Danihel Laurieir
Count Danihel Roibeard Laurieir (Daniel Robert Lorentz, b. 20 August 1964) is a former Talossan citizen. The first person to become Talossan after his childhood friend, R. Ben Madison created the Kingdom, Laurieir's citizenship dates to June of 1981. His citizenship lapsed in 2016, at which point he had been the longest tenured Talossan citizen ever since Robert's 2005 renounciation.
Laurieir's contributions to the Kingdom are numerous, including serving twice as Seneschal, a member of both houses of the Ziu, and on the Uppermost Court.
Early Citizenship
In September of 1981, only three months after becoming Talossan, and in the nation's first year of existence, Laurieir was elected as the first Prime Minister of the Kingdom, during its earliest abortive experiment with democracy. However, as this Prime Ministership was before the enacting of the Constitution, and lasted a mere month before the dictatorship of Robert I was re-proclaimed, it is not considered historically to be the same office as that held by the string of Talossan Prime Ministers that followed beginning in 1985. Laurieir's single month in this office ended when Robert I dismissed him for "attempting to return Talossa to the United States".
Laurieir then devoted his energies to his Democratic Dandipratic Party, preferring to remain independent and above party politics, especially as Talossan politics entered a period of bitter adversity that threatened to hurt personal relationships between Talossans. Indeed, over the years, Laurieir became famed for having created numerous single-member political parties to represent himself in the Cosa.
First Term as Seneschal
In 1987, Laurieir and Frédéric Maugey's People United for No King (PUNK) party managed to gain control of the government after agitation against the monarch and the King's Progressive Conservatives had impelled Robert I to abdicate in favour of a successor, Robert II, in a doomed effort to save the monarchy. Taking power in the 5th Cosa, and backed by 58% of the legislature, Laurieir proclaimed the monarchy abolished, and declared Robert II to have been "legislatively decapitated", inaugurating the short period of Talossan history in which the nation was known as "The Peculiar Republic of Talossa".
Wrote Robert I, "Despite constant feuding between Lauriéir and Opposition Leader Ben Madison, the peaceful transfer of power proved that Talossa was now a genuine democracy, in the hands of its people. Lauriéir's government laid the foundation for the future conduct of the government when it inaugurated the 'Vote by Post' system of parliamentary business, creating the predecessor of the modern Clark and the monthly routine of government affairs which continues to dominate the nation today."
Four Clarks into the Cosa, however, Laurieir proclaimed that the anti-monarchy scheme had been a mistake, and asked Robert I to return to the throne. Laurieir then dissolved his own government and endorsed the Progressive Conservatives, who were returned to power in a landslide vote, and Laurieir was succeeded as Seneschal by Sandee Prachel.
Second Term as Prime Minister
Laurieir's second stint as Prime Minister came in March of 1990 and lasted only a week before he resigned his office. Laurieir's Peculiar Way party, through aggressive telephone polling, had won the election to the 11th Cosa, campaigning to calm the waters between the two bitterly adversarial major parties, the King's Progressive Conservatives and Ian von Metairia's Päts Vräts. After taking office, though, Laurieir felt that taking himself out of politics would also serve to calm the nation's heated political climate, so he stepped down, leaving the office to his party-mate Harrison Wozniak.
Service on the Uppermost Court
Laurieir's long stints of service on the Uppermost Court are notable. As a Justice of the Court, he played key roles in historic events in Talossa, notably in resolving the constitutional crisis caused by the 2005 abdication of Robert I leaving the nation with neither a Secretary of State nor an active Seneschal to appoint one, and in handing down the landmark decision in the case Erni v. Talossa that ratified the events that had distressed Robert I to the point of renouncing his citizenship.
He was elevated to the rank of count on 23 November 2006 by the Regent for King Louis.
Personal Life
An attorney by profession, Laurieir resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and dogs.
Offices
| Preceded by Thomas Buffone |
Seneschal 9 March 1990/XI - 16 March 1990/XI |
Succeeded by Harrison Wozniak |
| Preceded by Weston Erni |
Seneschal 28 March 1987/VIII - 15 August 1987/VIII |
Succeeded by Sandee Prachel |
| Preceded by Tamorán dal Navâ |
Senator for Maritiimi-Maxhestic 33rd Cosa - Dissolution of the 34th Cosa |
Succeeded by Fritz von Buchholtz |
| Preceded by (Office created) |
Senator for Florencia 23rd Cosa - 23th Cosa (Clark 4) |
Succeeded by Art Verbotten |