place of democracy and freedom, not dictatorship." President Hudson also called for an end to the recent violence seen at public demonstrations on many Federal worlds. Several cities have witnessed aggressive clashes between Hudson's supporters and those of Shadow President Felicia Winters.[1]
22 FEB 3308
- President Zachary Hudson's proposal to remove the eight-year limit on his term of office has led to public unrest on many Federal worlds. Supporters of Shadow President Felicia Winters have taken the lead in protesting against the Hudson Contravention, which is currently being debated in Congress. The situation has been extensively covered by newsfeeds across the Federation:
Federal Free Press: "As always, Felicia Winters is the only grown-up in the room. She has rightfully objected to the sitting president's attempt at throwing away the rulebook. Repealing the 77th amendment would be a fundamental blow to our millennia-old democracy."
Sol Today: "What's the choice here? Retain Hudson for a few more years until things calm down, or hand power to Winters and watch the Federal government weaken and collapse under a weight the shadow president cannot possibly bear?"
The Federal Times: "Moderate Republican voters are taking a dim view of the Hudson Contravention, primarily because it denies them the option to choose a new administration. Vice President Jerome Archer, Secretary of State Lana Berkovich and Grand Attorney Edwin Espinosa are the most likely presidential candidates, but none of them will be able to run for office in 3309 if Hudson gets his way."[2]
15 FEB 3308
- President Zachary Hudson's intention to remove the limit on his term in office has caused a deep rift among congressmen and voters alike. Political correspondent Sofia Trevino analysed the situation in The Federal Times: "Ever since the 77th amendment to the Federal Accord was ratified in 2594, no president has remained in office for longer than eight years. This is why the Hudson Contravention, as Congress officially refers to it, has turned up the heat on the simmering political division within the Federation. Members of the Cabinet and other leading Republicans have argued passionately that only Zachary Hudson has the experience and fortitude to guide the Federation through this eventful period in history. His supporters point to successes such as curtailing the secession crisis, ending the NMLA threat and introducing greater security via the Proactive Detection Bureau. However, others insist that repealing this amendment could pave the way from democracy to dictatorship. Two former presidents – Antonia Madison and Jasmina Halsey – have publicly condemned the Hudson Contravention as unconstitutional and dangerous. There are expectations that Shadow President Felicia Winters will move for a vote of no confidence. Political analysts suspect that after several controversial leadership decisions from Hudson last year, he would be unlikely to win over a majority in Congress."[3]
04 FEB 3308
- The Federal government has announced plans to extend Zachary Hudson's term as president beyond the legally allotted span. Every Federation president serves a single term of eight years. President Hudson assumed the role in June 3301, and is therefore due to step down in June 3309 following an election to select his replacement. Secretary of State Lana Berkovich delivered the proposal to Congress: "We live in extraordinary times, and all signs point to further challenges in the coming years. Our people deserve a steady hand at the helm rather than being forced to change political course, especially with the tempestuous developments found within our neighbouring superpowers. It is therefore in the public interest that we temporarily suspend the arbitrary eight-year limitation, to allow President Hudson to continue steering the Federation through the coming storms." Shadow President Felicia Winters condemned the proposal: "Hudson has already violated the Federal Accord with his surveillance laws, but now we can see how little he values our constitution. This is the act of a dictator, not a democratically elected president." A few Republican congressmen reluctantly agreed with Winters, joining calls for President Hudson to withdraw the proposal. However, political analysts believe that Hudson enjoys the support of his entire Cabinet and a majority of the Republican Party.[4]
21 JAN 3308
- President Zachary Hudson has delivered a speech to Congress on maintaining security for the Federation in the coming years. Excerpts from his address include the following: "In the last year, we have excelled at protecting Federal citizens from harm. The Proactive Detection Bureau proved its worth in locating terrorists before they could strike, and our security services played an instrumental role in the NMLA's defeat. 3308 is already bringing many challenges. The war against the Thargoids could escalate at any time, and we face the challenge of replacing Aegis with our own anti-xeno taskforce. We are also deeply concerned about increased infighting within the Alliance and Empire, which could easily spill over into our territory. My administration is holding high-level discussions about how best to keep the Federation strong and secure. We will soon make some brave proposals to continue meeting our people's constitutional right to safety." Shadow President Felicia Winters delivered this rebuttal: "President Hudson fails to mention his disastrous attempt to capture Yuri Grom, his former fleet admiral's criminal conviction for destroying Starship One, or that his surveillance laws forced several systems to declare independence. I would argue that under his leadership, the Federation has never been weaker or less secure."[5]