Upper House undergoes structural reform for the third time.
Once again, the House of Aristocrats undergoes changes. Now, the members of the upper house of Konkrëse, the national parliament, cannot represent parties, that is, for legal purposes, current members and those who in the future are appointed by the Sovereign to integrate the chamber must renounce their affiliations.
The bill was introduced to the House of Councillors at the August 14th session by its author, the Most Dignified Mr. Eduardo Goethe, 1st Count of Goethe (Worker's), but discussion of the proposal took place only after the August 21 session (and not the session), throughout the week and culminating in its vote and approval on August 28 . The parliamentary adviser officially declared that his proposal aimed to make the upper chamber politically neutral and, consequently, to safeguard the position of the monarch responsible for appointing the members of that chamber, and thus, he could no longer be properly accused of favoring one party over another.
Initially the proposal came as a surprise to the members of the Moderate Party because, at first, they would be the biggest beneficiaries, besides the monarch, being accused of being benefited by the sovereign; a contradiction because, despite dominating the lower house of parliament, the upper house is dominated by members of the Worker's Party, who must now choose between leaving the party - assuming the position of historical members and possibly consultants - or resigning from their positions at the House of Aristocrats.
Upon being officially put up for voting, the Worker's proposal had support divided among the Moderates, with Prime Minister Mr. Henri Sãens, and other big shots like the Honorable Mr. Nícollas Reis, 1st Duke of Novaes, Mr. Wellington Muniz, Minister of War and Mr. Bernardo Barcellos, Minister of Commerce, supporting, while the President of the Moderate Party the Most Dignified Mr. Raphael Sousa, 1st Duke of Sternachten, was vocally opposed. The members of the House of Councillors of the Conservative Party and the Most Dignified Mr. Alessandro Rosas, sole representative of the Republican Party.
Despite the approval of the bill in the Councillors by 7 votes in favor, 4 against and 3 abstentions, it was considered a victory for the government of Henri Sãens, the biggest victors of the time was the Worker's Party that demonstrated not only unity, but capacity to influence Ebenthali politics profoundly in his favor, even from his position as a minority party and his centrist stance towards the government and the opposition. On the other hand, the Moderate Party suffered a great blow with this clear split pitting the Head of Government against the Party President.