Tron founder Justin Sun elected as prime minister of crypto-focused micro nation Liberland

Tron founder Justin Sun is taking on his next role — as prime minister of Liberland, a self-proclaimed micronation wedged between Croatia and Serbia.

Sun was elected to lead Liberland, according to a statement released by the sovereign state on Tuesday. Entrepreneur Evan Luthra and journalist Jillian Godsil were also elected to serve as a member of Congress. 

"Justin Sun and Evan Luthra are newcomers to Liberland but have consistently proven themselves as accomplished entrepreneurs in the crypto space," according to the statement released by Liberland. "Their track records as genuine 'doers' will be instrumental in advancing our blockchain projects, and their skill and dedication promise to benefit Liberland as a whole."

Liberland was established in 2015 and was the "first country to adopt bitcoin (BTC) as its official currency," according to a previous statement from the sovereign state. Its government works on a "decentralized online platform," which in turn allows its residents to participate in it. 

For the recent elections, Liberland used a "blockchain-based election system." 

"The election process, governed by a simple set of rules, was entirely algorithmic, providing transparency," the sovereign state said on Tuesday. "This system has a unique ability to eliminate doubt regarding election outcomes, a challenge faced by many countries still relying on traditional methods. We hope to be a pioneering example of what will soon become common practice."

Liberland was founded by Vít Jedlička, a Czech politician, in 2015 and was later elected the state's first president, according to reporting from The New York Times. Liberland has said that Croatia or Serbia have not claimed its 7 km² space.

From 2021 to 2023, Sun served as the Permanent Representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization (WTO). However, he continues to use the initials H.E. ("His Excellency") before his name on his official X account. 

Sun said he plans to “build upon the foundation libertarian principles." 

“The libertarian approach of reducing government spending, lowering taxes on citizens, and minimizing interference in people's lives is the right path to genuine economic prosperity. For those skeptical of the idea that reduced government expenditure could lead to social unrest, I point to Liberland as a living example of how this philosophy works in practice—our citizens live freely and thrive under this system,” Sun said in an emailed statement to The Block.

Sun compared Vatican City as the center for Catholics, as Liberland is to “the heart of the libertarian movement.”

“Libertarians everywhere may have their own countries and nationalities, but Liberland will serve as their ideological homeland—a place where their beliefs in freedom, autonomy, and voluntary governance are respected and embodied,” Sun said. 

Update: Oct. 10 9:25 p.m. UTC to include comments from Justin Sun