33 Provinces in 33 Days (News Thread in Laeral, Open)

[Laeral]

OOC: Apologies to everyone for my recent inactivity. Real-life has been interfering again. Thanks to everyone who's role-played in the thread since my last update. I'm working on Day 28 and I hope to post it within a few days.

[Laeral]

Day Twenty-Eight: A Matriarch in Minsheng
December 18, 2018

Filial piety, or respect for one's family and elders, remains a powerful cultural force in much of Laeral. Yeung Fen, 79, is the matriarch of her large extended family. Traditionally, family elders wouldn't need to work, instead living off of the earnings of the younger generations while dispensing sage advice and managing domestic tasks. The economic recession of the early 2010s, however, has upset many of these traditional roles. Not only have Yeung's relatives been less able to provide for her and her ailing husband, property taxes on the family's sprawling siheyuan (courtyard house) in Lushui have skyrocketed as the area is bought up by developers. Laeral's welfare safety net, while extensive in other ways, assumes that elders with large families will be supported by their relatives. And so Yeung Fen and her husband Yeung Jun have been forced to take up work part-time. Yeung Jun does calligraphy and Yeung Fen does matchmaking for young couples, placing both of them squarely into the category which economists and politicians call the 'cultural (or red-collar, from the traditional color of good fortune) economy', providing goods and services based on Laeralian traditional culture. Yeung herself is hired by parents hoping to find a match for their children, or sometimes the children themselves. She draws upon her connections with other family matriarchs to find prospects. "We aren't in the business of arranged marriages," she says. "We take the suitor's wishes into account, of course, as well as those of the parents and elders, in order to find a good match for clients. And clients are never forced into marriage." She notes that "it's really not very different from online dating, or the matchmaking services wealthy people use".

Yeung Fen's opinion carries a great deal of weight within her family. While in past, politicians have decried the practice of "family voting", the possibly-mythical phenomenon of members of Rén families all voting for the same candidate, the Liu campaign has focused on sending representatives to meet with "familial influencers". A well-dressed young man from the New Democrats came to visit Fen and her husband several days ago, bearing with him campaign posters and pamphlets for Liu Mei-han. Yeung has already tacked up some of the posters on her house's walls. "There's no question about it, I'm voting for Liu," she says. "I've never been so certain of my vote in my life." She's already been spreading the word to her family members.

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Minsheng province is rural, cold, and mountainous. The majority of towns are clustered in the immense valleys of the province, while farming remains a major industry. Minsheng's Delegates are a Progressive and a Populist (LPP), while the First Minister is a Progressive who governs with the help of the New Democrats. Minsheng went for Liu in the first round of the presidential election, thanks in part to an extensive campaigning effort bolstered by one of the strongest NDA voter turnout operations in the north. The province, historically Progressive-led, is now expected to largely give votes to the New Democrats, although the Progressives and the LPP retain a foothold.

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Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 48% (+2)
Governor Liu Mei-han: 46% (+0)
Undecided/None: 6%

Le Laeralien: Laeral Will Send Athletes to Olympic Games

La Sentinelle: Liu: Vendorme "Will Take Us Backwards"

Le Pays: Vendorme Campaign Experiences Cyberattack; Effects Uncertain

Les Couloirs: Nury Moves To Consolidate Hold on Socialist Leadership

Le Stylo: Will Your Vote Be Counted? Read our handy background guide/flowchart to find out!

[Laeral]

Liu Mei-han (@LiuMei-han)
Just now from Hanshui, Neidong

我非常高興得到Conternian總理Etan Bloomberg的支持：“Laeral在這次選舉中面臨一個明確的選擇，在兩個未來之間：一個由恐懼，迷信和暴行定義的未來，或者一個進步，平等和善良的未來。看到後者體現在劉美涵省長身上，劉梅涵是她的國家忠誠的僕人，也是社會中弱勢群體的正義和權利的前任倡導者。“今天我也非常高興見到漢水的警察和支持者，因為我制定了更安全的社區和更好的警察與社區關係的計劃。
Je suis très heureux de recevoir l'aval du Premier Ministre Conternien Etan Bloomberg: <<Laeral est confronté à un choix clair entre deux futurs: un avenir défini par la peur, la superstition et la brutalité, ou un progrès, une égalité et une gentillesse. I voir cette dernière incarnée dans la gouverneure Liu Mei-han, loyale servante de son pays et ancienne défenseure de la justice et des droits des personnes vulnérables dans la société.>> J'ai également été très heureux de rencontrer la police et ses sympathisants à Hanshui aujourd'hui, alors que je présentais mon plan pour améliorer la sécurité des quartiers et améliorer les relations entre la police et la communauté.
I'm very glad to receive the endorsement of Conternian PM Etan Bloomberg: "Laeral faces a clear choice in this election, between two futures: a future defined by fear, superstition and brutality, or one of progress, equality, and kindness. I see the latter embodied in Governor Liu Mei-han, a loyal servant of her country and an erstwhile advocate for justice and the rights of the vulnerable in society." I was also very happy to meet with police and supporters in Hanshui today, as I laid out my plan for safer neighborhoods and better police-community relations.

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Del. Damien Vendorme (@damien_vendorme_english)
Just now from Rilos, Cenefort

I just read on "Le Pays": a student at Gauvain Intermediate School in Garnier, Harcour, is in a coma after being beaten by classroom bullies. As parents, we can't let this happen to our nation's children. MAJOR disciplinary changes are needed. School uniforms. More leeway for teachers to enforce their authority. Qualified teacher hiring and dismissal. As President, I will FIGHT for our childrens' wellbeing. No more tolerance for bullying.
#vendorme2018

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[Laeral]

Day Twenty-Nine: A Farmer in Minzu
December 19, 2018

Imari Goro is a farmer, 48, living in rural Minzu province. Imari is a Gao, a member of an ethnic group making up roughly 4% of the Laeralian population. His parents were refugees, who fled the across the border to Laeral to escape the brutal Park regime which governed the neighboring nation of High Fells. Imari now grows wheat on his family farm, carved from immense terraces in the mountains. "It's a hard life sometimes," Imari says, "but it's very beautiful, and very satisfying to make things grow." His farm's been doing well lately. A series of productive harvests have led to substantial profits, which he's reinvested in hiring new farmhands so he can spare his daughter to attend college (Minzu Provincial University, Agricultural Sciences major).

Imari voted for Hsieh Pai-han in the first round of the presidential election. "He's willing to speak truth to power, and he understands our western values," Imari says. "Sure, I'd prefer if he were a bit more polite sometimes, but that's just him being blunt and honest." Imari intends to vote for Damien Vendorme in the second round, but vote for the Laeral Unbowed! list for the Assembly of Commons. "I'd prefer to be seeing Hsieh's name on the presidential ballot, but Vendorme's better than Liu. I don't trust her at all. She's very suspicious, with how she came crawling out of the woodworks to start her own party which she promises is different from the Progressives. Maybe she's an opportunist, maybe she's a puppet of the Progressives. Either way, you just can't trust her. And we are so far apart on social issues, with her wanting to tax everything and spend it everywhere."

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Minzu province, mountainous and sparsely-populated, is notable for it's large Gao population, numbering around 30% of the province's half a million residents. Gao voters tend to lean rightward, due to the former Park regime's leftward stance. Minzu is also largely rural. These demographic factors have led to a period of domination by the Laeralian right, with Minzu going for Vendorme in the presidential first round. Currently, the Provincial Assembly is governed by an LPP-Laeral Unbowed! coalition, while Governor Luo Tai is of the LPP. Governor Luo is running for re-election, currently leading in polls by over 20 percentage points.

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Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Governor Liu Mei-han: 48% (+2)
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 47% (-1)
Undecided/None: 5%

Le Laeralien: Racially-Charged Political Messages Spread Across Social Media

La Sentinelle: Can Progressives Cling to Commons Seats?

Le Pays: Liu-Vendorme Contest Within Polling Margin of Error

Les Couloirs: Liu Slight Favorite in Presidential Election

Le Stylo: Celebrity Death Spate: Are Poisoners the Culprits?

[Thermodolia]

Thermodolian National News

President Breaks Silence on Election

Today Jacob Zarman broke his silence, and a long held tradition, on the election in Laeral. For the first time in decades a sitting president of Thermodolia has decided to get involved in foreign elections and endorse a candidate.

The president has announced that he endorses Delegate Damien Vendorme for the president of Laeral. Saying, “The people of Laeral deserve better than what Governor Liu has to offer.”

We reached out to the prime minister for comment however his office has yet to respond

[NS Taiwan China]

:
President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier William Lai Ching‑te of NS Taiwan China.
The one and only True China.

While you are a made up named nation and not a real world or regional world named nation, their aren't any Laeral legal foreign nationals in our nation for obvious reasons, but our nation and people support you, according to a national elections poll in our nation, by 55 % of all eligible voters support, when you win the election we will establish close, economic, political, cultural, tourist and military diplomatic relations with Laeral, we have already chosen an ambassador to your nation with his staff.

We have been in friendly diplomatic contact with our natural allies, the USA, Brazil, Hungary, Israel and Miami Shores, under President Donald J Trump, President Jair Bolsonaro, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, President Bibi Benjamin Netanyahu and President Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Vice President Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and we will all establish close economic, political, cultural, tourist and military diplomatic relations with Laeral once you become President, they have already chosen their ambassadors and staffs to your nation.

:
Damien Vendorme.
Laeralian People's Party.
Conservative Right Winger.

We hope and trust once you become President of Laeral you will recognize NS Taiwan China as the one and only true China. We consider you the Trump, Viktor Orbán and Jair Bolsonaro of Laeral to Make and Keep Laeral Great Again.

Policies:
-Taxes: Lower income taxes especially on the wealthy, cut corporate tax in order to spur economic development. Increase tariffs slightly to protect domestic industry.

-Healthcare: Improve medical schools in Laeral, while removing restrictions on health insurance companies. Welcome immigrants with medical training. Prevent medical workers and paramedics from striking. Promote religious and non-profit care providers as an alternative to government health care.

-Education: Make it easier to create charter schools while giving more control of the educational system to provincial government. Promote the use of school uniforms. Cut the role of race as a factor for university admission, while expanding the number of National Open Universities to prevent elitism.

-Foreign policy: Cut foreign aid spending and funding for Laeralian diplomats abroad. Stay in UN, WA, and IDU, but cut funding to the missions in those nations. End certain free trade agreements to promote domestic industry.

-Energy: Retain largely as current, including continuing to use nuclear power. End subsidies for alternative fuels and energy to focus on “tried and tested means of energy production”.

-Military and Justice: Increase military spending and research. Create more military bases overseas in strategic locations. Increase number of police officers while increasing punishments for attacking police. Enact strict anti-gang legislation.

-Immigration: Switch from offering immigrants citizenship to offering temporary work visas. Decrease the number of incoming immigrants.

-Infrastructure: Increase spending on rural infrastrucetur.
President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier William Lai Ching‑te of NS Taiwan China.
The one and only True China.

Damien Vendorme.

Lady President Tsai Ing-wen and Premier William Lai Ching‑te of NS Taiwan China.
The one and only True China.

[Laeral]

Day Thirty: A Day Worker in Cenefort

I was talking to Alexis Pein, a 27-year old Arrivée man, outside his parents' farm in Cenefort when his phone rang, and The Internationale, the traditional rallying song of communists and socialists the world over, began to play in the original French. Debout, les damnés de la terre/Debout, les forçats de la faim! [Arise, the damned of the earth/arise the prisoners of famine!] With a sheepish expression on his face, he silenced it and kept walking through the snow towards the barn. I've always believed that a man's ringtone tells you a lot about his character (I let my eight year-old daughter set mine, which is why it's now "Heartbeat" by teen pop sensation Jane Tao). Back inside the farmhouse, Alexis shows me pictures from his earlier involvement in politics. As a toddler, he wears a "Nury '96" t-shirt at a rally for the Socialist presidential candidate while being hoisted on the shoulders of a young man, presumably his father. As a teenager, Alexis poses with a group of people holding a banner reading "Cenefort Socialist Youth". And then there's a shot from 2010, where a college-aged Alexis grins at the camera from where he's stuffing envelopes at a campaign headquarters for Emilien Doucet, the Socialist candidate who lost to Nicholas Brennan. "I've really been a lifelong Socialist," Alexis said. "If it wasn't already clear. I still subscribe to Quotidien Socialiste, even." [the Socialist party newspaper]

But this election cycle, Alexis hasn't been as active as in past. "I honestly couldn't find a job after I graduated," Alexis said. "No matter how hard I tried. So now I'm on unemployment benefits, and I live here." 'Here' is his parents' farm, in rural Cenefort. It's a pleasant enough place, with geese and ducks, a scenic farm, and fields of wheat which Alexis's father assures me is 'beautiful' during the harvest season. Right now, it's just a bunch of stubble covered in a thin layer of snow. "I was active in the primaries," Alexis says, carrying a bucket of feed for the ducks. "We had some of the most exciting in party history this cycle. I voted for Gao Heng [the furthest-left candidate], since I felt he was what our party needed. And then there was the convention, and then Nury was our candidate. I wasn't thrilled about him, but I voted for him anyway. Better him than anyone else." I mention Nury's gaffe next. After leading the Socialists' worst electoral showing in generations, Nury called it a "rebuilding year" for the party. His 'special relationship' with Sanctarian Prime Minister Charlene Hendry was personally rebutted in a major interview, leading to no end of mockery and satirical memes (think Nury and Hendry texting one another, with Nury writing "You up for dinner tonight?" and Hendry replying "New phone. Who dis?"). Alexis grimaces at those. "I really think that we need to be throwing Nury out after the elections. Honestly, just about anyone could be doing better, and I hope that our next leader will be." As we walk back to the farmhouse together, breath steaming in the cold air, Alexis tells me he'll be voting in the second round. "We need every vote to hang on to as many Commons seats as we can. We're being squeezed by the New Democrats, plus the Radical Left party on our left flank, so every vote counts. I'll probably vote for Liu in the presidential election, since she's the least-worst. As long as I can stomach it, I guess." However the second round turns out, Alexis still knows that he won't be leaving his parents' farm anytime soon.

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Despite several decades of emigration, Cenefort province is still one of the larger ones in Laeral, home to five million Laeralites and the grimy industrial city of Rilos. Much like in neighboring Meilinis, the unions have historically been strong here, with most elections a battle between the unionized workers of Rilos's downtown and suburbs and the rural farmers of upstate Cenefort. Largely Arrivée, Catholic, and working-class, the province is run by a Conservative First Minister, while the provincial Senate is Conservative-dominated and the Provincial Assembly is governed by a Conservative-Progressive coalition. Long a Conservative stronghold, Damien Vendorme was able to capture the province in his sweep of the northeast during the first round. Both Liu and Vendorme have since campaigned in the province before the second round.

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Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Governor Liu Mei-han: 49% (+1)
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 47% (+0)
Undecided/None: 4%

Le Laeralien: Vendorme Hopes For Rural Surge From Base

La Sentinelle: NDA Down-ballot Candidates Complain Of 'Abandonment' By Party Leaders

Le Pays: Brennan: Foreign Interference Threat "Very Serious Concern"

Les Couloirs: Thermodalian President Endorses Vendorme

Le Stylo: Jane Tao's Latest Song: Is It Toooo Catchy?

[Lauchenoiria]

 

Josephine Alvarez (@JosieAlvarezLiberal)
Just now from Buttercity, Lauchenoiria

As the second part of the election in Laeral draws near, I'd like to remind everyone, but especially Laeralites, that voting is so important in safeguarding democracy. I would encourage all Laeralites to participate in the political process, regardless of how they intend to vote. In my opinion, the right choice is Liu Mei-han, but ultimately it is up to the people of Laeral. I hope whoever wins, we can strengthen ties between our two nations.

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Paul Doberman (@PaulDobermanLF)
Just now from Seahaven, Lauchenoiria

Even President Brennan will admit that there are foreign forces meddling in Laeral's election! Laeralites should be VERY suspicious, particularly of Kerlile who have shown that they are meddling in foreign affairs these days. Kerlile will stop at NOTHING to stop Damien Vendorme winning, and if he loses we should all be very suspicious. He will put Laeral first just as I put #LauchenoiriaFirst

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[Kerlile]

Official statement from the Council of Kerlile

The Council refutes all allegations that the Matriarchy of Kerlile has been interfering in the election process of Laeral. The democratic processes of the patriarchal countries are of little interest to the Matriarchy, and we are shocked and abhorred at the allegations made. We would like to remind other nations that they frequently claim we produce ‘propaganda’ against them, while doing exactly the same thing against us. The Council of Kerlile wishes all female candidates in the Laeralian election the best of luck.

[Ru-]

King Yoshio (@realkingyoshio)
Just now from New Ru City, Ru

Very satisfied that President Brennan has been treating the foreign interference situation with the seriousness it deserves. Clearly, we made the right call to turn the investigation fully over to his government. It's in very, very good hands.

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[Laeral]

Del. Damien Vendorme (@damien_vendorme_english)
Just now from Althea, Loiraine

Liu Mei-han is always talking about how she grew up in public housing in Hanshui. Mei-han says she was hard-off. But was she really? Little known FACT: Liu inherited M18,000 from her ultra-rich grandmother when she was ten years old, and kept it in a secret bank account. Her degrees are from Sun Jia-Wei NOU, and then SciencePol. Very bougie. She's just as much an elite as Tanvi Misra, no matter how she tries to hide it.
#crazyrichliu #vendorme2018

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Liu Mei-han (@LiuMei-han)
Just now from Fengwei, Jianguo

-我全力支持捍衛個人權利委員會，進步法律辯護委員會和Rén選民聯盟提出的新訴訟，以重新開放Harcour和Therese的投票站，由全國選舉委員會下令關閉。雖然NEC聲稱這是為了降低成本，但封閉的投票站對Rén和貧困選民產生了不成比例的影響。我們將努力確保這些電台在選舉日開放。如果您無法前往投票站，請前往accèselectorale.liumeihan.org乘車前往投票站。
-Je soutiens pleinement le nouveau procès intenté par le Conseil pour la Défense des Droits Individuels, le Comité de Défense Légale Progressiste et la Ligue des électeurs Rén pour réouvrir les bureaux de vote à Harcour et Therese la fermeture ordonnée de la Commission électorale nationale. Alors que le NEC prétend qu'il s'agit de réduire les coûts, les bureaux de vote fermés affectent de manière disproportionnée les électeurs Rén et les électeurs pauvres. Nous allons nous battre pour que ces stations soient ouvertes pour le jour des élections. Si vous ne pouvez pas vous rendre à un bureau de vote, rendez-vous à l'adresse accèselectorale.liumeihan.org pour vous rendre aux urnes.
-I'm putting my full support behind a new lawsuit advanced by the Council for the Defense of Individual Rights, the Progressive Legal Defense Committee, and the League of Rén Voters to reopen the polling stations in Harcour and Therese ordered closed by the National Election Commission. While the NEC claims that this is to cut down on costs, the closed polling stations disproportionately affect Rén and poor voters. We will fight to ensure that these stations are opened for election day. If you can't get to a polling station, go to accèselectorale.liumeihan.org for a ride to the polls.

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[Yohannes]

-+-PUNCH CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-+-

Maréchal-Le Men
Parliament House
ONLINE

Wrote a shout out just a while ago:

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“A city and community of people that both represent the best about the Allied States of Laeral’s scientific history and civilisation have been attacked by those who wanted to bring one of our closest trading partners back to the worst kind of pre-industrial barbarism, and the Yohannes First Party must stand with the people of Laeral. We condemn the December assaults on civilisation, freedom and peace by political extremists in the strongest possible terms. I commend the promise made by Delegate Damien Vendorme to pursue and bring to justice the offenders behind this national act of wickedness.

Let us remember why and how these assaults on freedom take place. The perpetrators behind Cordeliers do not just want to assault the freedom of peace-loving citizens. Instances such as Cordeliers show that they want to strike fear and trepidation on all citizens of civilised nation-states beyond the International Incidents—just like Homofront in New Edom and Bluepeace in Yohannes, which have tainted the name of forward-thinking conservationists and the peaceful lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender plus movement. It is wrong. It is unfair. And it fills me with heartache.

Terrorist in Cordeliers; terrorists from Homofront and Bluepeace—they win when we admit defeat to the fear and sense of trepidation that they try to bring. They win when we try to strike back with equal anger. They win when we attack and turn on those who have been misrepresented by these extremist organisations. They win when our only response is vengeance. They win when we try to abandon our open-mindedness to Change and try to portray all freedom-loving lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as bad people; or all environmentalists and conservationists as our enemies; or all cultural traditionalists in Laeral as backward bigots. They win when we generalise an entire group of people as one.

But this is wrong. It is when we feel to exact revenge that our humanity must take over: to show that we are loving and just people—the faith taught by the Lord Jesus Christ the son of God to his apostles.”

—@Maréchal-Le Men Parliament House in response to “Yohannes Decides: International Student Problem” issue #204,130.

#LaeralYohannesFriendship #NationStates2019

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-+-PUNCH CORPORATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED-+-

[Ru-]

King Yoshio (@realkingyoshio)
Just now from New Ru City, Ru

I like Damien Vendorme, but I really wish he'd stick to the issues instead of trying to take cheap shots at Liu Mei-Han. Don't you have faith in your policy platform? I for one think it's worth talking about, and I'm certain the common man struggling to get by is far more interested in your plan to help make things better then the latest tabloid gossip.

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[Laeral]

Day Thirty-One: An Educator in Meridoc
At Chatelain Academy in Adelaide, Meridoc, an experiment in democratic governance is taking shape. Philippe Despres is a Grade 11 Social Science teacher at the exclusive private school. "I'm obviously very excited about the opportunity to incorporate the election into our typical government class," Despres says. His Grade 11 curriculum typically tackles the politics and government of Laeral, with limited comparative perspective with regional neighbors High Fells's nonsecular republic, Libertas Omnium Maximus's presidential system, and Sanctaria's parliamentary democracy. This year, however, Despres abandoned his usual curriculum to explore a hands-on recreation of Laeralian politics in the school's Student Council. "We've had a Student Council for years, as most schools do," Despres said. "But it's never been terribly powerful or appealing to students." This academic year, however, it's changed. "I'm the faculty sponsor for Student Council, and we adopted a system based off of the Laeralian government." Student Council, which has limited power over student affairs, now features a Prime Minister, a 30-student Assembly of Commons, and an eight-student General Assembly, with Mr. Despres himself as the President. "It's been a real joyride," Despres said. "The only rule I gave them was to be respectful and not to make any political parties, and rather all stand as independents." As it turned out, the major wedge issue ended up being the school uniform policy. While school uniforms are prohibited in Meridoc public schools, Chatelain Academy retains a uniform, which varies by gender. Anti-uniform students, led by junior and Student Council Prime Minister Clara Wu, managed to force a (non-binding) student referendum on the uniform policy. "I'm the Prime Minister of the Student Council, since Mr. Despres tapped me," Wu says. "Those of us who oppose the uniform policy have a majority in the Assembly of Commons and a strong presence in the General Assembly, and we oppose the uniforms on a variety of grounds. I dislike the inequality it seems to foster between male and female students, with female students given far more demerits for dress code violations than male students. Other students dislike the constraints it seems to place on their freedom of expression." Uniform supporters among the students, however, seem to largely accept school administration's belief that the uniform lowers discipline problems, or believe that free dress for students is inegalitarian. As the referendum, scheduled for the day of the second-round election, nears, other teachers have gotten involved, with the Journalism class writing in-depth articles about the referendum, and the Statistics class conducting polling. "I'm very excited to see how the referendum turns out," Mr. Lespres says, "and I'm glad that the students have gotten so involved in this assignment."

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Meridoc is historically a swing province. Largely Arrivée and industrial, Socialist voters from the city of Adelaide have balanced out Conservatives from the villages of the province. The Provincial Assembly, for instance, is governed by a Socialist-Conservative grand coalition elected in 2014. Yet in Laeral's newly-fragmented political landscape, Meridoc's future seems uncertain. Damien Vendorme won the province in the first round, while the election for Delegate revealed the changes in the province's political makeup. While the LPP's Stephen Delorme was reelected, Socialist Andrieu Lefort went down hard against New Democrat Nicolas Martin, a former Conservative. Although the NDA wave has made itself felt in Meridoc, it is expected that this province will stay in Vendorme's column on Election Night.

Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Governor Liu Mei-han: 48% (-1)
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 47% (+0)
Undecided/None: 5%

Le Laeralien: National Election Commission Report Warns of Foreign Election Interference

La Sentinelle: Liu Raising Money For Court Battle In Event Of Contested Election

Le Pays: Vendorme Makes Pitch to Rén Voters

Les Couloirs: Liu Campaign Outraises Vendorme

Le Stylo: Psychic Reader Reveals Misra's Predator Aura!

[Laeral]

Del. Damien Vendorme (@damien_vendorme_english)
Just now from Cordeliers, Corday

The People's Party will support anti-gang legislation, and put more cops on the streets to protect our neighborhoods and communities. We will stand in solidarity with our police officers, and increase funding for programs to stop gang recruitment at schools. We will speed the confirmation of judges, to create a swifter justice system. We will introduce tougher screening laws for immigrants to prevent crime from entering our nation. We will crack down on the crime syndicates that practically manage our inner cities. We will bring to criminals the punishments they deserve.
And we will prosecute the militants and radicals responsible for killing Christian Zhou and bringing chaos and violence to the streets of Cordeliers. Election Day is in two days. Our opportunity to create a safer Laeral is now.
#ourcops #vendorme2018

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[Laeral]

Day Thirty-Two: A Captain in Carellon
The people of Carellon province are routinely characterized as being fiercely independent, and as rugged as the granite cliffs that overlook the deep blue waters of the lake below. Lake Xueyan (meaning 'snowy cliffs' in Chinese) or Lake Gauvain (after the revolutionary leader and President) is the dominant water feature of Laeral. A massive lake or sea of a size similar to one of Laeral's largest provinces, it denotes Laeral's northeastern border. While it's waters are a prime source of fish, the lake's frigid temperatures have largely discouraged economic development. Hwang Chien-hung* is an old-timer on the lake. Having operated his fishing boat on the lake's waters for over thirty years, he's well familiar with it's currents, rocks, and hazards. But the dangers he's far less familiar with are those on the other side of the lake.

The Littoral Marches and Lake Xueyan, with (moving clockwise) Laeral,
High Fells, Skoden, and Domnomia shown).

A bit of background: a narrow strip of territory on the other side of Lake Xueyan is currently not administered by any nation, although it is variously claimed by Domnomia, Laeral, Skoden, and even High Fells, which lacks a border on the lake. While it goes by a variety of names, a suitably neutral term for the region, preferred by neutral think tanks, is the Littoral Marches. Laeralsford refers to the area as the 'Xueyan Special Administrative Region', and claims to govern the entire territory, with a 'Xueyan Assembly' supposedly governing the region from the resort town of Plaiteaux, Meridoc. But who really controls the Littoral Marches? The territory, covered in dense evergreen forest and rugged mountains, has long been a favored hideout of criminals and renegades. Stories swapped in portside bars along the Laeralian side of the lake tell of secret military operations, criminal hideouts, and troves of buried treasure hidden just across the lake. That last one, at least, is verifiably true. Vast stores of natural gas, so far unexploited, rest deep underneath Lake Xueyan and the Littoral Marches. The Laeralian government moved quickly to seize possession of it. In 2015, Laeral reasserted it's claims of control over the Littoral Marches region, and established the Xueyan Assembly. Although Laeralsford officially denies this, the Laeralian government operates natural gas plants throughout the Littoral Marches, guarded by LNSF soldiers. Meanwhile, Laeralian settlers, officially of their own accord, have moved into the region, establishing settlements along the coast of Lake Xueyan and steadily pressing into the interior. Yet these Laeralian expansion efforts have run into obstacles. Reports indicate that, rather than being uninhabited as initial surveys stated, the 'Xueyan Special Administrative Region' in fact harbors settlers from various nations around the territory, who haven't taken kindly to the Laeralian incursion. Unconfirmed reports even say that the LNSF is facing guerrilla attacks by determined insurgents.

The Littoral Marches, Lake Xueyan

And into this contentious geopolitical situation steps Hwang Chien-hung. The Laeralian settlements within the region are officially unsanctioned by the government, and so Hwang's ship has been contracted to provide supplies to them. Hwang is well paid, and even received a legal dispensation, issued by the Xueyan Assembly, to carry a gun during his delivery trips. He takes cases of supplies, given to him by a broker, and takes them across the lake on his boat, pulling into a natural harbor in the disputed region, where he is met by a group of soldiers wearing Laeralian National Security Force uniform with all insignia removed. He then helps the 'volunteers' transport the supplies along a trail through the woods, although he's not led all the way to the facility. Natural gas is currently taken back to Laeral by commercial oil tankers, although a pipeline across Lake Xueyan has been proposed. What's in the containers of supplies he brings? "Hell if I know," Hwang says. "I don't ask too many questions." He's never seen anyone in the Littoral Marches besides the soldiers who accompany the supply deliveries, although he knows that other Laeralites are similarly employed in transporting supplies across the lake. "It's a real mystery," Hwang says. "Like, they could be doing something with aliens over there across the lake, and we'd never know." Still, Hwang trusts his paymasters. "They always pay me on time, and everything else seems quite aboveboard."

*Astute readers will note that Hwang's name uses an older form of romanization than that commonly used in Laeral. While most Laeralites, and all official business and government documents (including this news article), use the Pinyin system to convert the sounds of Chinese into the English script, Hwang and a sizable proportion of older Laeralites continue to use the outdated Wade-Giles system.

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Carellon, which is rural, Arrivée, and conservative, is dominated by the People's Party, which has an outright majority in the 200-member Parliament. The Progressives are the strongest opposition party, managing to elect the second Delegate from the province simply by being stronger than the other opposition parties. While Parliament is up for election this year, no change in government is expected. The First Minister is broadly popular, even among self-identified Progressives, and analysts expect that the LPP majority will again be delivered by the voters in the new Parliament.

Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Governor Liu Mei-han: 48% (+0)
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 48% (+1)
Undecided/None: 4%

Le Laeralien: Vendorme Campaign Claims Unsuccessful Hacking Attempt on Campaign Servers

La Sentinelle: Fears of Cyberattack Haunt Politicians, Citizens

Le Pays: Vendorme Campaign Allegedly Attacked By Domestic Hackers

Les Couloirs: Brennan Urges Citizens to Beware Foreign Interference, Trust Printed News Sources

Le Stylo: How Far Will Liu Go To Win?

[Laeral]

Day Thirty-Three: A Daughter in Lienne
December 23, 2018

Réne Gramont, President and Prime Minister

It has been argued that no individuals have done more to make Laeral the nation it is today than the so-called “Gang of Five”. In the Laeralian Civil War of 1919-22, the prewar government was overthrown by leftist forces, who established the new Republic of Laeral. The new Social Democratic party, led by Réne Gramont, would dominate the nation’s politics for the next three decades, having a lasting and controversial effect on the nation. Réne Gramont was President for ten years under the Republic and eight years under the Second Allied Provinces, and Prime Minister for several non-consecutive terms under two separate constitutions. During his party’s time in power, he promoted the ‘Five Pillars’ of the new Laeral: Republicanism, Reformism, Socialism, Secularism, and Anti-Imperialism. The Social Democrats’ reforms remain controversial, while Gramont was criticized as authoritarian. When the Republic of Laeral was overthrown in 1954, many of Gramont’s reforms were challenged. Nevertheless, Réne Gramont remains an immensely divisive figure, seen by progressives and many Rén as a hero, while seen as a dictator by many on the right.
Gramont adopted five children in his lifetime, of which only one survives. Annette Gramont, now 96 years old, lives in rural, frigid Lienne province. I found her, in her modest townhouse in Mormount, to ask about her views on the election and her father’s legacy.

“My father was, as I’m sure you know, on the political left,” Annette says. “He was, of course, quite committed to his ideals, of modernization, and he had a firm idea in his mind of the secular, equal republic he was going to create.” She’s sitting on the couch of her house, with papers spread out across the table in front of her. Momentos, letters, pictures. She had been her father’s secretary in life, and received his papers upon his death. She’s the author of several biographies of her father, and a children’s picture book. “And even after his republic fell, he rolled up his sleeves, sort of, and began to work towards his ideas under the new government. And that is the factor that defeats the argument of ‘Gramont was a dictator’. Besides my own knowledge of my father, besides the republic that he established, the crucial piece of the puzzle is that he didn’t oppose the Second Allied Provinces, the government we live under today. He worked towards his ideals within the new system, winning legitimate elections every time.”

And were Réne Gramont alive today, what would he think of the current election? Annette wrinkles her brow at this, as if she hadn’t considered that point before. “Ideologically speaking, he would probably be most aligned with [Prime Minister Tanvi] Misra or [Representative Jean-Pierre] Nury. I know that he would have been proud to see an immigrant as our first woman president, and he would have applauded their commitments to socialism and progress.” Neither Misra nor Nury made it past the first round, and so I press her further. “Liu is a liberal,” she says, “but besides that, I think that my father would have been proud to cast his ballot for her. Her policies are firmly towards the future, and that is the direction my father always chose, if possible. While in his time, he could not get a woman or a Rén elected President, he hoped for the day when that would come to pass. He would have had a few reservations, largely on her uneasy relationship with secular values, but Vendorme is honestly the sort of person my father opposed. Backwards-looking, reactionary. But most of all, I think that my father would see some of himself in Governor Liu. Liu Mei-han inspires people, she gives them a sense of the future, and she makes them hope. My father always did that, and he was much-loved for it. The two of them are in the same vein, and if this is still the same nation my father lived in, then Liu Mei-han will be president tomorrow morning.”

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Lienne, Laeral’s northernmost province, borders the neighboring nations of High Fells and Skoden. While previously a battlefield in several conflicts and a frequent site of terror attacks, Lienne has largely demilitarized from the high point in tensions several decades ago. Now, it’s a northern province of 720,000 that’s aiming to shed its connotations of conflict and attract business. Lienne has leaned rightward for decades, due to both the rural Arrivée population and the soldiers stationed there, but it’s gradually been moving towards the center as the province’s demographics shift. It’s Delegates are a Populist (LPP) and a Conservative, while the LPP controls the Provincial Assembly. Lienne went for Vendorme in the first round, although to a lesser degree than it went for the LPP’s Corinne Pelletier in 2014.

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Latest Polling, from Le Laeralien
Governor Liu Mei-han: 49% (+1)
Delegate Damien Vendorme: 48% (+0)
Undecided/None: 3%

Le Laeralien: Laeralites Go To Vote Nationwide

La Sentinelle: Smaller Parties Fear Vote Drop Without Upper-Ticket Candidates

Le Pays: Polls Show Divided, Fragmented Assembly of Commons

Les Couloirs: Our Predictor: Liu Has 60% Chance of Victory

Le Stylo: Citizens on Campaign Season: “Whatever Happens, At Least It’s All Over”

[Laeral]

Article: "Catching Up With “33 Provinces” Voters"
Adapted from an article from Le Laeralien.
The “33 Provinces in 33 Days” project, hatched by an alliance of news outlets, aimed to interview a voter from each province, while providing general news updates on the campaign, for 33 days leading up to the second-round elections. We now catch up with each of the voters, to see who they’re voting for at the polls today.

Christophe Motin, the fisherman from Brissac, voted for Vendorme in the first round and plans to do so again, as well as voting LPP all the way down the ticket.

Ebru Aydın, the Serrielan immigrant from Lematre, took part in a pro-Misra demonstration following the news of the Serriel Affair. While she can’t vote yet, she’s told her husband to vote Liu for President and Progressive down-ticket.

Liliane Cellier, the college student from Bethune, will of course be voting for the Socialist ticket for the Commons, as she heads a chapter of the Socialist Youth. She’ll also vote Liu in the presidential election, although she’s had trouble convincing her fellow Socialist Youth members not to leave the presidential ballot blank.

Bruno Hetzel, the convicted criminal from Arquien, voted for Errante in the first round. He’s now voting for Vendorme, and plans to vote the LPP ticket for the Commons.

Sébastien Brocard, the optical engineer from Corday, will vote Liu Mei-han for President. He’s unimpressed by her party’s Commons list, and will instead vote for the Progressives, as he has in past.

’Elodie’, the prostitute from Felliere, voted for Misra in the first round, and will vote for Liu now. She’s decided to vote for the Women’s Alliance for the Assembly of Commons, because of their stance on gender issues.

Joël de la Verpillière, the lawyer from Sarene, now freely admits that he voted for Bernard Errante. He’s now reluctantly voting for Vendorme, but he’s voting Conservative down-ballot.

Tanvi Misra still hopes to keep her position as Prime Minister following the elections, although it’s looking extremely unlikely that her coalition will hold a majority. She has been campaigning extensively for the Progressives around Laeral.

Yves Pouliquen, the retiree from Celeste, voted for Vendorme in the first round. He intends to vote for Vendorme again, and for the LPP for the Assembly of Commons.

Damien Vendorme hopes to be the next President of Laeral.

Jean-Pierre Nury looks unlikely to keep his position in the Socialist Party, should the election results tonight turn out as expected. Losing vote share to the Radical Left Party and others, the Socialists will be a marginalized force in the Assembly of Commons. He has yet to resign, however.

Audrey Lemoine-Wang voted for Jean-Pierre Nury in the first round, but will now vote for Liu Mei-han and, unexpectedly, the Green Party list for the Commons. “It was their unabashedly progressive position that convinced me,” she says.

Zhou Tao, a textile sales rep in Enara, will vote for Liu Mei-han for President, and her Alliance party for the Assembly of Commons.

Guillaume Yang will vote for Vendorme, as he did in the first round, and his People’s Party.

Song Xiulan, the teahouse sword-fight reenactor in Meilun, will vote for Liu Mei-han for President and the New Democrats for the Assembly of Commons.

Guan Lei, the bird trapper in Lijiang, voted for Hsieh in the first round but will vote for Liu in the second. He will vote for Laeral Unbowed! for the Assembly of Commons.

Mickaël Yeoh, the film worker and young husband from Jinhua, voted for Liu Mei-han in the first round. His wife Minali voted for Misra. They both now intend to vote for Governor Liu in the second round, although Mickaël will vote New Democrats for the Commons while Minali supports the Progressive list.

Liu Mei-han hopes to become the first female President of Laeral.

Jordan Lacaze didn’t vote in the first round. He’ll vote for Damien Vendorme tonight, but doesn’t think he’ll vote for the Assembly of Commons.

Robert Gauthier, the police officer from Aumont, will vote for Damien Vendorme for President and LPP for Commons.

Bernard Errante has refused to say which candidate he supports for President, but has been campaigning for Conservative down-ballot candidates. Challenges to his party leadership are expected.

Jessica Bernard, the Foreign Service Officer from Laeralsford, will vote her former boss Liu for President and vote the Progressive list for the Assembly of Commons.

Alexis Lu’s union, the General Congress of Electrical Laborers, endorsed Liu Mei-han. He can’t say which candidate he supports, but voted Vendorme in the first round.

Zhao Hua of the Rén Self-Defense League, was present at the street battles in Cordeliers, in which she was lightly wounded. She will vote New Democrats at all levels of the ballot in tonight’s election.

Hsieh Pai-han was glimpsed writing a note to himself reading ‘Liu Mei-han?’, although he has endorsed neither candidate in the second round. He has been campaigning for Laeral Unbowed!

Marie Guan, the electoral worker from Jianguo, will vote Damien Vendorme for President, and the Conservatives for the Assembly of Commons.

Valentin Blanchard, the doctor in Shaoxing, will vote for Liu for President and the Green Party list down-ballot.

Yeung Fen, the family elder from Minsheng, will vote Liu for President and the New Democrats for the Commons.

Imari Goro, the Gao farmer from Minzu, will leave blank his presidential ballot while voting Secular Democrats for the Commons, as a friend of his is on their list.

Alexis Pein, the unemployed young man in Cenefort, will leave blank his presidential ballot in protest, while he’s decided to vote for the Radical Left list for the Commons and Socialist for all other positions. “I want my vote to help be a wake-up call for the Socialist establishment,” he said.

Philippe Despres, the teacher in Meridoc, will vote Liu Mei-han and Progressive down-ballot.

Hwang Chien-hung, the fisherman with a contract to deliver supplies across Lake Xueyan, will vote Vendorme for president and Conservative down-ballot.

Annette Gramont will vote Liu for President and Progressive for the Commons.

[Laeral]

Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Welcome back everyone to today’s live coverage of the Laeralian second-round elections. I’ll be live-posting the election for Les Couloirs throughout the day, right here at @malcomcadiou. Join me!

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

For a recap of what’s at stake: Laeral’s voters go to the polls to elect a new president today. The election’s been dogged by allegations of foreign election interference and a brutal and lengthy campaign with an astonishing number of candidates. From the first round came Delegate Damien Vendorme, of the right-wing Laeralian People’s Party. He’s campaigning on a platform of economic expansion and a return to traditional values; he’s quite the culture warrior. Running against him, on a more optimistic platform that’s been criticized for lacking distinct policy goals, is Governor Liu Mei-han, the founder of a new political party just two years ago, who beat out candidates including the Prime Minister in order to face Vendorme in the runoff.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Also at stake tonight is control of the Assembly of Commons, the lower and slightly more powerful house of Laeral’s legislature. It’s elected via party-list proportional representation, and polls show it being more fragmented than ever before, with as many as 12 parties expected to gain representation. Critics say that the margin for entry, 0.75% of the nationwide vote, isn’t high enough. There’s also elections for provincial and local offices across Laeral.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Joining me tonight to analyze the results as they come in is Lilie Hollande, also from Les Couloirs.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

I’m very glad to be here! My background is in statistics and political science, and I was Chief of Staff for Rep. Jean-Marie Lamy. Yes, the one who was on the Serriel trip with Tanvi Misra. And a quick image from Liu Mei-han’s Setsuzoku feed: she voted earlier today at her home precinct in Neidong.

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[Laeral]

Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

And from the Vendorme campaign, here he is talking with supporters before going to vote. He’s in his own home province of Therese as well, where he’s established his campaign headquarters in Jinyu. His party tonight is directly across the street from the city hall he once ran.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

So before we get into the thick of things, I’d just like to repost my article of a week ago, in which I explain the electoral arithmetic going on in tonight’s election. Worth a read, if you haven’t already. Basically, the Vendorme campaign can’t attract enough crossover support from other parties in order to win, so they’re hoping that the voters who went for left-wing parties in the first round will stay home or spoil their ballot rather than voting Liu.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

I’m largely in agreement with you Malcom, but I’d like to add that I don’t think that strategy of driving down turnout for Liu is going to be effective. Perhaps if Liu were a dull candidate, or if she didn’t have the attributes of being a Rén woman. But Liu is exciting, and her campaign has a spectacular ground game. With her endorsement from leftist leaders such as Zoe Nilsson of the Yohannesian Greens, I think that Vendorme’s strategy just isn’t enough to win on it’s own. He has to attract crossover support, and he’s just too abrasive of a candidate to do so.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

And while Vendorme is abrasive, Liu is less so. In her temperament and demeanor, she reminds people of the nice old lady who lives up the street, while Vendorme can, at his worst, come off as ferocious. I don’t think our first-round Misra and Nury voters are going to have a visceral, knee-jerk vote ‘no’ on Liu. I’m thinking that with the polls we’re seeing, Liu should be favored to win with more than 60-40 odds.

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[Laeral]

Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

I do admit that Liu isn’t abrasive in personality, but I’m also inclined to disagree with those that are predicting a Liu landslide. Sure, Liu has a lot of buzz around her, especially online and internationally, but historically those factors haven’t been as important to victory as one might think. And, while I hate to bring it up, there’s the Soong Effect to consider.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Please, Malcom, not the Soong Effect again! That phenomenon has been overstated to death, and there’s a shocking lack of evidence to support its effectiveness, especially in the modern day.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

For those of you not familiar, the Soong Effect is a political science theory that when an Arrivée candidate competes against a non-Arrivée candidate, polls are likely to show higher support for the non-Arrivée candidate than what actually materializes on election day. Named for Nicolas Soong, whom polls predicted would become the first Rén Governor of Laeralsford before losing unexpectedly on Election Day.
But I do admit I’m biased- I did my master’s thesis on whether the Soong Effect works when Arrivée and Desi candidates run against one another. I concluded that it does, or at least it did two decades ago.

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[DACOROMANIA]

From: Zarus
To: Laeral Public

Interview:
"As a Laeralite I would had choose to vote for Progressive Party, Green Party or New Democratic Alliance party.
Green Party should promote policies for preserving the natural environment. The other two parties I think that are also good and as citizen I would support even an alliance between them. They may also ally with the winner party of Laeral. It depend of the Laeralite parties and their politics what they do.
In my view I think that these ideas may help the Laeral future but I don't know the political view of others.
However I like these three parties rather than others. Cheers!"

Report: Zarus is also a citizen to a foreign nation and recently he became an official assigned in a diplomatic affairs office of that foreign country. Zarus didn't want to tell more on the subject considering that he may not be able to express a clear opinion in his position while or despite that he has citizenship to both countries.

[Laeral]

Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

In Jinhua, an LPP candidate for the Commons has been handing out individual steamed buns to voters in line, wrapped with packaging with his face and campaign advertising on it, including the statement “guaranteed free of pork”, as in pork-barrel spending. Points there for ingenuity!

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

And a brief explanation for our foreign guests about the ballot voters will see tonight:
Laeral uses paper ballots, which are given to each eligible voter at their local polling place. Ballots are available in French and Chinese, with interpreters available. Voters take a ballot and go to a curtained-off booth, where they use a pen to mark in the bubble next to the candidates they support. The ballots are then placed in a ballot box by a poll worker.
At the top of the ballot is the presidential race. Liu Mei-han will appear ahead of Damien Vendorme, in alphabetical order by family name. Damien Vendorme’s name will not appear in Chinese on the Chinese-language ballots, by his campaign’s decision. Instead, it will appear in the Latin alphabet. Liu Mei-han’s name appears as ‘Liu Mei-han’ on the French ballots and 刘 梅翰 on the Chinese ballots. Each candidate has their official party abbreviation behind their name.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

For the Assembly of Commons, each candidate votes for a party ‘list’ of candidates. Each party nominates 386 candidates, one for each seat in the Assembly of Commons. If a party wins X number of seats in the Commons, candidates numbers 1 to X are seated. In other words, candidate #386 on the LPP list has virtually no chance of making it into the Commons. There are 14 parties running lists for the Commons. In order of their appearance on the ballot, those are:
Minjian Appeal
Laeralian Communist Party
Conservative Party
United Right
Women’s Alliance
Laeral Unbowed!
Secular Democratic Party
New Democratic Alliance
Laeralian People’s Party
Progressive Party
Radical Party of the Left
Republican Reform Party
Socialist Party
Green Party/Laeralian Ecology
Don’t expect for all of these parties to make the 0.75% threshold for representation. Also on each ballot are provincial elections for Governor (in some provinces) or the provincial legislature, as well as candidates for municipal (in municipalities) or township office.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

#33Provinces and #LaeralElection are trending on Hespian Setsuzoku, an indication of international interest. And also, President Nicholas Brennan has just voted, at a polling place in Laeralsford. He's endorsed Liu, but hasn't been campaigning for her.

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[Lauchenoiria]

 

Josephine Alvarez (@JosieAlvarezLiberal)
Just now from Buttercity, Lauchenoiria

I'd like to wish the best of luck to Liu Mei-han in today's election in Laeral! Liu is an excellent candidate, and I'm sure if she wins, Laeral will have a bright future. Regardless of the result, however, I look forward to stronger relations between Laeral and Lauchenoiria in the future.

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Paul Doberman (@PaulDobermanLF)
Just now from Seahaven, Lauchenoiria

Good luck Damien Vendorme! A Vendorme presidency will make Laeral stronger! If Vendorme doesn't win, Laeral should really look into the foreign interference by nations like Kerlile who hate democracy! VENDORME FOR PRESIDENT! #LaeralElection

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[Laeral]

Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Lauchenoirian politician Josephine Alvarez is watching the election tonight. She’s the leader of the Liberal Party, closely ideologically aligned with the New Democrats, and the former Foreign Minister of Lauchenoria. She endorsed Liu earlier in the election cycle.

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Malcom Cadiou (@malcomcadiou)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Here in Laeralsford, lines are long. I just went to vote, and lines were stretching out of the doors. The streets are flooded with election posters from a rainbow of political parties. Liu Mei-han’s signature poster, in particular, seemed to be blanketing the streets.

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Lilie Hollande (@liliehollande)
Just now from Les Couloirs Headquarters, Laeralsford, Laeral

Most of the election posters prior to the first round highlighted the presidential candidates- apart from the Socialists, and a few others. The old posters haven’t been replaced: PM Misra is still ‘ready to lead Laeral’ on a telephone pole outside my house, for instance.

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