PBC News

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:39 pm

PBC News > Election '09
Tuesday 29th September 2009

Margherian Freedom and Solidarity leader Tempesta Márquez (Photo credit: APR)

Márquez, separatists expose 2006 government advertising scheme
Potentially explosive scandal could severely affect FPD's election prospects this fall

Enrique Gallardón
Monterio

Margherian Freedom and Solidarity leader Tempesta Márquez announced Tuesday her party is in possession of documents detailing an extensive advertising contracts scheme, one which has the potential to explode into an all-out political scandal.

Ms Márquez says the documents indicate that the Sorantanali government, under the guise of the former Ministry of Culture and Heritage, funneled taxpayer money to sympathetic advertising and marketing agencies both in Margheria and across the country. The government aimed to launch a pro-federalist ad campaign highlighting Timiocato's contributions and efforts in Margheria, and, furthermore, attempted to stem any further growth in Margheria's separatist movement.

While the ad campaign never materialised, the very nature of the allegations raised against the former government are causing deep concern among the incumbent governing Federation of Progressive Democrats (FPD), which held power during the time of the program.

Any doubts about the authenticity of the documents in question have been erased, Ms Márquez told reporters, saying she has forwarded copies to the other political parties, including the FPD, and sent the originals to the National Supreme Court for notarising and evaluation.

Ms Márquez said it was absolutely repugnant that the governing FPD had hid the scheme from the public, even despite Sorantanali's government being forced from office in the summer of 2006.

"The fact that this is coming out now, three years later, shows that the FPD deliberately concealed this scandalous act," she said.

When pressed for a monetary value, Ms Márquez says the documents indicate the government was prepared to authorise spending of almost Đ 12 billion of taxpayer money on the advertising scheme, which would have run for five years from 2006.

Margheria, an aperture in northeastern Pacitalia, has long considered itself a victim of Pacitalian colonialism in the early stages of the country's history. Predominately ethnically Iberian and thus racially, culturally and linguistically different from ethnic Pacitalians, the separatist movement, at times extremely violent, has been at the forefront of Pacitalian politics since the late 1940s.

Margherian Freedom and Solidarity (MFS), a socialist and social-democratic political party that, at the national level, only runs candidates in Margherian prefectures, is a direct heir of the separatist cause in that region of the republic. Established in 2003, it has consistently pressed Timiocato for a referendum on sovereignty or autonomy for Margheria to no avail.

Political polls over the past 10 years have indicated a bare majority of around 55 percent of Margherians support a referendum. However, the last poll directly quizzing Margherians about the issue of sovereignty was conducted over five years ago and the result — where 39 percent of Margherians were favourable to independence or greater autonomy — was seen as a vindication of the federalist cause.

But the latest allegations, Ms Márquez says, are just another indication of "how little respect Timiocato has for Margherians and for everyone in Pacitalia."

"They wanted to abuse taxpayer money," she added, "to try and subliminally attack the deep passion [Margherians] have to be free and self-determining. They couldn't be honest in trying to persuade Margherians that they are better off as part of Pacitalia."

Ms Márquez said Margherians didn't "need to be convinced either way that [they] are different in so many ways [from other Pacitalians]", adding "we don't need to be tricked into ignoring our differences, nor do we appreciate any attempt to have us ignore those differences."

While the allegations could damage the FPD's already tenuous chances of maintaining a hold on power in Timiocato, political experts say fallout from these revelations could, realistically, just as easily be minimal.

Dr Pedro Alvarez-Chamurro, a political science professor and an expert on Timiocato-Margheria relations at Archangel Beo University in Sapuntoli, told PBC News, "in reality, this might only affect the FPD's chances in areas where there is any real, feasible separatist or autonomist movements... so, in the end, the damage might be limited to Empordia and Margheria, where the party already does not perform that well anyway."

The centre-left Pacitalian Social Congress tends to be the dominant party in upper and lower Empordia, and a close second in Margheria, where the MFS dominates regional and council politics. Historically, the northern apertures have tended to lean left-of-centre in past elections, resulting in poor returns for the centre-right FPD.

Several attempts at contacting the FPD's party headquarters in Timiocato were unsuccessful. The party has repeatedly stated before that it repudiates "any and all actions" taken by the Sorantanali government or Mr Sorantanali himself, but as the party was in power at the time of the alleged ad program, Dr Alvarez-Chamurro says "a simple statement might not do enough to limit the potential fallout" from this emerging scandal.

Constantino Sorantanali was prime minister from January to August 2006, leaving office in disgrace after several unpopular decisions and after admitting to hiring a hitman to carry out the murder of his political rival, Rabastano Sancatto Serra. Mr Sancatto Serra was highly popular and had been serving as the prime minister's Agustinate of International Relations until shortly before the assassination took place.

Mr Sorantanali was stripped of his honours and placed on trial for treason and murder, where he was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to death in 2007. He was then executed in February of this year just before the death penalty was fully abolished in Pacitalia.

Dr Alvarez-Chamurro says the first real test for the FPD will be regional elections for the 16 apertural and 96 departmental councils on 12th October.

"If the party performs well," he says, "it will indicate that people don't really care about a scandal originating from a government that was already highly unpopular and that they do differentiate between today's FPD and that of the Sorantanali era."

But, he argued, "on the other side of the coin, if the party does see a decrease in support in opinion polls heading into the regional elections and then poor results on the day of the vote," they will have "deep cause for concern heading into the main event."

After the regional elections in October, parliamentary elections, which will decide the makeup of the next national government, are scheduled for 24th November.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80231456/

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:34 pm

PBC News > Election '09
Tuesday 6th October 2009

Rescue teams search through rubble after the M7.6 earthquake that struck near Puntafora in March. Photo credit: APR (File)

Greens buoyed by "encouraging" poll numbers
With one week before regional elections, Brunate and Greens look to keep momentum

Geronimo Arcanto
Puntafora

It was supposed to be a government fact-finding mission to audit late-stage recovery efforts from last March's earthquake in Amalfia, but Green Party leader Gabrielo Brunate wasted no time converting the visit into a politically-charged photo-op ahead of regional elections on Monday.

The elections, for Pacitalia's 16 apertural councils and their presidencies — plus the seven-member councils that run the republic's 96 departments — are seen as a crucial test for all political parties ahead of the national parliamentary elections next month.

Mr Brunate spoke with cleanup teams and social workers and assured them a government led by the Greens would focus "a lot of energy" on effective disaster recovery. While Archetenia Nera's government has been widely lauded for its "proactive" efforts since the earthquake seven months ago, the Pacitalian Social Congress and Democratic Nationalist Party have been vocal in their concerns that "on-the-ground" work to directly assist citizens was not sufficient.

In some cases, substantial aid efforts to smaller towns and villages in the quake zone took up to six weeks to arrive, prompting outcry from DNP leader Jávier Grandinetti and most of the left-wing opposition.

Asked to comment on the government's efforts, Mr Brunate simply said he would always "defend the hard work of everyone involved" in bringing Amalfia "back to its feet" so quickly, but refused to elaborate, other than to say "as Greens we would naturally focus on a recovery effort that would support individual people" instead of "a blanket approach that, as we saw, unfortunately missed a lot of people when they needed us the most".

Mr Brunate has had a confident spring in his step since poll numbers from ABM/Capax indicated his party, which is nominally centrist — had a four-point lead over the incumbent Federation of Progressive Democrats in mid-September. The two parties are currently in a coalition with the FPD's leader, Ms Nera, as prime minister.

A new Strategic Vision poll at the end of September confirmed the Greens' lead in public support but extended it to eight points, with the environmentalist party at 34 percent and the FPD at just 26 percent. The PSC, Pacitalia's main centre-left party, has trailed by at least five percent in both polls. The new poll also showed a shift of voters from the DNP, Christian Democrats and regional parties back to the three traditionally-largest parties.

Greens on the rise, but deadlock awaits

The poll numbers indicate the Greens are poised to make substantial gains in the regional elections. Mr Brunate has admitted the vote on 12th October is a "litmus test" for his party's viability in the November elections, and, as such, has expended considerable effort in shoring up Green council candidates ahead of the vote.

His party is expected to gain control of between 20-24 of the 96 departmental councils come Monday. At the apertural level, the Greens look likely to control five of sixteen councils, each made up of 14 members plus the tiebreaking president.

However, with the Greens, FPD and PSC all currently enjoying over 20 percent of public support, the most probable scenario will be several deadlocked councils at both the apertural and departmental level, with no party holding overall control. Deadlock across the board would oblige intensive coalition-building on councils or, at the very least, informal cooperation between ideologically similar council members.

Poor results for the governing FPD on Monday could foment a leadership challenge to Ms Nera, who has led the party since December 2006, but the Federation's parliamentary leader admitted the party is being "conservative" in its expectations for the regional elections.

"We aren't expecting to maintain our majority," Dragomir Dobrogeanu told PBC News on Tuesday. The FPD currently controls 12 of 16 apertural councils and 49 of 96 councils at the departmental level.

"We know [majority control] simply isn't a reality," he said, "but it doesn't mean we are not going to work hard and fight for each and every vote we can."

Mr Dobrogeanu, widely considered a strong candidate to replace Ms Nera as leader in the future, denied that there were any concerns over, or active challenges to, Ms Nera's leadership.

"I don't know how many times we need to reiterate to the media that everyone in this party has confidence in her abilities to lead us," Mr Dobrogeanu said. "She is not a failed leader, she is not on the hot seat and no one is or should be challenging her at this time."

On the other hand, the PSC, which just elected Bartomeu Cámp i Franc to replace former prime minister Fernando Chiovitti as its leader, faces a test of its own. For Mr Cámp i Franc the regional votes will be a test of his strategy to abandon the party's flirtations with centrism and return to the traditional centre-left ideology that made the party appealing to urban voters and blue-collar workers in the past.

The move back to the left-wing is also viewed by political experts as an attempt to cut down the Democratic Nationalist Party, a left-wing party that has been relatively successful in stealing away support from trade and labour unions, as well as left-wing voters unhappy with the PSC's move to the centre in 2006.

The latest poll numbers

ABM/Capax, mid-September	Strategic Vision, end of September
Green Party: 29 percent Federation of Progressive Democrats: 25 percent Pacitalian Social Congress: 19 percent Democratic Nationalist Party: 10 percent Christian Democrats: 9 percent Family First/Nationalist Conservative Alliance: 3 percent Empordian League: 2 percent* Margherian Freedom and Solidarity: 2 percent**	Green Party: 34 percent (+5) Federation of Progressive Democrats: 26 percent (+1) Pacitalian Social Congress: 21 percent (+2) Democratic Nationalist Party: 7 percent (-3) Christian Democrats: 6 percent (-3) Family First/Nationalist Conservative Alliance: 2 percent (-1) Empordian League: 2 percent* (±0) Margherian Freedom and Solidarity: 2 percent** (±0)

* Running candidates in Alt-Empordà and Baix-Empordà only
** Running candidates in Margheria only

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80240914

by **Pacitalia** » Fri Oct 09, 2009 9:56 pm

PBC News > Election '09
Friday 9th October 2009

Pacitalian archonate Dr Timothy Ell Photo credit: APR (file)

Ell easily survives reconfirmation, praises lawmakers
"Uniquely Pacitalian" leadership review process undertaken for first time

Franchessa Pelicane
Timiocato

Pacitalian archonate Dr Timothy Ell survived his first reconfirmation Friday in the last act of legislature before the official start of the 2009 election campaign.

Lawmakers in the Constazione, Pacitalia's lower legislative chamber, voted 764 to 335 in favour of reconfirmation. Dr Ell was backed unanimously by members of his own party, the Federation of Progressive Democrats. He also secured universal support from the entire Green caucus of 104 MPPs, all 66 Nationalist Conservatives and 23 centrist MPPs from the Pacitalian Social Congress.

The remainder of the PSC (236 of its 259 MPPs), including party leader Bartomeu Cámp i Franc, the Democratic Nationalist Party (42 MPPs) and the separatist Margherian Freedom and Solidarity (49 MPPs) voted not to reconfirm the archonate.

Following this vote, senators stepped forward to also vote in favour of reconfirmation by a 71-25 margin. Once again, Dr Ell received the universal backing of the FPD (55 senators), Greens (10) and Nationalist Conservatives (six).

Archonates must secure a supermajority of two-thirds in both legislative bodies to survive a reconfirmation.

Mr Cámp i Franc simply responded "no," when asked whether he planned to discipline the faction that broke from the rest of the party to support Dr Ell's reconfirmation. But another leading voice in the centre-left party had much more to say on the vote.

"I lost to [Dr Ell] because he is the one Pacitalians wanted to be their archonate," Diego Zuna told PBC News shortly after the vote. Mr Zuna was deputy leader of the PSC from 2004 until earlier this year and was the party's candidate for archonate in 2007. He lost by 43 percent to Dr Ell, the FPD candidate, in that vote.

Given that large margin, Mr Zuna added he also was "pleased to endorse someone who had honestly worked very hard and upheld Pacitalia's exemplary international standing".

He also strongly denied his breaking from the party line to support Dr Ell was a shot against Mr Cámp i Franc, who became leader of the social-democratic party last month. The Empordian had already held the position on an interim basis up to the leadership convention in Amita in September.

Mr Cámp i Franc said he didn't force but "instructed" PSC members to vote against reconfirmation because of "pressing social issues and inequality that face people in all regions of this country". He said the FPD government was not doing enough to "give every Pacitalian, not just some Pacitalians, the opportunity to make something of themselves, contribute to society and attain prosperity".

The PSC leader added that Dr Ell, as the figurative head of the party and as the head of state, was therefore ultimately responsible for the direction the country had taken in the past two years.

DNP leader Jávier Grandinetti echoed Mr Cámp i Franc's sentiment, noting that "if the current archonate, with all due respect, truly cared about everyone in this country, he would not sign his name to policies that have created a culture of exactly the opposite."

"Life in this country has gotten worse for a lot of people over the last two years and it just seems that the government doesn't care," Grandinetti added. "We just can't endorse the person at the very top knowing this."

Margherian Freedom and Solidarity leader Tempesta Márquez, known for making outlandish and controversial statements in the past, lived up to that reputation following the vote. "This party cannot defend Margherians and then turn around and vote for someone who has the blood of Margherians on his hands."

When asked to elaborate, Ms Márquez referred to a brief flare-up of conflict between 2003 and 2005, involving Pacitalian law enforcement and special-ops troops who were trying to quell attacks on civilians by violent Margherian separatists. Dr Ell was prime minister at the time and had ordered Pacitalian forces into the region to put down a feared resurgence in violent separatist acts.

The Margherian independence issue has haunted Timiocato for almost a century but the separation movement has been largely peaceful in the last 20 years.

The MFS leader has in the past repeatedly denied she endorses violence as a means for getting Margheria its independence but appeared to state the opposite view in justifying her party's refusal to reconfirm Dr Ell as archonate.

Reconfirming the archonate is a leadership review process that was instituted at the re-establishment of the Pacitalian republic in 2007 to allow legislators to hold the head of state accountable to his or her actions while still in power.

The reconfirmation allows Dr Ell to continue as Pacitalia's head of state until this time two years from now. If he had failed to secure a reconfirmation in parliament, Pacitalians would have faced a special archonatic election in four to six months. In October 2011 he will face the second of two reconfirmations that lawmakers are entitled to undertake during an archonate's term in office.

The term to which he was elected officially expires on 30th September 2013.

In an ironic twist thanks to protocol, Dr Ell declared parliament void following the reconfirmation vote and dropped the election writ, dissolving the two legislative chambers and marking the official start of this year's election cycle. Regional elections are on Monday, followed by parliamentary elections on 24th November.

The archonate congratulated lawmakers on a "productive and co-operative two years" that helped guide Pacitalia through "several key events". During the first two years of Dr Ell's archonacy, Pacitalia has adjusted to life under its new political and electoral systems and dealt with the trial proceedings of former prime minister Constantino Sorantanali and the child pornography scandal involving former senior deputy prime minister Stefan Radu-Ados.

The country also grappled with the aftermath of a 7.6 earthquake this past spring in Amalfia that killed 11,000 people, and with inflation and a soaring douro that were helping to increase the cost-of-living burden for Pacitalians.

"Some of these events brought us much closer, some of them also greatly tested our resolve," Dr Ell said in his speech following the reconfirmation, "but we are still here, and we have a spirit of cooperation and a deep and genuine dedication to the citizen to thank for helping us maneuver a demanding couple of years."

"This parliament worked extremely well," the archonate added, "and I want to thank each and every one of you for managing the crucial responsibilities to which we were all obliged."

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80242425/

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:32 pm

PBC News > Election '09
Tuesday 13th October 2009

A woman votes in regional elections, in Fiascano, Pungaria, Monday 12th October 2009. Photo credit: APR

Greens pull off narrow plurality in council elections, FPD close second
But, as expected, no clear winner and plenty of deadlock at both levels of regional government

Michelangelo Prasfare
Timiocato

Pacitalia's Green Party made history in taking, for the first time ever, the largest share of control on apertural and departmental councils following the country's 2009 regional elections. Preliminary results, however, indicate there was no clear winner in Monday's vote.

Elections Pacitalia says preliminary turnout estimates are around 71 percent. That translates to about 217 million of 309 million eligible voters casting a valid ballot.

The Greens earned 30.6 percent of the vote nationwide and gained control of five of Pacitalia's 16 apertural councils — Dossavora, Franconia, Pungaria, Rossopunia and Sambuca. They also won the tiebreaking presidencies on those five councils as well as the now-deadlocked council in Baix-Empordà.

Pacitalia's governing party, the centre-right Federation of Progressive Democrats (FPD), had held control of three-quarters of the republic's 15-member apertural councils, but was reduced to control of just two councils, holding onto only Amalfia and Beracanto. The capitalist and liberal party earned 26.1 percent of the vote.

The FPD kept their hold on the apertural presidency in four apertures — Amalfia, Antigonia, Beracanto and Trasteveria — and gained the presidency of Provencia from the disgraced Nationalist Conservatives. The FPD maintained a significant council presence in five other apertures but those councils are either now controlled by other parties or are deadlocked.

Prime minister Archetenia Nera conceded defeat Monday evening in a conference call with media, saying "clearly these results are a lot worse than we had hoped or expected," but noted that, because of the diverse control and high level of deadlock on Pacitalia's 112 apertural and departmental councils, "we realise that we will best serve Pacitalians by working with the other parties."

"No one will benefit without a cooperative atmosphere at the council level, so I am pledging that my party will strive for that," Ms Nera said. "While we are stung and shocked by the results, it will most definitely not sway our commitment to the electorate."

For the prime minister, Monday's results present a sense of deep urgency among her party, as a second-place finish was well below their expectations despite lagging behind the Greens in opinion polling prior to the vote.

Analysts say the FPD's poor showing at the regional level is likely indicative of further defeat in November's parliamentary elections, as Pacitalians hungry for change in Timiocato still look set to dump the Federation from office after nearly 22 years in power.

The centre-left Pacitalian Social Congress lost control of all three of the councils it had held before the vote, with both Alt-Empordà and Baix-Empordà moving to no overall control, and Rossopunia switching to the Greens. However, they handily won control of Pomentane's apertural council and presidency and picked up control of the presidencies in Palatinia and hotly-contested Capitale.

As well, in one bit of good news, the PSC did better than expected in terms of vote share, capturing 21.8 percent of the national vote.

PSC leader Bartomeu Cámp i Franc admitted the results were a "disaster" for the party and lamented that his "optimism did not match the results," saying the party "simply expected better for the hard work we had put in to present ourselves as an alternative to the status quo".

But Mr Cámp i Franc did also seem to hint the party still had work to do to convince Pacitalian voters the social democrats had moved beyond the internal squabbling between camps of former leader Fernando Chiovitti, and of his deputy, Diego Zuna, that had harmed their credibility in recent months.

As expected, Margherian Freedom and Solidarity effortlessly retained control of Margheria's apertural council and presidency, winning 10 of the 15 seats (9 of 14 plus the presidency) on that council.

The Christian Democrats, Nationalist Conservatives, FamilyFirst and Cannabis Movement failed to win control of any councils at either level.

No clear winner at departmental level either

Among Pacitalia's 96 departmental councils, the Greens picked up control of 28 councils, a gain of 20 from 2007. Much of those gains were at the expense of the FPD, which ended up a nail-bitingly close second with control of 27. That represents a loss of 22 of the seven-member councils compared to two years ago.

The Pacitalian Social Congress came a distant third, earning control of 16 councils (a loss of nine from 2007). Thirteen councils are deadlocked following Monday's vote, up four over the nine that ended up uncontrolled in 2007.

Dissatisfaction among Margherians with national parties led voters there to give Margherian Freedom and Solidarity control of all but one of the six departments in Margheria, up from three. Ampoticena and Veracruzana, which had both been deadlocked in the 2007-09 council session, switched to the social-democratic MFS, while the lone FPD-controlled department — Argostena-Palacio — ended up deadlocked. It is the first time since 1979 that national parties have failed to gain control of government at the regional level in Margheria.

The new Empordian League, a regionalist and autonomous party with capitalist leanings, won control of four of Empordia's combined 12 departments, a big boost to the fledgling League. The party's leader, Adriun Vall i Bernám, said he was "positively ecstatic about the results".

The Democratic Nationalist Party, Pacitalia's left-wing national political party, was shut out at the apertural level and only managed to come a respectable second in the presidency vote in Palatinia. At the departmental level they were much more successful, taking control of three departmental councils — two in Palatinia, where labour unrest among marine and transport workers has started to affect the local economy, and the third in Pungaria.

Party leader Jávier Grandinetti said his party was disappointed with the worse-than-expected numbers but was "deeply encouraged" that the party had secured over nine percent of the national vote (its highest vote share ever). The party performed extremely well in Palatinia, earning 16.6 percent of the vote there.

"We have deep justification for being encouraged about November and this will only push us to work harder to do well then," he said.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80247757/

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 4:34 pm

Elections Pacitalia
http://www.elections.pc/ | Hotline +2 010 9977 321 432

2nd Pacitalian regional and departmental elections
Monday 12th October 2009

Note: These results have not yet been confirmed and are preliminary, unofficial numbers subject to adjustment upon final count.
NB: C'esta resulte ne confirmare fa serà e sta nombri adoffizial'e preliminare con la surastenare d'acconta sommare.

Basic data / Facte alla sommarità
Eligible electors / Concertare d'electatori: 306 912 159 (86.49% of population / 86,49% della genta)
Valid votes cast / Imparte di vota l'acceptare: 217 678 654
Turnout: 70.93% of electorate / 70,93% d'electatori

Vote totals and share / Impart'e sommare di vota

1. Pacitalian Green Party / Partito Verdare Pacitaliana
30,6% | 66 609 668

2. Federation of Progressive Democrats / Federazione Democrate Progressivare
26,1% | 56 814 129

3. Pacitalian Social Congress / Conagresso Socialista Pacitaliana
21,8% | 47 453 937

4. Democratic Nationalist Party / Partito Nazionalista-Democrate
9,1% | 19 808 748

5. Christian Democrats / Democrate Cristiane
6,9% | 15 019 817

6. Margherian Freedom and Solidarity / Solidarità e Libertà Margheriana / Solidaridad y Libertad Marqueriana
2,3% | 5 006 599

7. Empordian League / Ligura Empordensa / Ligue des Empordans
1,9% | 4 135 884

8. Family First—Nationalist Conservatives / La Familia Premera—Conservativa Nazionalista
1,0% | 2 176 836

9. Cannabis Movement / Movimentare di Cannabis
0,3% | 653 036

Apertural councils / Consellare d'aperturi

Alt-Empordà
Presidency: Empordian League
Council: Deadlocked (5 PSC, 3 EL, 3 FPD, 2 Green, 1 DNP)

Amalfia
Presidency: Federation of Progressive Democrats
Council: FPD-controlled (7 FPD, 3 Green, 2 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP)

Antigonia
Presidency: Federation of Progressive Democrats
Council: Deadlocked (6 FPD, 4 Green, 2 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP)

Baix-Empordà
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Deadlocked (4 EL, 4 Green, 3 PSC, 2 FPD, 1 DNP)

Beracanto
Presidency: Federation of Progressive Democrats
Council: FPD-controlled (8 FPD, 4 Green, 1 CD, 1 PSC)

Capitale
Presidency: Pacitalian Social Congress
Council: Deadlocked (4 FPD, 4 Green, 4 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP)

Dossavora
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Green-controlled (9 Green, 2 FPD, 2 PSC, 1 DNP)

Franconia
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Green-controlled (7 Green, 3 FPD, 2 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP)

Margheria
Presidency: Margherian Freedom and Solidarity
Council: MFS-controlled (9 MFS, 2 FPD, 2 PSC, 1 DNP)

Palatinia
Presidency: Pacitalian Social Congress
Council: Deadlocked (6 PSC, 4 Green, 2 DNP, 2 FPD)

Pomentane
Presidency: Pacitalian Social Congress
Council: PSC-controlled (7 PSC, 4 FPD, 2 Green, 1 DNP)

Provencia
Presidency: Federation of Progressive Democrats
Council: Deadlocked (4 FPD, 3 Green, 2 CD, 2 DNP, 2 PSC, 1 FF-NC)

Pungaria
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Green-controlled (8 Green, 2 FPD, 2 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP)

Rossopunia
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Green-controlled (9 Green, 2 PSC, 1 CD, 1 DNP, 1 FPD)

Sambuca
Presidency: Pacitalian Green Party
Council: Green-controlled (8 Green, 5 FPD, 1 PSC)

Trasteveria
Presidency: Federation of Progressive Democrats
Council: Deadlocked (6 FPD, 5 Green, 2 PSC, 1 CD)

Department councils / Consellare departamentare

Alt-Empordà
3 PSC (Belamontes, Potense—Ferimás d'Eu, Xabier-Fernàn)
2 Empordian League (Abranca—Pau, La Seu d'Aigues)
1 deadlocked (Sobregats)

Amalfia
5 FPD (Amalfia Centrale, Argentia—Marche, Ismusa—Rigunanta, Puntafora, Trovetta—Argostoli)
1 PSC (Pegrolisia)

Antigonia
4 FPD (Abranessa, Farronia Bassa, Sevampina, Tevvossora)
1 Green (Farronia Supra)
1 PSC (Nortopalazzo)

Baix-Empordà
2 EL (Bergamants-Nord, Bergamants—Pèra)
2 Green (Capet—Taüne, La Roset)
1 PSC (Vall d'Afit)
1 deadlocked

Beracanto
5 FPD (Amfadora, Dobragantia, Mandragora, Parnasso, Sapuntoli)
1 Green (Giorgio Rex)

Capitale
2 FPD (Amarchi, Capitale Nazionale)
2 Green (San Matteo—Anchè, Valle d'Astra)
2 PSC (Fiordigona, Timiocato Centrale)

Dossavora
4 Green (Albacate—Meriano, Porto Bardo, Sampodoria, Tivuntamo)
1 FPD (Corsa Negra)
1 deadlock (Argazali)

Franconia
3 Green (Franconia Norte, Monteregina, Zamerante)
2 FPD (Amita, Positano)
1 deadlock (Inchieta—Serrado)

Margheria
5 MFS (Ampoticena, Ciudad de Monterio, Roquereda—Frontera, Toro Negro, Veracruzana)
1 deadlock (Argostena—Palacio)

Palatinia
2 DNP (Terranuova, Valencia—Cortona)
2 PSC (Fiorentina, Marchessana)
1 Green (Cisterna Romana)
1 deadlock (Puntamena)

Pomentane
4 PSC (Brasso—Promentaria, Messola, Pomenigiura, Sinistra—Marinere)
1 FPD (Pecorino—Ardenze)
1 deadlock (Saronno Centrale)

Provencia
2 FPD (Athalone, Murano)
1 Green (Rado—Altecampus)
3 deadlock (Abedossa—Lunazula, Caderesta—Formarche, Cancona—Locutaria)

Pungaria
3 Green (Burgumanta, Lucifora, Navetta—Prano)
1 DNP (Fiascano—Giretania)
1 FPD (Scandiano)
1 PSC (San Termoli)

Rossopunia
5 Green (Cantanede, Femu Abantina, Marsalcamo—Malestra, Nortemera, Sobrefema)
1 PSC (Lampedusa)

Sambuca
3 Green (Ascola—Antemaro, Cerignola—Sortera, Montevarchi)
2 FPD (Domecenza, Sambuca)
1 deadlock (Fomanunta)

Trasteveria
2 FPD (Capagatta, Platinera)
2 Green (Acqua di Fiche, Visconta—Romagne)
2 deadlock (Campofele, Marche dell'Orienta)

Overall totals / Sommare tutta

Apertural presidencies / Presidencie d'aperturi
6 Green, 5 FPD, 3 PSC, 1 EL, 1 MFS

Apertural councils / Consellare d'aperturi
5 Green, 2 FPD, 1 PSC, 1 MFS, 7 deadlocked

Departmental councils / Consellare departamentare
28 Green, 27 FPD, 16 PSC, 5 MFS, 4 EL, 3 DNP, 13 deadlocked

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Oct 20, 2009 2:40 pm

PBC News > Election '09
Tuesday 20th October 2009

Pacitalian prime minister and Federation of Progressive Democrats leader Archetenia Nera Photo credit: PBC

"N'accordare fa"
Coalition partners fail to reach preliminary agreement, casting doubt on post-vote co-operation

Michelangelo Prasfare
Timiocato

The governing Federation of Progressive Democrats announced Tuesday it was unable to reach an agreement-in-principle with its current coalition partner, the Pacitalian Green Party, regarding continued cooperation after November's parliamentary elections.

FPD leader and prime minister Archetenia Nera spent Tuesday morning at a press conference in Nortopalazzo releasing the party's platform, titled "Progress, Not Change". The platform encourages Pacitalians to "stick with the FPD" to maintain fiscal responsibility, social stability and Pacitalia's international reputation.

Pacitalian voters appear hungry for a change in government in Timiocato even though voter approval of the FPD-Green coalition government remains between 55 and 60 percent.

Responding to reporters' questions afterward, she admitted "talks over the last two weeks had failed" to reach consensus about how much cooperation or what specific cooperation the parties might undertake if the two parties are in a position to continue governing after November's vote.

Political experts say it is a sign that the Green Party is aware of its lead in polls and is still extremely confident it can win in November. Therefore, analysts are in general agreement that the smarter move for the party is to wait for next month's results. Recent polls put the Green Party at between 31 and 34 percent support, with the FPD hovering 7-10 points behind.

Cracks in the coalition had already started to appear as early as September, when Green Party leader Gabrielo Brunate, responding to a PNN reporter's question, said the parties would campaign separately rather than "as the government".

The statement seemed to hint that the Greens were either no longer interested in maintaining the coalition after the election, or that, at the very least, the environmentalist party wanted to employ a more rational "wait-and-see" approach as either party could easily find itself counted out of government after the vote on 24th November.

Mr Brunate, also in vote-rich Antigonia to campaign Tuesday, refused to comment on the talks between the FPD and Greens. But deputy Green leader Franchessa Marconi appeared to confirm that the Greens were indeed taking a wait-and-see approach.

"Obviously we have ideological similarities but it's not right to try and come to an agreement when we don't know how people are going to vote," Ms Marconi told PBC News over the phone Tuesday.

The Green Party spent Monday releasing its own platform, which includes, among other things, ten key policies a Green government would hope to enact by the end of its term in 2011. The Greens are promising to replace the hourly minimum wage of Đ 4.50 with a "progressive wage floor mechanism", including, in place of the minimum wage, a "guaranteed livable income" which will vary based on a person's location and the cost of living in their region.

The Greens are also pledging to institute a consumption tax rather than an income tax to lower pollution emissions, create a public health insurance option, increase funding for post-secondary education, mandate sustainable practices and "green innovation" in primary industry and cut defence spending by 20 percent to focus on a large-scale investment in the country's public transport infrastructure.

The FPD called the defence spending cuts "ludicrous". National defence and security would remain Timiocato's largest budget expenditure even with a slash in funding.

The University of Mandragora's political science department conducted a poll on the prime minister's approval rating last week. The university polled 13,033 Pacitalians and found that Ms Nera's job approval remains steady at 52 percent, up one percent from a poll done about six weeks ago.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80249992/

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 3:55 pm

Tuesday 3rd November 2009
21 days to go

A street sign in Ferimás d'Eu, Alt-Empordà, Pacitalia / Photo credit: APR

Regional parties call for official language status for Empordian, Spanish
Greens, PSC open to making change; FPD government gave both languages regional recognition status in 2004

Albertina Semperesta
Senfanter, Alt-Empordà

Pacitalia's two main regional parties have made official status for their respective languages one of the key points of their election campaigns.

With parliamentary elections now just three weeks away, the Empordian League and Margherian Freedom and Solidarity — emboldened by strong results in regional elections last month — are calling for Timiocato to elevate Empordian and Margherian Spanish to an official status at the national level.

Empordian and Margherian Spanish are currently both recognised as official regional languages. In enacting the Language Act 2004, the Ell government (1996-2006) created a special status for regional languages that granted them official status in the areas in which they were the dominant language. The new Act did not, however, leave any provisions for promoting the two languages to an official status at the national level.

Green Party leader Gabrielo Brunate, and PSC leader Bartomeu Cámp i Franc, himself an Empordian, both expressed that they were open to a change. FPD leader and prime minister Archetenia Nera declined to comment on the proposed change.

DNP leader Jávier Grandinetti insisted that "elevating Empordian and Margherian should also refocus [government's] efforts on protecting Pacitalian over English".

The DNP's election platform calls for Timiocato to amend the Language Act again to make Pacitalian a primary official language, and to reduce the priority of teaching English in schools or using it in the workplace.

Empordian is the first language of 19 million people in Alt-Empordà and Baix-Empordà. Margherian Spanish is spoken by 11 million people in Margheria. The national Directorate of Education estimates that a further 64 million people outside the three apertures can speak either language, or both. In total, that means almost one-third of Pacitalians can speak, read or write using Empordian and/or Margherian.

The implications of transforming Pacitalia into a quadrilingual state would be immense and wide-ranging. The national government and all 16 apertures would be obliged to conduct business in all four of the languages. Currently, the minimum requirement is that all apertures must at least offer services in Pacitalian and English. Alt-Empordà, Baix-Empordà and Margheria are the only three apertures in which regional government must offer services in Pacitalian, English and either Empordian or Margherian.

English is not a native language in Pacitalia. It was made an official language after its popularity spiked during the immigration wave in the 20th century. The government also made it official by necessity in order to conduct diplomacy and relations with foreign governments.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80261456/

by **Pacitalia** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 4:35 pm

Thursday 12th November 2009
12 days to go

The Greens are pledging to eliminate all "dirty power" sources in Pacitalia by 2012. / Photo credit: APR

Greens still on track for historic victory
New poll gives Brunate's party a 13-point lead

Pierferdinando Passo
Timiocato

Unless there is a sharp shift in the voting intentions of Pacitalians in the final two weeks of the election campaign, Gabrielo Brunate looks set to become Pacitalia's next prime minister after the vote on 24th November.

ABM/Capax's latest poll, commissioned last week, puts the Greens on 36 percent support nationally, up three points to their highest number ever. Support for the Greens climbed to 60 percent in Dossavora, 59 percent in Sambuca and 57 percent in Pungaria.

Meanwhile, the incumbent Federation of Progressive Democrats dropped one point from their previous level of support, down to 23 percent nationwide. The FPD was strongest in Beracanto (52 percent), Amalfia (48 percent) and Antigonia (47 percent) in the latest poll. Support for Pacitalia's two left-wing parties, the social-democratic PSC and socialist DNP, remained steady at 18 percent and 11 percent respectively. The Christian Democrats, Family First, Empordian League and Margherian Freedom and Solidarity all split the remaining 12 percent of intending voters.

If the election were held today, the Greens would take at least 432 of the 1,099 seats in the Constazione, Pacitalia's lower parliamentary house. The FPD would be second with anywhere between 252 and 271 seats. The PSC would be third with 169 to 179 seats and the DNP fourth with 98 to 106 seats. Pacitalia's Christian Democrats would take 77 to 83 seats and the Family First/Nationalist Conservative coalition would scrape at least 21 seats. The Empordian League and Margherian Freedom and Solidarity would each take between 25 and 30 seats.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80267389/

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:24 pm

Tuesday 17th November 2009
7 days to go

We should embrace the change that Green Party leader Gabrielo Brunate offers Pacitalia. / Photo credit: APR

Editorial | With so much at stake, we must embrace change
Brunate and the Green Party best positioned to lead Pacitalia forward

By the time national elections roll around one week from today, the incumbent centre-right Federation of Progressive Democrats (FPD) will have governed Pacitalia either alone or in coalition for 21 years, 9 months and one day.

That longevity is a product of the FPD's resilience and its appeal to moderate and fiscally conservative voters, which make up the bulk of the country's electorate. It is also the result of a reward Pacitalian voters have given the FPD for consistently exceptional fiscal management in the face of several threats to Pacitalia's economic stability over the last two decades.

FPD governments have had a significant role in opening up Pacitalia to the world, creating a resilient, dynamic economy that has provided opportunities and affluence for many, and putting Pacitalia among the highest tier of states. Our wide-ranging influence in the global political economy, and our leadership, both in peace and in conflict, is a testament to the solid governance with which Pacitalia has bestowed itself over the past 21 years.

But no government is ever perfect, and the FPD have been far from saints. However, despite being tainted by these scandals, the FPD have largely escaped the punishment of the electorate because of their competence in diplomacy and the economy.

Former prime minister Francesco Santo Ragazzo risked his political career in 1991, coming dangerously close to disgrace, over the restructuring of this very corporation into a public-private broadcaster. Then, two years later, Mr Santo Ragazzo had to fight off a mutiny when revelations surfaced that he was a philandering womaniser that regularly slept with his female staff members.

Current archonate and former prime minister Dr Timothy Ell grappled with the fallout from his government's deep cuts to social programs and welfare payouts in the late 1990s, his diplomatic overtures toward far-right dictatorships like Roach-Busters and Parthia which he defended as being for "economic realities", and, towards the end of his primacy, the arrest and detention of his penultimate senior deputy prime minister, Nikos Karagounis, over the latter's deep connections to the Cheda family mafiosi.

The actions of Dr Ell's successor, Constantino Sorantanali, are still so fresh in the minds of Pacitalians that we do not feel obliged to explain; certainly, his incompetent and embarrassing administration, albeit short-lived, was most certainly a stain on the face of this country. The latest FPD prime minister, Archetenia Nera, has endured but one scandal. Nera also lost her senior deputy prime minister to a corruption scandal. Ştefan Radu-Ados was detained and is currently on trial for his alleged involvement in a child pornography ring.

The latest revelation about corruption (albeit by no means on the level of governments in other countries) is a scandal that propelled the Greens into the forefront of Timiocato politics and gave the centrist party a window of opportunity that Gabrielo Brunate has gratefully plunged through headfirst.

It is natural for an electorate to reward incumbents who have governed well with re-election. And, again, successive FPD governments should be applauded for their consistent and exceptional economic management and diplomatic skill.

But after 21 years of much of the same, with scandal after scandal in mind, and with other major issues starting to nip at the heels of government in Timiocato, it is time to change things up. It is time, we believe, to altogether exclude the FPD from government at the national level and move in a new direction. Twenty-one years, good or bad, is more than enough.

We are facing the ominous spectre of a social crisis in Pacitalia, the likes of which has not been seen since the Social Revolution of the 1950s and 1960s, and where we go from here largely depends on the kind of people we elect into public office. Pacitalia, for all its economic and diplomatic strength, its cultural appeal and glamour, and its international magnetism, still lacks a substantial welfare safety net and lags behind other industrialised countries in public healthcare and education.

Our private healthcare and education systems have done the job just fine, but at higher cost, and, while the government provides public options for both, the emphasis under the FPD on the private sector has priced too many people out of their basic human rights to be healthy and get an education. Our population is beginning to age; at the same time, professional demands on post-secondary students are more intense than ever before in a rapidly advancing society. Our job creation levels are the same as they were five and ten years ago, but we require of young professionals ever better and higher credentials, from schools that continue to hike their tuition fees and slash financial aid and scholarships.

Even worse, our environmental policies and our investment in public infrastructure are laughable.

Our continuous obsession with public-private partnerships means those private investors hold unconscionable influence over public policy. Infrastructure projects are simply completed based on cost and efficiency, with no consideration for their sustainability or their long-term benefits to the public good. Building more roads at a time when people are embracing public transportation like never before, and refusing to shut down dirty power sources in favour of greener electricity generation, embarrass Pacitalia and make our government look stone-age and downright ridiculous. Our pollutant emissions are not decreasing, our environmental stewardship and responsibility is lacking, and our children are not being educated on why such stewardship is important, for one main reason — because our policies are weak and the government has largely left the "greening" of society to individuals.

In short, we are boxing ourselves into a corner. We need visionary progress, not just "progress" as the Federation of Progressive Democrats have defined it. The FPD has been socially progressive over the last 10 years: they legalised same-sex marriage (and defended that in the face of strong opposition from a Catholic church with waning influence in Pacitalia). The FPD also legalised ethical euthanasia, abolished the death penalty, liberalised and reformed our immigration system and decriminalised soft drugs.

But none of this has really effectively prepared us for our future. Affluence and prosperity can be revoked just as easily as it can be obtained. The next generation and those that follow them stand to lose the most from the stubborn focus on economic growth and internationalism we have obsessed over for the last two decades.

In that light, we need change. Let's face it, as a country, and as individuals, the wide majority of us are rich enough. Pacitalia, despite its modern affluence, is still a country of savers and scrimpers. We have the means and the mindset to be able to provide for everyone rather than just for ourselves. The reality is that we cannot sustain ourselves as a country if we continue to think in such individualist terms. Capitalism has brought us prosperity but it has distracted us for too long from maintaining a balance between providing that prosperity and ensuring we don't leave anyone behind in the process.

We need to elect people that are prepared to make the admittedly tough decisions, but, first, we must accept that, despite the FPD's solid management of this country over two decades, they are not the party that will help reform this country. Pacitalia is admired around the world for our economic competence and our libertarian society but, embarrassingly, we are mocked for our apparent inability to ensure we care for everyone. It's all well and good to say that people have the opportunity to make a better life for themselves, but the reality is not everyone has access to the opportunity that our government has engendered.

The question is, who should we entrust with this great responsibility if not the FPD? We prefer to leave that choice up to the voter, but it has become clear over the course of this campaign that the Green Party's platform is the most visionary, balanced and realistic. Additionally, the people that have joined Mr Brunate have presented Pacitalian voters for the first time with a credible, third alternative to the typical two-party dichotomy of the FPD and the Pacitalian Social Congress.

Mr Brunate's time as our senior deputy prime minister, and his party's participation in government, have proved of exceptional benefit to this country. Though young, he is a proven leader, a bright mind, and a visionary man who exudes prime ministerial demeanour and a balance between providing a compassionate and sustainable society at no cost to Pacitalia's international standing. In fact, it will be to our credit to elect a socially progressive and balanced government specifically to maintain our reputation as leaders, innovators and a nation of liberalism, tolerance and progress.

We are facing a crossroads; our choice should be to embrace the right kind of change for our own benefit and for those that follow us. Embracing the status quo is a dangerous and selfish act that will more than likely present us with our own, self-inflicted downfall.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80269893/

by **Pacitalia** » Sun Nov 22, 2009 11:39 pm

Sunday 22nd November 2009
2 days to go

FPD leader Archetenia Nera in a last-ditch grab for support ahead of Tuesday's vote / Photo credit: APR

Political scientists say election results will depend on voter turnout
Final pre-election poll shows Federation, Congress narrowing Greens' lead

Pierferdinando Passo
Timiocato

Voter turnout at either extreme, higher or lower than expected, could break the Greens' stride heading into parliamentary elections on Tuesday — this, at least, according to political scientists, who say that very high turnout only benefits the challenger parties in the shadow of a large scandal, which is absent from this rather quiet campaign.

On the other hand, Liz Cunningham, a professor of political science at the University of Mandragora, says that low turnout will definitely benefit the incumbent Federation of Progressive Democrats.

"Incumbent governments always have the advantage of knowing that their base will show up to reward them for good governance, to maintain the status quo for another term," Dr Cunningham said. "While it's their job to convince soft support and other independent and objective voters to re-elect them, the opposition parties always have it that much harder."

"They need to convince more voters why not to re-elect the governing party in order to convince them why they should vote for a change in government," she adds. "Lower-than-expected turnout is the strongest indication that parties challenging the government in an election did not finish the job."

Therefore, she says, the Greens should be banking on at least average turnout in order to cash in on the poll numbers that have pointed to their victory since late summer.

Dr Pedro Alvarez-Chamurro, a political science professor at Archangel Beo University, concurs.

"Turnout in the 2007 election was about 86 percent, and that was high," he says, pointing out that voters were interested in taking part in the democratic process in such high numbers mostly because of "the novelty of casting one's vote under the new electoral systems that had been introduced that year".

He said more realistic expectations would place turnout in this year's vote around 75 to 80 percent. However, the University of Mandragora's political science department recently released survey data indicating that well over 90 percent of Pacitalian voters intended to cast a ballot. If this data is proven correct Tuesday, it would be indicative of what has been a highly competitive election campaign of ideas between several credible parties rather than the usual handful.

Race tightening in the final hours?

Meanwhile, as party leaders and candidates moved to shore up support heading into the polls, a new Strategic Vision survey of 23,200 Pacitalian voters shows the race tightening. Pacitalia's other main pollster, ABM/Capax, gave the Greens a 13-point lead (36%) over the FPD (23%) last week, but the Strategic Vision poll has dropped the Greens five points to 31 percent support nationwide. The FPD have jumped three points to 26 percent. The social-democratic Pacitalian Social Congress remains in third with 20 percent.

The numbers appear to indicate that the Greens will have to work hard for every vote if they expect to pull off a decent win Tuesday.

Dr Alvarez-Chamurro says it would have been "naïve" to expect that any single party would have won a majority of the seats in the Constazione.

"The Greens were flirting with [earning a majority government] for a while but overall it has just been a case of them heading for their best result as a party, which will more than likely be at least a victory," he said.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80273816/

by **Pacitalia** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 2:48 am

Following tradition, the Athalone central business district is basked in light tinted
to the colour of the victorious party following parliamentary elections. Two million
gathered in Athalone's Parche d'Estrella to watch the results come in. / Photo credit: APR

GREENS WIN
Emotional and historic victory marks deep shift in political landscape

Michelangelo Prasfare
Timiocato

Pacitalia's Green Party completed its stunning and historic sweep to power, capturing the largest share of votes and seats in Tuesday's parliamentary elections.

The results appear to show that the incumbent Federation of Progressive Democrats will sit as the republican opposition in the Constazione after coming a close second.

Elections Pacitalia reported that ballot counting is about 95 percent complete. Turnout is estimated at around 94 percent, the highest ever in a national election. The elections agency plans to release a tally of preliminary results on Wednesday.

Under Pacitalia's mixed-member proportional representation system, the Greens won 165 of 550 seats on the party list and swept to victory in 169 of 549 prefectures, for a combined total of 334 seats. The FPD won 145 party list seats and 163 prefectures for a total of 308 seats. The Constazione seats 1,099 members.

Pacitalia's left-wing parties fared incredibly well this time around, with the moderate-left Pacitalian Social Congress and socialist Democratic Nationalist Party taking third and fourth place, respectively. The PSC won 111 party list seats and successfully elected its candidate in 103 of Pacitalia's 549 prefectures, giving them 214 seats in the Constazione. The DNP, meanwhile, took 57 party list seats and 44 prefectures, just barely cracking the 100-seat mark for the first time in its history.

New parties also turned in decent results — the right-of-centre Christian Democrats earned 78 total seats and the autonomist Empordian League won 30 seats (11 party list and 19 prefectures).

In Margheria, the separatists continued to improve their vote share over previous elections. Margherian Freedom and Solidarity won 27 seats, including 15 of Margheria's 25 prefectures.

As expected, the Family First/Nationalist Conservative alliance failed miserably, finding themselves heavily punished by Pacitalian voters after the discrimination scandal that rocked the party earlier this year. The alliance lost all but five of their seats in the Constazione, and were nearly shut out of the Senatoro except for one seat — voters in the Murano department opted to re-elect their incumbent Nationalist Conservative senator.

Cooperation in the Senatoro could be a rare commodity when the legislative chambers are seated for the first time in the new year. The Greens won just over a quarter of the seats in the upper house, taking 25 of 96. The FPD were not far behind with 22 seats and the PSC, again coming third, took 17. How cooperation pans out will depend on which parties the Greens choose to join them in a new coalition government.

FPD leader Archetenia Nera called Green Party leader Gabrielo Brunate to congratulate him and concede defeat around 9:00 p.m. Timiocato time. Green Party sources told PBC News that calls from PSC leader Bartomeu Cámp i Franc, DNP leader Jávier Grandinetti, and Empordian League head Adriun Vall i Bernám followed shortly afterward.

Coalition agreements unclear

A new coalition agreement between the Greens and the FPD is unlikely according to some political analysts.

Dr Marco Stringeno of the Instituto degli Sienciata Politicare alla Capitale says it would be "awkward" and thus "unworkable" to have a new coalition agreement "with the tables turned". The current cabinet makeup is reflective of the fact that the Greens had 104 seats at dissolution compared to the FPD's 570.

He says the FPD would be "restless" and "confrontational" as the junior partner and the Greens would feel "an odd sense of discomfort" taking control of a pre-existing arrangement. However, he says it is a possibility the Greens and FPD could work out a new coalition, but he believes Ms Nera would have to step down as FPD leader to facilitate the deal.

FPD leader and outgoing prime minister Archetenia Nera had announced publicly earlier in the campaign that her party had been unable to reach any sort of preliminary agreement on continued cooperation after the election. The Greens argued they wanted to wait until the election was finished, in order to base their decision on the makeup of the Constazione.

More to come...

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80274000/

by **Pacitalia** » Wed Nov 25, 2009 6:48 pm

Elections Pacitalia
http://www.elections.pc/ | Hotline +2 010 9977 321 432

114th national general election
Tuesday 24th November 2009

Note: These results have not yet been confirmed and are preliminary, unofficial numbers subject to adjustment upon final count.
NB: C'esta resulte ne confirmare fa serà e sta nombri adoffizial'e preliminare con la surastenare d'acconta sommare.

Basic data / Facte alla sommarità
Eligible electors / Concertare d'electatori: 306 912 159 (86.49% of population / 86,49% della genta)
Total votes cast / Sommare di vota: 288 595 792
Spoiled ballots / Papieri stergere: 937 132
Valid votes cast / Imparte di vota l'acceptare: 287 658 660
Turnout / Facie della percenta prominentare: 93.73% of electorate / 93,73% d'electatori

Vote totals and share / Impart'e sommare di vota

1. Pacitalian Green Party / Partito Verdare Pacitaliana
29.20% | 83 996 329

2. Federation of Progressive Democrats / Federazione Democrate Progressivare
25.51% | 73 381 724

3. Pacitalian Social Congress / Conagresso Socialista Pacitaliana
19.03% | 54 741 443

4. Democratic Nationalist Party / Partito Nazionalista-Democrate
9.93% | 28 564 505

5. Christian Democrats / Democrate Cristiane
8.00% | 23 018 734

6. Independent candidates and other parties / Candidaturi l'independenta si partiare altre
3.22% | 9 262 609

7. Margherian Freedom and Solidarity / Solidarità e Libertà Margheriana / Solidaridad y Libertad Marqueriana
2.13% | 6 127 129

8. Empordian League / Ligura Empordensa / Ligue des Empordans
2.03% | 5 839 471

9. Family First—Nationalist Conservatives / La Familia Premera—Conservativa Nazionalista
0.73% | 2 099 908

10. Cannabis Movement / Movimentare di Cannabis
0.22% | 632 849

Constazione della Repubblica
Party list seats: 550 // Prefectures: 549 // Total seats: 1,099

Green Party, leader: Gabrielo Brunate MPP

Party list seats: 165
Prefectures won: 169
Total seats: 334

Federation of Progressive Democrats, leader: Archetenia Nera MPP

Party list seats: 145
Prefectures won: 163
Total seats: 308

Pacitalian Social Congress, leader: Bartomeu Cámp i Franc MPP

Party list seats: 111
Prefectures won: 103
Total seats: 214

Democratic Nationalist Party, leader: Jávier Grandinetti MPP

Party list seats: 57
Prefectures won: 44
Total seats: 101

Christian Democrats, leader: Vincenzo Promarche

Party list seats: 44
Prefectures won: 34
Total seats: 78

Empordian League — Ligue des Empordans, leader: Adriun Vall i Bernám

Party list seats: 11
Prefectures won: 19
Total seats: 30

Margherian Freedom and Solidarity — Solidaridad y Libertad Marqueriana, leader: Tempesta Márquez MPP

Party list seats: 12
Prefectures won: 15
Total seats: 27

FamilyFirst/Nationalist Conservative, leader: Marco Quirinamo MPP

Party list seats: 3
Prefectures won: 2
Total seats: 5

Cannabis Movement, leader: Vera Campagnolo

Party list seats: 2
Prefectures won: 0
Total seats: 2

Senatoro della Repubblica
Total seats: 96

Green Party: 25
Federation of Progressive Democrats: 22
Pacitalian Social Congress: 17
Democratic Nationalist Party: 9
Empordian League: 8
Christian Democrats: 7
Margherian Freedom and Solidarity: 5
Family First/Nationalist Conservative: 1

by **Pacitalia** » Fri Nov 27, 2009 2:55 pm

Friday 27th November 2009

Franchessa Marconi, deputy leader of the Pacitalian Green Party / Photo credit: APR

Marconi: Greens "having intense discussions" with Congress, DNP
Deputy Green leader says Federation is "not warm" to idea of another coalition

Albertina Semperesta
Timiocato

Fresh off their election victory Tuesday, the Green Party says it is already well into "intense discussions" with other parties, but some are less enthusiastic than others about the idea of a coalition.

The Greens won 334 seats Tuesday, beating the incumbent Federation of Progressive Democrats, who earned 308. Tuesday's election results, in which four parties earned over 100 seats, makes another two-party coalition impossible unless the Greens and the FPD agree to work together again in the new legislative session.

Franchessa Marconi, the deputy leader of the Green Party, appeared to put the idea of another coalition with the FPD on ice Friday, commenting to a press scrum that the Greens had already talked to the FPD and gotten a "lukewarm" response.

"Obviously, our first choice would have been to continue the cooperation that we enjoyed before the election as a two-party coalition," Ms Marconi said. "The Federation has told us they are only willing to support us in a coalition if we accept several preconditions [...] we are not prepared to sacrifice our election platform to do that."

The FPD reportedly told the Greens they would enter a new coalition if the new governing party dropped their campaign pledge to institute two different forms of taxation — a nominal sales tax and an emissions consumption tax. The Greens proposed the taxes to pay for widespread improvements in public infrastructure, the elimination of dirty power sources and the implementation of a public health insurance option.

If the Greens opt to build a centre-left coalition with the Pacitalian Social Congress, who are more likely to support the tax proposals, they also need the support of one other party as, combined, the two parties only have 548 of the 550 seats required to possess a majority in the Constazione. The PSC won 214 seats on Tuesday.

Pacitalia's Democratic Nationalist Party, a socialist party that won 101 seats in this week's vote, would be the most likely choice for a third party, but the Greens are reportedly also courting the liberal, autonomist Empordian League to provide more diverse representation in the new government.

Empordian League leader Adriun Vall i Bernám says his party would likely "opt not to participate directly in the government" but rather issue a motion of confidence and supply in the new coalition. But he also hinted his party's support would be conditional upon granting official language status for regional tongues like Empordian and Margherian Spanish — something that his party and the other regional autonomist party, Margherian Freedom and Solidarity, pushed for during the election campaign.

DNP leader Jávier Grandinetti simply replied that his party would "welcome" the opportunity to participate in a coalition government, but would not confirm that the Greens had been in contact with them.

Meanwhile, Christian Democrats leader Vincenzo Promarche criticised his Green Party counterpart for "his disappearing act" following the election, saying the next prime minister has been "missing in action" since Tuesday.

"This disappearing act is unbecoming of someone who is supposed to lead a government," Mr Promarche said. "It's a shame that Pacitalians elect a new government only to find that the man at the top of the heap is apparently not up to the task."

Considering the historic nature of the Green Party's victory, Gabrielo Brunate surprised many when he appeared only to make a short victory speech that was about five minutes in length. He then left the stage instead of moving into the crowd to shake hands with supporters. He has also been absent from most of the meetings or conversations with other parties, leaving the task to Ms Marconi.

Ms Marconi said that Mr Brunate has been suffering from flu symptoms since Tuesday evening. She refused to "dignify" Mr Promarche's comments.

"It's unfortunate," she said, "but he needs to rest after an exhausting couple of months, and I am happy to take on the responsibility of building a new government for the time being."

Ms Marconi said she had a phone conversation with the prime minister-elect Friday morning and he reported he was "feeling much better".

"He has still done the job of leading us through the task of coalition building and coordinating our efforts," she added. "He hasn't been out of the picture the last few days by any stretch."

Mr Brunate meets with Pacitalian archonate Dr Timothy Ell on Monday. As the leader of the victorious party, the archonate will ask that Mr Brunate form a new government. It is expected the new government will be sworn in on 7th December.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/election09/80275010/

by **Pacitalia** » Mon Nov 30, 2009 2:17 am

News > National > Politics
Monday 30th November 2009

Gabrielo Brunate, Pacitalia's prime minister-elect, makes an appearance on
NightLive with Damiano Bita, Monday 30th November 2009. / Photo credit: N2

Brunate makes first public appearance since election victory
PM-to-be tells welcoming audience on late-night television talk program a coalition deal is close

Apostis Kyriakodonis
Timiocato

Gabrielo Brunate laughed off catcalls about his "weak stomach" from the Christian Democrats and turned in a warm, confident, light-hearted effort in his first public appearance since coming away the winner in last Tuesday's parliamentary elections.

The Green Party leader, who had been suffering from seasonal flu, was the headlining guest on Monday's edition of NightLive with Damiano Bita, a late-night talk show. He argued his couple of days' rest was important to starting off on the right foot.

"Who in their right mind would start governing with a sleep debt?" Brunate quizzed the audience. "I think it's irresponsible to take over such an important office and be exhausted from the start, especially when that is under your control. I'm aware this job will lead to a lot of sleepless nights but that comes with the territory."

Brunate had been missing from the party's meetings to build a new governing coalition and determine the direction of the party while in power. Christian Democrats leader Vincenzo Promarche lambasted the next prime minister, saying his "disappearing act" indicated he did not have the stomach to lead a government.

"I figured I might as well get back to one hundred percent while I still had the chance," he said.

Party officials, including his deputy, Franchessa Marconi, confirmed he participated in coalition-building meetings via teleconference. Ms Marconi added "thanks to technology, sick or not, there was no obligation for him to be physically present".

Mr Brunate, meanwhile, spent Monday morning meeting with Archonate Dr Timothy Ell, who formally requested that Mr Brunate form a new coalition government based on the results of last Tuesday's vote. Dr Ell's party, the Federation of Progressive Democrats, find themselves on the outside looking in following their defeat in the election.

In his television appearance, Mr Brunate said a coalition deal with the Pacitalian Social Congress and Democratic Nationalist Party was "very close to completion", meaning Pacitalia will likely see its first left-leaning government in almost 25 years take office next Monday.

"We have had extremely positive discussions with key people from both parties," Mr Brunate said, "and all three parties have a common, progressive vision to move Pacitalia forward, to transform it for our benefit and those that follow us."

He added that the three parties agree Pacitalia should be "a country that continues to provide the same opportunities it has for decades," but that "the ideal Pacitalia is a country that is more welcoming, socially and environmentally responsible, sustainable and ethical [...] a country that always leads by example."

The Greens have also been working hard to secure the support and inclusion of the liberal Empordian League. The League, led by Adriun Vall i Bernám, is a regional party that wants a greater share of authority and autonomy to be placed in the hands of Empordians. The party does not advocate full independence.

"I'm proud of [our approaching the Empordian League]," he said. "We respect their positions, we share a lot of common values and we want them to take part in the new government."

Brunate wrapped up his appearance by saying that "the remaining details of the coalition agreement" were "close to being finalised".

A tetrapartite coalition between the Greens, PSC, DNP and Empordian League would give the governing four parties a combined 679 of the 1,099 seats in the Constazione. The four parties also hold a comfortable majority in the Senatoro, with 59 of 96 seats.

A press scrum also caught up with Ms Marconi, who made an appearance at a boisterous social gathering of Greenyouth members in Sambuca.

Ms Marconi was quizzed on the referendum in Nova Prosperitas, which was seen as a crucial step in the continental integration process. Saturday's plebiscite asked voters whether or not to adopt the douro as the country's currency. Voters narrowly supported adopting the douro in the binding referendum, with 51.2 percent voting "yes". Prosperitan election officials also estimate turnout at 92 percent, which, at the very least, gave the close result credibility.

Nova Prosperitas wants to adopt the douro by 1st January 2011. Pacifica already uses the douro in day-to-day transactions (though its official currency is still the Pacifican dollar). Fidelia intends to adopt the douro before the end of 2010.

Ms Marconi was actually indifferent to the result.

"I don't see it as either a boost or a setback [to the continental integration process]," Ms Marconi said. "There is no certainty in that result. It could have gone either way."

Ms Marconi added that it was "clear that we have a lot more work to do to bring people into the debate and give them the opportunity to educate themselves on both sides of the discussion."

She added she sees "a strong indication people are still not quite willing to rush headlong into something without subjecting it to the proper level of debate. I agree it's not a small issue by any stretch and 51 percent was no victory for integration."

Ms Marconi cautioned that the new government was not prepared to "hold [Securitas'] hand" in the integration process.

"It's not our job to dictate to other nations whether they participate in the integration process, or how efficiently," she added. "There are clear and present benefits to integration — it's going to open our borders, generate prosperity and bring people closer — but nobody has any obligation to participate. We're not going to hold their hand and drag them along."

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/news/national/politics/80278927/

by **Pacitalia** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:51 pm

News > National
Friday 11th December 2009

Timiocato announced Friday it plans to invest about Đ 14 billion in six offshore
wind farms that it expects to have completed by the summer of 2011. / File photo

Government makes large investment in renewable energy development
Multi-billion doura project involves six contracts up for bid, Timiocato wants wind farms running within 18 months

Michele Morenas
Timiocato

In what appears to be an early attempt to fulfill a campaign pledge to phase out "dirty" power sources — namely Pacitalia's 223 remaining oil and coal-fired power plants — the government announced an unprecedented investment in six offshore wind farm projects it hopes to have completed by the summer of 2011.

Timiocato is now tendering contracts for siting and construction of the wind farms, five of which will be located in Rossopunia and Palatinia. The remaining — and largest — wind farm will be placed off the coast of Baix-Empordà. In total, the government wants to erect about 3,200 turbines in the six sites.

The combined value of all six contracts is estimated at Đ 14.4 billion; however, the government released a fact sheet indicating it will raise the cap on bids to Đ 17.9 billion if it cannot find any companies willing to do the job within the prescribed cost structure.

The new farms will have to clear several hurdles, most of them related to public health and environmental regulations. By law, the farms must be at least 15km from shore.

As part of the new government's plan to partially nationalise key utilities infrastructure, a proposed state-owned electricity operator will take over control and maintenance of the farms following construction. A bill establishing a unionised national electricity company as a new republican prelature will be introduced in the Constazione when parliament resumes in January.

There are currently 31 wind farms off Pacitalia's western coast, totalling 26,330 turbines. The farms generate about eight percent of Pacitalia's electricity (compared to 59 percent from nuclear power, 10 percent from hydroelectric dams and 20 percent from oil and coal plants).

Pacitalia's two largest energy firms, Acis and Synergent, own and operate all but five of the farms. Three are public co-operative projects controlled by Rossopunia's apertural council.

Federation of Progressive Democrats leader Archetenia Nera criticised the proposed nationalisation, saying the existing private system has created widespread benefits and driven innovation in the utilities sector.

"We are a leader in the field because we have kept the government completely out of the process," Ms Nera said. "The state is a throttle to innovation [...] and [nationalisation] is an unbelievably bad idea."

Tomás de la Marques, the newly minted agustinate of energy, natural resources and utilities, fired back, pointing out that Timiocato had "no plans whatsoever" to fully nationalise the Pacitalian electrical grid.

"We are well aware of the benefits of private-sector innovation to the utilities industry," Mr de la Marques said at a press conference Friday. "We have no intention of taking [the entire sector] over."

"But," he added, "new public infrastructure that is essential to the national electrical grid is going to need some form of public supervision to keep it in the public interest. We are here to make sure it's done right."

Mr de la Marques noted that adding a state-owned operator without nationalising every aspect of Pacitalia's utilities infrastructure only benefits the current market approach, and that it will add more competition.

Christian Democrats leader Vincenzo Promarche was unconvinced. "We don't have government auto dealers, government grocery stores, government department stores, why should we have government power companies?"

"Just because something is an essential service doesn't require government ownership," Mr Promarche said. "They can ensure fairness, safety and standards all they want, and perhaps they are justified in regulating the industry, but we have seen that countries have failed when they follow a model of distribution where [the government] controls everything."

Under FPD governments in the 1990s and 2000s, almost all state-operated ventures were sold off or reconstituted as private corporations with the government as a sole shareholder, instead of employing a system of direct state ownership. With a new centre-left government in power in Timiocato, Pacitalians can expect to see at least a slight reversal of the selling trend.

Currently, Timiocato's only notable state ventures are the national railway company, Società Ferroviaria della Repubblica, and the postal service, Corriere Nazionale. The government also maintains a small stake in the Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation, which was a public broadcasting service until its privatisation on 1st January 1992. The PBC is now operated on a hybrid public-private model, with indirect government involvement.

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/news/national/80290117/

by **Pacitalia** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:05 pm

News > National
Friday 18th December 2009

Scenes from the 2008 National Day of Action march in Nortopalazzo, Thursday,
18th December 2008. Organisers expect higher turnout this year. / Photo credit: APR

Pacitalia marks national day of action to end homophobia, LGBT violence
"Day of remembrance" comes four years after same-sex couple brutally murdered in their hotel room

Sorina Camantabali
Timiocato

Organisers are anticipating a turnout of nearly five million people nationwide Friday for the 2009 National Day of Action Against Homophobia and LGBT Violence.

Friday marks the fourth anniversary of a brutal murder of a gay couple that sent shockwaves through the country and around the world and pushed the issue of homophobia and violence against gay and lesbian people to the forefront of national conversation.

Pacitalia has long been a leading light in the fight for equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people, and while the Catholic church and conservative political groups have been vocal in their opposition of what they call "the choice [of the] gay lifestyle", the country's government has attempted to approach the contentious issue in a progressive and pragmatic way.

The country has never criminalised homosexuality or homosexual activities between consenting individuals. Timiocato extended marital benefits and adoption rights to live-in gay couples in 1996 and legalised same-sex marriage in 2002. The government also mandates positive teaching about homosexuality (and acceptance of it) in schools and funds extensive social programs and healthcare initiatives to assist LGBT people.

But the violent murder of Armando Pavvotto and Abelo Sant'Obrado four years ago is still fresh in the minds of many Pacitalians. The couple, coincidentally the first to tie the knot under Pacitalia's same-sex marriage legislation, were found stabbed to death in their suite at a trendy hotel in Puntafora's Isolato district on 18th December 2005.

Witnesses say they saw the couple leaving a bar near their hotel, looking tense. One witness said the two were "constantly checking back over their shoulder". Others who had seen the couple also reported seeing a gang of three or four men pursuing the couple in the streets. Housekeeping staff discovered Mr Pavvotto and Mr Sant'Obrado the next morning, their bodies strewn over their bed wrapped in bloody linen, with multiple stab wounds to the face, chest and groin.

The murders caused a firestorm of controversy, with LGBT rights organisations criticising Pacitalians for being "complacent" and "apathetic" about the "real" issue of LGBT violence and homophobia, especially in a country that branded itself as being progressive on the issue. Some conservative groups, on the other hand, went as far as to imply justification for the murders.

One of the leaders of ACCEPT, Pacitalia's largest LGBT rights organisation, hailed the day of action as "bittersweet".

"We are fortunate to live in a place like Pacitalia where we have the guarantee of equal rights," ACCEPT co-chair Aliya Gurani. "We feel safe and secure in Pacitalia, and we are lucky to be surrounded by people who are tolerant, respectful and understanding."

But, Ms Gurani said, "focusing on the positive aspects causes us to ignore or miss the fact that violence against us is still a very real problem, and that that handful of bigots still exists, and so we have this day to remember the violence against us and people like us."

She said ACCEPT and other LGBT rights groups are expecting upwards of five million people to march and participate in events planned in the centres of Pacitalia's largest cities on Friday. Five million would mark the largest turnout yet for the day of action, which was first conceived in 2006 to mark the first anniversary of the murder of Mr Pavvotto and Mr Sant'Obrado.

Ms Gurani added, "As much as this is a day to remember Armando and Abelo and the people that have been victimised by homophobia and anti-LGBT violence... it is also about remembering that we are fortunate to be in Pacitalia and that gays and lesbians in other countries don't have the welcome mat rolled out for them."

It is "a call to arms for people in other countries to rise up and to ensure that they are given the same rights we enjoy in Pacitalia," she said. "It's almost 2010 — where are our universal rights?"

Copyright © 2009 Pacitalian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.pbc.pc/news/national/80303430/

by **Pacitalia** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:41 pm

News > National
Thursday 14th January 2010

Former prime minister Roberto Castorini casts his ballot in the December 1973 general election.
Voters chose to re-elect the late Castorini and his Liberals (now the PSC), giving him a decisive victory
over Draco Amaronze and the Conservatives. / Photo credit: Archive Nazionale della Repubblica

Developing story
Former prime minister Castorini dies from lung cancer at 94
Controversial but quiet, he led Pacitalia through a time of change and growth in 1970s

Mario Parute
Timiocato

Pacitalia's 62nd prime minister has died at the age of 94.

Roberto Castorini enjoyed a long political career at the municipal and national levels. He served as mayor of Sambuca from 1962 until his ascent to the leadership of the Pacitalian Social Congress in 1969, and was the republic's prime minister from April 1969 to October 1977.

Mr Castorini had been in a nursing home for at least the last three years and had been battling lung cancer, according to a family spokesperson. He reportedly died peacefully in his sleep overnight early Wednesday, surrounded by close family.

Mr Castorini is most notable for being, for better or worse, one of the most politically active premiers in Pacitalian history.

During his eight years as prime minister, Mr Castorini created the beginnings of a two-tier national healthcare system, establishing a strong Medicare program in 1969 for elder citizens over the age of 65 as well as for children 11 and under. His government also introduced a minimum wage of Đ 5.90 (then $7.15) per hour in February 1974.

He also nationalised two-thirds of Pacitalia's rail infrastructure in 1970 to create the state-run Società Ferroviaria della Repubblica and launched passenger ferry service between island ports and Pacitalia's mainland (under the name Acquanav) in 1972.

Despite his centre-left political background, Mr Castorini also privatised several elements of the public service at the same time he was nationalising transportation infrastructure. Controversially, his government split Pacitalia's telecommunications network off from government control in 1975, separating it from its parent company, the national postal service Corriere Nazionale.

The privatisation of the republic's telephone and telegraph operations eventually led to the loss of nearly 15,000 jobs but Mr Castorini's government defended the move as a "streamlining and cost-cutting measure".

Mr Castorini would find a bitter enemy in the Catholic church in 1976, when his government announced funding for gender reassignment surgeries and elective abortions, and granted same-sex couples the right to enter "civil partnerships", which were a state-recognised form of marriage. The church objected and started a grassroots campaign to try and have Mr Castorini removed from office.

Pacitalians, still largely religious at the time, began to shift back to the Conservatives in large numbers, forcing Mr Castorini to reverse course on the civil partnerships issue. Funding for sex changes and abortion remained intact but Mr Castorini's government never recovered from the humiliating policy reversal.

Nearing the end of his second term, Mr Castorini cancelled the Friendly Business Initiative that had attracted many foreign corporations to do business in Pacitalia, including ending the practice of corporate welfare and sharply hiking commercial tax rates on both small and large businesses. In the 1977 budget, his finance minister, Aldo Siriano, introduced an "even-up tax" that raised income taxation by 10-18 percent on individuals making more than Đ 55,000 per year, in an attempt to remove budgetary shortfalls that threatened to force cuts to the welfare system.

The move — in tandem with the cancellation of the FBI — was incredibly unpopular and Mr Castorini was forced to resign his government and call an election for October 1977. He was succeeded as PSC leader and as prime minister by Athena Papistikas, who would become the first female head of government in Pacitalian history.

A private memorial service and interment will be held Monday in Sambuca, according to the spokesperson for the Castorini family.

by **Pacitalia** » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:27 pm

Business and finance > Budget 2010
Wednesday 3rd February 2010

Pacitalia posted its largest ever trade surplus, as the balance of payments
in the republic indicated for the tenth consecutive year that the country exported
more goods and products than it imported. / Photo credit: APR

Pacitalia posts tenth consecutive and biggest ever trade surplus
Preliminary fiscal numbers from 2009 show republic had many times more exports than imports

Francesca Magliarte
Mandragora

The Republican Central Bank and Republican Treasury Reserve have released Pacitalia's balance of payments sheet for fiscal year 2009-2010, just a few days ahead of the Brunate government's tabling of the 2010 budget in parliament — and the numbers indicate that Pacitalia has registered its biggest-ever trade surplus.

For the tenth straight year, the country was in the black on the balance of trade, exporting nearly $615 trillion in goods and products to just under 2,000 foreign markets. In contrast, Pacitalia imported $14.59 trillion of goods and products from about 500 foreign markets in fiscal year 2009-2010. The result is a trade surplus of over $600 trillion, the largest ever surplus that Pacitalia has produced.

The massive trade surplus gives Pacitalia the distinction of being Atlantian Oceania's single largest net exporter. The republic has been a net exporter for 90 of the last 100 years; the longest stretch of trade deficit was a two-year span in 1986 and 1987. Those two years, and 1988, were also marked by a crippling recession.

The overall balance of payments is not as drastically lopsided, however. Pacitalia posted an overall deficit in investments and payments. Pacitalia's investments and remittances output was $45.8 trillion in the fiscal year. In the meantime, Pacitalia brought in $37.4 trillion in foreign investment, resulting in a deficit of $8.4 trillion.

The third factor in the balance of payments, relating to debt possession and servicing, also tipped in Pacitalia's favour. The country has not had any external debt since 1995; however, Timiocato is owed about $900 billion (Đ 282.41 billion) in loans it has made to other countries, mostly in the past 10 years. This does not include the 2009 "friendship and development grant" of $104 billion (SZ$114.1 billion or Đ 32.63 billion) to Sarzonia, aimed at helping it recover from its own disastrous three-year recession. The Sarzonian grant is not considered a loan and does not have to be paid back.

Budget imminent

The balance of payments numbers come ahead of Monday's tabling of the 2010 budget in parliament. The Brunate government's budget is expected to include sharp curbs in defence and national security spending and "corporate welfare", the so-called practice of subsiding business concerns to keep them from shifting jobs or production out of the country.

The budget will shift that money to the government's planned Đ 186-billion rail and public transit improvement program as well as to the creation or expansion of several public services, including the new National Parks and Range Service and the much-expanded Directorate of Education.

It is also expected the new government will use the budget to announce its proposed taxation changes. Timiocato wants to switch to taxing people based on what they use rather than what they earn, meaning that income tax would be phased out in favour of a tax on consumption.

The alternative is an economist-endorsed proposal to switch to a progressive negative income tax, which combines a flat tax rate with a government payout based on an individual's income. The system would, therefore, continue to tax wealthier Pacitalians but supplement the wages of their poorer compatriots with a guaranteed basic income.

Pacitalia's opposition Federation of Progressive Democrats have said they would support a negative income tax but strongly oppose any new or expanded taxation based on consumption, calling it "financially impractical".

Consumption taxes already in practice

Two consumption taxes — the Supplementary Fuel Tariff (SFT) and the Restaurant and Hospitality Service Tax (RHST) — already exist. The SFT is meant to limit fuel emissions, and is a venture of several cooperating municipalities, most notably Timiocato, which raised their SFT from 2.4 to 3.5 fouta per litre on 1st January.

Massimo Semarche, Pacitalia's agustinate of the environment and sustainability, has already indicated that the SFT will be expanded to cover the entire country by the end of the year. He would not comment on whether the government would also increase the fuel tax after expanding the SFT program nationwide.

The RHST is a 6.75 percent value-added tax applied to restaurants, bars, nightclubs, hotels, pensions and hostels, bed-and-breakfasts, tourist attractions, event services such as ticket sellers and caterers, and at shops in transportation facilities, such as airports and train stations. The food service and hospitality industries have bitterly and actively opposed the tax since its introduction in 1983.

The Brunate government is also proposing modifications to this tax — cafés have traditionally been exempt from the RHST because their revenues and profit are typically much lower than restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Timiocato says it is "strongly considering" eliminating the exemption of cafés from collecting RHST.

by **Pacitalia** » Mon Feb 08, 2010 5:12 pm

News > National
Monday 8th February 2010

Pacitalia's archonate Dr Timothy Ell and his wife, Senator Giovanna
Cazunobari, have reportedly survived a terrorist missile attack on their
residential compound, and the archonate's injuries are severe enough
that an interim archonate may need to take over. / Photo credit: APR

Archonate, feminena premera survive terrorist attack at Palmafiore
No word yet as to who is responsible; first couple in hospital recovering, archonate in coma

Apostis Kyriakodonis
Timiocato

Pacitalia's archonate is in hospital following a terrorist attack at his residence compound near Timiocato.

Government officials released a statement early Monday saying that two surface-to-surface missiles made direct hits on Palmafiore, the residence of the archonate, overnight Monday, seriously injuring the archonate, Dr Timothy Ell, and his wife, Senator Giovanna Cazunobari and killing two employees working at the time.

The government says both the archonate and Sen Cazunobari survived the attack and are currently undergoing treatment at an undisclosed medical centre. Although, overall, the extent of their injuries is unclear, the press release said that Dr Ell, 42, suffered a head injury and was placed in a chemically incited coma in order to avoid swelling of the brain.

Severe intracranial pressure over even a short period of time can render a person permanently vegetative, or, at the very least, induce noticeable side-effects from brain damage.

Dr Ell is listed in "serious condition", while the first lady, 35, is "stable", according to government officials.

The missiles have apparently destroyed or severely damaged a significant part of the main buildings in the compound. The Directorate of the Archonacy has directed the Republican Police Service not to allow media in to survey the aftermath, and has closed the local road, route B1071, leading past the compound. In addition, the Pacitalian Defence Forces are enforcing a 30-kilometre air security perimeter around Palmafiore.

No group or individual has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Directorate of National Defence says the Pacitalian Central Intelligence Commission detected increased "chatter" among Margherian terror cells, hinting at an impending assassination attempt.

PCIC director Nicolae Costica says most of the chatter "lacked specific details", but that, as a precaution, Pacitalia's secret service, which protects the archonate, "dramatically increased its security coverage over the last 72 hours".

According to the PCIC, despite largely eliminating terrorist groups in Margheria over the last 20 years, including the infamous Grupo Liberación Marqueriana, smaller extremist cells still exist, with "low-scale capabilities and the potential to harm Pacitalians in number".

Both the PCIC and the government, however, refused to pin the blame on any particular group until more information was available.

Timiocato has said that doctors have recommended the archonate be off the job for up to three months as a "precaution" against complications that could arise from his head injury. That means, under the constitution, the Constazione must vote Tuesday to suspend Dr Ell's archonacy for medical reasons. The task of selecting an archonate interregnate then falls to a conclave of Pacitalia's 16 apertural presidents, with the prime minister, Gabrielo Brunate, as the tiebreaking vote.

The conclave will select one of the 16 presidents to fill the archonacy in the interim.

Among those already being mentioned to take the country's top job are Beracantan president Adrian Copilul-Minune (a close friend of Dr Ell and former senior deputy prime minister), Amalfian president Sebastiano Dorrante, Alt-Empordan president Isabel Gèra i Ferrer, and Margherian president Begoña Ramírez Fischer.

The prime minister addressed the Constazione Monday during a regular parliamentary session, saying "the thoughts and prayers of all Pacitalians were with the first family during a difficult and frightening time" and expressing "an indomitable relief that Pacitalia's head of state, and one of the country's exemplary voices in the Senatoro, have survived this ordeal".

Lawmakers voted to delay initial reading of the 2010 budget until Wednesday, and to cancel the scheduled mid-session break due next week in order to focus Timiocato's efforts on dealing with the crisis.

Mr Brunate then spoke to reporters Monday afternoon, reiterating that Timiocato would "utilise any and all resources to continue working towards the elimination of threats to Pacitalian security and the safety of our citizens".

Although evidence does indicate the attack was perpetrated by Margherian extremists, Mr Brunate again refused even to imply blame, choosing instead to state that the government would "work with everyone in the public service and with the Pacitalian people to continue dialogue and to be respectful of all circumstances surrounding this awful event".

Executive power, in the meantime, will be transferred to Mr Brunate. The politically unaligned speaker of the Constazione, Berna Suleyman, will assume signing authority ("republican assent") to pass bills into law. An official apology from Pacitalia to Mayan and Aztec people for their historical suffering and mistreatment is due to receive assent next Monday.

The archonate is no stranger to attempts on his life — he survived three assassination attempts as prime minister, the last of which was in 2005. An unknown assailant, likely an assassin posing as a waiter, infiltrated a banquet hosted by the then-prime minister and slipped poison into Ell's wine glass. While the poison nearly did its job, Ell miraculously survived the attempt and was back to work in less than a week.

by **Pacitalia** » Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:02 pm

News > National
Tuesday 9th February 2010

Constazione votes to suspend Ell as archonate following terrorist incident
Archonate continues to stabilise in hospital after sustaining serious injuries in missile attack

Apostis Kyriakodonis
Timiocato

The Constazione voted almost unanimously to suspend the archonacy of Dr Timotaio Ell as he recovers from severe injuries, including a skull fracture, that he sustained during a terrorist attack at his residential compound, Palmafiore, early Monday morning.

Under a special resolution, members of Pacitalia's lower parliamentary chamber voted 1,094 to zero, with five abstentions, to suspend Ell as archonate "until such time that he recovers from his injuries, is judged to be in excellent health with no ill effects or complications resulting from his injuries, and is able to resume his duties [as archonate] without question".

The five abstentions came from the leaders of the four governing parties plus opposition leader Archetenia Nera of the centre-right Federation of Progressive Democrats.

Ms Nera, a former prime minister who served the entirety of her single term in office under Ell, chose to abstain after going on record and expressing concern that voting in favour or against the resolution would be a conflict of interest. Ell is also a member of the party.

The vote in the Constazione clears the way for the college of apertural presidents to convene tonight in Timiocato to select from among them one person to fill the archonacy in the interim. The archonate interregnate will then resume their duties as the president of their aperture once Ell is ready to be reinstated.

Amalfian president Sebastiano Dorrante (FPD) is the only one of Pacitalia's 16 apertural presidents to publicly express interest in taking over the position in the interim. However, sources inside the government say prime minister Gabrielo Brunate has pressured Mr Dorrante to "continue to focus his efforts on the earthquake recovery program in Amalfia". The 2009 magnitude-7.4 earthquake killed nearly 12,000 people and displaced 1.5 million people in Amalfia.

The insider sources agreed that "if the prime minister's advice today was sufficient enough pressure, Mr Dorrante will not put his name forward at the conclave of presidents".

Other names being mentioned for the archonatic interregnum are Margherian president Begoña Ramírez Fischer and Beracantan president Adrian Copilul-Minune, though it is believed the latter doesn't want the job and would accept it reluctantly.

by **Pacitalia** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 3:45 am

News > National
Sunday 14th February 2010

Pacitalian special forces (pictured) and members of Margheria's Policía y Guarda Civil
during nighttime raids overnight Sunday that rounded up the members of two Margherian
extremist cells behind the Palmafiore attack and a series of terrorist acts in 2006, including
a bridge bombing in Pomentane that killed 218 people. / Photo credit: APR

Special forces capture cells responsible for recent attacks
DND: Two cells have been "strategically eliminated" without casualties

Enrique Gallardón
Pico de Contreras, Margheria

Pacitalian special forces joined with Margherian police in overnight raids in a town near the Prosperitan border, rounding up almost 90 individuals in two bitterly archrival terrorist cells.

The cells proved to be each other's undoing, according to Directorate of National Defence sources. Agustinate of National Defence Ramón Ambardoza told PBC News that the Forasteros Revolucionários, or "Revolutionary Outsiders" in English, is the cell responsible for last week's missile attack on Palmafiore, the archonate's residential compound near Timiocato.

The information, which according to the DND, is "highly credible", came from a rival terrorist cell, the Tireros Partidarios del Renacimiento Marqueriador (TPRM), which in English means the "Partisan Fighters of the Margherian Rebirth". The TPRM was the other cell rounded up and detained Sunday during the blanket raids.

Radio chatter attributed to Forasteros leaders has hinted at retribution against the TPRM for ratting them out, saying they would give authorities information on TPRM's responsibility for the 2006 bombing of the Giobaldi—San Antonino Bridge.

The biggest clue to the credibility of that information, defence reports suggest, is repeated references to what Forasteros operatives said was the Rebirth's alternate name, the "New Margherian Brotherhood".

On 13th September 2006, Margherian extremists bombed a bridge, a shopping mall, and a city square, all in the Saronno metropolitan area, killing a total of 278 people. Shortly after the attacks, the terrorists managed to override national broadcasting signals, reading their manifesto and claiming responsibility for the attacks.

In the video — in which, unusually, they spoke in English — the extremists referred to themselves as the New Margherian Brotherhood. True to form, during the raids on a TPRM training facility and safehouse Sunday, police arrested 39-year-old Oswaldo Perón de Fornál, called "the black face of the attacks". He was the person to appear on camera when terrorists had hijacked the broadcast signals.

Policía y Guarda Civil, Margheria's regional police service, say that Perón confessed, during routine interrogation Sunday afternoon, to being the leader of the TPRM cell.

Authorities say this confirms that TPRM and the New Margherian Brotherhood are one and the same, or that they were two separate cells that have merged into a single force since the 9/13 attacks, with Perón as leader.

Perón was already wanted on four separate outstanding arrest warrants — for assault, robbery, murder, and extortion. The warrants were filed between 1998 and 2003, well before the 9/13 attacks. In addition, since 2000, Perón has been in the top five of the "25 Most Wanted Fugitives" list, compiled and maintained by the PCIC and the Republican Police Service.

In the raids on the Forasteros compound, special forces also detained four Prosperitan fugitives that escaped from a high-security prison facility in Nova Prosperitas late last week. Pacitalian authorities say they will transfer the four individuals into Prosperitan custody before 18.00 Tuesday.

Ambardoza confirmed that there were no casualties during the raids and that the 93 people detained during the assault on the Forasteros and TPRM compounds are still being processed.

by **Pacitalia** » Mon Feb 15, 2010 4:31 am

News > Foringana
Monday 15th February 2010

Prosperitan president Adeo Waterhouse greets his counterpart, Pacitalian archonate
Begoña Ramírez Fischer, at the presidential palace in Securitas. Ramírez also met with
the country's premier, Servius Bach, and his cabinet of ministers. / Photo credit: APR

Archonate visits NP, makes impassioned plea to extremists
But Ramírez is now taking heat back at home for her "inappropriate" comments

Franchessa Pelicane
Securitas

Pacitalian archonate Begoña Ramírez Fischer, in just her sixth full day on the job, has made her first state visit, heading northeast to Securitas to meet with Prosperitan officials.

Ms Ramírez received a guard of honour at Government House shortly after her arrival in the Prosperitan capital. She was then greeted by president Adeo Waterhouse at approximately 11.30 Monday morning. The archonate then proceeded to dine with the president; the two reportedly discussed national security matters.

At 14.00, she met with premier Servius Bach and his cabinet at the nearby parliament to discuss coordinating efforts between the two countries to combat terrorism and violent separatism. The archonate and the Prosperitan premier then emerged from the meetings shortly before 18.00 to speak to a throng of reporters.

Ms Ramírez's visit to Nova Prosperitas coincides with Sunday's bloodless raids on several safehouses and training compounds run by two Margherian separatist cells, the Forasteros Revolucionários and the Tireros Partidarios del Renacimiento Marqueriador (TPRM). Police and special forces combined to detain 93 suspects in the raids, including four Prosperitan fugitives that escaped from St John's prison late last week.

The Forasteros cell is responsible for last week's attack on the archonate's residential compound, Palmafiore. The TPRM cell, meanwhile, has admitted full responsibility for three separate terrorist attacks in Saronno on 13th September 2006 that killed 278 people.

With Mr Bach at her side, Ms Ramírez told remaining terrorists and extremist cells to come out of hiding, saying that, "here in the year 2010, terrorism and violence are as much a criminal act as they are the domains of the sociopath".

Ms Ramírez said the tide of public opinion had long shifted away from using violence as a means to achieve Margherian sovereignty, and that the "wide majority" of people in Margheria no longer desired full independence, a mood she says "fully and unequivocally de-legitimises the use of violence as a political vehicle".

In a poignant moment, she made an impassioned and eloquent plea to extremists.

"Lay down your arms and embrace the fact that, as a Pacitalian, you are part of something so undeniably magical and beautiful," Ms Ramírez said. "Don't forget where you come from, but don't forget who you are today."

"Why you see a need for violence is beyond me," she added. "I am not naïve. That is not what a Pacitalian stands for, and that is not what a Margherian stands for."

The "sociopath" comment caught the attention of several members of government, with the Pacitalian Social Congress' Alessandra Capradoci, the agustinate of international relations, appearing to undermine the archonate by saying the comment "dragged her face-first off the diving board".

The agustinate of energy, utilities and natural resources, Tomás de la Marques (PSC), remarked that the comments were "inappropriate", while backbench PSC MPP Fernando Chiovitti said the archonate's words "probably had the opposite effect of whatever was intended".

Ironically, it was FPD leader and former prime minister Archetenia Nera who jumped to the archonate's defence, contending that Ms Ramírez was just "saying what everyone [is] thinking". Several members of Ms Nera's party echoed similar sentiments.

Pacitalian prime minister Gabrielo Brunate refused comment on the archonate's remarks but did state tersely that his party "has always commended the archonate for, and appreciated her efforts to, combat violent manifestations of separatism in Pacitalia".

The Brunate government, meanwhile, has hinted since taking office that it would consider a period of amnesty for cells that had not committed any terrorist acts, and conditional surrender agreements for others that had engaged in acts of terrorism, provided they admitted to those for which they were responsible.

Those that still chose not to abide "would be punished under the full extent of the law", according to a source in the Directorate of National Defence.

Mr Bach said he did "not necessarily" agree with the prospect of an amnesty program and cautioned that extremists on the Prosperitan side of the border would not receive the same "lavish treatment".

"Obviously, I expressed my concern to Her Excellency," the premier said, "but I also reiterated that Pacitalia has the full support and confidence of its friends and allies in Nova Prosperitas in pursuing any remaining terrorist cells and holding them accountable for their actions."

by **Pacitalia** » Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:26 pm

News > National
Monday 10th February 2010

by **Pacitalia** » Wed Mar 03, 2010 3:28 pm

News > Margheria
Wednesday 3rd March 2010

Protestors cram into Plaza Conquistador in Ampoticena, Margheria,
Wednesday 3rd March 2010, calling for an end to terrorism. / Photo credit: APR

Margherians take to streets to oppose terrorism, violent separatism
Thousands clog up main plazas in Monterio, Ampoticena, Pamagento to disavow terror

Enrique Gallardón
Ampoticena

Pacitalia, ever the land of the mass protest and peaceful demonstration, saw yet another Wednesday.

Hundreds of thousands of Margherians took to the streets in a remarkable and unexpected day of action that was aimed at disavowing terrorism and expressing support for a unified Pacitalian republic.

The Policía y Guarda Civil say the protests were entirely peaceful and estimate that just over 600,000 attended in six cities — Monterio, Ampoticena, Pamagento, Rado de Finetera, Malagón—San Clemente and Antamanca.

PBC News spoke to a few of the protestors.

"[Sovereignty] is a totally unrealistic idea [...] and I think the wide majority of Margherians don't see this as a positive step [for them]," remarked Fernanda Sorrientes, 37, a palliative care nurse from Almada de Toros.

Miguel Farro, 25, a postgraduate student at the University of Monterio, agreed. "I would support more autonomy for us and the ability to make more of our own decisions.

He added that "people still holding onto this idea that we are better off on our own [...] are nothing more than a small cadre of people clinging to their guns and grenades as much as they are clinging to that silly notion."

The protests come in the wake of a new terrorist attack last month that seriously injured the archonate and his wife, Senator Giovanna Cazunobari. In the aftermath, police and special forces rounded up two terrorist cells, one of which was directly responsible for the attack and the other responsible for deadly bombings and gas attacks in the fall of 2006.

"Terrorism takes away their credibility and it's embarrassing for all of us," Teodolfo Arqueda, 49, a chartered accountant, said. "I used to believe in separatism but I can't support murder and I believe in this country."

Arqueda added that he agreed Timiocato has "done a lot" to make Margherians equal and "make us feel equal".

No political figures attended the protests but archonate interregnate Begoña Ramírez Fischer, herself a Margherian, was asked her opinion on the protests and she said she was "proud of Margheria".

"It fills my heart to see people using their collective voice to condemn brutality and violence," she said. "Today's protest was an exercise in the expression of the human spirit as much as it was [an exercise] in democracy."

by **Pacitalia** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:29 pm

News > National
Monday 22nd March 2010

Paparazzi spot Dr Timothy Ell, right arm in a sling, walking down Corso
Varenna in Parchefuora, Pungaria, Sunday 21st March 2010. / Photo credit: APR

Archonate seen walking without mobility aids
Flanked by security detail, Ell is on his feet eight weeks after attack on residence

Apostis Kyriakodonis
Timiocato

If photos from one eagle-eyed paparazzo are any indication, Dr Timothy Ell appears to be well on his way to recovery following a surprise terrorist attack on his residential compound that killed two employees and left the archonate and first lady with severe injuries.

Speaking to reporters last month, doctors at the Centro Medicale Fernando Marchiere in Lucifora said Dr Ell suffered several injuries — among them, over 40 broken bones, a ruptured spleen, and glass and shrapnel in several locations in his body, including nine-inch nails that ended up lodged less than 10cm from his heart.

At the time, chief surgeon Dr Massimo Anchetrana said it was an understatement that the archonate was "lucky to be alive".

But eight weeks later, the archonate, whose authority has been suspended until he makes a full recovery from his injuries, was spotted, flanked by security, strolling the main street in the Pungarian seaside village of Parchefuora. His right arm was still in a sling but Ell, 42, who had initially been confined to a wheelchair — and then walking with a cane until very recently — appeared to be free of mobility aids.

Doctors at Fernando Marchiere confirmed Ell's recovery has progressed a lot more quickly than they had expected.

"From the time his casts were removed three weeks ago, there has been a lot of good progress made in his healing process," Dr Anchetrana said. "He went from a walker to a cane within a matter of a week, and then was done with the cane about five or six days ago."

Dr Anchetrana refused to address reporters' questions regarding a source close to Ell, that said the archonate had ignored the advice of doctors to use mobility aids for a longer period, citing the archonate's well-known stubbornness.

Sources close to the archonate also said that Ell would apply for reinstatement sometime next month if his recovery continued at its current pace.

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