1st Hanover National Government: 1956 - 1963

The 1st Hanover National Government was formed on the 6th of September 1956 and dissolved on the 23rd of April 1963. The government was led by Prime Ministers, Rupert Schmidt from 1956 to 1960 and Edward Albrecht from 1960 to 1963. The Hanover Nationals won the 1956 Parliamentary Election with a minority of seats, leading to a coalition with the Free Conservative Party to secure a majority. After forming a government in 1956 the parties continued on until the 1960 Parliamentary Election where the Hanover Nationals slightly decreased their seat count in the election and once again had to form a coalition with the Free Conservatives. Because of minor squabbles throughout the term, a snap election was called in 1962 which lead to the Hanover Nationals losing even more seats and once again another Hanover National-Free Conservative coalition was formed. After a major disagreement over the Abortion Bill of 1963, parliament voted for no confidence in the government and a snap election was called in 1963. The 1963 Parliamentary Election led to the Hanover Nationals losing a significant amount of seats and the Free Conservatives losing a fair few amount of seats, most notably kicking the Hanover Nationals and Free Conservatives out of government and forming a new Socialist government.

## Policies

### Domestic Policies

* Work Week Act 1957 introduced a 45-hour work week over five out of seven days a week.
* Military Training Act 1958 reintroduced compulsory military training for one year after turning 18.
* Age of Consent Act 1958 defined the age of consent as as an adult who able to consent to adult activities at the age of 18 or over.
* Buses Act 1959 denationalized bus companies in the country.
* Elections Act 1960 required that you had to be 18 years old to vote and a citizen of New Hanover for at least three years.
* Homosexuality Propaganda Act 1961 banned promoting homosexuality in public.
* Immigration Restrictions Act 1962 introduced an education test to move to the country that provided fifty questions; getting under thirty meant that you would not be accepted into the country, getting thirty to thirty-nine would makes you a possible candidate, and getting forty or higher would mean that you would have a high likelihood of entering the country.
* Import & Export Tariffs Act 1962 majorly decreased import and export tariffs for most products.

### Foreign Affairs

During the Premiership of Rupert Schmidt, he generally opposed a united Europe idea and refused to hold a referendum on joining the European Economic Community but after his resignation, his successor held a different opinion. Edward Albrecht believed that Europe needed some sort-of unity and so he proposed a referendum that would ask the public whether they wanted to join the European Economic Community or not. When the referendum actually happened, around 58% of voters voted in favor of joining the economic union and 42% voted against joining the economic union and in January 1962 they would officially join the European Economic Community.

## Demise: 1963 Parliamentary Election

In 1963, parliament voted in favor of a vote of no confidence in the government, meaning that an election had to be called. The election took place in March 1963 and led to the Hanover Nationals and Free Conservatives to be voted out of government. The Socialist Party, Socialist Labor Party, Social Liberal Party, and Workers' Party formed a small minority government after extensive negotiations lasting around a month. The country had never seen a four-way coalition before and many raised concerns that it would be completely unstable so a coalition including the Hanover National Party, Free Conservative Party, Centre Party, and Social Liberal Party was considered. However, this coalition was also a four-party coalition and was dropped in favor of a Socialist-led coalition.