News Thread [Kylaris|Canon|IC]

by **Freedom Planita 2** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 3:40 pm

Arthani politicians are giving the Satrian Section a big economic role
They rush to take advantage of their extensive capital raising network.

September 4, 2021
Along a long track laid with asphalt winding through ramshackle homes and buildings, a steamroller methodically makes its way through the city. It is leveling the poured asphalt into a usable road for the local people. The road that they are building replaces a well used dirt road studded with potholes that turns into muck during heavy rain. The new road is only a part of a growing road network for the outlying inhabitants of Goverm in the state of Mahānada. Such a large-scale infrastructure project is no small feat, and it was made possible by the Arthani-led Satrian Section of the Worker’s International.

Before the Third Satrian War in the late 1970s, Arthasthan was diplomatically isolated and the Satrian Section outside of Arthasthan consisted of several moribund underground organisations across Satria. Its international branches, known as Subsections, were suppressed or dismantled entirely long before. However the War brought a diplomatic thaw with neighbors and renewed interest in international relations for Arthasthan and the Satrian Section. The first country to engage with the Satrian Section was Baekjeong, home to a large minority of Satrians in the northern part of the country. In 1985, the Vijaylan Subsection was allowed to reform as part of Baekjeong’s attempt at reconciling with its Satrian community. To sidestep the country’s ban on political parties, in 1991 it was futher organized as a labour union representing workers from the Vijaylan and Bumite minorities, although that came with its own restrictions. In 1988, a group of leftist Etrurian Satrians declared the creation of an Etrurian Subsection and their allegiance to the Satrian Section. Initially hesitant due to fears of angering capitalist Etruria, the Satrian Section eventually recognized as a branch representing the Satrian diaspora in Etruria. Many noticed the irony of a supposedly pan-Satrian organisation whose branches only existed outside of Satria, but the Satrian Section hoped it was the first step in reassembling its international branches.

Over thirty years later, that original goal was never achieved, but only because of the current success of the Vijaylan Subsection and the Etrurian Subsection. Today both branches have grown from a general organisation representing Satrians in a foreign land, to also managing a vast network of directly or indirectly controlled businesses. In the early 2000s, the Vijaylan Subsection directed its members to establish numerous worker cooperatives to drive growth in Northern Baekjeong. This effort worked spectacularly; by 2014, Subsection affiliated businesses were present in many sectors of the North Baen economy. In Etruria, initial attempts to establish businesses failed when the country was hit during the Euclean economic recession in 2005. Afterwards the Etrurian Subsection took direct control of business operations, taking advantage of the economic recovery and the increase in membership during the recession. By the early 2010s, the Etrurian Subsection owned a dozen companies in the retail and restaurant industries; while they weren’t large they were still profitable while serving the local Satrian Etrurian community well.

The election of Abhijit Kamalanayan in 2013 represented the culmination of a major change in the Satrian Section with the final death blow of the isolationist hardliner faction that once dominated Arthani politics. One of the most significant changes in policy was increasing the Satrian Section’s ties with its international branches. Prior to 2013, the Subsections were effectively fully autonomous, but following reforms they became politically integrated with the Section. The most consequential reform was the integration of the Satrian Section’s businesses in Arthasthan and the Subsections’ businesses. Like the Subsections, the Satrian Section either directly controlled workers cooperatives or held significant sway over them, which were now linked with their counterparts in Etruria and Baekjeong. Between 2014 and 2019, they signed 133 business contracts with each other, agreeing, among other things to, expand their businesses to Arthasthan, export crops to grocery stores in Etruria, construct new roads or repave dirt ones, and build a series of new factories to export to Baekjeong.

Today the Subsections are part of a vast network of businesses spanning two continents. In Etruria, the Subsection has become a notable importer of coffee, tea, and rice, which it sells in its own grocery stores. While it is far from being the largest importer, a profit sharing contract allows it to import goods relatively cheaply compared to its competitors. Meanwhile in Northern Baekjeong, Subsection affiliated businesses now have the Arthani market to sell in, significantly increasing profits. While it does not dominate any one sector of the North Baen economy, it operates in many fields which allows it to effectively function independently of the normal economy. However the biggest beneficiary of these agreements is arguably Arthasthan itself, which has seen an influx of investment from Subsection owned or affiliated companies from new infrastructure, to new businesses branches, to new factories. This has been a boon for a country, which has suffered from a lack of international investment because of its socialist nature and the extremely complex and convoluted local governments that has led to corruption, inertia, and conflicting regulations.

As a result, politicians have been clamoring for a chance for these companies to invest in their communities. In fact it is now politicians who are negotiating for investments instead of the Satrian Section, argues a recent paper by Leonard Sebastian of the University of the Community of Nations in Senria. Mr Sebastian examined a number of deals struck by local councils and the Subsection’s companies in the past three years. They found that these arrangements were almost always initiated at the behest of civilian leaders. Growing investments like these have contributed to a roaring economy and a yearly GDP growth of 7-8 percent for the past three years.

Though politicians are usually pleased with the work the companies do for the community, not all is well for the system. Since 2015, the Etrurian Subsection had to operate very carefully to avoid unwanted attention from the xenophobic national conservative Tribune government. While younger Satrian Etrurians, alienated from Etrurian society, have been joining in droves, Etruria’s continued democratic backsliding poses a threat for the Subsection’s current operations. News is better for the Vijaylan Subsection as Baekjeong is wholly uninterested in jeopardizing its relationship with Arthasthan. However the Subsection’s recent success has brought the attention of the country’s dominant conglomerates who now seek concessions from Arthasthan and the Satrian Section for allowing the Subsection to operate in their country.

However the greatest concern for Mr Sebastian is the Satrian Section’s influence. Already politically dominant in Arthasthan, the Satrian Section is becoming the predominant economic power in the country. As Mr Sebastian writes: “The increasing hegemony of the Satrian Section over Arthasthan is making the country virtually indistinguishable from a one-party dictatorship.” Tell that to the people of Goverm, who cannot wait to use their new roads. ■

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by **Union of Akoren** » Sat Sep 04, 2021 5:46 pm

Heavy fighting reported north of Bayadha as rebels advance on besieged city
ILR forces make gains north and north-east of the city, capturing strategic heights as shortages worsen.
TSABARA by Khadim al-Razam

September 05, 2021

Rebels are closing in on the port-city, they now possess fire-control over the
city from hills to the north-east (see red arrows). Areas of heavy fighting labelled with orange marks.

Aundis, TsabaraThe situation in the besieged Bayadha has deteriorated over the weekend as rebel forces made striking gains to the north and east of the port city. Overnight the rebels staged a full front offensively, capturing several strategic heights and the suburban town of Karatepe. An estimated 1.2 million people now reside in the remaining government-held areas of the Bayadha peninsula.

The fighting north of the city is the fiercest since the siege began several months ago, following the rebel offensive in early 2021. Government forces were struck in the late hours of the evening, and separatist forces broke through government lines north-east of the city, capturing several strategic heights over the city. Separatist forces also captured the town of Karatepe, though this was initially denied by Adunis. Karatepe rests to the north of Bayadha and is the second largest habour on the peninsula. The rebel forces also appear to be focused on capturing the town of Khraybeh to the east, which would then open the road for separatists to encircle Bayadha City and capture the rest of the peninsula.

The fighting was visible and audible from even the downtown area of the city, with distant thuds and near endless snaps of gunfire. The horizon to the north and east was engulfed in a darkly orange and red, punctuated by flashes from explosions and gunfire. The sense of fear is palpable within the city that was once home to almost 1.5 million people. The population present in the city itself has nose-dived to just over 800,000 with many fleeing via the airport or ferry services until the rebels had advanced sufficiently to begin shelling the runway. With access to the city only viable by sea, not only has escape becoming more difficult, so too has been the supplying of the city and wider area with food, medicine and the assortment of supplies needed by the government forces to hold back the rebels.

From mid-2021 through to early August, the airport was seeing at least 50 flights a-day, with aircraft bringing in supplies and taking people out. The government reluctantly ordered a cessation of flights after a passenger plane carrying out 178 people was almost struck by a mortar round. The cessation came as the separatist forces began to bombard the airport with heavier artillery. By mid-August, the Tsabaran military was forced to end its own flights to the airport, lest risk losing valuable transports.

Denied a link to the west by air, the government and the city have become solely reliant on maritime links through Bayadha’s harbour and port. Prior to the civil war, the port was Tsabara’s third busiest, receiving goods from western and southern Coius, as well as providing a base for maintenance for the country’s offshore oil facilities in the Gulf of Parishar. As the rebels slowly advanced closer to the city in the north throughout July and August, they came into range of the harbour, firing off heavy artillery rounds in hope of deterring vessels from supplying the city and of course, evacuating civilians. Only three days, a small ferry that once carried tourists from the city to Sadah in Zorasan was struck by a 155mm shell, sinking the vessel a mile offshore. Unconfirmed reports that cargo vessels heading to the city had been hit by drones ladened with explosives have spooked the city’s desperate inhabitants. With sea being the only link to the outside world, authorities in the city and the rural areas to the east and south have been forced to institute rationing, while military sources on the frontline paint a bleak picture.

In frank analysis the situation bodes ill for the government and its supporters trapped in the peninsula. Despite the government’s success at recapturing territory around Emporia Croci, they have failed to break the siege and the separatists recently reinforced the front with an estimated 5,800 fighters. The government in Adunis has vowed to defend Bayadha, but in truth, it is unlikely the city and peninsula will hold out. While the government never comments on such, sources say that close to 10,000 troops are fighting to defend the city, including police and militia. Should the rebels breach the lines totally, it will be a disaster, without an orderly and coordinate evacuation of soldier and civilian.

Government air support is limited, the frontline of this war is colossal and the ILR’s use of probing attacks against the remaining onshore oil facilities in the east, work in consuming Adunis’ limited resources. The ILR’s advance toward Qa’ah though slow, also consumes the attention of the Estmerish and Etrurians. Though, each time there is a government or allied airstrike, the aircraft do a low fly-by over the city’s seafront to boost morale. The Etrurians, having deployed two destroyers as part of its intervention has anchored the ENS Santa Maria just in view of the beach, at night, inhabitants are witnesses to a lightshow unlike any other – the launching cruise missiles toward ILR positions. Though, news of drones and artillery fire on ships has now forced the Santa Maria to move further out to sea.

Top: Tsabarans heading toward the port for
possible evacuation by sea.
Bottom: A photograph of last night's heavy
fighting to the north.

The separatists are devoted to the capture of the city, only last week a local ILR commander said, “we will seize this city, we have to, to honour the martyrdom of Sheik Salah. We will take this city and we will burn everything that is the puppet regime.”

A city of despair and tears – by Hamid Yusuf, ICM correspondent in Bayadha City

The young mother of two, and only 30, Sayeda sits in front of me, her eyes bloodshot from the tears she’s shed since she arrived in the city three weeks ago. She and her children fled the village of Chamoun, her husband, Bashir was left behind to make sure their business was shuttered, he still hasn’t arrived.

“They killed him, they must have killed him” she says to me, barely holding back the tears. Her fears may have grounds, the village was seized by the ILR just hours after Sayeda and her children left by car. There have been countless reports from people here who fled from the north – of the ILR committing atrocities, especially against Sotirians and Atudites, as well as supporters of the government. At least 18 different individuals all told me of the ILR killing at least 85 people in the town of Saoufar, 50 miles north of the peninsula.

“My husband told me to take the children for Bayadha, we would wait for him and then board a boat that would take us west. I am still waiting for him, but how long should I wait? If I wait my children could be killed by artillery or rockets” she says sighing, her eyes, welling up.

I am sitting with Sayeda in a school, alongside at least 600 other people. The gymnasium is lined with racks and sleeping bags, the playground, once a haven for young children is covered with tarpaulin to cover more racks and sleeping bags. Electricity is intermittent, the water supply failed last week after an ILR rocket struck a water main that then cascaded into a system-wide collapse.

Outside the school’s main entrance, the notice board which once advertised for sports days, trips and charity events, is now overflowing with photographs and names, a missing person’s board. I spotted Sayeda’s husband Bashir, alongside two six-year old twins, whom their father can’t locate having been trapped in the city due to the Army’s effort to limit civilian traffic toward the frontline.

Life within the city was once relatively normal, even if its streets are choked with the displaced, many still ran their businesses, many still visited the souks and open air markets. The church bells still rang at midday and many did what they could to pass the time until they were evacuated. Now, with the rebels inching closer and the bombardments worsening (at least 68 people were killed over the course of last week), life has ceased. The atmosphere in the city is one of despair, the army has taken erecting concrete barriers along the entire perimeter of the port, to stop a mod descending upon the jetties and wharfs, each time a ship arrives, there’s a rush to the gates, tens of thousands descending down upon the gates, an overwhelming majority find themselves disappointed, but resolute to try again tomorrow. In their wake, is an ocean of rubbish and litter, coupled with the decay of the streets and buildings, the city fares as badly as those who seek refuge within it. The army has been forced to ferry in more troops, not only to reinforce the frontlines but also to police the streets – so severe are shortages that looting and robbery are common place, even sadly, murder is now an act of the desperate.

Us reporters, the few of us to make it into the city itself are residing in the once stunning and luxurious Bayadha Crescent Hotel, sadly it’s a shell of its former self. A vast majority of its staff (being wellpaid) fled the city prior to the siege itself, now we mostly fend for ourselves, collaborating to make use of the dining room, eating our military ration packs the Army give us. From my 14th floor balcony I can see over the city, though rarely do I sit on it at night, for that’s when the ILR prefers to pound the city with artillery and rockets.

Last night, was the night I came to accept that we are perhaps witnessing the beginning of the end. I sat on my plastic chair, watching as the horizon flashed red and orange, tracers zipping up from the ground in all directions, their illuminating trails momentarily flashed out of existence by the luminescence of explosions. Last night was the first night the city went without being pounded, obviously the ILR directing their artillery on army forces to the north and east. The next morning, there were convoys of trucks heading into the city from the north, each bearing a red cross or red star of David. Having watched these convoys roll into the port, my hotel door was knocked upon by a Weranian colleague who handed me a pair of heavy-duty binoculars and told me to look north-east toward Date Hill, I did so, and atop the rocky escarpment fluttering in the wind, was the flag of the ILR, below it, were the faint figures of people, scurrying around. It was the first time I had seen the ILR in person, and for many in the city around me, its theirs too.

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OPINION - Yemet descending into civil war would be devastating for Bahia

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by **Poshyte** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 4:16 am

Peie Tjepkema - 6 September 2022

Home · Kesselbourg · The Continent · The World · Policy · Opinion · Features · Newsletters · Continental Pro

Alsland's outgoing government ousted according to preliminary results

Over 6 million people voted in the election which has produced the most diverse Senate in the country's history and ousted the incumbent government

Yndyk, Alsland - Alsland's current social-democrat led government has been ousted according to preliminary results as support for centrist and populist parties surged. The incumbent government led by Ottila Möller lost 80 seats according to preliminary results, prior to the election it had 123 seats and a strong hold on the country's Senate. Already Premier Möller has conceded defeat and will head an interim government until a new coalition has been agreed upon, a process which could take weeks or months as the country's political landscape has also fractured.

There was no clear winner of the night, whilst the liberal Liveable Alsland party won 41 seats, an increase of 17 from the last election, it's success was outmatched by the rise of the populist Together for Alsland list which was only formed a month before the election and has won 32 seats. The right-wing Orange Party saw it's vote share increase as well and has won 31 seats according to the preliminary results published on Monday night. The left-wing ASAY party also saw it's vote share rise and came second winning 34 seats.

Meanwhile the centre-right National Bloc and HSU as well as the centrist Alliance parties have all lost a significant amount of votes with the National Bloc falling victim to a trend of Percederation sweeping over Euclean centre-right parties, it has lost 38 seats out of the 51 seats it won in 2018 and which is it's worst result by far since it's founding almost a century ago. It's a far cry from the political dominance the party enjoyed for much of the 20th century. The Progressive Alliance also saw it's vote share reduced with it only winning 10 seats, 23 less than it won in 2018. The Humanist Sotirian Union which prior to the campaign had been a favourite to win lost 16 seats and now remains with only 15. The Green Party which had also been a favourite to win fell far short of expectations and won only 4 seats.

The results mark a change in Alsland's political landscape as a result of the recent SYFA spying scandal which has been blamed for the government's disastrous result, the results could also have wider implications for the wider Euclean Community if Alsland fails to form a coalition. The Euclo was trading slightly down after the release of preliminary results although quickly recovered during the morning, the new government will have to deal with Alsland's precarious financial situation as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the financial crisis and the collapse of it's banking sector as a result.

Radically altered political landscape

The preliminary composition of the incoming Senate shows how fractured Alslandic politics has become

Some are hailing the results as a new step forward for Alsland, chief among them is Together for Alsland chairwoman Kairi Sokk who has a decent chance of becoming Premier after leading her party to electoral success against the odds, throughout the campaign Sokk was already the public's preferred candidate for Premier by a wide margin and her party's unexpected jump in support in the final days of the campaign make her a strong candidate. The results are indeed a shift from previous results and has shaken the political establishment to it's core, not least because parties advocating for a constitutional rewrite - namely every party excluding the National Bloc - now have a supermajority to begin this process.

Almost every single party advocates for changing Alsland's post-war constitution which was written chiefly by Villem Mand, whose legacy in Alsland is controversial. Prior to this parties have been unable to change the constitution as the National Bloc or other parties had the ability to veto this idea, however the National Bloc no longer controls the required seats to veto a constitutional assembly meaning it's likely that a new government will propose formally beginning the process of changing the country's constitution, a process which also has support from the public.

Apart from a new constitution potentially on the horizon the election, the results spell a new and unpredictable future for Alslandic politics as the traditional dominance of the National Bloc and it's close parties has been thoroughly dismantled at least for the foreseeable future. Historically this has hamstrung governments which relied on these parties for support, namely the government of Liekele Ykema which could not pursue it's most radical ideas such as electoral reform and economic reforms which he has blamed for Alsland's current economic situation. For years there have been stalled efforts to introduce direct elections for the position of Premier but this has always been opposed by the National Bloc and other parties such as the HSU, however as these parties have experienced some of their worst results in their histories it could spell the potential for massive change to how Alsland is governed and how much say the people have in it's politics.

Although this is all speculation, Together for Alsland have rejected entering a coalition with any of the parties involved in the outgoing government in their election material which played heavily into a widespread appetite for change in the country which any new government must deliver or face electoral disaster as has been experienced by the outgoing government. With Together for Alsland already rejecting the idea of entering a coalition with either the HSU, Alliance, Bloc or Green Party it will make coalition negotiations that bit more difficult especially for Liveable Alsland, together the two parties have already supposedly entered a gentleman's agreement to each only enter a government if the other is involved.

The election has also saw the fracturing of the left-wing forces in the country, most well represented by the fact there are now 3 ASE parties with similar representation and size all competing with each other for influence in the Senate. Relations between the historical SDAP and the Alliance which split from SDAP are strained and it's difficult to see how either could stomach working with the other. The regionalist KRP is presumably the most likely coalition partner for a new government and could give it legitimacy among the country's Martish population which is growing at a rapid pace.

The coalition puzzle

Centre-right Liberal Kairi Sokk is currently the most favoured candidate for Premier among the public

Coalition talks are set to begin quickly and within the week although informal talks have already begun to sound out opinions between the parties. Liveable Alsland confirmed they sent out a questionnaire to all represented parties before deciding who to talk to and who to exclude. It has also been reported domestically that the leadership of Liveable Alsland and Together for Alsland held virtual talks with representatives from the Orange Party prior to the election to discuss a potential agreement between the parties, such an agreement now seems increasingly likely as it would have the required votes to hold a majority in the Senate. Such a coalition has a large gap to bridge before becoming final, particularly between Together and the Orange Party. Out of Together's 32 seats, 11 are controlled by Vox Alsland which is explicitly Pro-Euclean, whilst Vox and the other parties affiliated with Together will participate they have voiced their apprehension with holding talks with the Orange Party over it's anti-immigrant views and background with the Alslandic far-right movement.

A coalition between Liveable Alsland, Together and ASAY has also been proposed and will have to be examined despite the difference in opinion between the three parties over economics. ASAY's platform included promises to massively expand the government's role in the economy as well as supporting workplace democracy whilst the two other parties remain sceptical of these proposals. It's not unthinkable for the parties to work together, previously ASAY have cooperated with the National Bloc on a federal level to form governments and despite claiming to continue to represent councilism and socialism, the party remains possibly the most moderate councilist political movement in Euclea and effectively holds the middle ground between Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy in the country. Unfortunately for any prospective coalition agreement there is another issue to be overcome, the influence of hardline factions within the party, some of whom have expressed admiration for the Champanian government and call for a revolutionary struggle to overthrow the current system, whilst not a majority in the party they control a decent amount of influence and have only grown since the election according to insiders in the party, several of the party's new Senators are affiliated with these hardline groups and will make their demands known during coalition talks. ASAY much like Together also made the unprecedented move of ruling out talks with any party who was a member of the outgoing government and have also rejected cooperation with the Orange Party.

Due to the extraordinary nature of the election and the parties various stances regarding the outgoing government, these two options are the only two which can be realistically formed if Together for Alsland keeps to it's promise to not work with any of the incumbent parties.

This leaves Alsland in a very precarious position as with one wrong move the country could be left without a government and be forced into early elections, a prospect which almost every party wants to avoid.

"Most diverse Senate in Alslandic history"
The country has also came close to electing an equal Senate in terms of gender representation, out of the 201 Senators elected some 98 were women, an increase of 22 since 2018. This is expected to be the highest percentage of female lawmakers on the national level in Euclea and has been hailed as a victory for gender equality in the country. A majority of Together Senators are women whilst 3 out of the 4 elected Green Senators are also women.

The new Senate is also the youngest ever with the average age of it's Senators being only 42 which comes down to the fact that almost half of all elected Senators are being elected for the first time and represent a younger generation. It's been called an earth shattering moment for youth representation in the Senate by A21 which supports Youth politics and was elected under the Together for Alsland list. Out of it's two Senators both are under the age of 28 and one is 19, the youngest elected Senator to the country's Senate in Alslandic history.

The election also saw other records being broken as well, for example a record number of Senators who identify as LGBT+ were elected including the country's first Transgender Senator. 19 Senators now identify as a member of the LGBT+ community according to Alsland's broadcaster ANS, nearly 10% of all elected Senators.

The first ethnic Bahian was also elected to the Senate, Sekou Bayero led Together for Alsland's list in the Yndyk region said he was immensely proud at the achievement. Speaking to ANS on election night he said that it showed that Alsland was a changing country and the new face of multiculturalism in Euclea. He also called the election historic and thanked Yndyk voters for electing him.

The election also saw the most parties ever elected to the country's Senate. Including parties elected on the Together for Alsland list - Vox Alsland, Future.as and A21 - as well as parties representing minorities a total of 16 parties were elected to have representation in the Senate, making the country's Senate the most fractured it has ever been. This fractured landscape may make future coalition talks more difficult and could lead to an extremely complex coalition government if needed.

by **The Amathian DR** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 6:45 am

Amathian Government loses motion of no-confidence
The Veleșean Government has lost a vote of no-confidence in the parliament and has been dismissed earlier today

Alexandra Verescu(@Averescu)
5th September 2021 | Arciluco

Former Prime Minister Ramona Veleșean moments before leaving the Palace of the People following her defeat in the vote
Photo courtesy of Gheorghe Arun.

ARCILUCO

232, 233, 234 votes. The motion passes with a majority of votes.

These were the words spoken by the Speaker of the Senate and which marked the official end of the Veleșean Government. As the senators of the Opposition started to cheer, and as the former Prime Minister was led out of the hall by her advisers and close supporters, the senators of the parties which had supported the now defeated government remained in their seats, confused, or slowly started to trickle away. In the morning, they had proudly boasted that there was no way for the Opposition to gather the votes needed for the motion to pass. And yet it had.

In the morning, the parliamentary meeting started, the motion certainly lacked the votes it needed to pass, giving the beleaguered Veleșean Government a certain confidence that the Prime Minister herself was quick to state upon arriving at the Palace of the People and answering the questions of journalists. Her government had lost its majority in the Senate, with the withdrawal of the Sotirian Democratic National Peasants' Party from the government, but the motion of no-confidence, initiated by the Sotirian Democrats and supported by the League of Equalists and Democrats, the Constitutional-Democratic Union and the Left United for the Republic could only count on 182 votes, far less than the 234 required by the Constitution.
“The Senate may, in a joint sitting of its chambers, withdraw the confidence granted to the Government. by carrying a motion of censure by a majority vote of the Representatives and Deputies.”
Despite the confidence of the government however, tensions were pretty high. The previous three days in which the motion had been debated only exacerbated the agitation of the senators and the bad blood present between several of the parties involved, which directly led to yesterday’s physical altercation between Tudor Veleanu, the President of the Legion of the Dawn, and Călin Iglăireanu, the President of the Sotirian Democrats, due to the former’s accusation that Iglăireanu was a traitor, due to his party’s withdrawal from the ruling coalition. Several important political forces in the country had also declined to take a position in the current conflict, instead deciding that they would abstain. All while groups of protesters had once again started to gather in the main squares surrounding the Palace of the People, angrily calling for Veleșean’s removal and for a full, unbiased investigation into the police brutality that marked the previous protests.

As the join sitting began however, a certain feeling of uneasiness started to spread through the ranks of the Center Front. In accordance with the rules of the Senate, the vote is secret, with glass marbles, but the opposition parties which supported the motion had already declared that the votes of their MP’s will be open and transparent. Yesterday, Veleșean claimed that her party would continue to vote in secret, but this led to the suspicion that some of the party’s members would use the secrecy of the vote to cast their votes against the government and against their party line. Not even an hour into the joint sitting, and Mara Alerescu, one of our journalists reporting on it from within the Palace of the People reported that the area designated to the Center Front’s seats had turned into a prison of sorts, with important leaders of the party walking around the seats worriedly, constantly stopping to talk with their party members in low voices, which reflected Veleșean’s veiled threat made upon entering the Palace of the People in the morning. “I hope that all the members of my party will be fair and will show loyalty to the party which brought them into the Senate. Any Center Front party member who would vote for such a cowardly motion of no confidence would certainly be hated by a lot of people afterwards. I am confident that we will win today, because a defeat for my government would be a defeat for the entire country”
Veleșean even made a few jokes as she conversed with the journalists, but her good spirits seemed to slowly fade as the hours passed, and as the senators voted. Marius Avațean, Center Front senator, directly attacked the motion, calling it “the poorest written motion of no-confidence since the restoration of democracy in Amathia”, and claimed that it “was written like a song of lamentation from the 1800’s”. The senator also attacked Iglăireanu, saying that the President of the Sotirian Demcorats had effectively “ended his own career and destroyed his party” by “believing the lies of masters of deception”. Such accusations made the supporters of the Government laugh.
The declarations soon spiralled out of control however, as Veleșean’s speech which opened the voting session soon degenerated into arguments with the leaders of the Opposition. She accused the opposition parties of having “zero experience, and zero knowledge”, and their alliance of being an alliance of “personal interests and amateurship”. She accused them of having no plan for governing, for relying on demagogy and lies, and claiming that a fall of her government now would mean a future of hardships and poverty for the country.

Her speech was followed by the declarations of Tudor Veleanu, which most news outlets had to censor due to his vulgarity. He accused the Opposition of being agents of the Authority, and supporters of the parallel state, before personally insulting them and claiming that Amathia joining the Euclean Community was the country’s worst mistake, and that his party is going to eagerly follow the example set by the Etrurian Tribunes, in their “unwavering commitment to protect the wishes and liberty of the people”. He also made several remarks about the sexual orientation of Alexandra Aurelia, the First Secretary of the League of Equalists and Democrats, and threatened Iglăireanu with death, at which point the Speaker of the Senate intervened, turning his microphone off. Veleanu refused to leave and continued to shout, which required the intervention of the ushers in order to gently lead him away.

The leaders of the Opposition parties were a bit more refrained in their declarations, but they highlighted the dedication of their members – with a Left United for the Republic senator coming from the hospital with an ambulance specifically in order to vote against the government. Several of those leaders however directly attacked the government, with Manuel Axente, the President of the Constitutional-Democratic Union, calling it the “most incompetent government the country has had since the Equalist regime”.

As the voting began, the Prime Minister remained seated, surrounded by her closest supporters, and she was noticed growing visibly paler throughout the process, at one point taking out her mobile phone and calling someone while looking visibly on the verge of crying.

As the result of the motion was announced, the now former Prime Minister left the Palace of the People surrounded by her closest advisors, refused to comment or to take questions from the journalists, and her car had to be escorted by the Gendarmerie in order to avoid the protests.

The motion passed with 234 votes, which means that some of the parties that declared that they would abstain voted against the government, that several members of the Center Front also voted against the government, or both. Regardless, with this, the Veleșean Government has lost its position, and will remain as an ad interim government with limited powers until a new government is sworn in.

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by **Etruria2** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 8:15 am

SPTO's Giovanni Renato Fradella gives first major national speech
The 77-year old gave his first speech of the election, in which he depicts Etrurian society "deaf and blind to what is going on around you."
ETRURIA VOTA 2021 by Emilio Farinacci

5 September, 2021

SPTO's Giovanni Renato Fradella.

Tyrrenhus, Palestrina Giovanni Renato Fradella, the 77-year-old leader of the Social Party of the Third Order has given his first major national speech. The white-haired leader told a congregation of Charismatic Catholics in Tyrrenhus, “surveying the world as it is today, it is easy to see what the lazy and simple options are pursued, but this government does not follow that path and that is why it must win on 5 October.”

The Social Party of the Third Order, a unique political movement built entirely around Franciscan teaching, joined the Tribune-led Patria bloc last month. The party has one of the strongest grassroots networks at the local level across the country. For much of its twenty-six-year history, the party has focused on championing causes, aiding the homeless, the poor and vulnerable. Raising awareness about environmental degradation and the need for a more equitable society. While this may to many, place the SPTO more aligned with the SD, in truth, its one of the more vocal supporters of the Tribunes’ ultra-social conservatism. What SPTO’s inclusion with Patria means is the Tribunes now possess a means to counter the SD on its more left-wing economic positions, while still retaining a near monopoly on the social right.

Fradella’s first national appearance was to the Tyrrenian Charismatic Association and an assortment of Catholic congregations at the San Giovanni Battista Conference Centre.

Notably, the entire speech was broadcast live by ARE, while at the same time, the Citizens’ Mauro Cesare Capra was visiting a vocational school in Andora, that event was merely mentioned on the ticker tape graphic below.

Here are key extracts from Mr. Fradella’s speech:

“Good morning my friends and I thank you for the warm welcome you have bestowed this old man.

“We do indeed find ourselves in interesting times, tense times, dangerous times. These days are marked by a seriousness unlike any other. For now we live a countdown toward a cataclysmic showdown, a simple choice between good Catholic governance, a restoration of the values that make Etruria the great nation it is, and the nihilism, self-loathing and perpetual victimhood of the other.

“When we joined with the Tribune Movement, I made clear to President Carcaterra my simple belief, that not enough has been done. That more must be done to lift our society out of its stupor.
“When I look back over how things have changed since I was boy during the Tagamic invasions and the blessings of Saint Chloe. I see what has become life today. And I am saddened, angered, and horrified in equal measures. Several years ago, my grandson bought me a very flat and thin television for my birthday, he’s a sweet a man. I was amazed at how it looked, yet was so thin, a marvel of human ingenuity. And yet, what do you see through these marvels of human ingenuity? Rubbish. Mind numbing rubbish.

“And when you’re not being bombarded by mind numbing rubbish, your heads are bowed over telephones and smartphones. Trapped in a never-ending depressive coma. Blind and deaf to what is going on around you. Your dreams and aspirations drowned out by the mercilessness of social media. Only to be made lonely, envious, enraged, and hateful.

“Life makes you blind to what is going on around you. Poverty among children, the elderly, mass immigration and the decline on Sotirian values, morals, and principles. The burning of the world’s forests, the poisoning of the oceans and the melting of the ice caps. You become blind to the decline in the birth rate, but then, I understand, who would want to have children if the most they will ever amount to is to work as cooks? We are hurtling toward the abyss; do you really need a chirpr to tell you we’re sinking?

“The elite, the SD, the AC, those in the Sotirian People’s Force who claim to be Sotirian Democrats, they all crave your imprisonment to social media and the mind-numbing rubbish of television. That wish you deaf and blind so that their transgressions and failures cannot be brought to account. That is why this election is most pivotal in all ages of democracy. If the government we support wins, we shall liberate Etrurians from their stupor, we shall awaken you to what is going on, not just in this country, but the entire Ecumene. If we lose, we shall once again be cast down into the dungeon, giving free reign to nihilists and the sub-standard politician, who’s beliefs are anathema to the very existence of our Sotirian society.

“To those who say that opposing mass immigration to Etruria is un-Sotirian, I say we are living the story of the good Samaritan. The only difference is that we are aiding the injured man in his own home, rather than our own. As those on the self-loathing left shriek racism, men and women of the Etrurian Defence Force risk their lives in holding back the dark forces unleashed by Zorasan. Theirs is a dark world, where sacrifice is a crime, boldness a violation and believing Tsabarans deserve to remain in their homeland a transgression. Should this government be defeated, they will open the doors and we will all be living the good Samaritan on our doorstep, our own streets, our own cities.

“Thiers is not a good Sotirian way of life. To be good Soritians to those less fortunate, especially those from foreign lands and religions does not require the good doer to sacrifice the very Sotirianity that runs through their country. It is not good Sotirianity to see Sotirian values and principles be grounded to dust under the weight of cosmopolitanism and multi-culturalism, because these are fallacies – fairy tales written by the left to promote their ideology in a less offensive way to those who wish to live in a country that upholds its own culture, language, history and belief system. To be a good Sotirian, such as this is government is, to aid those in their own nations, to ensure that they have a chance.
“So lift yourselves out of the stupor, watch and listen to what is going on around. Watch and listen to what they on the left desire and seek for this country by overthrowing this one through electoral means. And ask yourselves? Do you wish to be absent of dreams and aspirations, once again imprisoned to the hatefulness, envy that social media makes in you? Or do you want to be awake and living in a country where your children have true futures, real achievements awaiting them? The choice is yours and yours alone.”

The SPTO has confirmed that it has “secured many policies from the Tribune Movement” that will ostensibly, “enact in this country, the policies and teachings of Saint Francis. We will build an equitable, fair and just society, that is true, patriotic and honest in its devotion to God.”

by **Xiaodong** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 9:30 am

The NKP's "summer from hell"
Amid cabinet resignations, a reinvigorated opposition and poor messaging the governing party looks its weakest in a half decade.

Karolin Steinhäuser(@karolstein)
5 September 2021 | Westbrücken, Werania

Premier Otto von von Hösslin.
Photo courtesy of AV photos.

So far since taking office in 2019 the governing NKP-DA coalition have largely been governing with little push back. The opposition divided between an alphabet soup of centre-left parties was weak and fragmented whilst the media seemed unable to make scandals stick to the premier and his top team. Cabinet approval ratings have consistently stayed in the mid-50s whilst the NKP retained a comfortable 40% in opinion polls. Despite his reputation as a populist von Hösslin governed in a brisk, no-nonsense and essentially pragmatic manner overseeing a plethora of tax cuts and spending increases that kept voters broadly satisfied with the government.

This business-like approach to governance paid off in January when the NKP won a large majority in the upper house and consolidated its hold over several provinces whilst the left splintered between the traditional social democrats and upstart greens. NKP hegemony never seemed firmer.

Yet the summer months have shredded that idea. Firstly the NKP cabinet, long seemingly impervious to scandal, saw itself almost implode after it emerged that Defence Minister Ulrich Furler had engaged in insider trading with arms company Volger, pressuring foreign governments to accept exploitive contracts with such contracts being valued at up to €5.7 billion. Furlers actions received widespread condemnation with the government's own legal advisor, Attorney General Volker Bottenbruch, recommending that the Bundestag launch an investigation into Furler. After refusing to resign many called on the premier to dismiss Furler for his conduct.

But von Hösslin dithered. Furler was a key member of the neoconservative faction of the party that was the bedrock of his leadership and von Hösslin was unwilling to lose such a prominent ally particularly in a sensitive brief like defence. As such there was a farcical two-week period where von Hösslin insisted that the affair was a distraction and that the main problem was the whistle-blower who revealed the insider trading, not the insider trading itself. It looked of grubby politicians tolerating bad behaviour and called into question the premiers reputation as a no nonsense and decisive leader.

Then in the last week of July tragedy struck. The Weranian ambassador to Zorasan, Ludwig Schönfisch, was killed by a militant at an art exhibition due to Werania's active role in Tsabara. The murder shocked the nation being strongly condemned by the foreign minister, Käthe Schickdanze, who called it an act of terrorism. Yet it brought up questions about Furler. Had the defence ministry been more concerned about the Furler scandal then making sure the ambassador was protected?

In the end, it was the threat of the DA withdrawing from the coalition that prompted Furler to finally concede. In early August the Defence Minister announced he would resign apparently without consulting the premier, believing that with the situation with Zorasan it would be impossible for him to continue. As a result von Hösslin had to appoint Anton Raicevich, a protégé of his inter-party rival Jörg Bullmann, as Furler's successor. The whole issue was a calamity for the government - von Hösslin appeared both weak and in the thrall of more powerful colleagues, the government had seemingly taken their eye off dangers for citizens abroad and ministers appeared arrogant and venal.

But the next body blow came a week later when the two parties of the previous government - the SRPO and the PMZ - announced they would merge into a single party. Both had suffered weak polling and poor election results for years and looked to be overtaken by the centre-left Greens at the next election in 2023. But with the announcement of a new party - named Euclean Werania - the centrist opposition received a new lease of life. Shedding all mentions of socialism in favour of an unabashedly liberal, forward thinking image the EO captured public attention with a confident and optimistic message of political renewal. Even the secession of the former left-wing of the SRPO into the cumbersomely-named Socialist Workers' Party of Werania (SAPO) didn't dampen the upswing in support for the EO.

Polling shows the EO gaining a slight lead over the NKP.

Luise Höcherl, who had been written off as an uninspiring and vapid opposition leader, has found new life in being the cool, confident image of the new party positioning its outward looking image with the NKP's conservative parochialism. The net effect of this has been a decline in popularity for the Greens and for the NKP to slide in support. Indeed, a recent poll saw the EO gain a lead over the NKP (33% for the EO, 32% for the NKP), the first time the NKP hasn't led a poll since July 2015.

The government claims this polling decrease is an aberration and normal for a governing party in its first term. Indeed cabinet approval ratings have bounced back in the last fortnight and the NKP still is regarded by voters as the most capable party in the country.

What isn't recovering is von Hösslin's personal approval ratings, which sunk in July and have remained dire. Whilst never seen as charismatic von Hösslin has always led on indicators of competence and decisiveness. But the Furler debacle has robbed the premier of all authority on those grounds and he is now seen as a weak and indecisive leader - and that's harming the government.

Its entirely possible von Hösslin can make a comeback - he is often underrated as a leader and has a knack for reviving his popularity through slow, steady shows of governance. But if he is unable to do so then the NKP may continue its summer from hell.

Karolin Steinhäuser is a staff writer.

by **Etruria2** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:26 am

by **Piraea** » Sun Sep 05, 2021 11:48 am

Georgios Vamvakas - 5 September

Home · Piraea · Euclea · International · Politics · Business · Technology and Science · Arts · Education · Health · Sports · Weather

THEOPEFTATOU UNDER INCREASING PRESSURE AS POLITICAL OPPOSITION MAKES GAINS

Maria Theopeftatou has served as premier and leader of the governing PSEE since 2018.

Alikianos, Piraea - After a major upset for the governing Piraese Socialist Workers Union in the Sitia regional elections last month, Premier Maria Theopeftatou has faced new pressure from within her party as she prepares to lead it into a general election.

The rising Movement for Sitia! party sent shockwaves through the PSEE's leadership after its success last month in Sitia's provincial and local elections. The party, which evolved out of local activism in the region based in the provincial capital of Hersonissos, has handed the PSEE a major upset.

The party formed after several prominent local activists, independent politicians, and some former moderate HK politicians united forces with the goal of unseating the PSEE municipal and provincial governments in Sitia.

The party presents itself as a big-tent, populist, anti-corruption movement with an emphasis on progressivism and pro-Eucleanism. It attracted voters from across traditional party lines, capitalizing on disillusion with both PSEE and HK. Both parties, Piraea's traditional main parties, saw their support fall in Sitia.

With the help of other parties, Movement for Sitia! was able to deny PSEE a majority of seats in both the Sitia legislature and Hersonissos city council. A coalition of almost all opposition parties headed by Movement for! took control of the Hersonissos city government and the party's leader, Kostas Charitsis, became mayor.

Its rapid rise is setting off alarm bells among the political establishment and the national government. Theopeftatou, whose popularity has been impacted by a series of scandals that have unfolded surrounding predecessor Flambouraris and local PSEE politicians, has to call a snap election before August of next year. Movement for!'s success has left senior PSEE figures worried about the upcoming election.

The threat of a united opposition is one that has party leaders worried. The premier has struggled to shake off headlines that paint her party has corrupt despite efforts to crack down on political corruption. Additional attempts to reduce mafia power have had mixed results, resulting in a higher casualty rate for police officers.

There is speculation that Movement for! could go national, threatening to hit PSEE's vote share.

"If that happens, we would be very concerned" a senior party operative said.

"[Theopeftatou] has to right this ship. Otherwise, she will sink with it".

The date of the next election is up to the premier's discretion, giving her a critical opportunity to turn the tide for her party.

by **Gapolania** » Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:08 am

Battista Bernardi wins the presidential election
The first woman in the history of Gapolania to become a president and the first indigenous man to become a vice-president - how will that team shape the future of the nation?
Marta Sevolia
^{06 SEPTEMBER 2021 15:11 | NASSEA, GAPOLANIA}

After 8 years, the "pink tide" returns to the republic - and is sure to bring a lot of changes

The first exit polls were indicating a landslide victory for Bernardi - even as much as 55% of the votes. Yet the counting continued and today, at 12 PM, the National Electoral Council announced that the New Left's representative has gathered 53,25% of the votes and thus became the first female President of Gapolania. Her rival, Clemente Necci, despite winning during the first round, has failed to convince the lost and undecided ones and ultimately received 43,85% of the votes. This means that, after 8 years, the right-wing presidency of the Hibiscus Land has come to an end. But the change is bound to echo through the political scene in the country.

Battista Bernardi has not been a large favourite before the elections - however, her clever campaign, focused on the rural population, women and the indigenous inhabitants stroke a chord with a lot. After coming second in the first round, she was endorsed by most of the other parties - particularly, the Civic Union, one of the strongest coalitions in the country, as well Wallmapuwene, the Chanuche party, the Greens and two other major socialist groups - Socialist Alternative and Revolutionary March. On the other hand, Clemente Necci received endorsements only from the far-right National Front and from the smaller conservative coalition - Together. Many votes were held in the hands of the Movement for Change voters - a fresh, "middle of the road" team that broke up from Justice and Restoration earlier that year and aimed to create a moderately liberal society. While their candidate, Segantu, came fourth in the election, the party's power in the second round was unmatched. In the end, Segantu advocated to vote not for, but against - claiming that 8 years were enough to prove that the current government has failed. Nearly a million of his followers seemed to be convinced - and allowed Bernardi to claim the trophy.

Battista Bernardi is not the only "first" in the political history of Gapolania. Her running mate - Enrico Nanwì - will be the first indigenous person to be a vice-president. While it's yet unclear who will become the prime minister, many believe that the office will also fall to a woman - Elisa Perranazu, Bernardi's opponent in the presidential election and the leader of the Civic Union coalition, is rumored to be offered the seat. Battista Bernardi became known in 2014 - a lawyer specializing in helping abuse victims, she created the party called Red Umbrella as a mean to protect the "weaker and the innocent". Over the years, she gathered a huge following, owing to her charisma, empathy and practical knowledge of the law. Born in 1976, she's one of the youngest people in the country's history to become the president.

The right-wing lost not only the presidential seat but also the Senate. Despite their hopes for Necci to win and for Movement for the Change to join the coalition again, the party, while the largest, doesn't hold enough seats to form a majority. The New Left has already announced that it will join their efforts with Civic Union, Wallmapuwene, Interior, Socialist Aliternative and Revolutionary March to govern the country - together they hold 75 seats out of 78 needed for majority. But the Movement for Change, which holds 22 seats, is widely believed to join the team soon, giving a total of 97 seats. With so many, the new government can hope for a safe and firm grip over Gapolania.

Of course, the fight has not ended yet - Justice and Restoration has already claimed they will put forward an accusation of the electoral fraud, supported by evidence. Clemente Necci has accused his opponents of trying to delay and disrupt the election process. Several other politicians have presented photographs and videos of different areas where the people were supposedly asked who they want to vote for before entering a building and, upon hearing their answer, let in or forced to return. Giacomo Naùri, the leader of National Front, claims that the Elendisti (organized crime groups) were involved in rural locations, forcing the people to vote for Bernardi. However, none of these claims have yet been proved true. The upcoming weeks will be crucial to the country - Bernardi's presidency will be official inaugurated on 11th October, 2021. Up to this date, the situation must be cleared.

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by **Liecthenbourg** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 7:36 am

Gaullican Government training Tsabaran Special Forces in Secret, claims leak.
A document, apparently leaked from within the Ministry of Defence, suggests that the Gaullican government has been training and arming Tsabaran special forces to fight in its civil war.

Moïse Baillieu
September 07, 2021|Verlois, Gaullica

Boniface Lahaye, Federal Minister of the Armed Forces and Defence, denied the memo as being "factual".
Image courtesy Le Monde.

Verlois, Gaullica.

A leaked internal memo from the Gaullican Ministry of Defence, which oversees its Armed Forces, indicates that the Gaullican Government has been covertly arming and training sections of the Transtsabaran Federation's Special Forces since at least March of 2020. The claims indicate that members of Gaullica's own Special Forces have been operating within securely held Federation territory in Tsabara and have been training Tsabaran forces in similar tactics, deployment skills and techniques.

The leaked memo, which was uploaded to the internet earlier today, claims to have been sent by a "disgruntled member of the civil service" who was tired of "dealing with a coverup of this government's failure to be transparent with its motivations".

Whilst the memo is not specific in the involvement, numerous claims are littered throughout the document that indicate substantial Gaullican involvement. Claims such as: "will need to be withdrawn from bases in the Al-Hasa province, especially as fighting intensifies." Other such claims indicate a report on the progress of the trainees, with the training: "going faster than anticipated. Determination from Tsabarans exceeds expectations."

It is not known what units in specific are being claimed to have been, or are, in Tsabara.

The Ministry of Defence through Minister Lahaye has denied the allegations and the rumours. "This document is a fabrication." the minister tweeted. He is expected to make an announcement to the press later this week. Additionally, President Degar-Abdulrashid has denied that Gaullica has had troops on the ground in Tsabara but added that "military instructors have been present in Tsabara, as per the Tsabaran government's request, since the beginning of this year."

Intervention in the Tsabaran Crisis still proves domestically unpopular with the Gaullican people, and elements of Gaullica's constitution leave little in the way of any piece of unilateral action.

A representative of the Tsabaran government denied any presence of "Euclean forces" on Tsabaran soil, stressing that "important Euclean assistance has arrived through nautical and aerial support."

If true the leaks would indicate Gaullica has been taking on a far more active role in the Tsabaran Crisis than the government has claimed it has. Gaullica has officially maintained a sense of support for the government and has participated in pan-Euclean Community efforts to patrol the Aurean Straits for migrant vessels, but has categorically denied any shipping of equipment to the Tsabaran government outside of medical and food aid.

Criticism of the government's lack of transparency on the issue of the Tsabaran civil war have been mounting in days. A commission to have the conduct of individuals in the Ministry of Defence is already being suggested within the senate, but supporters of the government have indicated that the bipartisan passing of the authorisation of military action would "enable the government to do something like this," if it had indeed been done.

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by **Saul Volcano** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 3:32 pm

Patron League propose multiple "Women's Cultural Reform Bills"
Patron League introduce "Paretian Women's Reform Bills", a series of proposals including bills pertaining to women in STEM, punishment on abuse, and maternity leave. The most controversial is likely the bill rolling back extent of legal abortions.
Roberto Coimbra (@robertocoimbra) | 7 September 2021 | Precea

Deputy Premier Selena Caprichoso at her speech today, she is main architect of these proposals

Precea, Luzela: Today Deputy Premier and General Secretary of the Patron League Selena Caprichoso made a speech in Precea to a crowd of mostly Paretian women. She announced what she called the "Women's Cultural Reform Bills", there were a total of seven proposals introduced by the LP. All of these focus on a different issue related to Paretian women, including women in STEM, abortion, maternity leave, and the wage gap.

Caprichoso introduced the first bill which would replace some of Paretia's curriculum with STEM classes, and would introduce a required yearly STEM event for Paretian schoolgirls. The bill would replace classes such as arts and social sciences which Caprichoso called "fake liberal propaganda directed towards women" with STEM classes such as more engineering, coding, and chemistry classes. They also would create a required event held at all Paretian schools designed to "introduce all Paretian women to STEM, they are for the jobs that truly shape the world, and if women want to shape the world, then these classes are a must."

Another bill that was proposed, likely the most controversial of them all, is the abortion one. This bill has proposed shutting down most the government's publicly funded abortion clinics, and in the remaining ones, only allowing life-threatening pregnancies to have abortion procedures at these clinics. Caprichoso said that abortion is a "stain on humanity that must be removed, like our party's platform says, such a horrible procedure should only be used in the most horrible of circumstances. Only if it threatens the life of the mother, child, or both should a pregnancy be aborted."

The next major proposal was a maternity leave bill that would extend Paretia's standard paid maternity leave from 16 weeks to 26 weeks. It also proposed lengthening any extension of the maternity leave in certain circumstances. Also announced was an introduction of paternity leave which the standard paid leave extends to 9 weeks. They also have announced extensions for paternal leave in certain circumstances.

One more major proposal is a child-care proposal that would create multiple new government officer dedicated to creating child day-care facilities for parents who are working during the day. However the proposal created raised a set of standards required for child caregivers, in order to have more qualified people in the job. It also creates requirements for parents to not be too absent from their child, with Caprichoso stating that "the relationship with the parent is unimaginably essential to child growth, there must be rules to make sure parents are not ignoring their child." The final part of the new childcare system would allow aid to parents who cannot afford a daycare, specified numbers of pay would depend on the situation of the family.

Other bill proposals included a bill that would heighten punishments on domestic abuse and child abuse, a proposal claiming to shrink the wage gap, and a proposal to raise judicial punishment on rape. The government wishes to pass these through the Senate by the end of the month. The Social Democrats have called the abortion bill an "attack on the rights on women", they said that that they bill do anything they can to block this bill. Similar criticisms came from the Greens, SPIT, and Liberals of Paretia. The stance of the Alt Party may be a deciding factor on if the bill will be passed, and many of it's members come from the center, leader Pacau said that he, as a conservative, will support the bill, but will let his party members decide for themselves.
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@ MOMENTO 2021

In Other News:
ASTERIAS - Bernardi wins Gapolanian election
PARETIA - Cerqueira and LP endorse Tribunes in Etruria's coming election
EUCLEA - Amathia's Veleșean ousted
COIUS - Zorasan-backed forces advance toward Bayadha
EUCLEA - Leaked document claims Gaullica training Tsabaran special forces

230 Comments

by **Imagua and the Assimas** » Tue Sep 07, 2021 6:38 pm

WHY YOUNG PEOPLE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD A HOME
Decades of policy failures from the Imaguan government have led young people to leave Cuanstad for greener pastures

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ROBERT MOSES (@BobMoses)
8 September, 2021 12:38 IST | CUANSTAD, CITY OF

Chattel house in Tarnstead

This 19th-century chattel house in the Cuanstad neighbourhood of Tarnstead, with 68.33 m² (681.44 square feet) of living space was last on the market in 1982. Back then, this home was purchased for 4,762ſ77. Had prices kept up with inflation, this home would cost 56,910ſ79 (€7,078.58) today. However, if you look at its listing on Goldenhuys, the list price is at 4,005,662ſ64 (€498,126.77), which for most in Cuanstad is way beyond their reach, particularly in the aftermath of the Pico do Sangue eruption and the volcano-induced recession.

In 2016, the average income in Cuanstad was at 115,369ſ51 (€14,347.13). While at first glance, it seems that the average person can afford to save up for nearly three-and-a-half decades before being able to buy this house, if we assume that they never purchased anything, the average income of those ages 18-25 in 2016 was at 50,461ſ97 (€6,275.35). This would mean that to be able to afford even this chattel house in Tarnstead, the average young person in Cuanstad must work for around eight decades before they have enough to afford it if they never purchase anything. If they were to buy groceries and pay utilities, as well as pay taxes and what not, this has put this house well beyond the realm of fantasy. This is clearly no longer sustainable nor acceptable.

So, how did we get to this point where young people can no longer buy a home in Cuanstad?

Problems began emerging after the Recession of 1980, which led to the national government passing a budget that slashed government spending at the expense of either cutting funding, privatising, or ending government services to many areas that it had once dutifully invested in. The decision by Pietro Muro to implement neoliberal economic policy, in opposition to Muro's traditional support for the welfare state and government programs was in part a response to the recession as it was to the rise of the National Labour Party, who was led by what was once the right-wing of the governing Democratic Labour Party.

However, house prices rose gradually through 1980s as the recession waned and the national government: while signs were present in the city centre of rising house prices, this was at first confined to the wealthy neighbourhoods of the city centre and the wealthy suburbs, and was seen by many people as being a natural course of events. By 1989, we can start seeing house prices rise in neighbourhoods adjacent to the wealthy neighbourhoods, driven by holidaymakers and retirees wanting to buy second homes.

It was only in the late 1990s that the national government recognised the severity of the situation, when the then-Prime Minister Gerald Larsson proposed to build two thousand new homes during his second term to alleviate the housing crisis. However, opposition to the location by the municipal government, the Sotirian Democratic Labour Party (which succeeded both the National Labour and Sotirian Democratic Parties), social advocates, and environmentalists delayed the project until its cancellation in 2000 under the leadership of Prime Minister Agnes Ingram. However, even then, housing was still relatively affordable: a chattel house in Abingdon with similar characteristics to the chattel house in Tarnstead was sold in 2000 for 790,957ſ73 (€124,978), or in today's money, 1,412,104ſ37 (€175,606.86).

Under the Sotirian Democratic Labour Party, the government paid little attention to ensuring affordable housing, with the then Minister of Social Services, Trevor Murray, saying in 2003 that "if they can't afford to live [in Cuanstad], they can always move." And move they have: Altaithe is among the fastest-growing cities in the country, having seen a significant rise in population since the 1991 census as young Imaguans seek to buy their own homes.

The Recession of 2005 brought some hope to Cuanstad's denizens, as the bubble that had been around since the 1990s seems to have burst, and house prices in 2006 going as low as 665,142ſ64 (€90,204.55) for a chattel house like the two aforementioned chattel houses, as economies recovered across the world, a new bubble emerged as those who have ditched their second homes because of the recession purchased anew: by 2010, house prices have largely recovered to what they were pre-recession in most parts of the city.

In 2016, the Democratic Labour Party retook power again, campaigning on promises to improve access to Cuanstad for those living in Altaithe, and to build social housing to ensure that residents live in their own homes, instead of leaving their houses vacant for most of the year. There have been mixed results: while the light rail system opened in 2019 and enabled easy travel between Cuanstad and Altaithe, social housing has been slow to progress, with only 48 new units built between 2016 and 2020 due to regulations concerning urban development in Cuanstad.

In light of the continued high house prices, many Imaguans have blamed the slow progress and high prices on successive governments refusing to crack down on "foreign buyers" who buy the home, use it for part of the year, and spend the rest of the year in another country. As house prices begin to rise outside of the Cuanstad metropolitan area, it is more and more likely that housing will remain a campaign issue for at least a generation to come. This pressure for politicians to address the housing crisis in Cuanstad and elsewhere has led to the major political parties proposing ways to solve the crisis:

The Democratic Labour Party has pledged to increase the number of social housing units within the Cuanstad metropolitan area and to reduce waiting lists for social housing;
The Green Party has proposed a 200% tax on second homes and homes owned by non-Imaguan citizens to combat speculation and reduce prices, in addition to building more social housing within Cuanstad itself;
The Movement for a New Imagua promised in the 2020 election to prohibit ownership of houses for those who are not either permanent residents or citizens of the country, and to "buy back" homes currently owned by foreigners at market rates;
The Sotirian Democratic Labour Party proposed in 2016 to end all restrictions to urban development outside of national parks in order to facilitate the construction of new homes, and proposed a tax credit in 2020 for first-time homebuyers that would reimburse up to 75% of the home's value

Of these plans, ITS spoke with an economist, former Finance Minister and current managing director of the Bank of the Arucian, Holmes Threston, to determine which of these plans was the most viable plan to solve the housing crisis.

Threston told us "for better or worse, the revenue that we generate from these properties form a key part of the national economy and the government budget: this rules out the proposal from the MNI to ban foreign ownership of houses and to buy back homes currently owned by foreigners, as it would be too much for our economy to bear. Likewise, the 200% tax proposed by the Green Party, while on the face of it is a good idea to help address the crisis, it will scare away investors and those who want to live in Imagua but don't want to pay onerous taxes just to live here."

"This leaves the DLP plan and the SDLP plan. The DLP plan to simply build more social housing cannot work, because regulations put to protect greenspace, farmland, and the hills along the Cuanstad section [of the Glen Valley] mean that is basically impossible to build new social housing, particularly in places where they are badly needed," Threston said. "This leaves us with the plan from the SDLP, which would end all restrictions to urban development outside of national parks and to give a tax credit for first-time homeowners, which would help recoup the costs that they have to pay."

"Of all these plans," [...] "I have to say that the SDLP has the best plan to tackle the housing crisis in Cuanstad out all of the parties in the Chamber of Commons: it is the most realistic way of dealing with this without getting too xenophobic or scaring away potential investors from our country. It will ensure that we can house more people and ensure that people in Cuanstad can finally afford to live in their own city, without having to commute in from Altaithe and return to Altaithe," Threston said.

"Until this plan is implemented, my advice to those who want to a buy home in Cuanstad: keep driving until you find something you can afford," Threston said. "Even if it's a ghost town with nobody living there anymore, and it's all gone to pieces, you can at least buy something. But I don't think you can wait until prices go down [for houses in Cuanstad]: "it is not happening at all: if the volcano or this recession can't put a huge dent in our housing market, I don't think anything can."

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by **Qianrong** » Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:38 am

KOZAKURA WINS KEISI ELECTION RERUN
Akiba concedes defeat after results show staggering defeat for
the Aikokutou; Kozakura promises change in Senria's capital city

Crowds in Keisi's Sendagaya ward celebrate the election of Rokurou Kozakura.

September 13, 2021 | Hideaki Miyazaki in Keisi | Rokurou Kozakura, heading a joint Democratic Party-Koumeitou ticket, has been decisively elected Mayor of Keisi, ending decades of Aikokutou rule over the city that culminated in a desperate - and failed - attempt by the Aikokutou to stave off an opposition victory in Senria's capital and largest city.

Aikokutou candidate Nobuhiro Akiba accepted defeat early into the night, after early results made it clear that he had little chance of winning.

Keisi's mayoral election began in June with the sudden death of longtime incumbent Takamasa Hirotani. When the vote was held on August 9, Kozakura held a narrow 0.02% margin over Akiba, but the Aikokutou's national leadership seized on dubious claims of voter fraud to demand a total recount and, when electoral authorities refused to give that to them, ordered the election rerun in a desperate gambit to prevent an opposition victory in a city the Aikokutou has long jealously retained control of.

That gambit backfired as Liberal Party candidate Sigeru Katou and Kyouwakai candidate Rikuto Okabe dropped out of the race and urged their supporters to back Kozakura, giving him a substantial lead on Akiba in the polls. Akiba, in the latter stretch of the campaign, undertook an aggressive negative campaigning effort aimed at tarnishing Kozakura's reputation, while Kozakura largely avoided addressing Akiba and continually emphasized his central focus on resolving overcrowding, lack of green space, pollution, cost of living, and corruption in the city.

The Aikokutou poured billions of yen into attempting to turn out a "silent majority" of Aikokutou voters in the hopes of narrowing Kozakura's lead, and while turnout was much higher than the August election - 56.86% of registered voters participated in the September election, compared to 49.90% in August - no such "silent majority" was willed into existence, and as results came in, it quickly became clear that the Democrats and Koumeitou had won a decisive victory.

Electoral officials have stated that Kozakura won 53.17% of the vote - a staggering increase from the 34.46% he won in August, caused no doubt in large part by the rallying of the broader opposition around Kozakura's campaign after the Aikokutou's blatant effort to defraud the Keisian people. Akiba, by comparison, won 36.10%.

Senroukaibu candidate Nobuhisa Akaike, who refused to drop out as most other opposition candidates did, fell from 7.54% of the vote in August to 6.33% in September. The number of blank and spoiled ballots, meanwhile, rose drastically - from 0.22% in August to 2.42% in September - as some Keisians evidently chose to spoil their ballots in protest of Aikokutou attempts to manipulate the vote.

The results come as a humiliation for Senria's ruling party, which will now have to face an opposition government in the country's primate city.

Speaking from his campaign headquarters in the city's Ibaraki ward, Kozakura gave a short victory speech thanking his supporters for their persistence and vowing long-awaited change in how Keisi is governed. "I pledge to give the people of Keisi a government responsive to their needs, one that is transparent, democratic and effective," he declared. "And I thank each and every one of you for your support in this endeavor."

The victory has also been hailed by Koumeitou leader Genzou Nagasawa and Democratic Party leader Akiko Hasegawa, who have previously suggested that success for Kozakura's local alliance between their parties could lead to broader cooperation between them nationwide.

Akiba gave an even shorter concession speech, offering perfunctory congratulations to Kozakura and thanking his supporters for their continued loyalty. Prime Minister Reika Okura has, so far, issued no statements on the election.

For many in Keisi, the mood is ebullient. It is unclear what the future will hold for Senria's largest city - but it is clear that the city has begun a new chapter in its long and venerable history.

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by **Norcandy** » Tue Sep 14, 2021 1:13 pm

by **Etruria2** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:25 am

Chiara Mastromarino: We simply cannot afford five more years of the Tribunes
Mastromarino delivers major election speech in which she decries the Tribune failure to deal with structural economic issues
ETRURIA VOTA 2021 by Emilio Farinacci

16 September , 2021

SPTO's Giovanni Renato Fradella.

Tyrrenhus, Palestrina The leader of the SD, Chiara Mastromarino has claimed in a campaign speech that “five more years of the Tribunes is ill-affordable for millions, in terms of their economic status, rights, freedoms and their very dignity.”

She gave the speech to a surprisingly large rally in Tyrrenhus, where she was greeted by thousands of people.

In her speech, she described the past five years as a “catastrophe for our country, be it socio-economically, in terms of unity, dignity, freedom and dignity our democracy.” She condemned the government for “trouncing our institutions and constitution, setting ablaze to our democracy, while all the while screeching that by doing so they would enrich the poor and empower the voiceless.”

“Banning abortion has not addressed the 23% rise in homelessness, degrading and abusing gay people has not addressed the fact that wages since 2016 have only grown by 2.3%. Politicising and degrading law enforcement has not addressed the decline in disposal income by 10% since 2016.

“Destroying our liberal democracy has not addressed our economic problems. Destroying our republic has not addressed people becoming poorer or more desperate. Destroying our liberties has not addressed many millions of Etrurians waking in the morning feeling life is that much harder compared to yesterday” she said to the roaring crowds.

“Can women afford five more years? Be it control over their bodies, control over what nationalistic nonsense their children are taught.

“Can the young parent afford to take on two jobs because wages are not matching the cost of living?

“Can our elderly afford five more years of the Tribune war on decency, democracy and the constitution, when their pensions deny them food and the basics because prices are increasing?” She said further.

“The answer is no, we can’t afford five more years, nor should we. Now is the time to shout enough, now is the time to shout no more. The time is shout SD” she concluded.

The SD has taken to focusing on the Tribune failure to address structural issues with Etruria’s economy. Despite their near constant referrals to positive GDP growth over the past five years, the issues including wage stagnation, underemployment and declining disposal incomes continue. The SD’s plan for depicting the Tribune government as sacrificing the economic well-being of the populace for its pursuit of destroying the constitution may well pay dividends, as seen in polling.

The SD has also begun targeting Tribune voters specifically, through social media with lines such as “you’ve been heard, but are you better off than in 2016, is your family more financially secure?”

The Tribunes have countered by referencing GDP growth, which has averaged between 2.5% and 3% since 2016, and predominately the 4.6% growth rate in industry and manufacturing, aided by deregulation of both conduct and environmental standards. They have also lauded Famiglia+ as delivering life changing differences for young families.

At an election event yesterday, Finance Minister Leandro Laezza told supporters, “the left is making out we’ve destroyed the economy, yet we have introduced schemes for vocational training for the young and mid life. We provide free childcare to those taking up qualifications and evening courses. We are providing much support for the young married families of this country. They ask can you afford five more years of the Tribunes, I ask can you afford five years of neoliberalism? Can you afford five years of the SD and their tax hikes?”

The SD and Tribunes are expected to release their manifestos next week. The inclusion of the Social Party in the Tribune-led Patria alliance has caused some concern among the SD leadership. One senior figure told us under condition of anonymity, “there is a distinct risk that our economic platform may be undercut by the Tribunes and SPTO, there is a worry that the Tribunes could cover their Achilles heel with Franciscan policies toward the poor and under privileged.”

The SD conversely are “immensely confident” however that will score major gains at the expense of the Citizens, who’s campaign has been described as lacklustre and devoid of passion. In several CA seats, the SD’s internal polling are showing “major swings” to the centre left.

“The people are sick and tired of the Citizens’ consistently failing to defend the constitution and our rights. They sick and tired of their navel gazing. They are looking to the SD to do what needs to be done to confront this government” an SD spokesman said two days ago.

There is a growing consensus among the opposition parties that the Tribunes will not likely be forced out of office this election, and instead both the Citizens and SD are concentrating on retaining and gaining second place respectively.

“The numbers simply aren’t there yet. The SD is not going into this naively or blindly. We are going into this with our eyes wide open. Of course we seek to unseat this government that is a disaster, but we need to cognisant of the polls” an SD source said.

A recent study by Demos Analytica, Etruria’s most trusted pollster, has indicated that current polls would see the SD gain between 25 and 40 constituency seats from the Citizens’ and 3-4 from the Tribunes. Enrico Santorini, an analyst at Demos told us, “really this is election is between the SD and CA, the Tribunes remain popular enough and organised enough to re secure a majority, whether they and their allies secure a two-thirds majority is up for question. But really the gains will be for the SD and we’re looking at major gains.”

This is the most vicious race in living history

Across Etruria’s constituency seats, the race has turned markedly sour. In at least six seats (all found in Veratia) the Tribunes have claimed their SD rivals to either being baby killers or “in league with satanic forces.”

The SD’s Giuseppe Frederico Almirante, who has represented San Girolamo supra Giove, since 1990 has been described as being “chosen by Satan to forward the agenda of darkness” by his Tribune rival.

He told us, “even when I faced off against the sotirian democrats of the former Federalist Party, never was I depicted as an agent of the devil. Since the campaign began I’ve been called a refugee lover, a baby killer and a member of the Poteri Oscuri. Normally I do not mind such things this is politics, but really this is the most nasty and vicious election I can remember.”

The election is so vicious that numerous SD and CA candidates have taken their Tribune rivals to the Public Affairs Court, established in 2019 by the Tribune government, which covers electoral matters. The cases are near exclusively about Tribune claims that would nominally count as slander. In one case, Maria Broccoli, an SD candidate for the Tribune held seat of Giorgiano II, was accused of being a child abuser after her rival, Massimo Capozzi published an article by Broccoli defending parents smacking children. In one leaflet, Capozzi said, “she hits her children, do you want her in charge of education?” Unsurprisingly the court has ruled in favour of the Tribunes every case as of today.

The Tribune’s depiction of the race as a battle between the patriotic and god fearing against the satanic forces of progressivism has been blamed for the vicious tone of the race across the nation.

Last week, President Francesco Carcaterra told supporters, “if we lose, we lose more than our voice and our stake in our nation’s future. We will see Etruria fall from grace, we will see Etruria become the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Solarian.”

by **Xiaodong** » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:25 am

The leader of the new opposition alliance, Yang Weisheng.

Analysis - Shangea's opposition given ballot access for 2022 election - but does it matter?
The effect of Normalisation in Shangea means that the ability for the dangwei movement to effect government politics is limited.
Ikehara Chinami reporting from Keisi, Senria
16 September, 2021

Today the Shangean dangwei parties (anti-government parties) have announced an agreement with the Movement for National Principlism to run on their list for the 2022 election thereby clearing the way for them to return to the legislature for the first time since 2017. But with the post-normalisation Shangea having muzzled the press and cajoled the legislature into silence it seems this will be little more then window dressing.

Since 2017 the Shangean government has unleashed an all-out assault on the traditional opposition in Shangea. The "dangwei" (outside-the-party) movement represented a strong civic mobilisation against the traditional governing forces of Shangea whether through formal political parties such as the left-wing People's Party or more diffuse civic society groups. This culminated in the 2016-17 protests with the creation of the radical protest group and political party the Path of Democracy which joined with the traditional dangwei parties to form the Democratic Action Alliance (DAA).

The DAA however was unable to prevent the repressive parts of the Shangean state shamelessly rig the 2017 election and then bulldoze forward with normalisation. The Path of Democracy was banned and the majority of DAA leaders including chairwomen Hu Wenjuan were imprisoned resulting in all the DAA members resigning from the legislative council and eventually being denied the right to contest elections. Although several of the DAA parties still exist they are shells of their former selves their members having been arrested and stripped of money and the right to run in elections.

Enter the Movement for National Principlism. Led by a former university professor Yang Weisheng the MNP was formally aligned with Yuan Xiannian being one of the two "pro-regime" opposition parties alongside the far-right and much larger Association for Promoting Democracy. The MNP is an ostensibly centre-left outfit supporting a "patriotic, progressive Shangea based on the principle of national socialism" but has scant political support and is largely seen as a fringe association.

However Yang has turned sour on Yuan recently due to the government undertaking a more conservative turn economically, slashing spending and restarting the long delayed privatisation process. It is for that reason that his party has reached out to the dangwei parties to allow them to run on the MNP list in 2022, as crucially the MNP has been approved by the electoral board to run in national elections for the next two years.

Some see this as a shrewd move to put pressure on the Shangean government and perhaps reinvigorate opposition to Yuan and his government. Most aren't convinced however. The director of the Shangean Human Rights Monitor and former People's Party chairman Wu Hanzhi has called the move part of the "choreographed opposition" the Shujichu.

"I understand why the dangwei parties have done this but it won't help the opposition" Wu told me. "Yuan and his regime have basically smothered the opposition. Even if they run on the MNP list the government will restrict campaigning and ensure they are re-elected with a massive majority".

"As I see it, all it does is give an election they run a little more legitimacy".

by **West Miersa** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:29 pm

Miersan National Armed Forces to be deployed on borders with "hostile nations" to send a message

View of the front line bisecting through Małomiersa (file photo)

SECHIA, MAŁOMIERSA - Today, the Ministry of Defence announced that "in light of the escalating situation between the rebels in Małomiersa and the Miersan government," the Ministry of Defence is to deploy the Miersan National Armed Forces to key positions along the border with Champania, the demilitarised zone separating the eastern voivodeships of the Miersan nation from the western voivodeships, and the front line separating Miersan-controlled areas of Małomiersa from eastern-occupied territories of Małomiersa.

"Over the past several months, the górale have sought to illegally incorporate the Południowy corridor into their so-called 'nation,' in violation of both territorial integrity of the Miersan nation, and the Arciluco Agreement. This corridor, which has always been an integral part of the voivodeship of Zanawiwasie," a statement from the Ministry of Defence read. "Despite good-faith offers from the Miersan government and its allies, the górale have consistently refused to negotiate in good faith, refusing to end their illegal occupation over Miersan territory."

"Because of their consistent refusal to negotiate in good faith, despite both Samorspi and the Euclean Community willing to host negotiations between the Miersan government and the górale, the Miersan government has had no choice but to deploy troops to key positions along our borders with the eastern voivodeships, Champania, and along the front line, with a key focus along the front line," the statement continued. "While we still hope to commence peaceful negotiations between the Miersan government and the górale to resolve this crisis, the górale must completely withdraw from the Południowy corridor to prove that they are acting in good faith, and based on their past records, we are sceptical that they will be acting in good faith."

The statement from the Ministry of Defence appears to suggest that the lull in the conflict that occurred following the Ogrodowskiego incident between the Miersan National Armed Forces and the terrorist "Revolutionary Defence Forces" is coming to an end.

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by **Liecthenbourg** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 2:42 pm

President Degar-Abdulrashid travels to Champania for '40-Year Anniversary' of Friendship Treaty.
At the arrival of the 40 Year Anniversary of the signing of the Gaullican-Champanian Bilateral Treaty, Le Monde reflects on forty years of positive relations between both countries.

Moïse Baillieu
September 18, 2021|Verlois, Gaullica

President Degar-Abdulrashid said she was "honoured" to usher in the fortieth year of "friendship" with Champania.
Image courtesy Le Monde.

Verlois, Gaullica.

President Monique Degar-Abdulrashid is travelling to Champania for an event hosted by Ponç Guinovaerd, the Champanois Premier. Their meeting is to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the signing of the The Gaullican-Champanian Bilateral Treaty.

The Gaullican-Champanian Bilateral Treaty of Friendship in full and often known as the GCBT, was signed on the 20th of September 1981 during the 'Champanian Thaw'. It was signed by Gaullican President Clélie Gérin-Lajoie and Champanois Premier Jeremeis Dior and was one of the first acts of what would later be called the 'Champanian Thaw' that sought to libersalise and democratise Champania's international relations. The treaty itself was one of the first international agreements negotiated by Champania with a country in Euclea outside of both MASSOR and the AIS.

The signing of the treaty normalised and opened relations between two states that had been ideologically opposed for decades, as well as one that mended many of the wounds and stings of imperialism from the past. As President Gérin-Lajoie put it: "the past is behind us and Gaullica and Champania have a prosperous future ahead." Champania began the process to join the Association of Gaullophone States: an organisation it had rejected joining just years prior on ideological and imperialist grounds. It began the processes of facilitating the emergence of sub-national politics: and most notably the permitted operation of the 'Selórzan Society', an intercountry organisation promoting their rights and interests.

And now forty years after its passing, Champania serves as an important middle-ground for Gaullica and the EC at large and the rest of 'Socialist Euclea'. Of the successor states in central Euclea that were formed after the dissolution of the Gaullican Empire, Champania maintains the closest relations with Gaullica. Yet its position as a cross-roads of Euclea, a central stage for historic trade from the east of the continent to the west and vice-versa, is increasingly under threat due to ongoing tensions between the Miersan states.

Usually the anniversary of the event is dealt with by lower levels of either government: an affirming congratulation on social media, a press conference, a meeting of ambassadors or foreign ministers. For quinquennial and decennial anniversaries, however, the higher echelons of the state are always involved. And it is done on rotation.

Yet this time the anniversary has been planned with urgency: as the situation in central Euclea deteriorates, Champanois Premier Ponç Guinovaerd "specifically requested" President Degar-Abdulrashid's presence. It is expected that the two will have long discussions on elements outside of the friendship treaty: including rumours of requests for military exersises to deter Miersan aggression.

When asked if she had planned to discuss things outside of the friendship treaty, the President replied that: "as friends, it is important to listen to the grievances one has. Security in Central Euclea is a paramount issue to both our countries, and if Premier Guinovaerd seeks to discuss it he shall find himself with a willing partner in that conversation."

In spite of this: both sides are clear. This Forty Year Friendship has only room to grow, even if at times they find themselves on either sides of Euclea's newest 'continental issue'.

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by **Caltarania** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 3:33 pm

by **Lunas Legion** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 4:12 pm

Phillip Sternberg - 18th September 2021

Akortu National Salvation Army takes Tawa, capital of Ost Olamaka Province
The abandonment of the city by the PNLAY marks the first major military victory for the anti-Iskinder rebels over the PNLAY

A tank of the PNLAY 15th Tank Brigade destroyed during the ANSA's lightning advance

Tawa, Yemet -

Almost a month since President Iskinder announced the indefinite suspension of this year's election, and just over two weeks since the outbreak of widespread violence against the government, the various anti-government rebel groups have scored another victory against the Yemeti government as the PNLAY abandoned the city of Tawa, the largest city and capital of the province of Ost Olamaka, retreating from the city under the cover of darkness. The largely Akortu city, previously the capital of the State of Olamaka in the 1970s, has been occupied by the Akortu National Salvation Army, the remains of the army of the unrecognised State of Olamaka after it was reduced to a guerrilla force by General Biruh's National Salvation Government in the 1970s and early 1980s.

The rapid advance of the ANSA in comparison to other rebel groups has largely been due to the sporadic and weak resistance offered against its advance, as swathes of Akortu PNLAY soldiers defected to the ANSA, adding heavy equipment to the rebel group's arsenal, although the maintenance of such equipment is likely highly questionable. Likewise, the ability of the largely Iwa loyalist forces to defend the city is equally questionable, as the city's population is believed to be hostile to the Iwa troops previously barracked there due to a long history of shakedowns, robberies, corruption and violence by the soldiers against the local population. The troops defending the city are believed to have withdrawn northwards to the ethnically Iwa city of Konba, where they are believed to be rallying under their commander and being reinforced by local ethnic Iwa militias.

The situation in the rest of the country is either unclear at best, or almost as perilous for the Iskinder government.

Despite the arrival of Zorasani troops and Modola Air Force Base, the city itself is the scene of sporadic fighting between Yemeti forces and the Chisenan Gondan Defence Force and the PNLAY elements in the region are overstretched between fighting the CGDY, elements of the ANSA to the south and the Kulo State to the east, with the central government's ability to supply their forces in the province of Akawia becoming increasingly unclear. Without the arrival of Zorasani troops in the city to stiffen their resolve and provide air support, it seems likely that the PNLAY would have retreated westwards and abandoned the city after running low on ammo.

Further north, the situation becomes unclear. While the Iskinder government claims that it still retains control of Mbabu, the provincial capital of Sud Ibabochia, the Ibabochian Popular Liberation Forces claim to have routed the elements of the PNLAY in the area and to have forced them to abandon the province. Other elements of the PNLAY appear to have been engaged in combat in Niedergond Province, with the Iskinder government claiming to have launched a currently ongoing counter-attack to reclaim the town of Emcha from the BLA. The situations in both Taga and Limute remain unclear at this time, but it is likely fighting is ongoing.

The town of Aruvu in Sud Magadi is, reportedly, under siege by elements of the PNLAY after the city was infiltrated and taken by local groups of the Andutu Patriotic Resistance Front, pushing the PNLAY out of the city. The PNLAY's capacity for offensives in the future to take back the areas of the country taken by the rebels seems unclear; the elite Independent Special Presidential Guard Division has remained immobile at Girota, as has the relocated 2nd Republican Guard Division, while Yemet's other nominally elite units have largely sat immobile at their own barracks in Midira or along the border between Sud Magadi and Mittelgond. Indeed, the only action taken by any of Yemet's nominally better equipped and trained units seems to be the 1st Republican Guard Division's departure from its barracks in Yebifia in the direction of Ost Olamaka, but whether this is ordered or not is unclear, as the largely Iwa formation may be acting without orders to return to defend its soldiers families, homes, and villages.

Neither Iskinder nor the generals of the PNLAY seem to be willing to blink first to commit the PNLAY units most able to undertake offensive operations against the rebels for fear of the other exploiting the weakness from ordering their best and most loyal troops into battle. But without these troops being committed to battle, it seems likely that the PNLAY will be, at best, able to secure a status quo against the various rebel groups. At worst, the 1970s may return, with the spread of self-declared states in the model of Kulo across the eastern half of Yemet stubbornly resisting the authority of the central government.

by **Lemovicia** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 4:14 pm

PRESIDENCY RATIFIES SECOND AMENDMENT TO LEMOVICIAN CONSTITUTION
Chairman of the Presidency Arin Munićića rejects West Miersa's condition, saying "we do not trust the north to safeguard the corridor"

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ZIRO ZABALEGUIA (@ZiroZaba)
18 SEPTEMBER, 2021 22:14 CET | HEŔIBEŔIJA, EKIALDEBEŔIJA

Chairman of the Presidency Arin Munićića (file photo)

With all the provinces approving of the Second Amendment, the Presidency has officially signed the Second Amendment into law in the city of Heŕibeŕija, which would officially make what has hitherto been the Corridor Security Zone into the province of Ekialdebeŕija, ending the system of "two laws" where the Lemovician population would be subject to Lemovician law while permanent residents and other foreigns are subject to martial law.

Chairman of the Presidency Arin Munićića declared that "since the Second Amendment passed the National Assembly of the State of Lemovicia, and has been sent to the provinces, we have seen the northern regime refuse to negotiate with the government of Lemovicia in good faith. They have refused all offers to mediate, instead insisting on an unrealistic precondition that would sever our road links to the Miersan Federative Council Republic and leave us at the mercy of the north who knowing their past record will strangle us and hinder our ability to live."

"Just as we have been at the mercy of the north to act in good faith, the people in Ekialdebeŕija have wanted to be fully equal to their friends, their families, and their colleagues in the other provinces of the Lemovician nation," Arin Munićića said. "And in these times, it is clear that the security of the Lemovician nation depends not on maintaining the status quo, but treating the residents in Ekialdebeŕija as Lemovician as someone in Topagunea."

"What finally motivated us to act now and ensure that Ekialdebeŕija becomes the eighth province of Lemovicia is the decision by the northern regime to deploy their troops to positions along our borders, alongside our borders, as well as their borders with the Socialist Republic of Champania and the Miersan Federative Council Republic," Arin Munićića said. "We are thankful for support from the Miersan government, who are committed to supporting us in our fight against imperialism."

"While the Lemovician government still wants peace with the northern regime, while it still wants peaceful relations and to avoid war, because the northerners have made numerous unreasonable demands and moving the goalposts whenever we sought to accept conditions," Arin Munićića stated, "the Lemovician government is undoubtedly sceptical as to whether or not the northern regime will ever accept peaceful relations with the Lemovician nation."

"Therefore, if the choice is between the will of the Lemovician people and the will of the northern bourgeoisie who want to exploit our resources and destroy our culture, then we will, eleven times out of ten, always follow the will of the Lemovician people," Munićića declared. "And the will of the Lemovician people wants Ekialdebeŕija to become a province of the Lemovician nation!"

Comments [ 13,669 ] |

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by **-AlEmAnNiA-** » Sat Sep 18, 2021 8:23 pm

by **Azmara** » Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:39 am

RESULTS: HARALD ALEKSSUN NARROWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF AZMARA DESPITE PLURALITY FOR ALAN FREISSUN IN FIRST ROUND
After votes for other candidates were reallocated, Alekssun was elected President with 51.9% of the vote to Freissun's 48.1%.

Ana Jonsdohter (@anajdohter)
^{12 Aug 2021 | Aalmsted, Azmara}

The 54-year-old marine biologist and conservationist speaking to the press this morning..

AALMSTED, AZMARA – In the closest presidential election since the "depoliticisation" of the post under the Basic Law of 1933, Dr. Harald Erykssun has been elected to succeed Maarija Ryginsdohter as the President of the Commonwealth of Azmara and will be officially sworn in as President tomorrow.

Alekssun, who described himself as "not a natural politician", led many initial opinion polls for the first round, yet was ultimately beaten into second place on the first round as increased scandals over candidate Jon Aodhanssun's business ventures and taxation caused his support to decrease in favour of prominent media personality Alan Freissun, who would ultimately come first in the first count of votes with 35.1% of the vote ahead of Alekssun's 32.2%.

Exit polls of the race released at 20:00 Euclean Summer Time correctly predicted this result, yet forecasted the second round to be "too close to call" with both candidates at around 50% of the vote leading to speculation of the requirement of multiple recounts. However, as the preferences of other candidates in the race were redistributed, the gap between the two closed further than predicted, with the result coming clear after the elimination of third-placed Kaþeriina Eryksdohter, whose 20.3% of initial votes and the 3.1% of votes that had been reallocated to her being reallocated to Alekssun by a 70-30 margin.

The race's unusually close result has been attributed to a "politicisation" of the race, with each of the three lead candidates being considered to be aligned with particular social views - Alekssun's environmentalist credentials appealed to socially progressive voters, Freissun's populist attitude, charismatic persona and history of controversial remarks appealed to those with a more conservative sense of Azmaran national identity and to many working class voters and Eryksdohter's academic background and association with former Thingspeaker Eryk Jorśsun appealed simultaneously to many middle-class voters and many economic leftists.

Despite Alekssun's status as a lay member of the Green Party, the candidates do not particularly match up to the Azmaran party system - demographic polling suggests that each of the three candidates got support from a significant chunk of 2020 Workers' Party voters - yet their nature of pulling in a specific voter base and working to appeal to it is unlike typical presidential elections, especially compared to both 2009 and 2015 where one candidate easily emerged as a consensus candidate due to their political independence and pragmatism.

Both Freissun and Eryksdohter have released statements conceding defeat in the election, with Eryksdohter emphasising the need for the country to "come together", while Freissun wished Alekssun luck and hinted at a potential run for the Landsmot in 2023, saying that his political career "was not over". Outgoing President Maarija Ryginsdohter also gave her congratulations to Alekssun and reiterated that serving as President had been the "honour of a lifetime".

Alekssun himself has said that he was "shocked" by the news of his election yet would "do his all" to be a President for "every Azmaran". It is reported that he has resigned his membership of both the Green Party and the Professional Workers' Union in order to comply with the restriction against Presidents being active members of political parties, trade unions, employers' organisations or other political groups.

20848 comments

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Opinion: It is a moral imperative for our Government to condemn West Miersan imperialism. [ 5047 ]

by **Etruria2** » Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:38 pm

Mastromarino edges out win in first TV debate
Despite debate sinking into a vicious free-for-all, the SD leader came out on top narrowly beating President Francesco Carcaterra
ETRURIA VOTA 2021 by Emilio Farinacci

23 September , 2021

Mario Cesare Zappieri has emerged as the most controversial candidate of the election.

The SD’s Chiara Mastromarino was crowned the winner of the first televised debate of the election hosted by Orrizonte24, President Francesco Carcaterra came a close second. The debate was highly acrimonious, with Mastromarino under near constant attack from President Francesco Carcaterra and Citizens’ Mauro Cesare Capra.

The first debate of the election hosted by Orrizonte24’s formidable Lucia Dellera saw President Francesco Carcaterra (MT/SPTO), Chiara Mastromarino (SD), Mauro Cesare Capra (AC) and Vittore Eugenio Agrella (FPS) face off in a relatively well organised and formatted setting. An audience of 1,300 people were selected to equally represent the political parties invited.

The debate was criticised by the hard-left party, Popular Renewal for its failure to invite its leader, Aurelia Favazza, while inviting V.E Agrella from the FPS, despite both parties falling below the 5% threshold for PR seats – the nominal benchmark for debate appearances.

President Carcaterra comes out fighting as SD and CA bicker

The President came out fighting tough on the first question of the night, regarding the economy. He told the audience that, “while issues remain, this government keeps its promises and delivers real change. We’ve done more to reform the nation than any government since the Restoration, you can put faith in the Tribune Movement to overhaul our economy so that it rewards the hardworking and industriousness of the Etrurian people.”

The SD’s Chiara Mastromarino attacked the Tribunes for “being utterly complacent or rather, indifferent to wage stagnation, rising cost of living, rising homelessness and hardship. I am not sure what is worse, the government being utterly incompetent or indifferent.”

Capra attacked the Tribune government’s economic record saying, “they have weaponised personal and family prosperity to forward their draconian religious ideals on the masses. To treat the future of children and young people as a tool for their bizarre view of what Etruria is, is one of the worst transgressions they have committed against the Republic.”

The CA’s Mauro Cesare Capra however, attacked the SD for offering “nothing but the tired and dreary platform of pre-2016 Etruria, the very same policies that caused our economic issues and gave us this government. I am shocked to see that five years on the SD are still incapable of taking responsibility for their mistakes and errors.”

This sparked a bitter clash between the two and the side-lining of the FPS’ Agrella.

Mastromarino criticised the CA for “failing in its sacred duty as the party of opposition to resist the government. Our decaying institutions and our democracy being on life support is the sole legacy of the Citizens’.”

Capra retorted that, “the SD lacks the moral integrity to take responsibility for its own errors simply because Signora Mastromarino was Prefect of Chiastre as her party aided and abetted the Federalists in stealing millions from Etrurians under Miraviglia. This is not leadership material.”
The clash between the opposition parties left President Carcaterra as the only party leader to actually detail their party’s economic agenda, he lauded the rent freezes, minimum wage boost and the ban on buy to let as a “step toward guaranteeing a fair future for our society.”

Vicious spat over democracy and the constitution

The question about how the parties would approach the constitution, due to the high numbers of amendments over the past five years, saw the leaders rip pieces out of each other, rhetorically of course.

President Carcaterra answered first saying, “Including the EC referendum, our democracy has been maturing and changing for six years. We have seen a transfer of power from a elite that has held the people in contempt for decades, to the people. Our commitment to seeing the Republic become true to itself in serving the people will continue unabated.”

He quickly attacked the SD and CA however for “daring to come here and parade themselves as gatekeepers of democracy when they both now have a taste for boycotts and sabotaging democracy. The people watching this I am sure will choke on your affirmations.”

This led to both Capra and Mastromarino interrupting one another as they attempted to criticise the President, forcing Derella to intervene.

“I won’t be taking any cues on what must be done to protect our liberal democracy from the Citizens, who can’t even exercise their duties as party of the opposition” Mastromarino said.

Capra for his part attacked the SD for “relying on a constituent assembly to produce a new constitution, when ours is sacred from the blood lost writing it under the junta.”

The FPS’ Agrella backed Mastromarino’s call for a constituent assembly, “I think a body that is non-partisan dedicated to a new constitution, that establishes Etruria once more as a vibrant democracy is vital. The damage wrought by this government can be repaired, but we must be brave in trusting those outside our parties.”

Immigration at least unites the opposition

On immigration, the opposition parties united in traducing the Tribune Movement.

Capra said, “the Citizens’ would reform immigration to provide opportunities to the deserving and hopeful.” He went on to attack the Tribunes for spreading “hideously racist conspiracy theories, hatred and ignorance.”

Mastromarino called the Tribunes’ immigration policies as “a stain upon Etruria’s character, that has brought the condemnation of the Pope and the decent peoples of Euclea”, while she said the SD would “ensure that Tsabaran refugees may find a safe sanctuary in Etruria.”

Agrella however, while calling for a cap on immigrants, condemned the “inhumanity” of the Tribune government, accusing them of “abandoning the Sotirian virtue of charity and mercy that would bring tears to the eyes of the Holy Virgin Mother and every Saint.”
President Carcaterra fought back accusing the opposition of having “zero ties to reality.” He accused the FPS of lauding their Sotirian credentials while being blind to the fact that, “by opening the doors and gates, you can virtue signal yourself as a good Sotirian, while at the same time undoing Etruria’s Sotirian character by replacing us with Irfani, Atudites and Zhoists.”

He went as far as to say, “if it is racist, xenophobic to be a proud Etrurian and want Etrurian values, virtues and traditions remain our lodestars, then I am a racist and a xenophobe. The left tonight has laid itself bare, like sheep to the pink cabal in EC, and yet deaf and blind to their own people’s concerns.”

Analysis: A free-for-all, but Mastromarino edges out win

In what was a near constant free-for-all, the first debate offered little in terms of policy detail, but plenty in anger, resentment and the more ideological positions of the leaders. The nature of the debate effectively side-lined Mr. Agrella of the FPS, who often seemed too polite to interject or speak over the other leaders, while the President remained silent, shaking his head as the SD and CA leaders went for each other.

While the SD and CA leaders both attacked the President for his government’s record, they failed to land that special blow. It is unlikely we will see a repeat of the 1994 federal election when the Federalist Niccolo Grassi torpedoed the SD’s Vincenzo Biava’s re-election bid with the cutting line, “the gentleman means well, but knows absolutely nothing.”

At times it appeared the SD and CA leaders were eager to undercut the other’s attack against the Tribune’s record, which will likely infuriate voters and commentators who yearn for a united opposition. With the two fighting against one another, President Carcaterra was able to pose as the statesman.

The only time the President appeared riled was when all three opposition leaders attacked his government over the economy, but his swift move to laud the promise to boost the minimum wage and free rents stabilised his position, seemingly inviting the SD and CA to fight over who was more progressive on equal pay and anti-discrimination.

According to our audience focus group and online poll, Chiara Mastromarino was voted the winner of the debate 47%, followed by President Carcaterra on 45.5%. The focus group praised her composure when facing down her rivals, while also agreeing she posed as a good leader.

The next and final TV debate will be held on 30th September and hosted by ARE.

20848 comments

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