Brukean Elections 2018 (closed)

[Bruke]

Royal Republic Broadcasting ሮያል ሪፑብሊክ ስርጭቱ

This is RRB, the state broadcaster of the Royal Republic of Bruke. We are proud to present, for the first time ever, internationally broadcast coverage of a Brukean election!

(OOC: Please read the links provided to better understand the political parties, important issues, etc. And vote! Your choice could have an influence on who Brukeans choose ...)

[Bruke]

As promised, we will begin reporting on the Brukean elections. We've got plenty of info for you, so stay tuned!

[Bruke]

First, those who are following the election should become familiar with our nation's political parties: They each have different stances on the issues, which this time around are the repeal campaign, membership in free trade agreements, and the revival of state-run companies.

[Bruke]

Here are the party leaders: they each want their party to win control of Parliament. If that happens, they will become Prime Minister.


The current PM, Finhas Motuma of the Liberal Party


Benyam Mekonen, leader of the Nationalist Party


Tamru Negasi, leader of the Royalist Party


Nahum Afewerek, leader of the Social Democratic Party


Rahel Masresha, leader of the Progressive Party


Sefanit Fasika, leader of the People's Party of the Republic

[Bruke]

A picture of a citizen voting in the last election

[Bruke]

Each of the parties will be holding press conferences where foreign journalists can ask the party leaders questions about their stance on the issues. We''ll update you on when they begin.

[Bruke]

Here is an image depicting each party's general ideological leanings:




Learn more about the parties with this helpful summary.

[Adab]

The Empire of Adab
Fluctuat nec mergitur
She is tossed by the waves but does not sink

To: Whoever it may concern, Bruke
From: His Imperial Majesty Tizqar III, Emperor of Adab

Greetings,

We wish to make it known that we have decided to cast our support for Tamru Negasi and the Royalist Party. We believe that Mr. Negasi is the best out of the batch of candidates that you have at this moment and is able to serve capably and admirably as your country's Prime Minister. May peace and prosperity be with your country!

Given at Our Court at the Imperial Palace of Adab.

By His Imperial Majesty's Command.

Signed,
His Imperial Majesty Tizqar III, Emperor
His Highness Inimabakesh al-Tikriti, Minister of Foreign Affairs

[Bruke]

Tamru Negasi, leader of the Royalist Party, has received his first endorsement from abroad. The Emperor of Adab,Tizqar III, has endorsed Negasi, presumably because of his party's staunch support for the monarchy.

Negasi thanked the Emperor today. "I thank the Emperor for his endorsement. As a devoted monarchist, it has been my life's work, like my father and his father before him, to defend the monarchy against those who would seek its removal. It is heartening to see that the cause of monarchism has not died out abroad. I speak for myself and the party when I say, God bless our Royal Republic, and God bless Adab!"

[Darmen]

Darmen supports Benyam Mekonen and the National Party.

[Bruke]

Benyam Mekonen, leader of the National Party, has received his first endorsement from abroad. Darmen has endorsed him and his party.

Mekonen thanked the leader of Darmen today. "I thank the nation of Darmen for its endorsement. This shows that national sovereignty, traditional values, and protection of one's heritage is favored by others, not just myself and my party."

[Sapientia Et Bellum]

Dear People of Bruke,

The Serene Republic Of Sapientia Et Bellum, on order of Speaker Of The Republic - Adonis Dragoumis, officially endorses Finhas Motuma of the Liberal Party in the current election. We wish all parties luck within this republican tradition brought about by our Athenian Ancestors. The eyes of the world are upon you.

In the name of Athena,
Patron Of Diplomacy - Nilo Laskaris

[Tomure]

President-elect Mike Lester of the Nation of Tomure endorses Tamru Negasi, leader of the Royalist Party

[Bruke]

Tamru Negasi, leader of the Royalist Party, has received his second endorsement from abroad. The President-elect Mike Lester, of the Nation of Tomure, has endorsed Negasi.

Negasi thanked Lester today. "I thank Mr. Lester for his endorsement. I wish him well as he steps into the role of President of Tomure."

[Bruke]

Finhas Motuma, the current Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, has received his first endorsement from abroad. Sapientia Et Bellum has endorsed him and his party.

Motuma thanked the nation for its support. "Our party is one of liberalism: limited government and maximal liberty! I believe your nation will be pleased with us, and our policies. We wish you and your nation well."

[Bruke]

Immigration and terrorism have become hot button issues recently. Each of the parties have different solutions.

The National Party wants a temporary halt to all immigration while reforms are implemented to require potential citizens to have at least one parent from the country. To combat terrorism, the party favors an aggressive stance, ramping up police raids even in the absence of a warrant.

The Royalist Party supports a points-based immigration system, with extra points given to immigrants who are fluent in English and Amharic, the two national languages. Their policy planks for terrorism are to grant RNIS, the intelligence agency responsible for domestic and foreign spying, expanded surveillance powers and encourage the National Police to better cooperate with provincial police forces.

The Liberal Party favors a first-come, first-serve policy with open borders. The only stipulation is that recent immigrants will be denied access to welfare and other social programs. On terrorism, the party is split between its civil libertarian wing and its more hawkish moderate wing, who each want different responses. The civil libertarians want less surveillance police raids, and military operations abroad. The moderate wing is willing to support more surveillance, but is ambivalent about more police or operations abroad.

The Social Democratic Party favors keeping the current immigration system. But they would provide funding to teach new immigrants English, and allow them access to welfare and other social programs. On terrorism, the party favors capturing suspected terrorists and putting them through a re-education program designed to rid them of their extremist tendencies.

The Progressive Party favors open borders, and generous benefits for new immigrants to help them integrate into the country. In addition to this, the party calls for desegregation efforts by the national and provincial governments. On terrorism, the party supports current policies.

The People's Party of the Republic, as obliged by its party platform, has taken no formal stance on immigration. The party believes that terrorism is the result of what it calls "Brukean neo-imperialism" and will only end if the nation withdraws from foreign conflicts.

[Bruke]

RRB will be doing a series of political profiles on each part of the country. These profiles are intended to help our overseas viewers get a better understanding of the electoral map. Stay tuned!

[Bruke]

[Bruke]

Metropolitan Province was formed in 1983. At that time, East Dub was still part of Dub City. Dub City is Metropolitan Province, and vice versa. It is its largest city... and its only one. Before that time, Dub City was part of Central Province, which included Commodore and what became Wusite County. Dub City was, and still is, the most liberal part of the country. So the split separated the liberal Dub City from the not-as-liberal rest of the province.

For many years, the Social Democratic Party has dominated local and provincial politics. But in recent years, the party had been struggling to keep together its coalition of young people, working-class union members, the middle-class, and upper middle-class professionals. This finally broke in 2010 when its more socially liberal supporters broke away to form the Progressive Party. Working-class voters abandoned the party on mass for the People's Party of the Republic, which had renounced violence in favor of politics.

The Royalist Party has often fallen short of winning in Metropolitan Province, and this became even more true with the formation of the Liberal Party in 2007, which became a base for libertarian conservatives throughout the country and the fiscally moderate, left-leaning upper middle class of Dub City. The more hawkish and ultraconservative branch of the party became the National Party at around the same time, drawing away conservative working-class voters. Yet the Royalists have always managed to win the suburbs of East Dub.

Overall, Metro is left-leaning, because liberal Dub City voters outnumber conservative voters throughout the province, but only slightly. Fiscal issues typically split the left, with Progressives favoring more spending, and the Social Democrats opposing them. Social issues unite both against the Royalists and Nationalists, with Liberals being the swing vote.

[Bruke]

[Freistate]

To: People of Bruke
From: President Visenya Velaryon of the Federal Republic of Freistate

The President Visenya Velaryon in the name of the Federal Republic of Freistate, wishes to publicly endorse Finhas Motuma of the Liberal Party, and sends her best wishes for this democratic tradition to develop in the best way possible.

[Bruke]

Prince Bruce Province, which contains the capital city, is the heart of conservatism, especially social conservatism. The city, Brukeville, is home to the three institutions that form the core base of the Royalist Party: the Crown, the civil service, and the church. This is the home of His Majesty the King: the Royal Palace takes up nearly a quarter of the city. This is the home of the civil service: the Administration Building is where most Ministries and agencies are located. This is the most religiously devout part of the country, with nearly 80% of residents being regular churchgoers. It is also the richest city per capita in the country, which gives Royalists a fundraising advantage on their home turf.

Before becoming a province, Prince Bruce was the Capital District. The residents demanded representation, and when they got it a flood of middle-class and upper middle-class people, soldiers, civil servants, and pensioners flooded into the area. The newcomers turned the sleepy backwater into a thriving city, and set off a cycle: Brukeville became the preferred home of conservative Brukeans, while left-leaning Brukeans headed to Dub City.

Today, the only challenge to Royalist dominance is the Liberal Party, which deemphasizes social issues in favor of fiscal ones. Social Democrats and Progressives are confined to the campus of the Royal University, and Nationalists are only a factor in the lower-income Tailor's District.

[Bruke]

Finhas Motuma, the current Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, has received his second foreign endorsement. President Visenya Velaryon of Freistate has endorsed him and his party.

Motuma thanked Velaryon for her support. "I would like to thank the President for her support, and I hope for continued friendship between our countries if I am re-elected."

[AquilaJordyn]

The Royal Seal Of The Dynasty

AquilaJordyn
The Stoic Catholic Monarcracy
"Ad Altare Dei"

From the desk of the Royal Secretariat to the Queen Patrician.
To: The People of Bruke.
From: Queen Patrician Sophia Eliabeth Attalid I, Lord of Neos Hellas:
" To the Bruke people, I should say I myself am not a Bruke. My husband is not a Bruke, and my children are not Brukes. But I hope, for the sake of the Bruke people, that you will choose the righteous, truly progressive decision and vote Royalist, vote Tamru Negasi. It might be said: How can the Royalists be progressive. I say: Who said Rahel Masresha & her progressive party are progressive? I think true progress comes from those who suggest the right thing be done. I will stand by & observe Mr. Negasi, praying he makes the right decisions if elected Prime Minister, praying he treads a line between Masresha & Mekonen. I sincerely hope for Bruke to continue on the truly righteous path. May God be with you, and dare I say, Emmanuel!"

[Bruke]

Tamru Negasi, leader of the Royalist Party, has received his third endorsement from abroad. The Queen Patrician Sophia Eliabeth Attalid I of AquilaJordyn has endorsed Negasi.

Negasi thanked the Queen today. "I thank Her Majesty today. I have seen again and again this election season that although many in my country are ambivalent towards the monarchy, there are some like myself who still hold true to their King, their God, and their Country. It seems this is true in other places as well. God bless Her Majesty, and may God continue to bless her people."