Ajax Regional News Thread [Closed: Ajax Only]

by **Sydalon** » Wed Oct 11, 2017 2:36 pm

Ibelina Resigns, Queen Appoints Saabi to First Secretary
Ostracine, Sydalon
By: Didon Aedu (@AeduDi)

Ostracine: Yesterday the Royal Household called for a special press conference set for the afternoon today, causing rampant speculation thoughout most of the day as to what the reason would be. However, any speculation quickly subsided when First Secretary The Lord of Ibelina announced his resignation at 10:30 pm last night. Ibelina’s resignation comes only days after The Queen’s coronation at Sancte Sapientie, and after weeks of rumors and intrigue that the Queen wished to replace Ibelina.

The Lord of Ibelina officially announced he was stepping down as First Secretary this morning from the steps of Castra d'Segosi. Ibelina spoke to the press with his wife at his side and said, “Serving the Sydelene people for these last six years have been the greatest honor of my life. However, I have done all I can in my tenure and I believe the Sydelene people are better off than they were before my tenure began.” The Lord of Ibelina was first appointed by the late King Jordan IX in 2011, and was kept on as First Secretary by then Princess Melisende when she was appointed Regent in November 2014. Before ending his brief address, Ibelina said, “I thank Her Royal Majesty for allowing me the privilege to continue to serve during our late King’s regency and I’m hopeful for the future of country during Her Majesty’s reign.”

The Royal Household quickly followed by announcing The Queen had accepted Ibelina’s resignation and carried on with its own announcement. Before the Queen took the the podium however, the Royal Chamberlain announced that the Queen had elevated Senator and Member of the Popular Assembly Adeodata Saabi to the Council of Nobles, by creating a new seat within Senate’s upper chamber. When The Queen took the podium, she was joined by Adeodata Saabi, and announced that Saabi would be appointed the country’s next First Secretary. “Lady Saabi represents the new direction I wish to lead Sydalon. Together, we pray for the strength so see our people through the future and a better tomorrow.

Adeodata Saabi becomes the first individual to be appointed First Secretary while being a sitting member of the Popular Assembly, Senate’s lower house. Saabi was first elected to the Popular Assembly in 2007 as a party list member, and most recently represented Pons Veii. Since first being elected to the Assembly, she has been a member of the centrist political party In Avante, and most recently served as Assembly Majority Leader. A spokesperson from Saabi's Senate office announced that she was resigning as an Assembly member effective immediately in order to fulfill constitutional requirements.

The Queen also wasted little time by also issuing a series of royal decrees after Saabi's appointment. The first decree will lift the ban on political party affiliations for Senators sitting on the Council of Nobles, and the First Secretary. It is unknown as of yet if incoming First Secretary Saabi will remain a member of In Avante. A second royal decree followed by announcing the Queen’s intent to return the government to the city of Sydalon — the Her Majesty’s government has been centered in Ostracine for nearly 200 years. These royal decrees will be issued to the Senate within the week for approval, per constitutional requirements to amend the 1921 constitution.

OTHER NEWS STORIES

Major protests demand cessation of “forced conversions;” calls for equal religious and language rights. [ 11298 ]
Sydalene FA reportedly considering attempt to join either the BFFA or UNAFA [ 10215 ]
Queen looking to take suitors, ready to wed again; says Royal Household source. [ 8158 ]
Queen reportedly considered appointing Holy Lance Grand Legate as First Secretary. [ 6211 ]

by **Lihnidos** » Fri Oct 13, 2017 7:35 pm

BMP Etor Lois Makes Case for Belisarian Community Common Currency

By: Xylona Sacca (@realXSacca)
Updated: 13 October 2017 10:43 PM

[Lihnidos - AK] Arcadia - A Lihnidosi member of the Belisarian Parliament made national news early this morning by coming out in support of a common currency among Belisarian Community member nations.

Etor Lois, a member of the Alliance of Centrists in the Belisarian Parliament and the Democratic Coalition in Lihnidos, came out in support of the idea this morning during a breakfast fundraiser for the Democratic Coalition. Speaking to a number of Democratic Coalition members and other Lihnidosi members of the Belisarian Parliament, Lois made the case as to how a common currency would benefit all member nations.

“It would be extremely beneficial to further coordinate economic and monetary policies among the member nations. A monetary union would simplify the work of the commission greatly. No longer would we have to worry about exchange rates and the like when trading amongst ourselves. The risk of volatility in a nation’s monetary policy or currency would be greatly reduced if all member nations were subject to the same standards and policies.”

A monetary union in the Belisarian Community, a proposal brought up months ago, has been a subject of little discussion in Lihnidos as the workings of the Belisarian Community largely goes unnoticed by many. Lois makes himself the first BMP from Lihnidos to publicly support the idea. While debate has been unofficially ongoing in the Belisarian Parliament and the Commission, many in Lihnidos have avoided the subject, worrying that it would be seen as a further concession of sovereignty to the Belisarian Community. Many of the Lihnidosi members of the Belisarian Parliament, a majority of which are members of the Conservatives and Traditionalists party, have attempted to dodge questions about the proposal when raised to them.

Lois received the banking of many of his colleagues who also attended the breakfast afterwards. As if a dam had broken, support for the common currency proposal flowed from the mouths of a number of other BMPs in attendance. A snap poll conducted by the Arcadia Daily showed a split among voters when asked whether or not they would support a common currency in the Belisarian Community. Of the 3,482 voters questioned, 37% were in favor of the proposal, 24% were against the proposal, and 39% were neutral or unsure. This stands in contrast to the favorability rating of the Belisarian Community as a whole in Lihnidos, which a current average of polls shows to have a 58% job approval rating.

While the Office of Imperial Affairs did not return a request for comment, the Office of the Prime Minister signaled a weak endorsement of the idea, saying in a statement, "While it is clear that a common currency among member nations of the Belisarian Community may have some benefits, the government of Lihnidos has no official position on a common currency, nor is it aware of any official proposal put forward in the Belisarian Parliament. If such a proposal is made, a thorough review will be carried out to determine whether or not a monetary union would by in Lihnidos's national interest."

Lois is likely to have brought a real debate of a common currency to the forefront of Lihnidosi politics. It is unlikely that lawmakers will be able to avoid questions regarding such a proposal, especially now that the Prime Minister has made a lukewarm statement of support.

Any common currency would have to go through several stages in the Belisarian Community before being implemented, a process that would likely take years to accomplish short of a legislative marvel in the Belisarian Parliament.

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Rietumark in the crosshairs of National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Relations Committee [ 62,528 ]
Monument to Empress Maria I vandalized in Ikaria [ 24,103 ]

by **-Elerrina-** » Tue Oct 17, 2017 8:10 am

BREAKING: Emperor invokes Article 2 of Convention and declines to appoint PM; will assume executive powers
For the first time in nearly 211 years, there will be no Prime Minister of the Empire; instead, the Emperor
Minion Tyelima (@MTyelimaNews) (Information Publications Commission)
^{October 6, 2017 10:15 PM | Iscaost, Elerrina}

HIM Tindómon addressing a reporter at the Azure Palace this evening RNC photo

Iscaost — His Imperial Majesty Tindómon held what would turn out to be a historic press conference late this evening, as he addressed a myriad collection of reporters and jouranlists in the Azure Palace's Red Room, so called so far the velvet curtains and decorations and has been traditionally used as a press room for decades. The Emperor then made the shocking announcement that he was going to be invoking his rights, as prescribed by Article 2 of the Winge Convention, and he would not allow a Prime Minister to form a government in his name, but instead will assume full executive powers and oversee the administration of the Empire himself.

This move was completely unanticipated; no Emperor has ever exercised this power since the Convention was established, and even before it was, Prime Ministers were still appointed to rule in the Emperor's name. Tindómon will become the first Emperor in nearly two centuries to have full control over the executive government, a power not even his great-grandfather enjoyed. Now, for our average readers out there, you may be lost in the political terminology or rhetoric so what this essentially means for you is that instead of the Prime Minister running the Cabinet, making policy decisions and the like, it will be the Emperor making these calls; he will assume the dual role of Head of State, and Head of Government. Now, as for the PM's traditional role of also being a leader in the Dalathri, that role will more then likely be taken up by the Speaker as the de-facto next up, as the Monarch can not be a member of the legislature, all-though it is possible you will now see members of the Imperial family taking up seats in the Taenrind to give the Emperor allies on the other spectrum of the government.

Political agenda speaking, His Imperial Majesty spoke for a modest length about this, stating that a more detailed manifesto would be compiled and released in the later weeks as his office was re-established and got themselves accommodated, however there were a few big things to cover. He did state that all Cabinet secretaries would be reviewed in individual interviews over the entire month, and that entire organization of the Cabinet, such as what Secretaries are invited to sit on it, would be reviewed and analysed as well for potential changes. Furthermore, he stated that he is committed to reviewing the STIP, which is the Southern Trade Initiative Pact, which is the name of four treaties or economic agreements with the Kingdom of Afalia that were passed between 1951 and 1975, which agree to a number of trade deals, benefits and other such arangements. To date, it is the only major international trade deal that the Empire has ever committed to, and it has come under fire from the more conservative elements of the Imperial political scene, such as the Emperor, for being "un-wanted". As to what he could mean by reviewing it, it could vary from asking the Darathi to review it or to even perhaps inviting Afalian Prime Minister Roger Lucas to Elerrina to discuss the trade deals. Either way, these coming months are going to prove very interesting as we cover the politics for you.

With the Emperor invoking his powers, Sairalindë Lissësúl who was elected the leader of the ruling coalition will now reportedly take over as Speaker in the Darathi, according to both herself and senior party officials who announced the quick change just an hour after the Emperor's long press conference. Ms.Lissësúl gave a brief statement, stating that she was committed to "restoring the people's powers as they should be throughout the Empire", and also mentioned that if conservative elements believed now was the time to return to "tyrannical, autocratic ways", both herself and her ruling party would fight them on every level to prevent it. Currently speaking, her party controls 54% of the seats in the lower house, and if they could build up some support in the senior house, they could present a serious challenge to the Emperor and whatever political agenda he may hold.

Minion Tyelima contributed to this report.

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What to know ahead of Grand Legate du Caeseti’s upcoming visit to Castellum. [ 16724 ]
Emperor Constantine makes visit to Gelonian counties, meets with residents. [ 14123 ]
“I would support a BC common currency,” says Leader of the Opposition Batziolas [ 12393 ]

by **Arthurista** » Tue Oct 17, 2017 3:32 pm

NATIONAL LIBERAL REVOLUTION
Shock win in leadership election by 33-year old anti-establishment outsider and mutual fund wizard

The results National Liberal Party leadership election has finally been revealed with the counting of the last postal votes. The outcome came as a major shock as members of the party voted to place dark horse candidate 33-year old Sidney Carringdon, the youngest ever leader of a major political party in Arthuristan history, into the leader’s seat. The fund manager, currently serving as Shadow Chancellor in the NatLib front bench, will officially become Leader of His Highness’s Loyal Opposition on 1st November.

Humble beginnings

Mr Carringdon grew up in a typical provincial lower middle class household – his father was the manager of a high street branch of the Highland Bank in small town of Roresham, and his mother was a nurse at the local hospital. Like many talented youngsters, at the first opportunity he fled the ‘idiocy of rural life’ and settled in the capital city following his graduation in mathematics at University College Loweport. For a time, he worked as a junior quantitative analyst in his uncle’s hedge fund while he struggled to qualify as a chartered accountant. The fund went bust in the bubble-burst of 2009, and in the following years he worked in a number of small FOREX firms to make ends meet. In his spare time, however, he studied the database of his uncle’s old fund, which contained historical data of market movements dating back 1657, before the founding of the Loweport Stock Exchange. He did so alongside his flatmate, Henry Shaw, an out of work software developer who once worked for a financial software company. Together, armed with an initial injection of funds by a number of private investors whose identities they have not disclosed to this day, they founded Grey Fox Funds in 2011.

Grey Fox has a number of distinguishing characteristics. It employs a pure ‘black box’ model – they do not disclose their trades or their data to the general public, or even to their own investors. They also do not employ any fund managers, based on the founding pair’s view that human sentimental reasoning will, over the long run, make sub-optimal decisions. Rather, they attempted as far as possible to eliminate the human factor. Grey Fox only employs ‘quants’, and use their proprietary mathematical models and computer software to predict market trends based on historical data. The fund has consistently outperformed much more actively managed funds hence and attracted more investors every year, despite the fact that nobody is ever told how the fund works. In 2015, they generated some £13 billion in revenue after 3.5 years of operation – a mere minnow compared to the established historical giants, some of whom having been in business in one form or another for two centuries, but certainly the fastest growing in Arthuristan history. In 2016, Grey Fox founded its security branch, which specialises in providing ‘big data’ and predictive analytic capabilities to support counter-terrorist and counter-espionage efforts by the government.

The 32-year old Carringdon was offered a knighthood in 2016. Nobody could argue against the notion that he has rendered immense service to the Arthuristan financial industry by pioneering the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and distributed computing in their decision-making process. However, to the surprise of the ‘establishment’, Carringdon turned the honour down. “What I have done so far, I’ve done for myself,” he said when interviewed by the Kingston Telegram last year. “If I am to be honoured at all, it will be for public service, even if it takes another twenty years.” In May, he won the Bayside West by-election and became the National Liberal MP for that borough of the capital. Given his reputation, he was swiftly ‘parachuted’ into the front bench to serve as Shadow Treasurer, then Shadow Chancellor in quick succession. Reflecting the general discontent of the party’s membership over the direction the National Liberals have been heading over the past two decades, during which they had managed to only form one government, prematurely terminated after a mere two years before it was no-confidenced, Carringdon was carried to the top by his promise of radical change.

Disruption and obsolescence

Carringdon reflects the hopes and dreams of the newest generation of National Liberal members, people in their twenties and aspiring to be the best they can be in an unsettling time, poised on the cusp of fundamental change.

“The developed world’s economy is about to undergo the most profound metamorphosis since the industrial revolution, perhaps since the invention of capitalism,” he said in his earlier TV interview with CCB. “Automation and 3D printing will make manufacturing unrecognisable in twenty years. Artificial intelligence will turn the service sector and the professions, from banking to law, upside down. Driverless cars are on the verge of being commercially available to the average urban middle class citizen. Space exploration and gene medicine offers whole vista of new dimensions to the world economy. Yet, the average centre-left party still talks of the glories of workers’ unions. The average centre-right party still denounces the evils of class warfare. Hello, the nineteenth century called, they want their outdated drivel back.”

“What are we going to do when 90% of jobs become obsolete over the space of a decade or two? How are we going to implement some sort of UBI System to counterbalance this trend? How do we shift to a cashless currency that would give us the most competitive advantage? What legal regime should we adopt to regulate driverless cars? Or sentient AI? Or the staking of claims on asteroids by unmanned mining drones operated by private companies? These are not questions which are purely academic any longer. These changes are imminent, and they are, as they say in the startup world, disruptive, and together they are going to cause the mother of all disruptions to how the entire developed world works, for good or ill.”

“Our political establishment is completely unequipped to deal with the sea change that is coming. It lacks even the most basic understanding of what it is and what it signifies. It is high time for this country to have a government that can shape the future before it happens, rather than run hopelessly behind the wave of progress trying to catch its trailing coat-tails.”

Carringdon is widely expected to follow up on his radical rhetoric with equally radical change in the Shadow Cabinet. Most political commentators expect a major purge of the old guard and their replacement by young, dynamic MP’s of Carringdon’s generation. Foremost the front-runners is Francis Malan, formerly the CEO of Icarus Technologies, a company he co-founded and in which he remains a director and major shareholder. It is widely anticipated that this pioneer of driverless cars and private space travel will shortly be recommended for a peerage and, as a member of the House of Lords, occupy a prominent position in Carringdon’s shadow cabinet.

Foreign inversion

Carringdon has spent less time and effort on his foreign policy agenda. By and large, it follows the traditional Arthuristan pragmatic ‘defensive realist’ paradigm of seeking to maintain the balance of power while promoting market access and free trade abroad. However, here, too, he threatens to ‘upend the applecart’ and challenge decades of orthodoxy.

“The Balisarian Community is a pillar for the stability of the continent. However, its recent policy trend developments point towards closer economic union, a step which Arthurista should think twice before acceding to,” he opined. “In particular, the currency union should be a ‘line in the sand’ and rejected unequivocally. It is the ability to set our own monetary policy which keeps us competitive in global trade, and gives us effective tools over managing the domestic economic environment. Losing the power of the mint, and to set interest rates, would be catastrophic. While we must maintain access to the BC market, we must also be vigilant in maintaining our freedom to operate as a global trading nation. It is with regards to the latter end that there are bottom lines which must not be crossed.”

“I think we should also consider the wisdom of the present Labour government’s eagnerness to participate in the slowly escalating crisis in Deweden. We must carefully, pragmatically, and without any deference towards absurd populist ideological vapourware, to assess where our long term interests lie. Rietumimark is, no doubt, an odious Ozolonist regime. However, how they run their affairs is not our concern. We trade freely with, and invest substantial sums, in Estoni, a similarly brutal and corrupt Ozolonist dictatorship, albeit a far less effectual one, and for all intents and purposes a nation whose very economic survival depends on its status as Arthurista’s sweatshop for cheap electronics, breaker of ships filled with asbestos and landfill for dangerous waste materiel. Rietumimark is dangerous, but is it wise to weaken it unduly? Would the military humbling of Rietumimark enable the rise of a continental hegemon in western Balisaria, for centuries the very thing our foreign policy has worked against? I offer no easy answer, except to urge our government to think again. We must consider all our options before we decide how we should proceed.”

Revolution in governance

Carringdon’s rise has caught the attention of many commentators in the press and academia. One analyst, however, remains resolutely unimpressed. Dr Lucy Wolseley is a senior lecturer of political science at Kingston University, as well as the publisher of renowned political blog ‘Cyber Sovereign’. As far as she is concerned, Mr Carringdon only gets half credits for merely proposing to paper over the superficial cracks of the entire Arthuristan political setup.

“Carringdon recognises the sea change in the developed world’s economic system in the decades ahead, good for him,” she wrote in a recent post. “These will, as he rightly says, generate problems which require a revolution in economic thinking to tackle. However, a similar revolution in governance, in the way we do politics, must be carried out in parallel if the Commonwealth is to survive the next century intact.”

“It is a truism to say that the country is pretty much run by a cabal of a mere 1-200 people. Academics like myself, think tanks, consultants, special advisors, press barons and above all, senior civil servants. They are the technocratic dynamo behind the façade of popular sovereignty presented by our parliament.”

“Parliamentary sovereignty is a mirage. According to our studies, not one major policy initiative over the past 25 years cannot be traced to some policy paper or suchlike, rather than ideas generated from popular consultation. And, of course, these policy papers are generated by people who come from the same background and received the same sort of education. The result is a fake two party system. Until Mr Carringdon’s fortuitous arrival on the scene – could anyone tell the centrist parties apart in any way, shape or form?”

“Arthurista is a bourgeouis-cracy – run by, and largely for the benefits of the upper middle class. This is the status quo established by the Constitution War. It has provided more than three centuries of stability. By the metric of longevity alone, it has been remarkably successful. Yet, all systems have a shelf-life, a sell-by date, and it is doubtful that the current constitutional setup will be any different.”

“A dictatorship of the urban bourgeoisie will only perpetuate if the working and lower middle classes continue to defer to expert opinion and believe that they are being well-looked after by the better-qualified. This is the internet era, the age of free information, and it is a time increasingly hazardous to a political edifice maintained by cap-doffing and blind trust.”

“We need to embrace real popular sovereignty, and transition in a manner which is as non-disruptive to the normal political and economic life of the nation as possible, despite the penchant for ‘disruption’ among Mr Carringdon and his cohorts,” concludes Dr Wolesley, “The internet and e-democracy provides avenues towards building a genuine civic forum popular political participation among the multitude. If technological progress is a tidal wave which cannot be held back, let’s use it to empower everyone the greatest number and not just the few.”

by **Rietumimark** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 10:58 am

Rietumish Tautas Jaunumi Aģentūra
Rietumish People's News Agency

Rietumimark condemns Liothidian sabre rattling & sanctions

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman during a late night press conference

by Laimdota Rinkēvičs - 18 October 2017
MELLAVET, RIETUMIMARK - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has come out to strongly condemn recent Liothidian sanctions against the Ozolinsist Republic and name calling by their imperialofascist strongman, the so-called Erster Kaiser Heinrich, during a speech at the Imperial College Vechta. The shocking move made the dictatorial monarch not only unnecessarily threatens to rise further tension in Belisaria, but also completely destabilise constructive relations between the Rietumish and Liothidian governments - establish since our great and wise leader decided to enact a policy of detente with the imperialistic governments willing to engage in peaceful relations with our revolutionary state.

During a boisterous speech made to hordes of Liothidian blackshirts and vanguardian thugs by their zealot leader, the Pope want-to-be Heinrich rambunctious proclaimed: “Satanic cult [Rietumimark] imbued with false senses of security, one that believes that it is immune to fury, to justice and Godly reckoning. One that is a stain upon Belisaria, it is a stain upon humanity, it is a stain upon the North and its time of reckoning nears.” Later adding, while personally addressing the Gentry puppet whore whose venom even forced her ex-husband - Robert I of Demphor - away and engage in sexual relations with another woman: ““to her majesty, Queen Annabelle I say this, we stand with you, the Liothidic nation stands with you, I stand with you, my family stands with you and your people. You are not alone, you will never walk alone, you will not face Rietumish freedom alone, your peril is our peril, your suffering is our suffering and together I am certain, Deweden will be one again and you Queen of all free Dewedish.”

In a move bluntly obviously coordinated with the Gentries and their expansive proxy empire, unfortunately spanning much of Ajax, to those in the Ozolinisist Republic - the State Minister Carstein’s announced to the glee of their marionette masters in Ghish, sanctions against Rietumimark. This pathetic sanction package includes a complete ban on all Rietumish goods entering the imperialist hive, all Rietumish owned or run businesses in Liothidia being given 24 hours to shut down, and that the few assets owned by the Revolutionary State will be frozen in a piteous attempt by the fascists to intimidate our great and wise leader in conceding the Autonomous People’s Republic of Deweden to the Axis of Imperialism's control.

The imperialist bitch behind the sanctions, had this to say when addressing the sanctions. “we have here before you, the most powerful and indicative sanctions package ever produced by His Fascist Dog’s Government. We have here, a clear declaration of the Imperialistic Fascist State’s intention to topple one of the few lights of freedom on the continent of Belisaria. Under the orders of our suzerains in Ghish, we shall cease all economic activity with the Revolutionary State, we are to cease all civilised interaction, we are to cease treating them as if they were equal to us, the Ghantar, fascist master race.”

“We know, as does every other good fascist dog, that they are not equal to us imperialists. They are not equal to any Catholic fanatic, they are equal to a malignant mass, sucking the life out of innocents. To treat them as equal, to do civilised business, is to lie to ourselves and a disgrace to our good nation’s name. The Liothidic Imperialist Hive Mind is greater than that. We are greater than all that would call themselves noble. It is our responsibility, as the protectors, custodians and leaders of Belisarian imperialism to stand upon against morality, be it in the form of a socialist, a republican, a subservient and morally deviant. It is our responsibility as the Fascist Master Race to confront all threats to Belisaria and that forms in Rietumimark.

“I asked the Fascist Hive to support this sanctions bill, support the Pope Erster Kaiser is his call for the Hive to stand firm against Rietumish freedom and bring about the reckoning, that so-called ‘God’ will surely bless with the occupation of all Dewedish under Rietumish freedom.”

Under pressure from Ghish, Valyria - for whom we have enjoyed cordial relations for some time now - was strong-armed into also threatening additional extensive sanctions targeting our embattled Revolutionary State. Fortunately, so far, the Valyrians haven’t foolheartedly stumbled into enacting sanctions, much to the applauds of the Revolutionary State and the free workers’ of Rietumimark.

“We applaud Prime Minister Sarveaux decision to hold off enacting sanctions against Rietumimark and sour relations between our two countries. Rietumimark has no axe to grind against Valyria and it is the Paramount Leader’s hope that Prime Minister Sarveaux won’t damage the productive partnership between our peoples.” said a spokesman for the Paramount Leader. “His benevolence harshly condemns the warmongers in Valyria who seek to undermine and ultimately destroy Valyria’s peaceful relations with Rietumimark. Rietumimark has no aggressive or belligerence policy towards Valyria and his benevolence hopes that doesn’t have to change. I personally urge Prime Minister Sarveaux to resist foreign pressure and keep the peace, unlike the Liothidic Imperialists.”

Ministry for Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Baiba Sipeniece harshly denounced the Liothidian accusations as “grossly inaccurate and a package of lies hideously twisting Rietumimark's foreign policy and the state of the affairs in Deweden, nor Rietumimark its respect for national sovereignty of those willing to respect its own. It is not Rietumish troops who are assembling to invade North Deweden nor was it Rietumish words who practically demanded the handover of sovereign Rietumish territory back to the illegal Dewedish Authority, who itself, refuses to even recognise the existence of the Ozolinsist Republic in favour of a weak and sickly proxy government-in-exile.

“Allegations that Rietumimark is somehow behind recent international belligerence is a fabrication and a lie of the highest calibre. Rietumimark remains steadfast in its war against foreign-backed terrorists and criminal thugs who are responsible for the recent violence in the Autonomous People’s Republic of Deweden. If the terrorists of Deweden are so ‘good and moral’, why did they so cowardly send a nineteen-year-old girl to blow herself up at a train station in Mellavet?

“I ask you still, would the international community be so quick to rally to the Ghantar proxy-government in the Dewedish Authority if it were to next, with the blessing of their Gentry masters, to demand territory from the Federation of Allamunnic States or Valyria next under vague claims of restoring their ‘national sovereignty?’

“The petty insults are a clear cover for the fat, weakly Kasier’s own personal inadequate and desperation to hide his own fascist hive’s weakness in the face of the brave and heroic men and women of the Ozolinsist Republic and our revolutionary allies. What the so-called Kasier said are nothing else than vicious lies perpetuated by a failing state, to deflect attention away from their sickly political system and growing willingness of the workers of Liothidia to rebel against their imperialist bourgeois theocratic overlords.”

Tens of thousands of Rietumish have taken to the streets in major cities across Rietumimark demonstrate against and in popular anger at Liothidian sanctions and threatening remarks about a potential conflict between the Revolutionary State and the fascist hive. In many of these impromptu protests, people burnt the Liothidian flags and photographs of the fascist dog Kaiser Heinrich and carried anti-Liothidian signs - many which had slogans such as ‘South Deweden belongs to Rietumimark’, ‘Death to the Dog Zealot Pope Heinrich’, and ‘Stay in Liothidia, Fascists’. Meanwhile, Leonid Pētersons, leader of the radical Iron Front of Rietumimark, has called on his benevolence to launch a preemptive military strike to destroy the Fascist Hive in an ‘ocean of fire’.

We will continue to update you on the situation as it progresses.

OTHER NEWS STORIES

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Authorities in Petra close down Mosque for ties to extremists. [ 12298 ]
Son of the Lord of Hayan to visit Palis d’Aultaville. [ 9281 ]
Queen, and Senate considering Rietumimark sanctions. [ 8174 ]

by **Estoni** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 3:39 am

The New Eesti Citizen

Celebrating 500 Years of the Eesti Revolutionary Church

Today marks the five hundredth anniversary of Ratmir Aleksandrovic's rising against the tyranny of the Catholic church when he beheaded the lecherous priest of Spalatin village on the northern Majevican plain. With his cry of "Help yourself then our god will help you!" he rallied the oppressed masses to his banner and began to clear the Majevican plain of pernicious Catholic influence. Once the peasants had freed themselves of Papist domination they were free to read the Bible themselves and realise the extent of the deception practiced by the church, and their anger grew.

They quickly realised that the church was working hand in hand with the nobles of the land to enrich themselves and using the alleged word of God to work the peasants, they kept as little more than slaves, to death. With a cry of "All things for all men" the peasants turned on the nobles with such ferocity most were cast from their positions of power, and of the few who remained they were shut up in their castles by the peasant armies or saw the truth of the peasants cause and joined their holy war.

Although victorious in Majevica and with their message spreading across Belisaria, the peasants were too much of a threat to the wealth of the Pope who ordered a crusade against Aleksandrovic and his followers. In spite of their heroic resistance the peasants could not face down an entire continent and were crushed. The Papist devils claimed Aleksandrovic was struck down in the battle but his body was never found and it was rumoured he survived to continue preaching to the peasantry and keeping his revolutionary message alive.

The truth of this rumour is still unknown but the ideas he planted in the people's mind were too deeply rooted to die. In spite of centuries of Catholic oppression, inquisition and slaughter the flame of the revolutionary church continued to burn. Oppressors came and oppressors went but the people never wavered from their belief and when the nation achieved independence from Vannois in 1890 the Eesti Revolutionary Church, then known as the Reformed Majevican Church, was proclaimed as the state religion.

Although the church grew weak and corrupt the revolution purged it of subversive elements and today the ERC is both the moral voice of Our People's Republic and the true voice of all oppressed people of Belisaria.

Minister Vukovic in a statement from St Michael's Basilica venerated Aleksandrovic and our revolutionary forebears and also warned of the continued threat all revolutionary people faced from the Pope and his dogs, pointing to the continued massing of Catholic forces on the Rietumish border. He also condemned those nations who profess to follow a Protestant faith for allying with Catholic oppressors and stated they were only weakening themselves before the Pope commanded his legions to turn upon them and force them back into the false church.

by **New Havre** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:41 am

Havrecois Armed Forces conduct raids in Serny, arrest twelve without trial, kill three
Northwest outraged as HAF takes preventive measures against separatist terror

Serny, the largest city in the region of Northwest Havre, is outraged after direct action from the HAF resulted in the deaths of three and the arrests of twelve. The action happened in the early hours of this morning, when local authorities from the Serny Police Department worked together with the special forces branch of the HAF, Task Force One, to conduct raids on the southern neighborhood of the city, South Serny. That part of town is known for separatist activity, and according to the HAF's statement on the matter, the raids were because of receiving tips about separatist terror being planned for the city of Fairmont.

The Task Force One soldiers breached buildings without warning, arrived with full military equipment and with military transports, and dragged suspects outside where they were then arrested by the Serny Police Department. Clashes happened with the suspects when some suspects pulled out weapons, or appeared to be reaching for weapons. In total, six were injured by HAF gunshots, while three were shot dead after revealing themselves to be armed. All of the figures who were targeted are believed to be officers in the Northwest separatist movement, from two different groups. At least two of them were members of the Northwest Independence Party, which conducts peaceful events such as protests and fundraising campaigns, while the rest of the members are believed to come from the NLA, or the Armée de Libération du Nord-ouest officially.

The NLA is the violent terror group that is listed as the number one security threat to New Havre, but citizens in the northwest worry that action against the NLA will impact ordinary separatists who don't support the violent actions of this hardline group. Because of their religious platform, there's also fears that the NLA raids will begin to target northwest Christians, as the religion is often tied to separatism because of its popularity in the area. According to the official statement that was released earlier in the day by the NLA, only five of the members who were arrested or killed were members of their organization, which has raised concerns about police brutality against civilians.

The population back east hasn't shown happiness at these actions, as the people of Fairmont and the surrounding area are still very much distrusting of the military. Small protests have happened at Fairmont College and downtown, but both protests fizzled out because of lack of support. Still, social media trends would indicate that the people aren't happy, with #HAFbrutality trending nationwide and #FreeThe12 also trending, with both trends being the strongest around the northwest. Alain Cornett hasn't issued a statement yet, but reportedly will issue one before the end of the day. The Havrecois Armed Forces, and the Liberal Democrat Party, have also rejected requests for statements on the issue.

by **Fabria-Poveglia** » Tue Oct 31, 2017 4:16 pm

Doge Francesco Sciarri's government "struggling" as the Veritas party gains ground
The Doge and his Justice and Freedom Party government face crumbling support and in-fighting
Lucca Zina
^{31 October 2017 | Poveglia, Fabria-Poveglia}

Doge Sciarri faces growing disapproval ratings as ministers complain of "hollow policies and poor leadership".

Poveglia, Fabria-Poveglia — Doge Francesco Sciarri’s government has entered a whirlwind decline according to members of the governing Justice and Freedom Party. Following the Doge’s failure to secure a snap election two months ago, his authority has never recovered, and he has become subject to criticism and ridicule from members of his own cabinet. The Council of Thirteen was forced last night to deny reports it was going to request that the Holy Father, Pope Julius IV dissolve the General Consistory of the People.

In August, Doge Francesco Sciarri in an attempt to use high poll ratings to his advantage, requested support from his cabinet and later, the Council of Thirteen to dissolve the legislature and spark a snap election. However, in a series of shock rejections, the Doge failed to gain the support of the cabinet, while the Council of Thirteen referred to the cabinet to make the decision, effectively crippling Sciarri’s attempt at an electoral landslide.

Government ministers including Minister of the Interior, Ambroglio Sciavinni claimed that the “Doge overestimated our position and that himself, he saw numbers that he wanted to see, on the doorstep, we weren’t looking at a landslide, but rather defeat.” Other ministers claimed that public opinion was with the party due to the lack of a viable alternative, yet, not with the Doge, who has been in office since 2008.

One JFP backbencher said, “I do not trust Francesco to win us re-election, he’d go to the polls, on nothing, we have done nothing substantial in the last two years.” Other MPs have referenced the regular clashes between Doge Sciarri and Finance Minister Alessandro Alessandri as a cause for concern.

However, last week the Doge’s position was further weakened after his closest ally, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Armando Daniello claimed that the “election disaster was clearly orchestrated by the Council of Thirteen and perhaps even the Holy Father.” His claim, made on public radio, was widely condemned and he was later censured by the General Consistory for his “inflammatory remarks against the Supreme Pontiff.” Doge Sciarri’s refusal to sake Daniello is believed to have eroded his authority further.

Exacerbating the FJP’s problems has been the Veritas party’s meteoritic rise in opinion polls. Veritas, founded in 2011 by Nero Augustino Carcaterra; of the prominent Carcaterra Family, has risen from being a relatively fringe movement to consistently polling third or second in most polls since 2016. However, the latest poll by VoxPopuli shows Veritas on 42%, beating Freedom and Justice by eleven points.

The poll results:
Veritas – 42%
Freedom and Justice Party – 31%
Social Alternative – 12%
Union of the Masses – 9%
New Citizens Movement – 4%
Other parties – 2%
Poll by VoxPopuli (Oct 25-31)

Speaking at a rally today, Carcaterra said, “this failure of a government is dying, it’s on the edge. Who wants to push it over? Who wants to push it off? I do, do you?”

Veritas has emerged as major political movement, advocating a reversal of what it calls, “shadowy secularism”, as well as a withdrawal from the Belisarian Community, calling it, “the most corrupt and anti-God force in the world.” Carcaterra has become a renowned supporter of Pope Julius IV’s campaign to “return to faith to the masses”, as well as the Pope’s own people-focused efforts to empower the general populace.

At the same event Carcaterra said, “Sciarri failed to get his election because the careerists and the swamp stooges of the FJP know that we will win, we will bring the people into power. Well, we demand an election and we demand it now.”

However, following Veritas’ lead, the Union of the Masses, led by Father Cesare Atzori, has also made ground. The UM takes similar positions to Veritas, but has in recent months begun to move toward what has been dubbed, “economic nationalism.” Fr. Atzori last week rejected claims that his party wants to leave the BC, saying, “we don’t want to leave. Why leave when we can influence it? We can, through agreement and deliberation secure the BC as a platform for the Holy Father’s popular power-agenda. But for that, we have to bring down Sciarri.”

For his part the Doge has kept a low profile since his failure to secure an election in August. He was absent from the Feast of Saint Gennaro, which prompted questions of both his health and status. He appeared in public three weeks ago, visiting a university in Belario.

One source within the Capitoline Palace reports that the Doge is planning a major legislative announcement in coming days, to regain momentum and his authority. Another senior minister reports that the Doge is contemplating a cabinet reshuffle, but this may endanger him further, as it would place rivals on the backbenches.

Mario Dardonna, a prominent political commentator wrote this morning, “the future of Francesco Sciarri does not lie in the Freedom and Justice Party, the General Consistory, but the Council of Thirteen. If they feel that he’s failing his duties as Doge, they will remove him. He needs to prove himself to the Tredici, if he does that, he will remain in place.”

Despite his apparent efforts, he will be undermined as in-fighting among FJP MPs and backbenchers continue. In the Osservatore Nazionale, Trade Minister, Massimo Vecci blamed the government’s woes on Finance Minister Alessandri, writing, “without a forward-thinking mind at the helm of the finance ministry, we’re adrift. We’re adrift as the young and aspiring classes drown in debt, homelessness and stagnant wages.” Several FJP backbenchers took to social media overnight, passing on the message, #WhereisAlessandri, in reference to the perceived absence of new economic policies.

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by **New Havre** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 9:56 am

Cherford University student arrested for wishing Audonians would go away
Police raid home of student for social media post

As if the Havrecois authorities aren't in the news enough already for their high profile arrests, they've made another major headline. This afternoon, an unnamed man in Cherford was arrested on hate speech charges for making an online social media comment saying "these lynoiasians and their apologists are so annoying, really wish they just would go away tbh." The comment was posted publicly on the man's social media page, and was reported to the police by someone who saw it. According to the man, the person who saw the post and went to the police was his coworker.

"I don't know what I was arrested for. I didn't threaten anybody or incite anyone to attack anyone else. I just expressed my opinion, and if you're anywhere else other than Fairmont, that's not an extreme opinion to have. When I said that they should go away, I meant that they should go back to Lycanestria since they like it so much. You guys are probably assuming I said they should die or something, but that wasn't what I said," the man told the Havre Post in its interview with him. The man is a current student at Cherford University, and was working in the city while getting an IT degree by studying during nights. Now, his position at the university is in question, because of the arrest.

"I heard that they're going to let me out if I complete a course about being more sensitive to the problems of the Audonian people, and other minorities. That's fine and all, but if it's on my record that I was arrested for hate speech, I might get kicked out of the University, after spending so much time and effort trying to get my degree here. I still have a couple of years left, so it would be heartbreaking to get expelled right now," he continued. "I don't know how this government can allow this to happen. I made a comment on the internet and I get arrested, meanwhile the Havrecois Armed Forces raids Audonian neighborhoods and arrests and kills rebels and nothing happens. Maybe they should look in the mirror before coming after me."

Cherford University has already confirmed that the student's future at the school is under consideration, while a petition has been started to "Save the Unnamed Cherford Student." The petition asks the University not to expel the student, despite the university precedent indicating that expulsion is coming. Both the Havre First and the Popular Union political parties have already spoken up in favor of this student, making official statements condemning the national hate speech laws and the fact that a situation like this can happen in the first place. The Popular Union had reportedly paid for a lawyer to represent the student, but these claims are unverified by both parties.

Make sure to come back to the Havre Post, your finest internet news source, for more updates on the case as it develops.

by **Sydalon** » Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:22 pm

du Caeseti Indicted; Queen Considers Replacements
Ostracine, Sydalon
By: Sophia Ciantar (@SCiantar_dn)

Ostracine: Following the arrest of Adeodatus du Caeseti by Latin officials two days ago, the embattled Catapan-General was transferred into Royal custody this afternoon at an exchange which took place at an undisclosed private airstrip near Ostracine. As du Caeseti was being transported through Ostracine, he was indicted on 7 counts of severe sexual misconduct, 3 counts of abuse of power, and 1 count for breaking his holy vows related to the Order’s membership. Representatives of du Caeseti from the Order of the Holy Lance have continued to deny the shocking allegations, and denounce the victims as accusations as nothing but “lies and falsehoods made by unfaithful” women. The repeated statements issued by the Order have also resulted in the Queen censuring the Sydalene holy order, and has resulted in the firing or demotion of at least 12 individuals in the Catapan-General’s administrative offices.

du Caeseti’s arrival in Ostracine was met with great controversy, as protesters gathered along Triq St. Philip while a Royal convoy transported du Caeseti to a detainment facility outside of the city. While the loudest outcry from the allegations has been demanding du Caeseti’s immediate removal, a growing sect of protesters has come out calling the allegations “fake news” with the purpose of “destroying the faith and the sacred place it holds” in the country. Protesters were eventually removed from the area along Triq St. Philip by Royal Guards, with 17 arrests made in violation of lèse-majesté laws and remarks deemed threatening to the Queen’s person, dignity, and sanctity.

All the while, Queen Melisende III had called for an emergency High Court meeting, also taking place this afternoon, to discuss and find an amenable outcome to the increasingly growing complicated Holy Lance scandal. First Secretary Saabi was asked a number of questions before entering Palis du Aultaville, though had refused to issue any statement regarding her own feelings on the scandal or any conversations she has had with the Queen. An official from the Royal office later announced that the Queen was preparing to begin removal proceedings for du Caeseti, and has been considering replacements since as early as last week. du Caeseti’s removal from office is expected to be completed sometime next week.

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by **Leasath** » Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:35 am

Relationship between Lemaire, Durand leaves Vannois First leadership "on tenterhooks"
Rumors of a rift between the two major allies to party leader Élaine Vaillancourt ahead of major constitutional talks and May elections has put supporters of the left-wing party on alert
dimanche, 5 novembre 2017, 2:02 P.M.
Saint-Nazaire, Vannois

by Manon Deslys, political correspondent (@MDeslys29)

A secondary leadership struggle has gripped the leftist Vannois First party over the course of the past week, according to trusted sources within the group. Shadow Interior Secretary Joseph Lemaire, who is thought to be the main policy formulator for leader Élaine Vaillancourt, is said to be facing off with his fellow minister-hopeful in Treasury shadow Antoine Durand. Durand, who is a long-time leader of the far-left wing of the party, is said to be unsatisfied with the centrist Lemaire's proposed platform for the scheduled May general elections.

This information, again provided by unnamed sources within Vannois First, is the first sign of dissent within the ranks of the party since Vaillancourt ascended to its leadership. While Lemaire and Durand have previously been the right hands of the leader, each leading their own powerful sect of the party, it seems that the centrists have overtaken the left wing moving forward. This was foreshadowed, according to some, in Lemaire's appointment to the shadow Interior role; while he had previously been shadow to the Foreign Secretary, Interior has a far greater role in formulating and initiating policy whilst in government as opposed to his former position. Additionally, the individual he displaced in his promotion to the Interior role was Lucie Gardet; an avowed 'Durandiste,' and one of the few supporters of the Treasury shadow left in Vaillancourt's supposed cabinet.

While none can say how this could effect the unity of the party moving forward, many are expecting the outcome of this power struggle to be the ousting of Antoine Durand either as the de facto leader of the left of the party, or as the shadow to the Treasury secretary.

"There is no longer a path to victory, for Durand," said one source, an adviser to Work and Pensions shadow and Lemaire advocate Marlène Astier. "He's waited far too long to initiate some kind of battle over the direction of the party, and Élaine [Vaillancourt] isn't willing to split the party any further by stating her preference outright."

This sentiment is shared by most analysts as well as by the leadership of the governing Union for a Popular Movement, who's deputy leader Jean-Yves Nicollier spoke to this publication regarding rumors of a rift between opposition leaders.

"Well, it does just go to show how important experience can be in aiming for a seat at the table. Durand, Lemaire, they're both newcomers to the cabinet scene; Lemaire was barely elected five years ago, to be sure. They can fight all they want, but leaks after leaks and allowing their dirty laundry to be aired -- it is foolish," said the Foreign Secretary. When asked how the conflict might affect the lead-up and outcome of the general elections in May, where Vannois First was expected to gain considerably on the government of the Duke of Périnesse-Toucourt, Nicollier scoffed. "If they cannot even keep their party united, I certainly doubt they shall be able to unite any significant part of the country behind them. No, while this election shall not be any walk through the part -- Vannois First will be finished by year's end if Vaillancourt cannot control her deputies."

The office of Élaine Vaillancourt was reached by this publication for comment, and as of press time there has been no response.

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by **Fabria-Poveglia** » Sun Nov 05, 2017 5:14 pm

Templar leader speaks out on du Caeseti successor
Master Superior Cardinal Cesare Augustino Graziani says successor "should walk in line with the Church in all things"
Lucca Zina
^{6 November 2017 | Poveglia, Fabria-Poveglia}

Master Superior Graziani made the comments are an impromptu press conference.

Poveglia, Fabria-Poveglia — His Eminence, Cardinal Cesare Augustino Graziani, Master Superior of the Poor Companion-Soldiers of the Christ Saviour and the Apostolic Temple, commonly known as the Templar-Companions has said that “it is vital that the Sydalene government appoints a man who walks with the Church on all matters.” His comments come as Adeodatus du Caeseti, the head of the Order of the Holy Spear is detained for sexual offences.

The dall of du Caeseti has sent shockwaves through the Holy Church as one of its most prominent figures is brought-down by salacious accusations of sexual misconduct. du Caeseti was due to arrive in Fabria before he was detained by Latin police, he is due to be extradited back to Sydalon in coming days.

Master Superior Graziani, who heads the world’s largest monastic and militant order, and one of the most powerful figures in the Church, was reportedly close friends with du Caeseti. And is personally “saddened and shocked at the accusations.”

Speaking at a sudden press conference, the Cardinal said, “with the news that the Sydalene government means to remove Adeodatus, it is clear that our focus must turn to his successor. It is my belief, and that of many Cardinals of the Church that the successor must be one in complete lock-step with the Church’s modern thinking and positions.

“I do not believe the Order of the Holy Spear can afford to be headed by an individual that speaks out of line with that of the Church and the Supreme Pontiff, especially if these sad accusations are found to be rooted in truth. The Order will benefit, surely, from being led by an esteemed brother, who walks with the Magisterium” he said.

Cardinal Graziani said further, “the Poor-Companion Soldiers and the Order of the Holy Lance have centuries of good brotherly ties that will stand the test of time and indeed the tests being forced upon the faithful by the 21st century. And with it comes a fear on our part, that any successor chosen, who of course, walks outside the lines of the Church, would be damaging.”

The Master Superior however, used the conference to deny reports that the Order would cancel contracts between Sydalene property developers and the Order's construction company, Sigillo del Profeta, if the successor was not to his liking.

“This is a ridiculous rumour Sigillo del Profeta has always honoured its agreements, it is a business built as a Mount of Piety. It builds homes for the homeless, comfortable homes for the poor and it does not break agreements made in good faith and in corporate law. This is stupid nonsense” he said.

As of yet, His Holiness Pope Julius IV has not commented on the du Caeseti matter. He is expected however, to contact Queen Melisende III and First Secretary Adeodata Saabi in coming days to discuss the matter.

More as the story develops.

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by **Rytande** » Fri Nov 10, 2017 9:30 am

FINANCE MINISTER CALLS SYNDICALISTS “DANGEROUSLY HYPOCRITICAL”
Government criticism of autarkic economies in the modern world

(Rurn) -- Speaking at a press conference, Minister Denarjapeni called Rytande’s southern neighbors “an economic spectre, threatening the region as whole.” When pressed on the issue, Denarjapeni issued a written statement clarifying his stance on the Union of Syndicates by referencing Rytande’s growing trade deficit and stagnant employment numbers. The Union’s high tech industry has strayed from the use of rare earth minerals, replacing components with fabricated or renewable resources which has struck a chord with the Rytander strip-mining industry.

“It is dangerously hypocritical” Denarjapeni said “for the Union to continue down this path of ecological and economic autarky” especially when abandoning poorer neighbors who once used the raw materials or low-cost labor of Rytande. Denarjapeni’s policies have been focused on reducing Rytande’s subsistence agrarian population, a program which he says has been crippled by the anti-Rytander economic initiatives of the Union. This is not the first time the finance minister has been critical of eco-politics in the region; during his campaign he famously stated “I would rather have happy citizens than happy trees.”

In response the growing wealth disparity between Rytande and the Union, Denarjapeni has proposed a series of tariffs and duties on Union imports to help fund domestic development initiatives. The minister went to great lengths to clarify that, should these proposals be accepted by the national assembly, they would be constructive, not punitive. “These are not sanctions, but efforts at redistribution of the Union’s wealth built on the backs of our working class.”

Rudar Kartnic, the spokesperson for the SAH Mining Company agreed with the government’s opinion saying that “autarky is incompatible with the modern world.” SAH is the largest mining company in Rytande, employing over 20,000 citizens, all of whom are put at risk by the Union’s ecological arrogance according to Kartnic. SAH is actually owned by a consortium of Belisarian investment firms, but is an important partner of the government’s “Modern Workers” program, a push for more jobs off the farm. Since 2010, SAH’s employment figures and stock values have sagged, leaving both the private and public sectors scrambling to understand why. Many conclude that Rytande’s economic predicament is a direct result of overdevelopment in the Union, resulting in today’s outburst from the finance minister.

There is no consensus in the government about how to address these conclusions. Many, as Denarjapeni has suggested, want redistributive tariffs to ease the burden of underemployment. Critics of this policy, often coming from the globalist-leaning Green Caucus, say that nationalist policies like tariffs will only intensify the mounting problem and suggest that Rytande’s ailing schools should be the locus of national investment. Denarjapeni and the mining lobby, however, claim that it is environmentalism that is the real nationalist policy. “It’s a luxury we cannot all afford” Rudar said of the environmentalist Union “and their decisions are having a huge impact on everyone.”

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