Common Rushmori Community Formation Talks [ATTN: Rushmore]

by **The Urain** » Mon Apr 24, 2017 7:41 pm

Office of the Prime Minister
Abdullah Al-Samara
Rayquaza, The Urain

RECOGNIZING the need for the Rushmore region to be unified,
CONCERNED that the outbreak of violence between Eura and Sameba is a security threat to all in the region,
BELIEVING that a regional union will be able to serve as a open stage of discussion between nations to avoid conflict,
CONTINUING to support the regional cooperation in Rushmore through trade and mutual peace,
HOPING for a more unified and peaceful region through a formal body,
SEEING as the union as proposed by Liventia & Electrum satisfies these ends,

I, ABDULLAH AL-SAMARA, Prime Minister of The Urain, do formally;

SUPPORT the general idea for a union through the Rushmore Union,
ADVOCATE the creation of the RUSHMORI UNION, as proposed by Liventia & Electrum,
CONDONE the idea of further individual agreements for peace and cooperation, as reached by Liventia & Electrum,
ADVISE that individual nations reach these agreements themselves, potentially through discussion via the RUSHMORI UNION,
PLEDGE personal support for the ratification of the RUSHMORI UNION charter, both in The Urain and through the region,
RECCOMEND that the Uraini Parliament vote upon the ratification of the charter of the RUSHMORI UNION,
URGE fellow members of the Democratic Socialist Party to vote in favor of ratification.

Abdullah Al-Samara
Prime Minister
Rayquaza, The Urain

by **Aels** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 11:46 am

Aels is opening its borders to free trade and movement with Rushmori giants Liventia and Electrum.

Chief minister Jonathan Douglas Davies welcomed the vote in the Senedd to approve the Extension of Rights Bill, which extends the rights of Aelsh citizens and stateless citizens of the former Ancharmunn to all Liventian and Electrumite passport holders.

While the Party of Aels was split with a small hardline faction opposing the move, Mr Douglas Davies imposed a three-line whip on his senators which was defied by only seven of the party's 76 ASMs. The government was also supported by Aelsh Labour, the largest party in opposition, while the Conservatives, Social Democrats and Greens all chose to abstain on the vote, resulting in a final margin of 95 in favour against seven opposed.

Liventia's prime minister James Morgan confirmed that Aelsh citizens would enjoy reciprocal rights in his country, declaring the passage of the Aelsh bill as "a great day for this new Common Rushmori Community of our three nations."

Full nation name: The Socialist Free Commonwealth of Aels
Population: 8 million
GDPpc: 22,000 Aelsh punt
Type of government: Parliamentary republic with a bicameral legislature. Aels retains the word 'socialist' in its full title but no longer considers itself a socialist republic.

by **Liventia** » Thu Apr 27, 2017 3:38 pm

DIPLOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REPUBLIC OF LIVENTIA
STATE SECRETARIAT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Attn: GOVERNMENTS OF RUSHMORE

The Government of Liventia cordially invites interested nations to consider the founding document of the Common Rushmori Community, attached, and to present it to their national legislatures for ratification.

We would like to advise nations that the Common Rushmori Community is considered to be an active agreement, having been signed in part by the governments of Aels, Electrum and Liventia to form an area free of border controls and customs checks for its citizens, and therefore any nations ratifying this founding document would be expected to honour the proposals without the choice of an opt-out from either the area of free movement or the customs union.

If your national legislature ratifies the document, please provide a copy of the notification to each of the following: the Foreign Affairs Office, Aels; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Electrum; and the State Secretariat for External Affairs, Liventia.*

Should your nation wish to join at a later date, with the option of exercising your nation's right to opt out of either the area of free movement or the customs union, the Rushmori Council president shall write at such a time when the provisions of Article 43 in the attached document can be initiated.

Warm regards,
Julien Thoreau MP
Minister of State for CRC Affairs
Republic of Liventia

The Orean Accord to establish a Common Rushmori Community

THEIR EXCELLENCIES THE RESPECTIVE HEADS OF STATE OF THE SOCIALIST FREE COMMONWEALTH OF AELS, THE GOLD AND SILVER HOLDINGS OF ELECTRUM, AND THE REPUBLIC OF LIVENTIA,

DETERMINED to lay the foundations for increasingly closer relations in the region of Rushmore,
RESOLVED to ensure that preliminary moves towards a regional union do not go to waste,
DESIRING to ensure the socio-economic progress of their respective countries by eliminating barriers separating them,
ANXIOUS to strengthen their countries' commitment to liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,
RECOGNISING the need to respect each country's unique history, culture and traditions,
DETERMINED to create a common security policy while maintaining the individual internal sovereignty of members,
INTENDING to introduce a common currency between willing members,
HAVE RESOLVED to create a Common Rushmori Community, and
HAVE AGREED as follows:

TITLE I — PROVISIONS
1. By this ACCORD, the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES establish among themselves a Common Rushmori Community, hereafter 'the CRC'.
2. The CRC's stated objectives shall be:
to work towards increasingly closer relations in the region of Rushmore;
to eliminate trade, movement and other barriers separating member states;
to strengthen members' commitment to liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;
to develop close co-operation on security matters;
to ensure citizens of member states of the CRC are protected within the CRC and treated as non-aliens;
to promote economic, social and cultural cohesion between member states;
to act to prevent and end unprovoked aggressions against other member states;
to help the development of all states across the Rushmori region.
The objectives of the CRC shall be achieved as provided for in this Accord and in accordance with all conditions set out therein.
3. The CRC shall respect the national identities, histories, cultures, and traditions of its member States, whose systems of government are founded on the principles of democracy.
4. The CRC is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights.
TITLE II — PRINCIPLES
5. The CRC shall always observe the principle of equality of its citizens, who shall not be discriminated in receiving equal attention from the CRC's institutions. CRC citizenship is hereby established and every national of a member state shall be a citizen of the CRC in addition to national citizenship.
6. The CRC shall function on representative democracy.
7. Citizens of the CRC shall be directly represented at CRC level in the Rushmori Parliament.
8. Individual member states shall be represented at CRC level in the Rushmori Council by their governments, who are directly democratically accountable to national Parliaments.
9. Institutions of the CRC shall give citizens of the CRC the opportunity to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action.
10. Member states agree not to engage in armed conflict with each other and shall act to prevent and end unprovoked aggressions against a fellow member state.
TITLE III — INSTITUTIONS OF THE CRC
11. The CRC's institutions shall be:
the Rushmori Parliament,
the Rushmori Council,
the Rushmori Commission,
the Rushmori High Judiciary.
12. Each institution shall act only within the limits of its conferred powers, set out herein. Each institution shall only become active upon the accession of the sixth (6th) member of this agreement.
13. THE RUSHMORI PARLIAMENT
The Rushmori Parliament shall, jointly with the Rushmori Council, exercise legislative and budgetary functions.
The Rushmori Parliament shall exercise functions of political control and consultation as set out herein.
The Rushmori Parliament shall elect the President of the Rushmori Commission, the President of the Rushmori Parliament, and its own officers.
The Rushmori Parliament shall be composed of representatives of citizens of the CRC. The Parliament shall not exceed 450 members, including the President. Each member state shall be allocated at least 9 seats and not more than 45 seats. Notwithstanding these limits, representation shall be proportional to the population of each member state.
The members of the Rushmori Parliament shall be elected for a term of four years by universal suffrage in a free and secret ballot. The electoral method used in these elections shall be the sole prerogative of each individual member state, although a form of proportional voting is encouraged.
The initial Rushmori Parliament shall be formed, on the accession of the sixth member state, by secondment of parliamentarians from each member state.
The Rushmori Parliament may form Individual Committees to discuss matters relating to specific topics. These Individual Committees shall report back to the Rushmori Parliament, and may make recommendations for new legislature to the Rushmori Council.
The Rushmori Parliament may pass legislation through a simple majority of voting members, except where provided for by other provisions laid out herein.
14. THE RUSHMORI COUNCIL
The Rushmori Council shall, jointly with the Rushmori Parliament, exercise legislative and budgetary functions.
The Rushmori Council shall carry out policy-making and coordinating functions as set out herein.
The Rushmori Council shall be the only body empowered to introduce legislation to the Rushmori Parliament. Legislation may be introduced to the Rushmori Council by Individual Committees of the Rushmori Parliament or by national parliaments through Rushmori Council members.
The Rushmori Council shall consist of a representative of each member state at ministerial level, who may commit the government of the Member State in question and cast its vote.
Where there are seven or fewer members of the Rushmori Council, it may only act by unanimity. Otherwise, the Rushmori Council shall act by a qualified majority except where set out herein.
The definition of a "qualified majority" will be agreed upon by the Rushmori Council and Rushmori Parliament prior to the accession of the sixth member of the Rushmori Council.
The Presidency of the Rushmori Council shall be held by member state representatives to the Council on a fair rotation, except where a member state has withdrawn from its commitments to the Presidency.
15. THE RUSHMORI COMMISSION
The Rushmori Commission shall be the face of the CRC, promoting the CRC's interests internationally and ensuring that the CRC's treaties are applied by member states.
Members of the Rushmori Commission shall be nominated by the Rushmori Council, and shall be approved by the President of the Rushmori Commission following a confirmation vote in the Rushmori Parliament. The Rushmori Commission shall only be comprised of citizens of the CRC.
Although to be appointed by member state governments through the Rushmori Council, members of the Rushmori Commission will be independent and be responsible to the Rushmori Parliament, not individual governments.
The President of the Rushmori Commission has the sole discretion to assign individual vice-presidency and representative positions to confirmed members of the Rushmori Commission.
Candidates for the position of President of the Rushmori Commission shall be discussed by the Rushmori Council, who shall, under the provisions of Title III, Article 14 sections (v) and (vi), nominate one final candidate. This candidate shall then be presented for an election by the Rushmori Parliament, who must confirm him or her by a majority of its members. If the candidate fails to attain the required number of votes, the process described in this section will begin again.
The Rushmori Commission and its President may be subject to a motion of confidence or censure by the Rushmori Parliament. Should such motion carry, the Rushmori Commission and its President shall resign their posts, and replacements shall be nominated in accordance with the procedures laid out herein.
16. THE RUSHMORI HIGH JUDICIARY
The Rushmori High Judiciary shall be the highest court of law in the CRC.
It may only be appealed to as a last resort.
It shall only rule on matters where appellants allege that legislation passed by the CRC has been violated.
It shall not rule on matters affecting domestic or national affairs of any member state, except where provided for in Title III, Article 16 section (iii) above.
Its rulings shall be binding in all member states of the CRC. As a matter of law, its decisions should not require changes in national legislation, as its objective is solely to ensure that legislation passed by the CRC is applied correctly in member states.
TITLE IV — CO-OPERATION WITHIN THE COMMON RUSHMORI COMMUNITY
17. Citizens of the CRC shall enjoy the rights and be subject to the duties as any other national within each member state. Additionally they shall have:
the right to move and reside freely within the territories of member states, subject to the limitations and conditions that may be applied in cases of force majeure;
the right to vote and to stand as candidates in elections to the Rushmori Parliament, under the same conditions as nationals of their member state, the right or otherwise to vote in local or national elections notwithstanding except where provided for by each member state;
the right, in the territory of a non-member state, in which the member state of which they are a national of is not represented diplomatically, the protection of competent authorities of any member state on the same conditions as nationals of that state;
the right to petition the Rushmori Parliament or Commission, and to address any institution of the CRC, in any of the recognised languages of the CRC, and to receive a reply in the same language.
18. The provisions under Title IV, Article 17 section (i) do not apply to non-nationals of member states legally resident in that member state, except where individual member states have extended such rights and protections.
19. To allow for Article 17 section (i) of Title IV, all member states shall, at immediate convenience, move to abolish all requirements for border controls and work permits for all citizens of the CRC; i.e. nationals of member states. As provided for in Title IV Article 18, these loosening of controls may be extended to non-nationals legally resident in member states, where individual member states have agreed to do so.
20. Freedom of movement for workers shall be secured within the CRC, and shall result in abolition of any discrimination based on nationality between workers of the member states as regards employment, remuneration and other conditions of work and employment.
21. Member states shall adopt a common policy on asylum, immigration and external border controls.
22. Except where provided for by national legislation, persons granted asylum or refugee status by member states, with travel documents provided by the responsible member state, shall not be considered a citizen of the CRC for the purposes of freedom of movement, unless they were already a national of a different member state of the CRC.
23. Individual member states may request to be exempted or opted out of the area of freedom of movement provided for in Title IV, Articles 17 through 22. Such a request for an exemption or opt out must be made to the Rushmori Council, which will then discuss the terms of agreement of the exemption or opt out.
24. Member states of the CRC shall adopt an internal market, which shall comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured. Economies showing differences in development will have to sustain a certain level of effort, as established by the Rushmori Commission, for the establishment of the internal market.
25. Member states agree that new rules on competition and taxation shall be introduced within the internal market so as not to unduly affect the trade of member states.
26. Member states shall work towards creating a customs union, comprising the same area as the internal market, in which customs duties on imports and exports shall be prohibited between member states. A common customs tariff dealing with imports and exports to and from non-member states shall also be agreed upon. Member states shall also work towards common consumer protection agreements within the internal market.
27. Individual member states may request to be exempted or opted out of the internal market and customs union area laid out in Title IV, Articles 24 through 26. Such a request for an exemption or opt out must be made to the Rushmori Council, which will then discuss the terms of agreement of the exemption or opt out.
28. Member states shall, within the framework of a joint programme, encourage the exchange of youth workers.
29. National judiciaries of member states of the CRC shall work in close co-operation, respecting the different judicial systems in member states.
30. Member states shall agree to the principle that a person living within its territory who is charged with a crime in another member state shall be arrested and extradited, should a request be made by the member state in which criminal proceedings are active. If the person is also facing active criminal proceedings in the member state in which they are living, those shall take priority.
31. Member states shall conduct their individual national economic policies with a view to contributing to the growth and success of the CRC. Member states must act within the principle of free competition.
32. Each member state shall retain sole and sovereign control over its monetary policy.
33. A Committee on Regional Economic Co-operation and Co-ordination shall be formed, responsible directly to the Rushmori Council.
It shall be charged with ensuring regional economic cooperation and coordination, in regards to financial and monetary policy, bearing in mind the provisions of Title IV, Article 32. This Committee may only be dissolved with the dissolution of the CRC.
34. The CRC shall ensure that member states work to ensure consistent standards in the following:
workers' health and safety and working conditions;
social security and social protection of workers;
protection of workers where their employment contract is terminated;
representation and collective defence of the interests of workers and employers, including co-determination, where workers' unions are legal in member states;
conditions of employment for third-country nationals legally residing in member states' territory; and
equality between men and women with regard to labour market opportunities and treatment at work.
35. Member states shall encourage the development of youth exchanges in education, employment, culture and sport.
36. Member states shall work towards preserving the quality of the environment, monitoring its impact on human health, and combating the growing threat of climate change.
37. Member states shall support and complement other member states in preparing the appropriate personal to respond at national, regional and local level to natural or man-made disasters.
38. The CRC may agree with one or more third countries agreements establishing an association involving reciprocal rights and obligations, common action and special procedure. This shall take precedence over any existing national agreements between member states and the third countries, but not overwrite them.
TITLE V — FINAL PROVISIONS
39. The CRC shall be a legal personality.
40. Overseas countries and territories of member states of the CRC may either be associated with the CRC or otherwise on an individual basis, but shall in no circumstances be considered full members of the CRC. Any member state of the CRC with overseas countries and territories not situated in Rushmore may still apply CRC law and provisions to said overseas countries or territories, as long as they are associated with the CRC. Overseas countries and territories, located in Rushmore, of non-Rushmori nations may only have observer status of the CRC.
41. This Accord, and any subsequent Treaties, may be amended by a regular revision method or a simplified revision method.

The regular revision method: the government of any member state, Individual Committees of the Rushmori Parliament or the Rushmori Commission may submit to the Rushmori Council a proposal of amendment. The Rushmori Council shall then vote, under the provisions of Title III, Article 14 sections (v) and (vi), to accept or reject the proposal. If the proposal is accepted, it shall be put to national parliaments to ratify. The national parliament of every member state is required to ratify the amendments for them to pass.

The simplified revision method: the government of any member state, Individual Committees of the Rushmori Parliament or the Rushmori Commission may submit to the Rushmori Council a proposal of amendment. The Rushmori Council shall then vote, under the provisions of Title III, Article 14 sections (v) and (vi), to accept or reject the amendments.
42. The languages of the CRC shall be English and French, each with equal standing. National languages with official status in member states may be made official languages of the CRC through a revision of this Article, as provided for in Title V, Articles1.
43. Any state of Rushmore which respects the values laid out in this document herein and is committed to promoting them may apply to become a member of the CRC, by formal passage of legislation in that candidate's national parliament, setting out its desire to join.

Conditions of entry to the CRC shall be agreed between the Rushmori Council and the applicant state.

Each applicant state must be approved by a qualified majority of Rushmori Parliament members: that at least a simple majority of votes cast are to approve membership, and that there is at least a simple majority of votes cast from the members of each individual national group in the Rushmori Parliament.
44. Observer status may be granted to applicant or candidate states in the same way full membership would be granted, or by the provisions of Title V, Article 40 above. Observer states eligible for full membership may be upgraded to full member state status by a vote of the Rushmori Parliament, by the provisions of Title V, Article 43 above.
45. Any member state may choose to withdraw from the CRC in accordance with its own constitutional requirements. Any such member state shall inform the Rushmori Commission and Rushmori Council of its decision.

This notification shall take the form of the formal passage of legislation in that member state's national parliament, setting out its desire to withdraw. The member state shall negotiate with the Rushmori Council on the terms of its withdrawal, with these terms needing to be ratified by a qualified majority of the Rushmori Council.

The member of the Rushmori Council representing the withdrawing member state shall not participate in discussions. The member state shall cease to be a member of the CRC two years following its notification to the Rushmori Commission and Rushmori Council, unless extended by agreement. Until such time it shall remain a full member of the CRC.

Should the withdrawing member state later choose to rejoin, it shall be subject to the provisions of Title V, Article 43 above.

46. Should a member state of the CRC cease to exist, it is suspended as a full or observer member of the CRC, but not removed as one.
47. The CRC may be dissolved by a vote of at least ninety percent plus one member of the Rushmori Parliament and the ratification by the national governments of each member state of the CRC.
48. This Accord shall apply to all member states of the CRC.
49. This Accord shall be ratified by the governments of the High Contracting Parties in accordance with their constitutional requirements. It shall enter into force immediately upon the ratification notification from the final signatory member state.
50. This Accord shall last for an indefinite period, save for the provision of Title V, Article 47 above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Accord:
At OREAN, LIVENTIA, local date the ninth of March, year two thousand, one hundred and seventy

*(OOC: Just post notification of ratification in here and effectively the CRC will expand to include your nation. As per the revised attachment, the Rushmori Parliament and other institutions will only take effect from the sixth member state of the CRC)

by **Savojarna** » Tue May 02, 2017 6:29 am

FRAMFARIR
journal of the communist party of savojarna

Carlsen signs Orean Accord, ratification vote expected next week

Sjoedrhavn - In a truly historic ceremony, Chairman Johan Carlsen has signed the Orean Accord, which establishes a Common Rushmori Community, in Sjoedrhavn yesterday. This decision was taken on the governmental level, dominated entirely by the KPS who has been shown to be firmly in favour of the CRC. Truly decisive is the vote for ratification in the Council, which we will see next week. The Foreign Affairs ECr Malin Löfqvist has commented on the decision: "This decision is a great step forward for our nation towards international peace and security. It has been the core of the KPS' international policy to search for a greater integration in the system of Rushmore as well as the wider international community, and the proliferation of the Rushmori Community is an important step in the right direction". Löfqvist has further promised that she will defend the success of the Savojar Revolution in the CRC and that the CRC will not infringe on its results in any way.

The Secretary of the KPS, Ingemar Tarn, announced that the party will open the vote for its members, a sign of the confidence that the members of the Council will ratify the decision. Meanwhile the oppositional FFP has met the decision with happiness and will fully support the Government in the hope that the CRC will in fact lead Savojarna in a more liberal direction, going diametrically against Löfqvist's promise and the argumentation offered by both the KPS and the AP, whose leader Kristin Tervinen has laudated the internationalism of the CRC and greeted the decision as a step towards a more united Rushmore. However, Tervinen has also announced an open vote for the AP as a nod to the considerable opposition in her own party. The AP's approval is largely seen as necessary for the KPS to accept the proposal, as it was customary in the last few years for the KPS not to force big proposals down their largest ally's throat as well as the looming threat of the People's Assembly shooting down the treaty.

OOC: Savojarna will ratify the Accord, but I wanted to say something about the process

by **Darmen** » Tue May 02, 2017 1:43 pm

Darmeni membership in Common Rushmori Community to be debated in Parliament
Executive Cabinet and Parliament split on Bill

Speaker of Parliament Alex Quinn has scheduled a bill, written by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Joshua Rademacher and sponsored by Quinn, for a First Reading on Wednesday, immediately after Questions for the Government. The bill, the Rushmori Relations Act of 2038, lays out the path for Darmen to take towards membership in the proposed Common Rushmori Community, currently made up of Aels, Electrum and Liventia.

The bill is sure to meet some stiff opposition however, as it is rumored that the Executive Cabinet is evenly split between a pro-Rushmori Community group and a group highly skeptical of the organization's prospects. It is reported that Vice President Donald O'Donahaue is leading the opposition to the bill within the Executive Cabinet. The President of the Republic, Tor Tong Lee, formerly optimistic about the Community and Darmen's membership within it, has now shifted his attitude towards a "wait and see" approach.

Within the Parliament, opposition to the bill greatly outweighs support for it. While the National Civil Liberal Democratic Union is firmly for Darmen's inclusion in the Community, as is the lone member of the Pan-Rushmori Party, Ofir Brent, most other parties and coalitions are split. The largest coalition in Parliament, the center-right Movement for a New Darmen, will be looking to avoid a split in its membership, with much of the Liberal Conservative Party in support of the bill, the civic nationalists of Darmen First! firmly against it, and the Christian Democratic Party sitting on a fence between its two partners, trying their best to keep their coalition together. So far the coalition has been able to avoid major amounts of friction between its members, largely thanks to the efforts of Speaker Quinn's work behind the scenes, although President Lee has also been adamant that the coalition come to a consensus on the bill peacefully.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of the Left seems to be having less success staying together. Of the coalition's five member parties, two; the Communist Party and the People's Democratic Socialist Alliance, have announced their firm opposition to the bill. On the other side of the debate, the Green and Progressive Socialist parties have said that they might leave the coalition if the other parties do not support the bill.

That leaves the National Labor Party in an awkward position, as it has yet to state its position on the bill. Relying mostly on the input of labor unions to formulate its policies, the NLP has been working hard to feed as much information to the unions as it can to help inform their decision. However, a recent poll among union workers shows that just 18% of them understand, either fully or partially, the provisions of the Orean Accord. With the unions unsure of how Darmeni membership in the Community would affect them, the NLP is unlikely to receive any direction from their largest base of support.

The five Members of Parliament from the Coalition for Darmen and the Second Communist Group are, unsurprisingly, completely against the bill. Lastly, the two remaining parties in the Parliament, the People's Party and Frente de la Libertad Valladar, are generally in support of membership in the Community, although the later would like for Darmen to make its membership conditional on that of Darmen's neighbor, Valladares.

The bill is unlikely to pass in Parliament without the support of the Christian Democratic Party, but if by some miracle it does, Darmen's membership will still be contingent on at least one, possibly two, referendum's on the subject. While public support for Darmeni membership in the Common Rushmori Community has yet to be measured, Darmen's path towards membership in the Community looks almost impossibly difficult.

Other Headlines

Parties split over Rushmori Parliament election format
Left-wing to look radically different if Greens and Progressive Socialists decide to leave Coalition
Economist: Darmeni fishing fleet too large, collapse of industry imminent
Conference of Catholic Bishops to meet in annual meeting, discuss Parish reorganization

OOC: A subsequent RP detailing the failure of the Bill to advance beyond Committee Stage will be posted tomorrow. I'd like to see how this goes first, both from an OOC and IC aspect, before deciding to join.

by **Electrum** » Wed May 03, 2017 8:52 am

Press Release from the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Antonius Kruse MP

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonius Kruse MP, has welcomed the ratification of the Orean accord, a document which formalises the relationship between the new transnational organisation called the "Common Rushmori Community." With Aelsh, Liventian and Electrumite ratification, Electrum is proud to be a founding member of the new community, one that is dedicated to peace and prosperity. As Aels has formally ratified the treaty, Antonius Kruse MP used his powers, in his capacity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Diplomacy Act 2001 to grant the same rights Aelsh citizens the same rights already afforded to Liventian citizens. Legislation is currently underway so that these powers will be automatically utilised when new nations join the CRC. The creation of open borders and a unified customs union will mean a better, smarter and more efficient economy.

Quotes attributable to Antonius Kruse MP

"This marks a new dawn for regional co-operation and development. We look forward to working with Aels, Liventia and other prospective nations to create a common, united future for Rushmore"

"The CRC will tear down barriers and will become the main driver for jobs and growth in Electrum. It's time for an open, freer economy."

by **Darmen** » Thu May 04, 2017 7:35 pm

Rushmori Relations Act fails in Joint Committee vote
24 of 72 Joint Committee members abstain from vote

By a margin of 20 votes for and 28 votes against, with 24 members abstaining, the Rushmori Relations Act of 2038 failed to be submitted by the Joint Committee on Rushmori Relations to the Speaker of Parliament for a third and final Reading. It is a crushing defeat for Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Joshua Rademacher, who has been publicly frustrated by the lack of support for his proposal of Darmeni membership in the Common Rushmori Community. Just two days prior to the important Joint Committee vote, Rademacher let loose an expletive laden rant on live national television after being continuously pressed for answers on how Darmeni membership in the Community would affect the average worker. His lack of an adequate answer and the incoherent rant was followed very quickly by a sharp drop in public support for the proposal, with online polls showing that only 13% of Darmenis support Community membership. Those numbers are down significantly from 44% just one week ago.

Of the 20 votes for the bill, exactly half came from the National Civil Liberal Democratic Union members of the Joint Committee, while the other half came from members of Rademacher's own Liberal Conservative Party and the Green Party. Meanwhile, the 28 votes against primarily came from members of the Darmen First! and National Labor Party members, although a significant number of Christian Democratic Party members also voted against. Those Christian Democrats who did not vote against the bill abstained, as did 10 members of the Coalition of the Left affiliated with the National Labor Party and People's Democratic Socialist Alliance.

Interestingly, the lone Pan-Rushmori Party Member of Parliament, Ofir Brent, did not have a seat on the Joint Committee.

Rademacher will now have to consider his next move quite carefully. An altered version of the bill would likely not have any more success than the original proposal, and with public support for Darmeni membership extremely low, such a move could be quite damaging for the Movement for a New Darmen in the next elections. There is also the matter of his highly unprofessional rant on national television, something which is sure to draw the ire of President Tor Tong Lee, his Cabinet boss. While it is highly unlikely that Lee will ask for Rademacher's resignation, Lee may force Rademacher to make a public apology and then withdraw from playing a prominent role in the Executive Cabinet.

Other Headlines

Secretary of State for Labor: Safety of Coal Mines to undergo review
Earthquake strikes Western Border region, minor damage reported, no casualties
President Lee hosts rare public event, dinner attended primarily by members of the Media

by **Ceni** » Fri May 05, 2017 2:30 pm

rotunda > interview
Ceni Ratifies Orean Accords

Quinn Turnell: Good morning. I'm Quinn Turnell, and you're listening to Rotunda from Cenian Public Radio, your first source for political news without bias. Today a momentous event in Cenian history accord: the Cenian parliament, by an overwhelming vote of 205-20, passed the Orean Accords to formally become a member of the Common Rushmori Community. Here with me, I have a guest to discuss the buildup to this ratification, the finer points of the text, and the greater ramifications of this policy shift. Welcome to Gil Korova, Cenian Public Radio's chief politics editor, and by now a familiar face around here of course, and good morning to you.

Gil Korova: I'm glad to be here, as always. It's always nice to spend my morning here sipping coffee and chatting.

QT: So, let's start off with some explanations. What exactly is the Common Rushmori Community?

GK: The Common Rushmori Community will be a supranational organization devoted to bringing the nations of Rushmore together. Among its stated goals is to eliminate trade barriers and create a common market, develop increased ties between the various Rushmori states, strengthen the rule of law, democracy, and international values, and work together as a common unit on issues such as security and protection from attack. Overall, the CRC is meant to be an organization that truly represents all of Rushmore and brings the nations of the region together - it's supposed to be a cohesive force that helps to foster regional unity.

QT: I have here a copy of the Orean Accords, and they're quite a hefty chunk of paper. Can you simplify them for our audience, and distill them into a layman's version of the dense legalese?

GK: Some of the main provisions deal with the goals of the CRC - setting up the internal market, ensuring freedom and democracy for member states, and that sort of thing. It actually devotes quite a lot of time to discussing the various means of how the single market, and customs union associated with it, would work with the member nations. But among the most important provisions are those setting up the various organs of the Rushmori government - those being the Rushmori Parliament, the Rushmori Council, the Rushmori Commission, and the Rushmori High Judiciary. Suffice it to say, the Rushmori Parliament is the main legislative body within the CRC, the Rushmori Council introduces said legislation to the Rushmori Parliament and acts as sort of a higher legislative body, the Rushmori Commission is the executive branch within the CRC, acting as the figureheads and directors of policy questions, and the High Judiciary is responsible for adjudicating disputes based on the provisions of the Orean Accord and the laws passed by the Rushmori Parliament on this issue.

QT: So, now that that's out of the way, what has public opinion about the Common Rushmori Community been like here in Ceni?

GK: On the whole, it's been pretty positive - Ceni has always been a globalist nation, and since we're a smaller nation, we've often relied on other nations buying our products and our financial services in order to keep our economy growing. As a result, a lot of people, on both sides of the aisle, have supported the deal to bring more jobs to the nation, since it seems that the open market will allow Cenian companies to sell their products and services to other nations much easier. On the other hand, there has been a small but vocal minority, mainly anti-globalists represented by the New Cenians, that has opposed the deal on the grounds that globalization hurts Cenian workers, it takes away our autonomy, and that it allows more immigrants who are supposedly "dangerous" to enter, but those arguments have not been received well by the majority of the Cenian people, and on the whole, most people support this deal.

QT: What was the parliamentary wrangling like in the couple of weeks leading up to the Orean Accords' ratification?

GK: To be quite honest, there wasn't too much parliamentary wrangling over the past couple of weeks. For a few days, it appeared that the Accords wouldn't get the necessary 2/3 vote of 150 lawmakers in order to pass the legislation, but it soon became clear that the Social Democrats and Greens were on board with the proposal, and most of the Moderates, since they're mostly pro-business, were on board with the idea as well. As that became clear, there was some arm-twisting to make sure that the individual legislators would support the party whip, but on the whole, wrangling and amendment-making was on the low side for the Orean Accords. It was pretty obvious that the agreement would pass by a large margin, so the wrangling wasn't as necessary in this case.

QT: How did the final vote play out?

GK: It played out very similarly to predictions - most of the Social Democrats supported the Accords, although there were a couple of holdouts from the Greens, who were a little bit worried about the effect that the Accords would have on the environment and benefits to many corporations, but I think that those holdouts were mostly satisfied by Article 36 of the treaty, which talks about climate change and the environment, and Article 34, on workers' rights, so I think opposition from that quarter was mostly satisfied. Instead, the New Cenians as a party voted entirely against the Accords, for reasons mentioned earlier, and some of the more right-wing hardliners of the Moderates who focused on the autonomy and immigration arguments voted against the Accords. But in the end, it was passed by well above the 150 votes required, with 205 in support and 20 against, which formally ratified the treaty.

QT: How will these Accords change Ceni's relationship with the rest of Rushmore, and more specifically its most important neighbors such as Electrum, Eura, and Nephara?

GK: Well, at the moment, neither Eura nor Nephara has actually formally ratified the Orean Accords quite yet, but both have expressed their interest in joining and are in the process of coming to a conclusion within the next couple of months. I think the accord will benefit Ceni the most in relations with these neighbors, as it will be able to export goods like green technology and financial services without a whole lot of protective tariffs, and common legislation can help to standardize the economy. In terms of political relations, I think it will be a boon as well, as all countries will have a new common set of legislation and standards that can unify the countries and bring them closer together, as well as that freedom of movement provision. In terms of Electrum, our biggest ally, the impact is going to be a little bit less, considering we already have a free trade and free movement agreement, but again, I think this will bring us closer together, and give Electrum perhaps a better ability to resolve their refugee crisis, which I think can help to benefit relations there as well.

QT: That was Gil Korova, Cenian Public Radio's chief politics editor. Thanks for sharing your time with us, as usual.

GK: Thanks for sharing your coffee with me! It's always a pleasure.

by **Liventia** » Fri May 05, 2017 3:33 pm

Morgan facing fight to get CRC elections bill through Parliament
OREAN— The government is facing a battle in the Commons in its attempt to introduce the single transferable vote for future elections to the new Rushmori Parliament.

Prime minister James Morgan's Social Democrats are in favour of the bill, which would see elections taking place under a system other than first-past-the-post for the first time since de-federalisation and the creation of the Republic of Liventia.

However, there is thought to be significant resistance among the opposition Conservative Party, but more crucially also among the National Christian Democrats – a party with 24 MPs in the National Centrist Bloc in coalition with the Soc-Dems. Environment First Commerce Second (20 MPs) and the Liventia Forward Movement (7 MPs) are also understood to be opposed to the bill.

While those totals would still give the government and its supporters a simple majority in the vote, such open rebellion from a coalition partner could cause the government – whose Commons majority of 21 is smaller than the total number of seats held by the Christian Democrats – to fall.

Julien Thoreau, the Liventian minister of state for Rushmore, has said that the government will not force through the bill in the Commons if it would mean the Christian Democrats quitting the coalition.

"Of course we're hoping to be able to reach agreement with our coalition partners, but we won't risk the stability of government just for this. If it comes to it, the bill will be amended to retain a first-past-the-post voting system for the elections to the regional parliament," he told the state French-language broadcaster.

The struggle facing the government takes some shine off the news of the ratification of the Orean Accord by Ceni, making them the fourth full member state of the Common Rushmori Community.

Their accession to the CRC now allows for the free movement of goods and people between Liventia and Ceni, with shares on the Orean Financial Stock Exchange jumping on the news.

by **Astograth** » Mon May 08, 2017 4:55 pm

Grand Duke Gaxan sat at the centre of the table, his array of Lord Ministers unfolding on either side and culminating in the grey-faced figures of Otsoa Tauregi, Minister of the Interior, and Churio Zarokiegi, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Tauregi had risen to be Gaxan's main adversary over the last six years of Lord Protector Gaskon Ugarte's tenure, and continued to do so after the dictator's fall into coma, but the Grand Duke had, at least, managed to lift barriers on the movement of trade and people into and out of the country.

Now, at this rare meeting of the High Lords' Council, he had to convince them to join the Common Rushmori Community. Each minister had a copy of the Accords in front of them, as they listened to the Minister of Agriculture, Basandre Nobar, state her case for how taking part in an internal Rushmori market would greatly benefit productivity and specialisation in domestic food production. The droning of her voice eventually ceased, prompting the Grand Duke to thank her for her expertise and turning to the rest of the table.

Tauregi had been drumming his fingers on the table impatiently, and now took the chance to speak.

“Your Majesty, regardless of the potential trade benefits - which, I must point out, we have so far done fine without - it cannot be denied that opening our borders in such a way as the CRC postulates is not only irresponsible but outright dangerous. I was in agreement regarding the lifting of the ban on immigration, as there is no reason that properly screened candidates should not have the right to live and work in our nation, but it has been repeatedly proven that foreign agents are the primary instigators and financiers of acts of domestic terrorism in Astograth. It has been so for the last half-century; this is fact. We can seek to establish an open or preferential market from outside the boundaries of this 'Community', but as Minister of the Interior I must manifest myself profoundly against such a reckless move regarding the stability and security of this State and its people.”

Gaxan shook his head. “Lord Tauregi. I understand your concern, and commend your preoccupation with domestic safety. But we are at even greater risk should we not join the CRC; we risk becoming more marginalised, more of an international pariah, as the rest of the region moves toward cooperation. And this may not seem a high price to pay for migratory independence, being as important a subject as it is to you, but consider article 10: ',ember states agree not to engage in armed conflict with each other and shall act to prevent and end unprovoked aggressions against a fellow member state'. This establishes, in essence, the seeds for a defensive alliance. Should we face attack, from agents abroad or at home, we will have the backing of a large and powerful Community. At this moment we have no allies, and the nation we were militarily closest with remains resentful that we did not join their war against Sameba. Joining the CRC is a first step toward increasing our standing in the eyes of the region and the world, and that can only mean greater security for our interests. Would you like to reply, Minister?”

Tauregi had noticed the nodding around him. Bobble-headed idiots. Alas, the Grand Duke had gotten his point across and the room was no longer in the Minister's favour. He forced a smile. “I remain adamant that the best course of action for a strong and independent Astograth is to remain outside the Community, but, as always, it is your command we follow, Your Majesty.”

Seated to Tauregi's right, Zarokiegi leaned forward and cleared his throat.

“Your Majesty. If I may. I'm afraid we may be skirting around a sensitive subject, and one that other states may use to block us from entry.”

Gaxan frowned. “What would that be?”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs shuffled papers. “Well... the Accords emphasise the member states' commitment to 'democracy', and article 8 explicitly states that governments must be made accountable via national Parliaments.”

He paused for a beat. No one reacted.

“We do not have a Parliament, Your Majesty.”

Gaxan's frown deepened. “Is this not a Parliament, Minister? Are we not gathered here, the highest officials in the land, parlaying?”

Zarokiegi tugged at his shirt collar. “Not elected officials, Your Majesty.”

“Local government is elected. The Knights Guardian and municipal councils have plenty of power.”

“Indeed, sire, but I'm afraid this may not be enough to satisfy what Orean has stipulated...”

“We will leave that to Orean,” the Grand Duke replied, shrugging. “It is not our responsibility to speculate as to the meaning of these Accords.”

“But, sire, according to article 12 we must second parliamentarians to-”

“Enough, Minister.”

“We do not have parliamentar-”

“I said. Enough. If there is no further comment from the High Lords, you will go to Orean, Lord Zarokiegi, and sign these Accords. We will deal with what comes out of it when it does, not before.”

Full Name: The Grand Duchy of Astograth
Population: 88 million
GDP per capita: $22,823 NSD
Type of government: Monarchic democracy (claimed). Absolute monarchy (in practice).

by **Sargossa** » Thu May 11, 2017 8:16 am

(I neglected this previously in the thread)

Full Name: Republic of Sargossa
Population: 2.8 Billion
GDP per capita: $39,831.61 NSD
Type of government: Autocracy (Albeit with some elections held at local/municipal levels)

by **Encinitania** » Thu May 11, 2017 8:14 pm

The Commonwealth of Encinitania, wishing to be included in the debates and communications of the Rushmori Union, has decided to request to join the Rushmori Union. Our people believe that joining the Union will add to the diplomatic status of Encinitania, as well as lead to more economic prosperity. Our Parliament has voted, and all we have decided to join the RU. Thank You.

Full nation name: Commonwealth of Encinitania
Population: 190 Million
GDPpc: 58,418 Sand Dollars
Type of government: Democracy

by **Trans-Dniesters** » Fri May 12, 2017 8:33 am

The Democratic People's Republic of the United Socialist States of Pridnestrovia would like to re-send their application for membership into the Rushmori Community following the reintroduction of democracy to the country.

Full nation name: Democratic People's Republic of the United Socialist States of Pridnestrovia
Population: 47,890,000
GDPpc: NS$12,890 (1,495,377,000 Pridnestrovian rubles)
Type of government: Presidential republic with two elected houses (State Duma and Congress of People's Deputies)

by **Liventia** » Sun May 14, 2017 4:25 pm

A few OOC notes…
One, If you're ratifying the current Accord, please post an RP indicating such, rather than just dumping your nation's stats in here alone. The CRC is meant to boost RP after all, it's not just a thing for you to join then forget about.

Two, It's no longer called the Rushmori Union, and hasn't been since the first strand of RP ended with Eura and Sameba getting into conflict with one another. The name of the agreement/union is the Common Rushmori Community.

Three, Without wanting to diminish anyone's interest in joining the CRC, especially if they are really keen, I think it would be fair to institute some sort of requirement for time in the region before joining the CRC – just to ensure people hang around. As such, after a quick discussion on IRC, new nations will not be granted immediate member state status in the CRC – but can apply for observer status (see Article 44 of the Orean Accord), which will subsequently be upgraded to full member state status if the nation hangs about in Rushmore and engages in regional/CRC/sport RP.

by **Liventia** » Mon May 15, 2017 6:46 am

Liventia set for upper house elections after CRC-related bill fails in Chamber of Deputies
OREAN— The first big post-Orean Accord electoral test for prime minister James Morgan has been set for 19 June after the government moved a dissolution motion in the Chamber of Deputies.

The dissolution motion was passed 162–3 with eleven abstentions and 42 party-appointed deputies ineligible to vote. It comes after the Chamber narrowly voted to reject the Elections (Rushmori Parliament) Act 2170 which would have introduced the single transferable vote in future Liventian elections for the Rushmori Parliament.

The Act had made it through the Commons despite opposition from within the government, with the National Christian Democrats – a partner in the ruling coalition who were opposed to the bill – eventually opting to abstain from the final vote, which passed comfortably without threat to the government's majority.

However, a significant number of deputies from all parties except Mr Morgan's Social Democrats rebelled against their Commons counterparts, with 24 Centrist MCs – including all 14 from the NCD – and 26 Greens defying the party whip, resulting in the government narrowly losing the vote 108–110.

The NCD's secretary-general Lucy Porterson MP has tendered her resignation as a result of the deputies' vote, but told reporters any report of the party quitting the National Centrist Bloc, the second-largest grouping in the Commons and part of the coalition government, was "wide of the mark". Any such move would put the government at risk of collapse, with the NCD's representation in the Commons larger than the coalition's majority.

However, the NCD will contest the upcoming Chamber elections as a separate entry on the ballot papers, as will the three constituent parties in the Greener Society Coalition. NCD candidates will appear on ballots with the party "National Christian Democrats (NCB)", while candidates from the three environmental parties will have "(GSC)" tagged next to their party names. Normally, the large blocs – the Social Democrats, NCB, and GSC – agree on a single candidate, from one of its constituent parties, to fight the election under the bloc banner. This will have the effect of splitting the NCB and Green votes in the upcoming elections, which is likely to benefit the Soc-Dems and Conservative Party.

A period of campaigning will now take place, with the Social Democrats expected to make passing the Elections (Rushmori Parliament) Act a key focus of their manifesto. The latest National Statistics Institute opinion poll shows the country split on the idea of introducing the single transferable vote for any future Rushmori Parliament election. 33% of respondents are in favour of STV, but others advocate other methods of proportional representation – with party-list voting a popular choice – while 38% of respondents support keeping the first-past-the-post electoral method.

The Commons, which has not been dissolved, will continue to sit. Any legislation passing through the Commons during the campaign period in the Chamber will be scrutinised by the 42 party-appointed deputies who remain in position during the election.

by **Savojarna** » Tue May 16, 2017 8:50 am

FRAMFARIR
journal of the communist party of savojarna

A Day for History: Savojarna joins the Common Rushmori Community!

The negotiations about it in the Council demanded time, nerves and the head of a party. However, last afternoon, the Chairman of the People's Council Emil Ekman (KPS) was finally allowed to sign the Orean Accords in the name of the Savojar legislature, thus officially ratifying the treaties establishing a Common Rushmori Community. The negotiations had to be held between the KP and AP leadership on one side and the AP resistance as well as the LKPS on the other. The true threat to the ratification had come when the issue of common currency and what they called "implicit expectation of a capitalist democracy" had started to endanger AP leader Tervinen. As Tervinen herself was pressured to not accept the Accords, which likely would have led to their downfall, she decided to hold a vote of confidence to gain a mandate for ratification but was eventually replaced by Eythor Bjarnason, a 43-year old Storevik man. Bjarnason had eventually managed to persuade the Council to write into the ratification decision a clause that calls for another vote on whether Savojarna would be willing or not to join a currency union. Regarding the implications of the Orean Accord, Bjarnason was unable to do things which had cost him support of the far-left AP wing, but his efforts in negotiation were largely appreciated by more moderate AP forces and eventually seems to have helped to pass the CRC ratification.

People on the streets of Savojarna were happy of the decision of their Council. At a KPS sponsored rally in favour of the CRC, thousands of people showed their welcoming to the CRC by waving flags of Savojarna, various Rushmori nations as well as the regional flag and laudating the CRC as a beacon of international cooperation. Similar scenes could be found in other places throughout Savojarna. Polls have shown that the ratification of the Orean Accord has lead to a surge in the KPS' popularity and its staunch, principled rejection of it has led to several losses for the LKPS. As the Leninists move more and more to a fringe, it becomes a question who will follow them and may eventually take their place. Rushmori integration is likely to be a pressing issue for a prolonged time, and at the moment, all the signs point towards a more pro-Rushmori opinion throughout the country.

by **Liventia** » Tue May 16, 2017 4:06 pm

OOC:
Current members of the Common Rushmori Community:
Liventia (founding member)
Electrum (founding member)
Aels (founding member)
Ceni
Savojarna
Nephara

Has indicated their country will ratify the Orean Accord, but yet to do so:
Astograth

Has asked/applied to join:
Encinitania (would be subject to observer status to start with)
Pridnestrovia

by **Nephara** » Fri May 19, 2017 3:31 am

THE BRINEMOUTH HERALD
NEPHARA RATIFIES OREAN ACCORDS IN FULL FOLLOWING TERRORIST ASSAULT
Catheline Aspenwood

In the immediate aftermath of the rash of terrorist attacks that has hit Nephara, Margravine Alexa Mitroglou has officially ratified the Orean Accords before beating a swift return back to her country. If given the blessing of the CRC's founders, Nephara may have found its way into an entrenched position in regional politics.

Following yesterday's events, which marked the first time that the Terranean War has shed blood on the Nepharim mainland, a bill to accept the terms of the Accords in full was rushed through Parliament with bipartisan support. Plans to figure out the logistics of electing representatives to the Rushmori Parliament will likely be sidelined for now as the government works on an immediate response to the attacks.

The vote was a formality when all was said and done, and the prevailing mood among the Nepharim public is favourable, and was indeed optimistic in polls three days ago. 72% believed that membership in the Common Rushmori Community would be beneficial to Nephara overall, 87% stating specifically that it would strengthen security.

The softening of borders is considered a boon by most with the planned city of Corvistone badly in need of population, skilled workers especially. The one point of controversy may be the potential adoption of a currency union, though it is unlikely to be a deal-breaker.

The vote was conspicuous for the absence of two Nationals MPs - Gwen Hingert and Rickard Marshall - who were slain in the attacks. The death toll from the attacks is estimated to be in the triple digits by this stage, and mirrors a similar series of attacks made on Eura immediately before the full invasion commenced.

Military experts have been quick to reassure the Nepharim people that a land invasion is infeasible, though naval forces from Nephara and Sameba are presently clashing on the Brine, near Coret. Even so, Mitroglou will need to bring the best of her rhetorical might to bear if she is to rally a scattered, chastened nation in a dark hour.

Full nation name: Union of Nephara
Population: 92 million
GDPpc: National Standard $46,252
Type of government: Parliamentary democracy

by **Liventia** » Sun May 21, 2017 6:09 am

Social Democrats claim big win in Chamber elections, short of outright majority
OREAN— Prime minister James Morgan has been handed a resounding vote of confidence at the ballot box after his Social Democrats won 77 seats in the new Chamber of Deputies.

The Soc-Dems, under the upper-house leadership of veteran Pierre Goudreau, took advantage of a split in the Centrist and Green votes to romp home to victory, although the number of mainstream party blocs contesting the election means they are still short of an outright majority and will require support from the Centrists, with whom they govern in the lower house Commons.

Most of the election was fought on the Common Rushmori Community, with the Soc-Dems pushing for the introduction of a single transferable vote electoral system to select Liventia's 45 regional parliamentarians. The National Christian Democrats, who stood candidates in all 176 constituencies separately from the Centrists, campaigned against the change, as did Environment First Commerce Second, the Liventia Forward Movement, and the Conservative Party.

The NCD were punished at the ballot box, with their elected representation in the Chamber reduced from 14 to nine. However, the Conservative Party – presenting themselves as a single party without infighting capable of standing up to the Social Democrats – held their seat count steady at 44. Despite losing a seat in Port Cartfort, the Tories scored a shock win in usually left-leaning Orean Inner, out-polling the Soc-Dems by 135,057 votes to take it from the Centrists.

The National Centrist Bloc upper house leader Jonny Ryder, the Speaker of Parliament, retained his seat in Lantgoma after the three Green parties, as well as the Liventia Forward Movement and Progressive Communist Party, all chose to challenge it in a break with longstanding tradition that the head of state's seat is never contested.

However, Ryder's bloc suffered from the split in its vote and returned just 39 deputies (including the nine Christian Democrats), a loss of six – five Christian Democrats and one from the National Democratic Union. The Greener Society Coalition's elected representation fell from 33 to just 13, as voters appeared to pin the blame for the Elections (Rushmori Parliament) Act's failure in the last Chamber on the 26 Greens who opposed the bill. The Soc-Dem/Centrist government now has a new majority of 22 in the Chamber, and has enough seats to vote through the bill even if the nine Christian Democrat deputies object.

The election was overshadowed by terrorist attacks committed in Nephara, the newest member of the Common Rushmori Community. Mr Morgan said the attacks "remind us all and re-emphasise the need for a strong Common Rushmori Community, to act to prevent such atrocities from happening in the future."

Liventia Chamber of Deputies:
Social Democrats 88 (up from 60) – 77 elected; 11 appointed
Conservatives 53 (no change) – 44 elected; 9 appointed
National Centrists 50 (down from 56) – 39 elected; 11 appointed
Greener Society 22 (down from 42) – 13 elected; 9 appointed
Progressive Communists 2 (no change) – 2 elected
Liventia Forward Movement 1 (down from 2) – 1 elected
Independents/Unaffiliated 2 (down from 3) – 0 elected; 2 appointed

Current members of the Common Rushmori Community (note that seat allocations will change with the addition of more members):
Liventia – 322m – 45 seats in inaugural Rushmori Parliament
Electrum – 40m; 33 seats
Aels – 8m; 9 seats
Ceni – 13.3m; 11 seats
Savojarna – 22.8m; 19 seats
Nephara – 92m; 45 seats

by **Electrum** » Sat Jun 03, 2017 6:29 am

OOC: A quick roleplay to tide you over until my exams finish (they finish on the 13th)

ENN - The Electrumites held a supplementary Common Rushmori Community election to determine which parties would represent Electrum in the Rushmori Parliament. Due to the legislation which expected Electrum to have a smaller amount of representation in the Rushmori Parliament, vote counters were overwhelmed when the entire nation of Electrum voted as a singular constituency with 33 seats up for grabs under a STV system. As a result, even with Optical Mark Recognition technology, it took two and a half weeks for the entire results to become clear.

The Electrumite Electoral Commission stated that they will try and push for seats to be allocated by STV through provincial lines in time for the next Rushmori Parliament election. At the end of the day, 33 seats were allocated, which meant that 2.94% was required for a quota. Because the election was compulsory, just like federal, state and local elections in Electrum, turnout was high, at 85%. With 25.6 million registered voters, that translated to 21.76 million votes. The following parties were elected:

Conservative/Country Living Coalition - 9 seats
Labour - 8 seats
New Centrist Alliance - 5 seats
Liberty - 3 seats
Greens Society - 2 seats
Compassionate Workers - 2 seats
Family Principles - 1 seat
Electrum Nationalists - 1 seat
Endemian Union - 1 seat
Progressive League - 1 seat

by **Pasarga** » Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:47 am

OOC: Something short and quick to officially put Pasarga in.

Torgos Tribune ~ Start of a New Era

The discussion of a Rushmori Union has been one that has been being held for nearly four years now, with the seriousness of the subject ratcheting up last year. It was at this time last year in Eura that King Jakub had met with Liventian and Euran officials to discuss the possibility of the dual islands entering into the new proposed arrangement. What came out of that meeting was generally good news, though the respective delegates did have concessions that they requested of Pasarga in order to facilitate the entry of our nation into the Common Rushmori Community, as the union was being called. Most of these centered around a reformation to include some form of democratic process to allow representation from the populace into those who ruled the islands in Torgos. Having historically been a monarchy, a shift from such absolute power to more of representative government was seen as a major change to the culture and history of the islands, as well as an organizational obstacle.

However with the election last night of the Minister of Interior, one of a handful of position that King Jakub has decided to hand over to the voting process rather than being a hand picked appointee, that shift seems to be underway. Within an hour of being confirmed as the new Minister of the Interior, Emma Szathmár as well as King Jakub and Tihamér Szôlôssy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, signed the passing of the Orean Accords. The symbolic gesture was the culmination of a year of negotiating and partnership building between Torgos and Orean, with the hopes that this CRC will be able to see the entire region flourish. With already good relations with Eura, Pasarga will have a good initial standing, but how can they use that standing will be a looming question over the coming months as the CRC begins to stretch its legs. For the time being, it is a dawn of a new and promising era both in the nation and for the entire region as a whole, with opportunities aplenty.

by **Liventia** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 2:44 pm

Liventia RPMs approve application of Pasarga to join CRC
OREAN— Liventia's 45 Rushmori Parliament Members have voted by a margin of 37–8 to approve Pasarga as the seventh member of the Common Rushmori Community. Opposition was led by five Conservative RPMs, joined by three Centrist rebels, who criticised Pasargan democratic reforms as not going far enough.

Under Article 43 of the Orean Accord, Pasarga's ratification of the agreement is subject to approval by each of the Rushmori Parliament's national groupings. Therefore, Pasarga's application to join the CRC is subject to further approval by 45 Nepharim, 33 Electrumite, 19 Savojar, 11 Cenian and 8 Aelsh parliamentarians.

Given Pasarga's reported population of 110 million, it would seem likely the islands will gain the maximum possible 45 Members of the Rushmori Parliament upon accession to the agreement.

by **Nephara** » Mon Jul 03, 2017 3:45 pm

THE BRINEMOUTH HERALD
PASARGAN CRC APPLICATION WINS NEPHARIM APPROVAL
Gareth Anhart

Nephara's 45 RPMs have voted in favour of Pasarga's CRC application by a tally of 34-11, after no small amount of debate behind the scenes.

The Nationals voted in a bloc to support Pasarga, considered an ally, though it is believed that some would have dissented were they permitted to go against the party line. The Progressive Democrats were given the right to a conscience vote, seven going against the Pasargan bid.

Both Moving Forward RPMs and the single Libertarian and Sex Party representatives rounded out the voting against. The sole Libertarian, Morraine Cathcart, accused the Nationals of "casting aside Nepharim values to become Eura's catspaw."

Concerns over Pasarga were more or less single-issue, relating to Pasarga's traditional monarchy, one with genuine legislative power. But Pasarga has made concessions in recent years to become a more democratic nation, and while reforms are not an immediate process, they have secured Liventian and Euran approval.

Electrum, Savojarna, Ceni and Aels are yet to decide, with Pasarga's entry hinging on each of the Rushmori Parliament's nations approving. Analysts believe, however, that if even the stridently anti-monarchic Nepharim were persuaded with a convincing vote in favour, that the other nations are likely to approve as well.

by **Valladares** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 12:19 pm

Valladares Announces Ratification of Orean Accords

CENTRALIS, ELECTRUM (VAP) — A delegation led by Prime Minister of Valladares Jefferson Pratt and several MPs has announced today the ratification of the Orean Accords by King Marcus of Valladares. This announcement, which allows Valladares to finally submit a formal application to join the Common Rushmori Community (CRC), comes as part of an official visit to Electrum, where the Valladar delegation had the chance to attend the World Cup qualifying match between Electrum and Valladares, which ended with La Nacional emerging victorious, as well as to meet with other fellow Electrumite MPs in order to socialize with them the ratification of the Accords and Valladar interest to complete its accession to the regional bloc.

The Orean Accords had to go over a tough path for their eventual ratification by the King of Valladares, after being voted down twice by the Asamblea Nacional, and twice more by the Senado, where a majority of MPs from the Labour and Valladares Primero parties showed their opposition to a potential implementation of a regional currency, which was the biggest obstacle that kept the Accords from being ratified in both houses. However, this concern seemed to be successfully addressed by the Minister of the Treasury Marie Cartier on Wednesday's session at Parliament House, when the ratification of the Accords was finally a real fact with 81 MPs voting for ratification, 18 voting against, and the 4 Aboriginal MPs abstaining. The process was completed with King Marcus signing the Ratification Act on Friday evening, which enabled the Valladar delegation in Electrum to make the announcement, and start lobbying for approval by the current CRC members.

At the press conference in Centralis, Prime Minister Jefferson Pratt expressed his delight for the ratification of the Accords, highlighting them as a big opportunity to consolidate regional integration in key aspects such as trade, freedom of movement, and safety. Mr. Pratt also stated his intention to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister of Electrum in order to smooth the rough edges that have strained Valladar-Electrumite relations recently, including issues such as the Fontvielle-Junín railway, the Floriana dam project in Río Oscuro, and the closure of the City of Junín, among others. Valladar public opinion has been very supportive of the Accords, with the latest polls showing that support for the Accords reached 78% just a week prior to the final vote at the Senado.

Prime Minister Pratt announced that Valladares' official entry in the CRC will have to be approved by the current members of the Community: Electrum, Liventia, Aels, Nephara, Ceni, and Savojarna. Should these countries approve the Valladar application, the Consejo Electoral Nacional will schedule elections to determine Valladar representation at the Rushmori Parliament. It is likely that these elections will be held simultaneously with the general elections next year, but that will depend on how long CRC members take to review the application by Valladares.

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OOC: Just in case, here's my previous application:

Full nation name: The United Kingdom of Valladares (Spanish: Reino Unido de Valladares)
Population: 97,725,102 (2016 estimate)
GDP per capita: NSD 58,548.10
Government type: Federal constitutional monarchy

by **Savojarna** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 6:28 am

Savojarna's CRC delegation torn over Pasargan and Valladar accession

Orean, LIV -- The 19 Savojar MRPs have been furiously discussing the accession of Pasarga and Valladares to the CRC, in both cases due to the monarchic nature of the two countries. The AP in particular has been highly wary of voting for their accession, while the sole Leninist deputy, Mikhail Zoranov, has already announced not to vote in favour of any new accessions to the CRC out of the LKPS' fundamental opposition to the Community. The KPS, who holds an absolute majority in the Savojar grouping (11 seats), argued mainly in favour of accession as a means to promote democracy in these nations and to signal the willingness of Savojarna to work together with the CRC. Benny Nyman, leader of the KPS Rushmore (KPS-Rm), stated that "the Community relies on cooperation of various nations, and we would greatly hurt the potential of the CRC and the international standing of Savojarna if we were to treat it as a form of a proletarian international". He urged the rest of the delegation to follow their lead in order to support accession in order to promote democracy and worker's rights in the respective nations. Meanwhile, AP leader Bjarnason, himself also a MRP for Savojarna, announced he would likely veto the accession of Pasarga and will do so for Valladares as well.

The Savojar grouping has decided to postpone the vote on Valladares, but has been pressed to take a stance on Pasargan accession. It ultimately decided in favour of the accession with 7 votes in favour and 5 votes against as well as seven abstentions, coming from AP and KPS members alike. Bjarnason has protested against the pressure applied by the leadership of the Savojar Grouping, but announced his party would continue its stance of "critical support" of the Rushmori community and would also apply it to Valladar accession.

Common Rushmori Community Formation Talks [ATTN: Rushmore]

On Joining the Rushmori Union

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