Partido Conservador leadership Elections 2017 - 2nd Round:

[Lyseria]

Friday the 20th of January 2017:

Faced with numerous scandals and tanking approval ratings, Primer Ministro María Ramos has announced that she will step down as party leader and, in so doing, as Prime Minister of Lyseria. Primer Ministro María Ramos will stay on as Prime Minister until a new party leader is chosen. The new party leader will then take up the position as Prime Minister, provided he or she can maintain the current ruling coalition.

As no candidate won over 50% of the vote in the first round the top two candidates will face off against one another in a runoff vote on Wednesday the 25th of January (OOC: I will determine the results, but the number of votes from players may influence my decison). Should it come to this a debate between the two remaining candidates will be held the night before the vote on Tuesday the 24th.

The candidates are (with % won in first round):

Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes Martín Granjero (41%)
Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta (32%)

Candidates who failed to make it into the second round (with % won in first round):

Ministro de Finanzas Pedro López (21%) (endorsed Trompeta)
Ministro de Transporte Pablo Morales (6%) (endorsed Trompeta)

Three high ranking cabinet members considered running but have subsequently declined, all of them have now endorsed Granjero:

Ministro de Religión Sebastián Soldoro (withdrew after a scandal erupted when it was exposed that he violently beat his son when he recently came out to him as gay, only publicly now)
Ministro del Justicia Emiliano Fonseca (decided against running)
Ministro del Salud Techa Artesano (decided against running)

A brief bio on the candidates:

Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes: Martín Granjero


Strengths:
1) Very popular amongst poorer urban conservatives or the PNL (minority partner in ruling coalition)
2) Has been able to secure endorsements from moderates, ultra-conservatives and populists alike
3) A charismatic outsider candidate from a poorer urban background, decorated former police officer

Weaknesses:
1) Hated by the establishment, many businessmen and nobles
2) Has far less high ranking cabinet experience than the other candidates
3) Associated with Police brutality against student protestors in 2015 protests (as was then Minister of Police)

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores: Eduardo Trompeta


Strengths:
1) Seen as a sensible, safe, respectable candidate
2) Powerful connections amongst the business community and nobility (is a noble himself)
3) An experienced politician, particularly with foreign relations

Weaknesses:
1) Viewed by many as an uninspiring establishment pick
2) Not very popular amongst poorer urban conservatives or the PNL (minority partner in ruling coalition)
3) Image tarnished by involvement in steadily more unpopular military support role in Civil War in Nchiyamengi

[Lyseria]

Link to first round of voting.

[Areguelista]

We, the Republic of Areguelista, hereby endorse Eduardo Trompeta, and encourage other nations to do the same. We believe Trompeta will be a strong leader and do much good for the people of Lyseria.

[Lyseria]

Friday the 20th of January 2017:

The Civil War in Nchiyamengi is rapidly getting worse, with the situation in the capital city there, Puertazul, becoming highly volatile and dangerous.

As such all Lyserian medics and special forces helping track down the GI terrorists will be leaving the country tonight and over the early hours of tomorrow morning.

This announcement may hurt Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta, who has been very involved in Lyserian activity in the nation. However, if he can organise the withdrawal effectively on his side he could use the event as a case to prove his effectiveness as a steady headed leader who can cope well under pressure.

[Lyseria]

It has been confirmed that Presidente Marcos Kampiya and a number of his cabinet, high ranking officials, a number of top ranking military generals and military researchers have arrived on the military planes pulling Lyserian military medical workers and special forces out of Nchiyamengi.

The group have been moved to the Castillo del León Coronado, the Royal Castle in the capital city of Victoria. They have been promised asylum to prevent any extra-judicial killings.

This surprising move may hurt Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta, given Presidente Marcos Kampiya's controversial nature, accused of being a war criminal, known as the "Butcher" by his enemies.

[Lyseria]

quote="The Green Union";p="30939425"]

11:56pm - Saturday the 21st of January 2017:

In the dying minutes of the day, General Antonio Hlayambinda and General Muhammad Bondaro have arrived in the battle scarred office of the President of Nchiyamengi, accompanied by Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Justice Pablo Mkalijua. The Chief justice has swiftly sworn in the two men as acting President and acting Vice President respectfully.

Presidente Antonio Hlayambinda is now preparing to give a speech to the nation. The hour is late, but many in Nchiyamengi are still awake, many celebrating and many others commiserating.

With the loss of Kampiya and his supporters' control of Nchiyamengi's waters, the Loyalist Red Crystal has contacted Almirante Juan Mzendi, recognizing he is currently in control of the only naval power in Nchiyamengian waters, and requesting access to the island of Nchiyamengi in order to begin humanitarian aid operations within consenting provinces. The Red Crystal has also asked that, if the Admiral and the navy agree, that they can assure the safety of humanitarian ships in Nchiyamengian waters and confirm the neutrality of all vessels in the navy; particularly the two Heroine-Class submarines.

Prime Minister Charlotte Fried of The Green Union has also seized the opportunity that is the now officialism of General Antonio Hlayambinda and General Muhammad Bondaro's positions of Acting President and acting Vice President, respectively. She has stated that she respects opposition arguments that this shows a strong pro-rebel bias. No specific reason for this meeting has been given, and it is suspected by many critics that the Prime Minister wishes this as a PR stunt.

The Green Union's delegation to the United Nations has asked the security council once again for a United Nations peacekeeping mission, saying that such a mission will greatly reduce the death toll in the civil war in Nchiyamengi and will be much more likely to be accepted under this new regime. Another Green Union statement directed at the Kingdom of Lyseria has demanded assurance that Lyseria will not withhold former Presidente Marcos Kampiya of Nchiyamengi from prosecution for war crimes, and will allow him to be tried either in a Lyserian, international, or Nichiyamengian court (the latter option being after the political situation in Nchiyamengi has stabilized considerably).[/quote]

The fall of the Kampiya Regime on Nchiyamengi and the subsequent flight of Presidente Marcos Kampiya and several high ranking cabinet members, military leaders and other top leaders is beginning to look like it will have effects on the leadership elections, with Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta swept up into the response to the issue given his current position. This will likely hurt him, given the controversial nature of the asylum, but he may be able to paint it as a positive if he can handle it correctly.

Encryption Level: None: Open Letter

To the honourable Charlotte Fried, Prime Minister of the Green Union

The Kingdom of Lyseria has granted asylum the Presidente Marcos Kampiya and several members of his cabinet and of military and civilian leadership in the nation given the current violence consuming the nation and the significant political instability. We hope that by doing so and through working through Presidente Kampiya we will be able to mediate a return to stability in the nation.

We are well aware that accusations have been made against Presidente Kampiya in terms of war crimes. As we have a remarkably capable court system and as neither Nchiyamengi nor Lyseria is not a signatory nation of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court (ICC) we are under no obligation to remove those who have sought asylum and transfer them into the hands of the United Nations (UN).

We are also well aware, as we are happy to see you are too, that sending the persons who have attained asylum back to Nchiyamengi in its current state of political upheaval would be most inadvisable.

As such we shall be discussing setting up a special select committee to review what the best way forward is on the accusations against those who have been rightly granted asylum in our nation. The selection of such a committee will however have to await the Leadership election of a new leader of the ruling Partido Conservador, and in so doing the appointment and confirmation of a new Prime Minister.

We thank you for your patience.

Sincerely

María Ramos

Primer Ministro del Reino de Lyseria
Representante de Cerro de San Pedro (Distrito 34)
Honorario Dame del Reino de Lyseria

Eduardo Trompeta

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores
Representante de Norte Costa del Ángel (Distrito 47)
Lord del Reino de Lyseria

Emiliano Fonseca

Ministro del Justicia
Representante de Sur Externa Victoria (Distrito 33)
Caballero Honorario del Reino de Lyseria

José Jinete

Embajador Lyserio en Nchiyamengi
Caballero Honorario del Reino de Lyseria

[Lyseria]

Monday the 23rd of January 2017:

A number of leftist Protestors, most of them affiliated with the PT-PV have marched on the Castillo del León Coronado, the Royal Castle in the capital city of Victoria. They demand that those held within face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) or else be returned to Nchiyamengi to face trial, arguing that they are concerned that the group will be let off due to political connections. In particular they want Presidente Marcos Kampiya, who they view as a war criminal and refer to as the "Butcher" (the name he is refered to by his enemies), to face trial and not escape justice. They are also concerned about "foreign war criminals" being granted asylum and living in emmense comfort in the Royal Castle while "actual victims of this war are refused entry and given no aid".

[Lyseria]

Tuesday the 24th of January 2017:

The second leadership debate has ended. The debate ended up including significant discussion of the crisis unfolding in Nchiyamengi, the granting of Asylum to Presidente Marcos Kampiya and the subsequent protests against this, with the refugee President facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, known as the "Butcher" by his enemies.The debate also included significant discussion on the Lyserian economy and on restoring faith in the Lyerias government.

Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes Martín Granjero appears to have gotten the upper hand in the debate. He pushed a message of "Lyseria First", and several times chided the moderators for focusing too much on Nchiyamengi and not enough on the daily concerns of hardworking average Nchiyamengians. On questions pertaining to Nchiyamengi however Granjero said that Primer Ministro María Ramos and Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta had promised asylum and so he would not go back on their promises if elected. He did say that he might have made a different decision if he had been in the position to make one, and that he was concerned that "no more Lyserian lives should be lost or put in danger for a foreign leader, even one as politically connected as Presidente Kampiya, as it would have been in the old days". He stated however that the deal was done and that he would respect it and not go back on it if elected.

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta struggled to maintain his image of a "safe and sensible choice", as he faced tough questions from the moderators and was hammered by Granjero on Nchiyamengi in particular, forcing Trompeta to adopt the line that he was an experienced politician and diplomat who could handle crises like this one.

Trompeta carried on this line into his manner of trying to "continue and grow the prosperity of our economy". Here the debate between his more standard right wing economic policies and Granjero right wing populist rhetoric of putting "working everyday Lyserians first, and in so doing strengthening the backbone of our nation and allowing it to reach even greater heights" came forth. Both struck political blows against the other, with Trompeta arguing Granjero "does not have the experience necessary to be the man ultimately in charge of Lyseria's economic policy direction.

Granjero struck back by implying that Trompeta's rich and aristocratic background meant that he was out of touch with "everyday hard working Lyserians", and that it would be his mission to "return politics to the people, and have an economy that is aimed at helping the people, rather than using people to build an economy to help the richest few elites".

Trompeta struggled a little with the "restoring faith in the government" question, as it linked back to his involvement with the scandals surrounding Nchiyamengi and the controversy surrounding granting of asylum to Presidente Marcos Kampiya. Granjero meanwhile presented himself as a figure of change, and one who would retire faith in the government by "handing it back to the people, and making sure it suits them".

As a final question the candidates were asked if they had anything good to say about the other. Granjero said that he truly respected Trompeta's experience and professionalism as a fellow politician, as Minister of Foreign Relations and as a man he felt he could call an advisor and friend. He stated he looked forward to working with him as a close advisor when "I win this election and become Prime Minister", a line that brought good natured smiles from the moderators and Trompeta and some laughter from the audience. The tone was warm after a somewhat sharp campaign.

Trompeta said that he truly respected Granjero's passion and his refusal to ever give up, stating that he also though of Granjero as a friend and would look forward to working closely with him when "I win this election and become the next Prime Minister". This time it was Granjero's chance to smile, and the crowd laughed a little again. The debate ended on this warmer, friendlier note.

[Lyseria]

Wednesday the 25th of January 2017:

Voting by registered members of the PC was held today and has now concluded. Vote counting has begun and the results should be out by tomorrow.

Turnout was quite high, with voters turning out across the nation, including in the small rural villages the party historically does well in, wealthier urban areas and the battleground districts of middle class and working class urban districts, where both the minority party of the ruling coalition the PNL and the main opposition coalition the PT-PV performed well in in the 2015 election.

Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes Martín Granjero is expected to do well in the more conservative rural areas, but is also expected to do well in poorer and more middle class conservative urban areas, particularly in the capital of Victoria.

Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta is expected to do very well in his home province of Ducado del Costa del Ángel as well as in richer urban areas, particularly in the capital of Victoria, as well as doing well with wealthier rural traditionalists, including nobles. He also hopes to be able to hold middle class and upper-middle class voters with an image as a tried and tested politician.

The key in who will win or lose this election looks set to be undecided middle class party members.

[Lyseria]

Thursday the 26th of January 2017:

The votes of the second round of the leadership election are in. Despite being less popular amongst foreign nations, Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes Martín Granjero has won the election by a reasonable margin. He will be sworn in as party leader now before being sworn in as Prime Minister of Lyseria.

Disciplina de la mayoría en la Cámara de Representantes Martín Granjero: 52%
Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Eduardo Trompeta: 47%
Spoilt Votes: 1%