The Federation of Lacoze
Federal City of Vienna (Wien) - Austria
November 5, 2015
Vienna was one of the largest in the federation of Lacoze and one of the largest cities in Europe. A cultural city with a history dating back thousands of years it was somewhat of a melting pot of cultures, though the local Germans always came out on top. It was also somewhat a crossroads between the great empires and peoples of the European continent, from Rome to Germania and those between and beyond them. Which was why during its formation the Federation of Lacoze, a supranational union of Europe's free peoples no longer desiring to be oppressed by Germans or Soviets or the Cottish it had been chosen as the new nation's capital, a federal city. For the first years of its existence Lacoze had been a rising star in Europe, a land often begotten by either the tyrannical boot of Nazi Germany or simple lethargic hegemony by the now defunct Roman Empire, they had brought with them an active participation in democracy, a promise of civil and human rights long forgotten to the people's of Europe and for that in most lands they had been welcomed.
It had not all been easy, of course. No ascent to unity from chaos is ever easy, least of all regarding nations, where peoples and cultures disagree with one another on principle if not other more ancient grievances. In the south the unification of the South Balkans Confederation which preceded Lacoze had given the fledgling nation a neighbor which would not bow to its whims or join its glorious vision of a Europe united in freedom, democracy and diversity. The tensions between the two nations had fostered a conflict, and then a stagnation of the economy in Lacoze owing to the decrease in trade and free movement.
This had the extrapolated affect of the people losing faith in the current government, a vote of no confidence against the president and the accusations of rising corruption within the other organs of the state excluding the demoralized military who simply had no faith in their commander in chief in the Executive House in Vienna. Then of course the was the loss of the Czech and Slovak republics to Poland and their Central European Federation which was another obstacle to Lacoze's ultimate dream of uniting Europe among others.
The greatest threat to European Unification was by far however, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which encompassed a great deal of western and central Europe including France, Germany and the low countries, as well as their continuing incorporation of England into their realm. Neither Amsterdam nor Vienna were fond of the other, for a variety of issues most of which related back to the fact both of them thought of themselves as the ones destined to unify Europe, one in the name of a despotic monarchy which sought to dominate, and then the federation which sought to bring the Light of Liberty to the long since oppressed peoples of Europe.
Those were for the moment however distant concerns of Hans Amsel, President-elect of the Federation of Lacoze, elected in the elections following the vote of no confidence against currently incumbent President Czarnecki on an agenda of revitalizing the Lacozen state, reviving the economy and easing tensions with the Dutch while continuing what had been coined as the Grand Dream. Amsel himself was a tall man, six foot one in the Imperial measurement system with blonde hair and green eyes with roguish handsome features of an older man at forty-five years old who was a Senator prior to this appointment by the people.
A chauffeured state car carried Amsel through the winding streets of Vienna towards the Executive Mansion, where the President of the Federation made his home and office during his tenure, on his way to a meeting with the incumbent President Czarnecki. Amsel had much to discuss with his predecessor and so this would be the first of a few meetings before Czarnecki stepped down in January of 2016.
"We're almost to the presidential house, sir." His driver called back in Hungarian, Amsel sat up straighter and fixed his tie and coat. "Thank you, Sanyi." The Austrian man replied in almost-clear Magyar, the slightest of accents still audible in his speech that caused his driver to chuckle. "No problem, sir." Sanyi answered with a smile as the car turned a corner before stopping some distance across the grand scale of Hofburg Palace, the executive mansion of the Federation of Lacoze and former residence of Austria's distant kings.
Amsel opened the door to the car himself where he was greeted by two men of the Lacozen Army who saluted sharply before turning to escort him across the square to the palace itself. The walk across was meant to be a humbling experience, he imagined given the immense scale of the palace and its grounds. It didn't work, not really. He didn't feel big per say he just didn't feel humbled either, he was no serf, no peasant, no slave to any man. He was a republican and duly appointed representative of the Lacozen peoples, he had no reason to feel small.
The two soldiers left him at the door of the palace which was guarded by two more men, this time of the presidential protection detail, also drawn from the army owing to the army's perceived neutrality in politics. He was not escorted inside but was met by another man, the President's aide de camp who led him to the door of the presidential office. A short wait was ended with his admittance to the office without ceremony, as it should be, and was greeted with the sight of President Czarnecki standing behind an ancient oaken desk that had once belonged to monarchs. "Mister President." Amsel crossed the room with a slight smile, offering his hand which the president took and shook lightly. "Mister President-elect." Czarnecki greeted in Amsel's native Austrian German. "Welcome to your office."
"It is for now still yours, Mister President. I think I might have it re-arranged though." They shared a light laugh over that comment before the two men took on a gaze of seriousness. "Mister President, we have a good deal to discuss and a very short time to do it in."
"Yes, Mister President-elect, that is true. Come, let us sit and talk." The President responded motioning for the man to sit on a small sofa with a table between it and another sofa which he sat on across from Amsel.
"I do not intend to let the ship sink, sir." Amsel said bluntly once he was seated, the President blinked a twice before one of his eyebrows quirked upward.
"The 'ship' isn't sinking, Mr. President-elect. The Attorney General is prosecuting some men who thought it was and decided to see if they could cash grab, but the biggest hurdle at the moment is my leaving office, which I'm sure you can fill more than adequately."
"Our people are generally demoralized, sir. No one is deserting the military yet and the people aren't up in arms but there has been considerable affect owing to our tensions with the Albanians and the Dutch, not to mention the Polish stealing more than a third of the country."
The President sighed. "Yes, they are demoralized and there has been that secession but we are generally intact, I have the utmost faith and confidence that your administration will turn around what I could not." The President did not speak begrudgingly, which Amsel was thankful for, though he had no doubt that the man had reservations about how the moment the boat got rocky people had declared him incompetent.
"Thank you, sir." Amsel responded with neutrality...