News Thread [Kylaris|Canon|IC]

My Last.fm · by **West Kirkon** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 10:49 am

Mariya Nazarivna - 11 August 2022

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Chaos in the Education Ministry, as classes delayed a week in numerous locations in South Vinalia.

Tkachenko making the announcement earlier today.

Vinalinsk

Sandra Tkachenko the Minister of Education stated that 831 school districts mostly located in the Republic of South Vinalia, will have classes suspended until Monday of next week, in a move she called a “necessity” following illegal measures to undermine the Vinalian constitution. The move comes after generalized chaos in South Vinalian schools following the emergency measures undertaken by numerous school districts and boards throughout South Vinalia, following an emergency bill passed by the Southern Legislature earlier last week. Numerous school districts have accepted donated materials, and approved specific penalties against teachers who refuse to teach using said materials. Both acts have been called illegal by the central government, the South Vinalian legislature, Parents, Teacher Unions, and legal experts.

In the city of Bar, teachers were locked out of the building after the locks to classrooms were changed. The school district stated that the locks were part of a renovation of the school, and were planned from months before, and that teachers were instructed to acquire new keys and information. However all teachers that were locked out coincidentally had signed a letter stating their opposition to teaching with donated materials on grounds that it violated their rights to religious freedom. The school district made no comment on the situation, and removed all locks on Tuesday following criticism. Throughout South Vinalia, similar instances occurred, with teachers being locked out, or disciplined for refusing to teach with donated materials. Parents likewise stated no interest in sending their children to the chaos, as teacher walkouts and wildcat strikes were organized in numerous schools. More children were registered in Private institutions from August 6-10 than children registered in the entirety of August 2021. Numerous school districts and administrators canceled classes for fears of a general teachers strike, or to prevent the teaching using donated materials. After news that parents wanted to donate and accept anti-abortion health books in Velkarichka, the Federal School Juozapas Kairys cancelled classes until Monday 15th. The decision of the Ministry is not completely alone, as 12 institutions had canceled classes by Tuesday, and 44 by Wednesday.

At the Federal level, Omelyan Pavlov is working on an emergency relief bill that would grant emergency funds to schools primary rural institutions hit hard by the recent rains and rise in inflation. The bill will also allow the Ministry to buy and distribute approved materials in emergency acquisition, which would be devoid of the usual bureaucracy. Additionally a bill that would outlaw the approval of donated materials at a school board level, and state level is also to be introduced soon. The government has stated that they will not wait for the judiciary to strike down the motion, and will seek to codify into law a repudiation of the “catastrophic” actions of the Southern legislature.

For Conservative party members, and followers the move has been successful. “It's funny that Vinalinsk cares about the rural people of the South, when we do something to help them, they can’t let this be a win for states rights' ' stated Belonozhka Zumadze, a Southern legislator. Although many parents criticize the actions of the Southern legislation and Education Ministry, they place the blame on the central government for not preventing the situation. “The government is moving at light speed to “fix” the situation, tell me why couldn’t they pass a relief bill 3 weeks ago?” stated a parent outside Bar school. The decision by the ministry to suspend classes for the rest of the week was not received positively with many parents stating that the government has mismanaged the situation, as numerous schools in South Vinalia have no need for donated books and haven’t had any issues. “What worries me is a strike by union teachers in South Vinalia because of the actions of some school boards, my kids can’t exactly go a week without classes because we’re somehow to blame for this chaos” were the words of Juli Tychinkan a parent who voted against donated materials in Catherinsk, as Teacher unions have threatened strikes, and numerous schools have already been affected by wildcat strikes.

As the government moves to codify into law such restrictions, and prepare a relief budget bill to improve Southern education. Children in numerous school districts are showing up to classes where they lack materials, or teachers, or both. While others will attend school next week, regardless of the situation in their school district. The consequences however will be wide, not only will children lose out on a week of education, but many primarily in indigenous areas rely on the school provided lunches for one of their meal times. Children in such situations will now have to find some way as will their families to be fed during this time, and hope that issues do not continue.

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by **Lilitou** » Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:02 am

Lilly O'Mannin - 11 August, 2022

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

AN INTERVIEW WITH BASKERVILLE: CAN HE SQUARE THE ACDE CIRCLE?

Baskerville, former Legal Affairs Commissioner and Estmerish president, has been on
a tour of Euclea in his bid to secure the ACDE nomination for Euclean president.

Zilverzee, Hennehouwe - Alan Baskerville, known to colleagues as the Old Hound, has had a long and storied career since entering the political scene in 1973, rising from backbencher to political leader, to Euclean comissioner. Now, he wants to become Euclean President.

I meet Baskerville in a well-lit café in Zilverzee city centre. The city is a, of course, stone's throw from the Hennish border with Estmere (not that you would know it; as with all internal EC borders, it only exists in legal fiction), but don't let that fool you; Baskerville has been up and down the length and bredth of the coastal corridor over the last month. He's currently in Zilverzee after having met with representatives from the National People's Party; he had hoped to woo them, and secure their support in the primary. Baskerville sits down only after offering to pull my chair out from under the table.

He's quite spritely for an older man; and he says so himself. "I won't lie", he says, "I don't have an entirely clean bill of health, but I've not got one foot in the grave either". I ask what his GP must think of his heightened activity in the campaign, and Baskerville chuckles; "she's happy that I'm finally taking her advice!"

I think that exchange was quite emblematic of Baskerville, the man. He's hearty. He's grandfatherly, but not just in a way that it's clear he's wise, but also in the way that he clearly loves spending time with his grandchildren. I asked him what he thought of those, and he was quick to gush; he has seven grandchildren, from his own four children from two marriages. "I don't want to spend an hour talking about the kiddies", he says, "but if you don't stop me I will". I do, in the end, give him the signal, stop him and get to the meat of the matter.

I ask Baskerville about his career. He's been Legal Affairs and Rule of Law Comissioner, President of Estmere, Leader of the Sotirian Democratic Union, Secretary of State for Education, for Home Affairs, and for Foreign Affairs. A long career, I think we can all agree, but I'm interested in the gossip; I'm interested in what he thinks his biggest mistake was, over all these years. His answer surprised me.

"It's the way I handled the Euclo adoption, and the Zilverzee area", he tells me. "Now, don't get me wrong, I agreed at the time and still now whole-heartedly agree with both those policies; they have brought Euclea together, and they have brought economic prosperity". I await the but. "But", he says on cue, "The problem is, when you have good policies that you agree with you can sometimes be blinded to the genuine reasons one might have to oppose them. I was blind to that, as Foreign Secretary, and I burnt a lot of bridges with old colleagues who held Euclosceptic views because of that. In hindsight, that was a mistake; the Euclean right only makes progress when it acknowledges the diversity of opinion on the national and Euclean question".

It's a very telling answer. I had expected him to say that it was challenging Renton-Thorpe's leadership, or his own abortive leadership of the party in the 80s which followed. But he acknowledges a big issue with the Alliance of Conservatives and Democrats for Euclea, and its that a good chunk of that Alliance isn't really "for" Euclea. It was only a few years ago that the Sotirian Democratic Union was led by Reginald Wilton-Smyth, who was strongly Euclosceptic, and the Weranian National Consolidation Party remains a bullwark of Eucloscepticism. Previous presidential candidates from the party have found it hard to balance this strong Euclosceptic faction with the pragmatic Euclorealist majority and the wishes of the pro-Euclean wing which dominates the party at the Euclean level.

How does Baskerville plan to acknowledge this major challenge, I ask. "Well, I think I'm the only candidate in this race who's taken the grown-up view", he tells me. "I'm the only one who has sat down with the pro-Euclean people, with the Euclosceptic people, and with the Euclorealist people and said 'look, let's find a way that works for all of us'. That's what the two-track solution is". I ask him if he could explain this two-track idea further, and he positively beams. "It's how to square the circle", he says. "Let's put this debate to rest, and acknowledge that there are members of our Community who have different priorities. That doesn't mean they're wrong, it just means their priorities are different. So, let's come together and figure out how to make sure every nation in this union can reach its goal. For those nations which want a closer union, lets pursue a closer union. For those nations which want to retain more sovereignty, lets allow them to do so".

I thank Baskerville for his time, and he heads his own way, to meet up with representatives from the Agrarian–Farmer's Party.

After Baskerville has left, I return to my Zilverzee hotel room and muse on the interview; chiefly on his big idea, the Two-Track Euclea. It is an interesting proposal, I admit, but its also a gambit. It risks alienating both the Euclophiles and the Euclosceptics at once, and it could very well exacerbate rather than solve tensions surrounding the Euclean project. It's a hard sell for both sides ACDE's broad church; but maybe, just maybe, Baskerville is the right man to sell it.

by **Poshyte** » Sun Aug 14, 2022 12:21 pm

Peie Tjepkema - 14 August 2022

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

A new kind of Nationalism: Alsland's populists aim for electoral victory

Elsert Wassenaar's dramatic rise has shaken political norms in Alsland to their core and is a contender for Premier

Yndyk, Alsland - In under a month Alslandic voters will head to the polls to elect a new Senate and by extension a new government, the ongoing campaign however is anything but normal and comes less than a month after it was revealed the country's government had ordered the state intelligence agency to spy on trade unions and journalists before it was revealed the agency had also spied on the government itself. It's safe to say that after this scandal, confidence in the established parties has hit rock bottom.

Enter Elsert Wassenaar and his right-wing populist Orange Party. Just over a year ago Wassenaar was a political nobody, having successfully been elected to Parliament in 2018 he represented the far-right National Rally party. When it dissolved itself last year he helped form a new right-wing political group from the ashes of the National Rally and became the leader of this new party. He has spent the last year painstakingly modernising the party to appeal to the wider public and for Wassenaar, this campaign could not have been better for him.

An outspoken critic of the government since day 1, he had his beliefs validated as the country entered it's worst political crisis in living memory. His party has also been helped by the total disintegration of Alsland's former dominant political party the National Bloc which is struggling in opinion polls. He has positioned his party as an alternative choice to the current establishment with it's tendencies of forming big tent coalitions and compromise. Wassenaar now believes he can win the election and be involved in the country's next government and he has the evidence to back it up. In the most recent opinion polls conducted his party is floating between 19%-16%, slightly ahead of the centrist Liveable Alsland which is sitting at 17%-15% and the left-wing ASAY party which is sitting at 16%-14%.

There is a very real chance that Wassenaar could become the country's next Premier as party leaders have not ruled out any coalitions although the parties of the political left are expected to oppose Wassenaar's chances of becoming Premier. So far only ASAY and the Green Party have came out against Wassenaar whilst the incumbent centre-right National Bloc and Sotirian Union parties have not ruled out a coalition.

The reason for his party's spectacular rise is simple, modern Alslandic voters are exceptionally disloyal according to political researchers in the country who have pointed to the growth of Liveable Alsland in 2012 and then the abandonment of the traditional political parties of the centre-left and centre-right since the last election. This seems to be benefitting Wassenaar and the Orange Party in this campaign as his own party's messaging promotes it as a new political home for the dissatisfied and betrayed as he calls them. Support for the Orange Party has grown at almost every level in society especially since the start of the election campaign where it saw it's support skyrocket.

Despite this Wassenaar and the Orange Party have distanced themselves from the wider Euclean right-wing who they consider to be extreme. Party officials have been quick to condemn comparisons to the right-wing governments of southern Euclea and other right-wing movements, whilst still adopting nationalist policies the party has went so far as to refuse to join the right-wing anti-EC group in the Euclean Parliament and has instead positioned itself as simply a populist and accountable party without the extremes. It's even shown itself to be willing to be pro-EC after it threw it's support behind the Buy Euclean program early in it's infancy. The party's economically leftist and populist platform has attracted voters from the working class and also young people in the country who feel left behind by society.

Wassenaar himself is unlike other Euclean far-right politicians. As an openly gay man he has called out homophobic rhetoric and has taken a hardline in removing party members for racist and discriminatory comments released to the press by banning several members for life after racist and misogynistic text messages were revealed to the press. He has also opened himself to the possibility of forming a government with the centre-left and liberal parties so long as they commit themselves to independent investigations into the SYFA spying scandal and a significant reduction on how many immigrants can arrive in the country. He wants to see refugees from Tsabara stay in Rahelia or southern Euclea and has called any attempts at distribution of refugees unfair on native Eucleans.

Part of his appeal is his humble beginnings which he has emphasised heavily in the campaign. Raised in a single parent household on a low income Wassenaar believes he understands the problems facing Alsland better than any other candidate for Premier running. He has contrasted his own background with that of Liekele Ykema who leads the liberal Liveable Alsland party. Ykema was born into a wealthy family and is a millionaire from his business holdings. Hilda Schaaf, another major candidate is a millionaire author who has fumbled in the campaign and remained almost entirely silent in the two television debates conducted already.

What a Wassenaar government would mean for Alsland and Euclea is unclear. It's practically impossible for any party to hold a majority in Alsland's modern political system so an Orange government would have to compromise on it's most extreme policies. An Orange government could also split Euclea's nationalist right between a moderate and compromising 'Yndyk' group or a hard line and conservative 'Precea' group.

by **Empire of Falconia** » Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:29 pm

Ravnian National News
Property Dispute Turns Bloody

Gridă - In the small village of Kalilec, located near the Ravnian-Soravnian border, was the sight of an unusual and bloody confrontation. It began with two men, Svyatoslav Vadymovych and Borys Denysovych. Svyatoslav and Borys had a dispute over a section of field between their two properties. According to a local police report Svyatoslav believed that the field, which is one and a half acres in size, was part of his property. Borys disagreed, citing an agreement made by his father and the previous owner of Svyatoslav's property, which made the field part of his land.

This disagreement escalated, which led to the aforementioned police report. The local police sided with Borys, as the agreement made by his father and the previous property owner was in Kalilec's local records. However, Svyatoslav was not willing to accept this, the man broke into Bory's house and threatened him at gunpoint to give him the disputed field. Borys refused and was subsequently shot in the chest. A patrolling officer, Seargent Yakiv Tymofijovych, heard the gunshot and moved to investigate.

Seargent Yakiv found Svyatoslav hold up in Borys house, and when he tried to confront Svyatoslav, he was fired upon. Two other police units were called to the scene and engaged in a half-an-hour long shootout with Svyatoslav before they were able to kill him. Borys was in critical condition but was stabilized at a nearby hospital.

Local authorities are unsure as to why Svyatoslav Vadymovych acted in such a violent manner as this was the first, and last, violent outburst observed by local authorities. Svyatoslav had no living relatives, and few in the village knew him personally, so it is possible that Svyatoslav has always been this aggressive, but no one had observed it.

Parliament passes 'Free School Meals' Bill

Novigrad - Today, Parliment has passed what many have dubbed the 'Free School Meals' Bill. As the name suggests, this bill has granted government funding to allow schools to provide free meals for all their students. Previously, the government had only supported free breakfasts for students with confirmed financial troubles at home. Now, all students can qualify for a free breakfast and free lunch.

The move to expand the free meals system to all students, and all meals, was pushed by NCF mp-Nina Vsevolodivna. Nina, an mp from the interior, stated that her family struggled financially when she was young, making it difficult to afford the school lunches.

In an interview leading up to Parliments vote on the bill, Nina stated: "Having a free breakfast is all well and good, but no child should have to go hungry at school because they cannot afford the lunches there"

The bill's funding will go into effect before the start of this coming school year, giving schools across the country two weeks to prep.

by **-AlEmAnNiA-** » Sun Aug 14, 2022 9:06 pm

Lemovician Premier: “All of Lemovicia must be liberated by Champania.”
Speaking at a rally in Tòpagûnha, Premier Velarrinaga said Champania “must finish the job.”
Amaund Mastien

12 August, 2022

Lemovician Premier Asona Velarrinaga gave a speech at a rally held in the Lemovician capital.

In a speech given at a rally in the Lemovician capital of Tòpagûnha, Lemovician Premier Asona Velarrinaga called on the central government to “finish what was started,” and “all of Lemovicia must be freed from Soravian occupation.”

The rally was held Friday to mark both the 38th anniversary of the Tòpagûnha massacre, which saw the killing of over 4,000 ethnic Lemovicians, and the conclusion of the Lemovician War, known locally as the Emantzipatu, that resulted in the region’s liberation from the functionalist, genocidal Krada regime by the glorious National People’s Army.

The war had its origins in July 1984, as the so-callled “Miersan Republic” engaged in wholesale genocide of unwanted ethnic groups within the the area of Soravian-occupied Miersa, including Savaders, Soravians, and Lemovicians. Brave Lemovician freedom fighters took up arms against the functionalists to defend themselves from the Soravian puppets, and soon, petitioned the Champanian government to intervene on their behalf. The ensuing Lemovician War led to the liberation of the majority of ethnic Lemovician territory within Soravian-occupied Miersa, which then promptly voted to accede to Champania as its third constituent republic.

However, there is a growing voice within not just Lemovicia, but Champania as whole, that Champania's obligation to the Lemovician people is not finished.

Premier Velarrinaga told the crowd, “We must not rest until our brothers and sisters still under occupation are liberated. We called upon the Champanian government to do so in 1984, and so again shall we call upon them nearly 40 years later.” To which she received applause and cheers.

“Champania’s mission to the Lemovician people is not finished until the last Soravian puppet is removed from occupied Lemovicia.” the premier remarked further.

The premier is not alone in her feelings over the status of occupied Lemovicia. Prevailing attitudes towards the issue have consistently sat at a content status quo with each previous Champanian generalitat. The Miersan leak, however, has seemingly transformed this opinion, and has allowed such feelings that have been simmering under the surface to finally see the light of day.

“The [Miersans] seek to forcibly reunify their country. Why can we not do the same?” Seraphin Ualde, a teacher, told Ła Scintila.

“[West Miersans] killed my brother and father. At any moment [West Miersa] could start killing us again if they wanted to. Is it not right to want to prevent that from happening?”

Comrade Cruèsełes, who was also present at the rally alongside other central government officials, told the attending crowd she “sympathized with the plight of the Lemovician people,”

Furthermore, she said “when Lemovicia willingly joined Champania in 1985, it created an unbreakable bond between the Champanian and Lemovician people. If our Lemovician brothers and sisters call for the liberation of their homeland, then we will stand at the ready. ”

by **Poshyte** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 10:24 am

Voters unconvinced following first election debate
Voters have largely been left unconvinced after an election debate that has been described as "cringe-worthy" by viewers on social media

Holbe Haanstra
16 August 2022| Yndyk, Alsland

Candidates clashed during the TV debate which has been described as chaotic and embarrassing by voters

YNDYK, DELLAND - For the first time in the campaign all 9 candidates from each major party have sparred off in a televised election debate that wasn't focused on a single issue. However viewers of the debate were left unconvinced as meaningful policy plans were left aside in favour of personal attacks against other candidates, at one point the debate had to be briefly halted after a shouting match between two candidates.

The impression of the debate amongst voters has been overwhelmingly negative according to initial feedback with some voters saying it has made them more likely to abstain from voting after the debate. A snap poll of 600 voters conducted following the debate showed 24% of voters believed that anti-establishment populist candidate Kairi Sokk preformed the best, although 22% said none of the candidates preformed well. 12% of voters polled said that incumbent Premier Ottila Möller preformed best whilst 11% preferred right-wing candidate Elsert Wassenaar and left-wing candidate Olari Lippmaa.

The debate has been described online as embarrassing, aggressive and disappointing by many who had hoped there would be a focus on issues surrounding the campaign such as transparency and accountability or security. Whilst the debate moderators from ANS Media did try to get candidates to focus on the issues and questions submitted at several points the debate simply became impossible to follow according to one social media user. The reaction amongst newspapers to the debate has also been negative. The frontpage of Hjoed reads: "Is this the best we have?", whilst the headline of the Yndyk Times called the debate "the best reason not to vote".

The debate began with the candidates initial pledges if they were to be elected. ASAY candidate Olari Lippmaa went first and vowed to provide free universal childcare for all within the first 100 days of a government being formed if his party is elected. Ottila Möller said she would focus on restoring trust in the government and ensure the Alslandic economy remains stable. Kairi Sokk used her opening statement to call out other candidates supposed hypocrisy surrounding government transparency and contrasted her party platform which focuses on sweeping reforms to the government and society to the other party's manifestos.

The first noteworthy moment of the debate came during the very first question asked by a voter in the audience. When asked what the government would do to combat rising energy costs Olari Lippmaa said that the other party's policies were simply not enough to support families and vowed to push for windfall taxes on companies that would profit off rising energy costs the expense of families. Liekele Ykema who is also running for the Euclean Presidency criticised the idea of windfall taxes and told Lippmaa that: "windfall taxes means profitable companies will move abroad" and called for a Euclean wide solution to the growing crisis.

Shortly into the debate the issue of the economy came up and sparked a heated row between Ottila Möller and Green candidate Sjearp Groeneveld. The row started after Groeneveld called Möller's time as Finance Minister into question and telling the viewers that he would not have appointed her if he had led the government. The statement caused Möller to bring Groeneveld's tenure as Environment Minister into question, the row between the two descended into a shouting match between the two candidates and the debate moderators. The debate had to be briefly suspended after tensions flared between the two candidates when Möller accused Groeneveld of sexism. When the debate resumed other candidates were quick to condemn the pair for their outbursts on the debate stage, Kairi Sokk called their behaviour embarrassing and Olari Lippmaa was seen rolling his eyes when the debate resumed with Möller's answer.

When asked about the possibility of another coalition across the middle, candidates from the HSU, Greens, Alliance and Bloc all deflected the question and said they would not rule out potential coalitions before votes have been cast. Meanwhile opposition candidates told the moderators that another coalition would be bad for Alsland. Orange candidate Elsert Wassenaar said that such a coalition would only mean a continuation of the last governments and criticised the parties involved in the coalitions which he claimed were forced to walk back on their own core values and promises in exchange for power. Lippmaa used the question to slam the government for it's failings and unpopularity with the public, in his answer Lippmaa seemed to support introducing direct elections for the Premiership whilst also balancing the need for compromises with the need for stable governments.

Another important question asked by an audience member regarding how the government would help unemployed young people led to an uncomfortable moment for HSU candidate Hilda Schaaf who failed to answer the question but instead talked at length about her social media habits and her supposed ability to connect with young people online, she also seemingly confused the social media giant Pinpin with a prominent search engine later on in her answer. Schaaf's response has created numerous online parodies.

The biggest issue in the campaign by far, transparency and the SYFA scandal was discussed at great length and the candidates all stressed the need for an independent investigation into the scandal although they differed on SYFA's future as an intelligence agency, Sokk, Lippmaa and Ahto Malk all advocated for abolishing and restructuring the agency whilst Möller and Bloc candidate Vrithe said that SYFA's suspension of non-essential operations was enough and claimed that the agency was now cooperating with the police in their investigation after it previously denied police access to it's headquarters. Schaaf also faced direct questions about her involvement in removing former Labour Minister and whistle-blower Urjo Eenpalu from the party's grouping in the Senate, she defended herself by claiming that Eenpalu had repeatedly violated the party's own code of standards and went against the cabinet in revealing the information directly to the press. Her answer was criticised by candidate Sokk who claimed that if Eenpalu had not revealed the information to the press the scandal would have never been revealed. Sokk promised to create an independent accountability and transparency ministry if she was elected.

The candidates also differed on their ideas for reform which has become a major campaign point for several parties. ASAY, the Greens, the Alliance, Liveable Alsland and Together have all now pledged to hold a constitutional convention to rewrite Alsland's existing constitution which dates back to the Mand era and was written following the great war's conclusion. The remaining parties all also advocated for reform but the National Bloc will oppose any new constitutional rewrite according to Vrithe who pointed out that amendments to the constitution have always been made to change certain aspects of it such as the recognition of same-sex marriage and the country's own federal system. The parties advocating for a constitutional convention however argued that this is not enough and have promised widespread reforms. Kairi Sokk proposed term-limits for Senators and the Premier and backed Ottila Möller's proposal for a directly elected Premier. She also backed allowing popular proposals with at least 10% of the electorate's signatures to be put to a binding referendum, her party's proposals also include declaring access to the internet as a human right and binding the state to provide quality internet access to all citizens. Voting reform was also proposed with Sokk and Ykema both backing lowering the federal voting age to 16.

Candidates were also asked about working conditions and a four day work week which is due to be introduced in Scovern. Hilda Schaaf said the Scovernois model was one she aspired to bring to Alsland but other candidates were unsure. Candidate Lippmaa advocated instead for more flexible working hours and increased pay whilst also backing an alternative model for a 4 day working week. When pressed on the alternative plan Lippmaa gave no details but instead replied simply with: "wait".

Security in the aftermath of the Yndyk train bombing has also played on the minds of voters and emerged as an issue early on in the campaign. The candidates were also all in agreement that measures were needed following the terrorist attack to keep the public safe but were divided on whether the government's anti-terrorism bill which expanded the ability of security agencies to monitor suspects. The ability of SYFA to act autonomously from the government without oversight was called into question by opposition candidates and Lippmaa and Sokk both vowed to scrap the anti-terrorism legislation and replace it as soon as possible. Möller defended the piece of legislation and said that reforms to the law were pending. The law remains controversial amongst politicians and voters who are split on whether to oppose the law or support it.

The final question of the debate was about climate change and the parties promises to combat climate change. Sokk and Groeneveld both promised investment into green technology and vowed to cut Alsland's carbon emissions by 50% by 2035. Lippmaa also endorsed the Just Transition theory. Möller endorsed a moderate solution to combatting climate change whilst Vrithe said that any response must not harm businesses whilst stressing the need for action by the next government.

When the debate concluded voters were quick to travel to social media where the candidates were widely criticised for their performances. One social media user said that Orange party leader Elsert Wassenaar and National Bloc candidate Ermnbryht Vrithe were missing in action after remaining virtually silent and not using their ability to respond to policy proposals from other candidates. Despite his party leading in opinion polls Wassenaar fared badly in the debate according to viewers.

The verbal dispute between Möller and Groeneveld was also criticised and was called a shocking display by some social media users. Newspapers were also quick to condemn the pair. Hjoed's main page calls the pair's verbal exchange damaging to already extremely low public confidence in the government. An opinion piece in The Continental said their exchange was highly embarrassing for Alsland on the world stage which has a reputation for tolerance.

The response from other politicians to the debate didn't spare any candidates. MEP and former Premier Bonne Zijlstra said he was disappointed with the debate and former Premier Jabik Nieuwenhuis called out a lack of actual policies being discussed. Green leader Sjearp Groeneveld also criticised his own performance in the debate after it had concluded, he apologised for his and Möller's verbal exchange and vowed to reshuffle his advisors who he said had promoted a confrontational attitude.

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My Last.fm · by **West Kirkon** » Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:09 pm

Mariya Nazarivna - 14 August 2022

Home ·Vinalia · Asteria · International · Politics · Finance · Sports · Entertainment · Health · Travel · Weather · Opinion

Government approves relief bill and education bill.

Vinalinsk

President Valeria Kunavin signed into law the Budget Education Reconstruction Bill 2022, and Education Initiative 3102, earlier today. The first bill allows the government to establish a 12 month agency to allow individual teachers to place direct orders for material to the central government, with the materials to be distributed as soon as possible. The bill provides for 300 million Zolotans for this initiative, along with 200 million Zolotans for ensuring stronger education for 2023. The Education Initiative codifies into law restrictions placed on the donation of materials, and of disciplinary actions against teachers.

Following a marathon 12 hour discussion inside the ruling coalition, the government approved both bills with a sufficient majority. The Teachers Union of Vinalia, and the Association of Vinalian Educators pulled out of talks with the government on Friday following lack of interest in ensuring Union rights for teachers, which caused the Workers Party to be divided between support or opposition to the bill. Omelyan Pavlov approved new writing, which ensures all Unionized teachers in Vinalia to be granted tenure inside their positions, along with opening discussions regarding pay raises in the public education system. Following such changes, the Workers Party voted in complete support of the bill, as did Unionist, and Socialist Alternative members.

The Budget Bill will allow all public system teachers to place specialized requests inside a government website, and within 5-10 business days receive the requested materials. The system will be a temporary replacement of the older system where schools placed requests to the Ministry of Education, who arranged deliveries of materials. This allows teachers to make calls on the ground to better ensure material is distributed where needed most. The bill also provides for the hire of teachers to work in rural schools, along with funding to improve infrastructure in the short term. The other part of the bill sets aside additional funding for long term infrastructure projects, teacher raises, and more materials.

The education initiative codifies into federal law a restriction on what a constituent state can do in changing or rejecting materials, and makes all donated materials go through the Federal government, and explicitly makes them bound to the constitution. The bill legally requires all federal schools to consider raises for teachers within 3 years, and restricts the ability of school directors to fire or suspend teachers along with restricting disciplinary actions that can be enacted by school boards. It will also grant tenure to all union teachers inside the public education system.

The two bills are in clear repudiation of initiatives by the South Vinalian Regional government, who in recent weeks have enacted several initiatives which allowed donated materials in some instances in clear violation of the government curriculum, to be used in public schools and to enact discipline on teachers who did not teach using the donated materials. Such a move caused strikes by teachers, parents who refused to send their children to school, and administrators who refused to work. The Conservative Government of South Vinalia has stated that the decision benefitted Vinalian rural communities as they were the most neglected by the central government, and the approval of the bill backs up the South Vinalian government's plot of bringing attention to the emergency South Vinalian education faced. Pavlovs approval rating dropped to 34%, his lowest percent in his time in office, and many consider his handling of the crisis and the original concerns of parents, teachers, and legislators to have been wrong. Along with rising costs of living, and concerns regarding fuel prices and inflation. The Education Ministry decision to delay classes until Monday was met with stronger disapproval by the general public. If the two bills will solve the crisis is unclear, but the central government has seemed ill prepared and the ruling coalition appeared to be weak in dealing with such a crisis.

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by **Beumontte** » Sat Aug 20, 2022 10:10 pm

d i á r i o

timendi causa est nescire

Today's Edition • Belmonte • World • Politics • Economy • Sport • Opinion • Culture • Science • Technology • Life • Weather

Railroad package bill passed in Congress
The bill, which saw bipartisan support, is part of a wide-scale reform program aimed towards the country's infrastructure
Paulo Castanho (@diario_pcastanho) | 19 Aug, 2022

A Belmontese Railways train near Carvalho, Anchieta.

CASTELONOVO - By unanimous vote, the Senate approved today a ₡700 million railroad package bill to reform the current national railroad grid and expand and modernize its services.

The bill, which was first introduced in the Chamber of Deputies in June and approved at the end of the same month, is part of a wide-scale infrastructure reform program launched by the Federal Government whose major goal is the reform, expansion and modernization of transport ways, with further legislation being planned to allow more federal funding to provincial and municipal works.

Once the major method of transportation of passengers and cargo, railroads were given a secondary role after the Great War - which destroyed most of its tracks and overall infrastructure - followed by a pro-car policy that prioritized roads and the automotive industry. The Belmontese Railways, responsible for operating most overground rail transport, has been limited to basic passenger lines connecting major cities and, aside from underground rail systems, railroad construction saw few-to-no expansion at all.

The bill allows the investment of over 700 million Cruzados towards several new rail projects, including the expansion of the current passenger lines in Castelonovo, Riachuelo and Pinheiros, as well as the creation of new freight lines connecting industrial centres around the Metropolitan Axis to the Ípsia Port, allowing a faster flow of goods, and more high-speed rail lines. Other provisions are the reform of current stations to improve overall accessibility and efforts to phase-out diesel trains in favour of electric ones by 2030.

One divisive issue was the scope of private participation under this reform: both the deputy Marcos Cunha (PDS-Anchieta), author of the bill, and the Bensafrim House were willing to accept more private participation within the state-owned Belmontese Railways as a condition to ensure bipartisan support, including the outsourcing of rail services and partial or total concession of rail lines to private enterprise, but this was ruled out by the Socialist Bloc and progressive-leaning PDS members, who judged these as the anticipation of a possible privatization scheme in the future - it was only after a compromise headed by premier Maurino herself that the bill went ahead, with no public concessions seeming to take place at the moment.

The bipartisan support for the bill surprised many political analysts, even though this direction was predictable since the initial hearings at the Chamber of Deputies. More than half of the URN delegation voted with the government, a move which led to criticism towards opposition leader João Sócrates, who has been accused of weakness. In response, Sócrates said that the voting doesn't go against the party's whip as it didn't give instructions to vote against it, and that the opposition's main concerns were "answered" and "taken into consideration."

Upon hearing the bill's passing, infrastructure and energy secretary Lourenço Pontes praised the reform's passing as a "watershed moment" over Belmonte's public transport history, marking the beginning of a "car-less dependent future." Finances secretary Sérgio Precea also issued similar comments, focusing on the economic growth the bill will cause as well as the economic opportunities opened by allowing easier access to the exportation of Belmontese goods through the Ípsia Port, while premier Maurino told a reporter outside the Aranha Building that she was "very happy" about its success, claiming to be a "very special part" of her agenda.

Now the bill has been sent to presidential sanction, where it's scheduled to happen this Monday.

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My Last.fm · by **West Kirkon** » Mon Aug 22, 2022 4:59 pm

Mei Phoumsa - 22 August 2022

Home ·Lavana · Coius · International · Politics · Finance ·Sports · Entertainment · Health · Travel · Weather · Opinion

Corruption money to be returned to Lavana

Property bought with public money, has since been turned into a police station.

Pers -
Following a promise to return stolen money by Premier Laina Keomany back in March, following the attempt against our democracy, the first checks began to be delivered throughout the nation.

Keomany who bravely resisted the outrageous attempt by traitors to destroy our democracy, has unleashed a wave of justice and reform which have transformed the Lavanan state. Keomany, who sought justice for all corrupt officials, also sought to return money stolen from the state back to its people, “These individuals saw the public coffers as their ticket to bourgeois wealth. While we toiled in the fields, and the factories, these individuals grew fat and rich off the public coffers” stated the premier in a rally in Pers last week. A total of 150 million Dunans had been seized by authorities according to a report released by the Ministry of Finances. “This is the single largest anti-corruption scheme in the world” reported Vice-Premier Trang Dong who is supervising the efforts to recover lost money.

The way the money will be distributed is as follows, all households will receive a check for 1,000 Dunans which they’ll be able to cash out on their local bank. Households can also request the check to be added automatically to a salaried member of the household, and they will receive that money by the end of the month, or first week of September. The government will keep 50 million dunans as this is money that was acquired illegally and invested in property, vehicles, jewelry, clothes, and other materials. The government will find a use for such investments, or sell them off in public auctions. All seized property and possessions from enemies of the state will be distributed to the state and the public on a case by case basis.

This redistribution of wealth is unrivaled in the history of the world, and represents a testament to Democracy, Freedom, Liberty, and Public Trust. Keomany is the most trustworthy leader in Lavanan history. Euclean criticism aimed at prosperous countries, seeks to undermine Keomany, who is a bastion of truth, virtue, and strength for all the world. Keomany will forever remain in the history books of Lavana, as a trustworthy, strong, charismatic, and virtuous leader, an upstanding citizen. Lavana and Keomany are dedicated to preserving Lavanan democracy, and virtue.

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by **Deblar** » Tue Aug 23, 2022 6:30 am

FORMER PRESIDENT JOCELYNE LOUISETTE-NOEL DEAD AT 78
Île d'Émeraude's first and to date only female President served from 1981-1989, and is known for helping resolve religious tensions, getting Île d'Émeraude on board what would become the ACO, and increasing LGBTQ+ rights during her tenure

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René Beaumont (@RenéBeaumontET )
^{23 August 2022 | Port-au-Grégoire, Île d'Émeraude}

Port-au-Grégoire, Île d'Émeraude -
Former President Jocelyne Louisette-Noel, who served as President from 1981-1989, has passed away today after being hospitalized with symptoms of heart failure in late June. She was 78 years old.

Jocelyne Louisette was born on April 12, 1944 in Mathiasville as the youngest of 5 children, and from a young age showed a keen interest in both the arts and social studies. She would go on to graduate from Saint Thomas University (or Saint Thomas College, as it was known at the time) in 1966 with a degree in political sciences. As a young upstart, she would successfully be elected to the legislature of Sainte-Mathias Parish in 1970, which she would serve in until 1974, when she was elected to the Senate.

As a Senator, her fervor and outspoken support for many of the social reforms brought by Presidents such as Matéo Deniaud and P.J. Claire earned her a reputaiton as a rather controversial figure in the Senate- and, most importantly, the kick in the pants the Union Party needed to keep their policy relevant amidst a political climate that saw many of the left-leaning young voters of the time viewing the Union Party's platform as outdated. After declaring her candidacy, she would go on to win the Unionist nomination for President in 1980, an election she would go on to win. She became the first- and, to date, only - female President in the history of Île d'Émeraude, as well as the youngest to take office; she had been only 36 when she was officially sworn in on February 1, 1981.

With Louisette-Noel's election came the prominence of the Radical Unionists, which is what the younger, more progressive wing of the Union Party was known as at the time. They would gradually become more prominent within the Union Party, and by the time Louisette-Noel left office, they had become the dominant faction of the party, which they remain (although in a slightly different form) even in the present day. Her influence on modern Unionist policy is still felt today; without it, the Narapanese Genocide Acknowledgement Act probably would've never come to fruition, or at least wouldn't have been considered as a legitimate path forward nearly as much as it was.

Her Presidency did not come without hardship, however. In 1984, not too long after the death of popular Rande musician Robin Gautier, a sharp increase in anti-Mufasti hate crimes led to the worst stretch of religious tension and violence seen in the history of the Republic. 17 Mufastis would be killed with 36 more suffering injuries over a roughly two week period at the hands of ultra-religious Solarian Catholics who saw the entire Mufasti faith as heresy and decided to take matters into their own hands. Louisette-Noel's administration was quick to act, with Jocelyne authorizing the National Republican Constable to hunt down those responsible and bring them to a swift justice. The process would last from early August to early October, which saw the 17 people who organized the attacks arrested. They would all be eventually given 37 year sentences each for multiple counts of hate crimes, domestic terrorism, murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and manslaughter, among other charges. To aid in the prevention of another plague of attacks such as these, Louisette-Noel lobbied the Senate to pass an anti-hate crime bill, which would eventually came in the form of the No More Hate Act. It would be passed and signed into law in December of that year.

Religious tensions weren't the only problem the Louisette-Noel administration faced. It was also tasked with getting the economy back on track following the Sugar Crash. Her administration would continue the economic diversification programs that had been created and implemented by her predecessor, P.J. Claire, which had aimed to subsidize other industries beyond the sugar industry, such as tourism and manufacturing. The idea behind them was to diversify the economy so that the turbulent sugar market wouldn't cause the whole thing to crash. These measures would prove rather successful, with the now tourism/manufacturing based economy remaining afloat despite sugar prices bouncing all over throughout the 1980's.

The Louisette-Noel administration would prioritize a far reaching diplomatic foreign policy, encouraging cooperation with Île d'Émeraude‘s neighbors both close and distant. Notable foreign policy accomplishments include getting Île d'Émeraude on board what would become the Arucian Cooperation Organization, signing economic cooperation agreements with Rizealand and Cassier that still stand to this day, and deepening relations with Euclean Community nations, most notably Werania, Estmere, and Gaullica. Her efforts at increased cooperation with Gaullica in the form of defense agreements and economic cooperation measures led to a transition from a phase of an anti-Gaullica foreign policy outlook to a more pro-Gaullica phase.

Another notable achievement of the Louisette-Noel administration is a more controversial one. In November 1987, as her second term waned, she would sign into law the Bedroom Liberty Act, which officially decriminalized homosexual intercourse, among other things, such as contraceptives and sterilization. The bill had barely passed the Senate by the slim margin of 69-66, and had been met with a good amount of backlash at the time. Today, however, many in the Republic, especially the LGBT community, view it as the first step in what became a long battle for equal rights that continues into this day.

Jocelyne would be elected to two terms as President, but declined to run for a third. After passing the reins to her successor, Patrick Metayer, she would retire from politics, though remained a vocal commentator on both domestic government proceedings and international affairs. She would also become more of an activist, promoting causes such as democratic elections, racial equality, and an end to hunger, especially in Bahia. Her feverish promotion of these causes eventually led to an appearance before the International Assembly of the Community of Nations in 1999 urging swift action on these matters.

In her personal life, Jocelyne had remained close with her family despite her busy schedules as Senator and President. She met and married Jean-Baptiste Noel in 1967, attaching his last name to her own. The two would go on to have 2 children; one of which, André Louisette-Noel, would follow in his mother’s footsteps, being elected as a Senator in 2000 and being elected President in 2008. He would go on to serve as President from 2009-2017. Jocelyne remained close with her siblings as well.

Jocelyne had been hospitalized in late June with symptoms of acute heart failure. In early July, she had been placed on life support. She remained on life support for 49 days until her family made the difficult decision to take her off this morning. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, two older siblings, and her husband Jean-Baptiste, and left behind her son André, her daughter Lorraine, five grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild. A date for a celebration of life has not yet been announced.

Many have mourned the death of Louisette-Noel, most notably her son, former President André, and current President Benjamin Claude. He made a statement mourning her death and invoked the National Death of Importance Act, declaring a full two weeks of mourning. All Emeraudian flags are to be flown at half-staff throughout the period, and a state funeral will be held near the end of the period with the consent of next of kin. The Senate had a two-minute moment of silence at the beginning of today's session in her memory, while many citizens paid tribute in their own way through vigils, roadside memorials, and other forms of remembrance. It would seem the entire Republic has been shaken by the passing of arguably the most influential woman in the history of Île d'Émeraude, and rightfully so.

On behalf of the Emerald Times, we send our deepest condolences to friends and family of the recently departed Jocelyne Louisette-Noel. May her memory be a blessing to all who had the privilege to share this life with her.

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louduboisfan34· 33 min ago
Damn, RIP. One of our better Presidents for sure.
1,355 up · 264 down
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emeraudiangaurdian· 1h ago
F's in chat for the best girlboss in Emeraudian history
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by **Liecthenbourg** » Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:38 am

Adolfo Canepa - 29 August, 2022

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

VALLETTE REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO "SET" POLICY, AS CAMPAIGN AIMS TO COURT ESTMERISH PSD.

Vivien Vallette sat down with
Estmerish news presenters on the topic of his campaign.

Morwall, Estmere - In what the Vallette campaign has called its "warpath", Vivien Vallette begun a long awaited campaigning season within Estmere by delivering a bombastic speech to members of the Progressive Social Democrats hallmarking the policies of his Euclean Presidency.

Vallette's campaign so far has focused on smaller Euclean states, aiming to court the dissatisfied left-leaning groups within Paretia to guarantee them that he would defend the Community from internal and external threats to its functioning. This pivot as the "defender of the Community" has worked to spillover support in ASE members concerned about the foundations of the Community and the adherence to the Euclean treaties; and to ensure that any breaches are properly dealt with.

However, in Estmere, Vallette is treading unfamiliar waters. Estmere's Progressive Social Democrats are not an entrenched party like his native Parti-Social Démocrate. Thus, he must be more cautious with he says and promises.

Banging on the proverbial war-drum, Vallette was quick to tell the assembled members that he was "entirely and fully committed" to the idea of a Single Euclean Tax. He promised the Estmerish PSD that in the event of his ascendency to the Euclean Presidency, he would assemble teams of financial specialists to analyse the way it would be implemented. And he would ensure that they were represented in that given their party's leader, Zoe Halivar, was the hallmark of that policy.

The remnants of his speech focused on similar talking points; where he expressed his support for the Buy Euclean Programme and talked about its expansion to separate fields. He would talk about his experience at the helm of the presidency, and spoke briefly on the issues in Paretia. Perhaps in his weakest display of the evening, he answered a question on his "riling up" of the Tosutonians with a "I did not fan the fires of secessionism; I was there to inform them that under my presidency their government would be held accountable for any transgressions of the Communal treaties; as I would do for any govenrment."

His campaign will continue to deliver speeches within Estmere, where he is expected and anticipated to be a guest speaker at the Progressive Social Democrat Party Congress.

by **Slirnija** » Tue Aug 30, 2022 3:33 pm

by **Nuvania** » Wed Aug 31, 2022 2:35 am

Taken by a Stranger: How the state stole tens of thousands of children from their parents

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Tamsin Lee (@TamsinLee)
^{August 31, 2022 (12:10pm)}

PIETERSBURG, KANAAN- Jamie Ball remembers the day the men in dark suits came for her.
"I was outside playing with my baby sister," she said. "This car pulled up and two men got out. They jumped over the fence, grabbed me, and dragged me into the car with them. My sister started screaming and my mum came running out of the house as fast as she could. I was screaming and kicking and hitting the men. They wouldn't let me go."

Jamie Ball was eight years old when she became a "warden of the state", a term used for children removed from their parents and placed into foster care with couples deemed by the government to be "fitter" parents. She is one of thousands of children who were stolen from their parents under court order, or sometimes government orders, as enabled under Section 47 of the Judiciary Act 1958. The section "grants the sheriffs of the court, bailiffs of the court, or other such persons the powers of assuming possession of property and persons as custodians of the province or state under order of the court or other such authority."

It was under that legal framework that Ball was taken by the sheriffs from her home under the orders of the Etten provincial government to be handed over to what was then the Vulnerable Young Persons division of the Ministry of Education. She would be transferred from her original home in the town of Malali to the city of Hamilton in south central Kanaan, where she was made to live with a conservative religious family. She was renamed and forced to convert to Sotiranity.
"They wanted to make me white," she said. "Even though I had a white name, I spoke Estmerish, and we celebrated all the same holidays. But because I was Lokono, that was enough for them to try and beat the brown out of me."

Ball was beaten regularly by both her parents, especially if she tried to use her original name, or refused to attend religious studies or church. The physical abuse was also paired with mental abuse and emotional abuse, often sanctioned with the local pastor in an attempt to make her as religious as they were.
"They wouldn't give me food for days and would only feed me if I prayed or if I said I would accept Jesus into my life," she said. "They would then tell me I wasn't a real Sotirian and that I had to keep proving my faith through all these tests they had for me."

Inevitably the abuse turned sexual shortly after she became a teenager, and at that point she knew she had to get out. Ball said the tipping point was hearing the husband chatting and drinking with the pastor of the local church about how she would have made a "wonderful whore for the missionaries".
"I thought 'that's it, I've got to get out or he's gonna do something to me,'" she said. "I wasn't going to give him the opportunity."

Despite being a warden of the state and supposedly under a high degree of scrutiny, Ball simply vanished into the night. She didn't have any money, but she knew she had to get away. Her forced parents had reported her missing to the police, but Ball made sure she wouldn't be found.
"I didn't want them to find me," she said. "I didn't want to go back there. He would have done horrible things to me if I had." Police reports indicated that not much was done to find her despite her status as a warden of the state, owing to police lacking both the resources and the interest in her whereabouts. She said it was both a blessing and a curse.
"I know that if a brown kid went missing, you'd want them to do everything in their power to find them," she said. "Their racism benefitted me because I didn't want to be found."

Ball would eventually return to Malali after six years away from her home. By that stage she had earnt money doing what most young impoverished teenage girls did to earn money: prostitution. She said she was ashamed at the time because of the religious indoctrination but said it was the only way she could make money, often cash in hand. She doesn't believe it was something to be ashamed of, given that for a lot of young women, it was the only way they could make good money, even if at the time it was illegal.
"When you're in that situation, you don't think of 'is this bad'," she said. "You can only think of how much money you've got to make, how much food is going to cost, etc. You only think of yourself."

Her story is one of tens of thousands of children who were removed from their parents during the conservative era of Nuvania's modern history, when the National People's Party governed continuously for four decades. During that time, removing children from their parents, usually by force, was employed as a means of subduing and terrifying predominantly impoverished coloured communities into silence. Of the estimated 55,000 children taken from their homes between 1949 and 1989, 50% were black, 35% were indigenous, 20% were Creole, and five percent were white.

Professor James Scullion of the University of Windstrand has studied the policy, officially referred to as "uplifting", for the last two decades, and has become an expert on the subject. He said that in the vast majority of cases, children were removed from their parents because of political affiliations or the involvement of said parents in activities, such as volunteering for non-approved unions, or merely participating in anti-government protest actions. In many instances, these were often young parents who had one or two children, and it was often the youngest child that was taken.
"The younger, the better," Professor Scullion said. "Because those children were unaware of what was happening, and because they often lacked the memories and bond with their parents, it meant that authorities could remove them and put them elsewhere with parents that could form those bonds and memories."

Formerly known as "involuntary surrender", the use of the removal of children from predominantly non-white communities stemmed from a policy instituted by the governor of Etten during the 1940's, Richard Jameson, in response to the resistance of the Makusi people in the upper Irakubo region in the foothills of the Arucian Mountains. The policy was as simple as it was brutal: remove as many children from the Makusi "as necessary until resistance by the Makusi ceases in its entirety". This sentence was from the official minutes of a meeting with central government officials dated in June 1945, where Jameson stated his intention to use whatever means necessary to subdue resistance by whatever means possible.

This policy would be expanded upon following the election of the National People's Party under the leadership of Charles Wakefield, to power at the 1949 general election. This policy, according to Scullion, was formally legislated into law unofficially through the passing of the Judiciary Act 1958, which made numerous amendments to the legislation passed by the government of J.P von Vollenhoven in the immediate post-war period. Scullion said that the Act was the last major piece of legislation passed by the Wakefield government with the intention on reintroducing pre-war laws that had been removed from the books by the "clean slate" action of the Allied Civil Government, which occupied Nuvania between 1934 and 1937. He said that the Act strengthened the power of the courts to do the government's bidding, and among powers given to the officers of the court, either sheriffs, bailiffs, or police officers serving court warrants, were the powers granted under Section 47.
"It was an innocuous way of introducing far reaching powers and the consequences that actioning on those powers would have," he said. "No one at the time knew what would happen or to the scale at which it would happen."

Using Section 47, tens of thousands of children were removed from their parents over the coming decades, reaching its peak in the 1970's before slowly declining after Johnathan Keaton came to power in 1982, who introduced reforms which changed the terminology surrounding removal from "involuntary surrender" to "uplifiting", as well as placing the responsibility under a new Social Services Agency from 1987 onwards. Nevertheless, children were often removed from their parents through other legislation introduced in order to protect children from abusive parents or households. In many instances, a blind eye was turned to genuine abuse, while the courts rubber stamped warrants issued by the Ministry of Education. In a cruel twist of irony, thousands of children found themselves placed into abusive households or in halfway houses, where the abuse was often committed by those assigned to protect them. Often children from parents involved in political activism were targeted, using these as a means of scaring activists and opponents of the government into silence. Scullion believes that this was due to a wide-ranging system of informants and agents planted within social service agencies and government ministries, although he says he lacks the evidence to conclusively prove it.
"From what I've seen, there's definitely some sort of involvement of the security services," he said. "Many of these kids came from families who were targeted specifically for their political activism or association, or from communities in which these people were present."

This has prompted him to contact many of those whom had records made available to him in order to gather a database of those willing to speak openly about their experiences. For Jamie Ball, now 46, Scullion's research has been one of the most important events since she was removed from her mother 38 years ago. She said that not only has the process been cathartic, but that it's made her want to know more about why she was taken, why her mother suffered throughout the years she was missing, and whether or not the government has done anything to prevent it from happening again. It has lead the two of them to create a petition calling for a government inquiry into the forced removal of children from their parents for political reasons. The petition, launched in February this year, has so far gathered over 64,000 signatures in six months, well short of their intended 100,000 signature goal. Despite this, it hasn't deterred Ball or Scullion from continuing their campaign, especially since they secured backing from Generation 47, a non-profit non-governmental organisation dedicated to finding and reuniting those removed under Section 47 and reuniting them with their parents.

Neither the Ministry of Social Welfare and Pensions, the Social Services Agency, nor the minister responsible, Simon Morweng, would comment on the continued use of Section 47 to remove children from households. However, a statement was released by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Pensions in response to a Generation 47 request for information on the use of Sectio 47, stating that "the continued use of Section 47 is done through the appropriate use of legislation and the court system to ensure that children suffering from abuse can be safely removed from danger."

For Ball, she doesn't mind waiting longer for action.
"I'm Lokono," she said. "My people have a lot of patience. We've waited centuries for justice."

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by **Arbolada** » Wed Aug 31, 2022 8:05 pm

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Candidates confirmed for the November 2022 snap elections 30m ago

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Rizealander rapper in Ponto Solar ends stay with chicanery with legal firm over long-term residency | Congress debates on "economic backups" in anticipation of disasters such as pandemics

Sol Radiante Premiere Shoppes opens in Ponto Solar
One of the largest commercial malls on Asteria Inferior unveils today to tens of thousands in its grand opening

Photograph from the new Sol Radiante mall in one of its six open-air "sunray" sections, prior to the grand opening

1:06 p.m. WLT | Aug 31 2022 | Ponto Solar

By Adalberto Góes

One of the largest malls in Asteria Inferior — and the greater hemisphere, for that matter — has opened today in Ponto Solar. Located within the heart of the upper-class Hibisco neighborhood, and only a kilometer from the coast, Sol Radiante Premiere Shoppes was constructed and administrated by the Castro Property Group; they received a large-scale loan in the hundreds of millions of arbols from the Arboladan government in 2019 for the project, and the company expects to exceed this initial loan amount by the end of the 2023 fiscal year based on projected commercial revenue metrics.

The Sol Radiante Premiere Shoppes' grand opening today heralded the arrival of tens of thousands of Arboladans and tourists alike, with notable celebrities such as Cátia Dias in addition to the incumbent President Reuben Schäffer making an appearance. The enticement for such a grand opening was as a result of the CPG's massive advertisement campaign this past summer, showcasing the massive property and its unique sun-and-ray architectural design. The design plan of Sol Radiante is chiefly composed of a massive central circle that hosts three gigantic floors of various commercial venues, outlets, food courts, and other facilities. This is complemented by six outdoor promenade "sunrays" that host restaurants, boutiques, and other stores of international and national namesake alike, in addition to a large park in the center of the "sun" meant for further outdoor dining and "respite" for tourists. The larger property of Sol Radiante Premiere Shoppes is also home to numerous famous hotel chains and automobile shopping centers.

Another major boon to Sol Radiante comes in the form of its location; it is directly accessible from the Ponto Solar International Airport through Grande Avenida, and leads directly to the most populous beaches in Arbolada through Cecilio Mendez Boulevard. The mall is also situated only a few kilometers away from the main campus of Arbolada University. It is to no one's surprise that CPG seeks to pay back their half-a-billion arbol loan through catering to both rich tourists and boisterous college students alike, as this tactic has been seen with their smaller mall ventures in Calusa and Florestes Verdes, respectively.

Many famous international names have made Sol Radiante home in its grand opening, such as the Montecaran luxury brand Bergamin in addition to national names such as Palmira and Abel Dubost.

A spokesperson for CPG has confirmed that Sol Radiante still has numerous spaces open for further arrival of international and national companies alike.

Reporting by Adalberto Góes in Ponto Solar; Writing by Amancio Batista; Editing by Andres Seiden

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My Last.fm · by **West Kirkon** » Thu Sep 01, 2022 10:22 am

Mei Phoumsa - 1 September 2022

Home ·Lavana · Coius · International · Politics · Finance ·Sports · Entertainment · Health · Travel · Weather · Opinion

Free Democratic elections in Lavana, historic Democratic participation in elections.

Voters lining up in Pers.

Pers -

Free Democratic multi-party elections were celebrated earlier today in the territory of Lavana, and embassies abroad. Lavanans over 18, without criminal procedures, and of good government standing were allowed to vote for the first multi-party elections in Lavana since 1959, when the Lavanan Section of the Workers International was denied its democratic victory. Triggering the Revolution that established Socialist democracy in Lavana. To prevent anti-revolutionary activities and the opening of the LSWI to all ethnic, religious, cultural, and linguistic groups, elections were to solely feature the LSWI. However as Premier Laina Keomany pointed out, the LSWI as a organization can only fulfill the democratic needs of the population, and following an example from Dezevau, along with the purge of anti-revolutionary, and anti-democratic elements of the Lavanan society since 1959, most recently this year. Keomany stated that the state was in a position of necessity for multi-party elections.

Keomany has supported such a measure from day one, citing the success of Dezevau as a primary reason. Keomany has decided that in the Post-coup Lavana, free and open democracy are the ways of the state and society. “We’re no longer chained by the anti-democratic forces in our country, party, and government. The state can progress” stated Keomany to reporters of the Lavanan Financial Times. “For far too long, the will of the public was trampled over by the corrupt underbelly of the capitalist enemy, who passed as our friends, family members, bosses, and politicians. Not that they’ve been removed from such power, Lavana will enter a fast track to progress” were other quotes from the determined premier. Keomany, who risked her life to achieve a dream of democracy, and freedom this last March, is a shining beacon for the ideal citizen of Lavana.

The Lavanan citizens responded by going to voting booths in mass, to cast their vote which they struggled to gain in blood and sweat. “The bravery of the Lavanan who stood in front of tanks, who protested, who fought for democracy, is without comparison” declared Minister of Finance Emmanuel Bakhtzhany. Throughout the country long lines welcomed voters to voting booths and machines. For the first time in history as well, voting booths and forms in Ukilen, Majgar, Male, and Kizik were present wherever necessary. “It is imperative that in creating a socialist democratic state, that all its citizens be equally considered” remarked Bakhtzhany. For the first time in history as well, Irfanic Lavanans were not required to present two forms of identification when voting, and instead were allowed to vote upon the presentation of their National Identification card. Voting was smooth throughout the country, without any issues reported.

Contrary to Capitalist accusations, the Lavanan elections were conducted under absolutely free and democratic principles. International observers from Dezevau, South Kabu, Champania, and the Yoloten verified the elections as free and without interference. Contrary to capitalist propaganda, individuals were allowed to vote for write-in candidates in secrecy, allowing for complete and absolute democracy. All ballots were secret at all levels of government, and their absolute secrecy is to be maintained.

Results for the elections will be released tomorrow, following verification of results. The first results are to be those of the direct Lavanan Congress elections, followed by Provincial, Municipal, and then city level elections. For less populated localities results are expected to be released in full by Saturday, while for the more populated localities results could take until next week, as an army of volunteers works to verify and publish the results.

The Lavanan Financial Times salutes the free democratic multi-party elections celebrated today, and salutes the administration of Laina Keomany for allowing such elections to take place, and to fight for such a right to democracy last March. We applaud the unrivaled civil duty of this administration, and welcome the ever importance of democracy in our Socialist society.

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by **Poshyte** » Thu Sep 01, 2022 12:46 pm

Peie Tjepkema - 1 September 2022

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

What's at stake as Alslandic voters go to the polls

Voters will elect 201 members of the country's Senate on 5 September

Yndyk, Alsland - In less than a week over 8 million registered potential voters in Alsland will be heading to the polls to elect a new parliament and government only months on from a major political scandal rocked the country's political scene and as public trust in the government fell to record lows.

Voters will choose to elect one of several electoral lists competing in the election which may determine the future of Euclea and whether or not the Euclean centre-left's recent electoral victories have much of a future left. Opinion polls are suggesting the election will be a close race between the leftist ASAY party, the centrist and liberal Liveable Alsland party, the right-wing populist Orange Party or the anti-establishment centre-right Together party.

The election comes only weeks after the country's public learnt that the national intelligence agency - commonly known as SYFA - had spied on trade unions, journalists and even politicians under the orders of the incumbent government led by centre-left politician Ottila Möller who was forced to defend her government's role in this during several fiery TV debates held over the course of the campaign. The scandal has led to government accountability and transparency becoming one of the most talked about issues of the campaign alongside traditional issues such as taxes, the economy, healthcare and education.

The election also serves as a political test ahead of this year's Euclean presidential election and could also spell bad news for social democrats within the community who are only just coming off their highs after successive major electoral victories in Gaullica, Estmere and most recently Hennehouwe and Caldia. Alsland has 3 parties who are affiliated with the SAE at the Euclean level and their performance could determine the strength of the so called 'pink wave' phenomenon of centre-left victories in recent Euclean elections.

Former Euclean President and incumbent MEP Bonne Zijlstra who is leading the opposition centre-left Social Democratic Workers' Party (SDAP) into the election told the continental that "there could be a situation where the [centre] left are at their weakest in the Senate in over 50 years". Zijlstra blames the government's handling of the SYFA scandal as well as fatigue from the centre-left Progressive Alliance's decision to enter a grand coalition with other centre-right parties over a decade ago, a similar coalition consisting of the Alliance and other parties continues to govern Alsland.

"Even despite this we [SDAP] expect this to be the start of our comeback, but parties need to recognise that people want change and don't want 4 more years of the same government. It's what's driving people to support radical parties which oppose our multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society." He told the Continental in reference to the Orange Party's growing support amongst working class voters who felt left behind by what he claims is "12 years of liberal economics".

Leftist candidate Olari Lippmaa and his ASAY party are currently leading in opinion polls told the Continental that his party's resurgence from a disastrous election defeat in 2018 is down to their ability to field popular candidates from different regions and their relatively popular policies which include expanding and strengthening Alsland's healthcare system, abolishing tuition fees as well as creating an independent investigatory body to analyse whether laws were broken during the SYFA scandal and punish any potential lawbreakers. Lippmaa, a former CN diplomat has the support of young voters in Alsland who overwhelmingly back either his party or the centre-right culturally liberal Together for Alsland party.

"What we have that differentiates us from other parties is our credibility and local connections which allows us to listen to people and workers directly." He told us. "We're open to coalition talks with other parties but in the end it's the people that must come first in any settlement and the other parties which have damaged trust in the government need to take a step back and realise that business as usual after this scandal cannot happen."

Meanwhile the centrist Liveable Alsland party which is led by Liekele Ykema is hoping to win the election through a message of hope and has spent the campaign contrasting their policies to that of other parties. For the party the two most consistent themes have been the SYFA scandal and Alsland's very weak economy compared to it's neighbours, the country narrowly missed entering recession recently and it's feared any global downturn could send the country and the Euclo spiralling. The party's key message is that it is the true choice for change and reform having already signed on to a campaign to write a new constitution to replace Alsland's current post-war constitution in part written by the controversial Villem Mand. Despite being the party's candidate for Premier, Ykema has said that he will not take the role if he is selected as Forward Euclea's candidate for President in the Euclean elections.

What makes this election different from others in Alsland is the emergence of two new parties on the political scene that could significantly shape Alsland's future political scene. The centre-right Together for Alsland party was formed only weeks ago but has remained stable in opinion polls and could win anywhere from 25 to 30 seats in Alsland's senate if polls are correct. The party is led by Kairi Sokk, a former Green Party senator who has the backing of technology companies with her promise to completely digitalise Alsland and to expand Alsland's technology sector to become a leading force on the global stage. Her party is running a joint list with the Euclofederalist VOX Alsland, the Future.as party as well as A21, a populist youth politics party, which are all guaranteed a significant amount of seats on the list to widen the party's appeal. For many voters Sokk encompasses a new start and a fresh face for the country and for observers abroad she is seen as a steadfast pro-euclean voice and her connections to the Euclean centre-left also may come in handy.

Her party's policies encompass an extremally culturally liberal and progressive stance which includes drug legalisation, legalising euthanasia, writing a new constitution to enshrine LGBT+ rights, gender equality and the right to internet access within the constitution. She has also promised to promote gender equality in Alsland and provide a legal pathway for refugees to gain citizenship in Alsland which currently has one of the strictest immigration policies for non-EC members including a proposed ban on most non-EC immigration by the current government. The party has already signed a de facto agreement with Liveable Alsland and both have agreed to work together to form a coalition before working with other parties.

The other political newcomer is the right-wing nationalist Orange Party which was formed only last year after the Alslandic right-wing faced annihilation over connections to the Yndyk train bomber. The party is led by Elsert Wassenaar who made history by becoming the first openly gay leader of a political party in the country and wants to redefine the Euclean right-wing. Wassenaar has distanced his party from other right-wing parties and has allegedly called other right-wing movements in Euclea "parasitic" according to Dellish broadcaster DTRT. Wassenaar has proposed an alliance of centre-right and right-wing parties which oppose both the radical extremism of the far-right as well as the perceived excesses of the Euclean centre-left. His party is aiming to increase the presence of the right-wing within the Folkssenaat significantly and could form a significant part of a future government, having not been ruled out of any coalition talks.

Some of Wassenaar's most controversial statements include opposing refugees crossing the Solarian sea by saying "send them back to Tsabara where they live" last year and saying that he supports a ban on all religious symbols in Alsland including religious attire in public and outside of places of worship. He also wants to set up a government taskforce to analyse whether or not immigrant workers have unfairly taken jobs from 'native Alslanders' and wants to deport immigrants convicted of even minor offences such as traffic violations or speeding for example.

Voters can cast their ballots 5 September and polls are open from 7AM to 6PM. All Alslandic citizens above the age of 18 are automatically registered to vote.

by **Union of Akoren** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 9:25 am

PNLAY and Zorasanis reopen and militarise Lehir's airport
Drones, supplies, new buildings and air defences appear in the northeastern airport.

02 September 2022 · Written by: Moritz Huth

Lehir’s International Airport, seized dramatically in Spring by Zorasani paratroopers has received a new runway and support facilities, but seemingly for use by regime and Zorasani forces. The reopening of the airport for military use will greatly extend regime capabilities across northern and eastern Yemet.

Commercial satellite companies have released images of Lehir’s Airport, revealing a repaved runway, new fuel storage facilities and images of at least two Zorasani-produced drones sitting on the tarmac. The activity also includes the construction of smaller buildings, likely housing units and storage facilities, indicating the barracking of either government or Zorasani military personnel.

Satellite images reveal the presence of Zorasani-made drones at the airport.

Zorasani social media accounts linked to the military shared several videos of transport planes arriving at the airport, unloading supplies and equipment, while others also showed the unloading of medium range surface-to-air missile systems.

The airport and the vital port city of Lehir were recaptured by regime forces in the spring of this year, with the former retaken by 1,200 Zorasani paratroopers in what was confirmed as the largest airborne operation since the Great War. The runway was cratered in three locations by Zorasani warplanes in the earliest days of the civil war, ostensibly to deny its use to “outside elements.” The strikes came amid fears shared between Zorasan and its erstwhile ally, the late Retta Iskinder, that Eucleans may intervene and use Lehir as a base of operations. It fell into disrepair during the months-long occupation by local and larger rebel factions inhabiting the city,

With the airport steadily returning to function, the city itself will now possess a direct link to the outside world as work continues rebuilding the degraded port facilities. The city since its recapture, has relied solely on the Gonda Highway for supply and communication with the rest of regime held Yemet. The airport’s reopening will also provide regime forces and their Zorasani allies with a major hub in the northeast. The deployment of Zorasani drones already indicates its use for strikes against rebel positions south of the Gonda, while the deployment of surface-to-air missiles betrays ulterior motives for the Zorasani deployment.

The Weranian government’s statements made several months ago about the possible deployment of military trainers to Maucha, a neighbouring country of Yemet’s spooked both the military regime of Uxbale Asad and his Zorasani allies. Lehir, being on the proverbial doorstep to Maucha makes it a prime location for a possible shadowing move by Zorasan. According to Zorasani social media accounts, senior commanders fear that Maucha could be used as a staging ground for Euclean support for rebel factions or a possible drone base, from which they can observe government operations. However, the Zorasani presence in Lehir will also allow them to resume strikes against the Kulo State.

Girota falls under siege

The Yemeti capital is now widely perceived to be under a state of siege by PNLAY forces loyal to Uxbale Asad. Aided by Zorasani airstrikes and artillery, the PNLAY seized the suburb of Kola Diba enclosing the city on three sides against Lake Hayik. The encirclement of the capital places up to 5 million people under a state of siege, prompting calls for restraint and humanitarian corridors from the Blue Crystals and the Community of Nations.

Freya Borgstrom, the head of the Yemeti Coordination Committee, an NGO based in Scoverne told us, “there is a deep seated fear for the people of Girota. They are now under siege and we know from history and past experience that both the PNLAY and Zorasani military approach sieges with abandon. If they [PNLAY-Zorasanis] target the city’s water and electricity supply, they could throw 5 million people into darkness without fresh water. We have already seen the targeting of markets and food infrastructure as well as indiscriminate bombing by planes and artillery. This could easily become one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of the 21st century so far.”

The humanitarian situation has been worsened by the withdrawal of aid by Werania and Etruria, who claim it is being misused by the Asad regime.

Over 300 civilians have been killed in Girota since the coup against Retta Iskinder saw the city fall under the control of General Ater Deng and self-proclaimed president Issa Kahsu, two Iskinder-loyalists. Over 100 were killed on the 6 August alone, from Zorasani airstrikes on the city. Since then, a further 243 have been killed in further air and artillery strikes.

Last week it was confirmed that the Asad regime had placed bounties upon the heads of Kahsu and Deng of up to €10 million each. It is believed that this bounty is the work of Zorasan, which can afford to pay out such funds compared to the cash-strapped regime. This followed disproven reports the two had been killed in a Zorasani drone strike on the former Lake Hotel, which was believed to be the headquarters of the Deng-Kahsu command structure.

More from the International Conflict Monitor

ILR make ground in central Tsabara
Fact or Fiction?: Shortages of weapons and ammunition in Tsabara
A Euclean mission to Maucha comes with great benefit and risks
A siege of Girota could kill thousands

The International Conflict Monitor is a think tank based in Morwall, that is dedicated to breaking conflict stories, events and providing unique analysis. The ICM hopes to utilise its wide network of sources to establish a greater understanding of human conflict, to then use that knowledge to assist policymakers in conflict resolution.

by **Nuvania** » Fri Sep 02, 2022 11:04 pm

International Edition

Foreign Ministry issues comments on situation in Yemet

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Nasim Safar Saadeh (@NSSaadeh)
3 September (1:39pm)|ZAHEDAN

Foreign Minister Khalif Mourad Abdul Shad

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued comments on the developing situation in Yemet regarding the status of the embassy in Girota as well as the governments views on the recent commencement of military actions in and around the Yemeti capital.

Foreign Minister Khalif Mourad Abdul Shad said during a press conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in central Amassine this morning that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had ordered the evacuation of the remaining personnel at the Beheran embassy in Girota this morning and had flown them all out by midday. He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made the decision owing to recent air strikes and fighting in the outer suburbs of the Yemeti capital.
"The situation in Girota became untenable for our staff and so we issued the order to evacuate," he said. "The remaining staff from the embassy were evacuated via chartered executive aircraft provided by the President."

Minister Abdul Shad said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not completely severed ties to the Yemeti government, saying that the situation had warranted the Ministry to place the safety of its staff as the highest priority. Communications with Girota, he said, were still possible through the Yemeti embassy in Amassine.
"We are still maintaining diplomatic contact with officials in Girota," he said. "At the moment they are the officials who are in control of the city and therefore the officials we will maintain contact with." Minister Abdul Shad was at pains to express that this did not represent any official diplomatic recognition of the administration in Girota itself.
"We currently do not offer any diplomatic recognition to either administration in Yemet at this time. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the advice of the President, will refrain from officially recognising either claimed administration in Yemet until the situation improves."

Rumours that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had ordered the borders to be closed that had circulated on social media were "falsehoods" according to Minister Abdul Shad on the basis that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not have the power to close borders. He said that he did not want to offer comment on potential border closures, but did say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had issued a travel ban to Yemet for Beheran citizens.

On the situation in the Yemeti capital, Minister Abdul Shad said that the developments were "concerning", stating that the Beheran government had serious concerns for the millions of residents of the capital who would be "in the firing line between the two factions within the Yemeti government."
"It is clear that the Asad faction and the Zorasanis intend to take the city by force," he said. "Such a move would undoubtedly fuel a catastrophic refugee crisis of which no nation in the region is capable of handling."

Minister Abdul Shad then issued a rebuff directed at the decision by the Weranian government to end aid to Yemet some months ago. He said that the Beheran government believed that this decision would leave countries like Beheran unable to cope with refugees that would flee major conflict in western Yemet, which until now had more or less been relatively stable. He said that without foreign aid, Behera would have no choice but to prevent the entrance of refugees into Beheran territory, or "facilitate the transfer of refugees from conflict areas to countries which have more resources to handle them."
"If we do not receive the necessary financial and material aid for the inevitable inundation of refugees from Yemet, then these will be the measures that we will be forced to adopt in order to protect our own security interests and stability of civilian populations."

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by **Poshyte** » Sun Sep 04, 2022 10:31 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.

My Last.fm · by **West Kirkon** » Sun Sep 04, 2022 1:54 pm

Mariya Nazarivna - 04 September 2022

Home ·Vinalia · Asteria · International · Politics · Finance · Sports · Entertainment · Health · Travel · Weather · Opinion

Technical issue in Gymnasium ceremony in Tetyanivka.

Vinalinsk

The town of Tetyanivka in Zdavro Province, released a statement earlier today in apology to the Republic of Senria and its citizens after a technical error played the anthem of Shangea on the entry of a Senrian diplomat to city hall. The incident has gained large online coverage due to the controversial nature of Senrian and Shangean relations, although it was of little impact in the ceremony. The video has entered Senrian and Shangean social media, which has only increased its coverage.

Senrian Cultural attache to Vinalia, Dr. Inaba Tatsuya was attending a ceremony in the town of Tetyanivka, in Zdavro province. The Republic of Senria has been sponsoring the construction of a gymnasium for the town since 2020, which was due to be opened last Friday, September 1st. The gymnasium was to be opened and named as “Republic of Senria Gymnasium '', in honor of the Senrian sponsoring of the gymnasium, which is to benefit the athletic, and cultural activities of the town. Senria had also approved funding to provide craft workshops for entrepreneurial women of the community, along with acquiring necessary equipment for Football, and Basketball equipment. The Senrian ambassador did not attend the ceremony as he was conducting embassy activities in Vinalinsk.

At around noon, the Senrian delegation led by Dr. Tatsuya entered the gymnasium and was greeted by Municipal council leader Ivan Sermenko. The ceremony was to have school children sing the Vinalian anthem with the Vinalian flag present, and then to play the Senrian anthem from an online version, after which Dr. Tatsuya could tour the gymnasium before the official naming ceremony would begin. Unfortunately, as the Senrian anthem was to be played, the anthem of the Auspicious Republic of Shangea was played instead. Immediately the Senrian delegation looked confused, while the anthem played for around 15 seconds before the audio was cut. The ceremony ground to a halt for around a minute before the technical team through a loudspeaker apologized for the technical issue, and played the Senrian anthem without any issues. The rest of the ceremony continued without any other problems, and the Senrian delegation made no mention of the issue.

Online however quickly exploded, as videos of the technical mistake began circulating. Many Vinalians stated that the incident was a sign of Vinalian ignorance regarding the culture and national symbols of other countries, while many users took it as a moment of humor. The controversial nature of Senria and Shangea’s relationship was brought into the mix, with many users stating that Vinalia was about to be attacked by Senria for such an offense. The video which made its way into Senrian and Shangean space was met with great interest. With equally serious condemnation of the event, and humor over what was a brief technical issue. The city council of Tetyanivka issued a statement saying that it was not done in any ill will, and that the video player which the technical team was using, was on the “autoplay” feature, which played the Shangean anthem automatically after the Senrian one. Which had been played earlier in a rehearsal of the ceremony.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on Saturday apologizing for the incident, and stating that the town of Tetyanivka sought to make no attempt to offend, or comment on Senrian-Shangean relations, and that the situation had just been an accident.

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by **Arbolada** » Wed Sep 07, 2022 3:29 pm

This design was made under the Dark NS theme; however, it has a degree of regular theme compatibility. It is nevertheless advised to use the Dark theme when viewing Arboladan articles.

"Fight the Right" rally ends in dismay in Forte João 3m ago

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"Fight the Right" march ends in dismay in Forte João
A large left-wing demonstration against the current conservative government and its controversies ends in gendarme crackdown

Photograph from Forte João yesterday evening, showing National Gendarmes in riot gear deployed in the Fortazela borough

8:04 a.m. WLT | Sep 05 2022 | Forte João

By Roberto Moura Velho

Yesterday evening, throughout much of the central boroughs of Forte João such as Fortazela and Madeira Preta, a rally was held by the impromptu "Fight the Right" left-wing political movement. This rally, which was led by Joaquim Quintana - a local socialist political candidate - marched through the Joãozinho Avenue in protest of the current Democrat administration and their recent controversies in "rigging the past presidential election". However, the march was also according to Quintana accomplished in order to "bring to light the current regressive political attitude of Arbolada", citing how the country holds one of the poorest social progress indices in its level of human development.

This march, lasting well into the evening, was met with the deployment of local police and National Gendarmerie forces by the order of the Democrat mayor of Forte João, Rogério Serrano. The marchers were blocked from progressing further through the Fortazela borough, and were ordered to return the way that they came from Joãozinho Avenue. After a series of skirmishes between law enforcement and protestors involving rocks and bottles, the commander of present forces, Captain Mateus Alvarez, ordered riot police elements to apprehend various "criminals" that hid themselves within the marching crowds. This subsequently resulted in a stampede away from Arboladan riot gendarmes that caused 2 significant injuries in addition to numerous arrests.

Such an end to the rally has brought harsh criticism upon the Serrano mayoral administration and the usage of National Gendarmes as foot soldiers in order to "break apart any demonstrations that pose a threat to the Democrat establishment", as stated by Quintana. Serrano has yet to respond to these statements, but Captain Alvarez had issued late into the night a notice to news networks that their response was "justified as a means to prevent further rowdiness" from the crowds present. Captain Alvarez has also informed the Arboladan Sun that those arrested are to be given "due process", and those found to be innocent of attempting to injure officers and gendarmes will be released appropriately.

With several "Fight the Right" rallies being planned for later this month in major Arboladan cities such as Ponto Solar, Calusa, and Porto Andrés, tensions are rising within the left-wing community that these events will be met with similar harsh reactions from municipal governments.

Reporting by Roberto Moura Velho in Forte João; Writing by Alfredo Zanetti; Editing by Adriaan Hummel

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by **Etruria2** » Sun Sep 11, 2022 1:11 pm

Patria alliance formalised in new agreement

President Francesco Carcaterra talks with Social Party leader Giuliano Eugenio Quadarella
following the agreement's signing.

The Patria coalition comprised of the Tribune Movement, Social Party of the Third and Onward Novalia has been formalised in a new electoral agreement. The new agreement will see the formation of a coalition government in 2026 if victorious, while all three parties will be permitted to compete at the state and local level in Novalia and Tarpeia.

The three parties had been locked in negotiations for the past two months, reportedly working out differences of intention. Onward Novalia was reportedly seeking a Patria ticket approach to elections, while the Tribunes wished to limit the coalition’s structure to best utilise the strengths of its parties. Ultimately, it would seem the Tribunes won out securing a more conventional agreement that would guarantee the three parties serving together in government, while enabling a joint ticket in Novalia and Tarpeia for state and local elections.

In a statement released on social media, the Patria coalition said, “for two months the member parties of Patria have been engaged in honest and serious negotiation on how best to utilise the alliance for the preservation of Etrurian values, morals and consolidation of our new popular, faithful and patriotic Republic. We can now confirm that an agreement has been reached and this will deliver for Etrurians a united right, which they can depend upon to deliver success and victory for the Etrurian people.”

“The agreement reached will formalise the Patria alliance into a united movement for government. The three member parties will compete as a united ticket in local and state elections in the Republic of Novalia and the State of Tarpeia. At the federal level Patria will form the next government under a coalition agreement to guarantee the majority of patriotism and faith and to continue delivering for the nation, the transformational success seen for the past six years.

“Patria, united and determined, will defend Etruria and its people. Deliver the reforms and policies necessary to provide the prosperity, security and pride Etrurians deserve. Deliver the reforms necessary to rebuild the Republic after thirty years of misrule, corruption and self-serving antics of the Euclo-Left. Our fatherland shall be put first always at home and abroad.

“Long live the republic, long live our fatherland.”

The new agreement takes immediate effect and will be first implemented in the upcoming state and local elections in Novalia. The agreement will likely result in a coalition government in the state, should Patria be able to stem the surge in SD support and uphold its lead in seats.

President Francesco Carcaterra released a statement through his office saying, “the new agreement formalising Patria into a cohesive and united movement for a patriotic and catholic Etruria will stand as one of the great political evolutions of the decade. Together, we will strive to protect the country we love and beat back the rising pink tide of nihilism, cultural vandalism, anti-nation and anti-religion. I look forward to working closer than ever with my friends and compatriots in the Social Party and Onward Novalia.”

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by **Slirnija** » Mon Sep 12, 2022 6:51 pm

by **Etruria2** » Wed Sep 14, 2022 5:51 am

Government debates food stamp proposal

The government is considering food subsidies for Etruria’s most vulnerable groups. Yeah

The government is reportedly considering the introduction of food stamps to the federal social welfare system. The proposal would grant subsidised stamps for the purchasing of Etrurian produced foodstuffs for the countries poorest families and the elderly living below the poverty line.

A government memo produced by the Federal Ministry for Heath and Social Services seen by ARE proposes a €3.8 billion scheme that would subsidise food purchases for the poorest Etrurians families and elderly. Recipients would receive weekly vouchers worth up to F320 to purchase food. The subsidies would only be effective with Etrurian produced foodstuffs such as bread, pasta, fruit, meat and vegetables. The proposal stated that this scheme would join existing provision rather than replacing any.

In the memo, the author states, “this proposal would provide a considerable cushion to alterations or fluctuations in the cost of living for Etrurians, by further reducing the burden laid upon the poorest and most financially vulnerable. By providing federal funds for families to purchase Etrurian grown and made staples, these families will find themselves in a position of greater disposable income and a much reduced burden upon their finances.”

The memo proposes restricting the scheme to the “most severe” cases of financial vulnerability. This includes long term carers, those with low incomes and a pre determined number of dependents and elderly citizens below the poverty line.

The memo also states that through this scheme, Etrurian farmers and businesses could benefit.

“By limiting the scope of goods purchasable to those produced here in the country, our farmers and foodstuff industries could receive a significant boost” it said.

This relates to another proposal being debated in which all government institutions, including schools and hospitals would be mandated to buy foods from Etrurian producers only. The government is also reportedly working on ways to reduce VAT on Etrurian made goods as a means of boosting domestic consumption.

The National Audit Office also provided an addendum to the memo, saying, “by limiting the demographic who are entitled to the proposed scheme, the cost of subsidised food will be controllable and within government expenditures.”

Sources close to the government indicate that the proposal has found support among the cabinet. President Francesco Carcaterra is also reportedly keen to evaluate the scheme further.

However, the independent Institute for Budgetary Research has issued a warning on government schemes. The IBR which was markedly critical of Famiglia+ said, “this scheme much like Famiglia+ would apply further pressure on government spending when reform and a professional approach to welfare would be more appropriate and affordable long term.”

The IBR it should be stated has repeatedly clashed with the government, who have long accused the think tank of serving the “Euclo-Leftist patrician class, particularly through its traditional attacks and criticisms of programmes that help the most vulnerable and the Etrurians despise by their patrons.” Its criticism of Famiglia+ in particular received backlash as the policy has transformed the conditions and futures of millions of Etrurians.

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by **Nuvania** » Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:23 am

Six dead after dam collapses in southern Pomeronia

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William Lotter (@WillLotter)
16 September (6:30pm)|CONSTANTIA

A damaged house in Lethen

At least six people are dead and dozens more injured after a dam holding mine tailings at the Springhill Gold Mine in southern Pomeronia collapsed, sending a lethal wave of slurry into the nearby town of Lethen. At least 120 people have been injured in the flood, most with minor injuries, with around 20 people in hospital with moderate to critical injuries. Another 17 people are listed as missing.

Emergency services were alerted to the flood in the early hours of this morning and were quickly overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster, with requests issued for support from neighbouring districts and provinces. Communications outside of the district have proven to be difficult, with the flood destroying communications links northwest of Lethen, including severing National Route 371 four kilometres to the northwest of the town. Johannes Eloff, the Mayor of Lethen, said that the scale of the disaster was "overwhelming".
"We've yet to complete a full analysis of the damage but preliminary surveys from the air suggest about a third of the town has suffered damage in some way." he said. Eloff said that preliminary surveys had found that parts of the critical infrastructure of the town and the wider municipality was "seriously damaged", including electrical and telecommunications lines, with electricity knocked out and no landline or internet services. However, the town's water supply and sewerage pumping station are located on the eastern side of town and were unaffected by the flood itself, but were now relying on backup generators due to the loss of electrical supply.

Rescue crews from across the province and neighbouring provinces had been arriving in Lethen throughout the day, with rescue helicopters arriving in the early morning hours, beginning their search with thermal imaging cameras and spotlights. Crews responding from the west of the town struggled to reach it after the main road link to the town was severed, meaning they had to gain access to the town through private land. Many of the crews deployed to the small settlement of Hart, less than a kilometre west of Lethen, where damage is reportedly worse. So far, at least 30 people had been rescued from within the mudflow itself, while most of those who were injured were able to walk out and seek help.

A triage and welfare centre had been established in the central square of Lethen, with paramedics and staff from the local medical centre treating the injured. Army helicopters from the nearby Mitchell's Flat Weapons Testing Range provided emergency medical evacuations for the seriously injured, with Army medical personnel also flown in to provide assistance. Personnel and equipment from the Springhill mine and additional equipment from Alkmaar, the owners and operators of the mine, is also being sent to Lethen.

Willem Prinsloo, the District Commander of the Civil Defence Bureau for Southern Pomeronia, said that the death toll was likely to rise as search operations escalated. He said that significant portions of the residential areas in the west of the town had been damaged, with many houses suffering significant damage or being swept away entirely.
"At this stage we know of several houses in one area of the town that have been completely swept away," he said. "We also believe that there have been personnel at commercial businesses that have also been significantly impacted." He said that this included the principal maintenance depot for the Springhill mine, which saw a large amount of equipment damaged or swept away.

Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang or rumble before being overwhelmed by a torrent of mud and debris. Andreas Viljoen, a shift manager at the Springhill mine, was asleep at one of the workers accommodations on the western edge of Lethen. He woke up to the apartment complex shaking and the sound of rushing water.
"I thought 'what the hell is that?'" he said. "I got up and went to the window and saw just mud and water and all sorts of things flowing through the building." Viljoen said he was on the second floor of the complex and was "somewhat safe" from the flow, but feared the building would collapse. He had to wade through water and slurry to make it to safety.

A mine worker who lives in western Lethen, Boetie Rabali, said he was swept out of his home by the flood while sitting on his bed.
"I didn't have time to get out," he said. "I was sitting there trying to figure out what the noise was and then my bedroom just sort of disappeared." He said that the walls "peeled away" from his house and his bed was picked up by the debris flow. He said he didn't know how far he was carried from Lethen and had to walk back once his bed had beached to the side of the flow.
"I didn't know where I was, so I just walked back the way I came," he said. "I had to go through the mud though, which wasn't nice." Rabali said that he saw multiple vehicles being swept alongside him in the flood.

Preliminary aerial surveys conducted this morning have shown that the Number Two dam at the Springhill mine was the one that collapsed. In a statement, Alkmaar said that it would be "providing any and all requested assistance" and that the company "expressed its sincere and profound condolences to those affected by this tragedy." Alkmaar maintains two dams at the Springhill mine, with the Number Two dam the most recent of the two dams, built in 1998 in line with new regulations imposed after the Rooikraal dam collapse in 1994, which killed 14 people. That featured a similar collapse during an intense rainstorm.

Chief Minister Andrew Bohn expressed his condolences to the victims of the disaster and promised a full investigation into the cause of the collapse. In a press conference earlier this morning, the Chief Minister said he would be travelling to Lethen tomorrow alongside premier Pieter van Ryssen, who also expressed his condolences on social media and offered support from the provincial government.

Charities have already begun offering aid to the victims of the disaster, with a welfare centre established at the local school in Lethen. The Nuvanian Red Cross is taking donations for the victims, with a fund already set up on crowdfunding website WeCare.

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