1965 A.C.E Elections

1965 A.C.E Australasian Elections

Candidate Annika Jansen Christian Baard Markus Botha Party NPP ARENA Australasian Defence League Home state Harav-Natal Queensland Territory of Papua New Guinea Running mate Robert Hanekom Marthinus van Schalkwyk Alwyn van Houten Electoral vote 3 361 4

Indirect presidential elections were held in Australasia on 11 April 1965 A.C.E shortly after the Soviet -backed March coup carried out by the Australasian military. Christian Baard was elected President by the Volksraad, receiving 361 of the 366 votes cast.[1] Marthinus van Schalkwyk was elected Vice-President unopposed after Robert Hanekom withdrew his candidacy.

Background

Following the events of the coup in the same year, Kevin Rudd , the president, was deposed by allegations of leaving the country with no permission.[2] Since Kevin Rudd was already the Vice President, the President of the Chamber of Deputies, John Gorton, assumed the post until a new president to be elected until 1965 (the end of Kevin Rudd's term) by the Volksraad of Australasia. The date of election, was scheduled by the first Institutional Act, amended by the Supreme Command of the Revolution, the de facto ruler over Australasia at that moment.

The National Party, now as an opposition party in parliament, like the New Patriotic Party, agreed to elect Christian Baard as president. Christian Baard had promised to preserve the Australasian Democracy and fight against corruption and the crisis in the country. A new civil vice-president was elected on the same day.