NationStates Jolt Archive

Following the events of The Right Reaction (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=513069)...

Thibault Drapeur and Demetrios Raoul watched Prince Basil's resignation on the television in the Chancellor's office in the Palais du Parlement. Both of them had a look of consternation on their faces as they both tried to make an assessment of what impact the resignation would have on the Government's election chances. The Chancellor's staff gathered behind the two to watch with them, and excited murmurings spread all over the room.

"I should've called it two months ago." Drapeur observed.

"Maybe." Raoul nodded, lighting up a cigarette in contravention of all new recent government regulations, including those of the Department of Parliamentary Services governing smoking in the Palais du Parlement itself. A few of the Chancellor's staff coughed pointedly.

"Del Moray will run." Drapeur added.

"So will Comnenus." Raoul said. "Prince Constantine too, you think?"

"Maybe." Drapeur replied. "But he did lose the deputy leadership ballot last year so... who knows how much things have changed in the UCF party room."

"Not just the party room. Think of their rank and file. How much of it was just there because of Monsieur's association? The princely touch, as it were." Raoul speculated. "And their organisation is about to be thrown into chaos too, I imagine. I can't see de la Morée staying after how hard he has gone in for Monsieur in the press."

"Hmmm..." Drapeur nodded. He turned to one of his staff. "Get me Philippe Maison."

"Yes, Chancellor." replied a young staffer who raced into another room.

"I think you have to do it." Raoul said. "Think about it, whoever comes in gets a honeymoon. Unless it's Comnenus maybe, although he might savage us over the economy..."

"We have him on the other issues." Drapeur observed.

"Maybe but he walks all over Isabelle on the economy..." Raoul continued, referring to the Treasurer, Isabelle Folquet.

"He won't walk all over me." Drapeur replied. "But if it is del Moray or Prince Constantine, they'll get a honeymoon which is likely to outlast the Emperor's patience. An election will be called in the middle of it. And the more time we give them the longer they have to get their office into order after de la Morée's departure."

"You have to go now. While they're destabilised." Raoul agreed.

"I have Philippe Maison at party headquarters on line 3 for you, Chancellor." the staffer who had departed to make the call shouted from another room.

"Should I get the Treasurer?" another staffer asked Raoul while Drapeur moved over to his desk to pick up the phone.

"Why? Something need fucking up?" Raoul snorted, finishing one cigarette and immediately lighting another. "Check with the palace, see when the Emperor next has a free fifteen minutes... And get the Chancellor's car ready."

"Hello Philippe?" Drapeur began. "I take it you're watching Monsieur's press conference... Well, I'm thinking of calling the election..."

A Proclamation Dissolving the Imperial Parliament

http://members.optusnet.com.au/a_marrington/ns/pantocratoria.jpg

In accordance with the wishes of the Imperial Chancellor, The Right Honourable Doctor Thibault Drapeur, We do hereby declare the 107th Imperial Parliament dissolved.

Further, We hereby command the Imperial Electoral Authority to make such preparations as are necessary for an election in each electoral division of the Empire, in accordance with the Imperial Electoral Act 2005, on the feast day of Pope Deusdedit, which is to say, the eighth day of November in the 2007th year of Our Lord and the thirty-third year of Our reign.

Issued by Our hand at the Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator on the feast of St Romanus of Rouen in the thirty-third year of Our reign,

ANDREUS
By the Grace of God, Emperor of Pantocratoria, Autocrator of the Romans, Equal of the Apostles, King of France and Navarre, Caesar Augustus, et al.

OOC: This is done assuming that private fund raising is allowed. If it is not, then the following post never happened.

- - - -

TARASKOVYAN GREEKS IN FUND RAISING FOR CONSTANTINOPLE PARTY

Bratsk, Yugozemie – The descendants of the Pantocratorian Orthodox exiles have apparently decided to take a more pro-active stance in the politics of their once motherland by initiating a fund raising campaign to support Constantinople Party candidates in a number of ridings. His Imperial Majesty Andreus the Emperor of Pantocratoria has, indeed, called a general election for the eight of November.

“We find it a good opportunity to support the Greek cause within our former homeland,” said Alexios Simitis, one of the leaders of the initiative.

The funds raised by the initiative are comparatively modest, totaling in several million Taraskovyan franks. The leaders of the initiative are currently in talks with the leadership of the Constantinople Party to decide on the divisions in which the campaign needs are the direst and which candidates need the most support.

OOC: Private fundraising is indeed allowed, but foreign donations must be declared (i.e. are made public) and must be made to the national party organisation, not to individual candidates. Otherwise it would be easier for foreign donors to obfuscate their total donation by giving a little to all the party's candidates rather than a lot to the party in general. The Constantinople Party is very grateful for the money - it was the least prepared for the election.

IC:

24 October 2007, 4:40pm
Palais du Parlement
New Rome

The Chancellor's press conference began in the great hall of the Palais du Parlement. The bronze double doors at the mouth of the hall, flanked on either side by flag poles bearing the Pantocratorian flag, were opened simultaneously for the Chancellor, Dr Thibault Drapeur (Socialist) and the Deputy Chancellor, Spiro Bolkus (Constantinople Party). Both men approached a double lectern, and stood shoulder to shoulder for the press. Drapeur began.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the press," Drapeur said in French. "I have just been to the Imperial Court of Christ Pantocrator, as you all know, and advised His Majesty to issue writs for a general election on the 8th of November. His Majesty agreed, and dissolved the 107th Imperial Parliament effective immediately."

"Ladies and gentlemen," Drapeur said after a long pause. "This election is about leadership. True leadership lies in bringing people from all walks of life together in a common cause. True leadership is uniting, and united we are stronger together than we would be alone."

"There is another way. It can be politically popular, but don't mistake it for leadership." Drapeur continued. "The politics of division, of pulling people apart, of finding scape goats, that isn't leadership. The politics of fear, of bigotry, of ignorance, these are the politics of the faux leader, the populist, who sees in people their worst and tells them that it is OK to fear, to be bigoted, to be ignorant. I am sure you know those politics well, those have been the politics of the United Christian Front for the past three years in opposition, for the twelve years before that in government, and indeed, as back as far as most would care to remember."

"As I said, true leadership lies in bringing people from all walks of life together in a common cause." Drapeur said. "Our cause has been Pantocratoria. This Government, the Drapeur-Bolkus Government, has brought together the cities and the countryside, the French-speakers and the Greek-speakers, and united the country. Pantocratoria is stronger today than it was three years ago because we now tolerate diversity within our own society. Pantocratoria is stronger today than it was three years ago because we now all enjoy and share in the wealth of our nation. Pantocratoria is stronger today because we have come together with other nations to consolidate and secure our place in the world."

"This election is about leadership." Drapeur reiterated. "The past three years have not been easy, and there are many challenges we must face as a nation. Let us face them together, because together, we are stronger."

"The Constantinople Party and the Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance will, like the Chancellor and myself, contest this election together as a coalition, the only team offering uniting, national leadership. The Chancellor and I will now field questions." Bolkus offered, in Greek.

"Chancellor, isn't the 8th of November extremely close?" asked a journalist in French.

"I wouldn't say extremely. Luc Delacroix called an election less notice, and there were numerous examples before that." Drapeur began, knowing that his answer would be thin. "Also, we thought that given the election would disrupt two public holidays, it was better not to disrupt a third, in the Manuel the Frank Memorial, and if we didn't cross at least two of those holidays, we'd have to campaign across the Christmas holidays, which I am sure nobody wants. But in any event, the Imperial Government isn't running and hiding from the judgement of the people, we want to have the election as soon as possible. Maybe the Opposition would've liked to hold off from having to account to the people for longer, I don't know, you'll have to ask them."

"Monsieur Bolkus, by your announcement should we assume that the Constantinople Party and the Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance will not be running candidates against each other?" asked another journalist.

"Well, in a sense." Bolkus began. "We mean to contest this as a government. We are, however, still two parties. In some seats, there may be a candidate from each party, in many seats in fact, I should expect. But unlike at the last election, the Constantinople Party will be directing preferences to the Socialists ahead of the Opposition. We are running together as a coalition, not as one party."

"A question for either gentleman, who do you think will win tonight's leadership ballot for the United Christian Front's leadership?"

"We're not interested in the Opposition's internal leadership fights." answered Thibault Drapeur.

"I don't think that winning that ballot would make the winner a leader anyway." Bolkus added. "The United Christian Front have practised the politics of division for too long, and I think whoever the man is, Pantocratorians will know that the party will stay the same."

24 October 2007, 2:40am
Palais du Parlement
New Rome
The United Christian Front's party room meeting didn't start at 9:30pm the night of Prince Basil's resignation. It was 11:14pm at night when the last Opposition MPs (Alphonse Chesnier, Hon. Philippe Coutard, Anne-Joséphine Vanier, Jean-Louis Beaufoy and Alexandre-Louis Fournier - all from the Diogenia region on Pantocratoria's south coast) arrived at the Palais du Parlement. The meeting finally got under way at 11:40pm, and three hours later it was still in session. The media scrum had gradually thinned as the night wore on, but a sizeable contingent of the parliamentary press gallery was still gathered in the press room nearest to the Opposition party room.

Finally, the parliamentary United Christian Front's returning officer, Nicole Mercier MP, emerged from the party room and strode up the hall towards the media pack, which stirred from its collective reverie at her approach. Cameras started rolling again and a dozen microphones were thrust into Mercier's face. She took a breath and began to speak, in French.

"Mesdames and messieurs, the parliamentary United Christian Front has just completed its emergency meeting." she began. "There were two candidates for the position of leader, Sir Thierry del Moray and Isaac Comnenus. After three ballots, two inconclusive, Sir Thierry del Moray was elected as leader of the parliamentary United Christian Front by 90 votes to 86. Subsequently, Frederic d'Alpuget challenged Isaac Comnenus for the position of deputy leader, and Monsieur Comnenus defeated Monsieur d'Alpuget 94 to 82."

"Madame Mercier, why only 176 votes? Did Monsieur not take part?" asked one of the journalists.

"Monsieur addressed the party room for the last time at the beginning of our meeting, and subsequently resigned for the evening. He informed the party room that he will not be recontesting the seat of Christ Pantocrator in the upcoming election." Mercier replied. "All other questions I will leave for Sir Thierry..."

The party room's doors opened again and Sir Thierry del Moray strode confidently out of it with a smile on his face, looking as if it were mid-afternoon rather than the middle of the night. He was followed by the members of the Shadow Ministry, including his apparent leadership rival, Isaac Comnenus, whose face betrayed no trace of bitterness. The cameras flashed to watch the procession to the press room.

"Mesdames and messieurs, the Leader of the Parliamentary United Christian Front and the next Imperial Chancellor of the Pantocratorian Empire, Sir Thierry del Moray!" Mercier announced with a smile, before standing back from the lectern to applaud the UCF's new leader. She was joined by the entire shadow ministry as Sir Thierry stepped forward.

"Mesdames and messieurs, fellow citizens, it is my enormous honour to address you this evening, for the first time, as the leader of the United Christian Front." Sir Thierry began. "My friends, at this election Pantocratoria faces a choice. A choice between economic and social ruin on one side, and responsible moderation on the other."

"Earlier today, I heard the Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor talk a lot of leadership." Sir Thierry continued. "I think Pantocratorians have had enough of what they call leadership. I think the 17% of Pantocratorians who are unemployed have had enough of what they call leadership. And I think they feel pretty left out of Dr Drapeur's bringing people together. I think Pantocratorians, especially those with family in Anacea, are sick of the three years of spineless foreign policy they call leadership. I think Pantocratoria's struggling small businesses and back-to-the-wall farmers can't take much more of what they call leadership."

"Earlier today, or yesterday rather, Monsieur ended his magnificent career in the Imperial Parliament by speaking of the need for a new way forward." Sir Thierry said. "In the days ahead, I will be outlining my plan for that new way forward. Let me say this now though, that new way will not be guided by ideology alone, nor by tradition alone. It will be guided by principles I hold very dear to my heart: family, faith, and flexibility. The new way will empower families. It will restore flexibility in education, healthcare, and the workplace. And the new way will be a tolerant and compassionate way, Christian in the best sense of the word."

"Thank you, mesdames and messieurs of the press, and those watching at home, for staying up so late." Sir Thierry concluded. "I promise you now that from now until election I will be working night and day to present the Pantocratorian with a real choice, a real alternative, a new way on election day."

Special Edition Interview with the Leader of the Opposition
Peacock Daily News

http://www.cacciagossip.it/sets_pubblications/prima_pagina/immagini/altre/Galan%20con%20Sgarbossa.jpg

Sir Thierry del Moray entered the studio and took the offered hand of the Peacock Daily News interviewer, Marie-Jeanne St Michel. The interview was set in comfortable looking surrounds, vaguely reminiscent of a hotel, and both interviewer and subject seated themselves on dark leather lounges.

"Sir Thierry del Moray, welcome to the programme." St Michel began.

"It's a pleasure to be here, Marie-Jeanne." Sir Thierry replied with a natural charm.

"Sir Thierry, as the election is so very close, I thought we might get straight to business." St Michel said. "Can you really expect to win an election on such short notice?"

"Certainly." Sir Thierry replied with a nod.

"You sound very confident." St Michel observed.

"Not over-confident, I hope." Sir Thierry smiled. "But it is true that the Chancellor called for an election with as short a campaign as possible because he thought it would best advantage him. He thought that by making the campaign as short as possible he would deny Pantocratorians a chance to really assess each side and make an informed decision, which he hopes will benefit him as the incumbent. I don't think it will work, however. I trust the Pantocratorian people, and I trust that they've had enough time, three long and painful years, to make up their mind about this government. I don't think that they'll fall for the Chancellor's trick, and so I don't feel like such a short campaign is a disadvantage. On the contrary, I feel like it is an opportunity, if I am so entrusted, to get to work on fixing the country sooner."

"Given that you contested the leadership against Isaac Comnenus, the Deputy Leader of the United Christian Front, do you feel that you have the confidence of your deputy?" St Michel asked.

"Absolutely." Sir Thierry replied. "Isaac Comnenus is a man of integrity. He accepts the decision of the party in making me its leader, just as I would've accepted the decision had it been in his favour."

"It is in stark contrast, isn't it, that you and your deputy so recently fought each other for the leadership of your party, whereas the Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor gave a joint press conference to launch the campaign, presenting a unified leadership team?" St Michel asked.

"Well, the Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor are in different parties so I fancy there is more that divides them than divides Monsieur Comnenus and myself." Sir Thierry chuckled slightly. "Pantocratoria has endured three years of the Chancellor and Deputy Chancellor's leadership. I sincerely believe that Isaac Comnenus and myself offer a superior leadership team. Today, nearly one in five Pantocratorians are out of work. That's appalling. As the former head of Pantocratoria's largest employer, I know the pressures Pantocratorian employers are under thanks to the economic ineptitude of the Chancellor's leadership. Isaac Comnenus was the Treasurer of our country for twelve years of unprecedented economic growth and reform. Nobody understands the Pantocratorian economy better than him, nobody. Together I think Monsieur Comnenus and myself comprise the team Pantocratoria needs to reign in unemployment and get the Pantocratorian economy back on its feet again."

"So Isaac Comnenus enjoys your support?" St Michel asked.

"Absolutely." Sir Thierry answered. "The Pantocratorian economy needs Isaac Comnenus at its helm once again. Millions of Pantocratorians are unemployed, not by choice, not because they're lazy or because they're unskilled, but because of the chronic economic mismanagement of this government. Nothing is more important in this election than getting Pantocratoria back to work again, and Isaac Comnenus and myself can do that, and that's why Isaac has my total support as my deputy and as my shadow treasurer."

"What would you and Monsieur Comnenus do, in government, to address unemployment?" St Michel asked.

"Well, we'd start by cutting through the red-tape the Socialists have used to hog tie Pantocratorian businesses. Excessive regulation is the primary reason so many companies are moving their operations off-shore, and we need to stop that. Those jobs should be staying here in Pantocratoria, not moving overseas." Sir Thierry began. "I'd also start an expansion of the money supply, in line with the rate of growth of real GDP. We are in very real danger here, due to the fiscal ineptitude of Isabelle Folquet and the rest of the government, of inducing a recession. I don't say that to scare anybody, but with one in five Pantocratorians out of work, we need to be aware that we are standing on an economic precipice. In government I would do everything in my power to pull us back from that precipice."

"What about taxes?" St Michel inquired.

"We will investigate the possibility of tax cuts." Sir Thierry said. "We certainly want to be able to make cuts, but without access to the machinery of government, without the departments to cost these things for us, it is impossible right now to give a definite number. I will say, however, that it is my objective to reduce the average personal taxation burden in Pantocratoria by a third over the next term in government. That's a big objective, and I don't want people getting overly excited by it, because we haven't been able to cost it yet, but that will be our objective in regards to taxation policy in government."

"Sir Thierry, the Constantinople Party is running in a coalition with the Socialists this election, what impact do you think that will have on your election chances?" asked St Michel.

"Well look, that's a matter for them. I am sure that many people who voted for the Constantinople Party last time will be looking for a more moderate, conservative government, and were dismayed by the coalition with the Socialists." Sir Thierry observed. "But I am also sure that many people who voted for the Socialists last time will be looking for more responsible economic managers. After all, nearly 20% of Pantocratorians cannot find work, and rightly feel betrayed by the government. Here is an interesting figure for you, Marie-Jeanne - nearly half of all voters who voted for the Constantinople Party last election directed their second preference to the Loyal Christian Front. I am sure those voters will ignore the Socialist preference deal, and will direct their preferences to the United Christian Front, and I hope more besides will do the same."

"Let's talk about foreign policy... in your acceptance speech early the morning of the 24th, you mentioned something about Anacea. How would a government you led have handled the situation in Anacea?" asked St Michel.

"You say handled, like the situation is past tense." Sir Thierry frowned. "Marie-Jeanne, a group of terrorists effectively seized power in Anacea just recently, and undid the hard work of the negotiators who had been trying to bring the conflict there to an equitable settlement. In government, we won't accept that..."

To be continued

Advertisement
Socialist Roadside Billboard
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Authorised by Philippe Maison, Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance, New Rome

OOC: I just had the other half of Sir Thierry's interview eaten, so that won't be posted now because I don't want to re-write it. Instead the policies which were announced in that interview will appear in a piece of UCF campaign literature or somesuch which I will post in the next couple of days.

UCF Policy letter
http://members.optusnet.com.au/a_marrington/ns/UCFbannerRoyalBlue.png

A New Way Forward in Education

Dear Citizen,

I am proud of my country, but I think we have a long way to go to make Pantocratoria the best place it can be. For the past few years, I feel that we have been taking two steps backward for every step forward. Many Pantocratorian parents have been forced to withdraw their children from the schools of their choice and place them in a public school, because the Drapeur Government slashed funding for non-public schools. I am very fortunate, as are many of you, to have the resources to send my children to the schools of my choice, and I strongly believe it is the right of every Pantocratorian parent to send their children to the school of their choice. That is why, therefore, I regard it as a tragedy that the Drapeur Government forced so many of our compatriots to withdraw their children from their former schools by dramatically increasing (and in many cases, introducing for the first time) fees at Church schools. The Drapeur Government has created a financial barrier to exercising this fundamental parental right, and I am determined to see it removed!

That is why I am proud to announce a New Way Forward for Pantocratoria's schools.

If you elect the United Christian Front on 8 November, as Chancellor I will move Pantocratoria's school funding model to a per-student model. Under this model, all Pantocratorian school students would be funded equally, whether they attended a public school or a church school. Public school tuition will still be completely free, but unlike at present, church school tuition will be significantly reduced. Many church schools will be completely free, and all will be significantly less expensive.

For those parents who do not wish to disrupt the education of their children yet again after the disruption of being forced to withdraw them from church schools in the first place, I will also introduce religious education classes to all public schools. Parents sending their children to public schools will be able to enrol their child in Catholic or Orthodox religious education classes. That way, our public schools will tend to the spiritual and moral development of Pantocratoria's pupils, as well as their academic development.

I hope you will join with us on our New Way Forward in Education on 8 November.



Thierry del Moray
Sir Thierry del Moray MP
Knight of the Order of the Pantocrator
Leader of the United Christian Front

Imperial Monitor
Pantocratorians unhappiest people in Western Atlantic: UN Survey
Pantocratorians are the unhappiest people in the Western Atlantic according to a new United Nations survey of the region published today, behind even Anacea.

Surprisingly, citizens of the Knootian Low Countries topped the poll as the happiest in the Western Atlantic, rating amongst the happiest 1% of people world-wide.

Pantocratorians, by contrast, were in the 80th percentile.

The Opposition seized on the figures, saying that they demonstrated that the much vaunted reforms of the Drapeur Government had deeply unsettled the Pantocratorian people.

"The approach they took with many of their changes was abrasive, offensive, and disturbing to many Pantocratorians, even where the changes themselves were desired to varying extents." said the UCF's Sir Cyrus Fastonville. "The UN survey reflects that Pantocratorians in 2007 feel ill at ease in their day to day lives, and much of that can be squarely laid at the feet of the Socialists."

Survey results analysed on page 3

OOC: The Valerian Empire would also like to get involved in this election. You wouldn't mind, would you?

IC:

A couple of snippets from the Isangrad Times:

Tsar Alexander III Pledges Crown Money to the United Christian Front

In a bid to help influence elections in Pantocratoria, His Imperial and Most August Majesty Tsar Alexander III of The Valerian Empire has used his and the royal family's personal funds to donate to the United Christian Front of Pantocratoria. Alexander III, known for his emotionality and personal feelings in his imperial decisions, is a vehement opponent of socialism and a proponent of 'Christian values'. He has been known to have given the Valerian Orthodox Church a lot of leeway in their taxes to the state, among other things..."Our enemy are the socialists, who would dare defile any good country with a monarch," Alexander said in response to a question as to why support the United Christian Front, "...[the United Christian Front] is an answer to stop the spread of Marxist ideas."... Alexander III has been known in the Valerian Empire as an ultraconservative. He has pledged 20.5 million Valerian crowns from his own purse to the party...

The Valerian Orthodox Church Pledges Money to Foreign Party

As a reaction to the Emperor, Patriarch Feodor III of the Valerian Orthodox Church has pledged a (somewhat) modest 15 million Valerian crowns from the church funds to the Constantinople Party in order to support "our Orthodox Greek brothers". The Valerian Orthodox Church utilizes the Greek rite, and Patriarch Feodor III wishes to see the Greek rite reestablished in Pantocratoria as well... many Orthodox Valerian churchgoers also support such a move...

Imperial Monitor Election Insert - Pantocratoria Decides 2007 Seat Guide

SEAT GUIDE - NEW ROME
53 of the Imperial Parliament's 540 seats are located within the greater metropolitan area of New Rome. At the last election, the Socialists won 27 of these seats to the United Christian Front's 26. Combining the Pantocratoria First Party and Loyal Christian Front's primary vote in New Rome at the last election into one notional United Christian Front primary vote, the capital looks like even more promising ground for the party than it is in the current parliament.

New Rome has traditionally been the heartland of the United Christian Front's vote from the party's inception, and has demonstrated a strong tendency to lean towards the most conservative options. All but three of the Pantocratoria First Party MPs re-elected at the last election were from New Rome. Now that Pantocratoria First has rejoined the United Christian Front, there will be a much lesser opportunity for the United Christian Front to bleed votes. At the last election an estimated 20% of Pantocratoria First and Loyal Christian Front voters preferenced the Socialists ahead of the other party. This time the conservative vote will be much stronger.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains 10.


SEAT GUIDE - DEMETRIOPOLIS
Just as New Rome's 53 seats are the traditional support base of the United Christian Front, there are 43 seats in Demetriopolis, with support for the governing parties higher here at the last election than anywhere else. 23 of these seats are Socialist, 8 are United Christian Front, and the remaining 12 are Constantinople Party members. With Socialist and Constantinople Party preferences now flowing through to each other better than they did last time in Demetriopolis, it will be extremely difficult for the United Christian Front to win any seats here.

Arguably most at risk for the government in Demetriopolis is the seat of St Theodore of Heraclea, occupied by Beline Maurice MP. Maurice holds the thread by a 0.6% margin, and faces a very strong United Christian Front campaign.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains by one.

ooc: Thought I might briefly interject myself. Will remove if not helpful

ic:

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g83/tsarnoel/Pravda.jpg
The Strange Death of Socialist Pantocratoria

It was a brave political commentator who, back in mid-October, predicted anything other than another victory for Thibault Drapeur's Socialists. After all, unlike his predecessor, Drapeur called the election on his own terms and without any noticeable scandal such as the Knootian Boycott Act. The opposition United Christian Front, which collapsed into habitual bloodletting under the leadership of Prince Basil, was facing the prospect of a leadership contest during the preciously short campaign period. And with the liberalisation of Pantocratorian society after the authoritarian Pantocratoria First Party, was it not logical to assume that the liberated voters of the Empire would return the Socialists to power?
Yet on the eve of voting, current polling suggests that Socialist support has dropped from 42.35% in 2004 to just 26.92% now. What has happened to Pantocratorian Socialism, and why have the citizens of the Empire turned against the Government during a period of relative economic and social stability?
Some reasons are, of course, technical rather than political. The Right, once divided between Pantocratoria First Party and the Loyal Christian Front, now has a single conservative entity to vote for. Conservative voters have also demonstrated that, unlike the presumptions of many in the Socialist Leadership, they care for policy and unity rather than 'the Imperial touch' of a governing Prince or Princess. It was inevitable; say some that the United Christian Front would do better in 2007 than they did in 2004. The Constantinople Party has also managed to increase its support beyond the Greek-speaking farmers of Pantocratoria's south, attracting many conservative voters who are unable to back del Moray and are eager for a further expansion in Orthodox rights and opportunities.
For all the opposition's successes, however, many will see tomorrow's results not as a victory for either the United Christian Front or the Constantinople Party but as a loss for the Socialists.
Increased expectation is one idea for the Socialists' defeat. "The problem is that, when they were elected in 2004, people expected big changes,” says Dr. Alt, an expert in Pantocratorian politics from the Calmecac of Nanauatzin, "But any extensive modernisation of the Empire's society would be hindered by the Constantinople Party. This inertia is being unfairly attributed to the Socialists." Others point to the economic, where widespread public perception is not of stability but of stagnation, a point the opposition has been keen to capitalise on.
Not everyone, however, is attributing the Socialist's malaise to domestic matters. Some, especially critics on the right, are keen to argue that the Empire's Foreign Policy is the real reason behind the slide in Government support. "It's an issue," admits Dr. Atl, "That has been growing for some time. First there was Heregos, then the extradition trial of Dr. Graves, and then finally Anacea which, in the popular mind, all equate to a feebleness on the part of Pantocratoria, not strength." To what extent Anacea, where many Greek speaking Pantocratorians have family links, is a factor in the election cannot be fully understood until after the last count.
Whatever the results tomorrow, Pantocratorian politics has changed dramatically compared to just a few short months ago. Pollsters are currently predicting that United Christian Front will win the largest share of the vote, though whether they will translate that into seats in Parliament is dependent upon the vagaries of the political boundaries. If they do, then Pantocratoria's brief love affair with traditional left-wing politics may be over. Should they not, then the Socialists will be returned to power as the minority party in a coalition with the Constantinople Party, though it is debatable whether the Chancellor will retain his job in such circumstances.
Pantocratorian Socialism will survive, whatever happens tomorrow. In what form is yet to be decided, though some on the left can only hope that tomorrow's defeat is a setback and not the signal for the strange death of Socialist Pantocratoria.

The Christian world denounces these elections as nothing more than a farce!!!
Pantocratoria is the slave and whipping boy of the metahuman world....Pantocratoria is the running dog of liberalism...a nation ruined by knootian and TRD decadence!!! Once Pantocratoria was proud , now it is a sniffling servile wreck of a country....
Until Pantocratoria turns to Christian nationalism she will labour under the thumb of foriegn protestants and whores....these elections are simply rearranging deck chairs on the titanic as she slips down into hell....

Bridgette Iesus.
Weekly radio broadcast on 'The Legion of Christ world wide'

OOC: The vaguaries of electoral districting will certainly make the Constantinople Party's share of seats smaller than the figure suggests - if these figures hold, they would just get a stupidly high vote in those seats where they are a viable party. I like the article! :)

IC:

Imperial Monitor Election Insert - Pantocratoria Decides 2007 Seat Guide

Diogenia - Seat Guide
Diogenia, on Pantocratoria's south coast, is solidly Greek-speaking and Orthodox, and has consistently polled well for the Government. The Constantinople Party has consolidated its hold on the 13 out of 19 seats it has in the region. Ironically, due to the preferencing arrangement between the coalition parties and the surge in the Constantinople Party's primary vote, it seems likely that the Member for St Celestine, Joseph-Félix Dupré (Socialist), will lose his seat not to the opposition but to Constantinople Party candidate Maria-Helena Makos. Of more benefit to the Government will be the seat of Cypravias, held by United Christian Front MP Alphonse Chesnier, which is expected to fall to the Constantinople Party.

Prediction: Constantinople Party gains two seats, Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance and United Christian Front lose one each.

Drakopolis - Seat Guide
The city of Drakopolis in Pantocratoria's south-east showed a strong result for both the Socialists (who won 19 seats) and the Constantinople Party (10 seats) in 2004. The United Christian Front's 3 MPs held onto their seats by relatively small margins. Statistically, Drakopolis was second only to the city of Adrienople for the Socialists in 2004, and while they are likely to bleed some support to both the United Christian Front and the Constantinople Party, there is likely to be little or no change in MPs when the dust settles.

Prediction: No change.

Adrienople - Seat Guide
The city of Adrienople was the Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance's strongest performing area in 2004, with the Socialists holding 19 of the 29 seats in the city to the United Christian Front's 10. However, Adrienople now has the highest rates of unemployment, evictions, and house reposessions in Pantocratoria. Leaked internal PSA polling shows the Socialists in severe trouble in Adrienople on economic issues. While Treasurer Isabelle Folquet is unlikely to lose her seat, both Monitorpoll and the leaked Socialist polling suggests that the Government could lose anywhere between 7 and 12 of its 19 Adrienople-based seats.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains 9.

Montmanuel - Seat Guide
Montmanuel's 30 seats are largely rural, with the large towns/small cities of Villeduc and Manuelville making up its only non-rural territory. Montmanuel is almost entirely French-speaking, and is natural United Christian Front territory. The 17 Socialist-held seats in Montmanuel are all in jeopardy, and were mostly won in the first place due to preference leaking amongst conservative voters in 2004.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains 14.

New Jerusalem - Seat Guide
The Exarchate of New Jerusalem elected 14 Constantinople Party MPs, 4 United Christian Front MPs, and 2 Socialist MPs in 2007. The Greek-speaking island reacted badly, however, to the splitting away of the Orthodox Church. While the island was Greek-speaking, the Greek rite was never established there. The Constantinople Party can expect a backlash in the Exarchate, with the flow strongly leading to the United Christian Front.

Prediction: Socialists lose one, Constantinople loses nine, United Christian Front gains 10.

La Côte d'Est - Seat Guide
La Côte d'Est is another French-speaking rural area like Montmanuel where the Socialists are in severe trouble, after gaining 5 of their 7 seats (of the region's 15) through preference bleeding. The Socialists will struggle to retain any of their seats in the region, and will quite probably lose 5.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains 5.

Votosoros - Seat Guide
Votosoros, bordering Montmanuel to its south, is a Constantinople Party stronghold, with 18 of its 24 seats being held by the Constantinople Party. The real battleground seats are the remaining 6 of the region's 30. Of these, 5 are Socialist seats and 1 is United Christian Front, but all were ultra-marginal in 2004. The six marginal seats will likely be split between the major parties more equally now.

Prediction: United Christian Front gains 2, Socialists lose 2.

Verditania and Ghelmanos - Seat Guide
The rural, Greek-speaking islands of Verditania and Ghelmanos are safe Constantinople Party, and will remain so. The Constantinople Party won all 7 seats available from these islands at the last election, and will hold them.

Prediction: No change

Northern Central - Seat Guide
The region between New Rome and the Despotate of New Constantinople is a vast and diverse area, where Pantocratoria's earliest settlements were made. Its population tends to be French-speaking, with a small minority speaking Greek as their primary language. Of the 111 "Northern" seats in the last Parliament, 63 were occupied by Socialists, 41 by the United Christian Front, and 7 by the Constantinople Party. The Socialists will lose ground here but the real question is how much. The results here are likely to parallel those in New Rome.

Prediction: United Christian Front picks up 19 at the expense of the Socialists.

Southern Central - Seat Guide
The region south of New Rome but north of Votosoros contains 157 seats, of which 86 are occcupied by Socialists, 58 are UCF seats, and 13 Constantinople Party. Like Northern Central, the population tends to be French-speaking, with a small minority speaking Greek as their primary language. Leaked internal PSA polling shows the Socialists could lose anything up to 55 seats to the UCF, with too many wildcards for an even vaguely accurate prediction. This is a major election battleground.

Prediction: United Christian Front up 25-45 at the expense of the Socialists.

Note: The distribution version of this was printed in Greek. Translation only.


ROMANS!

Anacea needs your vote!

If you are planning on voting for the Constantinople Party, don't forget that Thibault Drapeur and the Socialists have betrayed the people of Anacea. Their only policy about Anacea is to allow the tinpot dictators who have seized power once again to abuse and suppress the faithful.

Only the United Christian Front will stand up to fundamentalist terror directed at Anacea's Orthodox faithful.

That's why if you care about Anacea, your second preference must be the United Christian Front.





SIR THIERRY DEL MORAY AND THE UNITED CHRISTIAN FRONT
A New Way Forward to Peace in Anacea

http://members.optusnet.com.au/a_marrington/ns/UCFbannerRoyalBlue.png

Authorised by HIH Most Pious Rt Hon Princess Irene Porphyrogenita, United Christian Front, New Rome

ooc: I'm glad you liked the article. I was worried that you might think I was interfering, though I kept any prediction of results vague enough that I didn't assume a simple vote-seat ratio.
That said, it doesn't look good for Comrade Drapeur!

OOC: Sorry I've been away with a real life election for a while! Time to bring this to a close!

IC:

Peacock Daily News Election Coverage: Pantocratoria Decides 2007
8:20pm, 8 November 2007

"If you're just joining us, welcome to the Imperial Tally Room, New Rome, for Peacock Daily News' coverage of the 2007 election." Virginie Merlot, the anchor, said. "The Government is under threat in nearly two hundred seats, and it looks like the final outcome of today's election may not be known for some hours yet. Joining me here in the Imperial Tally Room is Sir Jacques Antoniou, former Foreign Minister in Princess Irene's government turned political commentator, and Philippe Maison, General Secretary of the Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance. Philippe Maison, all our figures tonight suggest a strong swing against the Government, what are you hearing from your people on the ground?"

"Well, Virginie, there's a swing, I don't know if I'd call it strong..." Maison began.

"It's 8% in Adrienople, 8.5% in New Rome, it looks pretty strong to me." Sir Jacques interjected.

"Well, there is a swing." Maison nodded. "But at this stage the information I am getting from party units and from scrutineers is that the swing isn't big enough to defeat the Government, and that preferences are flowing reasonably strongly from the Constantinople Party to us in many seats which the UCF targeted with their material seeking the second preference of Constantinople Party voters."

"Sir Jacques, are you hearing different?" Merlot asked.

"UCF scrutineers are observing, on average, I am told, that forty percent of Constantinople Party voters are preferencing the United Christian Front." Sir Jacques answered.

"Which won't be enough." Maison asserted.

"Which might be enough." Sir Jacques insisted.

"Either way, you'd both agree that the election will be very close?" Merlot asked.

"Absolutely, we won't know the outcome of this election until the early hours of the morning." Maison said.

"I'd agree, maybe midnight at the earliest." Sir Jacques agreed.

"Right, let's go back to our seat by seat analysis..."

Peacock Daily News Election Coverage: Pantocratoria Decides 2007
11:43pm, 8 November 2007

"...also goes to the United Christian Front. So that makes a gain for the Opposition of 12 seats in Adrienople." Virginie Merlot said as seat-by-seat results graphics displayed on the screen.

"We're seeing an extremely strong result for the United Christian Front and for Sir Thierry del Moray, so newly elected as the United Christian Front's leader." Sir Jacques Antoniou commented. "Isabelle Folquet, whose seat is in Adrienople and who prior to entering the Imperial Parliament made a career in union hackery in the area, spent much of the campaign barnstorming about the city to shore up marginal Socialist seats. It appears she was unsuccessful, very unsuccessful even. We were not expecting to win three of those seats."

"The campaign wasn't very long, so when you say the Treasurer spent much of the campaign in Adrienople, you are saying she spent a few days there at most." Philippe Maison argued. "And as I recall you spent some decades in Adrienople, Sir Jacques, as the Member for the See of Adrienople, and you weren't accepting personal responsibility for the under performance of the conservatives there at the last election, even though perhaps you should've done."

"Gentlemen, let's not get personal." Virginie Merlot intervened with a smile, although her eyes were widening with alarm.

"Well in any event, it appears that whatever damage I may have done has now been undone, eh monsieur?" said Sir Jacques.

"The Treasurer has also increased the margin in her own seat, despite a very negative and personal campaign run against her by the Opposition." pointed out Philippe Maison.

"Well if such a high profile member of the government can't..." Sir Jacques began.

"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but I have to interrupt you." Virginie Merlot intervened. "We're just receiving word that at the Hôtel Odysseus, in New Rome, Sir Thierry del Moray is preparing to address the United Christian Front party faithful. Peacock Daily News is there live, and we're transferring to the Hôtel Odysseus now."

The shot changes to the grand ballroom of a luxury hotel in New Rome's Old Quarter. A crowd was gathered in the ballroom, sipping wine and champagne and watching the election coverage on a projected screen. It was in an ambiguous mood - on the one hand tonight was an excellent night for the United Christian Front, which was picking up an extraordinary number of seats, and on the other hand, it looked all but certain at this point that despite its huge gains, it wouldn't be enough to win government. The projectors went blank and then in lieu of election coverage began to project United Christian Front slogans. A spotlight fell on Sir Thierry del Moray, who had just entered the ballroom and was making his way to the podium, with his wife Marie-Claire in hand beside him. Trailing behind the couple were their children, Marie-Helene, André and Isabelle. The audience applauded as Sir Thierry made his way through to the podium with his family, where he waved to the crowd and, after allowing the applause to continue for a brief period, he signalled for silence.

"My friends and colleagues..." Sir Thierry began. "Seventy seats! We have come so close, but alas, it appears at this point tonight that we have fallen short of winning government. My friends, we should still be immensely proud of the work we have done in such a short time, and it was a very short campaign, shorter than any of us could have predicted. We have started to paint a picture of a new Pantocratoria. It is a magnificent picture, as befits our magnificent nation, and it will only get better in the months ahead as we continue to paint it. For our work, my friends, has just begun. Today, the Pantocratorian people rewarded us for our vision of a new way forward, but they also told us that our work was not yet complete. We will strive to fulfil the potential the Pantocratorian people recognised in us today, and I promise you, we will fulfil it, and at the next election, the picture we will have painted of a new way forward for Pantocratoria will be complete."

The audience applauded and Sir Thierry took a brief pause to place his arm around Marie-Claire's waist and pull her closer to him so that she was more firmly in the shot. He looked at his children, smiled, and looked back up at the camera.

"There are so many people to thank, but I must start with my family. Our society would be nothing without our families, and I personally would be nothing without mine. To my darling wife Marie-Claire, my beautiful girls Marie-Helene and Isabelle, and my budding rugby star son André, I can only say thank you, and that cannot ever be enough." Sir Thierry said. "I also want to thank the United Christian Front, for trusting me with its leadership at this critical time in our nation's history, from the parliamentary party through to the ordinary rank and file, who have worked so hard on this campaign, knocking on doors, delivering material about our policies, and so on. Most importantly, I want to thank all of those people who voted for the United Christian Front today. Thank you for your faith in us and in our country, and I promise you that we will not let you down, we will work... we will keep working, and next time we will win!"

The audience started cheering as Sir Thierry promised not to let the UCF voters down, and the cheers got louder and louder as he finished the sentence. By the end he had to shout just to make himself heard, and he had to take a few moments to allow the audience noise to die down once more.

"I also need to thank my opponent, the Chancellor Dr Thibault Drapeur." Sir Thierry said. The audience seemed unenthusiastic but tried to be polite. At least it didn't boo. "A short time ago I called the Chancellor and congratulated him on a good campaign, and I wished him the best of luck in his second term of government. I promised him that the United Christian Front would work with the re-elected Drapeur Government on any initiative to put the pieces of our shattered economy back together, to help reform our society where it has been sadly fractured, and most of all, to put Pantocratorians back to work. I promised him, and I promise all of you, that we will be a positive opposition, an opposition in the best sense, which will hold the government to account and always demand better, but at the same time will co-operate with the government where it is in the national interest. At a time where one in five Pantocratorians who want to work cannot find a job, we cannot afford a government paralysed by division and petty political power plays. As we teeter on the brink of recession, the United Christian Front opposition will do everything it can do to help the Drapeur Government pull us back from that precipice. We will put the national interest first, always!"

The audience cheered and applauded again as Sir Thierry neared the end of his concession.

"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight has been a very long night, and I am flattered and touched that you are all still here." Sir Thierry smiled, provoking fresh cheers from the crowd. "I don't know about you, but I know there are three del Morays on the stage who are up well past their bed time..." The del Moray children alternately blushed, smiled, or shook their heads. Marie-Claire del Moray said something to Sir Thierry which the microphones didn't pick up, provoking a laugh from the Opposition Leader. "I am reliably informed that there are, in fact, five del Morays on the stage all of whom are due for bed! Therefore, I must bid you a goodnight, but I leave you with this thought... today the Pantocratorian people rewarded the United Christian Front for starting its journey down a long road. The ultimate reward awaits us at the end of that road, and we have a long walk to get there, but get there we can, if we all walk together. Goodnight!"

Sir Thierry and Marie-Claire del Moray kissed and waved again to the audience as the broadcast cut away back to the studio with Virginie Merlot and her guest commentators, former UCF politician Sir Jacques Antoniou and PSA General Secretary Philippe Maison.

"Well to watch that, you'd have thought that Sir Thierry del Moray had just been elected." Virginie Merlot observed with a smile.

"Well Virginie, this is an excellent result for Sir Thierry and the United Christian Front." Sir Jacques said. "If we go over the Peacock Daily News projected results here..."

"Let's go over them again, shall we?" Virginie said. "With seventy percent of the vote counted, we project the United Christian Front on 249 seats, a net gain of 72, although there have been some unexpected swaps which we talked about in our detailed region-by-region analysis earlier. The Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance has lost 66 seats, reducing them to 203 seats in the Imperial Parliament. The Constantinople Party has lost six seats, most of those in the Exarchate of New Jerusalem, making its total 88 seats, and thus giving the Imperial Government 291 seats, a vastly reduced majority of 42, and a legislative majority of just twenty votes above the 271 required for a bill to become law. Not a pretty night for the Drapeur Government, but a victory nevertheless. Philippe Maison, when will we hear from the Chancellor?"

"Now that Sir Thierry has conceded, I would think very soon, Virginie." Maison replied.

12:20am, Demetriopolis Football Stadium

The official coalition after-party was a jubilant affair by the time the news coverage joined it to see the official acceptance speech. The excited crowd was gathered around a stage with a huge "THIBAULT DRAPEUR: Le Leadership Authentique" billboard, flanked by a sign bearing the Pantocratorian Socialist Alliance's logo on one side, and the Constantinople Party's logo on the other. In the middle of the stage was a podium with the "Authentic Leadership" slogan produced in both French and Greek on it, behind which the Deputy Chancellor and Leader of the Constantinople Party was standing with a broad smile on his face. The Constantinople Party supporters gathered nearer the stage were chanting "Spiro! Spiro! Spiro!" at the Deputy Chancellor.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Spiro Bolkus began in Greek. "To all of you here tonight, all of our supporters around the nation watching on the television, and to all the people of our fatherland, Greek speakers and French speakers, it gives me very great pleasure to introduce to you the first RE-ELECTED Imperial Chancellor in twenty-seven years, a great man, a great friend, and a great leader, Doctor Thibault Drapeur!"

The huge crowd gathered at the stadium roared its approval as the Socialist campaign song ("Do you hear the people sing?" from the French version of Les Misérables the musical) began to play through the PA system, heralding the entrance of the Imperial Chancellor. Thibault Drapeur emerged from behind the "Authentic Leadership" sign on the stage and waved to the euphoric crowd for a few moments as Spiro Bolkus moved over to the Chancellor. The two men shook hands and posed for photographs before they walked back to the podium, with Drapeur assuming the position behind the microphone. The crowd chanted Drapeur's name over and over again. Drapeur smiled, touched by their enthusiasm as he had been so often in the past three years. The adulation of people who had suffered or been forgotten or oppressed by the governments which had preceded his always made public life worthwhile to Drapeur, even when he felt old and tired and sick of politics. He wiped a tear from his eyes and then addressed the people.

"Nearly an hour ago now Sir Thierry del Moray called me and congratulated all of us on the re-election of the Imperial Government." Drapeur began. "I thanked Sir Thierry and congratulated him on a hard fought campaign, and told him that I looked forward to working with the Opposition on finding real solutions to the problems which face Pantocratoria. My friends, colleagues, and dare I say comrades, that is what this campaign was all about - real leadership. Real leadership is inclusive. It is willing to listen to every point of view, from friend or foe. It is non-ideological in the best sense of the term - it doesn't prejudge advice before it is offered because of party or background. The Government which it has been my privilege to head for the past three years, and which I am very privileged to continue to head into the future after tonight's result, has exercised real leadership. By its very nature, our coalition brings together the interest of groups in our society which until three years ago, might have been thought to lack any common ground whatsoever. But we have found the common ground which binds all of us together - Pantocratoria!"

"Together we have built a new Pantocratoria. It has not been easy, and tonight we are forced to recognise that some Pantocratorians have felt left behind by our reform agenda." Drapeur said. "I am unapologetic about the need for change, but I do sincerely regret that some of our fellow citizens feel alienated by our reforms. Tonight's result is a mandate for us to continue to reform, rebuild and improve Pantocratoria, but it is also a powerful message for us - that some Pantocratorians feel left behind or excluded, and that we must do all we can to make sure that they can find their place in the new Pantocratoria as well. I make this commitment tonight on behalf of our Government - we will reach out to every Pantocratorian, and we won't leave anybody behind."

The crowd cheered and Drapeur moved on to thanking the dozens of people he felt the need to thank for their contribution to the campaign, starting with Spiro Bolkus and moving his way through both the Socialist and Constantinople Party ranks.

OOC: Copy-paste a template, replace text... done! I am not yet decided on whether to use "Imperial Government" or "His Most August Majesty's Government"... or whether to replace "Government" with the "Cabinet of Ministers" as it is called in Russian. -_^

Taraskovyan Empire
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Namellar/GDT/SilverEagleCoA_Plain_Sm.gif

Imperial Government

His Excellency Thibault Drapeur, Imperial Chancellor of Pantocratoria
Concerning
Re-election of the government

Your Excellency,

Please adhere to the warmest congratulations on your victory in the latest Pantocratorian legislative elections in the name of His Most August Majesty the Vasilevs and the Taraskovyan Empire. We look forward to continued work and cooperation in between our two Cabinets.

May the Holy Theotokos watch over Pantocratoria,
Anna Muraviev-Apostol (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Namellar/GDT/Chancellor.png)
Imperial Chancellor

PANTOCRATORIAN IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT

Department of the Imperial Chancellor and Cabinet
Office of the Rt. Hon. Dr Thibault Drapeur MP
Imperial Chancellor
To:
Mme Anna Muraviev-Apostol
Imperial Chancellor
Taraskovyan Empire

Your Excellency,

It was with great pleasure that I received your letter of congratulations. I look forward to continuing to work with your government and hope that in this term we are able to achieve great things together.

It shall be my privilege to convey your congratulations to the rest of my government.

Yours Sincerely,

Thibault Drapeur
The Right Honourable Doctor Thibault Drapeur, Member of Parliament
Imperial Chancellor