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Voting in the General Election and Candelariasians Overseas Constituency has now come to an end. Votes in the above poll no longer count.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M
Parties begin final fortnight
By Tony Mooney

Unionist Party leader James Anderson today ceremonially stepped down as Candelariasian President ahead of the May 12th elections, leaving the country’s political present in the hands of National Council Leader Jenna Kmosko for the next couple of weeks. From now on, the phoney war that has lasted months has broken out into an all-out conflict that will capture every column inch in the C&M press, every minute on the airwaves. Unless we do well in the Di Bradini Cup again. If that’s the case turnout could be exceptionally low.

No sooner was the lunchtime ceremony over were banners for the four main parties, and seemingly countless smaller groups, adorning every spare wall across the country.

But just how important are these elections when it comes to dictating C&M’s future? Luca Russo, for the Albrecht Herald Online’s Global Service, investigates…


To the impartial observer the only answer can be ‘not overly’, with the three largest parties – and the only three with a realistic shot at delivering the next president – still being seen to exhibit what political commentators in the Candelarias refer to as the SDC – the Social Democratic Consensus. Be they proud or despairing of it, the country’s press remains convinced that the traditional leftist elite still dominates C&M’s politics as it has done for well over a century.

Precisely what that elite stands for however – and what that issue means for the very concept of the Candelariasian state – remains utterly unclear. Of particularly importance is the what is supposedly the all-pervading influence of socialism, right from the earliest days of the Candelarias’ political scene as a semi-autonomous state…


Russo Presents: A political History of the Candelarias from 1868 to 2008, emphasising the bits most relevant to the modern scene


The forgettable pointlessness of Robinson, Nitkin and Plummer

In theory, the battle at the heart of late-19th C. Candelarian politics was between the social liberalism of the Liberals and their Prime Ministers William Robinson and Peter Plummer, and classical liberalism of the Conservatives and PM George Nitkin, but both parties had long been inextricably connected with both the trade union and republican movements. A long-lasting depression and a perceived lack of support from Britain encouraged Candelarians to look for new solutions to their problems from both within and without, and the socialist writings of a large cadre of novelists, poets, philosophers and journalists increasingly began to supply the basis for a national consciousness that was decidedly left-leaning.

It is perhaps for this reason, with the broad ideas of the Working Man’s Republic so firmly entrenched in the Candelarian psyche and politics, that extreme left movements struggled to take hold. The relative lack of socio-economic disparity between ordinary Candelarian workers and the country’s intellectual elite meant that a high degree of respect for the two dominant parties remained in place, and despite regularly winning seats in the House entities such as the Socialist Labour Party and the Alliance of Candelarias Communists failed to threaten the dominance of the big two.

The rise and fall of the National Unionists

For a time however, one party did. The National Unionists held power from 1885 to1903 and again from 1904 to 1914, and for numerous years within that period their supremacy was such that the Candelarias could be considered all but a one-party state. Tomer Hague, Prime Minister for twenty of those years, seemed to many to epitomise the Candelariasian state; with his all-consuming emphasis on social solidarity, warmth towards both his highly intellectual and cultured colleagues as well as those from the humblest of backgrounds and abilities, tolerance for non-British cultures and rejection of international interventionism and the trappings of the Empire. Under Hague, the Candelarias fought a brief war for independence against the British, which strictly speaking they won with London forced into presenting the islands with Dominion status, and threw themselves into an era of vast social and economic upheaval.

There was of course significant opposition to Hague’s reforms but the NU were none the less able to enjoy a period in office between ’89 and ’03 in which the Liberals and Conservatives exploited a loophole in the constitution to force new elections not to be called after the standard five years to avoid what was clearly predicted to be a complete wipe-out.

A series of scandals of what appear today to be of a laughably parochial nature brought down the Hague government early in the new century, but the subsequent Liberal administration lasted but a year and Hague was soon returned to power as PM of a House of Representatives made up over eighty per cent of Unionists.

Change was still in the air however, since a significant proportion of those Unionists had stood on Liberal Unionist or Conservative Unionist tickets. Enthusiasm for Hague’s government waned once more and the influence of the few far-left MPs from other parties in the House began to grow. Hague resigned, passing the premiership to the writer Reuben Merchant, but his short tenure before his death never reached the heights of his previous works’ long-term influence on Candelariasian nationhood. In 1909 the NU under Jeremiah Sampson retained power only with the support of the Liberal Unionists.

Sampson proved if anything a rather more level-headed PM than his three NU predecessors, but his social politics were far too liberal for the masses to accept. And in this we acknowledge perhaps the only main plank of traditional Candelariasian society – the respect for the traditional way of life. How much of this has to do with religion is a matter for greater debate, but what is certain is that even the Hagueites and Merchantists of the Candelarias blanched at degree to which the Sampson appeared intent at breaking up traditional concepts of the family, denigrated seemingly every aspect of the dominant British culture and established close relations with communist nations and movements across the globe. At the same time he managed to be a heavy drinker, womaniser and smoker as well as a Catholic, which really was beyond the pale.

International affairs played its part too, with an obvious lack of support for Britain at a time of rising tensions in Europe not helping his public image. The Conservative Unionists – in coalition with the Conservatives – returned to power in 1914 for the first time in early three decades.

The tedious tens and twenties, Oxford Birch and Francis Luckin

The impact of all this cannot be underestimated, for when Candelariasian histories speak of ‘pre-war politics’, it was this period that they are referring to. The following forty-or-so years prior to the Civil War are generally given little public attention by comparison, and as far as nation-shaping went the eras of Peter Darby-Wales (CU), Edmund Kemp (CU), Ivan Dominik (LU) and Edmund Kemp (Again) merely tread water.

The impact of the Great Depression dominated the thirties during which time Liberal Unionist PM Oxford Birch would emerge the key figure, re-establishing the modern welfare state that remains a more-or-less unquestioned part of Candelarias society. It was he that would also all but sever ties with the UK, instead aiming to place the islands at the heart of Rushmore.

Internal strike within the Liberal Unionists saw Birch and the party loose power to Francis Luckin’s CU, and Birch was deposed as opposition leader soon after. Among the left-leaning public at large however Birch remained the symbolic figurehead of the opposition and by 1934 he had returned to power with the LU in a landslide victory. He was helped by his eagerness to reach out to Marquez’s dominant Hispanic community to a greater degree than almost any previous PM, with his cabinet from 1938 including three Spanish-speakers in important roles.

Birch similarly put into motion a programme of increased urbanisation – coming as he did from the multicultural heart of Clotaire and believing that cities like this represented the country’s future. The Second World War permanently interrupted his plans however and though the Candelarias never officially entered the conflict the need to produce munitions and other goods, both for the islands’ own defence and that of what most still considered the ‘motherland’.

The Republic and the Storm Clouds: Irving, Padovani and Ferguson

Birch’s handling of the war effort proved less astute than many had hoped however, and in 1943 the Conservative Unionists returned to power under Mullen Irving (he and Birch being refugees from one of the short epochs the Candelariasian people periodically go through in which giving children stupid names seems like a good idea). From a practical point of view Irving was a superb Prime Minister, but his social views failed to catch up with the zeitgeist. The Irving government made divorce and abortion illegal while loosening restrictions on the sale of alcohol and tobacco. Virulently anti-Hispanic, Irving declined to ‘pay lip-service’ to the Spanish language and spoke out against moves to end the last vestiges of segregation in areas of Marquez, and those pockets of Candelaria and the outlying islands, with mixed Anglo and Hispanic populations. He had little time for other new immigrant groups either however and began a process of internment of recent Italian and German arrivals, as well as many others spuriously labelled as having axis sympathies – despite the fact that Irving’s own wife was half-Turkish.

Despite his previous commitment to do so, Irving’s Candelarias never formally entered the war. In 1947 the Conservative Unionists suffered a massive electoral defeat by the Liberal Unionists under, rather pointedly, Samuel Padovani.

The central plank of Padovani’s election campaign had been the declaration of full independence and the creation of the Republic of the Candelarias. The LU won by a landslide and the relevant Act was passed through parliament with ease. The Republic was declared on the fourteenth of April 1948, on the feast day of the islands’ unofficial patron ‘saint’, Peter Gonzalez.

Socially, the LUs returned to many of the policies of Birch though they became rather more fiscally conservative, attempting to restore a sense of private enterprise lost during the years of Birch and war-time nationalisation. Undoubtedly the major problem the country was facing at the time however was poverty, both rural and inner-city, which had not been helped by Birch’s failure to follow-through on his aims.

The death of Padovani a year later heralded the arrival of Sidney Ferguson, a man of similar ideology and pompous bearing. Though publicly sympathetic to the plight of the country’s poor, Ferguson’s later autobiography made it clear that he felt that their difficulties were primarily of their own making, blighted as they were by addiction and the increasingly acceptability of family breakdown.

The rise of McManus

With the original Liberal party a negligible force and the various blocs of Conservatives in melt-down, Ferguson’s LU were virtually assured a simple electoral victory in 1951. They duly won another majority, but this time a new force had emerged. The Socialist Party had been formed afresh just two years before, but under James McManus they had found a powerful leader prepared to tackle the country’s social and economic demons in a calm, secular manner. The SP’s heartland was the cities and industrial towns, but McManus’ approach won him support from across the country. The Socialists were also assisted by the decline of the Conservative Unionists following Irving’s death. In the early fifties the CU became increasingly dominated by so-called Red Tories who shared much with McManus’ expressed ideologies.

The LU meanwhile seemed intent on political suicide. In early 1954 documents were leaked to the country’s major newspapers revealing the details of what had been a secret, failed coup orchestrated by Ferguson five years earlier to oust the far-left government of Ransome-Bkyki Island. Such an act clearly went against the spirit of the Republic’s constitutional barring on foreign intervention and he was forced to resign. His rather more popular deputy, Percival Dolezal, succeeded him, but his government was soon embroiled with a series of scandals as the country’s burgeoning mass media took the opportunity to sink their teeth into the squalor of traditional politics. In 1956 the Socialists won the election by a significant margin, supported by the Conservative Unionists who had reinvented themselves as the party of the countryside.

McManus immediately made good on his many of his electoral promises. The country’s mixed economy was rapidly altered beyond all recognition with even the most minor industries coming under direct government control. Laws were soon passed preventing strongly-worded media criticism, and the government began a vast programme of agricultural reform. Supposedly in efforts to avoid the ‘impending’ famine McManus ordered the destruction of thousands of suburban dwellings and sent huge portions of the middle class to work on the land.

McManus’ control of the country’s limited armed forces was absolute; high-ranking figures who displeased him disposed of with the minimum of fuss. On the plus side the status of women in Candelaria society improved dramatically, as a generation of three of housewives suddenly found themselves encouraged to take jobs and roles outside the home for the first time (this process having not proved previously necessary in the pacifist Candelarias), and several women were given important cabinet posts.

For a time, the Candelarian people enjoyed a genuine surge in prosperity, but it could only ever be short-lived. The country was rapidly becoming a pariah state in Rushmore, even among fellow hard-left nations who looked upon McManus with distaste. The Prime Minister’s lack of practical interest in his fellow MPs’ Marxist-Leninism – preferring to follow his own ideals than worrying about the wishes of others – lost him many friends within the party’s hierarchy, but most of these individuals were sacked, and in some cases murdered, in late 1957.

Early in 1958 a Liberal Unionist MP in the Marquezian city of Arrigo died, bringing about a by-election that the Socialist candidate won by a country mile. Buoyed by this sudden, unexpected swell of support from the Candelarias’ second island McManus dissolved parliament and ordered new elections. By the slightest of margins however he and the Socialists lost, with LU emerging victorious in both the House and the Senate.

LU leader Percy Garrard was installed as Prime Minister, but it was in name only. The Socialists and their CU allies maintained power in local councils across the country, and declined to pay any attention to the new government. McManus supporters had been so effectively planted in Candelarias’ major companies, media outlets and the armed forces that Garrard had little practical power. While the LU’s victory was celebrated as some kind of revolution across much of Marquez, and pockets of Candelaria, the cult of McManus had well and truly infected huge swathes of the country.

Less than a year later, Garrard called new elections in the hope of ousting the bulk of the Socialists from their political positions in the House, Senate and councils alike and to begin a process of removing McManus supporters from the country’s other bodies. Instead, amid widespread electoral fraud, the Socialists regained power by half a dozen seats.

The Civil War

Part of the problem had been the splitting of votes in the areas of the country worst afflicted by McManus’ economic policies, particularly in Hispanic Marquez. Days after his re-election an alliance of Hispanic parties on Marquez declared unilateral independence as the Republic of Marquez, with Gustavo Higa becoming the new state’s titular ruler.

McManus initially took a firm hand against the rebellion, and attempted to whip-up Marquez’ English-speaking population into supporting his government. For a short time it appeared as though this would be successful, after a fashion, as Marquez descended into ethnic conflict and the Higa government’s base of operations in El din was torn down with many of his ministers killed.

The Party for a Free Marquez was established in June 1959 however, co-led by Albert Fernández and the Arrigo-born former LU Senate leader Robert Lewis. FM soon corralled much of the island’s population, both Hispanic and Anglo, into guerrilla action against the Albrecht government and support of Higa’s in El din. McManus in response ordered the bombing of Arrigo and La Basilica, but attempts to control Marquez soon proved futile as several Rushmori states recognised the new Republic and threatened the Candelarian government with retaliatory measures if it continued its campaign.

Most of the Outlying Islands also took the opportunity to declare independence, and though the army attempted to retake Green Island they were soon withdrawn back to Candelaria where the island was rapidly dissolving into civil war itself.

Plenty could be written about those few short months of out-and-out conflict, but the story of the war was simple; as ever-increasing numbers of Candelarian people, and members of McManus’ vast armed forces, turned against him and in favour of the rebellion. Such moves were initially put down ferociously in Lesperance, Dyce, Abiodun and other small cities, while Arrigo continued to suffer weeks of bombing while the islands-wide opposition under former PM Dolezal remained based there.

In early November ’59 around a third of the Candelarian army suddenly switched their support to the opposition and the following month saw the bloodiest fighting of the conflict as the country’s armed forces fought amongst themselves.

In late December the rebellion captured Albrecht, forcing McManus and his officials to flee Robinson House and base the government in Khatib. From this point on his practical control of the country was over, but he could still count on the support of at least half the Candelarian army, who still considered his the rightful, democratically-elected government, and huge swathes of the populace in the north-east. Media manipulation was still successfully convincing many hundreds of thousands that their brethren in the south were now under the iron fist of a despotic regime, while all the time rebellion forces were being lauded instead as liberators. McManus’ army continued to be pushed north, committing many of the worst atrocities of the conflict as they did so. The Starless City massacre is the most well-remembered, as many hundreds of men, women and children were slaughtered in the space of a few hours.

The Socialists received a fillip when several small countries, both in Rushmore and beyond, were enticed to enter the conflict on their side, but the first troops to arrive in north-east Candelaria were volunteers from dozens of nations attracted to fight against what they believed were fascist forces, but they too soon discovered the reality of the situation.

With the help of munitions from Rushmori allies, the Opposition had essentially downed the Candelarian air force by early February 1960. Large numbers of soldiers defected once more, while others fled the country. Attempting landings in the north of Candelaria were successfully repelled and the rebellion was able to moved further north. Crucially, the Socialists’ domination of the airwaves was finally ended in early March, and millions of Candelarians were able to receive an alternative view of the conflict for the first time. The mood in Khatib, Gassett, Caires, Alvery et al began to turn against McManus though this was far from unanimous and fighting between citizens broke out within most north-eastern cities’ streets.

On April fourteenth – the country’s national day – McManus, his chancellor and two army heads were shot dead by the long-time agriculture minister, Rudolf Janekovic, who then turned the gun on himself having killed his wife and children earlier in the day before arriving at the Party’s national day celebratory drinks. McManus’ newly installed Foreign Minister, Leo Dunphy, took the Socialists’ reigns of power and immediately declared an unconditional surrender.

The GoNR and the rise of David Clarke

In Marquez meanwhile the governments of first Higa and then Santiago Salomón had collapsed and there remained significant pressure from home and abroad to reunite the shattered country. A ‘Government of National Reconciliation’ was soon convened in Bove (Albrecht’s official palaces of government having been rendered inoperative following the war). Attempts by the interim government led by Dolezal to bring most of the outlying islands back into the fold failed however, with the new governments of Green Island and the rest unwilling to sign themselves up to an administration that included former Socialist Party members – and even, in the form of Iris Sawyer, a former member of McManus’ inner circle – and as a result a new Republic of Candelaria And Marquez was hastily pronounced. The status of the outliers has been a bone of contention ever since and not without reason – today more than one in ten Candelariasians live on islands that are not, strictly speaking, part of the Republic. From 1972 however the overwhelming majority returned MPs to the Albrecht parliament, and in all practical terms should be considered part of C&M.

The first President of the Second Republic was Kjell Olousson III, with a wide variety of figures from differing political backgrounds taking cabinet posts. The real power behind the throne from the very start however was the man who would change the face of the Candelarias forever – David Clarke.

Clarke will always be a divisive figure in C&M, but his political genius cannot be argued. A former Socialist MP, he achieved notoriety for being the very first to defect to the Liberal Unionists, before McManus had even won the 1956 elections, in protest at what he described as the party’s “dark, hidden heart.” Initially given the thorny Housing brief in the GoNR, Clarke excelled both as an orator and a minister, being unafraid to champion brave, untested methods of dealing with the country’s serious post-war housing shortage. Less than a year later, as Finance Secretary, he began to put into place the Clarkeist economics that would dominate C&M for the next two decades.

Clarke’s unashamedly leftist views were seen as a tonic in an administration that could have all too easily swung far to the right following the atrocities of the McManus regime. It was Clarke who laid the groundwork for the C&M that, for better or worse, would emerge from the civil war and survives to this day.

Whilst retaining the bones of the welfare state and the nationalised public services, he was prepared to trust C&M’s economic viability to a small handful of businessmen, most of whom had lost their companies during the McManus era. In this, and his autocratical style, Clarke’s critics have long argued that only chance and the good work of rival MPs stopped him becoming another McManus. His defenders would argue that he always had the advantage of not being stark raving mad.

With the ill-health of Olousson – the grandson of a notable National Unionist figure – Clarke was appointed Vice-President at the behest of his party leader George Vaughan. With Olousson’s resignation in May 1962 Clarke became President and had little choice but to install Vaughan as PM and the head of government. Relations between the pair and their supporters deteriorated rapidly and before the year was out the LU had split for good – principally over the issue of Marquezian independence, or indeed the granting of any special status or partial autonomy – to which Clarke was strenuously opposed. It was partly in an effort to avoid the entirety of Marquez’ Hispanic population falling into the hands of ethno-centric separatist parties that Vaughan’s LU merged with what was left of the old Liberal party to form the Liberals anew, dropping the ‘Unionist’ from their name. This act was portrayed by Clarke supporters as a slight against the Merchantist Unionists of old, and they gleefully jumped upon the name.

President Clarke & Prime Minister Clarke

In 1964, to no-one’s surprise, Clarke won the first public Presidential vote, narrowly ahead of his Liberal challenger Bradford Bule and the Conservative Konstantin Boldin. What was a surprise was that the Clarke Unionists won eighty-seven parliamentary seats, comfortably ahead of the Liberals’ sixty, with Clarke himself ousting George Vaughan from his Bove seat. Effectively then, Clarke was now both President and Prime Minister, and though he renounced the latter title to his deputy Isaac Julian there was now no argument as to who was in charge of the country.

The ’64 elections went some way to showing just how divided the country now was. The Socialists, though officially banned, picked up twenty-three seats, mostly in the north-east, under George Beccara, while the People’s Movement (essentially the Conservative Unionists in their new, green, countryside guise) took thirteen. Hispanic nationalists dominated the Marquez vote, Free Marquez under Albert Fernández picking up fifteen seats with the new Marquez Nationalist Party and Salomón’s United Republicans together equalling that figure.

Clarke formed an uneasy national coalition with the Liberals under Harold O’Donnell and began a decade of political domination. Clarke’s ability to plough his own furrow while appearing to placate the broad spectrum of society was masterful. Though a social conservative, he was keen to emphasise individual initiative both in citizens’ economic and social lives, and relaxed laws governing the sale of alcohol and the availability of divorce. To a greater degree than any of his predecessors he reached out to Marquez’s Hispanics and took huge steps towards ending the formalised discrimination against them. At the same time, he encouraged the migration of English-speaking Candelarians to the second island, hoping to avoid Anglo Marquezians becoming a beleaguered minority in the event of a second declaration of independence.

That move helped improve Marquez economically but left Candelarias with a worker shortage, which Clarke attempted to rectify by opening the country’s doors to mass immigration, particularly that of a non-European background. The Candelarias were no strangers to non-White immigration, but the sudden arrival of many thousands of rainbow settlers threatened to split society once again; particularly in the inner-cities where, partly in an effort to disconnect themselves from the Civil War-era party’s policies, the Socialists under Beccara took a moderately anti-immigrant stance. Yet with the help of much of the popular press, Clarke was able to convince much of the country that this move reflected the best of the Candelarias’ past as well as C&M’s future. The Clarke government spent enthusiastically on programmes aimed at encouraging first-generation immigrants to settle in more diverse locations across the country than may otherwise have proved the case, as well as stressing the need to expand Candelaria’s Anglo-centric monoculture rather than replace it all together. Though old traditions and religions died hard, many of the new Candelariasians soon became among the fiercest protectors of the country’s traditional values and culture, and C&M was able to avoid, to a greater or lesser degree, much of the racially-based social unrest that would occur across much of the western Anglosphere in the second half of the twentieth century.

Another key part of Clarke’s success was continuing McManus policies in regards to women, helping to lay the table for the sexual revolution of the seventies and boost C&M’s struggling economy with thousands of new, highly motivated female workers. He also declined to respond to pressure to shut down many of the more dilapidated mines as well as shift any focus away from the country’s agricultural base. Clarke, who had been opposed to the creation of a republic in 1947, also renewed relations with Britain, and indeed Europe in general; sceptical as he was over the motivations of C&M’s Rushmori neighbours.

He was certainly also helped by the failures of the country’s other major parties however, with the Conservatives still slowly getting back in the swing of things and George Beccara’s Socialists finding the transition back into a mainstream party for the working man something of a struggle. In a worse state were the Liberals meanwhile who were being torn apart by a morass of ideologies while their former colleagues in the Unionist Party appeared more united behind Clarke every day. In late 1967 the party split; with Jack Engebo, a charismatic, slightly unstable individual who described himself as an anarcho-capitalist becoming the leader of the Modern Liberal Party. Beyond Engebo however the MLP were in truth social liberals while his more neoliberal former allies remained under the Liberal banner.

The public quickly saw through what was in reality a clash of personalities within the decrepit old Liberal party, and polls suggested that Clarke’s Unionists were on course for a huge victory in ’68. The President’s gravest error in his tenure however came early that year following the Gordon Bay incident and criticisms over a failure to keep the public adequately informed of the ensuing situation. The Conservatives under Oliver Lapansky took the opportunity to criticise the vast reduction in defence spending, a move which gained support among Candelariasians keen to see the protection of C&M’s Armed Defence Forces become an issue for the right once more. In a fit of paranoia, Clarke opted to suspend the Presidential elections fearing that the hard-line right-winger Robert Keith, whose views on the future direction of the Candelariasian workforce were as dramatic as his social bible-thumping, would snatch the Presidency.

It is for this reason that the President of C&M is the leader of the largest party in the House following an election rather than a directly-elected individual, and why the office of Prime Minister is still currently merely sinecure.

The Unionists won the ’68 House elections ahead of the Conservatives, Senate Leader John Leon appointed Clarke President once more, and with Isaac Julian reinstalled as his titular PM he set about establishing a coalition with what remained of the original Liberals and Beccara’s Socialists. The latter decision was a masterstroke. Though still the fourth party in the House the Socialists had increased their seats to thirty-one and were beginning to become an acceptable political entity beyond the north-east of Candelaria. Now, as part of the government, they were hamstrung by their relationship with Clarke, and individuals such as Beccara found it impossible to throw about references to ‘cultural hegemony’ and ‘bourgeois constructs’ and so forth and preach the need for revolution with anyone keeping a straight face. No less importantly it helped keep much of the working working-class on side, particularly the miners and heavy-goods manufacturers, who felt that their voice in government was intact.

Beccara’s death in 1971 prompted the Socialists to take a new look at themselves, and the polls, and realise that the country’s inner-city workers were increasingly regarding the Unionists as ‘their’ party. Meanwhile, a large number of far-leftist parties were popping up, but their lack of success in local council and Senate elections suggested that the Candelarias had lost an appetite it still had for ‘ist’ist politics. While many MPs still continued to proclaim their Marxist credentials, the party officially became the Social Democrats.

President Allen 1972-75

C&M did get a minor revolution in 1972 however, when the Modern Liberals under Michael Allen suddenly sprung into power. Having divested themselves of Engebo, the MLP appeared as fresh as the Unionists had a decade earlier, the MLP soon took the Unionists’ place as the party for women (or middle-class women, at any rate), while campaigning in favour of finally abolishing the death penalty (though in practise the last such had occurred in 1964 with the execution of McManus’ information minister Thibault Benchabane), legalising homosexuality and licensed prostitution, taking a new look at anti-drug laws, vastly dropping taxes and promoting private enterprise. Compared to the tiresome Christian Socialist moralising of Clarke’s successor as Unionist leader, Stanley Wyatt, it was the MLP that suddenly seemed to represent the future. In promising improved regulation of large corporations meanwhile, and making particular under-fire industries a central plank of their campaign, they also succeeded in stealing portions of the working-class vote who felt betrayed by Clarke’s failure to punish some of his cronies in charge of big industry.

The MLP’s victory was by just five seats. The Unionists lost twenty, though much of the MLP’s success was at the expense of the new SDP, who were reduced to fourteen, just two more than Carlos Tranter’s Free Marquez. The SDP would react by appointing the first Hispanic leader of any party based outside of Marquez, Andrés Carraro, but he proved ineffectual and was gone within a year.

Having doubled their number of seats, the MLP were mildly surprised to find themselves in power and their honeymoon period was over very quickly. Opting to form a minority administration alongside the right-wing Islands & Country Party their social reforms were instantly hamstrung. With SDP, and a certain amount of Unionist, support they were able to push through the legalisation of homosexuality and the abolition of the death penalty, but soon found that the public enthusiasm for some of their other proposed reforms had rapidly waned. In mid-1973 the Senate swung heavily in favour of the Conservatives, with Lemuel Shishelov becoming Senate Leader and stopping MLP bills at every opportunity.

In days of old Allen would surely have opted to call for new elections, or been effectively forced to do so, but the Second Republic possessed four-year fixed terms, leaving the President’s administration in danger of becoming a three-year lame duck. As ’73 ploughed on however it became clear that the economy would become the government’s focus once more. Britain’s ascension to the EEC, and the sudden and vast expansion in the agricultural output of other major Rushmori nations with the introduction of new mass-production technologies led C&M’s agriculturally-based economy to collapse in the space of a few weeks. Huge expanses of west Candelaria and north-east Marquez were left as wildernesses as farmworkers flocked to the cities in search of work that couldn’t be found. The government attempted to stimulate industrial growth as best they could, encouraging international corporations to set up factories in C&M specialising motor vehicles and electronic goods.

President Osborn 1975-1980

Allen died suddenly following a stroke in early 1975 and the MLP elected his long-time friend, and more recently Prime Minister, Michael Osborn as party leader. It was a further two months however until the Conservative-controlled Senate agreed to permit Osborn to become President, and after his ascension he quickly attempted to make unravelling the clear constitutional errors at the heart of C&M’s political system a major plank of his first year in office. To do this he was forced to bring the House’s forty-six Conservative MPs into the governing coalition, but instead found his way blocked by the Unionists in both chambers. Osborn’s tenure was then further interrupted by the Lussolavizzovian incident, a forgettable little regional squabble which saw the C&M President rather reluctantly forced to take centre stage in peace negotiations.

Osborn was fortunate to be the sitting President ahead of a 1976 election where public trust in all the main parties had slipped to a new low. The Conservatives – who at one point early in ’76 had been leading the polls – had suffered badly from the whole Finance-Spokesperson-murdering-his-wife thing, and a series of sleaze stories in the popular press that made a mockery of their family-values image. The new Unionist leader Eddie Self failed to get the all-important nod from David Clarke, still a looming figure in Candelariasian politics, while the public were still far from willing to trust the SDP, despite the presence as leader of the popular newspaper columnist (and onetime sportswriter) Charles McLay.

Most importantly, it was clear that that of the big five parties (with Free Marquez still included in that number) only the Conservatives offered a different approach to C&M’s economic slump. The general consensus was that Osborn warranted another shot at the job, and amidst the lowest turnout for decades the MLP increased their majority over the Unionists to twenty-five seats.

Osborn immediately established a coalition with the Conservatives and Islands & Country, and encouraged the Senate to select long-time Tory leader Oliver Lapansky as the Senate Leader despite the MLP now having the balance of power in that chamber too. Free of foreign policy issues, Osborn proceeded to hold his nose and reduce government spending, cut taxes, remove a whole bag of industry subsidies and generally attempted to make C&M as business-friendly as possible without challenging the country’s commitment to the welfare state and notions of social solidarity.

More popularly, Osborn struck a more socially conservative tone than had been expected, focusing on the ‘scourge’ of alcoholism and C&M’s early dabblings with inner-city drug abuse, though at the same time his government reduced restrictions of gambling and put into place the groundwork for the gambling revolution of the late ‘80s. It was Osborn’s social policies that caused the greatest ructions within the MLP’s Tory colleagues, with a distinct libertarian faction under Charman Durham beginning to gain influence both within the party and nationally. Durham challenged and replaced Norman Allen (no relation) as Conservative leader, and suddenly C&M seemed ready for a massive ideological shift at the heart of its politics.

The final months of the Osborn premiership however came to be taken up by three key issues: Firstly, unemployment; which was if anything worsening under Osborn despite a general increase in prosperity. Secondly, the plight of the country’s urban poor (and by now the rural poor had all but ceased to exist in the sweeping migration to the increasing numbers of out-and-out cities), particularly those in Marquez. Marquez in general became the key focus of the country’s media in fact, with the increased availability of television bringing the living conditions of the shanty towns surrounding El din and Arrigo into Candelarian living rooms.

Not coincidently, in March ’76 twenty-three people, mostly local government officials, were killed in a bombing in the Marquezian capital. The true culprits remain elusive to this day, but the nationalist Acción Delantera group, who had previously claimed responsibility for a series of more minor incidents across the islands in previous years, were widely blamed. Days afterwards a leading medical scientist was murdered, with the AD this time proudly proclaiming accountability for ending the life of a key member of a little-known organisation called the National Eugenics Council.

In the weeks that followed, the Candelariasian public watched horrified as details of the NEC’s actions over recent years began to dominate the news, while Hispanic Marquezians reacted with anger to the knowledge that what had previously been dismissed as isolated incidents and exaggerated stories turned out to be part of a comprehensive, decades-long plot to stem the reproductive flow of their community.

After sitting on his hands for days amid violent protests across the Candelarias’ second island, Osborn finally relented to pressure from within his own administration and sent in the troops in an effort to calm the situation. The Anglophone part of the country meanwhile was left utterly divided on the appropriate course of action, with sympathy for the protesters high but tempered by a general sentiment that Hispanic violence – organised or otherwise – had to be dealt with somehow.

President Kyle 1980-84

From the midst of all this, the Unionists brought forth Erin Henry ‘Harry’ Kyle. Perhaps a soothing, Irish Street brogue was just what was needed and Kyle’s earnest, conciliatory tone found many friends across the islands in a few short weeks. Kyle seemed steadfast and resolute without resorting to the posturing of the MLP Home Secretary Norman Archer. He reached out to the Spanish-speakers in a way Durham and McLay, the Tory and SDP leaders, could not; promising a full and public investigation into the truth behind the NEC. In rousing speeches, he promised to tax the wealthy to within an inch of their lives and make a commitment to human dignity, crossing all lines of wealth and background, the single driving tenet of his administration. As the frail David Clarke looked on, applauding; Kyle seemed to embody the spirit of Candelariasian social solidarity in a way that the confused ideals of the MLP and Conservatives, nor the revolutionary spiel of the SDP, could hope to match.

The Unionists duly picked up ninety-seven seats – more even than Clarke at his pomp – and Harry Kyle found himself in Robinson House. Kyle immediately announced a coalition – by now effectively unavoidable thanks to the country’s political system – involving both the SDP and Free Marquez in government for the first time, with FM leader Joaquin Montéz appointed Foreign Secretary, alongside three of the unprecedented ten independent MPs.

Kyle’s earliest months saw the government enjoy unmatched levels of support, with the President’s tough, but honest, sympathetic and jovial, stance making him one of the most popular Candelariasian leaders of all time. Kyle left most of the government’s economic policy to his Finance Secretary, Matthew Fenby, who enacted the re-nationalisation of key industries while attempting to support the growth of small businesses, particularly in the service sector.

C&M never became the nation of shopkeepers that Fenby probably envisaged, but it was his time at the Chancery, rather more than his predecessors of the Allen and Osborn eras, that laid the groundwork for the country’s improved economic status of later decades.

Kyle himself came from engineering stock, and he had little emotion towards C&M’s struggling agricultural and mining industries. More, he saw that was Rushmore was really after was finished products – or at least components thereof, and quickly began to encourage the development of state-owned companies specialising in automobile manufacturing and the production of electronics and precision equipment – many of which, though since sold off, remain important employers today. Mines across the country were scaled down, or shut down altogether, with former miners encouraged to find work in construction, or fishing. Farmer were encouraged to switch back to livestock rearing, despite the rapid growth in vegetarianism in C&M, to meet the demand from elsewhere in the region, with others given grants to switch to produce otherwise in short supply in Rushmore, such as potatoes, grapes and sunflowers.

For the first time in almost a century, C&M became a great trading nation once more; both importing and exporting goods in record numbers. What C&M still lacked was the individual initiative, and economic freedoms, for small companies to go it alone and multinationals to invest in the Candelarias, with the islands’ prosperity all but entirely in the hands of Kyle and Fenby.

Socially, Kyle continued to preach against substance abuse, but he also led other awareness campaigns. For the first time, national level government began to take the issue of domestic violence and sexual abuse seriously. The long-ignored plight of the rural poor came to the fore, with Kyle investing expensively on improved transport links and education in the west of Candelaria and the outlying islands.

Cheap cars, both those produced in C&M and abroad, make their way back onto the country’s amusingly dangerous roads, encouraging the rapid growth of relatively prosperous suburbs while the numbers of shanty-town dwellers began to decrease. It was an odd time to be a Candelariasian, completely at the mercy of the decisions of the Kyle-Fenby axis. Whether this relative prosperity was sustainable became the key issue of discussion at the time, alongside whether the country as a whole was truly benefiting. For many, life was dirtier, noisier, smellier and more hurried than it had ever been, and the rewards often seemed scant. Despite Kyle’s best efforts, relations with continental Rushmori nations were not always easy, with trade links frequently blocked and C&M left with serious shortages and surpluses alike.

The early ‘80s also saw an increase in the actions of insurgent groups, including Acción Delantera. Others, frequently with a hard-left outlook, also came to prominence even in cities not formerly associated with such extreme views, while the increasing flow of non-white immigrants to the islands saw far-right movements take hold both in areas of the highest non-white numbers and the lowest. Though the numbers of people murdered by extreme ideological and nationalist groups were relatively tiny – certainly compared to the lives lost on the country’s roads and in industrial accidents – but their minor acts of terrorism combined to form a general sense of foreboding.

At the same time, the early 80s proved the birthing ground of a renaissance in Candelariasian popular music and spewed out a panoply of home-grown youth movements, who possessed a widely varying degree of trust for Kyle’s new C&M.

Yet in the long term, the President will be perhaps unfairly remembered for his final few months in government, in which he became increasingly authoritarian in style, and frankly slightly deranged. The most physically obvious symbols of this remain Kyle’s Follies; a series of towers built in Albrecht that would form the basis of a system defending the capital against aerial attack and extreme weather conditions, but Kyle also attempted to implement numerous increasingly deranged proposals, at one point appointed an imaginary alien called Geoffrey to his cabinet.

Whether the President had merely gone slightly barmy with power or was genuinely suffering from some form of mental illness remains a matter for debate, since Kyle spent his final years as a near-recluse. Certainly however by late 1983 it was clear he had to go, and the Unionists summoned up the Housing minister George Nicholls to challenge him for party leadership. Nicholls duly won at a canter, but Kyle declined to resign, changing his party allegiance instead to the Independent Harry Kyle Party, of which he was one of three members. The IHKP found it impossible to govern effectively however, what with only having two ministers besides the President, and C&M was for all intents and purposes ungoverned four his presidency’s remaining four months. Matthew Fenby, as Finance (and Foreign) Secretary, was left as the one man standing in the way of an impending economic collapse.

The 1984 election was the most eagerly awaited for years and was always going to be one of the closest. During the Kyle era the Conservatives had switched to old Abraham May-Colley, who represented the far more traditionalist sector of the Tory vote; while the MLP had plumped for the rather more dashing figure of Ian O’Reilly, a former Conservative MP and supporter of Charman Durham, who believed in a complete loosening of all barriers on trade and enterprise as well as supporting the unfettered rights of the individual. Behind his back however, former leader Norman Archer still wielded significant influence and shortly before the election he agreed a deal with Nicholls to form a coalition government in the event of a Unionist victory, or Archer being able to oust O’Reilly as party leader before he took power had the MLP passed the chequered flag early.

The final result of the contest was not confirmed until days after the May 12th election day, with many seats requiring several recounts. In the final reckoning, the Unionists under Nicholls surprised everyone by ‘retaining’ power; taking seventy-one seats to the MLP’s seventy and the Conservatives’ sixty-three. The SDP lost one seat to thirty-two while, for the first time, the Marquez Nationalists earned more seats than Free Marquez, eight versus seven.

President Nikolov 1984-88

Nicholls took the Presidency under the surname of his birth, Nikolov, and duly appointed Archer as his Prime Minister. The relative boom of the Kyle presidency was destined to slip away, and C&M found itself in a world of endless union strikes, three-day weeks, intermittent power supplies and, starting from 1987, hyperinflation. Unemployment continued to rise to socially scary levels, while Nikolov lost a generation of Unionist supporters following extensive privatisation.

With regular rebellions from both Unionist and MLP MPs and the significant numbers of Conservatives in the House, passing through progressive social legislation became nigh-on impossible. The government attempted to cope with the spiralling rise of the black market by legalising aspects of the informal economy, but C&M remained mired in a bog from which there seemed no realistic escape.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the four years of the Nikolov presidency also saw arguably the greatest comic and creative output in the country’s history as well as some of the highest levels of criminality for many years. Equally, it was a time in which a quiet little war over the future of Candelariasian morality and ‘traditional values’ was being fought, particularly over the role of women in society, with divorce and marriage rates lowering and rising respectively while at the same time there occurred a new proliferation of lap-dancing clubs and similar establishments.

It was over this issue that Xavier Hrehoresin, the young MLP MP and junior culture minister, began to make his name in late 1986. An establishment liberal through to his bones, Hrehoresin quickly became the favourite politician for slightly over 50% of the population with his constant campaigns against businesses and industries that were seen as demeaning to women, including speaking out against the wishes of many of his party colleagues and the more libertarian half of the Conservatives to legalise prostitution. This was certainly no traditionalist crusade, for Hrehoresin was also keen to get more women into work and encourage the concept of the independently-minded ‘career woman’.

From this beginning he began to develop a platform based around economic reinvigoration as the means to end C&M’s present malaise. His proposals certainly went against the Candelariasian peoples’ natural inclinations, with all his talk of the power of liberal free-trade, but as a symbol he represented something very different from the grey old figures dominating C&M politics. Following a comfortable win in the MLP leadership elections in early 1988 he then found himself up against yet another new Unionist candidate, the Northlandish-born Farrell Reid, a former contemporary of Kyle’s in Albrecht local politics. Though portrayed by much of the media as representing a retrograde step, Reid had his supporters and the contest between the pair was fierce, especially with the SDP’s failure to expand beyond their standard support base.

Come the election, it was no contest. The MLP picked up one hundred and thirteen seats, a number no matched since Birch’s LUs in 1924; principally at the expense of the Conservatives who lost thirty. The Unionists lost just six, but Reid was prepared to admit defeat in record time.

President Hrehoresin 1988-96

Hrehoresin quickly formed a no-nonsense partnership with the Tories and set about producing the new Candelaria And Marquez. He immediately ordered the revaluing of the currency, creating the Reformed Pound as it is today, and began a programme of major macroeconomic restructuring.

Hrehoresin proved unafraid to build on his predecessors’ successes, capitalising on the greater political and economic integration with Rushmore championed by Kyle and Nikolov to develop the Candelarias as a major tourist destination, encourage further foreign investment in Candelariasian businesses and tie C&M’s economy indelibly into Rushmore.

The new President was not without his critics even from within his own parliamentary party, but the massive economic growth that took off almost overnight could hardly be argued with. Moral conservatives within the government had real difficulties in knowing quite how do deal with the country changing around them. The heavy new taxation and regulation on lap dancing establishment, pornography outlets and the like was clearly a Good Thing, while Hrehoresin was happy to encourage the use of restorative justice as well as backing a vast increase in the number of prisons and providing new educational grants to bright children from impoverished backgrounds. Yet at the same time, his decision to reopen many of the old mines – and begin a tentative programme of uranium mining – unnerved many, especially when coupled with new, lax licensing laws on gambling and the beginnings of a real arms industry.

Manufacturing for export became the order of the day; and Hrehoresin, as well as fostering an atmosphere were anyone with a half-decent idea and a bit of get-up-and-go could make buckets of cash, showed an uncanny ability to back a winner. He handed out grants to his favourite businesses and individuals, allowing the Morales Automobile Company to join the venerable Patton-Carmichael as a key employer and exporter of small, cheap vehicles. Likewise, the President foresaw the growth of the nascent IT industry, and encouraged previously unprofitable companies both from home and abroad to pour millions into development on Candelariasian shores.

Parliamentary reform had been another important plank of Hrehoresin’s campaign and in early 1990 an all-party commission delivered its findings, to the effect that modern C&M would be best served by the introduction of proportional representation, alongside the retention of sixty regional constituencies. These recommendations were duly implemented ahead of the 1992 elections.

Hrehoresin’s glacial march towards a second term was interrupted by the collapse of a major bank and a sudden announcement of strike action by shipbuilders with the support of John van den Heuvel’s Unionist Party. The attempts by the party of Clarke to position themselves firmly as the party of the poor didn’t entirely fly however, with the poorest class in Candelariasian society remaining divided (particularly given the large Hispanic segment of it), while the middle class hadn’t been so comfortable for many years. Late hiccoughs aside, the effects of the ‘Candelariasian Miracle’ gave Hrehoresin 38% of the so-called ‘Presidential Vote’, while the MLP won over half of the new regional constituencies.

The return of ethnically-charged Hispanic politics was also clear from the ’92 election, with the MNP under Rául Montano picking up seventeen seats. Free Marquez also doubled their representation to ten, but this time they were led by the decidedly pink-skinned Kevin Diallo; his election marking the beginning of the FM’s period of Anglicisation. The low threshold for representation also meant that the Workers’ Party, Social Republic Party and Green Party found themselves in the first chamber.

Not that the latter of the trio were House virgins. In early 1989 four SDP MPs, led by former leader Nigel Vyne, split from the party. Vyne’s leadership had been characterised by an effort to promote the traditional Candelariasian conservatism once espoused by the Liberal Unionists – a commitment to the mixed economy, welfare state, progressive taxation and a progressive social policy qualified by a cautious attitude towards issues such as abortion, the concept of the family and so on and such like. Vyne’s SDP had failed to make the expected gains in 1988 however, instead loosing five seats, and the young Arrigo native was quickly dismissed as leader in favour of the blood-and-thunder socialist Marcus Quirk.

To some degree the SDP did well in the ’92 election, polling a little over eleven percent of the Presidential Vote but, more, notably, winning ten regional constituencies – and not only in the north-east. But Quirk’s style of leadership continued to prove highly unpopular, and there remained concerns over the Unionists’ repositioning in traditional SDP territory. Plans by MPs from the right of the party to force Quirk out gathered apace, and their target was Vyne. Though the Green Party had failed to take any of the sixty constituency seats, and polled enough in the PV only for their aging leader, Patrick Seykouk, to take a seat; Vyne remained an impressive figure in national-level politics. The early nineties was characterised, particularly among the new middle class, by a growing concern for environmental issues – both those of global importance and anxieties over the decline of the country’s natural environment and urban landscape. With a brief that ranged from climate range to littering, the Greens had made major inroads into local politics, even controlling city and regional councils across the country.

By 1994, Seykouk had been encouraged by Vyne and his other un-represented colleagues to formally join forces with the SDP, now led by Joe Studen, as the Social Democratic & Green Party, or SD&GP.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives were also in a state of flux. Though Vernon Hale had polled over fifteen percent of the PV, giving the Tories thirty-one seats, they had won just one constituency seat, in their heartland of mid-north Candelaria. Change was clearly required, but their part in Hrehoresin’s governing coalition made this difficult. The compromise choice was Kenneth Barnicoat, who attempted to keep infighting between the red Tory and libertarian factions at a minimum and refocus the party around the common issues of strengthening the military, limiting integration into and immigration from Rushmore, creating a strong police force and judiciary not hamstrung by the emerging concept of ‘political correctness’ and supporting efforts towards democratic reform. Barnicoat also attempted to portray his Tories as the ethical voice on the government’s shoulder.

Ethics in general was becoming a key concern in Candelariasian politics. The accumulation of massive wealth by a small group of individuals wasn’t going down well with left and right alike, despite the general prosperity across much of the country. Similarly, the arms industry and uranium mining prospering under Hrehoresin seemed distinctly un-Candelariasian; there were regular reports of corruption at the highest end of big businesses and the rapid transformation of Caires, Clotaire and other cities into entertainment resorts for Rushmore’s rich and famous seemed instinctively to go against the values of the country – particularly in the north-east of Candelaria.

Hrehoresin’s new Modern Liberal Party had a plan up their sleeve however, in the form of a young career politician (with party lists these days, you could afford to be), named David Clark.

Once the Candelariasian press had got over the whole same-name-as-you-know-who-but-without-an-e thing, Clark became a big hit over at the transport ministry. Clark’s job, aside from sorting out the buses and that, was to carefully criticise aspects of the Hrehoresin government without being too harsh on the President or his policy. Week after week, Clark appeared on television to admit that not enough was being done to tackle high-level corruption, that worker’s rights needed better protection, that women, Hispanics, ethnic minorities and the poor still faced resilient glass ceilings in their efforts to make it in business and politics, that there still existed great income inequality, that the government had gone too far in its privatisation schemes, that Hrehoresin was risking alienating much of the country by encouraging the continued rural exodus, that the government was failing to deal adequately with the growing brain drain brought on by new inter-Rushmori employment laws and the greater education achievements under the MLP.

It was a dangerous game, but one which paid off rather royally. In the 1996 elections, Clark won 41.5% of the PV and the MLP a further thirty-nine constituencies; leaving them with 122 seats to the Unionists’ thirty-seven. It was still fewer than half, but in Candelariasian terms it constituted a landslide and Clark was installed as President in record time.

President Clark 1996-2004

Clark opted to take power under his middle name, Israel; ostensibly to avoid further confusion with the former President David Clarke. Clark’s own faith was as a convert to seventh-day adventism, a fact which didn’t go down particularly well in secular C&M where anything but middle-of-the-road Anglicanism or Catholicism was treated with suspicion. The real problem was Clark’s failure to publicly discuss the intricacies of his obscure religion prior to his election; but in practical terms, though his church became briefly famous, his religious beliefs were seen to have little impact on his years in power. A vegan himself, the Clark government attempted – and to a great degree, seceded – to encourage vegetarianism as the ultimate ‘healthy eating’ choice. Clark’s own views on abortion and similar ethical issues were mostly in line with the country as a whole, but his government still resisted calls to raise the minimum age.

For the most part, the Clark era represented a period of fine-tuning Hrehoresin’s C&M. The President introduced new programmes aimed at improving and deregulating state education, healthcare and child care, and was quick to be seen to be taking a firm line on large companies that undermined their employees’ rights. Clark was similarly keen to focus on ending discrimination against minority groups, with a fervour arguably not seen since the previous President Clarke.

Clark’s efforts to bridge the poverty gap proved less successful, despite regular new initiatives from across the ministries. Both long- and short-term unemployment also remained a major concern, which Clark began to attempt to deal with by encouraging the growth of C&M’s armed forces and nationalising elements of the new boom industries of gambling and uranium mining.

Clark’s consistently high approval ratings were helped by the oppositions’ struggles. The MLP had won enough seats to require only the support of small parties to prop up the government, which had come in the form of the First Liberal Party – the remnant of the post-Clarke Liberal Party that had declined to become Modern Liberals – the Independent Liberal Party – under the perky Paula Hochhauser – and the north Candelarian seat surprisingly won by Mary Luther under the Christian Concern banner. As a result the rest of the big four, plus the two Marquez parties, were free to reconstruct their parties away from government; but their attempts to do so brought mixed success. It was a mark of how far the Conservatives had fallen that winning thirty seats seemed acceptable enough for Barnicoat to be kept on as leader, but the SD&GP were rather less willing to rest on their laurels. Nigel Vyne resigned as leader, though he remained an important frontbencher, to be replaced by Jacque Boyd.

The straight-talking Boyd seemed unafraid to tackle the struggle at the heart of the SD&GP. Under Vyne the socialism of old had well and truly transferred to social democracy, but in an effort to seek new support outside the north-east the SD&GP had attempted to portray itself as the party of the disenfranchised; of the poor, the sick and the mentally infirm alike, of the islands’ non-white population and those from minority cultural or religious backgrounds. They went far beyond the MLP or Unionists in their support for multiculturalism, a far cry from a party that once campaign furiously against the attempts by Clarke, Kyle and others before them to ‘rainbowize’ the cities. For any SD&GP leader though, there was always going to be a difficult balancing act to achieve. The reality was that increasingly the bulk of the party’s support came from not from working class and minority groups but middle-class liberals; economically secure enough to feel able to support the tax hikes and monetary redistribution proposed by the party, safe enough in their own conservative, suburban lives to willingly back the party’s support for alternative lifestyles. Similarly, in their support for individual liberty over social conformity, they were regularly criticised for giving succour to religious group with often extreme anti-western views while attempting to maintain the image of a stubbornly secular party.

Boyd managed to scale this tightrope masterfully however, but the party’s brick wall to power remained the fact that the MLP, now under Clark, were becoming nice again. With the Tories focusing on various reform and economic issues, it was left for the Unionists to take on the baton of being unpleasant, going back to their supposed Christian Democratic routes under Tim Thompson to focus on what they saw as the increasing moral decay of Candelariasian society and the decrepitude of the current capitalist system. Thompson was one of the first explicitly Christian Unionist leaders, whose rhetoric in promoting the Judeo-Christian (whatever that means) and Western tradition of the Candelarias, in strict contrast to the multicultural attitudes of most of his predecessors, won him plenty of friends, enemies and attention. With growing concerns over the numbers of Muslims, Africans and ethnic Han coming to C&M – people with little prior understanding of C&M’s cultural heritage – Thompson looked capable of capturing a rather worrying zeitgeist.

In December 1999 however Thompson suffered a pulmonary embolism and died, leaving a power vacuum within the Unionist ranks that was filled briefly by the veteran Thomas ffinch and later Thompson’s right-hand man Allen Mainge. Neither however seemed to have the necessary common touch, and the party instead plumped again for Eric White; the man who Clark had defeated with embarrassing ease just three years earlier.

It probably wasn’t a great move, but in truth Clark looked all but unstoppable anyhow and the MLP looked guaranteed of notching-up sixteen straight years in power, the longest in Candelariasian history; not least when, at the last minute, Haimon Pounder’s small parliamentary First Liberals agreed to reabsorb back into the MLP.

In the final reckoning, the MLP picked up 107 seats; rather less than had been expected but still fifty-eight more than their nearest challengers, the Unionists. Not that the rest of the House was stable, though. Boyd’s SD&GP picked up an extra seventeen seats while the Conservatives dropped eight; lifting the SD&GP more than twenty seats clear of the Tories and leaving Barnicoat’s party barely ahead of the Marquez Nationalists.

Elsewhere, the Libertarian-Unionists were the major breakthrough party. Looking to go rather further than the Hrehoresin-led free market reforms, Hasson Lazarus’ party took their nod from the Capitalizt SLANI and other states, though in practise many of its members had rather more in common with their former Unionist colleagues than they cared to admit. Most attention however was given to a group with just one seat in the House gained through picking up 0.7% of the PV – the Association of Nationalist Parties, under David Wild.

It is arguable of course that far-right elements had been a future of all major Candelariasian political parties for many decades, but never before had an entity so unashamedly so found its way into the House. Wild’s achievement led to many months of public debate over the future of the country’s political system; bringing publicly to the table for the first time the increasing acknowledgment that the current method was fatally flawed. Lifting the threshold for representation was considered, though on this at least the ANP had the support of the Libertarian-Unionists, Workers’ Party and Independent Liberals. Equally of course, the apparently growing scourge of racism became a hot topic, but minority groups weren’t spared harsh words either; particularly in March 2001 when a white schoolboy was shot dead after getting unwittingly caught up in the crossfire of a gang war within Caires’ Turkic community. Horror stories of innocent young ‘indigenous’ Candelarians falling foul of their lawless peers came to dominate the press, and Clark seemed unable or unwilling to avoid the ANP exploiting the issue.

The post-2000 government was now an awkward coalition of the MLP and SD&GP, with the latter’s Paul Leach serving as Clark’s Prime Minister. Reliant on his partners’ votes, Clark was forced to dramatically scale down the uranium mining industry – eventually to today’s negligible levels – and focus more instead on encouraging the ‘gamblification’ of many more cities; a controversial policy in itself not only for the ethical concerns but over fears of turning C&M into a country set up for the benefit of tourists more than locals. No less contentious was the decision to encourage thousands of overseas publishers to base themselves in C&M; printing works for the benefit of foreigners from countries with a less free media. Given C&M’s firmly-held neutralism, as well as its own issues with censorship, this seemed a peculiar decision but it would prove financially successful with publishing now one of the country’s key industries.

Green issues, naturally, came to dominate Clark’s second term as well; with the government suddenly committed to taxing polluting companies and organisations to the hilt and rapidly introducing alternative forms of power.

As 2004 approached, it became clear that the battle for Robinson House, and the House of Representatives, would once again be between the MLP and Unionists; though this time the tables were reversed. The government’s candidate for two decades in power was Solomon McPhee; a seventy year-old barely audible beneath his significant moustache. What did McPhee believe in? It was unclear. “Onward, ever onward” was his motto, and his pronouncements in television interviews seeming confused and fluffy compared to his main rival in the Presidential race; the Unionist leader James Anderson.

The rise of James Anderson

Anderson was young, straight-talking, calm, seemingly sympathetic… a generally a carbon-copy of the last two Presidents, aside from his party allegiance. On the face of it, he seemed as much the establishment figure as McPhee, but his expressed beliefs seemed to tally more closely with the Candelariasian peoples’. He was as distrustful of patriotism as his illustrious Unionist predecessors, backing multiculturalism at a time when it remained under threat – but like Thompson he was willing to criticize recent policies that had encouraged a fragmentation of society along ethnic and cultural lines. Unlike many of his colleagues he was happy to reach out to minority groups more usually courted by the SD&GP – environmentalists, homosexuals, Muslims, students. He declined to trumpet his own Catholicism, or indeed religious convictions in general, preferring to stress the common values that bound C&M society together. He mentioned stuff like ‘society’ and ‘community’ rather a lot, actually; but Candelariasians can be suckers for that sort of nonsense sometimes and lapped up the Andersonites’ new buzzwords.

At the same time, he appeared unafraid to tackle the big issues; happily admitting that he would raise taxes considerably – particularly those on cigarettes, alcohol and petrol – to fund a massive programme of educational funding and nationalization. He struck a compassionate, humane – even scientific – stance on law & order issues, promising a complete reform of the country’s prison system, the large-scale deployment of CCTV cameras, and a full review of the science behind sentencing. Education similarly became an important plank of his campaign, and he was willing to take the initially unpopular view that C&M was too highly skilled as a country, and required more investment in so-called ‘vocational training’.

Anderson’s real genius was making sure that he was but one part of the new Unionist machine. Older figures such as Eric White, Warren Benamara, Hermione Bent and Saul Lewis were given important roles in his opposition while newcomers were also courted. Popular media figures were encouraged not only to publicly support the Unionists but join their cause as politicians including the former chief inspector of schools, Jack Montgomerie; the chat show host (and former Finance Minister) Joseph Frank, and the ‘community cohesion’ campaigner Landi Gerrard-Landolfi. Established MPs also crossed the bench, including the high-ranking SD&GP front-bencher Rueben Queseda and the former MLP Minister for Regional Affairs, Tamara Amoruso. Less well-known but experienced individuals from outside politics, such as the former GP, Ziya Black and police constable, Ben Cara Eliot, became key spokespeople. If this was a bid to mask Anderson’s own history as a career politician it certainly worked, and the press rapidly became enamoured with dealing with a party whose major figures mostly weren’t even MPs.

Many veteran Unionists were angered by all this, of course, but with party lists Anderson knew that given his overriding support among party members he could count on sweeping these voices away from the House come the election in favour of some of his thrusting young things.

McPhee’s MLP attempted to introduce a wave of shiny new faces as well but, given Anderson’s popularity with the press, the tabloids realised all-too late just how telegenic the likes of Lauren Cove, Mckenna Newton, TJ Irons and Rebecca Vincent really were. The SD&GP meanwhile countered by confirming that every other member of their list would be female, but you still couldn’t get away from the fact that it was Paul Leach and his all-male cadre that dominated the parliamentary party.

To no-one’s surprise, the Unionists ended the MLP’s sixteen years in power though the degree of Anderson’s victory did raise some eyebrows. With the PV vote and Constituencies combined, the picked up 103 seats, with the MLP loosing over half of theirs to take forty-nine. Without Boyd at the helm, the SD&GP lost three, while Tate Sayfritz’ Conservatives gained just one.

What was truly notably about this election was the sheer number of parties elected to the House. The biggest successes of all came for the Libertarian-Unionists, for whom Hasson Lazarus won a big enough percentage of the PV vote to earn eight seats. No less remarkably they also took one of the sixty constituencies; albeit thanks in part to the paper-thin closeness of the big parties’ support in that island region.

That tally put them two seats ahead of Free Marquez, who showed real signs of finally collapsing as a real force after a long, slow death. But there were others still. The Christian People’s Party took four seats. Their direct rivals, the Humanist Party, took three. The Worker’s Party saw their PV support fall slightly but still managed to up their total to three when Abdul Hussain stunned just about everyone to take a seat in the north-eastern city of Alvery.

More disturbingly, David Wild found a colleague when Janet Biggs joined him in the House with the ANP’s vote up a smidgen. And for those concerned over the future of Candelariasian politics, the Independent Representation Party – created following a reality TV programme – also earned enough to see their leader take a seat in the House.

President Anderson 2004-?

And so, a new era of “empathetic sobriety” (God knows..) descended upon Robinson House. The Candelariasian middle classes soon found their pockets rather emptier than they’d even expected, and quickly began looking hopefully back at the MLP, but Anderson was not unbowed. He and his broad-based coalition, which included the Tories and L-Us, remained popular; but obvious signs of the promised social revolution were slow in coming. Early unemployment figures did not make good reading, with Anderson insistent on downsizing the armed forces and stopping them from recruiting the otherwise unemployable. Despite the Candelariasian people’s dislike of the military he was strongly criticised for this, given that in peacetime they were hardly sending the country’s ill-educated youth to act as cannon fodder as had once been the case, and there appeared to be a distinct shortfall in the numbers of such ‘problem’ individuals being ferried into regular civilian work.

Public goodwill towards Anderson lasted long enough however for tangible results to be seen from his governance, with undeniable improvements in the nation’s educational achievements at all levels. Through the carrot and stick approach employed across various sectors of public life, the crime rate dropped noticeably month-on-month – alongside truancy, benefit fraud and the like – and the SD&GP were increasingly left red-faced by the praise heaped upon the Anderson administration by environmentalists.

Even C&M’s ever-precarious financial status seemed to improve, while customer satisfaction towards most of the newly renationalised industries has remained high. Crucially, Anderson was willing to make what appeared on the face of it strange economic decisions, such as cutting a huge amount of the government ties to, and regulations towards, the massive gambling industry. The state still took a significant sum in tax from such businesses, but the transformation of Caires, in particular, continued relentlessly.

In recent months C&M has begun to suffer an economic downturn, while even Anderson has admitted that the levels of taxation have become ludicrously high. Amid widespread concerns – expressed internationally as well as domestically – over press freedom, the Candelariasian media has begun to turn against the Unionists. Scare stories – though seldom without foundation – over the behaviour of the country’s youth have been dominating the papers recently, with the government’s much-trumpeted programmes aimed at promoting social and personal responsibility widely deemed a failure. There are also major concerns over the government’s supposedly slavish devotion to ‘politically correct’ attitudes, with even much of the establishment left admitting concerns over how much certain minority or special interest groups are able to ‘get away with’.

Anderson appears to have rallied through many of these difficulties however and recent polls have given him a small lead over Robyn Morton’s MLP, with the SD&GP’s Ariadne Jefferson looking an increasingly distant third. Recent events outside the state’s control have no doubt contributed to this, with the government widely applauded for their efforts following the effects of Hurricane Neil; while ever-increasing sporting success has also improved the Candelariasian people’s goodwill towards the sitting administration. Until the failure to make the World Cup 40 finals. If anything might prove a clincher for Morton, it could just be that…

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report


So, just what factors look set to make the biggest impact on Anderson’s bid for a second term in office? Predicting the direction of the public mood in C&M is always difficult, and seldom has one party ever managed to capture the national zeitgeist and run with it to overwhelming popularity. The variety within the largest four parties undoubtedly has the greatest influence on that, for none are easy to pin down in glib one-liners. Traditionally, over recent years at least, the Unionists have been thought of as the party of the cities and subrural poor, the MLP as the force for the lower middle class, the SD&GP as being something of a rainbow coalition of ethnic minorities, industrial north-east Candelaria and the ‘liberal’ intelligencia, and the Conservatives as party of both the most wealthy and rural dwellers.

Few current MPs from any of the big four would accept those definitions completely, and they of course say little about their practical stances on either fiscal or social matters. But this in itself is hard to pin down: one only need look at the Tories. In some ways considered the most united of the big four, despite their current lowly status; the parliamentary party yet includes individuals such as Opal Gorner and Zachary Vitali who are noted for their positive attitudes towards all aspects of the welfare state and state intervention and with conservative attitudes to moral issues without any outspoken Christian conviction. In this sense they are natural allies of the Unionists. Yet among their partners they include neoliberals such as Rob Ireland, Andrew Walton and to some degree the leader Tate Sayfritz, who can be found continually berating the modern nanny state, and its demonisation of drinkers, smokers, motorists and the like. Ireland in particularly could be described as libertarian, supporting but most of his colleagues – particularly the likes of Mark Fox and Ben Johnson – are social conservatives opposed not only to any moves towards the legalisation of prostitution or recreational drug use, but successive governments’ support of the gambling industry. Others, the likes of Tim Case and David Smart are far more openly religious, and are also opposed to the low threshold for abortion, and same-sex marriage.

Coupled with all this is the focus on the Candelarias’ rural heritage, a devotion to which the party attempted to adopt from the 1970s onward. It’s hardly so much in evidence today, and the Conservatives are now considered principally a party for comfortable small-town Candelaria (and indeed the Outliers) whose denizens wish merely to be left alone to enjoy the fruit of the relative prosperity of the 80s and 90s. To that end, their focus is increasingly on law and order issues, as well as the perceived threat on immigration and economic interference from mainland Rushmore, while placating leader Sayfritz’s obsession with the democratic reform of the House of Representatives.

For the last four years, the Tories have been in government as partners of the Unionists. These could perhaps be described as C&M’s only true populist party, in their support for the working poor and distrust of corporate power. They have always been characterised by their support for marriage and traditional family life in general, yet as a result of the all-pervading influence of the former Unionist President David Clarke, their nationalistic sentiment begins and ends with their staunch antipathy towards the idea of Marquezian independence or autonomy. They are typically in favour of Rushmori integration, and are supportive of the multicultural ideal.

Yet today you can find many Unionist MPs opposed to the high taxes and renationalising of industry of the Anderson administration. Equally, the current government has passed through significant legislation aimed at promoting homosexual rights, though their support for the nuclear family and the ‘valid career choice’ of the housewife remains unfettered – despite the publicity given to and courted by Vanessa Ramos, the wife of President Anderson who is anything but a traditional homemaker.

The evolution of the Social Democratic & Green Party throughout the post-Civil War era has similarly shown up the inherent difficulties of political classification in C&M. The rise of the Socialist Party can be – and usually is – seen as an aberration, with the Candelarias’ natural outlook being unspoken Social Democracy; opposed both to unfettered capitalism and notions of revolution – particularly those that seek to subvert the power of choice of the individual. At the same time, the country is one of an overwhelming lower middle class where the tall poppy syndrome firmly holds sway. The influence of the national football team, and the celebrity culture that surrounds it, has changed thinking somewhat, but this is still a nation that dislikes like both extreme shows of wealth and brilliance, and movements and ideologies that fall too far outside the mainstream.

Today, the SD&GP are considered the most politically correct of the big four, emphasising minority rights, multiculturalism, feminism and the like, as well as the obvious stance on environmental issues. They are fiscally considered to the rights of the Unionists, yet have recently begun to call for the renationalising of huge swathes of industry. They remain supportive of devolved government in the Green style, though this has become less of a trumpeted electoral goal under the current leadership. Further more, with the support of a significant portion of the press and with a black woman installed as leader, many MPs and supporters have felt comfortable in stepping up their personal criticisms of aspects of ethnic minority culture in C&M, as well as risky sexual practises.

Certainly, their heartland in the north-east is all but gone. Today, the gambling revolution has led cities like Caires and Clotaire to become very wealthy indeed, though in the latter case at least the population is leaning increasingly back in the SD&GP’s direction. This certainly seems to be a theme across the country, with the party’s support increasingly coming neither from the poorest citizens nor minority groups but from individuals and families comfortable enough with their conservative lifestyles to feel able to support the rights of their poor, benighted countryfolk, ecological issues and concerns over the physical and emotional well-being of the nation. Much of their support comes from the country’s ‘intellectuals’, yet this is a group seldom championed in C&M, which traditionally views such people with grave suspicion. The SD&GP arguably represent the true ‘liberal elite’, were such a thing to exist, mixing left-wing politics with the support of ‘middle-class welfare’ in the form of free tertiary education and government funding for the arts, and their love for so-called high culture.

And the Modern Liberal Party? Their shift to the right under Robyn Morton is unquestionable, but quite what that means in practical terms is hard to fathom. The MLP, and the Liberals before them, are the true ‘party of government’ in the Candelarias, representing moderate social and economic attitudes that keep the country in line with the western powers of the day while reflecting the particular views and developing identity of the Candelariasian people. If the SD&GP really are going to be a distant third in this contest as many suppose, then the battle lines of 2008 will be fought over the issues below. But there will also be an ideological segment to the Unionists v MLP battle. As the veteran Modern Liberal Simon Roverston put it on TV1’s LateTalk programme just last week – “Do [we] espouse liberal conservatism, conservative liberalism, social liberalism, progressive liberalism…? I just don’t know any more.” Of course, you can say exactly the same thing about the Unionists, and many people’s voting habits this May may depend on how they decide to answer the question of which of the big two is Right.


A few of the issues


The Economy ~ It’s the economy stupid… kinda. Candelariasians have never put economic factors first, and have traditionally been prepared to accept lower living standards than many analogous countries in the name of achieving greater social and income equality and developing C&M’s… Now however, even the traditional Candelariasian tolerance for inordinately high taxation has started to wane, for though the country has excellent standards of education, low crime and a functioning health service; the poverty of many, particularly rural and outer-city Marquezians, and the lack of purchasing power among the middle classes is taking its toll. Many will still be prepared to give Anderson’s dabblings with state capitalism another chance – or go even further by backing the new SD&GP positions – but a return to Hrehoresinist liberalism is looking pretty tasty right now. The more protectionist views of Sayfritz’s Conservatives may also attract new voters, but it remains to be seen just how large a part the looming issue of “the economy” will play in May.

Education ~ Not a key battleground in the way it once was, though there has been a backlash against the Unionist policy against private establishments among certain sectors of society – particularly the religious, Christian or otherwise, who feel let down by what should in theory by ‘their’ party. The main argument is over spending however, with the Unionists keen to plough even more into schools, while the MLP believe that little further increase in academic achievement can be made simply by throwing more RP£s into the sector. The SD&GP have also made education a plank of their campaign, though their focus is on improving attainment for the poorest and least academically gifted.

Rushmore & Foreign Relations ~ Most parties seem to have reached a point where the influence enacted by centralised Rushmori government has reached a politically untenable level. None of the big four advocate leaving the bloc altogether, though there is a clear sense that the next term must see C&M forge ahead with new extra-regional partnerships. The only question will be just with whom those alliances should be.

The WA ~ With C&M’s assuming of WA Delegate status, the long-term future of the country within the organisations has reared its head again. The general consensus is that current Ambassador Max Esajas will leave his position even in the event of a second Unionist term, with the new representative taking a much more active role in reflecting the Candelariasian position. But there are plenty of citizens who would support a withdrawal from the group altogether.

The Armed Forces ~ The traditional antipathy of the Candelariasian people to the country’s army following the Civil War has long been something that the MLP and Conservatives in particular have attempted to tackle, but a conviction still remains that the organisation is made up of under-educated hired killers and multi-generational family lineages for whom the rights and wrongs of any armed engagement is subordinate to the constant need for conflict. It’s an issue that left and ring have long been united upon, but there appears to be a clear effort by Morton and Sayfritz, among others, to ‘reclaim’ the Navy, at the very least. And even those largely opposed to the Candelarias Defence Forces in a general sense acknowledge the need for a strong force to be maintained – the only issue there being precisely what the make-up of the organisation(s) should be, and who exactly should be in charge.

Crime & Punishment ~ In general, Candelariasian are a compassionate people who do not view ‘harsh’ punishments following criminal proceedings as either morally correct nor socially productive. Intermittent calls for a more restorative attitude to the justice system occur within most sectors of the press however, and an effort to make those guilty of obvious malicious crimes ‘more accountable for their actions’ was a key plank of Anderson’s first election campaign. There does appear to be a shift in public mood over recent years towards harsher and earlier punishments for criminals of various sorts, perhaps as a result of C&M’s current generous welfare system which many feel should give ne’er-do-wells no excuses for their behaviour. Similar opinions have become directed towards sex offenders, for example, where the prevailing wisdom of the 90s that treatment was the best answer in many cases is falling by the wayside amid increasing fears of such individuals sprouting from a relatively small number of reported cases. Being seen as being ‘tough on crime’ has suddenly become of the utmost importance, though the fact remains that C&M’s overall crime rate is astonishingly low.

Immigration & Multiculturalism ~ C&M is a country built on immigration, but that’s never stopped antipathy towards, or the outright vilification of, newcomers by Candelariasians with claims on the title of ‘indigenous’. From the initial dual culture of British Candelaria and Spanish Marquez, the nineteenth century brought in waves of Czech, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Swedish and Turkish speakers, from a wide variety of national backgrounds, as well as many thousands of individuals from other English- and Spanish-speaking backgrounds. The degree to which full integration took place varied considerably and still does to this day, so that it remains eminently possible to find communities of Italian and Turkish speakers in particular in the most unlikely areas of the country, as well as their heartlands in polyglot Albrecht.

And still they came, every new generation bringing in the Serbs, the Poles, the Russians, the Chinese, the Arabs, the Bettians, the Sorthern Northlandish, the Morenos, the Punjabis… and with them increasing tensions. Racially-based antipathy still exists in C&M of course, even between long-standing Anglo and Hispanic populations in Marquezian communities, never mind between non-European groups, but the principally difficulties the country has had in reconciling is between those individuals, groups and communities who have showed a disinclination to integrate fully into the pre-existing culture. This is seldom necessarily racially based – there are plenty of Candelarias Chinese who would not consider themselves nor be considered by their peers culturally divergent from their white neighbours, while plenty of Candelarias Italians insist on speaking their own tongue whenever possible and engaging primarily with their cultural fellows – but has been the subject of great public debate for some time.

The issue of how one precisely defines multiculturalism has been batted back and forth in the press and House with little definitive progress, particularly since Ariadne Jefferson argued that the concept did not exist in the practical sense, since all Candelariasian individuals had always had their own personal culture. The parties of the right however have taken to stressing the need for promoting the country’s Anglo-Hispanic origins, and the rapidly rising proportion of immigrants from unusual (and specifically non-White) backgrounds and high birth-rates among Muslims in particular has made the subject one which few politicians can avoid… however much they may wish to.

The large numbers of refugees accepted by the Anderson government compared to previous administrations has also raised eyebrows to say the least, but all the main parties are very aware of the need to capture the non-White vote wherever possible, without ostracizing the Caucasian majority.

Social Equality ~ One of the driving issues of Anderson’s presidency has been the effort to achieve the concept that has in many ways driven the Candelariasian state for better or worse for many decades. In housing, in healthcare, in education, in employment and perhaps most importantly in status, he and his administration have sought to create a level playing field for the entire country. Some would snidely argue that he has achieved in by making everyone equally poor, and while state education in particular has improved markedly in just four years, there remain pockets highly wealthy individuals and rather larger numbers of those well below the poverty line.

The SD&GP have as expected taken the strongest line against this, accusing the Unionists of spending on endless numbers of civil servants and government quangos releasing mere propaganda aimed at convincing the public to, well, be nicer to poor people and the weirder minorities rather than using proper financial redistribution. Quite how you can go further than an 85% tax rate for the wealthiest 1% is unclear, but the SD&GP plan to do it. Morton’s MLP meanwhile reject the idea altogether – the first Liberal leadership to do so publicly in C&M history – instead claiming that they will create an ‘equality of opportunity’. The Tories are just interested in ending the benefit culture. Which has grown dramatically under Anderson, you can’t deny it. But does anyone really mind that much?

Environmental Safety ~ As a country militantly proud of its titchyness, most Candelariasians feel that C&M cannot be expected to take any particular line on climate change. Instead, the country’s focus is on creating a green and pleasant land, without so being at the expense of ‘necessary’ industrial development. In recent years the country has shifted increasingly to ‘clean’ forms of power, with none of the big four challenging this consensus entirely; however disagreements exist over the niceties of how to go about this. Equally, the concern remains that the general public don’t actually care all that much about ‘being green’.

Post-Neil ~ One area where the catch-all term of ‘the environment’ does directly affect most Candelariasians is When Weather Goes Bad. Last year’s Hurricane Neil killed over one hundred people and caused significant damage to buildings across the country, and fears over more extreme weather in the future remain. The new consensus on how housing of the future should be built, and where, seems pretty concrete across most parties, but how quite to deal with the here and now is a thornier problem.

Parliamentary Reform ~ Another one where everyone agrees that Something Must Be Done. Though why, when the current system seems to function perfectly well, is a matter that few foreigners would quite rightly be able to get their heads around. The principal problem is the way that the largest party in the House following the general election automatically sees its leader become President. With fixed terms added in to that, the system has the potential for excessively long periods of political deadlock, but in practise that just doesn’t happen – instead, the leading party is always able to find at least one coalition partner. With C&M’s numerous parties, minority governments or similar arrangements are always going to be likely, and no broad left-wing/right-wing split is likely to ever develop given the elusive values of both the Unionists and MLP. There is a general feeling however that either the redundant office of Prime Minister should finally be scraped, or merged with the office of President; that the current party-list PR system requires a certain amount of reform, with a MMPR system dividing the country into regions being recommended by the National Council – itself a candidate for major change if not total abolition.

Civil Liberties and the Nanny State ~ Associated concepts that have become major discussion points in C&M during the present Unionist administration. The Anderson era has seen a huge rise in the quantity of CCTV cameras, with C&M increasingly seen as one the most spied-upon democracy in Rushmore, and a vast increase in the profiling of citizens by government, the police and local authorities. The Unionists have stopped short of a full DNA database, but the country is already arguably well on the way given the number of people whose vitals have been taken during seemingly superfluous investigations of one form or another.

It’s a policy opposed not only by most of the major opposition parties but plenty of Unionists members and MPs as well, and indeed this aspect of social policy has threatened more than once to derail Anderson’s presidency, with a challenger from the inside – Thomas ffinch – coming rather closer than had been expected to ousting the current leader.

The particular area of concern for ffinch and his cohorts surrounded the Anderson government’s softly-softly approach to crime and support for homosexual rights, something previously a tad taboo among the more conservative parts of the party. The government has been quick to stress that the Clarkeite Unionist values of social solidarity and individual initiative are well served by such outlooks, but quite how they can have the gall to trumpeted the latter remains unclear. Over the last four years, seemingly every criminal act has been intractably linked to some form of compulsory treatment, and many concerns have been raised from all quarters over the government’s passion for treating every mistake as evidence of a person’s greater need to be ‘corrected’ in some way.

Exiles ~ A rather parochial one this; the issue surrounds the many hundreds of individuals who fled the Candelarias during or following the Civil War to avoid the prospect of life imprisonment. Others involved with the National Eugenics Council also got the hell out, many of them perfectly blameless. The question of whether to allow them to settle back home again is largely moot – most are far too old and far too settled in their new countries – but MLP and Unionist administrations alike have consistently refused to allow such exiles to return even on temporary visas, to see their grandchildren for the first time, for example. The Unionists’ manifesto suggests a slight thaw in this approach, and that really hasn’t gone down well.

Women ~ On the face of it, the fact that for the first time there are women realistically in the running for Robinson House should mean that the MLP and SD&GP will garner a good 50% of the national vote between them. Both Morton and Jefferson have a feminist focus, though their outlooks are clearly split between economic and social influences, but there are plenty of female voters in the Candelarias less concerned with gaining full economic equality. Such individuals emphasise ‘womanhood’, and believe that the Anderson presidency best represents their views.

As far as women in politics goes, both the MLP and SD&GP have trumpeted their female-heavy front benches, though it remains to be see how many would make it into Morton or Jefferson cabinets. The SD&GP are the only party to have introduced 50/50 party lists, with the 2004 edition of the House having a respectable 35% women. That figure is expected to be slightly lower this time around, however.

Religion ~ Traditionally, Candelariasians in general try to avoid discussing religion, and politicians in particular. ‘Moral values’ may come to the fore occasionally, but few are prepared to argue that it is their particular devotion to whichever good book that gives them their personal sense of right and wrong. In general, C&M is a rather more secular nation than many comparable western countries, with the agnosticism of Reuben Merchant seen as the primary instigator of this. Over the years, the power of the Church (and churches in general) have waned, and attendance is generally very low. What’s worth pointing out is that C&M largely lacks that large section of most western societies who self-identify as Christian whilst admitting their lack of belief in any higher being, much less the particular one of the Christian faith. Rather, most Candelariasian atheists and agnostics are happy to abandon their loyalty to their ancestors’ Christianity. Similarly, there now exists plenty of theists who, having not been brought up in what could honestly be described as a Christian society, do not profess a genuine connection to any particular faith.

Still, old habits die hard, as it were. An overwhelming proportion of the C&M population claims to believe in Evil, for example, and such things clearly influence political policy. Equally, there still exists a very significant population who do identify with Christianity – many of whom have become particularly militant in recent times. The CPP, MNP, ANP and J&D are the only parties who today trumpet their Christian values – and what is notable is that all are well on the Right of the political spectrum. For many Christians, the Unionists are still the most representative party of their own compassionate faith, yet the apparent antipathy verging on outright hostility by the Anderson administration to organised religion has left many left-leaning Christians disillusioned. They certainly won’t find solace in the SD&GP however, who have an openly agnostic leader in Jefferson, and one who has been regularly critical of some of the most basic tenets of religious belief. Even in C&M this is an unusual and potentially dangerous policy, and it remains to be seen where it will lead.

Alcohol & Drugs ~ The Candelarias have long had a difficult relationship with mind-altering substance, from chocolate upwards. Despite their very different values in other areas of social policy, the early 20th century Nationalist Unionist and temperance movements went hand-in-hand. Much has been written over the years surrounding the country’s own personal war on such substances conducted by the Left as much as the Right and, while the intellectual consensus may be that prohibition doesn’t work, that certainly doesn’t reflect the majority view.

There remain tough restrictions on the buying and selling of alcohol, and the consumption of ‘drink’ in the public arena remains rather taboo – there are plenty of pubs that decline to sell any of the stuff. Public drunkenness is illegal and considered just not cricket – unless the national football team’s just lost, in which case it’s just about acceptable.

Despite the high prevalence of areligious ‘straight-edge’ culture among the country’s young, adolescents remain the heaviest public boozers, prompting no little chin scratching as to how to deal with the problem. Equally, every party has its own idea of how the specifics should be arranged – what the legal drinking age should be, which establishments should be permitted to sell the stuff and to what percentage, etcetera and so forth. The same old arguments come out every four years, and doubtless this one’ll be no different.

Besides tobacco, which is just about legal, the Candelarias’ has always had a highly preventative attitude to the use of other drugs, even for medicinal purposes. Where the lines are mentally drawn between health-based and ‘moral’ reasons in most Candelariasian minds are unclear, but most C&M natives are culturally pre-programmed to dismiss out of hand reports of any plausible benefits of any such substances, and are hardly a naturally rebellious people in any case.

Until relatively recently, the country has had no obvious problem with illegal drugs, owing to the islands’ geographic isolation and traditionally well-maintained anti-drug security services at ports, airports and the like. C&M’s ever-increasingly place in the global community and modest tourist reputation has since the presence of illegal drugs within the islands rise dramatically, and with them the first burgeoning shoots of a genuine crises. How best to deal with addicts, pushers and traffickers has become a key issue. The idea of actually legalising certain drugs remains pretty much off the radar – fringe members of the SD&GP, Workers Party and Green Progress have campaigned for such a thing, but only the ALP take the notion seriously.

Marquez ~ What to do with Marquez? Once upon a time, this was the defining issue of Candelariasian politics. The open discrimination against Hispanics and Catholics in most national sectors, the ‘seeding’ of Marquez with Anglos from the start of the twentieth century, the Eugenics Council, the poor comparative economic well-being of Spanish-speakers throughout the islands’ history… It’s no wonder that a lot of ‘em still bear a grudge. Revulsion towards the insurgency of the 70s and early 80s on both sides of the estrecho innomado transformed into a genuine desire for change, and today Hispanics are well represented in politics, business, the media – and sport, of course – while mixed, bilingual communities across the island have thrived and most young Candelarians are fluent in their neighours’ tongue. Yet the constant calls for Marquezian autonomy, or even full independence, have not died down as was once thought inevitable; not only does the MNP still campaign very successfully for the break-up of C&M, but Free Marquez still maintains a presence in the House along similar, albeit left-leaning, guidelines, despite a largely Anglo support base and representation in the House that includes two Hispanics, three Anglos (including one Anglo-Lovisan) and a Panjabi Muslim. Among the major parties, the Unionists remain steadfastly opposed to any form of special status for Marquez but others are more open to the suggestion – no doubt with the aim of wrestling C&M’s 15% Hispanic population.

The Outliers ~ Since the Civil War, the majority of the Outlying Islands have been independent states, strictly speaking, and not part of the Republic. In practical terms they share the same media, send MPs to Albrecht and contribute to the national sports teams, but the various Island Governments and their own Prime Ministers still wield great power. Each island generally maintains its own policies on energy, transport, the environment and the like, and usually ignores pronouncements from the capital on agriculture, fishing and even law & order. Most national parties would like to see this change completely, and the outliers become one with C&M once more, but they’re also mindful that this isn’t the prevailing mood on most of the islands, who together supply around a tenth of all Candelariasian voters. There are also eight constituency seats up for grabs; a useful chunk of the full sixty available. “Island Issues” will be a key focus.

Cabrera/RBI ~ The most stubborn of the Outliers is undoubtedly Cabrera Island, which despite its ickle, eleven-thousand strong, population still formally styles itself an independent state. It too elects MPs in the House, via the Fallon Island region as well as the PV vote, but the People’s Revolutionary Government (led by the People’s Revolutionary Party since 1969) remains responsible for every aspect of governance. Not that the Cabreran people mind. They’re happy enough to be left alone to pay rather more realistic taxes than their Candelariasians neighbours, enjoy the absence of drug laws, and make their famous sheep’s milk Cabrera Island Cheese. Obviously this state of affairs cannot be allowed to continue.

Ransome-Bkyki Island is a no less thorny issue. Geographically part of the Candelarias, though many miles to the south-west, the island was home to a nation of aboriginal Rushmori crab fishermen. British settlers, headed by Captain Michael Ransome, landed in 1781, bringing Christianity to the animist Bkyka. This was probably a Bad Thing, on reflection.

RBI and the Candelarias have enjoyed a yo-yoey relationship over the years, with the island’s government – royalist to the last – declining to become an official part of the new Republic of the Candelarias in 1947. A period of terse relations between Albrecht and Ssotapel heralded the expulsion of several thousand ethnic Europeans from RBI, while many of those that remained suffered terrible abuses at the hands of the Bkyka government.

In time relations thawed, and C&M is today responsible for RBI’s defence and foreign relations. Many conservative Bkyka view the relationship as less than benign, and proclaim the negative effect that secular Candelariasian youth culture is having on the island’s young people and traditional society. There are also fears over the sheer numbers of Candelariasians settling on RBI’s north coast. Equally, many Candelariasians believe that the amount of meddling they do in RBI affairs should be upped, given the appalling poverty in many parts of the island. Any new C&M leader would be expected to form a rather more productive working relationship with the RBI PM Harold o’Gerald than James Anderson has previously enjoyed.

The NHS ~ The National Health Service was formally established in 1951, though it remained outweighed by private medicine until the early eighties when it was championed anew by the Kyle administration. It still functions relatively well and remains a genuine source of national pride, but the debate over its future, and how far its services to stretch beyond emergency medicine, remain points of contention.

The Internet ~ C&M was slower than many western countries to adopt the internet for widespread commercial and private use, and private uptake is still low and frequently unaffordable. Non-governmental access is effectively monopolised by two service providers, Candelarias Online and Kaleta Online, who have agreed to a relatively high degree of censorship. Tens of thousands of sites are blocked every year, and the government maintains special agreements with the West Ariddian goggle.com and other popular search engines. Most of the blocked sites include violent or otherwise objectionable pornographic material, those promoting far-right ideology and those described as ‘glorifying terrorism’, but also include several social networking services and YouTube. A number of political blogs and sites managed by Candelariasians abroad are also prohibited.

This policy began during the MLP years in power and has continued unabated. It is not formally challenged by any of the main parties, though the SD&GP have raised concerns, and the Libertarians and MNP are in favour of relaxing certain regulations.

The Family ~ An issue largely reflecting the concerns of the day across the western world. C&M has high rates of marriage and lower rates of divorce than many comparable countries, though the birth rate remains low, but fears are still regularly expressed over the breakdown of the traditional nuclear family and its effects on society. Most parties have pro-family policies of one sort or another, though the MLP have broken with current tradition by promising to remove a series of tax breaks instituted by the Anderson government, and instead focus on presenting clear childcare opportunities for working mothers both in and out of relationships. That may prove a highly controversial move.



The System

What will almost certainly be the case is that the election will be decided by the sixty regional constituencies, which are elected on a first past the post basis. Candidates in these seats must have been born in, or spent at least three years in total, within their boundaries, in an effort to ensure that the entirety of the country receives some form of local representation.

Generally speaking these candidates are also selected on the party lists, which must include at least two-hundred names. The order at which individuals are listed can be – and invariably is – altered following the election, to push those candidates that have already won seats to the end of the list.

The means by which the lists themselves are compiled varies between parties, some at the discretion of the leader at the time or party chairman, while others are subject to the popular vote among nationwide members. The two hundred members of the House supplied directly from the lists are decided via the so-called ‘Presidential Vote’. There is no threshold for representation, allowing parties with as small a share of the PV as 0.26% to win seats.

The direction of the Presidency is decided once the make-up of the House is compiled from the two votes, with the office of President being taken by the leader of the largest party overall. Potentially, this means that a party can come second or lower in the PV, but accrue enough regional seats to come out on top in the final reckoning. There are no issues surrounding the leading party’s almost inevitable status as a minority in the House, though the Chair of the National Council theoretically has the option to bar the party’s leader from assuming the title of President should the leading party be clearly unrepresentative of the will of the majority of the Candelariasian people. The new President must however prove that they can form a coalition government to take them over the 131 mark in the 260-seat House to avoid four years of amusing political deadlock.

The Big Four

The following is an overview of the policies of the Unionists, Modern Liberal Party, Social Democratic & Green Party and Conservative Party as expressed in their most recent manifestos. Clearly they can only be merely a taster of their platforms, leaving out some of the more tedious elements.

For the sake of simplicity they are separated out into sections dealing with the Economy, Foreign Policy, Law & Order, Citizenship (incl. immigration), the Environment (incl. agriculture), Public Services (principally transport, education and health), Democratic Reform and Civil Liberties. There is, however, a large overlap between those groupings.



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Unionist Party
Vague and probably inaccurate description: Christian socialist. Or possibly Christian democrat, since they’re not actually socialist or anything. Or particularly keen on democracy, come to that. Or Christianity, actually.
Leader: James Anderson, born on 19th May 1962 in Suthand, West Candelaria. Anderson’s father William has been an army reservist called up to fight on behalf of the Socialist Party government during the Civil War. He and his platoon later defected to the Opposition before he received a severe injury to his left arm that forced its amputation at the elbow. William’s life-long resentment towards the Armed Forces, and the government’s employment thereof, has seemingly been passed on to his son.

James was brought up in subrural West Candelaria with his father, who became an antiquarian book dealer, his mother, a midwife, and younger sister Sophie. The young Anderson was known from his earliest years of school pseudo-politics as a devout Clarkeist Unionist, holding a profound respect for traditional ways of life and ‘lifestyle choices’ whilst believing in the Candelarias’ future as a market socialist, fully representational, multicultural state; his esteem for non-mainstream cultures no doubt stemming from his own Germano-Scottish ancestry and Catholic upbringing in a largely Anglican part of the country.

Despite his religion, Anderson has usually been seen to hold more multi-faceted views on Good and Evil than many of his Unionist colleagues. Following a short stint as an accountability analyst after his period at Albrecht University, he began to work as a civil servant in the Home Office, and later as an MP after winning his rural seat by a comfortable majority, where his more liberal views on women’s and homosexual rights saw him clash with leading party figures of the day. It was also young Unionists like Anderson that helped the party turn back towards the social left (and to some degree fiscal right) by placing a far greater importance on alleviating poverty by economic means, helping impoverished asylum seekers over other wealthier newcomers and encouraging the greater availability of divorce as a means to limit domestic violence. In 1988, following the Unionist’ crushing electoral defeat, he became an increasingly key finger in the oppositions ranks before being appointed the shadow minister for asylum and immigration. In this more high-profile role his calm, measured manner got him press attention at a time when most of the struggling Unionist hierarchy were of a fist-thumping variety. His arguments on behalf of those clearly fleeing genuine persecution – at a time when the Hrehoresin administration were emphasising C&M’s need for professional, well-educated English- and Spanish-speaking workers – appealed to the leftist press.

Anderson spent a short time as shadow Social Affairs secretary before Eric White officially stepped down as leader before throwing his name into the hat for leadership; comfortably emerging ahead of the more socially conservative Thomas ffinch. The perceived weakness of new MLP candidate Sol McPhee and a widespread desire for some form of ‘change’ made Anderson’s Unionists almost dead certs to end their rivals’ sixteen-year domination, but the almost complete reversal in the number of seats held by the top two parties in the House following the 2004 elections was still seen as a surprise.

Anderson’s approval ratings as President have generally been high, and if anything his popularity has grown in recent months with far fewer people seeing him as smarmy as they once did. Early on, he received praise for not only continuing with environmental and social policies of the previous administration, often to the anger of his coalition partners and Unionist backbenchers, but frequently rolling them out across the country on a much greater scale than before. His four years in power have seen the academic attainment of C&M’s children improve greatly and rapidly, though the MLP have claimed their part in this success and his other opponents have argued that the figures remain far from accurate. Anderson and his Education minister Jack Montgomerie have also been praised for allowing teachers a greater degree of freedom whilst turning against the prevailing mood aimed at providing parents with a greater degree of choice in schooling. The pair also soon dropped MLP commitments to give every school leaver the chance of a university education, preferring instead to focus on vocational training for the masses.

The latter strategy has yet to bear fruit with youth unemployment still woefully high – indeed somewhat higher that at any time since the last Unionist administration. The effect of this on crime rates however has apparently been negligible however with violent crime in particular being at its lowest for many years, thanks in part to a renewed commitment to a police presence on the streets and the vast CCTV network that had popped up over recent years – though again there remains much debate in C&M politics over precisely which President is to thank for the security that even the poorest Candelariasian now possess.

However it is, still, the economy, stupid. Standards of living in C&M are as variable as they have ever been, but still lag far behind many comparable western nations. The economy in general has taken a recent downturn and though C&M’s long-standing financial system makes fears over possible recessions more or less redundant; on a practical level discontent over the lack of spare cash and high-quality goods, both domestically produced and foreign, has started to gather pace. Candelariasians appear to be growing increasingly sick of the monumentally high tax rates, even if they can see the obvious positive effects in education and healthcare. Many also object to so many of their reformed pounds being ploughed into what they see as social equality quangos, while many of those from traditionally discriminated against social groups are beginning to show signs of being swept up in the promotion of Morton’s MLP that such measures, while admirably in their own way, are helping primarily to create a culture of dependence among the poor and certain ethnic minorities.

Government interference is perhaps the biggest issue Anderson must face however. Most of the press, even that sector traditionally supportive of the Unionists, have begun to rail against busy-body social workers and ‘treatment programmes’ for every perceived social misdemeanour that seem to fly in the face of the Unionists’ traditional commitment to individual initiative and their (reduction schools.) Anderson himself also appears to be developing the authoritarian streak that proved the downfall of his predecessors, increasingly taking direct charge of what should be considered ministerial duties. There have also been slight but growing rumours of high-level corruption in his administration.

One cannot discount the influence of Anderson’s wife in either his victory four years ago or possible continuing success. Vanessa Ramos, the first Hispanic First Lady, is a high-profile city planner in her own right and is seen to become increasingly visible in public life at times when Anderson’s support among Spanish-speakers appears to be faltering. The couple have two young children, eight year-old twins Constantine and Rafaella.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will focus a second Unionist term on enhancing competitiveness in private industry and supporting the ability of small businessmen to compete alongside major national, international and multinational firms. Will increase tax relief for conscientious citizens and families struggling under the burden of the base rate, but would continue to tackle income inequality using earnings and property taxes. Will continue the programme putting essential services back in public hands. Will announce new plans to tackle the unequal ownership of wealth by introducing a Universal Inheritance system.
Foreign Policy: Promises to formally combine the disparate services of the armed forces under one body; maintaining military independence from Rushmore while continuing co-operational peacekeeping activity in the region. Will undertake a full review of the armed forces to create a more specialised force capable of better supporting the activities of a more proactive WA and RDA. Will continue to enhance the defensive possibilities of the Space Programme. Will use a second term to further establish new alliances that do not lock C&M into mutual-defence pacts. Will continue to conduct international policy in support of democratic self-determination, supporting the rights of minority groups while understanding the will of the majority. Will expand C&M’s range of international friends, working closely with like-minded countries on issues including disarmament, anti-terrorism, prevention of small arms transfers, international justice, human rights and humanitarian activities.

Law & Order: Will oppose any change to the current, illegal status of cannabis unless or until a very clear consensus view emerges in the medical and scientific community that cannabis poses no significant health dangers, including to the young and those with a history of mental health problems. Will trial new alternative legal sanctions for drug possession, while targeting those who supply drugs to minors. Similarly, will promote a clear understanding of alcohol as C&M’s Number One problem drug. Will introduce legislation to Parliament to raise the alcohol purchasing age to twenty, toughen liquor advertising laws and strengthen provisions in the law relating to the supply of minors. On general criminality, will continue to adopt new and better early intervention programmes and strategies, press ahead with responsible programmes aimed at helping clearly disturbed children as early as possible, and implement new rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for offenders. Will give Youth Courts the power to extend detention and/or supervision orders if deemed necessary. Will continue to block the creation of privatised prisons. Will trial new and innovative programmes aimed at combating prostitution, and introduce new and hard-hitting rules for casinos and other drinking establishments in tourist cities aimed at combating the ‘table girl’ phenomenon.
Citizenship Will continue to downgrade targeted immigration programmes in mainland Rushmore that involve ‘stealing’ key, professional workers, while committing to supporting the cause of ‘intellectual refugees’ and their integration into C&M. Will introduce new physical health screening programmes for new immigrants and long-term visitors. Will continue to work towards community integration among new- and long-standing ethnic Candelariasian populations, while supporting the understanding and appreciation of minority cultures. Will continue to promote social equality and affirmative action. Will create a new Minister for Refugee Affairs. Will create new refugee centres in secure locations on the Outliers.

Environment Promises to maintain a commitment to preserve C&M’s natural heritage. Will continue to promote the use of public transport and clean energy, continuing plans to replace 85% of traditional power sources with wind turbines, tidal harnesses and solar troughs by 2025, and continue to pioneer new hydro, wind, geothermal, tidal and biomass energy developments. Will introduce new emissions limits on imported vehicles in line with Candelarias-manufactured goods.

Public Services Will give local councils and communities more power to determine public transport solutions. On a national level, public need and energy efficiency will be placed as the highest priority on transport policy. Will ensure that by 2012 some form of pre-school education will be available to every child, finance small pre-school centres in rural areas, and guarantee equal pay potential for pre-school teachers. Will formally reduce the school leaving age to fourteen for pupils with guaranteed apprenticeships, and focus on the Three Rs for the least able students. Will continue to fund special needs teachers and helpers in mainstream schools, supporting children with special educational requirements in conventional schooling. Will further improve teacher to student ratios in primary schools. Will press ahead with the Montgomerie Plan on the national curriculum, and promote its usage in 80-90% of schools. Will continue to promote and support a joined-up approach to social care, health, housing and employment with local schools. Will ensure that every child will leave school fluent in both Spanish and English, and with a solid grasp of at least one other language. Will promote the use of informal daily physical education sessions from pre- to secondary school. Will provide teachers a greater range of discipline options, and guarantee a behavioural specialist in every school. Will help professional and amateur football clubs to develop functional programmes supporting sporting and physical development in girls. Will extend the supply of health services in primary and secondary schools, including guaranteed free drug and mental health counselling. Promises to reduce hospital waiting times.

Democratic Reform: Will put forward formal plans to remove either the office of President or Prime Minister. Will back proposals altering the borders of the 59 regional constituencies to more broadly reflect cultural and social differences across the country, but with less divergence in population.

Civil Liberties Promises to continue to take a hard line on those who threaten Candelariasian civility, and seek to implement proper measures to deal with suspected terrorists, etcetera, wherever possible.

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Modern Liberal Party
V.A.P.I.D: Social liberalism, moving to conservative populism.
Leader: Dr Robyn Morton, born Roberta Brown on 12th May 1954 in Allemali (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/allemali.html) (victory in the elections would come on her fifty-fourth birthday). Brown studied Politics and Philosophy at her home city’s university, where she was president of the students’ union and earned a PhD in Political Science. She became a legacy usability specialist for a management consultancy firm in Albrecht before returning to Allemali where she became chief configuration consultant in her husband’s nametag manufacturing firm and a member of the city council. She entered parliament aged forty-two as the eighty-seventh name on the MLP list in the Clark landslide victory of ’96, quickly becoming a junior minister at the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries ministry, later spending spells as party whip and Trade minister before becoming Home Secretary in 2003. She was second on the party list in 2004 and was Shadow Minister for Social Affairs until February 2007 where she succeeded Sol McPhee as party leader and Leader of the Opposition.

Dr Morton is a self-confessed ‘right-winger’, though that label has been often dismissed as a headline-maker in a country where the term often automatically carries negative connotations. She remains not especially well-liked, thanks to her grating voice and unrealistic sky-is-falling comments on crime in C&M, but has engendered a certain degree of respect for acknowledgement of the ‘great strides’ made in state education and health care by Anderson administration and commitment to overhauling much of the modern political system as put in place by her recent MLP predecessors. She also appears to share the country’s dislike for big business whilst remaining committed to helping small businesses avoid red tape and government over regulation, and has regularly argued the need for a reduction in the number of state quangos and a greater emphasis on individual initiative and ‘common sense’. A committed Anglican (she would be the first President from C&M’s majority church for thirty-three years), Morton has voted against passed legislation on gay marriage and adoption, and has also followed the Unionists’ lead on encouraging marriage as a cure-all for many social problems. Her party as a whole however still remains slightly to the left of the Unionists, despite their much-trumpeted hard-line approach to such social issues. On the face of it, the MLP remain as ‘liberal’ as ever – just with a few populist tax cuts and ideas on criminality thrown in.

A lapsed vegetarian, Morton remains a strong supporter of animal rights, and has four dogs and three cats with her husband Michael Morton. They have no children.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will initiate a vast reduction in basic income tax (to around 30%) in tandem with the promised programme of denationalisation. Offers a renewed commitment to free trade and the free market, with a re-evaluation of regulatory bodies for major corporations, a lessening of beurocracy and increase in tax incentives for small businesses. Will provide extra financial support for the traditional industries in agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining etcetera, and adopt and a protectionist attitude against foreign takeovers and competition while encouraging foreign investment and invite new, reputable manufacturing businesses to set up home in the Candelarias. Will initiate a programme of public edification to encourage a better understanding of the merits of apprenticeships, and help school leavers into such training. Promises to create a country where wealth is more fairly distributed but where hard work, ambition, initiative and innovation are rewarded, particularly supporting the rights of small businesspersons. Will bring to an immediate end the tax breaks given to married couples with large families, while vastly increasing communal childminding facilities and financial and practical support for working mothers.

Foreign Policy: Will adopt a more tentative stance towards Rushmori integration, spearheading a region-wide effort to end centralised influence on national politics, lawmaking and any move towards moves towards a single Rushmori army or currency. Will support the prompt return of Switzaland to its position as WA Delegate. Will explore greater political interaction with other regions, particularly Atlantian Oceania, while retaining C&M’s traditional neutralism. Promises a renewed focus on liberal democracies as the country’s most important foreign ‘friends’ while acknowledging the need for bilateral relations across a broad spectrum of nations. Will reverse the decline in defence spending, with a particular focus on retaining a strong navy. Will further C&M’s day-to-day involvement with the WA (former Foreign Secretary Alejandra de Almeida would become the country’s WA Ambassador) and encouraging its reform as a body capable of denying entry to countries guilty of serious human rights violations and taking direct action against illegal governments of member states.

Law & Order: [The party has withdrawn somewhat from their original string-‘em-up approach to street crime, but remains committed to embracing tougher sentencing for low-level and persistent criminality.] Will divert the focus from costly and fruitless attempts at rehabilitation to punishment for drug-, weapon- and sex-related offences, and introduce instant repatriation for any crimes committed by refugees, asylum seekers or other non-nationals. Will relax laws on public smoking and consumption of alcohol, with a full and thorough review on the social and physical effects of alcohol and cannabis use before any consideration of deregulation for the former and modest decriminalisation for the latter. Will raise the heterosexual and lower the homosexual age of consent to seventeen whilst introducing close-age exemption legislation and reforming the controversial ‘potential sexual offenders’ database to raise the threshold for teenage and young adult inclusion. Will open a ‘full and frank debate’ on the current bounds of ‘hate crime’. Ending rules prohibiting certain defendants from a full jury trial.

Citizenship: Will form a definitive, long-term policy on C&M’s optimum population and introduce measures to achieve this. Will refocus immigration policy to encourage highly-skilled manual workers and asylum seekers from ‘blacklisted’ states. Will create a new form of ‘temporary citizenship’ for refugees and asylum seekers while their home countries remain dangerous, with a reformed ‘check-list’ for wannabe immigrants thereafter. Will establish an ‘A List’ of countries whose citizens wish to apply for work visas, C&M residency or full citizenship. Promises to embrace the country’s long-standing multiculturalism while taking steps to avoid the geographical and mental ghettoisation of certain minority groups, particularly non-whites, in C&M society; together with an acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of the concept of Candelariasianness.

Environment: Will introduce tax incentives for ‘green’ behaviour, and a threefold increase in the number of wind farms nationally. Will undertake a full study into the practicality of the employment of nuclear power. Will grant National Park status to most of west Candelaria, with a step-up in efforts to protect the country’s rarest mammilia including the red squirrel, red deer and tree shrew, and will offer a renewed commitment to ending whaling in Rushmori waters, backed by the Navy. Will divert funds for all other scientific projects assigned to the Space Programme into the study of climate change and rising sea levels. Promises to acknowledge C&M’s future problems with its water supply, and encouraging the establishment of new private rain collection systems. Will introduce a new system of subsidies in order to revitalise the country’s agricultural heritage, including for tree farms and nature reserves. Will create a new Ministry for Fishing aimed at tackling the crises affection this key industry.

Public Services: Will press ahead with mothballed plans for a new network of bullet trains, alongside road building and widening programmes. Will revitalise C&M’s canal system and encourage the pedestrianisation of inner-cities. Will sanction the creation of two new international airports, north of Arrigo and north-west of Albrecht. Promises the cessation of funding for faith-based and single-sex schools nationwide, but will lift the ban on religious clothing and jewellery in schools and return Religious Education lessons to primary schools. Will revoke ‘Citizenship’ and ‘Emotional Intelligence’ classes in favour of a wider variety of modern languages including a compulsory year of Pacitalian. Will oversee the end of tests for under-eights, and all physical education exams for under-fourteens. Will further tentative Unionist drives towards encouraging ‘education preparation’ at pre-schools for the under-7s. Will end the state hostility against private schools, but encourage greater standards in inspections on non-academic achievement. Promises to vastly increase the number of specialist secondary schools and encourage a greater use of streaming based on ability and aptitude. Will scrap positive discrimination laws on Higher Education acceptance. On Health issues, will encourage a more joined-up relationship between the public and private sector. Will train more GPs to work in local rural inner-city areas. Will reduce taxes for health professionals as an incentive to stay in the Candelarias, while reopening our links with foreign medical practioners. Will reduce waiting lists for serious operations.

Democratic Reform: [Dr Morton aims to be C&M’s ‘last President’ by passing laws abolishing that title and returning to the pre-Civil War status of the Prime Minister being head of government.] Will encourage legislation aimed at scrapping fixed-term parliaments in favour of a maximum of four years, with elections called at the discretion of the PM. Will call for the extension of the National Council back into a 100-seat entity with members appointed from a variety of civil and political sources. Will grant greater power to local councils, with a full review into the possibility of regional assemblies on the model of the various parliaments of the outlying islands. Will introduce an amendment prohibiting any future efforts to make any languages bar English and Spanish ‘official’ in the Candelarias.

Civil Liberties: Will reverse the erosion of civil liberties under the Anderson administration, removing measures on summery arrest and intrusive stop-and-search, while allowing the police the right to fully investigate crime, particularly of a terrorist nature, without being hamstrung by unnecessary legislation. Will introduce strict laws regarding governments and corporations’ information gathering and the proper use of CCTV. Will consider lifting bans on organisations such as the Saviours of ort Fluffy Friends, فان منفوش الاصدقاء لواء الشهداء and the ISANHuP. Will maintain the ban on stem-cell research and the funding of similar controversial scientific projects.

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Social Democratic & Green Party
V.A.P.I.D:Social democracy… and… green… issues…
Leader: Ariadne Jefferson, born 5th January 1960 in Albrecht. Both Jefferson’s parents were born in the region of the British West Indies, and were among the very first wave of non-white but English-speaking immigrants to arrive in the Candelarias in the modern era when they arrived in early 1957, attracted by the supposedly multicultural policies of the then Socialist Party government under James McManus. Michael Jefferson worked on the rail network initially before the family settled in the Irish Street district of the capital. Ariadne, the second of four children and only girl, was born in the midst of the Civil War; a period in which recent immigrants became the targets of anti-government violence, as much as for their skin colour.

In the years following the Civil War however certain aspects of the Socialist administration’s agenda were preserved by President Clarke, and much of the country became, for a time, swept along in the hope of creating a genuine melting pot and new identity for the new country of Candelaria And Marquez – particularly the ever-increasing population of predominately non-British or Spanish origin. As such, in areas such as Irish Street, families like the Jeffersons became fêted members of the so-called ‘New Society’.

An exceptionally bright pupil, Jefferson was one of the first black students accepted into the prestigious Liverpool Hills School. She was later given the opportunity of winning a scholarship to Albrecht University, but declined in order to work in a variety of factory jobs in order to support her sickly mother.

Jefferson became a key player in Albrecht’s trade union movements, where her gender, youth and colour became important factors in combating the WASPish nature of corporate figures in Hrehoresin’s C&M. She formally joined the SDP in 1993, and served on Albrecht City Council between ’94 and ’98, before joining the House as the SD&GP’s thirty-second ranked list member in 2000.

Far more of an out-and-out Socialist that most of her party colleagues, Jefferson’s rhetoric was considered too revolutionary for her to ever be considered more than a useful firebrand. Certainly her ethnicity was a major positive for the SD&GP, who had previously struggled to promote non-white and other minority candidates, with most having gravitated towards the Unionists. She served as the party’s spokesperson first on the Media, then Regional Affairs, before becoming both the Home Affairs spokesperson and a Minister of State at the Home Office in the MLP-SD&GP government.

She was named second on the party list in 2004, a clear sign of her value to the party, becoming spokesperson for Social Affairs after the Unionists’ reshuffle of ministerial roles. In 2006, following Paul Leach’s surprise resignation, she entered the leadership contest. That she got through to the final two was considered a major surprise, with unflattering media portrayals of the favourite, Cathy Jones, apparently contributed more to her win than Jefferson’s own positions, but in the final round of speeches at the Autumn conference she impressed sufficiently to win ahead of the far more experienced Luciano Mello by quite some distance, thereby becoming both the first woman and first person of colour to lead a major party in the Candelarias.

It was widely assumed that a Jefferson-led SD&GP would cosy up with the Unionist government, with it being widely assumed that a coalition between the two parties would be the inevitable outcome of the 2008 election. It still might; but Jefferson was quick to criticize the government on environmental and immigration issues – particularly on continued uranium mining and the brazen discrimination against ethnic Rushmoris applying for work visas or full citizenship. Aside from fairly radical nationalisation plans, the 2008 party manifesto does not diverge so very widely from the Unionists, but the overall image Jefferson has sought to present is of the utmost importance. In particular, her particulars have allowed the party the moral freedom to criticise aspects of minority cultures.

Jefferson remains a far more popular media figure than Morton, and to some degree Anderson as well, though many analysts detect a fear in criticising her too heavily. Her personal life however has come in for considerable attention, after it was revealed that her young son Diontay was the result of a brief fling with the socialist comedian Chikae Enaharo. Jefferson was then forced to admit to a six-month relationship with an Albrecht midwife, Sophie Pell, making her the first openly bicurious political leader in the country (though the 1976 Unionist candidate Eddie Self was always slightly questionable, on reflection). Jefferson is now involved with the journalist and 2008 SD&GP parliamentary candidate Tris Lionel.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will begin the first ‘serious’ programme of wealth redistribution in the Candelarias for decades by strongly increasing corporation tax and property tax for the highest earners. Will firmly tackle the ‘scandal’ of billions of CMR£s being sent to overseas tax havens. Will increase the national minimum wage, restore benefits to students and increase those to lone parents. Will seek to lower the average working week, increase paid maternity and paternity leave and the number of public holidays. Would affirm that all key workers would must be guaranteed a living wage, and that their employment is not unduly threatened by cheaper overseas imports or outsourcing. Promises to make the need for affordable, self-owned housing a top priority.

Foreign Policy: Will adopt a tentative attitude towards Rushmori political integration, but encourage the creation of a fully integrated region-wide army, navy and airforce for the defence of the region in which C&M would play a central role. Increasing C&M’s role within the WA, taking a practical position on influencing motions on a day-to-day basis. Will take a ‘Rushmore first’ line on international relations, and focusing overseas trade and diplomatic dealings on other developed democracies and moderate, socially responsible governments.

Law & Order: Promises more and better equipped police less hamstrung by beurocracy. Will building a significant number of new prisons, with prisoners expected to take part in a tough ‘working day’ learning practical skills for the outside world with un-cooperation leading to a removal of most privileges. Will maintain separate prisons for separate types of criminals, but making a greater effort than previous administrations to ensure that non-violent offenders are not given an ‘easy ride’. Will use detention only as a last resort in anti-social behaviour cases, particularly among the young, with a downgrading of the severity of punishment and state involvement in low-level youth crime, with parents encouraged to take responsibility for their offspring’s criminal damage etcetera. Will institute a greater use of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, without downgrading current illegal drugs or changing tough rules on the public use of nicotine and alcohol. Will allow communities a greater say in how their area is policed. Will lower the homosexual age of consent to fifteen. Will encourage equal legal rights for GLBG-Q couples in parenting, fostering and adoption.

Citizenship: Will remove ‘arbitrary limits and quotas’ for immigration, re-establishing C&M’s status as both a haven for those fleeing persecution and intolerance and skilled, talented individuals seeking to start a new life in the Candelarias. Will disregard international ‘first safe country reached’ agreements and review each prospective asylum case on its own merits. Promises to embrace C&M’s modern reality as a multi-ethnic, multi-faith and multicultural nation, while rejecting the multicommunityism of previous administrations and seek to create a genuine melting pot. Will abolish laws stemming ethnic Rushmori immigration. Will introduce new laws aimed at lessening the effects of the ‘economic slave trade’, encouraging large businesses to look first towards available indigenous workers. Will introduce new programmes to tackle sexism, racism, sectarianism and homophobia both in the workplace and society at large.

Environment: Will introduce robust rights of appeal to allow local people to resist planning applications from government and business alike, particularly towards environmentally damaging developments. Will enforcing the public ownership of all energy companies until such time as their environmental accountability can be assured. Will encourage the phasing out of fossil fuels. Will encouraging a shift to the use of local produce in local businesses. Promises a renewed commitment, back up with tangible action, to combating blood sports and all forms of animal cruelty in the Candelarias. Will work towards the end of meat-eating.

Public Services: Promises to removing the last vestiges of private ownership of C&M’s ‘public’ transport network, including the major bus operators. Will promote the serious consideration of introducing clean and efficient underground systems in Albrecht, Bove, Caires, Clotaire and El din along the Arrigo model. Will remove the obligation for secondary schools to teach a language bar English and Spanish, in favour of classes teaching the basics of important Candelarias languages (Turkish, Italian, Mandarin etcetera) and foreign tongues (French, Pacitalian, Latin etcetera) and the cultures and traditions of Rushmori, Pacific and Atlantian Oceanian countries with links to C&M. Will encourage the establishment of ‘Current Affairs’ classes for pupils of all ages, as well as those teaching important household and social skills, again for all ages and all abilities. Will give state schools the option to abolish uniforms. Will focus on improving both academic attainment and future job prospects for underachievers, those from the poorest backgrounds and those with special educational needs. Promises to end any and all underhand moves towards downgrading the NHS. Will abolish eye-test and dental check-up charges. Will introduce universal and encouraged free school meals, alongside free fruit and vegetables for expectant mothers and similar initiatives. Will encourage robust education on physical and sexual health in schools, whilst removing intrusive target-led testing on pupils’ weight, fitness etcetera. Will reduce hospital waiting times.

Democratic Reform: Will encourage legislation aimed at removing the sixty regional seats from the House of Representatives and having all two hundred remaining seats chosen from a dozen-or-so multi-member constituencies. Would back the return of the head of government to the office of Prime Minister, while retaining a titular President as head of state, elected on a five-yearly basis. Will back the scrapping of the National Council and the establishment devolved assemblies for Marquez, NE Candelaria, East Candelaria and West Candelaria. Will support the power of local councils in a practical financial and legal manner to ‘set communities free from Albrecht’. Will support holding independence referenda for Marquez.

Civil Liberties Will review the use of expensive CCTV networks and other surveillance systems. Will scrap discriminatory laws directed towards e.g. Candelariasian Muslims at airports and on public transport. Will abolish Unionist laws restricting free speech on religious and ‘racially contentious’ matters, and on internet access. Will lift restrictions on ‘immoral’ scientific practises and experiments, in a framework of rigorous public dialogue.


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Conservative Party
V.A.P.I.D: Conservatism of various persuasions. Duh. What a pointless section this is.[/b]
Leader: Tate Sayfritz, born 23rd September 1952, in Benton nr Saurin. From a farming background, though Sayfritz’s own affection for the country’s agricultural heritage is less in evidence than with many Conservatives. He attended Saurin University, and has been a practising barrister since 1977. Sayfritz entered local politics in 1982 before contesting what has been seen as a safe SDP seat in the north-east in 1984, from which he was narrowly elected as one of the post-Civil War high of 63 Conservative MPs.

Though an outspoken sceptic of Rushmori integration, Sayfritz maintained a keen interest in C&M’s neighbours and in 1985 became the opposition spokesman for Regional Affairs aged just thirty-three, and his warm, personable style made him a popular media figure. His only beliefs often clashed with those of the dominating party leader Abraham May-Colley however, as someone who both lacked the socially conservative convictions of the then hierarchy and questioned their commitment to an unfettered free-market. In 1987 he was moved to a new post focusing on parliamentary reform, but a promising career was cut short by the hype surrounding the new MLP leader Xavier Hrehoresin and in 1988 he was a victim of one of the 30 seats lost by the Tories.

He sat instead in the Senate, working alongside colleagues from other parties to introduce Hrehoresin’s plans for the reform of the House of Representatives. He also became Conservative vice-chair, becoming an important voice for uniting the fractured party. As an ally of the new Tory leader Vernon Hale, it was inevitable that he would return to the House in 1992 as one of the top ten party list members, and quickly returned to the role as Regional Affairs spokesman. A perceived lack of ambition kept him a minor voice for the next decade until the Tories turned to him, largely out of an apparent lack of better options. As leader, he chose to focus on the same democratic reform/economic stability agenda of his predecessor Kenneth Barnicoat and led the party to a marginally improved election campaign before stunning just about everyone by taking the Tories into Anderson’s coalition and with it becoming Vice-President himself.

Sayfritz has been regularly accused of being a Unionist in blue clothing, and certainly his own views for a more controlled economic system than that espoused by the new MLP regime jar with the outlooks of many of his colleagues. The new manifesto takes the ‘moral’ aspect the Unionists and Conservatives share to very much the opposite extreme of Anderson’s party, producing what is for C&M a pretty radical right-wing agenda. Just how much of that has been engineered by the party’s leaders-in-waiting, Andrew Walton and Mark Fox, than by Sayfritz himself remains unclear however.

Sayfritz is married to Jemmie Merrall-Sayfritz, a publishing executive who definitely wears the trousers in that relationship. They have two adult sons, Jon and Malcolm.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will work towards a flat tax rate of under 25%, paid only by the wealthier half of C&M society. Are committed to cutting back on big government; removing thousands of civil service posts and abolishing the majority of governmental quangos. Will make the family home exempt from inheritance tax. Will lower interest rates and commit C&M to a stable economy outside the unpredictability of the global monetary system. Promises to get thousands off benefits and into work.

Foreign Policy: Will end C&M’s fiscal commitment to Rushmore; creating new free trade agreements and one-to-one treaties of friendship with democratic nations both within the region and overseas. Will commit to supporting the rights of C&M citizens abroad, regardless of their origins or time away from the islands. Will end any commitment to overseas aid, deemed responsibility for nations rather larger and wealthier than C&M. Promises to analyse C&M’s membership of the WA as a matter of urgency after taking office.

Law & Order: Will increase police numbers and improve financing of equipment, while reducing the paperwork burden. Will make widespread the use of guns for normal officers at the discretion of the local force. Will offer a commitment to deliver ‘real justice’, including involving victims or their families in the sentencing process. Will introduce more state-controlled prisons and legalise the use of chain gangs and similar measures, alongside more effective rehabilitation, literacy programmes and community service. Will allow a public referendum on the death penalty. Will adopt zero-tolerance measures on ‘low-level’ crime, including graffiti and public drunkenness.

Citizenship: Will place the effects of immigration on the Candelariasian way of life high on the public agenda. Will end the current open-door policy aimed at creating new generations of loyal Unionist voters, and introduce a strict points system coupled with health tests. Will expect all new immigrants bar genuine refugees to be fluent in either English or Spanish. Promises to end the current toleration of illegals, creating a new service aimed at properly locating, apprehending and removing illegal immigrants. Will end C&M’s soft-touch status on asylum seekers and refugees, agreeing to take in only the islands’ fair share, and only those travelling in from unsafe countries. Will take a zero-tolerance line on people smugglers, while introducing an amnesty on trafficked individuals from unsafe countries, and trafficked sex workers, who show a willingness to take on formal work and integrate in C&M society. Promises to celebrate C&M’s multicultural heritage and reality, while promoting a public understanding of and support for our British and Spanish origins.

Environment: Will relax new laws on hunting, fishing and animal sports. Will focus environmental policy on the present and future needs of the Candelarias and Rushmore, supporting efforts against global climate change at the WA. Will introduce tradable emissions limits and invest in new forms of energy while conducting a full review into the use of wind turbines both inland and at sea. Will formally introduce a network of national parks aimed at conserving the Candelarias’ biodiversity for future generations, whist tackling the problems of poison toads and urban capybaras with an honest respect for the needs of inner-city citizens. Will support programmes to bring the public and private sectors, experts and local communities together to combat flooding and tidal encroachment.

Public Services: Will introduce new, independent regional Transport Authorities answerable to local councils. Will fully open the bus and taxi market to competition, across all areas of the country. Will relax laws punishing responsible motorists, while introducing a revised driving test. Will support the expansion of small regional airports. Will increase facilities for cycling, and support public transport to and from sporting arenas. Promises to fully support the under-funded ferry services, as well as open out the sector to private competition. Will open up on the state’s near-monopoly on primary and secondary schooling, and lower the restrictions on faith schools. Will encourage a greater choice in schools, and back the reintroduction of single-sex establishments, with an emphasis on supporting educators and benefactors with ‘inspired solutions’ to the problems of teaching boys. Will relax laws against corporal punishment for minors both in schools and society. Will discourage higher education for higher education’s sake by removing grants for frivolous subjects and those without an immediate relationship with a future profession. Will tackle the shameful numbers of young people excluded from their right to formal education, taking difficult children into expert state educational authorities. Will reassert C&M’s commitment to the NHS while accepting the need for rapid reform. Promises that by the end of a second Conservative term in office, C&M would produce enough doctors, nurses and dentists to meet its own need, ending the reliance on professionals desperately needed by third-world countries. Will drastically reduce hospital waiting times.

Democratic Reform: Promises to encourage fundamental change to the House, reforming it to return to 260 constituencies with members elected directly using a single transferable vote system, and an executive Prime Minister. Will increase the number of days the House sits, and guarantee PM’s Questions once a week. Will permit the creation of a small authority for Marquezian affairs. Will scrap the National Council, with a new judicial law court forming the second chamber.

Civil Liberties: Promises to defend the Candelariasian peoples’ constitutional rights to freedom of speech, thought, conscience and belief. Will repeal Unionist acts giving the government unprecedented powers of crowd control and secret trials. Will block any attempts towards legalising euthanasia and lowering the threshold of abortion.

Minor Parties

Following the 2004 elections, twelve parties and one independent were represented in the House of Representatives, the highest number in the Candelarias’ history. The PR system was the primary facilitator of this, alongside a certain lack of faith in the mainstream parties.

Another major factor was the clear degree by which the Unionists were always going to win this election, prompting many voters to plump for a minor party as something of a protest vote. With the big two practically neck-and-neck in 2008 however, and the SD&GP and Tories not far behind, it seems likely that most of the smaller groups will suffer a significant drop-off in votes.

The largest of the ‘minor’ parties are the Partido Nacionalista Marquez (MNP), who picked up sixteen seats to the Conservative’s twenty-three in 2004. Other represented parties are the Libertarian-Unionists (standing in 2008 as the Allied Libertarian Party), Free Marquez (the MNP’s left-wing equivalent), the Christian People’s Party, the Workers Party, the Humanist Party, the Alliance of Nationalist Parties and the Independent Representation Party.

The Humanist Party collapsed during the last term, and will not be fielding candidates or standing for the Presidential Vote.

Though any party or individual may stand for the sixty regional seats (including the one reserved for Candelariasians Overseas), only those who register two hundred candidates with the Electoral Authority may put up a candidate for President and hope to win any of the two hundred seats distributed through a proportional representation system. Besides those mentioned; the Justice & Democracy Party, Green Progress and the Rainbow Party have registered two hundred candidates.

It should be noted that many of the minor parties are a little vague on the matter of actual policy, while others go into exhaustive detail that would make the big four blush. The below therefore represent more general commitments based on speeches, leaflets and the parties websites.


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Marquez Nationalist Party
V.A.P.I.D:Marquez Nationalism, Christian democracy
Origins: Marquez nationalism has existed since before Anglo-Saxons even stepped foot in the Candelarias, with the inhabitants of the island group – who were at the time principally based on what was seen as the more fertile second island – attempting to gain independence from the Spanish crown from the mid-18th century. The arrival of British settlers in the Islas Periféricas (the Outliers), and latterly Gran Candelaria (later to become simply Candelaria), brought about an extended period of conflict which eventually saw the British comprehensively ‘win’ the islands. By 1868 the country had elected its first democratic Premier, who formally brought the Hispanic population on Marquez into the Union of the Candelarias and relaxed laws on Latino immigration, many of the new Iberian settlers becoming among the most loyal and patriotic Candelarians (the term being still in use to refer to the islands as a whole at that point).

Cualquier camino para arriba, as they say in Marquez, the British and the Hispanics lived happily ever after, apart from the whole ghastly discrimination thingy. Long-time Anglo-Candelarians always had a slight trouble integrating newcomers from other cultures – and boy, have there been a lot of ‘em – but dealing with their brown neighbours in a civil manner always proved the most difficult. Until relatively recently many private businesses were still perfectly allowed to practise open racial segregation against Hispanics, particularly in bilingual Marquezian cities like Arrigo, Bass (La Basílica de la Costa) and El din. The situation was never bad enough to provoke outright rebellion in the first half of the twentieth century, but come the Civil War an alliance of Hispanic parties declared a new Republic of Marquez, prompting weeks of conflict on Marquezian streets between Anglophones and Latinos. In the long term both peoples allied against the Socialist government in Albrecht, and the rather higher numbers of engaged Anglo voters following the War led to Marquez’s return to the fold, as part of the new Republic of Candelaria And Marquez.

Of several special interest Hispanic parties around at this time, only two retain any real influence to this day. The Partido Nacionalista Marquez (MNP) are the largest, and have consistently campaigned in favour of full independence. Unlike Free Marquez their support has always been confined in Marquez to Spanish-speakers, principally those from largely Hispanic areas of the island, where the party is frequently considered the dominant political force. Through until the early eighties they were a far more multi-faceted party than today, with the party itself campaigning on a single issue basis by individual candidates offering a wide range of policies, but the leadership victory of Luís Antonio Alonso cemented their journey into a right-leaning, pro-Catholic organisation.

It’s long been a matter for debate as to whether the MNP are a positive force or not, but under Estevéz they have shown a willingness to function as a normal party, co-operating with other members in the House on policy issues far detached from the basic problem of Marquezian autonomy. The days of Jesus Moreira Pozzi and his principles of non-cooperation are long gone.

Leader: Jorge Estevéz, born 14th September 1949, in Saladas nr Arrigo. Unusually among the MNP, Estevéz had an Anglo mother and was brought up bilingually, influencing his life-long fascination with linguistics. He is the only current party leader with both a BA and PhD, gained from the University of Arrigo and University of Burnaby (Kelssek) respectively. His particular field of study was comparative evolutionary geolinguistics, and in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s he published a series of works including a well-received and seminal paper on the relationship between Candelarias Spanish and Benroomese.

Throughout this time he was a sympathiser to the cause of Marquezian independence, believing that the concept of a separate Hispanic society in the Candelarias was in danger of dying out over the influence of English; not to mention the active discrimination that Hispanics faced in their everyday life even as late as the 1980s. He was a member of the Acción Delantera group, but left in reaction to the north-east bombings of ’84. Instead, he turned to the MNP and rapidly became a respected member of the party thanks to his perceived ability to cross factional lines and present a more moderate face. He was one of eight MPs returned to the House in 1988 and he became the party’s spokesman on home affairs issues. In 1992, following the election of seventeen MNP MPs he moved across to the foreign affairs brief, before replacing the deceased Raúl Montano as party leader.

He remains C&M’s longest-serving contemporary party leader. To his many critics, Estevéz remains little more than a noisy trouble-maker, blaming the Albrecht government for any and all of Hispanic Marquez’s social ills and continuing to preach independence as a cure-all for the island. Accusations of nepotism are seldom far away, with Jorge’s daughter April currently serving as his deputy.

However, even those fiercely opposed to his ideals concede his impressive skills as an orator, and his success in rapidly transforming the MNP from a single-issue pressure group into a fully-rounded conservative catholic party.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will achieve economic independence from Candelaria. Will maintain a commitment to the mixed economy, attempting to limit the power of big business, big government and big unions – with Marquez’s small businesses becoming the focus of government support, without major government interference. Will denationalise most major Marquez industries and give financial and moral backing to rural collectives, particularly in the north and east, based around sustainable fishing, mining and tree felling. Will however any attempts at a widespread programme of privatisation of the public services until thorough examinations of the public benefit of such moves have been carried out. Promises to commit to making Marquez the business capital of Rushmore; investing in the environment, competitiveness, enterprise and innovation. Will adopt an innovative approach to business tax. Will encourage transparency in all areas of state planning, to allow for full public participation. Will promote foreign investment in Marquez from companies with respect for the independent country’s heritage. Will invest in Marquez’s unique selling points as a tourist destination. Will institute significant tax cuts and increase family support. any attempts at a widespread programme of privatisation until thorough examinations of the public benefit of such moves have been carried out. Would establish a common energy policy with Candelaria.

Foreign Policy: Will achieve independence on foreign representation from Candelaria. An independent Marquez would withdraw from WA membership but remain intractable and instinctively part of Rushmore whilst maintaining a policy of ‘eternal friendship’ with Candelaria and the Outlying Islands. Will formalise productive relations with other Spanish-speaking, democratic nations around the globe. Will establish a new Marquez Defence Force with an increased budget for defence and limited conscription.

Law & Order: Will achieve legal independence from Candelaria. Will reintroduce a one-strike policy on drink driving and other serious motoring offences, as well as the suspension of driver’s licences for the failure to transport children without seatbelts. Will introduce a new island-wide policy on firearms youth and ownership that takes into account the needs of the rural community and the responsible carrying out of countryside pursuits, as well as the legitimacy of citizens’ rights to protect themselves, their families and their homes from intruders. Will reform the system of legal aim to introduce compulsory insurance schemes, whist maintaining a guarantee of legal representation to the most disadvantaged in society. Will reform the new Police Service to more broadly represent the ethnic make-up of Marquez society whilst seeking to end a policy of ‘ethnic police from ethnic problems’. Will acknowledge the modern influence of transnational crime and seek improved relations with key overseas police agencies. Will urgently attempt to tackle the problems of family breakdown and youth unemployment that are a major factor in incidents of crime in Marquez, and low-level anti-social behaviour. Will resist any attempts by local authorities to tolerate the presence of brothels and red-light districts across Marquezian cities. Will end the current softy-softly approach on drug use among prisoners, and focusing on eradicating their distribution and use among the incarcerated. Will establish a formal national comission into combating child abuse. Will fund increased refuge accomodation and promices to take the problem of domestic abuse in Marquez seriously.

Citizenship: Will provide all Marquezian residents with Marquezian citizenship, and offer citizenship to Candelarian, Outlien and other foreign residents of Marquezian birth. Will streamline the process for asylum, residency and citizenship applications to ensure that newcomers are not left in a state of limbo.

Environment: Promises to reverse the trend towards major and rapid population increases of Marquez’s major population centres. Promises to stress the importance of Marquez’s rural and agricultural areas, which need not be among the most impoverished as has long been the case, making agricultural policy coherently address the economic, social and environmental needs of rural communities. Will increase energy generation from wind power. Promises to make massive cuts in nationwide CO2 emissions.

Public Services: Promises to stress the need for a modern transport system, investing in Marquez’s rail and bus networks – upgrading services in key network routes, ensuring that the island possesses a public transport network contributing towards sustainable economic growth. Will forge ahead with a public road network which serves the economic and social needs of all Marquez – urban and rural, east and west. Promises to tackle the gap in basic skills among the poorest Marquezians. Will introduce new measures to tackle bullying and sexual abuse in Marquezian schools. Promises to commit to sustained investment in quality training and world-class research and development. Will provide assistance to the many people in Marquez who have not been given the now obligatory skill levels in literacy and numeracy in childhood. Will introduce lessons in safe internet use in primary schools. Will begin the denationalisation of the NHS in favour of a medicare system. Will expand the role of nurses and other health professionals.

Democratic Reform: Will declare unilateral independence as the Republic of Marquez upon election, establish a provisional constitution to allow for the creation of a new, Marquezian House of Representatives under the Prime Minister, call new elections and, if re-elected, will work with all House parties in drafting a new constitution of Marquez. Promises a fully equal status towards Spanish and English.

Civil Liberties: Will support all families as the bedrock of a strong Marquezian society, and offer family-friendly policies committing the party to; enhanced ante-natal care that includes parenting skills, financial literacy and relationships support; offering parents real choice in childcare, introducing a scheme supporting schools, community groups and voluntary organizations to set up reading projects encouraging parents and carers to read with children from an early age; creating a cabinet-level Minister for the Family that puts a champion for traditional families at the heart of government. Will tackle the horrific mistreatment of children in care, creating new state boarding schools while promoting permanent adoption over fostering.


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Allied Libertarian Party
V.A.P.I.D:Moderate right-libertarianism
Origins: The original Libertarian Party was formed in the late Seventies, but remained a fringe organisation blighted by infighting. In 1990, a group of six current and five former Unionist MPs, led by the then Energy minister Alan Draper-Dyer quit the party over leader John van den Heuvel’s continued refusal to challenge the consensus on the welfare state and embrace radical measures to tackle the seemingly ending scourge of unemployment and poor living standards. Together with members of the pre-existing Libertarian Party and others they formed the Libertarian-Unionist Party, but initial hopes of becoming a major new force were dashed in ’92 when they failed to pick up a single seat despite the introduction of PR in the House. There then followed a protracted series of arguments, principally over the issue of Marquezian nationhood or autonomy and its relation to the party’s central ideology.

In early 1999 Hasson Lazarus became leader and this more agreeable face helped the LUP get far more press attention, culminating in winning just over two per cent of the vote in 2000 and taking four parliamentary seats. Shortly afterwards, they entered into an agreement with their almost polar opposites in Anderson’s Unionist Party, and in 2004 not only doubled their vote but won one of the regional seats, Fallon Island, thanks to a controversial alliance with the People’s Revolutionary Party of Cabrera Island.

They entered government together with the Unionists and Conservatives. As with the latter, the ALP – now reunited with the Candelarias’ original Libertarian Party – have produced a surprisingly radical (and one might say, un-Candelariasian) manifesto.

Leader: Hasson Lazarus, born 11th February 1950 in Albrecht. The son of Lidor Partiyelicabudimadar, who served as President David Clarke’s Minister for Transport in the late Sixties as the highest-ranking politician who arrived in the Candelarias after childhood for many years. The young Hasson – who took his parents’ region of origin for his surname rather the unwieldy one of his birth – entered Unionist politics in the late Seventies. He won an Albrecht seat in the 1980 election and was briefly a junior minister at the Home Office before joining George Nikolov’s rebels in ousting President Kyle from the Unionist Party. He eventually was given his father’s old brief, but later fell out with many of his colleague’s over their reliance on taxation and welfare to prop up the collapsing economy and lost his job and, in 1988, parliamentary seat.

He was a founding member of the LUP and an instantly popular figure with the left of the party, an allegiance he has retained despite the mainstream party’s move to the right. Certainly, Lazarus supports a certain degree of income distribution and an egalitarian view regarding the private ownership of natural resources, to the point where numerous sources have taken to referring to him && socialist and anarchist, though he rejects both terms. Extremely personable and likeable, Lazarus is known to be opposed to hunting, gun ownership and in favour of a sympathetic stance on crime; positions that he justifies by pointing out that many of his colleagues are both opposed to abortion but militantly pro-choice.

Lazarus is a secular Jew, is married to his second wife Laura, a quality surveyor, and has one young daughter, Rosie, from his previous relationship. He enjoys collecting military antiques and cultivating his ginger beard.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Promises the staggered abolition of all duties, tariffs, taxes and levies, with income tax set at a transitionary rate of 15%. Will repeal unnecessary state restrictions on free trade and legislation controlling wages, prices, rents, profits, production and interest rates. Will end government subsidies to any special interest groups, eliminating any and all job creation schemes and government agencies involved in industry and business and end restrictions on foreign investment. Will abolish the minimum and maximum wage and maximum working week. Will support the rights of both employers and unions, and removing government interference from their actions.

Foreign Policy: Will withdraw from the WA and all current Rushmori agreements, instead establishing a network of alliances with other free nations. Will strengthen the armed forces, including the reestablishment of a strong airforce; with all such endeavours based purely around defence, with a steadfast continuation of C&M’s non-interventionalist policy. Will end all remaining foreign aid programmes while removing restrictions of private financing of overseas projects.

Law & Order: Will repeal all laws creating victimless crimes, including (but not limited to) all anti-drug, alcohol, prostitution and weapon possession legislation. Promises to address the root causes of crime by deconstructing the welfare state, ending welfare dependence and promoting the right to self-defence. Will re-establish the justice system based on the presumption of innocence and support restitution for the victim at the expense of all rights of the proven perpetrator, as well as supporting the right of victims to pardon the criminal. Will remove defences based on ‘insanity’ or ‘diminished responsibility’, and ending tax-supported ‘mental health’ facilities and other psychiatric treatment programmes. Promises to support the introduction of ‘novel solutions’ for settling non-criminal cases.

Citizenship: Promises to run a completely open immigration policy, with newcomers subject to the same job seeking laws as anyone else in C&M. Will welcome any immigrants including refugees and asylum seekers, so long as they have a Candelariasian sponsor willing to offer them work or otherwise support their life in the Candelarias. [The ALP remain rather vague on the precise nature of C&M Citizenship under their administration, and the status of Marquez and the Outliers].

Environment: Promises to help the legal system to effectively protect Candelariasian people and their property from unwanted air and water pollution. Promises to acknowledge climate change as a natural process not effected to any obvious degree by human carbon dioxide production, and reject global warming fearmongering. Will encourage individuals to make up their own decisions on such environmental ‘protection’ issues. Will hand over the newly-established national parks to private, naturalist organisations.

Public Services: Will take rail lines, trams, buses, taxis, ports, ferries and airports entirely out of state hands and into private business, with ownership of and responsibility for public roads given to those living in the relevant areas. Will abolish the NHS and all government interference in the health sector (including ending the need for medical practitioners to be licensed by the government) and open health care out entirely to the private sector. Will likewise sever the link between the state and education, with state-run bodies handed over to those who currently use them and with shareholders having the freedom to run them how they wish. Will abolish the national curriculum and all current national examinations and qualifications. Will remove all public funding from TV1, TV2, C&M-Live etcetera.

Democratic Reform: Promises to promote the abolition of the National Council and return the House to a first-past-the-post constituency system across all seats. Promises to increase both the accountability and practical influence of constituency MPs. Will remove all special legislation regarding Marquez, the Spanish language and Hispanic Marquezian society and law.

Civil Liberties: Will remove all legislation that attempts to criminalize opinion, save implicit threats of violence. Will end all restrictions on internet use and state-use of spyware on innocent citizens. Will reduce police powers and removing the option to instigate curfews and break up public protest. Promises to end censorship across the media and beyond, be it of pornography, speech or otherwise. Will legalise euthanasia, polygamy etcetera.


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Party for a Free Marquez
V.A.P.I.D:Marquez nationalism, democratic socialism
Origins: El Partido para un Marquez Libre, established in mid-1959, is the only current major party in C&M to have been formed as an armed movement. From its off there were tensions in its ranks, principally between the Hispanic faction led by Albert Fernández (most of whom were eager to see Marquez become and remain an independent state) and the Anglo faction under Robert Lewis. Equally, while the group informally had no overarching ideology – besides ending the rule of James McManus by any means necessary and supporting the democratic Marquezian government under the right-winger Gustavo Higa – there was a significant Marxist-Leninist sector among its guerrilla fighters, conflicting with a general membership and grassroots support that was from a decidedly more mainstream background.

The group continued to effectively form Marquez’s armed forces, supporting the rebel Candelarian ADFs against those loyal to the McManus regime through minor acts of terrorism, though at no point did the FM target civilians on either island. The group’s political wing under Fernández shared power in the short-lived Marquezian House of Representatives during the first half of 1960, from where Fernández and his colleagues began to advocate the new Republic’s reunification with Candelaria. The move was hardly popular with the party’s Hispanic support, and though many remained loyal to the inspiration Fernández there was soon a steady drift towards the more vociferously pro-independence MNP, under Jesus Moreira Pozzi.

Following the ’64 elections and the arrival of Rául Mendoza as leader, the party began to move back in favour of Marquezian autonomy and restructured itself as a mainstream democratic socialist force, steadily ousting the more extreme members from its ranks. Unlike the MNP, they retained a significant Anglo minority, but the increased support for the idea of some form of special status being given to Marquez among the Tories and Modern Liberals led many English-speakers to leave the FM and support the national forces. Free Marquez remained the party of that island for many years however, speaking for moderate leftist Hispanics, but the increased respectability of the SDP in Marquez began to steal some of their thunder. They began to be seen as increasingly ineffectual in the face of the far more raucous demands by the MNP for independence and restitution for Hispanic suffering not only during the Civil War but for decades before and since.

Under Joaquin Montéz they were part of the governing coalition from 1980 to ’88, but in ’84 their parliamentary representation fell below that of the MNP for the first time. After dropping to a low of five MPs in ’88, the move to PR and the presence of Kevin Diallo as leader helped them double that figure four years later. Since then however they have only a negligible parliamentary force, rank with infighting between the two dominant ethno-cultural groups. Certainly, their constitutional claims aimed at forming an Anglo-Hispanic monoculture in Marquez seem a long way from attaining reality.

Leader: Matthew Andrew Cash, born 11th March 1960, in Arrigo. Cash was born posthumously after his father, a police inspector, was killed in the government bombing of Arrigo during the Civil War, as the youngest of five children. He was raised predominately by his grandparents, and has always been known by his father’s name of Andrew.

After initial hopes of following his father into the police service, he later opted to study politics at the University of Arrigo and has spent his entire working life in that field. Cash met his future wife Noemia Cordero at university and despite his overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon upbringing he rapidly became a Free Marquez supporter, devoted to the idea that a bicultural, socialist Marquez was possible only by a formal separation from Candelaria. He became the assistant to Free Marquez leader Joaquin Montéz in Albrecht and, in 1990, the first non-Hispanic chairman of the party, playing a major role in working for Kevin Diallo’s campaign for leadership.

Cash was a victim of the internal power struggles in the party between the Spanish-speakers and Anglophones, but the popular election of Brian Kolendowicz as leader returned the party to a more even basis. Kolendowicz’s performance as leader was considered poor however, and Cash was encouraged to stand against him for leadership in late 2007, winning comfortably.

Free Marquez have become increasingly media-savvy in Cash’s few months at the helm, but their poll ratings remain low. Cash has sought a more moderate image, and in recent times has stressed the emergence of an economic plan that diverges greatly from the party’s origins on the hard left. He too has run afoul of the allegations that have blighted the MNP leader Jorge Estévez’s recent years, after he confirmed that his wife Noemia would be a highly ranked on the party’s list for 2008.

The couple, for the record, have two pre-teen daughters, Felipe and Cecia, and enjoy long walks in the country.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will aim to eliminate the differential in unemployment rates between Anglos and Hispanics in Marquez by 2012. Will establish clear targets for economic growth and job creation as the precursor to a robust and open partially planned economy. Will establish new overseas trade relationships with democratic states beyond C&M’s usual diplomatic and economic radar. Will build on Marquez’s potential as a tourist destination and the cultural centre of Hispanic Rushmore.

Foreign Policy: Would consider withdrawing an independent Marquez from the WA, or retaining a joint seat with Candelaria. Will enthusiastically work towards further Rushmori integration and enlargement, and take a central place in regional affairs to represent Marquezian interests and promote a fair society regionwide.

Law & Order: Will make greater use of community sentencing, acknowledging the poor results of youth imprisonment. Promices to increase the numbers of police officers on Marquez’s streets. Will establish a new, fully funded, strategy aimed at drastically altering the culture of violence in Marquezian society. Will formally acknowleding the illnesses of drug and alcohol addiction, placing a greater emphasis on education, rehabilitation, detoxification and counselling.

Citizenship Aims to see an independence referendum in Marquez within ten years and/or to agree the establishment of a democratic law-making body for the future semi-antonymous island. Promises an open, fair policy on asylum and immigration, and will make all efforts in encouraging the assimilation of minorities in Marquezian society, including using public funding to improve representation in the media etcetera.

Environment Will focus on developing the rural economy, in protecting and developing services to rural communities and in providing affordable housing in rural communities. Will encourage diversification on farms and a more diverse economic base generally in rural areas. Will establish structures to encourage individuals from beyond traditional farming bckgrounds to enter the industry, while providing paths from multi-generational farmers to enter the mainstream economy. Promices to commit to strong targets on lowering omissions. Promices to help develop a more integrated, Candelarias-wide approach to recycling.

Public Services Will increase investment in public transport, developing new light rail systems for the major cities. Will extend concessionary fares schemes. Will scrap the current national curiculum and current examinations in favour of a system based on internationally recognised educational qualifications. Will greatly increase support for children with learning difficulties including autism spectrum disorders. Will invest in pre-school centres as a means of tackling malnutrition and early behavioural problems. Will furthur schemes promoting social responsibility and participation. Will provide all Marquezians with the opportunity to enter higher education, creating new work-based Furthur Education Colleges. Will cancel all student tuition fees, while higher education establishments in Marquez would receive substantial funding to bring them up to Candelarian standards in attainment. Will encourage more university applyers in Marquez to train in the professions the island most requires over subjects with a less obvious path into employment. Will separate the Marquezian NHS from the Candelarian, dedicating funds to the largest causes of health concern in the second island. Will guarentee stricter hygine standards in hospitals. Promices to improve funding to mental health services. Promices to endeavour that sufferers of conditions ranging from Alzheimer’s to arthritis will receive the drugs they need. Will cease funding to the NHS Arrigo Homeopathic Centre. Promices to reduce hospital waiting lists.

Democratic Reform: Will permit a referendum on Marquezian independence. Will in either case establish a new democratic legislative chamber for Marquez, taking decision-making on island issues away from Albrecht.

Civil Liberties Believes that the threat of terrorism from both within and without has been exaggerated, and will not allow the subject to be used as an excuse for furthering surveillance of Candelariasian citizens and law-abiding visitors. Are the only major party to promise to fully compensate the victims of both Civil War bombings and separatist terror attacks, no matter how many years have gone by since the event.


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Christian People’s Party
VAPID: Social conservatism, Christian right
Origins: The original Christian Patriotic Party was an initially very minor entity with expressed views leaning towards the far right, though with socialist economic policies. Until the 1950s they had strong links with the British Israelism movement, and campaigned vociferously against homosexuality and miscegenation, as well as being virulently anti-Hispanic. They were initially reluctant allies of the Socialist Party, but later become outspoken critics under Joshua Hopkins, a figure deemed sufficiently statesmanlike to become one of the post-Civil War Prime Ministers under President Kjell Olousson.

The CPP maintained a presence in the House until 1976, when their two remaining seats were wiped out. Certain high-profile members soon defected elsewhere, but a hardcore remained intent on moving the party away from the less welcome elements of its past and towards the current, forward-thinking entity it claims to be today. Reformed as the Christian People’s Party in 2002 under Hopkins’ son Joel; the CPP’s objection towards practises supposedly outlawed by the Christian bible remains in place, but they have made genuine efforts not only to wipe out the inherent racism in the former party but move beyond it to consider separate races and cultures as manmade constructs. One of their current MPs is a black man, Smythe Okpara, and a considerable sector of their support now comes from evangelical African communities.

For all this however, the party remains very publicly committed to a conviction in the supremacy of God and Jesus Christ. They have attempted to spread their own personal gospel primarily through churches, of a whole variety of denominations, and their support for the extended powers and influence of such entities has no doubt encouraged certain church leaders to push the CPP cause to their congregations. Party literature has always stressed that governments should not attempt to “remedy every social ill”, and that the Family (always with a capital F) and the Family Church should instead lead the way in this regard.

In practical terms of course the primary purpose of the CPP is to give Candelariasian Christians a very vocal voice in the House – and a voice unafraid to offend certain social minorities. In recent times however their support seems to be falling, with many analysts claiming that their stances have simply shifted too far to the right for most Candelariasians.

Leader: Joel Hopkins, born 17th July 1951, in Albrecht. The son of former PM Joshua Hopkins, Joel was educated at the prestigious Barnwood School, before going on to join the National Armoured Corps, C&M’s only tank-based regiment, where he failed to see any active duty for the best part of a decade. He dabbled in various charitable roles before entering politics as a Unionist local councillor, but his long-term goal was always to reform his father’s party.

This he finally achieved in 2002, leading the party to take an unprecedented four seats in the House and becoming one of the most recognisable figures in Candelariasian politics. His efforts to whitewash any links with the far-right have proven impressively successful, and Hopkins is often considered one of the most reasonable voices in Christian politics in C&M, though he has the advantage of leading a party with almost no obvious policies beyond those directly connected to moralistic Christianity. Hopkins’ popularity has floundered lately however with the return to prominence of both the Tories and MNP, while his own “God has empowered me” type rhetoric has lost him and the CPP much support across those Candelariasian Christians who find such pronouncements cringeworthy. The shift to the right on immigration issues in particular has also offended more moderate Christians, who now look to be slowly moving back towards the Tories.

He is married with two daughters. His hair is not his own.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Will focus on rebuilding C&M’s manufacturing sector to create jobs, promoting competition and environmental concern. Will cut taxes and tax rates where such moves are appropriate to restore work incentives, believing that this and tackling the financial aspects of marriage breakdown are key to ending the growing dependency of welfare among certain sections of society.

Foreign Policy: Will pull out of the WA in favour of establishing alliances with a network of “like-minded” nations; but will increase C&M’s financial and practical contributions to less well-off nations as well as providing tax breaks for organisations and individuals prepared to do “good works” abroad. Will stop the process of Rushmori integration, and are the only represented party to speak out in favour of “regional re-alignment”. Will enact an isolationist defence policy that would enable C&M to defend its borders against a similar-sized foe even without support from new or traditional allies, but would also encourage traditional military links with other Christian countries. Promises to provide more encouragement to potential recruits, while removing from the forces those who practise immoral or unnatural lifestyle and restricting women to non-combat roles.

Law & Order: Will assert the Biblical basis of Candelariasian law, and seek to amend the justice system where possible to better reflect both the letter and spirit of God’s word. Will ban abortion and reproductive technology in all circumstances. Promises to formally protect Sunday as the Lord’s Day on pain of prosecution. Promises to remove laws prohibited corporal punishment meted out on children by responsible guardians. Will affirm the right to self defence, and legalise the use of firearms by law-abiding citizens. Will seek to prohibit X-Rated pornography, and impose strict fines on media outlets who promote degrading and corrupting sexual images, particularly where such perversions could be seen by children. Will encouraged police to tackle minor acts of public indecency and crime, to nip such behaviours in the bud. Will trial new programmes favouring restorative justice. Will refocus criminal rehabilitation towards Christian principles over failed psychological “treatments”. Promises to tackle instances of “soft divorce.”

Citizenship Promises celebrate the cultural diversity now present in C&M. Promises however to stress the central importance of C&M’s Christian heritage and values and will attempt to discourage multicultural ideologies that have proven divisive to the cause of creating a harmonious society. Will not tolerate illegal immigration, however C&M should increase its status as a haven for genuine refugees, with priority given to English-speakers who appear most likely to integrate rapidly into Candelariasian life; particularly those fleeing persecution for their Christian faith. Will strip the citizenship of foreign-born Muslims who are seen to speak in favour of terrorism, sharia law or separate communities, and place strict limitations on Islamic immigration.

Environment Promises to acknowledge the reality of man-made climate change, but would withdraw from unworkable international agreements on lowering carbon emissions, etcetera, and remove taxes which place the burden for reducing global warming on Candelariasian citizens. Will instead develop robust policies designed to protect the Candelarias and their inhabitants from the worst effects of the weather, and dramatically increase funding for early warning systems and practical protection for costal and riverside locals. Will seek to restrict the ownership of farmland to families and co-operatives only.

Public Services Will assert that state’s role in transportation should be one of establishing safety standards only, and will turn over the majority of the transport industry to the private sector. Will affirm that parents should take responsibility as the primary educators of their children, and will turn over the majority of state schools to private concerns. Will provide an allowance to housewives who wish to educate their children from home at any stage of their educational development, and institute a large number of supportive parenting centres in public areas to provide resources and support for home educators. Will encourage the establishment of both independent and state schools showing a “firm moral basis”, and scrap the current national curriculum in favour of a more flexible programme created by students, parents, teachers, universities and employers rather than by government. Promises to refocus the purpose of education as allowing pupils to reach the summit of their own natural abilities rather than meet random government targets. Will fund school chaplains to provide emotional and spiritual support for pupils, parents and teachers and to help in the application of core Candelariasian values, particularly in multi-ethnic areas. Will legislation forcing teachers to promote aberrant lifestyles such as homosexuality. Will reintroduce immigration policies favouring English-speaking medical professionals, as well as increasing the numbers of domestic medical and nursing schools. Will continue and advance zero-tolerance policies on illicit drugs including nicotine and prohibit the selling of alcohol beyond socially responsible public houses and other similar outlets. Will permit churches to run responsible medical services.

Democratic Reform: Promises to amend the Constitution to affirm C&M’s obedience to God, and to Christian moral values as revealed through the bible. Will encourage the development of a united, multi-denominational Church whose popularly elected head would serve as the symbolic head of state of C&M, with executive power being vested in the Prime Minister.

Civil Liberties Promises to seek an end to unrighteous discrimination in C&M society. Will remove any laws forcing the state to tolerate sexual aberration, and the promotion of any biblically unordained forms of “marriage” between anyone but a man and a woman. Will seek to end state intervention in the life of real families, wherever possible. Will repeal any and all legislative or administrative measures that undermine or degrade marriage by conferring on homosexual, lesbian or transsexual pairings any form of legal recognition of their “relationships” through “civil unions”. Promises to respect shows of non-violent opposition and will repeal Unionist laws on the outer limits of crowd control.

*Applauds*

This is the most thought out, planned out, and written out election thread I have ever seen in my 5 years of NationStates. You, sir, have done well.

Yet More Minor Parties Represented in the 2004-08 House

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Workers Party
V.A.P.I.D: Democratic socialism
Origins: Far-left parties have existed in the Candelarias for decades, if not centuries, and have always maintained a presence in the House, but the Candelariasian people’s natural antipathy towards extreme and literally revolutionary views always kept them as minor forces with little public support outside a few small enclaves – where principally then won seats only thanks to protest votes. Some MPs from these small parties did manage to retain their seats for more than one election, but in most instances their practical contributions to parliamentary life saw them take up a much more moderate stance.

The emergence, and disaster, of the Socialist Party is much documented, and in the post-Civil War era the party maintained a presence only in the north-east until their transformation back into a more mainstream force. Many parties with wildly divergent outlooks came and went with little public support, until the formation of the Workers Party in 1989. Taking advantage of the new PR system in the House, the WP won 1.03% of the PV and returned two MPs for the first time, led by Rubén Gómez.

The WP’s newfound success was surprising, and it was built on a support far detached from the miners and other industrial workers than had lifted James McManus to power and supported later attempts to form new Marxist movements. What was particularly key was the speed at which it had formed and spread on both sides of the estrecho innomado, and the that the leading figures were entirely new names – rather than those former leader Socialist MPs who had declined to join the SDP as had previously been the case.

Initially an outspokenly Trotskyist entity, the leader from 1994 following Gómez’s death, Adi Randall, saw that the only route to long-term success was to pander to the middle ground and ‘put the ists to bed’. The Randall-led party stayed true to many of the WP’s original principles, though they now no longer advocate revolution. They have attempted to model themselves on foreign entities, in particular the Democratic Communist Party of Ariddia, and have taken to emphasising social justice values of full employment, guaranteed full free education and healthcare, etcetera. The party’s real breakthrough came in 2004, when Abdul Hussian stunningly took the West Alvery regional constituency from its long-time Unionist representative.

Leader: Adrian Peter (Adi) Randall, born 12th March 1956, in Alvery. The son of a builder, Randall attended the city’s law school before becoming a solicitor in a private practise in Bove. His socialist policies were in evidence from a young age, and he worked on behalf of various such organisations including the Maoist Candelarias Communist Party, and his political career has been marked by a steady move to a more moderate position. Even today however he still stands by his most extreme youthful comments.

Randall was a founder member of the North-East Workers’ Revolutionary Party, but the party fragmented over the struggle for power between industrial workers and more middle-class members within its ranks. Randall was the instrumental in founding the nationwide Workers’ Party, under the inspiration Rubén Gómez. Later, as leader, Randall has attempted to move the party into the middle ground, though they remain the most economically and socially left wing party of the fourteen standing in the PV.

He remains publicly devoted to achieving ‘twenty-first century socialism’ however, and party policies are still based around appealing to industrial workers. Randall is divorced from a fellow solicitor, Karen Jones. They have one daughter.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Promises to return full rights to trade unions in return for the institution of full democracy in such bodies, and focus government policy on the best interests of the working peoples of the Candelarias. Will covert large industrial, service, pharmaceutical, and agricultural corporations must be publicly owned enterprises, together with all banking and financial institutions and the privatised utilities. Will pay full compensation to small shareholders. Will provide all small and medium-sized businesses ready access to credit, so long as they provide decent wages and working conditions. Will provide to all those unable to work – the disabled, elderly, and full-time parents and carers – must be provided with the equivalent of a living wage. Will abolish all punitive and degrading welfare reviews and assessments, and commit to providing the unemployed with useful education and training. Will raise the state pension to the level of the average wage and a set a voluntary retirement age of 55. Will double the minimum wage. Promises to end the financial hardship facing working families, placing a moratorium on all interest repayments write off unsustainable debts made under the previous capitalist regime.

Foreign Policy: Will bring an end to all Rushmori integration based on protecting the interests of the capitalist class, but promises to affirm a long-time aim towards creating a strong, socialist USR. Will dismantle the Defences Forces and Secret Service in favour of defence forces answerable to the democratic will of the Candelariasian people. Promises an end of the arms industry and any calls for the reintroduction of uranium mining.

Law & Order: Will commit to using prisons singularly for adults guilty of violent offences, with those suffering from addiction and mental ill-health given the treatment they require in the appropriate accommodation, with a full recognition that the debt society owes them for having failed in their education or proper healthcare. Will remove all abortion laws. Will grant full legal equality to all gay people, genderqueers and the differently human.

Citizenship: Will award full citizenship for all immigrants able to prove six-month residency in the Candelarias, repeal all discriminatory measures against immigrants and asylum seekers and guarantee worker the right to study, live and work wherever they choose, regardless of nationality.

Environment: Will seek internationally coordinated plans against global warming, pollution and other forms of environmental destruction, placing the interests of the world’s population ahead of the profit margins of the major corporations of the world’s dominant capitalist powers.

Public Services: Promises to gradually downsize C&M’s road network, and end any new programmes aimed at road building etcetera. Will give local councils the power to run the entirety of the public transport system in their area. Will give increased financial support to footpaths and cycle tracks. Will bring all bus, rail and ferry services into public ownership. Will remove any funding to private schools. Promises to reduce class sizes, ensure full funding for special schools and provide teaching staff with a guaranteed working wage. Will remove all student tuition fees, making higher education available to all. Will encourage full democracy in universities and other tertiary educational bodies. Promises to make the NHS fully free to the point of need, fully democratic and fully publicly owned. Promises to invest in community healthcare, particularly in Marquez, and reduce hospital waiting times. Promises to pour funds into libraries, museums, theatres, orchestras, public television and radio, broadband access and scientific technology as vital public services.

Democratic Reform: Will present a firm No to the notion of Marquezian independence nor that of the Outliers – the working class across the Candelarias, Rushmore and beyond instead needing to ally against all forms of nationalism, racism and other forms of capitalist-led separation.

Civil Liberties Would abolish Military Intelligence in its current form, and all its subsidiaries, and demand the removal of all military incursions into domestic law enforcement. Promises to repeal all special anti-terror legislation and close any and all secret detention centres, with those accused of terror offences being treated, tried and punished as ordinary criminals. Will take specific measures against public discrimination of all forms and ensure equal pay and opportunities for women and minorities.


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Alliance of Nationalist Parties
V.A.P.I.D: White nationalism, social conservatism, left authoritarianism
Origins: Far-right groups began to emerge in the Candelarias in the 1930s, mostly peddling fascist views influenced by Christian anti-Semitism. The country’s only relative lack of an influential Jewish population stopped their rise, and the majority of the population seeking drastic political change opted to look to the extreme left.

Anti-Hispanic politicians formed a large segment of the major political parties through until the late twentieth century, though by the 1970s it had become largely taboo to publicly state any such views that went beyond simple criticism of the more militant activities by Marquezian nationalist groups. Indeed by this time the principal figures of the MNP and similar groups were more likely to make racially-tinged commentary against the ‘Anglo-Saxon oppressors’.

Though the country did not participate directly in WWII, solidarity with Britain effectively killed Candelariasian Fascism off, but the post-war era saw the rise of anti-communist parties and pressure groups, many of which attempted to stress the Candelarias’ dying relationship to the Empire. Until relatively recently, Candelarias nationalism was based around a core belief that the country’s destiny laid in its relationship with the ‘mothercountry’, rather than emphasising the islands’ right to self-determination – the concept of the term ‘nationalism’ retains predominately left-wing connotations in the islands to this day. The post-war declaration of full independence, without membership of the British Commonwealth or the retaining of the monarch as head of state, gave such groups a platform, and they maintained an influence long after the Civil War.

The first beginnings of a significant non-white population began in the 1930s, with the arrival of Spanish-speaking individuals from a variety of backgrounds, but with the great majority settling in Hispanic areas of Marquez, the bulk of the islands’ Caucasian population was not introduced to the realities of multi-ethnicism until after the Civil War, with the arrivals of thousands of blacks and Asians who overtook year-on-year white immigration by 1971. Certain parts of the country had experienced a prequel to this already; particularly the Outliers where the steady influx of ethnic Rushmori and oriental workers had seen white nationalist and supremacist groups move into the mainstream. As inner-city areas of the mainland began to experience the rapid growth in the non-white population, so entities such as the Shoemaker Club became increasingly well-known nationwide, but citizens opposed to mass immigration from non-whites also found a voice in the more mainstream Conservative and Socialist parties, while even members of the MLP began to adopt more sympathetic attitudes to those who feared their cities being overrun by non-Europeans. Allowing in so many became politically untenable, and their numbers began to drop by the 1970s. Their replacements however were often of Russian, Serbian and Northlandish origin, as well as another wave of Italians, many of whom opting to live in enclaves both in urban and rural areas show little inclination towards integration, while many second-generation non-whites were exhibiting a far greater willingness to adapt to their new home. As such, anti-immigration movements began to divide into those who opposed large numbers of newcomers full stop, and those with obviously white separatist views.

By the 1990s, the numbers of non-white immigrants had risen sharply again, leading to a significant white flight in areas of Albrecht and other key cities. Many of those who remained began to look to the Candelarias Democratic Voice, the New Socialist Party and Candelarian Albrecht for support, but the limited power of more militant groups such as the National Front and Future remained tied to conservative, subrural areas. Few groups opted to blame high youth unemployment, particularly in the cities, on immigrants, and militant organisations formed by ‘angry young men’ were generally of an apolitical, nihilistic nature, and frequently included non-whites.

Some have argued that the lack of popular success of far-right groups in the Candelarias is down to an all-pervading social conservatism that runs through Candelariasian society and has supposedly been masked by the progressivism of the Unionists, both National and Clarkeite. Others maintain that C&M is a country built on multiculturalism of one form or another, and where the majority of the population acknowledges the cultural enrichment brought by non-British or Spanish minorities throughout the decades. Whichever, the far-right maintained little obvious voice until the arrival of David Wild.

Leader: David Wild, born 17th February 1953, in Khatib-Gassett. Wild’s parents were, ironically, both immigrants to C&M themselves, as citizens of continental Rushmori countries of British origin. They brought with them stringent views on the Candelarias’ potential as an all-white enclave in multiracial Rushmore, and were also die-hard eugenicists, attracted to the Candelarias by the growth of the shadowy National Eugenics Council. Rumours surrounding Wild’s long-term ancestry have always been prevalent, but an appearance on a special political series of Who Do You Think You Are? put to bed any suggestion of a significant Semitic lineage. Wild’s wife Samantha is well known to have had a Jewish father, however. Wild’s own Freedom Party has emphasised a secular image, though he and most of his colleagues have failed to challenge accusations of holocaust denial.

David quickly became his parents’ protégé, working for the Candelarias Movement, of which they were members, after leaving school at sixteen. Wild later spent time abroad, developing business contacts and managing several small firms, from which he appears to have earned a not insubstantial fortune. Upon returning to C&M he became a leading light in the Candelarias Democratic Voice, eventually organising a formal split with the neo-nazi Democratic Group who had previously operated under the CDV’s banner.

Wild used his much-trumpeted opposition to neo-nazism to become a key figure in the less extreme right and established the Freedom Party, a group that campaigned for white separatism, over supremacy, and against political correctness and similar notions. On other political matters the party was relatively centrist, until in 1998 Wild arranged a merger with One Nation, a more implicitly Christian party, and several smaller groups under the banner of the Association of Nationalist Parties. Wild, with his calm and collected manner, was the only clear choice for its figurehead and though even the right-wing press regularly printed articles and commentaries denouncing him, the ANP won 0.7% of the Presidential Vote in 2000, delivering Wild into the House of Representatives.

Upon entering the House he struggled to make a real impact, with many SD&GP MPs in particular being regularly (if reluctantly) thrown out by the speaker for whistling during his pronouncements. The simple rallying cry of having an MP in parliament proved a major tonic for the far-right however, and his mere presence coupled with the broad union of far-right and white supremacist groups led to the party picking up over 1% of the vote in 2004: enough to give Wild a colleague in the House, Jan Biggs.

The fact that more than 1 in a hundred Candelariasians were prepared to vote for such a group stunned the country. In particular, most analysts had assumed that a significant part of their 2000 support had come from hard-line Christians seeking a new voice, and that the establishment of the Christian People’s Party would attract many ANP voters without avowedly racist views. The CPP did pick up a significant vote, indeed rather more than had been expected, but the ANP appeared to attract plenty of new supporters.

Wild and the party’s chances may have been damaged by the extradition warrants issued late last year by two Rushmori countries over allegations of corruption, fraud and the intimidation of witnesses related to Wild’s involvement in an overseas charity finding homes for working donkeys. Since C&M has no formal arrangement on such matters with these particular nations however, he has remained in the Candelarias, and already survived two attempts to dethrone him from within.

Platform: Economy and Employment: The ANP place tackling unemployment high on their agenda. Unemployed, healthy men will be strongly encouraged to be put to work in areas of the country and industry where they are needed the most. Women will have the right to work, but be strongly encouraged to concentrate their energies on caring for their homes and families. Will engender the cessation of cheap foreign imports flooding the market, with the Candelariasian economy re-focusing on both our industrial and agricultural potential. Will stop the steady infiltration of foreign supermarket chains. Will vastly reduce the number of casinos. Will promote real trade unionism, away from the spectre of left-wing politics. Will ban the use of all languages bar English and Spanish in Candelariasian places of work.

Foreign Policy: Complete withdrawal from all current treaties on Rushmori integration, the WA and all overseas peace-keeping commitments, instead focusing on establishing trading and/or military relationships with other countries as best suits Candelariasian needs. A complete overhaul of the Armed Forces, including the recreation of a world-class Air Force. Will restore national service, with both civil and military options available. A complete and final end to hand-outs to poor countries.

Law & Order: Will reintroduce capital punishment for all ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ murders, incidents of serious child abuse, treason and terrorism. Will restore the use of corporal punishment for other sex offences and drug users/peddlers. Criminals not guilty of violent offences (but including such individuals after they have served prison sentences) would be given extended periods as part of chain gangs. Will outlaw abortion, except in the most extreme medical circumstances.

Citizenship Will being the forced repatriation of all non-white immigrants having arrived in C&M over the previous decade to their country of origin, with other non-whites given a flat financial package to encourage re-settlement outside the Candelarias. Those professing the Islamic faith would be stripped of citizenship and deported, and all non-Christian places of worship to be demolished or placed in Christian hands. Will introduce strict limits to curb the non-white birth-rate. Will remove all asylum seekers to safe countries nearer their countries of origin.

Environment Will employ a fully scientific approach to the issue of climate change alongside laws to safeguard the destruction of our natural and agricultural heritage with tough laws protecting rare species, ecosystems and natural landscapes. Will prohibit animal testing and introduce hard-line animal cruelty laws.

Public Services Will end the persecution of the motorist, financing new road building programmes and lowering speed limits, while demanding all domestic automobile industries introduce clean fuels. All pensioners to receive free public transport. Will refocus on the teaching of History in primary and secondary schools, with a particular focus on the true histories of the European peoples and C&M’s British Imperial heritage. Corrupt, leftist ‘sex education’ will be replaced with the teaching and promotion of proper moral values including sexual abstinence. Education would focus on promoting family values and pride in British and Candelariasian history, including a full re-evaluation of the National Unionist movement and the works of Rueben Merchant. The end of the in-school promotion of sinful lifestyles and a promotion of the understanding of the dangers of racial mixing and multiculturalism. Will restructure the national health service run by and for the people, with an end to the employment of overseas-born doctors and nurses. Will promote a greater nationwide understanding of the need for physical exercise and an improved diet. Promises to reduce hospital waiting times.

Democratic Reform: Will refuse to provide any special status for Marquez, and bring the Outlying Islands formally into the Republic, removing the Island Governments. [Other party literature claims that the Island Governments will be promoted, presumably to assuage key ANP voters in the Outliers.] Will work with the SD&GP to devolve power to the lowest possible level and restore to the Candelariasian people the right to self-determination. Will bring Cabrera Island into the republic, by annexation if necessary.

Civil Liberties Will remove all CCTV and speed cameras, and the use of covert military intelligence techniques against law-abiding citizens. Will introduce laws against blasphemy. Will restore freedom of speech, removing ‘race relation’ laws against ‘hate speech’, and all forms of ‘positive discrimination’ against Anglo-Candelariasians. Will introduce new laws limited pornography and other offensive content in the media, alongside support for media outlets that put Candelariasian interests first and report reality rather than report through politically correct glasses.


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Independent Representation Party
V.A.P.I.D: Democratic reform, social democracy?
Origins: So, they’d done C&M Idol for singers. They’d done Big Brother. They’d done C&M’s Next Top Model. What was left for TTO, the country’s largest commercial broadcaster? Why, Political Idol, of course.

A breakout hit, the 2003 show has been praised for contributing towards the dramatic increase in voter turnout at the 2004 elections, and reengaging a generation who could easily have been lost to politics. More controversial however was the formation of the Independent Representation Party as a result, by a group of thirteen contestants and several hundred viewers, with the intent of standing as a full presidential party under the banner of achieving an open list selected from and by party members from all manner of political backgrounds.

Though the show’s eventual winner, a Cafundulense genderqueer called Barry, showed no interest in standing, the runner-up John M. Fitzwilliam became leader. After a year spent as TTO’s darlings, the IRP were sufficiently popular enough to win around 0.5% of the PV, giving them – and Fitzwilliam – a seat in the House.

Once elected Fitzwilliam continued to follow his own right-wing environmentalist agenda, supported by his friends and colleagues among the IRP’s ranks, while the student-heavy part of the party became increasingly disillusioned. Eventually, in late 2007, Fitzwilliam announced his formal defection to Green Progress.

Though the party lost many members following this, they remain a force large enough to stand as a full presidential party, and with Fitzwilliam gone are intent on following their original guidelines.

Leader: Landi Forest, born 23th October 1973, in Dyce. It says much for the maturity on display in the IRP that the party in Fitzwilliam’s absence opted to elect not another former Political Idol contestant, nor a student, but a thirty-something housewife from the small city of Dyce.

Sadly however Forest’s campaigning has been a little lacklustre. On policy issues she has generally deferred to the sitting Unionist government – indeed her husband Joe Forest remains a Unionist member – though she has been vague enough to make analysing the IRP’s position impossible. Equally, the fact that her deputy is her almost polar opposite in James Sawyer leaves the party with no clear platform, and they are widely expected to poll beneath the Rainbow Alliance unless Forest can really pull her finger out anytime soon.

Platform: God knows.

Minor Parties Predicted to achieve >0.1% of the Presidential Vote


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Justice & Democracy Party
V.A.P.I.D: Paleoconservatism… kinda.
Origins: The J&DP were formed in 2001, by veterans from numerous parties principally opposed to the policies of high immigration, soft tactics on criminality, Rushmori political integration and the failure as they saw it to properly place C&M’s traditional Judeo-Christian values (yup, them again) at the centre of government life.

When the dust settled on the 2004 election it was clear that they had lost out to the CPP for that sector of society and failed to pick up sufficient votes for a seat. After talks involving a merger with the CPP broke down, the struggling party elected a former Conservative candidate, Nobby McShefferty as leader, and set about trying to create a new party for the Right.

Unfortunately for them, polling indicates that outside of a smattering of local councils they’re unlikely to grab a seat. Their main problem is their slightly ironic wishy-washiness: they’re pro-Christian, but not as much as the CPP; pro-free market, but not as much as the ALP; pro-traditional values and old fashioned Justice, but not as much as the newly hard-line Tories. If they’re not to disappear entirely after the election, one suspects they’ll have to look at introducing some pretty revolutionary new policies pretty soon, ‘cos that’s not what they’ve got right now.

Leader: Nobby McShefferty, born 1st February 1945 in New Rappahannock, Chesapeake Bay. McShefferty is the only foreign-born leader of a party expected to poll more than 0.1% of the PV. He received a BA and MA in Economics in his home nation before settling with his Candelariasian wife Emily in C&M, with the hope of using his particular skills to help rebuild the country following the Civil War.

After a short career as an accountant he began work as an economic adviser to Conservative leader Oliver Lapansky, later heading up his private office. He parted Lapanksky to take up the role of regional directives consultant, and later managing direct, of a public affairs company for contesting a parliamentary seat for the Tories in 1980. He narrowly missed out, but was parachuted into a safe seat in 1984, a year in which the Conservatives gained 24 seats. Surprisingly his wasn’t one of them, as he was beaten by little more than half a dozen votes by the SDP candidate, and blaming a lack of financial support from his party he left the Conservatives.

He twice stood as an independent during the nineties, before becoming a founder member of J&D. On the face of it he’s a fairly odd choice for leader, given his origins, but he brings a long career and claims of being the most economically astute of any party leader in C&M. Besides promoting small government and being arguably the most pro-big business party leader in the country, he has a particular interest for the rights of disabled people – a subject often rather ignored in C&M society where it’s ethnic minorities who get bent over backwards for rather than those confined to a wheelchair or whatnot – himself having had a daughter with severe cerebral palsy.

Platform: Economy and Employment: Promises to focus on deregulating small business, allowing the Candelariasian spirit of enterprise to flower anew. Will scrap more than half the laws strangling business in C&M. Promises a wholesale reform and simplification of the taxation system, to scrap inheritance tax, vehicle tax and cheese tax and to cut corporate taxes. Will introduce a simple flat tax system. Promises to aim towards eliminating the welfare system by ensuring jobs for all able-bodied men through the removal of cheap economic migrants from Candelariasian businesses and promoting the institution of businesses and other services created to provide the disabled with work. Promises to scrap all government white elephants not directly demanded by the electorate. Will support workers’ rights in order to make “Made in C&M” a “brand worth shouting about.”

Foreign Policy: Will pull C&M out of all current inter-Rushmori military agreements and the WA. Will strengthen and support the Defence Forces, whilst removing Candelariasian soldiers from overseas engagements not directly connected to supporting the national interest. Promises to work closely with our Rushmori neighbours on free trade agreements, and furthering our trade links overseas. Will end any state commitment to overseas aid.

Law & Order: Promises to focus on the reinforcement of traditional family values, improved education and job opportunities as the primary means to combating criminality, but promises to build new prisons and introduce tough new regimes to ensure that internment is, once and for all, something which even the hardiest criminal will wish to avoid. Will divert police from unnecessary social working and jumped-up terrorism operations to protecting Candelariasian home owners. Will make restorative justice a key plank of C&M law, and give victims as much say as possible in the justice system. Will permit a referendum on the death penalty.

Citizenship Promises to acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by twentieth century migrants to C&M, but believes that for economic, social, cultural and environmental reasons the Candelarias cannot afford greater than net zero immigration. Will end all immigration to C&M for five years, barring essential workers and genuine humanitarian cases. After this, will adopt stringent new tests on language and cultural understanding, etcetera, and demand that new arrivals fully integrate into Candelariasian life. Promises to affirm that C&M’s proud multiracial reality must not detract from the duoculturalism upon which this nation was founded. Will seek an end to misguided polices creating monocultural ghettos from the inner-cities to the smallest villages.

Environment: Promises not to sign C&M up to unworkable proposals on combating ‘climate change’, and will focus environmental policy on creating the cleanest possible surroundings for the Candelariasian people. Will encourage and reward green farming methods, and recycling. Promises to invest in nuclear power, focusing C&M’s energy needs on the effective, cheap and green over faddish forms of renewable energy.

Public Services: Promises to increase government spending in new roads and road maintenance while further opening public transport out to the private sector. Will support the removal of speed cameras and the raising of speed limits, etcetera, supporting the Candelariasian people’s right to safe driving over ineffective, nannying measures. Promises to support the move away from failed, faddish educational policies of the MLP years, but will support a return to traditional teaching values and discipline. Promises a revolution in high-quality, fee-paying education for the most gifted whilst encouraging the creation of new technical and industrial academies backed by responsible businesses and charities to prepare future generations for the new realities of employment in C&M. Will withdraw funding from new ‘universities’ outside of the Alwere axis, encouraging the removal of many trendy new subjects. Will encourage school-leavers to invest in skills training over expensive, unproductive university courses. Promises to invest in the confidence, academic achievement and job opportunities of young Candelariasians with intellectual, neurological and physical disabilities, helping them to become productive members of the workforce. Will take government out of the day-to-day running of the health service and encourage the development of private healthcare insurance to supplement the NHS. Will cease to fund any public television or radio networks.

Democratic Reform: Will introduce laws finally permitting democratic referenda in C&M. Promises to encourage the development of a new, MMPR system in the House, and the enlargement of a fully independent National Council. Will give greater autonomy to local authorities whilst scrapping unelected regional bodies, including the ‘Island Governments’ – instead rolling out city and district councils to Outlien residents.

Civil Liberties: Promises to scrap state intrusion into working people’s lives wherever possible. Will defend C&M against terrorism by any means necessary, but promises that anti-terror legislation will not be used to harass innocent Candelariasians.

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Green Progress
V.A.P.I.D Moderate free-market environmentalism, rural conservatism
Origins: The party was formed in 1982, as an economically right-wing alternative to the Green Party. They were always overshadowed by the ‘true’ Greens however, and remained a fringe entity notable only for a procession of bizarre leaders who were able to gain Progress a certain notoriety, but little else.

The formal alliance between the SDP and the Green Party, after the return of Nigel Vyne to the group he had formerly lead, gave Progress renewed impetus as the largest independent Green party in the Candelarias. They failed to capitalise on this in any meaningful way, and stood only three candidates in regional seats at the 2000 election. They seemed destined to fizzle out until the arrival of Fitzwilliam.

Leader: John M. Fitzwilliam, 19th May 1960 in Skipdale nr Hanlon. An irritable, middle-class farmer, Fitzwilliam was a member of first the Green Party and later Green Progress. In 1998 he entered local politics under the GP banner, and became an idolised figure among his particular community before boundary changes in the Nr Hanlon council saw him removed from power. Instead, he was encouraged by his daughter Joanna to enter the first series of TTO’s Political Idol in early 2003, where his utter lack of self-awareness, mildly Nazi social politics, newfound devotion to environmentalism and support for bringing the country’s agricultural base into the twenty-first century led him to become the show’s runner-up.

With the programme’s winner showing no inclination to actually enter politics, Fitzwilliam was left as the de facto lead of the party that was created from its ashes. As leader of the IRP he brought many colleagues with similar views into the party, as well as attracting innumerable students, and this coupled with the support of many agricultural workers across C&M brought his party sufficient votes to see him stunningly elected to the House.

He spent most of his time in the house proclaiming his particular brand of Green conservatism over democratic reform however, and last year formally switched back to Green Progress, giving them their first ever MP.

Platform: Economy and Employment: In contrast t the SD&GP, will focus on encouraging free choice and competitive enterprise, within guidelines encouraging sustainability and quality of life. Will support environmentally sound and ethical businesses, in particular small ventures, by providing practical assistance and tax benefits. Will in turn focus the state-led aspects of the economy on the Candelarias’ tourist potential as a centre of biodiversity. Will cut taxes, litigation and regulation on ordinary people, to focus instead on incentivise environmentally sound behaviour.

Foreign Policy: Will withdraw from all inter-Rushmori defence agreements and military excursions, instead forging alliances with other ecologically sensitive peoples. Will increase defence expenditure in order to guarantee the maintaining of C&M’s security and way of life. Will withdraw from the WA. Promises to support all efforts to combat global climate change, no matter what the cost.

Law & Order: Will turn over the monitoring of local police forces to community councils, to ensure that such bodies represent the wishes of the voting public. On a national level, will create new reform programmes within pre-existing prisons to ensure that all criminals are at least given an opportunity to make a fresh start after release.

Citizenship [Unclear; GP appears to support a degree of population control and would defend C&M’s borders against economically costly illegal immigration.]

Environment Promises to encourage a caretaker attitude for the environment and educate the community about the important link between a healthy and sustainable environment and a healthy, happy society and long-term economic progress. Will bring to an immediate end all logging of natural forests in north-east Marquez and north-west Candelaria, giving woodcraft communities financial incentives to redevelop in other areas. Will support waste reduction, water conservative and recycling programmes in communities across C&M, particularly assisting rural residents in forging new renewable energy systems. Will provide loans to farmers wishing to switch to sustainable and healthy farming methods, promising to make organic food ubiquitous in the Candelarias.

Public Services Will incentivise new, clean transport systems, promoting both public transport and home-grown, green automobiles. Will cut state school class sizes, encourage less commuting and more community-based education. Will encourage Business Studies as an AED choice, to foster an atmosphere of aspiration within an environmentally sympathetic culture. Will encourage the usage of yoga, massage therapy, aromatherapy and the like. Will massively reduce the workload of the medical profession by encouraging a better national diet and exercise regime from primary education onward, as well as massively improving the nutritional quality of school meals. Will make such meals mandatory for children with behavioural problems, in order to cut sugar intake. Will expand the training of doctors and nurses to include holistic therapies and stress reducing treatments. Promises to reduce hospital waiting times.

Democratic Reform: [Unclear. Would presumably introduce new environmentally-sensitive amendments, but have no plans to alter the democratic process.]

Civil Liberties [Unclear. The GP under Fitzwilliam have not opposed the use of CCTV cameras, anti-terror legislation etcetera, and do not believe that the state has a role in condemning or promoting ‘immoral’ behaviours, etcetera.


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Rainbow Alliance
V.A.P.I.D: Democratic reform, minority rights.
Origins, leader and Platform: The group has its direct roots in the Rainbow Party of 1998-2007, a group comprising gays, transsexuals, anarchists, animal rights campaigners, obscure ethnic minorities and similar social detritus. It had nothing to do with the whole thing with the lipstick, we should stress that most particular.

Primarily formed to give such people a voice, its failure to get into Parliament and the growth of Jefferson’s SD&GP and Randall’s Workers Party saw the party struggle into obscurity, despite the fact that it had managed to find two-hundred candidates in 2004 and stand for the PV. A child abuse conviction for its leader put the tin lid on the party, and the Rainbow Alliance emerged in its place.

Though many grass-roots supporters remain unclear on the subject, the Alliance is a very different party than its predecessor, modelling itself on the Rainbow Party of Ariddia. Based on the success of the apolitical duo in every National Council, they now advocate vesting power in a House of Representatives made up of 260 Candelariasian residents randomly chosen at the start of every term. In this they have been described as merely a less sophisticated version of the IRP, but they have still been able to find enough individuals willing to stand, via the good ol’ phone book method.

Their Presidential candidate and nominal leader is Jayanth Zev, the first name picked out of the phone book (it was a very heavy phone book). Zev is a thirty-three year-old Panthadalian-Candelariasian funeral director. He is married to Inderjit, lives in the Magnus borough of Albrecht, and has two small children.

The party has no social or economic policies.



Miiiinor Parties

Besides those listed above, there are some thirty parties who have been able to register 200 electoral candidates and therefore stand in the Presidential Race. Most of these are one-issue or extreme entities, though there exist a few more potentially mainstream parties just getting started. Together however they are not expected to earn more than about 0.1% of the PV vote, and their primary purpose is to cut another forest cut down to supply the horribly long ballot papers. They include:

Candelarias Republican People’s Party ~ James McManus apologists, advocating Civil War-era Socialist Party policies.

Drivers, Drinkers and Hunters ~ Does what it says on the tin, really.

Free Candelaria Party ~ Hard-right party who separated from the ANP in protest of the racialist part of its platform. What were they expecting??

Future ~ An atheist party promoting the use of scientific reason and understanding at every level of government policy.

Green Succession Party ~ Party aiming for full independence for Green Island.

Hinton & Agujero Residents’ Association ~ Comprising local people from two small towns; Agujero, near which the Space Programme launches its missions, and Hinton, near the site of a toxic waste dump.

¡Independencia Ahora! ~ Sort-of-banned group advocating Marquezian independence by any means necessary.

Labour Party ~ Small Trotskyist party, and one of the few to have actually got its act together and register on the 200 list.

Partido Communista de Marquez ~ Hmm, I wonder…

Partito di Liberazione Italiano ~ Single-issue party campaigning for Italian to become a third national language.

Partnership ~ Marxist party advocating the adherence to traditional Candelariasian positions on substance abuse and sexual propriety, collectivised industry and a rather vague but much-trumpeted approach to encouraging men and women to form honest, life-long relationships.

Pink Party ~ Poofs.

Poll Pot ~ The largest pro-marijuana party in the Candelarias.

Secular United Party ~ Rising from the ashes of the Humanist Party, this is disgraced MP Lewis Ambani’s vehicle. It won’t go anywhere.

Smokers Politcol Front ~ Devoted to ending the current prohibitive measures aimed at stamping out cigarette smoking. Registered with the spelling mistake, rather gloriously.

Social Concern ~ Post-Civil War-era Socialists, operating largely on a worker’s rights and anti-immigration platform.

The Old Nation ~ The Candelarias’ largest anarcho-primitivist party. Great website.

Twenty-First Century Fish ~ Candelariasians do have a sense of humour, honest, but they tend to find comedy politicians extremely tedious, and joke parties even more so. The TCF are by some distance the oldest.

Vale Communist ~ Eighty year-old former Communist MP Jack Vale, and a bevy of grandchildren and assorted hangers-on.

Western Nation Party ~ Party aiming for the succession of south-west Candelaria.

Candelariasians Overseas Constituency


The C&M National Council agreed the creation of an Overseas Constituency in the House of Representatives early in 2006, in recognition of the increasingly numbers of Candelariasian citizens who live abroad. The seat was created as one of the sixty Regional Constituencies in the House, following the decision to merge the seats for Blackwell Island and Knee Island – a highly controversial decision given that both seats had been held by MPs from the opposition Modern Liberal Party. Equally, the technology now in place allowing voters to register their two votes online from anywhere in the country – and not merely in the constituency to which they are registered – would seem to make this new innovation slightly redundant.

Rather fewer than one in sixty Candelariasian nationals live outside of the Candelarias, but analysts predict this figure will rise much further in years to come as C&M moves further into the global community. The “seat’s” demographic is diverse, being made up of individuals who left the Candelarias decades ago to those working overseas for barely six months. There are students and pensioners, there are those who left to seek a better life overseas and those hoping to work to bring the lot of their new neighbours up to Candelariasian standards. Equally, since Candelariasianess is a constructed concept rather than an ethnic or even cultural one, many Candelariasians have easily integrated into fellow English-speaking Caucasian western societies, and have retained little interest in the homelands. The primary issue for most candidates appears to achieving reliable contacts with Home via the internet, etcetera, and most are campaigning for less regulation on the email and surfing activity of Candelariasian citizens at home and abroad.

Candidates must have been born or at least spent the significant part of their childhood in the Candelarias, and be C&M citizens. They must also have spent at least one year living overseas, and the Electoral Commission has gone to great lengths to make certain that professional political stooges have not been planted to represent their long-time parties.

It’s worth pointing out that the nations which the candidates from the ten registered parties currently inhabit are by no means automatically representative of the overall numbers of overseas Candelariasians, nor do the prevailing political attitudes in these countries necessarily reflect the outlooks of the local candidate. Equally, the dates listed are of purely Candelariasian concern. Blasted time dilation.

Parties listed by share of the 2004 PV Vote

Unionist Party
Grada Kalac-Butterfield, born 19th January 1964 in Feetis nr Hanlon. One of the first children of the largest Serbian population to settle in west Candelaria in the late sixties and early seventies, her professional career was spent as a paramedic in Vo, where she met Kelssekian doctor David Butterfield. After being run over by her own ambulance she opted to devote her time to raising the couple’s two sons, Kyle (born 1994) and Jayden (born 1999). The family moved to Neorvins in 2001, since when she has worked from home restoring dollhouses, as well as working for several local charities.

Kalac is of classic Unionist Christian feminist stock, her father and mother having both had spells for the party in local politics. She claims that her primary motivation for entering politics was to fight for the rights of Candelariasian abroad (this will be a recurring theme, believe me), and particularly to help strengthen the links between the homeland and Candelariasians in western countries where they could all too easily loose a sense of their own nationhood in a short space of time. A committed Kelssekophile, she claims that she ‘despairs of the new government’, but believes that the Eastern Pacific powerhouse is the perfect model for the social and economic development of C&M.


Modern Liberal Party
Michael Anderson, born 17th August 1952 in Darby nr Brayton. Anderson is a qualified chartered accountant who has become a successful business broker and millionaire (not that this means all that much in Reformed Pounds, of course…) His era of financial success occurred under the Hrehoresin administration, and he believes that C&M badly needs a return to the aspirational spirit of those days and that legitimate businesses are unfairly hamstrung by regulation, whilst remaining committed to state spending in education and the like.

Once courted by his local Conservative association in Lavange, Anderson claims to reject their more reactionary policies on defence and law & order, and believes that only the MLP can restore C&M’s economy whilst supporting the rights of the individual. He moved with his wife Laura and sons Benjamin (born 1992) and Tom (born 2001) to Parwood in late 2006, to allow his children to experience life in an aspirant society. He has also worked for the C&M Embassy in Kura-Pelland, and is keen on DIY.


Social Democratic & Green Party
vanessaelliott, born 8th June 1975 in Clotaire. An environmental anarchist from her youth, Elliott took the plunge in 1997 and settled in Errinundera. She currently lives in Fanny Moo, Plateau Province, with her partner pilingu and is employed as an ophthalmologist, an occupation which no doubt involves a large quantity of leeches and trepanning, probably, when all else fails.

Her selection came as a surprise, coming largely as a result of the party’s open voting system and the SD&GP’s members’ desires to pick someone based in a country they’d actually heard of. vanessaelliot freely admits that her own political views hardly link automatically with those of the SD&GP – she’s been happy to criticise what she sees as Jefferson’s regrettable move back towards Big Government ideals – but claims that the party represents C&M’s best chance of embracing the Errinundrian lifestyle as she has. She presents herself as the best candidate to represent the many Candelariasians who have chosen to set up home in various “primitive” countries.


Conservative Party
Read Ropson, born 13th May 1971 in Abiodun. Continuing the theme of relatively young candidates, Ropson is a banker (that’s one way of putting it) who has spent much of his life working abroad for the intra-Rushmori Hedgehog banking firm in a succession of interchangeable, impoverished countries before running the bank’s operations in Upper Timonium. He fulfilled the same role in Switzaland until recently, stepping down to concentrate on his political career.

Ropson is strongly opposed to Rushmori political integration, believing that maintaining sovereignty in the region is as vital as free trade. He’s certainly from the capitalist arm of the Conservatives, and stands as the candidate for patriotic, continental-based Candelariasians who feel left out in the new COC by the numbers of candidates chosen from outside the region. Read has two young sons (this appears to be a prerequisite) named Ryan and George, and an aging cat called Apollo. He’s keen on parkour, which is either quite impressive given his age or a downright lie.


Allied Libertarian Party
Sonny Farren, born 28th June 1963 in Arrigo. Farren is probably the least known of the ten candidates in C&M at large, having only been agreed as the ALP’s name three days ago, following the pull-out due to ill-health of their previous choice. Among overseas citizens however he possesses a marginally greater recognition factor, since he writes a popular blog (although, to be fair, is there any libertarian anywhere who doesn’t?)

Anyhoo, he works as a central implementation director at the branch of the Arrigo info-tech administration company of SableBlueSystems in Orean, Liventia and is in an open relationship with a woman called Joshua.


Christian People’s Party
Chloe Kim, born 30th January 1968 in Handley nr Abiodun. After meeting her now husband Kim Jaetae at university (she was a cleaner), Chloe Jensen converted to Christianity and has spent her career working alongside her husband publishing Christian material aimed at citizens of Jaetae’s homeland where the faith was prohibited. In more recent years they moved to Cabrera Island to escape the noise and depravity of Albrecht life, where she now edits a website aimed at Christian teens and runs the village’s Brownie troop.

Kim claims to represent the many Candelariasians of her faith who have felt morally obliged to bring their offspring up in a less secular state, though the Kims themselves have no children. She is able to qualify for the COC as Cabrera is nominally an independent state, though residents (including Chloe herself) would be unable to vote, since they are registered under the Fallon Island constituency. Not that they’d probably vote for her anyway. Not overly keen on religion, yer Cabrerans.


Worker’s Party
Anthony Connor, born 29th May 1960, in Albrecht. Connor departed the Candelarias in 1999 as part of an Filleann Mór; the programme initiated by the Sorthern Northlandish government to encourage their many citizens in the Candelarias to return home following the revolution. Sorthern Northland is now home to the largest population of C&M passport holder outside of Rushmore, automatically giving Connor a large constituency to juggle with. A joiner by trade, he has served on local councils in his home village near New Reading for the last two years under the WPSN banner, before being approached by someone waving a bottle and hiccoughing to switch his allegiance to the land of his birth.

Like many of his ‘countrymen’, Connor remains extremely grateful to the WPSN for the liberation of Northland, and campaigns heartily to achieve socialism in one country… or two countries in this case. He’s married to Susie, a fellow Sorthern-Candelariasian-Northlander, and has two children. Girls this time, mercifully; Séosaimhthín (10) and Odhamnait (6).


Freedom Party – For the Candelariasian People!
Martin Mollema, born 13th April 1966, in Caires. Mollema has had all manner of low-paid jobs, and a conviction for affray for good measure, but he’s now a publican in the Candelariasian enclave of Ramsay Village in the town of Bqirgreib on the north coast of Ransome-Bkyki Island. Quite how you square that with his tirades against immigration into C&M is anyone’s guess, but Mollema claims that his was just one of thousands of families ‘forced out’ of the Candelarias as part of the late-20th century white flight.

He therefore claims to represent an alleged subset of overseas voters who long to return to their homeland, if only it wasn’t all so full of coons and that. He’s also big on being tough on crime (except when it’s him doing the crime, presumably), and on environmentalism, for some reason. Married to Pauline, with a young daughter. Poor little mite.


Alianza Independiente para Marquez
Alejandro Elizondo, born 14th June 1969, in Trayectoria del Encargado nr Castillo. One of only two parties among the ten not formally registered with C&M’s Electoral Commission, Elizondo is therefore officially standing as an independent. In practise, the AIM is an unusual joint effort by the Marquez National Party and Free Marquez, who are keen not to split the potentially massive vote of Hispanic Candelariasians overseas.

Elizondo’s own politics, outside the obvious belief in Marquezian autonomy and his support for Hispanic rights, are unclear; however in the city of San Francesc, Edward City, where he currently works as a bus driver, he is a stringent trade unionist.


Our Open Eyes
Zara Hay, born 21st October 1975 in Rose of Sharon. The only candidate from a party not involved in contesting the other 259 seats, OOE are not only not recognised by the Electoral Commission but officially prohibited in C&M, and it seems doubtful that Hay would be able to take up the COC seat if elected.

Hay, a Muslim convert, attended teacher training college in Bettia with the intention of returning to the Candelarias to teach Arabic and Welsh, but after meeting her now husband she eventually opted to stay in the Blessed Realm, and is currently a secondary school Geography teacher in Treebrook, South Balfashire. Hay was a founder member of OOE, a party made up predominately of Candelariasian Bettians both at home and abroad, although including expatriates as far afield as Qazox and the Eesseff. They have been dismissed as socialist Islamic party, but their support was clearly significant enough to fire Hay and the party into the final shortlist of ten eligible candidates. Hay herself claims that OOE’s ultimate aim is to “drag C&M kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century”. Whatever that means.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Thursday May 1st

Polls of the Day

This morning, the Herald in association with TTO News and the DPO public opinion research company, released the ultimate, simple poll…

If you intend to vote in the PV, and have already decided who you will vote for, for whom will you vote?

James Anderson (Unis.) 25%
Robyn Morton (MLP) 24%
Ariadne Jefferson (SD&GP) 20%
Tate Sayfritz (Cons.) 13%
Jorge Estévez (MNP) 7%
Hasson Lazarus (ALP) 4%
Andrew Cash (FM) 1%
Joel Hopkins (CPP) 1%
Others (Each with <1%) 5%

It is, of course, a hopelessly skewed picture, when you take into account the poll from two days ago – with a new edition expected shortly – showing that 50% of the population on the nose were yet to decide how to cast their Presidential Vote. What the above does indicate however, if nothing else, is that it’s liable to be as ridiculously close as everyone has feared.

Will the floating voters of C&M decide to give one of the big three a mandate after all? Or will the days of Anderson’s merely modest minority be looked upon with fondness once the dust settles on an ineffective coalition? What about the minor parties, for that matter? Are Free Marquez really on the verge of collapsing as a real political force after all these years?

We’ll know in a fortnight, assuming that the online voting system works alright. Before then, millions of Candelariasians will have a chance to gather where exactly the parties of the Candelarias really lie after the niceties of the four-year term is over. Perhaps the nice Political Compass people will help, but many C&M parties may be unnerved by their ‘findings’…

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One thing’s for sure – C&M is a long way from falling foul of the neoliberal consensus of much of the western world. Our natural leftish inclinations means that even the ANP are relatively moderate on their social policies compared to many comparable groups around the world, while there’s seemingly nothing to choose between the four other parties of a decidedly Christian bent… apart from the Unionists, of course. No doubt their hierarchy and that of the MLP would gladly swap over the horizontal line, but old habits die hard.

The Libertarians of the blogsphere are already spitting feathers over their placement, but perhaps the most notable verdict is just how far back to the left the SD&GP have moved under Jefferson. It’s a fact that could certainly have a major impact on this race.

Or, perhaps, it’s all just an inconsequential load of guesswork… We shall see…

Barney of the Day

With sport never far from the mind of most Candelariasians, it’s not surprising that some of the first bitter arguments of the campaign have centred on the country’s sporting future – and the failure to reach the World Cup.

In a “discussion” between the current Sport spokespeople from the four main parties, the MLP’s Bob Herd laid into government programmes on sports education in schools, accusing the Unionist administration of focusing too much on their “nannying programmes to try and make every child in the country anorexic, rather than focus on uh-uh-uh-uh encouraging a competitive environment –”

“Oh, would you listen to yourself,” the government’s Sport Minister, the former C&M international netball star Tatulya Samed snapped, with a toss of her hair. “If it’s nannying to encourage our young people to eat properly and exercise occasionally, then so be it. Frankly…” She stopped, amid giggles from the studio audience. She nodded towards Herd’s impressive girth. “Well, I don’t need to say it…”

“If they were out doing proper jobs, perhaps they wouldn’t be getti–”

Natalie van Dijk, the controversial SD&GP Sport spokeswoman, interrupted her amusingly camp Tory counterpart, Oscar Bruce. “You mean if our proles were out doing backbreaking labour all day like your ancestors intended?”

“As it happens Natalie, I was under the impression that the Socialists were keen on sending everyone back down the mines. Workers solidarity and all that.”

“I think you’ll find the SDP don’t have any ideas on how to manage this country’s uh-uh-uh-uh workforce, Oscar, but –”

“Now, hang on, Bob, I –”

“What I meant Natalie, was that if they were out doing jobs at all, rather than being paid to stay at home by the government.”

“Of course Oscar, your leader doesn’t seem able to explain what he’ll actually do with all the incapacitated people he intends to drag back into work, but,” Samed held up a hand, “What this doesn’t get away from is that the MLP can’t possibly seek to blame us for the team not getting to the World Cup. These players were schooled under your sixteen years of educational mismanagement, not ours. Uhm. You can’t have it both ways Bob, y’know five minutes ago you were taking credit for C&M making the quarter-finals, so now presumably if they win the Cup of Harmony you’ll be –”

“I’m not uh-uh-uh-uh suggesting that either of our education systems had anything to do with it, these players are brought through by their clubs, let’s be clear on that.”

“What are you saying then?”

“What I’m saying, Tatulya, is that this government has nursed an atmosphere where mediocrity is acceptable, and the footballers of this country have picked up on that, you mark my words. Y’know, we need to return to a proper, uh-uh-uh-uh, atmosphere of aspiration –”

“Oh, again with the aspiration,” van Dijk muttered.

“I must say, it’s jolly nice to see the Liberals picking up on what we’ve been saying for years,” Bruce beamed.

“As far as I can see, Oscar, the entire Conservative campaign seems to involve making C&M as average as possible. I don’t need to remind anybody that it’s been under our Unionist administration that C&M have achieved global sporting success.”

“No it hasn’t.”

“No it hasn’t.”

“No it… Um, well…”

“It has, y’know.”

“Well… yes… only technically…”

“Um.”

A brief discussion over the effects of time dilation on such matters ensued, before all four combatants complained of feeling faint and the show went to an ad break.


Photo-ops of the Day

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“Yes, yes, illegal immigration’s a key issue, and getting some real justice into our legal system, reforming our democracy, engendering a spirit of aspiration in our young and old alike and forging a system that allows them to show their entrepreneurial spirit… But look! Here’s a man in a whale outfit!”

Robyn Morton shows her commitment to stopping illegal whaling in Rushmori waters and getting thousands back into work by forcing Lucás Queiro, 20, to wear a whale costume. Apparently she’s going to adopt him. How very Madonna.

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“Is that you, Bobby..?”

Workers Party leader Adi Randall pays a visit to his oldest supporter, Enid Rafferty, on her one hundredth birthday. A true socialist to her very bones, Rafferty has amassed a fortune estimated at around RP£9,500,000 from her plastic bag empire. My, that’s a tempting looking pillow.

damn you for doing an election on MAYDAY (not that I personally celebrate it or know anyone who does...)

Also, would you mind if we do a Mujeongbu attack on you?

Canning departs from party line to back MLP

The Ad'ihani Prime Minister, Alex Canning, has split from his Green Ad'ihan party — which he founded — to publicly announce his support in the Candelariasian elections for the Modern Liberal Party.

Mr Canning's Greens, whose charter expresses support for "all other environmentally-inclined, green parties around the globe in their multiple green endeavours regardless of political ideology", officially support the Social Democratic and Green Party based on their charter. As the party allows individual members to express support for any cause they wish to, Mr Canning has chosen to exercise this right.

Speaking to the media on the campaign trail, as campaigning for both Ad'ihan's upcoming presidential election in which the Green candidate lags behind in primaries, as well as a yet-to-be-called general election ramps up, Mr Canning said he liked what he saw from the MLP's platform.

Asked by a Candelariasian scribe about the foreign relations Ad'ihan has, and political developments in those nations, Mr Canning acknowledged the ongoing election in Candelaria And Marquez. "It seems to me that the Modern Liberals have one of the most well-thought-out platforms in this election," he told the journalist. "I spoke to Dr Morton, the MLP leader, via telephone yesterday, and I expressed my support for her party and wished her the best of luck.

"I really like what she plans to do on the environment, too," Mr Canning told the press.

The endorsement has been greeted with surprise in Ad'ihan, as Mr Canning's Greens are in coalition with two left-wing parties and the Greens are seen as a centre-left party, while Dr Morton is seen as heavily right-wing. The People's Party, a member of Mr Canning's governing coalition, has already called on Mr Canning to either retract his endorsement or step down as Prime Minister, saying that the PPA could not work with someone who supported right-wingers.

Aside from Candelaria And Marquez, Ad'ihan also has official bilateral relations with and diplomatic missions in the Ariddian Isles, Iansisle, Kostemetsia and Liventia.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Friday May 2st

Poll of the Day

Which party would you trust most to run the Ministry for Sport?

SD&GP 31%
Unionists 25%
MLP 23%
Workers Party 9%
Conservatives 6%
ALP 4%
MNP 1%
Others 1%

Lose against Jariss, and this could be more vital than you’d think. The assorted spokespeople still have at least one more round of televised battle, early next week, but on this strength the championing of fans’ rights by Natalie van Dijk and the SD&GP have really struck a cord. Oscar Bruce must surely be on the way out for the Tories, after dropping behind the Workers Party.

Whoops of the Day (1)

“I’m not anti-Semitic… I’m just bored of the Jews”

On the other hand, SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson had a day to forget, that could have long-lasting implications for the race for Robinson House. Talking on R-Vo’s Wake up with Wdowczyk morning show, Jefferson rounded on claims her party’s policies would encourage the develop of entirely separate cultural communities within Candelariasian cities.

“Let me be very clear on this,” she argued, “what we’re proposing is quite the reverse. You know, it’s successive governments – not just the Unionists, either – who have encouraged the kind of apartheid we now see in so many of our cities, and we as a party know that that’s wrong. I don’t doubt that their hearts are in the right place – mostly – but it’s simply a failed approach. We should be encouraging families for ethnic, cultural and religious minorities to mix to a far greater extent within the Anglo population and the Latino population. We should be encouraging the melting-pot, and right now I’m afraid that’s just not what we’ve got. Now that certainly doesn’t mean, as the Tories and I’m afraid the liberals as well seem to think, that all our people from minorities need to divest themselves from their own distinct cultural coats in favour of some monochrome notion of what it means to be a Candelariasian! But it also doesn’t mean we should be pandering to certain groups who seem to feel entitled to live completely separate lives from the rest of us, and spend their whole lives carping on about the supposedly unique travails they’re facing.”

During a pause for breath, Jefferson was asked by presenter Tony Wdowczyk to provide examples, to which she quickly replied, “Well, we can certainly look at the Jewish lobby. I think we can all say that we’re probably a little bored of them. You know, there does seem to be this idea, and it’s propagated by the media, I have to say, that anti-Semitism is somehow the very worst form of ethnophobia in this country, and that gives them an excuse to huddle up in their little enclave in Bove and Caires and so forth and…”

Self-awareness of her outburst came seconds later, and Jefferson hurriedly attempted to back-track, also admonishing the Candelarias Muslim population and her own West Indian community for similar failings. But the damage may already have been done, with a succession of callers to Wdowczyk rounded on the ‘typical intolerance that beats in the heart of the liberal elite’. Other contributors merely labelled her as ‘confused and naïve beyond belief’, and claimed the incident proved that she was simply incapable of holding high office at the current time. Taken on their own merit, her comments may not have attracted too much attention – but she and others high-ranking members of the SD&GP have developed an unwanted reputation in recent months for unflattering commentary on C&M and global Jewry.


Whoops of the Day (2)

Yet the SD&GP may have found an unlikely chink of light. Only hours after Jewbaitgate, Jefferson was involved in an accident whilst playing cricket with her nieces and nephews in the unseasonable snow covering Albrecht today. Rushed to hospital, she was told she had received a serious leg fracture that will keep her in plaster for weeks and may have effectively ruled her out of the Presidential run-in.

SD&GP spokespeople have laughed on suggestions that Jefferson could now be replaced as their leader and candidate, but admit that this new twist represents a massive blow to their chances. Cathy Jones however, the party’s Finance spokeswoman and one of the defeated contenders for leadership in 2006, told TV1 that the incident “while obviously so very regrettable, never the less gives us and excellent opportunity to show C&M that we’re not just a one-woman force. We’ve got experience and youth and vigour and ambition right across the board, and that’s what’s going to swing the country to us, not just that one big personality. And besides, I know Ariadne very well indeed, and mark my words she’s not going to sit around convalescing for long – not when the future of our country’s at stake!”

Analysts however believe that the SD&GP’s chances will take a major dip without their figurehead being actively involved in the final fortnight.


Whoops of the Day (3)

The general elections in C&M are causing the odd tantrum overseas too; not least in the small but influential island group of Ad’ihan, previously a protectorate of the former Liverpool England.

With their own campaign to decide the largely ceremonial post of President still ongoing and the political mood fraught, the current Prime Minister, Alex Canning, has found himself at the centre of a storm that could potentially lead to a collapse of his coalition government just months ahead of Senate elections following his second term in office – and all because he had come out in support of Robyn Morton.

His move caused raised eyebrows from the Heartland to Rushmore – and not least among the ranks of the SD&DP. A party including Foreign Affairs spokesman Danny Mustoe and Trade spokesman Kenneth Beard had travelled to Adi’han only last week; holding talks with high-profile figures in the Ad’ihani government and looking to drum up support among the islands’ Candelariasian population, with the COC potentially vital in the event of a close race. The SD&GP’s deputy leader Martin Alicarte told TV1’s Ten Thirty News that foreign endorsements– or lack thereof – mattered little in the greater scheme of things, but there can be no doubt that party headquarters are smarting following such a prestigious snubbing from fellow environmentalists.

Dr Morton could barely disguise her glee later on, on the same programme, and described Canning’s support as a very welcome vote of confidence. “Not that I want to get ahead of myself,” she told host Michael Newcastle, “But I’ve made it very clear that establishing personable relationships with important foreign leaders is vital for a C&M President in these days of increased global relations. I don’t doubt that Prime Minister Canning and I disagree on an awful lot of issues, but – where it counts – C&M and Ad’ihan must be united in defeating global despotism, terrorism, supporting our environment for future generations, and making sure – above all else – that the true, liberal democracies of this world talk to each other. I’m afraid that’s been another major failing of the Unionist foreign policy.”

While Canning’s support will be seen as a valuable boost for the MLP’s environmental policies, forged by under-fire Environment Spokeswoman Rueben Victoria Cobbald, the Prime Minister may be regretting poking his nose in foreign affairs – and not for the first time over the last few months after last August’s Starblaydia incident. The hard-left People’s Party, a key member of Canning’s centre-left coalition, have already called upon the Green Party leader to withdraw his support for a candidate widely perceived, both at home and abroad, as a right-winger.


Photo-ops of the Day

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“Look, I don’t want to worry anyone, but I think this man in the policeman’s outfit may actually be a Negro.”

Tate Sayfritz just happens to find himself in Le Thipp Judek nr Clotaire, in the company of C&M’s only black Chief Constable, Gbadamosi Jaimimi, whilst promoting the Tories’ stances on crime and integration.


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“Crowns to the reft of me, jokers to the light…”

Sort-of-President Anderson poses stiffly at this evening’s Young Ethnic Achievers Awards with budget airline entrepreneur Gabriel Li and Rushmore under-19 judo champion Yoon Sung-Young.

You're listening to statewide public radio. Who needs nationalism when you can have the liberal media?

"...news from Ordo at the top of the hour."

"Thank you. We turn our attention now to the forthcoming elections in Candelaria And Marquez. James Anderson will stand for reelection as President representing the Unionist Party...

<very condensed summary of the importantish bits>

...on the issue of Marquez independence referenda, 7% of those polled said "Why not", 2% say nah, and the vast majority of the other 91% had no idea what they were talking about. But now, the opinions of some Candelariasian residents of Zwangzug."

"Anderson's done the best he can with Neil and that, no reason to vote against him."

"Call me provincial, but I'm not going to vote for someone with no space in her name-a capital letter or two would be nice."

"The working class has to ally against nationalism? And they can't vote on their freedom?"

"That political compass thing is bogus, I overlap with like Free Marquez."

"I like the aspiration shtick, can't quench that innovation too far. What about aspiring to eat whatever I feel like, though?"

"I'll vote for the alliance if they stay mainstream enough. Free Marquez is the only one bringing up autism funding, as long as they don't start talking about a cure they've got my vote."

"¡Sus nietos tendrán vergüenza si mi pueblo no sea libre ahora!"

"Zara Hay. I'm afraid of what they'll do to her if she wins but-"

alternative programming is likely to follow in Candelariasian media

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Saturday May 3rd

Polls of the Day

If you intend to cast a ballot in the Presidential Vote, who will you support?

Don’t Know 46%
Robyn Morton (MLP) 14%
James Anderson (Unis.) 13%
Ariadne Jefferson (SD&GP) 11%
Tate Sayfritz (Cons.) 6%
Jorge Estevéz (MNP) 4%
Hasson Lazarus (ALP) 2%
Adi Randall (WP) 1%
Others (Each with <1%) 3%

Courtesy of the fullpoll group


If you intend to cast a ballot in the Presidential Vote, who will you support?

Don’t Know 39%
James Anderson (Unis.) 21%
Robyn Morton (MLP) 20%
Tate Sayfritz (Cons.) 10%
Ariadne Jefferson (SD&GP) 3%
Hasson Lazarus (ALP) 2%
Andrew Cash (FM) 1%
Adi Randall (WP) 1%
Others (Each with <1%) 2%

Courtesy of cjd.cam, the Candelarias Jewish Daily Online


Barney of the Day

With there being somewhere in the region of fifty presidential candidates, and stiff rules on fair political representation in the Candelariasian media, most television networks avoid arranging too many exhaustive head-to-heads between the party leaders. That does encourage however regular tussles between the major candidates and lesser figures from other parties, and viewers of TV2’s This Evening this evening witnessed a nice little row between MLP leader Robyn Morton and the Unionist Foreign Secretary Eric White.

Opening with the oft-repeated but still-painful criticism of Morton’s insistence on using the affectation of ‘Doctor’ – theoretically correct under Candelarias usage but considered highly pretentious, – the amusingly corpulent White – twice the Unionist Presidential Candidate himself before the emergence of James Anderson – laid in to Morton’s foreign policy – starting with her gushing acceptance of Ad’ihani PM Alex Canning’s controversial endorsement.

“It’s not exactly neutralism in action, is it?” he appealed to the studio audience. “Causing the collapse of a foreign government. Samuel Padovani was indicted for less.”

“Well, I think Eric, that you’ll find the Prime Minister’s government is still up and running, but I wouldn’t expect you to have any grasp of foreign affairs given your track record these last few years. Obviously he’s in difficulty, and I wish him the best of luck in getting out of it, but as you say, the internal squabbles of a faraway power are no concern of mine, nor of the country in general. Very unlike the policies of this last government who have done everything in their power to –”

“I’d be very interested in hearing some examples, Doctor.”

“Well, the Descartesland situation, for one. Your government invested billions into that country, a dictatorship with no respect for its peoples’ civil liberties, just so –”

“Hang o–”

“Just so you could agree a mutual defence pact, an–”

“No, I’m not having that. We were very transparent about our relations with that country from the off, we agreed the creation of a civilian space progra–”

“Staffed by members of our armed forces who should have been protecting this coun–”

“…ormous benefit of our scientific understanding. There was simply no way that we could’ve known that they would cease, but that certainly doesn’t mean they’ve gone foreve–”

“But meanwhile, Eric, thousands of our people are lost of there. It’s just been one despotic regime after another, half the embassies we’ve established around the world seem to be in states under military juntas and heaven knows what else…”

“Just because we have relations, doesn’t mean we support their governments in any way, shape or form, Doctor. In the modern world we need to maintain friendly relations with such nations, such governments… No, I’m sorry, we do! And, you know, I hope people appreciate that this is how an MLP administration would conduct their international affairs – talking only to those countries that appeared under their limited radar of supposed ‘liberal democracies’. Bugger the peoples’ actually will, eh Robyn?”

“I think you’ll find democracy does reflect the peoples’ will, Eric, and I’m sorry tha–”

“But you certainly wouldn’t be wanting formal relations with Sorthern Northland or the Dancougans or anything, would you?”

The pair continued like this for several minutes until the presenter moved on to the subject of aspiration, and Morton slammed the Unionists’ aversion to risk.

“Well, Doctor, it just so happens that this government actually cares about keeping people save, keeping our children saf–”

“You’re keeping them coddled, and we’re already seeing the damage that’s causing to the mental health of thousands of young people in this country.”

“I don’t see you going bungee jumping, Robyn.”

“I could go bungee jumping! I’d be absolutely happy to go bungee jumping!”

“Well that’s an excellent commitment, Doctor. I’ll even hold the rope for you.”

This is the closest thing we get to political wit in the Candelarias, and was greeted by enthusiastic hollering, before the audience realised their nationality and politely clapped instead.


Whoops of the Day (1)

So far this campaign, most of the minor parties have been staying out of the media spotlight, focusing instead on corralling their core support with many fearing a massive exodus from 2004 voters back to the Big Four, with the race for Robinson House so tight.

The Christian Peoples Party were thrust into the full glare of the press today however, when one of their members admitted to a local newspaper that he was “kinda unsure about the whole God thing.” Richard Stannard, who is eighteenth on the CPP’s open party list and the party’s candidate for the Nr Abiodun regional constituency, was interviewed by the Morning Chronicle about his failure to attend his local church. After initially arguing that he had a far longer relationship with a smaller place of worship some miles away, Stannard conceded that he felt that the Sprout Street Episcopal Community Church was “a little too God” for his liking.

Stannard went on to describe himself as a “committed cultural Christian,” but admitted that, “if you’re asking me if I think Jesus was the only Son of God, sent here to suffer and die for our sins… let’s just say I’m a long way from being convinced.”

Stannard later told TTO’s Evening News that he had “been speaking entirely off the record,” but admitted his comments would cause embarrassment. He has thus far declined to step down as the CPP’s regional candidate, and the party have released a statement to the effect that they cannot and will not deselect him.

The CPP would have to poll somewhere in the region of nine per cent of the Presidential Vote for Stannard to be elected to the House.


Whoops of the Day (2)

Spotted by Warmth Magazine: Everyone’s favourite neo-nazi, ANP leader David Wild, buying underpants in a Hill Side branch of the Mayland’s department store, muttering, “You are the girl, that I’ve been dreaming of, ever since I was a little girl.”

That won’t do his street cred much good.


Hands-Across-the-Water-Moment of the Day

Thomas Çelikkaya, Chairman of the Social Democratic & Green Party, with the major environmentalist parties of C&M and the Turkomans both struggling in their respective campaigns, phoned his counterpart at the Yesil Partisi head office to discuss election tactics.

It was engaged.


Photo-ops of the Day

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“Braaaaiiiinnnssss…”

Sort-of-President James Anderson poses stiffly at the Spring Farmers Congregation (Mid-North Candelaria Sector), with Jim and Joe Warren, co-chairpersons of the Candelarians Affected by Nuclear Power pressure group.


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“Braaaaiiiinnnssss…”

ALP leader Hasson Lazarus, with key party colleagues (l-r) Peter Jones, Laura Malhan, Mike Losonczi, José Antunes das Chagas and Murty Thomiczek. Seriously, libertarians of the t’internet. Do you really want this mob running the country… or not, as the case may be?

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Sunday May 4th

Poll of the Day

Which party do you must trust to conduct C&M’s foreign relations?

MLP 26%
Unionists 23%
Conservatives 20%
SD&GP 17%
ALP 6%
MNP 3%
ANP 1%
J&DP 1%
Free Marquez 1%
Workers Party 1%
Others 1%

Barney of the Day (1)

With the national football side squeezing into the Cup of Harmony quarter-finals, another Di Bradini Cup underway, and the World Cup of Hockey about to start (really? We’re in that again?), it’s only natural that the focus once again turns back to sport.

The Small Blues’ journey through to the semi-finals of the previous DBC was dominated back home by the unfavourable comments and campaigns of the retiring Unionist backbencher Francis Jeans, backed-up by colleagues from all sides of the house, towards the supposedly immature, unprofessional and sexist behaviour of players including Austin Lewis and Oscar Zois, as well as numerous squad members from other teams.

Tatulya Samed, the Minister for Sport, had at the time defended the team as merely letting off steam, but the moral high horse being ridden by the MLP’s Bob Herd and the Tories’ Oscar Bruce trotted back into view today, with Bruce claiming that the young men of the under-21s ‘set a terrible example to the nations’ youth’.

“Oscar,” Samed opined testily, “No-one’s holding these boys up as paradigms for our young people. They make mistakes –”

“It was just high spirits last time, Tatulya. You’re now admitting that they behaved unprofessionally?”

“I honestly don’t think it’s our place as a government to say whether their behaviour was right or wrong, or not. That’s a matter for the CAMA–”

“For a government that’s uh-uh-uh-uh obsessed with poking its nose into everyone’s affairs, that’s a-a-a-a bit rich, isn’t it?”

“I’m simply saying, Bob, that our public figures – especially young boys like this – shouldn’t be expected to act as moral pin-ups for the entire nation.”

“And yet you’ve done everything in your power, as a government, to promote our international sportsmen as examples for us all to follow,” Natalie van Dijk, the SD&GP Sport spokeswoman interjected.

“As sportsmen, Natalie, as professionals. We’ve never said that they have to be perfect people.”

“But none the less, you concede that their behaviour was sexist, was unacceptable, and –”

“I concede that now, and I conceded that at the time. The CAMAFA took appropriate action, and I’m not really sure what more you think we should’ve done! Let me stress it again, they’re icons of success, not –”

“That’s another uh-uh-uh-uh problem though, Tatulya, and it’s a fundamental one with this government.”

“What would that be, Bob?”

“It’s this constant promotion of unattainable goals. Y’know, you’ve accepted clearly that a Unionist C&M denies opportunities to talented, ambitious people to make the best of their lives, so instead you hold up people like footballers as icons of what they could achieve… The fact is, the overwhelming majority of Candelariasian children – and this is girls, too, as well as boys – want to be professional footballers, and the overwhelming majority of them are going to fail at that. We should be promoting far more realistic goals to our children –”

“That’s hardly in a spirit of aspiration, is it, Bob? Shouldn’t we be encouraging them to reach for the skies?”

“It’s ridiculous to expect them to aspire to the impossible!”

“It worked for me. I saw netball on the television, I became an international netball player…”

“But that’s precisely my point, Tatulya. You’re an exception to the rule, as are the players out in Starblaydia every year.”

“But Bob, come on. Fifty years ago every young boy in the Candelarias wanted to be an astronaut. And every girl, I don’t know, a ballerina or something –”

“She has a point,” Bruce conceded, camply, “I always wanted to be a ballerina.”

“The point is, Bob, there’s no reason why we can’t let them aim high. I’m sure you’ll find that once they’re in their teens, most of our kids are far more grounded.”

“Apart from those left on the scrapheap by their local football academies, aye…”

Make no mistake: given how important football is to Candelariasians, this’ll just be the start of another week of arguments on the country’s sporting future.


Barney of the Day (2)

C&M’s state broadcaster CBC, which screens TV1 and TV2 on a not-for-profit basis, has refused to apologise after accusations of bias from the MLP.

Even C&M’s commercial channels have to operate by strict guidelines on fairness during the official election period, but the Modern Liberal’s Culture spokesman Nolan Parker told This Evening that the network had overstepped the mark.

The offending programme was an episode of the children’s animated series Candy & Mark, which has run on TV2 since 1998. The series features two young neighbours – Anglo Candy and Hispanic Mark – and their politically correct adventures in their unspecified home city, teaching lessons of tolerance and multiculturalism alongside aspects of minority cultures and languages, and some basis science, maths and history. Aimed at primary school children, it has been a popular teaching tool for a decade.

This particular episode however, first broadcast in June 2005 and repeated on Saturday morning, featured a visit to the House of Representatives, and a walk down The Alley – the corridor in the House featuring the official portraits of every pre-Civil War Prime Minister and post-Civil War President. At the end of the line, the clear likenesses of Israel Clark and James Anderson were followed by a male President of brownish hue.

TV2’s programme controller claimed in response to Parker’s accusations that it had been established early in Candy & Mark’s history that the show was set several years in the future, and it had therefore been necessary to provide the images of future leaders. For the MLP however, it will simply provide more ammunition towards their claims that the channel has long shown overt favouritism towards Unionist concerns.

Parker SD&GP counterpart defended the channel, and accused the MLP of becoming increasingly paranoid over their media portrayals. The party had already complained about another TV2 offering, the satirical animation Hummingbird Road, which last week featured Ariadne Jefferson in a speaking role – the only current leader to have appeared playing themselves. Hummingbird’s producers had defended themselves, claiming that neither President Anderson nor Robyn Morton’s camps had responded to their invitation to appear.

All parties however were united in condemning a drama to be show tomorrow evening, set in a C&M under Sharia law. The writers of Ben’s Day have argued however that their show is in no way supportive of the notion, and is instead the first in a five-episode series featuring the travails of an ordinary Candelariasian man in five extreme variants of the Candelarias. Next Monday’s episode will feature C&M under fascist rule.

As far as analysts are concerned, the MLP’s new war on the CBC is a major step towards full privatisation under a Morton government.


Hands-Across-the-Water-Moment of the Day

The Electoral Commission have blocked access to the website of the largest public radio network in Zwangzug, which offers live streaming of its services to expatriates in C&M. They claim that the network has broken electoral rules on broadcasting in the Candelarias, by heavily promoting one of the COC candidates over the other nine.

The Bettia-based Our Open Eyes party have described the decision as


Photo-ops of the Day

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Ariadne Jefferson on Hummingbird Road. Just in case you’d forgotten, MLP people.


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Robyn Morton shows her support for the armed forces, by standing on the CNDS Clotaire. Yeah, that’ll help.

SIC

ooc preface: The contents of this RP have not been specifically agreed by C&M, and are more or less random actions that I have decided to use in developing to a great cataclysmic event in the near future. Please do not interfere unless either I or C&M allow it.

Gang Hwangbo was the disowned son of a butcher. He had lived on the streets of Albrecht since he was 5 years old. When he was 10, his mother died. When he was 13, the last of his 5 siblings had died. When he was 15, his third cousin, by his mother's sister's father-in-law's nephew, died in his hands. When he was 16, his very distant cousin, by his father's cousin's uncle's sister-in-law's grandfather's godson's brother's daughter - they were in a amorous relationship - died in a car bomb somewhere in some other country. Needless to say, Gang's life has been a repeated show of deaths. It was not unexpected to hear that he had killed his first victim (a cat, strung by a string, hung until dead) when he was 18. He killed his first human victim two days by the same method, as an inauguration into the Mujeongbu.

The Gang family had moved to Candelaria And Marquez in the wake of the Civil War that had devastated the country, in the hopes that they could escape oppression from home. It seemed fitting to Gang that he should take revenge against the Han Empire, the very home that had dejected hiss family and forced his misery upon him. Unfortunately, he had joined the Mujeongbu at a late day - when they were just about extinguished from the Han Empire. He returned to his regular lifestyle in Candelaria And Marquez, a butcher incidentally. He cut up anything for his customers, and for a long while, he lived a quiet life, smiling only occasionally to people. He never spoke to anyone, cutting up meat for anyone who cared for a bite. Eventually, he came to be known as that guy with weird eyes.

One day, he was watching television while opening his letters. Usually, they were a bunch of bills, asking him to pay back all of his utilities. He delayed most of them, thinking that it was a bunch of capitalist conspiracies trying to take away his freedom to work. But he got one letter that was written to him - directly. Amidst election reports, he opened the letter and read the contents:

Brother Kang,

We are returning home. We will be dropping by your place within a week. Please have a room for us.

Brother Son

Brother Son was his mate in the Mujeongbu. Son Gidong was an odd fellow. He was the true "freedom-fighter"; he left Candelaria And Marquez after the Mujeongbu left the Han to try and make the "Glorious Return" that never really happened. What little of the news that he had heard was that the Mujeongbu were turning overseas, making a home in countries more "receptive"; the recent experiment was Casari, and that was perhaps a miserable failure. After a brief episode, concluding with that terrorist attack at a Casari-Han match, they were left without a home now. And Brother Son was coming home. Perhaps that meant something.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Monday May 5th

Poll of the Day

If you intend to vote for your Regional Constituency MP, which party will get your vote?

Don’t Know 35%
Unionists 21%
MLP 19%
SD&GP 10%
Conservatives 8%
MNP 3%
Free Marquez 2%
Others 2%


Potentially, this particular poll is extremely important. The race for the 200 PR seats in the House is clearly going to be far too tight to decide the direction of the Presidency on its own, and therefore it will – once again – be the sixty regional constituencies that decide things one way or t’other. With all sixty seats employing the traditional first-past-the-post system, the Unionists’ lead could prove vital.

The party won thirty-two of the sixty seats in 2004, despite only taking a combined 37.2% of the popular vote – compared to 35.6% of the PV which gave them 71 PR seats to the MLP’s 35. Since 1988, when the modern system was introduced, the two parties have dominated the RCs, with the SD&GP having been applauded for making inroads merely be picking up seven of the sixty seats in 2004. The Tories and MNP were next best with just two each.

With some honourable exceptions, the RCs are effectively ignored by the minor parties, but there remain equal concerns that local candidates from the Big Four just aren’t keen on campaigning long and hard in their particular region. The principal reason is the lack of jeopardy. Take the seat of Khatib-Gassett, currently held by the Unionist Health Minister, Dr Ziya Black. He will be under threat from the MLP’s Sinclair Smailes, the SD&GP’s America Gaicomini, and the Tories’ Nigel Haag. Yet none of these candidates are ranked lower than thirtieth on their party lists, and know that they will almost certainly get a place in the House whether they win here or not. Indeed, many MPs view fighting for and representing a constituency as a bit of a bother, all things considered.

The very highest-ranked figures from the major parties generally decline to even attempt to represent an RC, though the MLP’s Social Affairs spokesperson Lauren Cove is going for Nr Caires and her Unionist counterpart is looking to retain Nr El din. Some parties have chosen to wheel out the big guns for some tight contests – veteran former MLP leader Sol McPhee is looking to wrestle Nr Lavange from the Unionists’ Tanja Cuenca – while the press emphasises high profile seats such as Inner Albrecht – with the Unionists’ Hayley Yeung looking to succeed Eric Bruns and hold off the challenge of the SD&GP’s Owen Adjidarmo. But many of the real stalwarts of C&M politics are preparing themselves for what should be an extremely important term of the twelve-member National Council instead.

What can certainly be said is that while no-one really likes the current system any more, electoral victory for Anderson, Morton, Jefferson or Sayfritz will depend on some rather less well-known names.


Tactical Innovation of the Day

What can’t be ignored is just how different the seats are looking this year, after widespread boundary changes. Where once, for example, the Clotaire area was split down the middle as East and West, now the city itself will be represented as Inner Clotaire and the surrounding area as Nr Clotaire.

Potentially, the number of new ‘city seats’ could give the SD&GP a major fillip, but appealing to their once hardcore support of inner-city workers is a difficult challenge – indeed, the modern party could easily pick up more votes from the suburbs. On the face of it – and it is all about faces – the party should have no trouble securing much of the ethnic vote. The likes of Kirill Jiao, Mace Abdel Naby, Wasim Mohammed, Paul Nakamura and Sukhon Prajakata already represent the party in the House, and the likes of Owen Adjidarmo, Chyra Bickmore and Jo Phelps will be hoping to join them. For many non-whites however, the idea that the ‘Clarke Unionists’ – the party still campaigns under that name in some areas – are ‘their’ party remains embedded.

Equally of course, many white Candelariasians feel abandoned by the SD&GP, and attracting the white working-class may prove even more of a challenge – one only need look at the former seat of Warne (now Warne to West), which was won in 2004 by an ‘Independent Socialist’ candidate, Kezia Melkam, standing principally on an anti-immigration platform.

One way around this problem may be to – as the Unionist Social Affairs Minister, Reuben Queseda, has put – ‘appeal to the lowest common denominator’. As such, the local party has been engaging in a nice bit of halfpseak. Alex da Mendes Silva, the SD&GP Employment spokesman and RC candidate for Inner Bass, laid in recently to the continued use of cheap immigration – with “big businesses flouting laws put in place by this government to protect the indigenous poor by bringing in cheap new workers from God-knows-where, merely to line their own pockets.”

The accompanying cheers might not have been so strong had the locals realised that the SD&GP’s real line on the subject focused on the “slave’s pittance” given to such new arrivals, and the lack of government support for their integration into C&M society. But this is hardly new – the local party have won plenty of council seats across the country by making vague pronouncements on immigration and, particular, taxation, before residents discover that their SD&GP local councils intend to tax them to the hilt every bit as much as the national government.

The party’s highly though-of Defence spokesman, Ben Spencer, went as far as to claim that “multiculturalism does not exist” and that the formal Race Relations Board should be shut down. This is entirely in keeping view the party’s view however, that multiculturalism exists inherently in every human society, in diversity between classes and regions – and is therefore not a concept worth talking about – while such entities as the RRB merely serve to falsely promote the idea that ‘race’ is likewise a real concept that should matter in modern society.

SD&GP head office may not be over the moon about all this, but unofficial local polls (the big polling companies not being permitted to produce surveys on RCs during election time) suggest that it could yet pay dividends. Those analysts who maintain that issues of immigration and social cohesion simply aren’t as important to ordinary Candelariasians as public services and endemic poverty, may well be left with egg on their faces.

The SD&GP at least provided some words of wisdom today, as Queseda and Cove battered each other over their parties’ policies on terrorism – with the MLP’s Cove claiming that the government had failed utterly to formally condemn all terrorist tactics as innately wrong, and were focusing too much of their energies on inconveniencing law-abiding citizens, while the Unionists accused the MLP of being soft on known extremist groups and looking to hamper efforts to properly protect the Candelariasian people at every opportunity. The Tories’ spokesman Tim Case condemned both of them as too lenient.

The SD&GP’s increasingly ubiquitous deputy leader Martin Alicarte – himself a Hispanic Marquezian convert to Islam – seemed by far the calmest voice in the LateTalk panel, pointing out that despite hundreds of terrorism-related arrests over the last decade, mostly of Candelariasian Muslims, there remained no concrete evidence that C&M and her citizens were in any way threatened by extremist actions, and that the continued adherence to the neutralist foreign policy would guarantee that forever more.

Photo-ops of the Day

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Just to prove that the Unionists are female-friendly after all, Sort-of-President Anderson joins a conga line of MPs Bonny Frye, Clare Hamilton, Jennifer Papadopoulos and Tracey Ibson, and Nr Talinger candidate Janie O’Connor.

What a dull set of individuals…


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Robyn Morton drops in our ‘our boys’ in the Timonium Demilitarised Zone in an attempt to rally the COC vote in continental Rushmore.

Okay, you like the army again now. We get it.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Tuesday May 6th

Convenient Policy of the Day

Free Marquez believe they could be on to a good thing in some of Marquez’s northerly areas traditionally dominated by the MNP – and in particular the new RC seat of North-East Marquez. The party’s stressing of mental health issues appears to have come at just the right time, with nearly three dozen individuals from the rural north-east reporting that the ‘singing beans’ – educational supplements intended for Pacitalia that landed accidentally on the island several days ago – had turned violent, with one farmer even reporting to an El din hospital with serious wounds to his face and neck.

The party’s deputy leader Roberto Aparicio told TV1 that this was a clear sign that such areas of Marquez required a full mental and emotional check-up, conducted in a spirit of compassion and understanding. Polls suggest that local people have come round to their way of thinking, and may finally be ready to accept a more hands-on style of local government and health services that campaigned for by the Marquez Nationalists.


Pen-Related Incident of the Day

With barely a week to go until polling day, any sense of frivolity is finally drying up and the major parties are getting down to the hard issues. Education was top of the agenda today, with the various interviews and arguments just as dull as you’d imagine, so we won’t linger on them any longer than necessary.

The one real highlight saw the notoriously narky Unionist Education Minister, and former chief inspector of schools, Jack Montgomerie throw a biro at the SD&GP counterpart John Kenwright. In C&M, this is about as close to a political punch-up as you’re going to get.

It may prove symbolic however; for many have been predicting for some months, if not years, that a second Anderson term would see the Unionists dump their Conservative coalition partners in favour of the SD&GP. On the face of it, after all, it really is the most natural match, and particularly in an area such as education. The Tories were initially willing to support Montgomerie’s proposals, which saw a more top-down approach to running the country’s first and secondary schools – not a natural Tory position by any means, but one encouraged by fears that the freedom being given to teachers over the sixteen years of MLP rule had encouraged the development of some dangerously liberal teaching ideas.

But they would soon be disappointed, for Montgomerie pressed ahead with plans to remove seemingly all the Conservatives’ favourite things – corporal punishment, state funding for private, religiously-based and single-sex establishments, academic selection in secondary schools, and so forth – while condemning the MLP’s obsession with choice and promising to guarantee one good, solid secondary schools in every catchment area. For many parents, tired of sending their offspring on exhaustive journeys across the country to their particular specialist establishment, this proved a major vote-winner.

Under the Unionists, all vocational and academia schools and been formally amalgamated, similarly to the Conservatives’ horror, though the promised focus on apprenticeships for those as young as fourteen in skilled trades has gone down better. Principally, the Unionist idea for education seems to assume that the cream will rise to the top regardless, and that time must instead be invested in making sure that schools do not merely act as conveyor belts into the dull factory work that dominates the Candelariasian marketplace.

Though there have been significant arguments over the measurement of academic attainment – particularly, for example, since the Anderson government permitted children to take more than two languages at EAG: the numbers of EAGs received on average by teenagers in Khatib-Gassett, for example, has curved upwards since a significant sector of the population added Arabic and Welsh to their English and Spanish certificates – it has proved hard for the opposition to deny that overall standards have risen considerably over the last four years.

The MLP have tried to claim credit for that, but it is noticeable that Mckenna Newton’s – their spokeswoman – attacks on Mongtomerie’s policies have consisted largely of protests against the rather unhealthy and intrusive interest local bodies now seem to show in youngsters’ physical and emotional well-being, and an overall lack of discipline in classrooms, rather than on statistical performance. They still maintain that segregational teaching is utterly necessary, but rather less vociferously than before.

Instead, it has been left to the SD&GP to condemn the government on their results. Kenwright described the EAGs as ‘purposeless’, when speaking on LateTalk today, in front of Montgomerie. “Let’s be clear on this,” he argued, “the vast majority of Candelariasian teenagers now pick up ten EAGs, far more than ever before. The government seem obsessed with the idea that this is somehow a good thing, but all it means is that for future employers – for whom these test results are aimed at, let’s be clear – they now on mass ignore the results of potential employees and look for other attributes instead, rendering about two years of our children’s academic lives worthless. The old system, whereby the chances of passing was far lower, was harsh, flawed and downright unfair; but at least it had a certain logic. Now, 90% of our kids are left with nothing to show for their teenage schooling, while the remaining five per cent – mostly made up of dyslexics and those from difficult family and social backgrounds left behind by this government – are left to fester on the scrapheap.”

Montgomerie shrugged and chucked a biro at him.

For a party whose education policies have previously centred around abolishing uniforms and changing the exam calendar to avoid all major tests coinciding with the hayfeaver period, this is pretty strong stuff. Now, the signs are showing that the Unionists’ key policies may finally be under attack – and the budding alliance between they and the SD&GP may be dead in the water.


Threat to Free and Democratic Elections of the Day

The Electoral Commission is hoping that a foul stench wafting over the Candelarias today clears up by next week’s elections. The odour, which has been blamed on chemical sandstorms in Nethertopia, has been rated as a 6 – ‘intolerable’ – on the globally recognised olfactometer, and has forced many Candelariasian workers to shut all windows at their workplaces, or even remain at home, despite sweltering Spring temperatures.


Photo-ops of the Day

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Robyn Morton, not quite grasping the age-of-majority thing, canvasses for votes at a primary school in Talinger. One wonders what’s falling out of the sky this time…


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Tate Sayfritz (tenth from left), continues today’s theme of young people by enjoying himself slightly too much at a Girl Guides jamboree.

Gang was busily hanging up meat on racks when Son came through the door. Gang hardly noticed that he had entered until he turned around to pick up the next slab. Son was pretty dirty. His shirt was ruffled and torn, his hair flying all over his head, and his face seemed to show scars of a recent struggle. Gang immediately put away all of his utensils and went out to help Son get into his living area.

"What's happened?" he asked.

Son wouldn't say anything. He kept grabbing at his side, and Gang made the logical conclusion that Son was injured. Once they got to his bed, Gang took a look at Son's injury. Son was reluctant to let him, until Gang firmly put Son's hand aside. He gazed at Son with a little frustration, at which point, Son gave up resisting. Lifting the shirt carefully, Gang was surprised to see a 4-cm cut. It was hardly noticeable, but being the butcher, he knew that it was serious.

"You need a doctor."

"I can't," Son replied. "I'm not a citizen."

"This country is a lot different. They treat non-citizens too."

"I don't need a doctor," Son replied. "I'll be dead soon enough."

Gang was surprised by Son's remark. What was going on?

"The Mujeongbu are making a new plan," Son said, pulling out a cigarette. Gang pulled out his lighter and they shared the butt. "We need to go home and make anarchists of the world to destroy the civilized world. I volunteered to come back here and organize the first cell in Candelaria And Marquez."

"Why?" Gang asked. The gust of smoke came out as he spoke. "The people here are nice."

"Anarchy needs an example, and so far the war against the Empire is failing. So we must take this war abroad and force the Empire to intervene or succumb to a world increasingly anarchic. The governments of the world must fall if we are to succeed."

"But these people are nice."

"I know," Son said, taking the butt back. He puffed twice before continuing his explanation. "But they are imprisoned by society and the laws that they impose upon themselves. Surely you remember the costs of civilization. Security at the expense of freedom?"

"I do," Gang said. He had remembered his indoctrination well. But in recent years, he had been less enthusiastic about following it. It seemed... odd to say the least. "But I think that these people are free enough."

"Free? They're slaves to a government that tacitly accepts their lack of security! That's even worse! We must liberate them completely in order to begin the Great and Glorious Revolution! Otherwise, everything for which we have fought will be lost. I came to you because you were my best friend. I could trust you." Son took another puff. "Don't deny me."

"I won't. But if we are too succeed, we must make it so swift that the people could not resist it." Gang was hoping that by saying this, he could avoid a long a costly war, like the one suffered in the Empire. He knew many people and didn't want them to suffer for it.

"We'll make it as swift as we need it to be, because Candelaria And Marquez need to be weaned off civilization. They've been too adjusted to it." He pointed to a book. "Call the brethren and the sisters! We must meet soon!"

Gang nodded. He didn't like the idea, but he was wholly committed to anarchy in the Han Empire. Perhaps they were right - that anarchy needed to begin at home before it went back to the Empire. Gang kept justifying it - he didn't know these people that much. He could afford to lose some of them. But how many were some? And how much did he want anarchy? He pondered over these things as he began to write letters to the brothers. Perhaps it wasn't worth the pain, he thought.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Wednesday May 7th

Poll of the Day

If you intend to cast a ballot in the Presidential Vote, who will you support?

Don’t Know 32%
James Anderson (Unis.) 16%
Robyn Morton (MLP) 15%
Ariadne Jefferson (SD&GP) 14%
Tate Sayfritz (Cons.) 9%
Jorge Estevéz (MNP) 5%
Hasson Lazarus (ALP) 3%
Andrew Cash (FM) 2%
Others (Each with <1%) 4%


Question of the Day

Are the SD&GP ‘winning the argument’? While pretty much every party is the country is prepared to make that tired claim, there is a sense – and just a sense, mind you – that the third party could be on the verge of breaking into the big time, just at the right moment.

Jefferson is now two percentage points behind Anderson with fullpoll, after the final official poll such companies are permitted to issue before the elections. That nearly a third of the voting population is still undecided points to the pointlessness of reading too much into such endeavours, but unofficial efforts to determine who those in doubt are leaning towards suggest that the SD&GP may even be edging ahead. A significant number of their RC candidates involved in tight fights also seem to be wearing broader grins just now.

Such a thing would have been thought impossible just days ago, after Jefferson’s broken leg appeared to put her all but out of the race. But, though the title of President may be the ultimate prize, C&M remains a parliamentary cabinet democracy and her absence from the field of battle has allowed new figures to rise to the fore, particular those individuals who were not part of the loose MLP-SD&GP opposition frontbench – with the other contenders having trouble keeping up with the Joneses; the SD&GP’s Finance spokeswoman Cathy Jones and Social Affairs spokesman Simeon Jones.

The real key may be the increasingly statesmanlike bearing of Martin Alicarte, who some pundits have already pencilled in as the country’s first Latino and Muslim leader. In the face of the shrill wailing of the MNP, the sinister hand-rubbing of the Tories and the unimaginative ‘judge us on our record’ effort of the Unionists; Alicarte seems to represent a calm, open, caring but non-invasive option to which many new sections of society are starting to warm to.

Candelariasians certainly seem to prefer the SD&GP’s talk of environmentally- and labour rights-based nationalisation to the MLP’s unnerving faith in the free market – even if Morton and her group are comparatively socialist by some international standards – even if they don’t necessarily entirely trust the SD&GP’s ability to pull it off without massive corruption and basic failures in production and supply, just yet.

On lesser issues too their morally astute but un-judgemental stance is winning friends. A discussion on LateTalk this evening, regarding the numbers of young women who increasingly see the best route to success as dating an international sportsman, was dominated by the MLP’s Health spokeswoman Vicky Cave’s robust condemnation on how awful it all was – until Cathy Jones quietly pointed out that young girls have for centuries past had the meme that marrying a printh, or similar wealthy or successful individuals, is the ideal rout to a better future rammed into them from a young age, and has been engraved into our social consciousness “I wouldn’t argue that it’s not a bad thing,” she continued, “that in the twenty-first century so many of our young women see this as their only chance for success; but is there really that much difference to these girls attempting to reap personal gain out of their God-given attributes than their sporting targets exploiting their own natural athleticism? Of course we should be helping girls like these to see that they have other options, and we should be ploughing all our efforts into making sure that they do. But there’s no point getting our knickers in a twist about something that’s as old as the hills, never mind condemning these poor kids. We have to stop this idea that we should be controlling everyone and their actions… And frankly I would’ve thought you’d be applauding their entrepreneurial spirit.”

Everyone agreed that it was an impressive effort, even if it didn’t necessarily make much sense, which does seem to be the SD&GP all over. The sly digs at both the Unionists and MLP were well-received, while the Tories’ spokesman for women, Debbie van Steeden, struggled to manage her own libertarian tendencies with the ‘moral majority’ stance of her party. “What is it that actually bothers you more, Debbie?” Jones demanded later. “That these girls are taking control of their own sex lives, or that they’re showing some ambition to amass some cash in a way that only men were and would be ever able to in a Tory C&M?”

The SD&GP have to avoid taking it too far over the next couple of days, for despite the liberalism of the last couple of decades and relative lack of religious convictions, the Candelarias remain a pretty conservative country compared to many of their neighbours. But their hierarchy’s refusal to succumb to pressure from within the mainstream party to move towards more radical positions on the Family, drug use and so forth has certainly done their future chances the power of good.

The use of the word ‘meme’ was bound to elicit a few appreciative coos as well.


Unlikely Youth Team Squad Member of the Day

Christian Peoples Party leader Joel Hopkins, 56, and his wife Sharlyna, 43, will be fostering one of the Candelarias’ surprise new arrivals on a temporary basis, it has been confirmed. The couple already have two adopted daughters, aged eleven and ten, and have fostered numerous children over the past decade.

The seventy-three oriental infants were rescued yesterday from an airship that lost velocity over south-west Candelaria in the early hours of the morning. It came down peacefully outside the village of Pulluny, with the pilot and any other crew having apparently escaped before Candelariasian authorities were able to arrive on the scene. Having not received permission to enter C&M airspace, there can be no doubt that the vessel and its occupants were involved in an illegal trafficking ring – and the fact that their entry was not tracked nor challenged for at least twenty minutes has raised concerns over the government’s national security record.

Civil servants currently running the Foreign Office have confirmed that the infants’ country of origin remains unclear, bar the fact that they are of clearly Eastasian ethnicity. Some of the babies, according to reports, were little more than eighteen hours old when recovered. It is similarly uncertain as to whether they were intended to be sent to wealthy, childless families overseas, or for a more sinister purpose.

A final decision on their futures will be made by the Ministry of Asylum and Immigration once a government is back in place, but under C&M law minors found abandoned in the Candelarias aged under the age of six months are automatically entitled to Candelariasian citizenship. Conservative Immigration spokesman Ljoltolf Mann is among several politicians however to have raised concerns that the children’s arrival could herald the future influx of their parents, seeking C&M residency under family reunification accords.

Bar six who have been kept in hospital overnight, the infants have been placed with foster families across the country, including the Hopskinses. The MLP’s Athens Earl, a rival to Hopkins in the Nr Lesperance Regional Constituency, has already accused the CPP leader of using his political influence in order to achieve temporary custody of one of the children for purposes of gaining political capital.


Commitment to the Job of the Day

Robyn Morton took time out of her busy schedule today to travel to the north-west of Candelaria, where a flock of some eighty storks were spotted flying on to roost in continental Rushmore. Besides a community of yellow-billed storks that settled on the Marquezian island of Martín Delgado some decades ago, the species is unknown in the Candelarias and no passing flocks have been recorded in the country in a century.

Morton, a keen animal lover, returned to the campaign trail after an hour of twitching.


Photo-ops of the Day

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Free Marquez leader Andrew Cash comes up smelling over roses after a visit to the Arrigo Botanical Gardens. Apropos of nothing, but we liked the visual.


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“Look, I don’t want to worry anyone, but I think this man in the vicar’s outfit…”

With Justice & Democracy on a downward spiral, leader Nobby McShefferty attempts to push their Christian outlook with a meeting with the Reverend Peter Robertson of St. Jude’s Anglican Church, Dyce.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Friday May 9th

Poll of the Day

Which is the most important issue influencing your vote?

Tax 22%
Education 17%
Crime 14%
Immigration 14%
Economy 13%
Health 12%
Foreign Relations 3%
Civil Freedoms 3%
National Security 1%

Courtesy of the fullpoll group

Of the eight options provided, it doesn’t make particularly happy reading for the Unionists that Tax comes out on top, but in truth this really is an ‘opinion’ poll that gives little hint of the outcome come May 13th. The voters who place Crime and Education high on their list, for example, may well be Unionist supporters keen not to see what they view as the progress made under the current government spoiled by a Morton or Jefferson victory. Yet it’s hard to consider that the thirteen percent who plumped for the Economy would be particularly chuffed with handling of Anderson and Lewis, and other polls suggest that those concerned over Immigration are weighted heavily in favour of people less than enamoured with the open doors of the Unionists, or the MLP of the past. In this, in their own disparate ways, the Tories and SD&GP could both make major gains.


Behind Closed Doors Talks of the Day

What can certainly be said without any shadow of a doubt is that the victorious party will count themselves lucky to win a quarter of the seats on offer, never mind get close to the psychologically important 130 mark. Once again, two of the big four will have to form a coalition; a fact which no doubt attests to the relative lack of smears, backbiting and similar unpleasantness between foes at the national level.

In the event of an MLP or SD&GP victory it has been generally assumed that despite their clear differences they would continue the alliance they forged in opposition. This was given some weight yesterday, after the SD&GP’s chairman Thomas Çelikkaya was photographed talking to the MLP’s Industry spokesman Patrick Bellard… until it was pointed out that the two Clotaire natives have been friends since childhood. Today, however, Morton’s party couldn’t do much to explain away a lunch date between party whip Evie Ferguson and a Conservative counterpart, Opal Gorner. For the Tories however, being coalition makeweights for a second term in a row, alongside a different party, would be another major embarrassment, and many party members believe the Conservatives need the years out of government to reassess their ultimate direction.

Countdown of the Day

There were some stark differences in campaign tactics today, as the contenders scrapped for the hearts, minds and votes of the biggest slice of the electorate in the country – the Undecideds. James Anderson seemed to travel the length and breadth of the country in the space of twelve hours, walking the streets of villages in North-West Candelaria alongside the local RC candidate Jane Rowlands and a host of cameramen, before making stops in Caires, Talinger, Bove, Bass and Blackwell, and spending the early evening in the rural west of Green Island, where the Unionists’ Gary Boyle is looking to take the traditionally red boater [Died-in-the-wool Unionist] RC back from the former MLP Finance Secretary Charity Morini.

Tate Sayfritz was also shmoozing voters in costal south-east Candelaria. Underrepresented in the House with rather fewer RC seats that its population warrants, this area is home to some of the most enthusiastic, middle-middle class voters in C&M. They’re also some of the most fickle and most likely to vote for a rising force, and were some of the most pro-Unionist districts in the country in 2004, but as some of the people hardest hit by Anderson’s taxation policies there’s always a possibility that they could be swayed. Equally, though the area is almost as Anglo as the Outliers, locals still have real concerns over the dilution of Candelariasian heritage. The Tories have also been targeting the Abiodun & Gamboa RC, in the belief that the latter area could be liable to switch on mass to a party promising to cut taxes for the rich and make sure that their hunky Hispanic gardeners remain Marquezians who can actually speak English.

The other two meanwhile have been attempting to take the headlines by a series of speeches. Never great orators themselves, Candelariasians are seldom impressed by such efforts; but for Robyn Morton the chance to prove herself once and for all as an accomplished stateswoman was too hard to resist. Speaking in the open air in the port of Allemali, the city in which she was born and raised and one that has traditionally bled yellow, Morton denied that the contest was a battle between “nice and nasty”, as some pundits have labelled the 2008 race. “Don’t be swayed by those who would mock the record of liberal C&M… Don’t be persuaded by those who would do you down, who would make you out to be simultaneously unpatriotic and far-right nationalists.

“There is a party in this contest, there is a Presidential candidate, who supports C&M’s status as a haven for those fleeing oppression overseas, who promises to make this a country where everyone will have the opportunity to succeed and live their lives to the full, regardless of the standing of their birth, their gender, their race. There is a party that embraces our diversity and will celebrate our unity. There is a party devoted to creating the ‘green and pleasant land’ will all deserve, where our natural flora and fauna can thrive amongst the machinery of twenty-first century humankind. There is a party that stands for freedom of body and spirit and choice and finance, that will stand up for the rights of those who cannot protect themselves, and that will stand up for the sovereignty and defence of these islands.

“This is a party that will ensure that those who wish to get ahead, to make it on their own, will find all the tools to do so. There is a party that will ensure that those who find themselves on hard times will not be overloaded with taxes for substandard public services. This is a party that will acknowledge our troubles, not shy away from them, that will pull our struggling communities to their feet, not toss them coins from a lofty perch.

“There is a party that will embrace new ideas and new visions both from home and abroad, but will serve to protect everything we hold dear, and not become slaves to passing fashions. They will assure that the global pace of change will not see the Candelariasian way of life sacrificed, will not see a single hard-working individual nor conscientious child slip through the cracks.

“And that party does not wear red and does not wear green. The Modern Liberal Party have listened, and learnt, and are refreshed and ready to represent the Candelariasian people in office. You can take us there, and we’ll take you with us.”

Meanwhile, up in Clotaire, Ariadne Jefferson failed to make her expected appearance, meaning that the SD&GP leader will be leaving it late to make a direct impact on this race. Cathy Jones was certainly enjoying herself instead though, railing against corporate fat cats, the capitalist class and even, for the first time in a good decade or so, using the term ‘socialist’ in direct reference to the party.

Clotaire will probably prove a key barometer to the SD&GP’s success. This was, after all, Socialist Party heartland in the old days, and parts of the Inner Clotaire RC this hearken back to those days but, in the seemingly endless well-to-do suburbs of the modern city, the votes of the liberal, middle-class voters will make the biggest difference. The MLP dominated the city from the late seventies onward, but the RC members in 2004 were Unionists (though neither is standing this time around) and the city has a SD&GP-led council. The battle for Inner Clotaire, between the SD&GP’s Emma Stojiljkovic, the MLP’s Victoria Lewis and the Unionists’ Space Programme Minister, Fallon Said, could prove one of the most telling of the election – not least because the constituency is traditionally one of the first to deliver its MP, often before the official result of the Presidential Vote has been released.


Threat to Free and Democratic Elections of the Day

The Electoral Commission believe that a recently established website could severely damage the turnout on the twelfth.

whatsthepoint.cam was created by three students at Onwere University, who claim that the ‘Big Four’ have long since ceased listening to the people. “They’re fighting between each other for cheap political points, rather than actually caring about what Candelariasians really think,” co-creator Adam Richardson told TTO’s Evening News, “And the smaller parties are just as bad. Voting for them doesn’t achieve anything. They’re expecting us all to waste time going out to vote on Monday, when actually we could all be working or studying or doing something useful with our lives. Either way, we need to show the Big Four that they can’t get away with ignoring us.”

The site’s plan, therefore, is to encourage Candelariasians to sign up and register which of Anderson, Morton, Jefferson and Sayfritz they intend to support. Then, the site will marry-up four supporters of each of the Big Four, thereby cancelling their votes out. “Those people can they decline to formally give their support to any of the Big Four, safe in the knowledge that their ‘missing’ vote won’t actually count,” Richardson continued. “It’s the perfect way of showing that the system just isn’t working.”

Analysts still predict that the 2008 turnout will be the largest since 1984. However, thousands have already signed up for the site after just 48 hours online, and MLP deputy leader Tomer Waterson has already sprung into action. “We have online voting now, and yet there are still people more interested in signing up for a fad like this,” he told TTO’s Evening News. “It’s a sad day for our democracy. Perhaps it really is time to consider compulsory voting now.”

The outgoing Unionist deputy leader and Prime Minister, Joseph Frank, derided the site as a stunt, and argued that C&M had “as lively, functioning and democratic a system as you could hope for.”


Photo-ops of the Day

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James Anderson listens to the grievances of the elderly at the Liverpool Hills Sunshine Memory Towers, an act surely beyond the call of duty.


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“Look, I don’t want to worry anybody and you get the idea there.

Tate Sayfritz with Tory list-member Gareth Rooney, who is widely expected to be the only wheelchair user in the 2008 House – providing Jefferson gets back on her feet sharpish.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Saturday May 10th

Unscheduled Daisy-Pushing of the Day

In the event of a tight election, C&M could be set for a month of political deadlock after the death of the sitting Candidate in the Nr Webley Regional Constituency. The Unionist Stefan Breetveld, who was standing again to represent his home town, died from an as-yet unspecified late last night.

Under electoral rules, the contest must now be delayed – primarily because a small number of postal ballots have already been sent out and received – and to give the Unionists time to select a new candidate. The vote will now take place in early June, and – though not officially a by-election – would prove a first major test of the new government… or sort out just who will be running the country once and for all. Potentially, it could also leave two or more parties on the same number of seats; placing the authority of the President and/or governing coalition in doubt.

We really should’ve worked out how to avoid this sort of thing earlier.

The northern seat, which includes the large manufacturing town of Webley itself and a large number of small commuter villages, has been traditional Tory fodder in the past, and will be contested by the Conservative Sport spokesman Oscar Bruce. The MLP also planned to target the seat with a local man, Reuben Sangster. The June vote will no doubt attract a large number of candidates, though under rules for the RCs only those individuals who have spent more than a year living within the boundaries of that constituency are eligible.

For the record, the 2004-2008 term was the first in the House of Representative’s history in which no by-elections took place. All sixty RC members survived the four years without dying or resigning. Of the List 200, two members resigned (the Unionists’ Nicholas Manrique, replaced by Terence Scheglov, and the Humanists’ Libby Williams, replaced by Katherine Dukes), and just one died (the MLP’s William Gords, replaced by Stu Carlsson).


Countdown of the Day

As the election draws nearer the major candidates continued their trawls across the country, visiting hardcore areas and long shots alike in a bit to eek out votes. Tate Sayfritz was up at the crack of Dawn; alongside the Conservative’s Social Affairs spokesman Edgar Antonio Caballero, who just happens to be attempting to wrestle the Nr El din RC from the Unionists’ own Social Affairs Minister, Reuben Queseda. A Caballero victory here would be unthinkable, but the Tories have been keen to try snatch Hispanic votes off the other three big national parties – while trying desperately not to see the MNP get a nice little fillip as a result.

Traditionally, Spanish-speakers have voted for anyone but the Tories; but the modern Conservatives are moderately in favour of holding an independence referendum and have a modest support among right-leaning, anti-independence Hispanics – they even have a couple of seats on Castillo City Council. Appearing in front of a multiracial crowd, Sayfritz pronounced that crime in the villas miseria in particular was spiralling out of control and, while we have to wonder when crime is ever not out of control, you have to applaud his testicular fortitude for even acknowledging El din’s grisly shanty towns – most MPs from the rest of the big four try to avoid referring directly to the most poverty-stricken areas of Marquez. The reality is that Unionist and MLP administrations alike have managed to achieve little improvement in these areas’ facilities, never mind touch the endemic crime, violence and substance abuse within them. With their promises of zero tolerance and ‘real justice’, the Tories are unlikely saviours, but they have to be concerned about losing some of their key support in Marquez – the most affluent and belligerently Anglo.

Down in Arrigo meanwhile, another politically flexible city that will prove an important barometer, Ariadne Jefferson was finally addressing the crowds. In her own belligerent style, the would-be first female and first non-white President told the Arrigonos that the MLP and Unionists had failed in their debt of service over the last four decades, and that it was time for a “new, young party to take this great nation forwards.” Quite how you can describe the SD&GP as ‘new’, or their make-up as ‘young’ (it is, but no more so that the other two; with the 2008 House in line to be the youngest of all time), while the use of ‘great nation’ will have had an awful lot of people wincing, but Jefferson was unrepentant. “We can be better than mediocre,” she proclaimed. “We’re not just an average people! We can do better than ‘just enough’; the government can do better than just enough! You deserve a place in the twenty-first century, and twenty-first century social democracy can take us there!”

Not twenty-first century socialism, then. Bit of a backtrack there, but at least it leave the Workers Party with something to work with.

If the SD&GP’s message is powerful but vague, then the Unionists’ is mind-numbingly monotonous: trust us on our record. And, once you’ve done that, accept that, after sixteen years of profit-driven MLP government, we need he full eight years to allow our developments in education, the health service and criminal justice to fully bare fruit. Speaking in the Marquezian city of Melin (there’s a theme developing here), James Anderson responded to claims made on the same podium before his arrival by ALP leader Hasson Lazarus that the only business of government was the defence of the realm – something that he claimed his former (surely former now) coalition leader had failed at, given all the rogue airships that seem to be crossing Candelariasian airspace right now. “In a democracy, the business of government is whatever the people decide it to be,” Anderson argued. “I, and this party, have and will always defend this country’s borders and her [ooh, get her] peoples’ interests. We all always work to protect us all from foreign aggression, from would-be terrorists… We will, as Clarkeists, protect the Candelariasian people from those who would corrupt their minds and yes, we will protect them and us all from ourselves. We’re not afraid of saying that, and the Candelariasian people are not afraid of embracing it, and that’s why the peoples’ party, the Unionist Party, are about to get a second term! Your second term!”

Yes, alright, Prez, we get the idea. It’s doubtful how many people heard all this anyway, for the Unionist-led Melin City Council, for reasons known only to themselves, had opted to use May 10th as the date of their own Parade of Ducks, to rival that of nearby Onwere (http://ns.goobergunch.net/wiki/onwere.html#Festivals_and_events). Except they were using noisy little automatons. Curious.

Robyn Morton was down in Zapata, producing a slightly more rustic version of yesterday’s speech. The minor parties were out in force as well, with the Workers Party making their big push in Alvery. The forgettable north-east Candelarian city, the dreary cousin to hip Clotaire, shiny Caires and characterful Khatib-Gassett, delivered a WP MP from the Inner Alvery FC in 2004, with Abdul Hussain capitalising on an incredibly tight race between the big three-and-a-bit. Party leader Adi Randall strongly believes, at least publicly, that his man could do it again in this most socialist of C&M cities, but the Unionists are going big with legendary party warhorse Warren Benamara looking to take back his old seat. The SD&GP have gone route-one with maverick backbencher Wasim Mohammed (nobody appears to have told them that Alvery actually isn’t particularly Muslimmy, though at least Mohammed was born here). The MLP appear to have admitted defeat here, because precisely no-one’s ever heard of Quentin Vokolos. He hasn’t even worked in local politics or anything.

Oh, and back in Onwere; Matthew-Millie van Ijssel, of the United Party of the Onweriii People, is hoping to unseat Douglas Ratkovic and become the first genderqueer member of the House. Officially, anyway.


Photo-ops of the Day

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Adi Randall jungles the Workers Party’s hard-left vision with the realities of modern C&M and the global economy. But symbolically, with apples.


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James Anderson. In a tank. Nope, no idea. We’re running out of pictures, frankly.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Politics
The Russo Report, Sunday May 11th

Defection of the Day

Unionist backbencher Francis Jeans, who was last in the public eye during the fourth Di Bradini Cup, has formally confirmed his membership of the Conservative Party and presence on their official List less than twenty-four hours before the polls open.

The Tories’ website confirmed Jeans’ membership shortly after the former Minister’s own personal blog. The sixty-nine year-old had been expected to retire from politics after declining a nomination to the Unionists’ 200 list, and his shift will cause major embarrassment to the government.

No Unionist can argue that turncoatery is innately wrong, not when the outgoing cabinet included Reuben Queseda and Tamara Amoruso, formally major figures with the SD&GP and MLP respectively, but what remains a concern is that Jeans would have to have been named on the Conservatives’ list at least seven days ago. Fabien McCarthy, a fellow socially conservative Unionist MP, told TV1 that though he could understand the reasons behind Jeans’ defection; “because there’s plenty of us who haven’t been entirely comfortable with the direction this party’s elite seem to be going”, he slammed his former colleague for failing to declare his switch earlier. “Thankfully Francis wasn’t much involved in our campaign, but the last thing we need in a tight contest like this is a mole in the camp. It’s a real slap in the face, frankly.”

If nothing else, what it does seem to mean is that any chance of the Unionist-Conservative-Libertarian coalition being renewed for the 2008 term looks dead in the water.

Football Debate of the Day

You can take the team out of the Cup of Harmony, but you can’t… No wait, that doesn’t work. Anyway, sport’s never far from the agenda in C&M and the major spokespeople were at it again in a discussion hosted at the Candelaria And Marquez Association Football Association head offices in Songstress, Albrecht. Not that there was much left to say, but the SD&GP’s bid to match the MLP and Unionists in terms of column inches continued with Natalie van Dijk’s pronouncements that government funding on expensive foreign signings in the CMSC would come to a halt under a Jefferson administration.

“The important thing is what the supporters in this country want,” she argued, “not television viewers or companies, be they here or overseas. Clubs should be just that – not-for-profit organisations run by and for their members. If they want to spend big on foreign acquisitions, or if they want cheap tickets instead or improved facilities, then that should be there call to make. It certainly shouldn’t be up to whatever businessman pours his cash into the club, and even less what the Ministry for Sport seems to think is the best for the game, in their infinite wisdom.”

Tatulya Samed defended the Unionist policy on the matter, of course, pointing out how far attendances had increased over the last few years after the influx of big foreign names. “I really struggle to see how [van Dijk] can view having bona fide World Cup winners on our clubs’ books is a bad thing. I certainly don’t think you’ll find Catedral or Green Island fans complaining that their clubs are through to the Champions’ Cup knock-outs,” she added.

Bob Herd, an out-of-town Albrecht FC supporter, couldn’t bring himself to disagree too far, though he and many Modern Liberals are clearly a little unsure about continuing to throw money at the country’s premier sporting competition. The Tories’ Oscar Bruce also argued that it was time for the CMSC giants to stand on their own feet and profitable enterprises, but seemed more interested in berating the current softly-softly approach to fan violence. “Yes, but it’s not working, is it?” he insisted after Samed claimed that problems with hooliganism were nothing compared to the situation of decades past. “We had dozens of people in hospital following an Albrecht derby last year, the constant fighting between MN Smith fans, and there’s a reason why Marquez clubs only seem to play each other on a Saturday morning.”

It’s hard to argue against that point, and once again the Conservatives seem to be coming up trumps on law & order issues in a country with a negligible crime rate. Which is a pretty impressive achievement, you have to concede that.

Countdown of the Day

If the SD&GP do manage to get Jefferson into Robinson House, they can thank their top strategists for opting to focus on national issues. For a party supposedly devoted to devolved power, it was important for them to promote their ideology at the national level in a series of speeches aimed at proving that socialism – or whatever they want to call it – isn’t dead in C&M, aimed at proving that this election is about so much more than economic competence.

While most party leaders were out and about talking local issues for local peoples, Jefferson was on TV merrily railing against the modern “politics of fear” and various forms of nationwide discrimination, whilst proclaiming that “prison doesn’t work”. She was also keen to argue the toss about political correctness with a very minor Conservative called, for some reason, Cupertino Batter. After claiming that the whole notion was a right-wing conspiracy, she went on to berate the left for their own failings, including the continued verbal assaults in the media and public life in general against C&M’s “most ill-educated, or those simply of sub-par intelligence. While supposed left-wingers can still feel comfortable to bandy around words like ‘thick’ or ‘simple’, against people who have had no say in their natural brainpower, you know that we still have to get our own house in order.”

Go for the dumb vote. It’s an interesting tactic.

Robyn Morton meanwhile was up in north-east Marquez, for some reason, insisting to the locals that they wouldn’t have to worry about signing beans landing on their heads under an MLP administration. The residents only actually turned up to her walkabout to break the monotony of the daily lives, of course. Pedro Sánchez and the MNP are going to win here. Nothing in this election is more nailed-on.

Finally, James Anderson was back home in West Candelaria; campaigning with local candidate Zeke Multescu. Turnout is low out here in the underpopulated wilds of the west, and Anderson knows everyone knows that. What better way to show C&M that, despite four years in Robinson House, he’s still a good ol’ home boy at heart.

Does that mean you should be voting for him? Well, I suppose it’s time for me to nail my colours to the mask an–

“What’s that, Skip? Twenty-four hour media purdah before the polls close thanks to perverse post-Civil War rules governing elections? Well that’s a damn shame…”

Happy voting, everybody!

Gang was watching Son deal out his plan to the other members, long lost members from several years past. Gang didn't have the time to help out - he still had a business to run. He was busily chopping meat for an old couple, due in a few hours. Son was busily explaining how the Empire would take revenge upon Candelaria And Marquez - somehow, it would make sense.


"... we're going to make these people realize that they must shake off the shackles of their oppression through fear. They must fear democracy, authority, and government! They have corrupted all of us, and in our pursuit to seek anarchy in the Empire, they have only bolstered support of the Empire. It is necessary to overthrow the oppressive authoritarian regimes of ordered society, that cages the free soul of the human animal within the moral and legal bars of hierarchy. It is only in anarchy that the Empire can be destroyed. Casari was to be the first example. Now... Candelaria And Marquez will be the first. They've got the elections coming up - the perfect time! They will arrive at the polls, and they will be thrown away!" Son made some awkward blowing gestures, to imply bombs of some sort. "They will be destroyed if they go to vote. And without elections, they will have no democracy. And the revolution will begin. We will free these miscreants from their shackles, and we will rise again from the ashes carrying the banner of war against the Empire!"

Cheers rang from within. Gang tried to pay no attention to any of it. A young kid came into the store with his bike and a list at hand. He heard the chatter through the wall. "Hey, misser, what's goin on in ther?"

"Meeting. What does your mother want?"

"Ummm... sausages. Twenty links."

"I'll be right back." Gang went into his area to retrieve the links. He had to pass by the meeting area, subject to the harassment from Son. "Gang-ya! Where are you going? You're missing the meeting!"

"I've got to get sausages!"

Son tsked. He pointed at Gang, continuing his speech. "See him? He was once one of us. Now he is a slave once more to the Candelaria And Marquez society, as a lowly butcher. We must free him. From himself."

Gang was about to become enraged, but he focused on the sausages. "I must get those sausages..." He became so fixed upon them that he returned to the counter with the sausages yelling, "I MUST GET THOSE SAUSAGES!" The little boy was a little puzzled. "Do you want me to return 'em when we're done with'em?" he asked. Gang shook his head. He tried to clear his thoughts of Son's scathing remark. "Oh, no. I was just... thinking... out loud. You can keep the sausages. They will be on your tab for next month."

"Okay, thanks misser!"

Gang shook his head again, as Son came out. He had not since seen a doctor, and the wound on his chest was starting to become more and more noticeable. It even began to stink, but only if you paid attention to the smell. Inevitably, it would grow and kill him. But Son was so fixed upon anarchy that such a trivial matter didn't concern him. "Gang-ya. We are ready for the final obstacle to true anarchy in Candelaria And Marquez. Are you coming with us?"

"I can't. I have work to do."

"You can work with us and be free from your shackles of society. Too long have you toiled and worked as a slave to these people, and too long have you suffered under their oppression. You're better than this."

Gang nodded. (ooc: if you care to know, butchers in Korea are historically viewed as sub-human, since they kill animals, which is bad from a Buddhist's perspective)

"We are the pioneers of liberation in this country, and you know that you want to be at the head of it. You know what must be done, and I fear that after this is over, you will be the only one to know what will have happened and what will be done. I cannot live past tomorrow. And most of my comrades are passing too. You are the only one who will still be around."

"I thought you wanted me to join the demonstrations tomorrow."

"I do. But I need you to coordinate the attacks. Someone needs to have the voice of power."

"But..."

"Anarchy cannot be met until a strong voice opposes the stronger voice of oppression. Anarchism is not meant for survival, but for salvation and liberation. We must be free to choose for ourselves, not with some government imposing its will upon us by forcing us into social contracts, paying these taxes, cooperating with unwelcome neighbors, subjecting to military requirements, and all of the other nonsense that comes with tyranny. You know that."

Gang nodded again. He didn't quite like where the conversation was headed though. He had realized that he had abandoned the ideas of the Mujeongbu, but at that moment, he didn't know why. Son seemed to make perfect sense, but when he thought about his customers, the people who relied upon him for meat, he realized that there were some merits to society. But why did he abandon the Mujeongbu to satisfy only a few people's needs for meat? Wasn't the liberation of the people more satisfying than that?

"I'll do it," he said. He wasn't certain if it was the right choice, but he decided that if he were to make another choice, he could change his mind latter before it happened. Regardless, Son seemed elated. He brushed Gang's hair into a fuzz. "I knew you'd come to your senses. I'll tell you more about it tonight. We've got a lot to prepare before the elections."

Son departed for the interior, leaving Gang to ponder over the merits of his decision. What would happen if it all happened and anarchy came to Candelaria And Marquez?

The bustling columns of civil servants and other random government officials roaring down St. Michael Street were absent today, of course they were, and the various inhabitants of the Bank of the Candelarias had similarly shut up shop. C&M ground to a halt on election days, apart from the steady flow of people to-ing and fro-ing to their local polling station. Few people seemed bothered about going to work, at least in the cities. It was like Christmas really; with neighbourhoods playing vast and often deadly games of cricket in the driving rain, while members of the many-headed legion that was Social Services ran about making people fill out risk assessment forms and stealing bruised children from perfectly responsible parents who just happened to have turned their backs for a moment.

They’d all be returned the next day, of course. It was all part of the theatre of the occasion.

Today was different. By now, ten in the morning, Monument Place should have been filled up by demonstrators of various mutually belligerent hues, calmly explaining to any passers by that by voting they were merely participating in a façade controlled by the One World Order, or endorsing the economic status quo and maintaining the dominant power structures, thereby becoming actors in their own continued subjugation by the capitalist class. That sort of stuff. Mostly from media studies students and similar assorted soap dodgers with nothing better to do. C&M's organised hard left got bored of this sort of stuff years ago.

But barring the Memorial itself, a handful of gentlemen in dark glasses and a toad the size of a JCB, the biggest public square in Albrecht was deserted. It was an unnerving sight.

“What’s it actually doing?” Sort-of-President James Anderson whispered.

“Pondering its options, probably,” the sort-of-Minister for Rational Thought, Lyndon Hernández sighed. “It hasn’t budged for twenty minutes. We’ve tried coaxing it into the back of a van, but…”

“What about killing it?”

Hernández made a shocked face. “Mr President! The Metropolitan Zoo would have your guts for garters. This’d blow their ivory-billed shrews out of the water… It’s probably just enjoying the rain, to be honest. We’ll get it moved within the hour, I promise. And I’ve got agents explaining the optical effects of prisms and rain and so forth to the nice family who happened to discover him. Not sure what we can do about their puppy, though…”

“I only came out to have my coffee in peace,” Anderson muttered. He swore meekly and strode off down the street to the offices of the National Council, Hernández hurrying after him.

Jenna Kmosko, the current Chair of the National Council, was in theory the head of government until tomorrow when Anderson or a new President slipped back into the hotseat, but she clammed up and stepped to one side when the Unionist leader entered the room.

“Good morning, sir!” Anderson’s principal private secretary Seren Hereford said brightly. “Bracing out there today, isn’t it?”

Anderson frowned. “Serry, I spoke to you five minutes ago…”

“Yea, I just thought a friendly hello would help soften the blow. We’re cordoned off Caires, sir.”

“What… All of it?”

“Most of it. On account of the platoon of Jr’k’trrr’ Warriors currently blowing holes in it.”

“Um… pardon my ignorance…?”

“That’s what their leader said they were called, apparently. It may have just been ‘where are the casinos?’. Anyway, big ugly dudes; lots of thick protuberances sticking out of their bodies at various angles.”

“Mr. Martino thinks they’re probably extra sex organs,” Anderson’s director of policy Abira Saleh said happily, with a nod towards the elf swivelling on a chair opposite.

“Anyway, Allemali’s dispatched a few squads of marines. The sixth infantry battalion will be on the ground within twenty minutes. Judging by the duration of most of the Events today however we expect the Jr’k’trrr to have popped back out of existence before then.”

“Right. Casualties?”

“Yes. I can’t really…”

“No, of course…”

Anderson growled softly to himself. A hundred and something people had been killed in Hurricane Neil. But at least that had been real, at least everyone could have accepted that it had happened. How was he, or the Ministry, or whoever was in charge of the country tomorrow supposed to explain away the swarms of killer bees on Green Island or the airship that crashed in an Arrigo suburb early this morning, killing dozens. An airship, for God’s sake! Never mind the three-hundred and twenty-thousand slightly bemused gypsies camping just outside Hanlon. Or the alien warriors up north. Or the fact that half the pre-teens in the capital seem to be talking in bizarre mockney accents. Or the beans, the bloody beans…

“Incidentally, Mr President,” Seren said quietly, “around half a million of the singing beans have declared unilateral independence in a small farmstead near Agujero, and will treat any Candelariasians who attempt to enter their territory as hostile entities. We think, anyway. It was a particularly grumpy rendition of ‘the wheels on the bike go round and round’, at any rate. Professor Simpson thinks it’s all in the intonation.”

“Thanks… Look, I don’t want to be overly dramatic and self-centred or anything, bu–”

“Vanessa and the twins are on rout to Nethertopia as we speak, sir. And theirs will be the last flight out. We’ve grounded all flights, unless things start to get really bad. The Event… horizon, if you will, doesn’t appear to extend particularly far into Candelariasian waters. A trawler carrying the postal votes from the Sorthern-Candelariasian-Northlandish community appears to have been sunk just off Cabrera Island my some manner of giant pelican, but…”

“What is it with alternate realities and giant animals… I take it that is what we’re officially dealing with now, Lyndon? Perhaps your elf would like to enlighten us. You people are supposed to be all esoteric ancient wisdom, aren’t you?”

The elf gave Anderson a cold look. “Given that the M.O.R.T itself is currently under six foot of purple guano, I’m afraid I’d only be guessing… But yes, it appears we’re suffering a very localised convergence with a number of, as you say, alternate realities. I can only suppose someone’s doing it on purpose…”

“I take it, Lyndon, that you’re quite sure this is nothing to do with your incessant fiddling with time dilation devices?”

“Well… Yes. Quite sure. I’m certainly not going to claim responsibility for the beans. By the way, sir, I’ve taken the liberty of having the svarts moved to higher ground. We’re still concerned their sewers might go them same way as Alvery’s this morning…”

“Jolly good. Nice to know our pet goblins are safe and well.” Anderson rubbed his hands over his face and let out a quiet moan. “Why is it always us, eh? We’re a nice, pleasant, average little country in the middle of nowhere. All I ask for is a nice, pleasant, normal election and a nice, pleasant handover of power, if that’s what the people decide… Why does everything always have to be so fucking weird?![i]”

“This wouldn’t be a good time to mention the rains of can openers over Sloane, would it?” Hernández put a hand on the sort-of-President’s shoulder. “Jamie, we’ve been doing this for four years now. We can keep this contained, I promise. We’ve practically got a media blackout today anyway, what with it being the elections. They’re not even allowed to mention the weather, so… And we’ve already made sure the international media isn’t going to pick up on this. The bloke from PINA’s off covering a virgin birth in Southerntown, anyway. We’ll get over this. We always do.”

“Yes. Thank you, Lyndon. Not our responsibility anyway, is it? Not ‘till tomorrow at least… How goeth the election, Abby?”

“Um… It’s swinging to Jefferson. But turnout’s awfully low, sir, given the rain and… all that other stuff. And it [i]is only half ten in the morning.”

Johanna Wilbur, the President’s Military Intelligence Liaison Officer, coughed nervously. “I should probably mention, sir, that one of our sleepers in Hangyeong has indi–”

“Don’t care, Jo. I honestly don’t. We’re fighting a guerrilla war against tin openers… Honestly, what can actual, proper people hope to do to us…?”

Gang and Son were watching the TV. It was election day, and a number of strange things were still going on. There was the matter of beans that had somehow taken root in the minds of the average citizen; before that was the snow. Now, some toad was sitting on the biggest square in Albrecht.

"These people are so fated to die by our hands," Son said, trying to assure Gang and secure his cooperation. "They don't have anything worth living here. They're slaves to a corrupt and oppressive society, and they're condemned by whatever fate exists in the world. How else do you explain all of this?"

Gang simply stayed quiet. He had been wondering his options. He was a butcher. The man who kills animals for a living. How much more of a stretch would it be to kill humans? For a purpose? Purpose-driven thoughts filled his mind again. He could liberate these people and instill them purpose, and reason! What merits could he gain by freeing from the people from their lost souls? They were spirits without a purpose, driven by a state organ that sacrificed their identity to the needs of the state. But were the needs of the state the same as those of the people? No!

Gang replied, "The state has turned them into mindless people."

"Yes, you do see. I had begun to doubt you, but it seems that the taste of liberty on the tongue frees even the greatest of men." Son handed a cell phone to Gang; upon it were the instructions written on a piece of paper. "You will make history today, Brother Gang. And history will look upon us favorably, for these people will see what wretches lie in their government, and they will call for the great revolution of the world. Anarchy will free the world."

"Anarchy is the world," Gang replied, taking the phone. "There is no way but anarchy. Through anarchy, the human soul is liberated from menial tasks to satiate the littlest desires of a corrupt man. We must free them."

"You are speaking like the true prophet." Son took up a vest, and carried on his back a bag carrying plastics and ball bearings. The instructions on the phone would initiate the sequence that would detonate all of the bags within 5 minutes. If any person were carrying it, they would disintegrate before the contents would spill a blast of some 25 meters of destruction. There was one bag that carried the motherload - a cart of meat, hiding 5 kilos of C4. The cart was loaded onto a bike and sent to a nearby food stand, not far from Monument Place.

Gang continued to watch the news, as he waited for the right hour. It would be the last hour on the polls; yet the beans, the toad, and the rain was keeping the people away. Perhaps it wasn't worth the trouble? No - that was the sort of thought that got him into the butcher's stand in the first place. He had to wait for the right moment...

"And Jefferson still has a formidable lead, but the Unionists are taking a last minute surge as more data from the polls come to us..."

Gang wanted to wait for another day, when he was more certain of the outcome. Perhaps detonating explosives wasn't the best idea. But he kept thinking about liberation.

"...That huge toad sitting on Monument Place is still there. We're taking you there now, live!"

He hestitated as the hour drew nearer.

"...despite calls for independence. The beans, calling themselves now the 'Partido Frijoles' is banking on last minute voters to recognize bean rights. Among their national agenda are to include beans as natural citizens, mandating Spanish as the mother tongue of every Candelariasian, and..."

He started to press the buttons. The cell phone tones were omnious and looming, even though they were xylophonic. The echoes seemed to forebode the many shrieks in death as the people who were to die perish in the fiery chaos cried their last breath. Time was morphing about him as he finished the instructions. One of two buttons would finish the task.

"...it's time for us to take another quick look at the polls, as we roll to the final hour..."

He pressed "send".

It had been a torrent, it had been a squall, possibly, unless that’s a female red injun, but now it was just drizzling across the south-eastern coast of Candelaria. The drainage system in the country’s capital had worked, for once; neatly ending the city’s long-standing problem with urban capybaras in the process. And where Albrecht led, C&M followed; even in regards to the weather.

PC Robbie Jones hopped up and down for warmth in the centre of Monument Place. It had been quieter than usual all day; thanks to the weather, the tedium of Election Day and, mention it quietly, the toad. Everyone else here was just trying to ignore this particularly excessive example of Bufo bufo, and doing a marvellous job of it; passing hurriedly through on their way to the last few shops open at this time (twenty-four-hour global capital? I should cocoa!) or off to the pub or similar establishment without giving the creature a second glance.

Besides the handful of police officers and the toad’s designated minders, a couple of protesters remained behind. One sidled up to Robbie and coughed nervously.

“You know that, um… You know that you’re just organs of the ruling class, don’t you?”

“Yup.”

“Oh. And I mean, you’re all so quick to proclaim yourselves as heroes, but really you couldn’t exist without organised crime. You need each other. You’re in cahoots.”

“Yup. I know I am, certainly.”

“Uh… Yeah. ‘Cos you only defend the rich, don’t you? The rest of us a screwed unless we jump to your, um… music. When we crush the state, I hope you realise that you police will be out of a job. I mean, everyone will be out of a job, that’s kind of the point… I think, but… And you’ll be held to account for your crimes against humanity!”

“Yeah?”

“Pig.”

Robbie sighed. “Joe, I caught you pissing in Hanna Wilkinson’s sandpit when we were seven. Did I dob you in to our capitalist oppressors? No. Give me a bit of credit.”

“Yeah…”

Robbie whistled vaguely and looked again at the little food stand that had been set up in one corner of the square. Monument Place wasn’t Eadie Market, with all its ‘laaaarvley bunches o’ bananas, mum, eight paarnds a paarnd fer you’ and so forth, but enterprising businessmen still occasionally flouted restriction of trade laws to set up little stalls every now and again. They seldom lasted long before they were moved on, but they always sold well during those brief few minutes. This one though had been set up just outside Robbie’s eyeline, behind the toad, and left unattended. That was odd.

“Odd that, isn’t it?” Robbie muttered.

Joe opened his mouth to stutter something about big business being in league with the government and aiming to smash the independent worker at every opportunity. He never got the chance.

THOOM!

***

“We’re expecting a late flurry of activity, sir,” Abira Saleh muttered merrily, as she wombled after Not-Actually-At-This-Moment-President James Anderson out into the evening air.

He nodded, both towards her and a handful of reporters and photographers who had opted to station themselves outside the National Council building on St. Michael Street rather than on the Claude Lenglet Street/Robinson Street corner where Robinson House, the greatest prize of all, had sat empty this last week waiting for its new inhabitants. The building itself had attempted to vote for Robyn Morton’s MLP, on the basis that the last thing it needed at its time of life was more children tearing around, writing on its walls and so forth; but it had been rejected by the polling station opposite the Kura-Pellandi embassy for not having registered on the electoral role. A brief fight had ensued, the polling station had won, and Robinson House had trooped back to its gardens. It crushed three civil servants in the process, but all things considered this was an acceptable loss.

Happily however, as Saleh was explaining to Anderson in hushed tones; the walking, sentient buildings thing had been pretty much the last of it. “Hernández says we haven’t had a new Event for over an hour. It’s probably safe to bet that whoever or whatever was causing them has decided to call it a day. The bees have all gone home as well, by the way. Toad’s still there, but…”

“I rather like the toad. Perhaps we could keep it.”

“That’d excite the public more than the Equality Bill, sir, certainly. Perhaps you should make it your first act.”

“Yeah, on that… Am I going t’win, Abby?”

“Umm… Maybe? I mean, we were looking pretty good an hour-or-so ago, after the inevitable early bloc vote from the soc dem hardcore… Morton’s catching us up though, I mean I don’t know whether it’s the weather clearing up or what, but there’s polling stations up north reporting nearly forty per cent turnout!”

“Heavens… this is a fine day for Candelariasian democracy…”

Saleh sniffed. “If we weren’t cordoning off half the country, sir, it might’ve pushing over the fifty percent mark nationwide…”

“Abs, we’ve got alien warriors in the casino district. What exactly were we supposed to do?!”

“They’ve settled down and are becoming acquainted with the rules of blackjack, by the way, sir. They’ll probably’ve opened up their own delicatessens by this time next week.”

“And then we’ll just have to explain the extra sex organs… This isn’t gnomes, Abby! We can pass them off as little humans, at a push. Big brown buggers over-encumbered in the winky department? Marxist-Leninist Beans?!”

“They’re making the northern Marquezian regional seats pretty tight,” Saleh agreed. “We don’t think they’ll earn enough for a national seat, bu–”

“People are voting for the beans?!”

“They’re straight-talking, honest… they’ve got a catchy jingle… It’s probably more of a protest vote to be fair, but…”

Anderson smiled sweetly at the assembled hacks, before dragging Saleh into the little alcove at the front of the National Council building. “Abby, this country is normal, alright? And as far as ninety nine point nine nine nine percent of the Candelariasian public knows, that’s the way we’re going to stay! They don’t believe that there are other intelligent species besides humans on this planet, never mind in C&M. Some of them might believe in fairies and angels and aliens and hedgehogs, but the rest of the country knows… KNOWS, that those people are as mad as a bag of spaniels. People can’t just accept conscious beans! Not Candelariasian people, anyway. It would destroy everything…”

“It’s probably just mass hysteria, sir. People’ll wake up tomorrow and wonder how on earth they possibly thought that any of this Stuff could have had anything other than a perfectly rational explanation. Lyndon will make sure of it, sir…”

“Assuming we’ve still got the M.O.R.T…”

“Look, sir, the race is as tight as a, a…”

“A tight thing,” Anderson interjected hurriedly as his young, unmarried Muslim policy director sought desperately for an analogy.

“Yes… Any of the big three could win at the moment, and there’s still more than an hour to go.”

“Yeah. Y’know, I almost, almost hope that Morton wins… Or Jefferson. The public are going to need something to focus on tomorrow and for a few weeks after too, to avoid them confronting the beans, or the toad…”

“Or the tin openers? Yes. Morton’s got a chance, y’know? It’s odd, a couple of hours ago they were miles behind, but…” Saleh shrugged and smiled. “Never mind, sir. Even if we get in again, I’m sure you’ll think of something to take the people’s minds off all of this. You always d–”

THOOM!

***

Nina Moon jumped into a puddle; since this was what they were there for, after all. City planners in the Candelarias had long ago insisted that pavements nationwide must include a reasonable proportion of indentations to allow for the proper development of child-friendly puddles in the aftermath of rain storms.

C&M was a rather odder country that it gave itself credit for.

Now that the day’s precipitation had finally ceased, Nina’s father had dragged the girl and her wellingtons out into the cold evening air to experience Candelariasian democracy in action. This appeared to consist of voting for the black woman from over in Irish Street, on the basis that “she’s, well, y’know, one of us, i’nt she? But we’re voting Unionist for the regionals, ‘cos, well, that Hayley bird’s really one of us. Kinda.”

Be it for Jefferson or not, the rest of Thompsontown seemed to have had the same idea. The high street was as packed as it had ever been at this time of night, like New Year’s Eve or Diwali or Eid. There was less hugging than at Eid, but still… the street was full of people laughing and joking, grumbling happily about this and that and discussing who to vote for. There seemed to be a pretty even split between what Jenny recognised as the Big Three, despite Rhys Khan’s dad loudly proclaiming his intention to vote for the Nationalists and stop the country from being overrun by Casarans. There’s always one.

Rhys grinned at her shyly, but Nina turned sniffily away. She tried not to socialise with the likes of him. He was a Gabalfa Rovers supporter, after all, and these days, through Samuel Taha, that meant Albrecht Turkish too by osmosis. No-one in Thompsontown was a Turkish fan. Not even the Turks.

Instead, she pottered after her father towards the massive, dilapidated public library that served as the district’s polling station. Everything in Thompsontown was slightly grubby, slightly forgotten. The country did forget about Thompsontown alot of the time. It wasn’t Songstress, after all, where every single race and hue and – according to her father, albeit in hushed nudge-nudge-wink-wink tones – species on the planet lived, drank and got shamelessly middle-class together in perfect harmony. It wasn’t Mary’s Park, where if you made it to fifteen without being pregnant, you were obviously a dirty lezzer. It wasn’t Irish Street. Everyone loved Irish Street. Thompsontown may have been the biggest district in the whole of the capital, suburbs and all, but it was the forgotten face of the west end.

Moon Kwansik showed his polling card to the woman at the door, motioned towards his daughter an–

THOOM!

“Daddy…?”

She’d known she’d said it, but no sound had come out. There was no sound anywhere. Her eardrums had been deemed an unnecessary affectation.

Working on the clean underwear principle, she brushed the dust off her face and jeans and Vanderpent 10 shirt. Through no definite choice of her own she was sitting down in a little cocoon surrounded by stray planks of wood and bricks, with small chunks of masonry falling around her.

Nina scrambled forward on her hands and knees, coughing in the gloom. She could see, though. She wished so fervently that she couldn’t see, that God or Allah or Reuben Merchant or the fat guy with the long ears had decided to take away her eyes as well. But she couldn’t shut them, she could only stare at the severed, yellowish arm lying directly in front of her.

Yellow arms weren’t that unusual in Albrecht, never mind in Thompsontown. Unfortunately this one had her father’s wristwatch on.

She didn’t cry. Nina was a sensible child, and she was becoming dimly aware that she had more pressing concerns to worry about. She looked down thoughtfully at her Albrecht FC replica shirt. It was a very dark shade of red. That would’ve been perfectly normal, were it not for the fact that ten minutes ago it had been the Scorpions’ light blue away kit.

She prodded her chest, and looked at her hands. And then she lost consciousness.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Latest News Blog
May 12th 2008, 21:02

Voting hours for the General Election are proceeding peacefully towards their conclusion despite a series of serious episodes across the country today.

Police in Caires have relaxed the curfew in place in the city following violent clashes between locals and tourists, in which one Candelariasian man was said to have been shot dead, and up to a dozen more rushed to hospital.

Local media reports that emergency services in the Arrigo district of El Matthews have in the last half hour begun pulling bodies from the wreckage of three houses along La Camino del Carnicero, after an airship appeared to crash into the suburban residential area. The appalling weather conditions earlier in the day had previously hampered efforts by ambulance crews to attend the scene.

It remains unclear tonight as to whether the events were in any way connected to the elections or freak occurrences. Polls close one hour from now, with turnout expected to be low.

Albrecht Metropolitan Police have confirmed in the last minute that they are also investigating a series of incidents in the capital.

***

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Latest News Blog
May 12th 2008, 21:10

At least one person has been killed and dozens wounded, some critically, in two apparently coordinated explosions in Albrecht.

Emergency services are attending incidents at Monument Place in Central and Thompsontown high street, the latter of which is believed to have been packed with voters after the rains barraging the east of Candelaria cleared up in the last half hour.

Two polling stations in the capital have already opted to close their doors, amid fears that there may be more explosions to follow, targeting voters. However a spokesman for the Met has denied this evening that there is any confirmed link to terrorist activity.

Earlier in the day at least six people were killed in Arrigo when an airship crash-landed in the El Matthews residential district. A number of people are believed to have been injured in Caires, during running street battles between locals and tourists.

more to follow

***

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Latest News Blog
May 12th 2008, 21:32

Up to a dozen people have been killed and scores injured in five coordinated explosions in Albrecht this evening.

The first reports came from Thompsontown at nine o’clock exactly, with a bomb blast having occurred just outside or within the district’s largest public library, opposite O’Sullivan’s Public Baths, which had been acting as the district’s main polling station. Emergency services attending the scene have been able to pull three bodies from the wreckage of the building, and early reports suggest that dozens of people have been wounded.

Though the Thompsontown attack appears to be the worst, five separate incidents are believed to have taken place in the Bramlive and Harbour districts of Downtown Albrecht, at Monument Place in Central, and in the Magnus suburban district of Pretty England where several buildings are believed to have been destroyed.

Albrecht City Council leader Hebe Davidson, the former Unionist MP, moved quickly to call for calm and requested for all city residents to make their way to the safety of their homes – despite the fact that polling stations are supposed to remain open for another half an hour. She also made direct reference to ‘these attacks against this great city and its people’, apparently confirming suspicions of terrorist involvement. Extreme Marquez nationalist and Hispanic rights groups moved quickly to distance themselves from the attacks, but there remains concerns expressed in the Hispanic community in Marquez and beyond of reprisal incidents.

The five blasts in the capital are believed to have occurred almost simultaneously, though there had been incidents elsewhere in the Candelarias throughout the day, which may or may not be linked. All large cities in C&M have been placed on the highest alert tonight, with fears high over a second wave of attacks.

The National Council, in appealing for ‘calm and cool heads’ has asked for calls to 000 to be limited to ‘severe and immediate emergencies only’ until further notice. Those concerned over friends and relatives in Albrecht and elsewhere have been given the hotline number of 0922 338 3381 to contact the Metropolitan Police, but all citizens have been asked to endeavour to get in touch with loved ones directly before resorting to going through official channels.

Overseas readers, particularly those in Bettia and Sorthern Northland, similarly concerned over Candelariasians or foreign citizens in Albrecht have been advised to contact the C&M Embassy in Beningrad, which is in constant contact with Albrecht, on (+78) 0122 780 21023.

***

The Albrecht Herald, May 13th 2008
12/5
‘Hundreds’ killed, ‘thousands’ wounded as terror comes to the Candelarias’ streets
Elections in turmoil after ‘our blackest hour’

By Roy Greenwood

As the night fell on the Candelarias so light slowly began to emerge on what we can now safely say was the worst single day in Candelariasian history since the civil war. In up to ten separate terrorist attacks across the country, stretching from Caires to Sloane but focussed largely on the capital, at least one hundred people have been confirmed dead – and Albrecht’s emergency services and civil authorities believed late last night that that figure is set to skyrocket this morning.

For the first time since 1960, Albrecht was last night under martial law with a curfew forcing well over half a million people to stay indoors. Members of the Fourth Infantry Battalion are said to have been keeping order, and dealing ‘quickly and responsibly’ with anyone seen acting in a suspicious manner on the city’s streets. The only sounds last night were the barking of dogs and the screams of emergency vehicles.

The full scale of the loss of life and physical damage to the capital and beyond will not become clear until well into today, but it seems certain that the worst single incident will be named as occurring in Thompsontown high street, where the bomb blast caused an explosion that resulted in the collapse of a dozen buildings, including inhabited high-rise flats along the parallel Smythe Road. Forty-three people were, at the time of this paper going to press, known to be dead; while survivors report a figure much higher. Many bodies recovered last night were described as being ‘unlikely to ever be formally identified’ by emergency medical staff. The capital’s seven hospitals are known to be struggling to cope with the influx of critically wounded individuals, with many previous patients having now been transferred to locations beyond the six boroughs. Witnesses from Thompsontown to Bramlive have reported dead bodies and even those seemingly beyond help as being left in the street while more salvageable victims are shepherded to safety. Reports have also spoken of horrific injuries, of the sort found in previous overseas terror attacks involving nail bombs or other small projectiles.

As emergency services rushed west to the Thompsontown blast so reports began to flood in from across the capital, stretching their resources beyond breaking point. Locals in Pretty England, Magnus, told TV1 that functional ambulances did not arrive in their suburban district until nearly three quarters of an hour after the blast. Sixteen people have been confirmed dead in this attack, on voters along the main Parnarby Road. The road was since cleared more rapidly than in the other incidents however, though local authorities believed last night that a large number of individuals could still be trapped under the rubble of the local polling station, and several other nearby residences.

The pictures from Bramlive, the wealthy area in the east of the city, and in the Harbour district were no less bleak last night, though there appears to have been only modest structural damage. This has done little to mask the scale of the dead and injured however – twelve people having been confirmed dead in each attack, with somewhere approaching a hundred people having been rushed to hospital with serious facial and bodily injuries.

A fifth blast in the capital is believed to have taken place at Monument Place, though the area was quickly evacuated and cordoned off. It was unclear last night how many people were occupying the square and the surrounding streets at the time, but early accounts suggest that the blast was by some distance the largest in the country. Reports that James Anderson was among the dead were quickly quashed by Unionist Party sources, however it is believed that he was admitted to hospital. The square’s War Memorial, the tallest in the Candelarias, is believed to have been destroyed in the attack.

The immediate investigation will surely turn to why Albrecht residents were given no warning of the impending assaults, for a series of other deadly incidents had occurred throughout the day in the Candelarias. Reports that an airship had been downed in Arrigo have since been dismissed, despite the confirmed deaths of eleven people in the El Matthews district, amid rumours last night that they may have been the victims of a failed trial run. Sketchy reports of bomb blasts have also emanated from Zapata and Sloane, with islanders reporting severe physical injuries baring the hallmarks of the Albrecht attacks.

Whoever the perpetrators, the attacks themselves were evidently designed to coincide with the national elections, the results of which remained utterly unclear last night. Turnout had been expected to be much lower than previously anticipated, largely due to the weather, and many polling stations opted to close early as reports of the attacks filtered through onto the television and radio. While urban areas ground to a halt however; reports from suburbs, towns, subrurs and villages across the islands suggested a late surge of votes in the final half hour, as the Candelariasian people opted to show a spontaneous show of defiance to those who would threaten the country’s democracy.

Indeed, many polling stations are believed to have stayed open well beyond the accepted closing time in order – according to the presiding officer in the Nr Brayton Regional Constituency – to ‘avoid a riot’. Whether these votes will count towards the final total remains unclear, and in either case it seems unlikely that the Electoral Commission will permit the release of any results until the fourteenth at the earliest. As much as anything else, much of Claude Lenglet Street – including Robinson House and the House of Representatives – remain on lockdown. Further confusion has arisen online, with the official secure polling site having crashed at around nine-thirty. Other users however reported being able to successfully register their national and regional votes well past midnight.

The National Council is expected to maintain martial law in the capital tomorrow, though ordinary events and gatherings outside the Cove region are expected to continue as normal. The Albrecht FC versus Albrecht Turkish football derby has been postponed indefinitely.

The nationwide confusion and panic nationwide following the attacks last night was no doubt worsened by the lack of immediate response by political figures, with many still observing strict rules on public appearances on Election Day. National Council leader Jenna Kmosko, speaking for the 2004-08 government, had no such qualms and appeared on television around half an hour after the attacks to describe the attacks as ‘our blackest hour’ she formally confirmed that they were being treated as terrorism.

“I never expected to be Council Chair during the worst loss of life in a single day for three decades,” she continued. “And after Hurricane Neil I certainly never expected to oversee what may well prove to be the worst single day for this nation for a century, or more. We cannot say for now who brought about these vicious, barbaric, unforgivable crimes against the Candelariasian people. We cannot know their motives, but we know that this was an assault not only against our country and our people, but our democracy and our very way of life. Whatever the cause, there can be no justification for this assault, and the Candelariasian people can be assured that it will not go unpunished. This government, whichever government the Candelarian [sic] people may elect, will not rest until these creatures have received justice. Until then I know that we will continue to act in a calm and measured manner, and face this catastrophe together, as one people, and trust in God to ensure our safety ”

Kmosko’s comments were quickly, and controversially, condemned by SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson. Speaking to TV1’s round-the-clock coverage, Jefferson pronounced that “calls for revenge and ‘justice’ against the ‘evil’ people that committed these atrocities serve little to help the people on the ground at this time. She’s head of state, and right now she should be worrying about helping survivors, and seeking to make sure that there aren’t further victims elsewhere in the country. The last thing we need right now are calls to prayer.”

Speaking on the same station later, the MLP’s Social Affairs spokeswoman Lauren Cove described Jefferson’s comments as ‘abhorrent’. “Her thinly-veiled insinuations against the Candelariasian character serve at a time like this only to show her ignorance and unsuitability for governance. I trust in our people to deal with these foul assaults with stoicism, bravery and the coolest of heads.”

Albrecht City Council leader Hebe Davidson has also praised the ‘strength and fortitude’ of her city’s populous in dealing with the chaos caused by the attacks. Early reports last night however suggested that the faith of Kmosko and Cove may be tested, with running battles having begun between Anglo and Hispanic youths in Arrigo, El din and several smaller Marquezian towns, amid rumours of a resumption of the Hispanic Rights terror campaign that was wound-up in the late eighties. Experts are claiming that last night’s attacks bear none of the hallmarks of Accion Delantera and similar defunct groups; but that will not stop violent incidents across Marquez if rumours of Hispanic involvement persist. Should they be proven to be true, the effect on the Candelariasian Republic could be catastrophic.

Other groups have already come in for blame however, and local police in Khatib-Gassett were last night advising all Muslim citizens to stay at home and keep their houses locked and bolted where possible. Many analysts have begun to point the finger towards the international LFF terror group, who aim for the independence of the Lilliputian people and have conducted extended campaigns in several countries of late, including close international partners of C&M such as Zwangzug. Some sources, particularly online, have also put Jeruselemite security services under suspicion.

Whoever the culprits, the consensus of opinion last night was that the perpetrators themselves are unlikely to have survived the attacks. However it remains entirely probable that any number of individuals who have rendered assistance to the bombers remain at large within Candelariasian territory.

Police sources have told the Herald that they had received no prior warnings of the attacks. No group had as of last night claimed responsibility.

BREAKING NEWS
Canning condemns Albrecht attacks

Prime Minister Alex Canning today condemned what he described as "despicable" attacks in the Candelariasian capital, Albrecht, on polling day. He made his remarks in a letter of condolence and solidarity sent to the Candelariasian ambassador in Ad’ihan, Eoin Nelson, which was later released to the press.

In his letter, Canning praised the "resilience of the people of Albrecht and the whole of the Candelarias" in overcoming what he described as "a huge shock to the system". Noting that Grand Island had to deal with its own terror attack during the lead-up to its independence as part of Ad’ihan, Canning made an offer to send rescue teams and terrorism experts to Albrecht to help in the aftermath of the explosions, which struck almost simultaneously.

The Ad’ihani ambassador in Albrecht, Justine Randall-LeFevre, who is also the sister-in-law of current Ad’ihani presidential candidate Josh Randall, has confirmed that there is currently no known Ad’ihani casualty from the blasts. Mrs Randall has already extended her condolences to the leader of the National Council, Jenna Kmosko.

FULL TEXT OF MR CANNING'S LETTER TO EOIN NELSON

Dear Ambassador Nelson,
It is with great regret and sadness that I write to discuss last night's atrocities in Albrecht. These despicable attacks on the Candelariasian government and people and on democracy are abhorrent, and I was stunned when first informed about them.

Your government is a capable one and I fully believe that Albrecht and your nation will, in time, recover from the attacks. The resilience of the people of Albrecht and the whole of the Candelarias will shine through as you try to overcome this huge shock to the system.

Shortly before attaining independence, Ad’ihan's Grand Island suffered similar terrorist attacks, including the bombing of a hotel which left many hundreds dead. With teams that have the expertise, and unfortunately also hands-on experience, I would like to offer your government, if the need requires it, emergency rescue teams and terrorism experts to help in the aftermath of these deadly attacks.

The thoughts of my government and the Ad’ihani people are solemnly with your country and the people of Albrecht at this difficult moment.

Yours sincerely,
Alex Canning
Prime Minister of Ad’ihan

SIC

The Emperor was making a regular tour in the Imperial Gardens at the Summer Palace in Gwangju. He had members of the Court with him, the Governors, and the Crown Prince. It was the season of the Mugunghwa (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibiscus_syriacus), and the gardens were blooming with the pink flowers. However, on this day, a messenger bearing a red flag would spoil the festive atmosphere.

"Your Imperial Majesty! We bear news from afar!"

The Emperor nodded as he stepped to the messengers. "What news disturbs us now?"

"The Mujeongbu, sire."

Even as they whispered the name, echoes and hushes ran through the people. It was often ill-news that accompanied that word. Memories from twenty years ago ran through their minds - mass murder, explosions from everywhere, people huddled in fear; had the Mujeongbu come home again? That would be worse news than anyone could imagine.

"Sire, they have attacked Candelaria And Marquez."

"Where is Count Yu?"

Duke Weon came over to the Emperor. "Your Majesty, Count Yu is taking care of issues, but I assure you that he has been on the case for a long time..."

"Duke Weon, were we not aware of anarchists plotting against us from the Candelariasians?"

"It was a football player. His threat has been since mitigated..."

The Emperor tried to remain calm. "It seems that we were right to remove him, but wrong to let him go so calmly. Instead of our own citizens, we have killed theirs."

"Your Majesty, I must implore some rational thought in our accusations," the aged Duke replied. "The Hwarang have collected significant intelligence leading up to the removal of de Wilde from the Empire, and beyond. There is no evidence that links his activities to the Mujeongbu, and furthermore there is no evidence that links his activities to the attack."

"How would you know about this?" the Emperor replied. Curious how the Duke would know of an attack.

"We had received intelligence that suggested the Mujeongbu, after their attempts to bring anarchy to the people in Casari, that they wanted to spread their attack to other countries. Candelaria And Marquez was not so high among our countries of importance, but I suppose the large ethnic Han communities helped hide this fact from us. Still, I have not seen any recent evidence that connects de Wilde to any attack. His form of anarchism seems to be motivated by social factors, not political ideology."

"That still remains a danger to us," the Emperor replied. "I want Count Yu to send agents to track de Wilde and eliminate him. And I want the Hwarang to begin expanding their base of operations from just simple collect intelligence to counter-terrorist activities. We cannot ignore the threat of overseas terrorism any longer. Already, the Mujeongbu are proving to be a worse threat than we could have imagined."

"Your Majesty," Marquis Pak then said. "The Academy (of Foreign Affairs) should issue a statement, offering our sincere condolences to the people of Candelaria And Marquez..."

"Wait a minute," the Emperor then said, extending Duke Weon's logic to the situation at hand. "Have the Mujeongbu claimed responsibility for the attack?"

"Not yet, sire," the messengers replied. "But the method of the attacks - it is pure Mujeongbu style. With the intensity of the attacks, we fear that there may be months ahead where the people of Candelaria And Marquez see terrorism on their streets. They are also perhaps used to simple terrorists; not the Mujeongbu who invade the lives of the people and use the common and ordinary things to destroy them. They will likely make the mistake of clamping the police upon them."

"I don't want a lecture; I know how to fight the Mujeongbu," the Emperor retorted, recalling his years under his father as the senior counter-terrorist head in the Imperial Army. He created the strategy that eventually defeated the Mujeongbu. Unfortunately, years of experience had eroded his logic, believing that the most significant threat imposed by the Mujeongbu was at home, when it was perhaps overseas. "We will need to tread softly. If the Mujeongbu have not claimed for their action, then we should not imply the same. Send a private communication to Candelaria And Marquez, providing our available intelligence about the Mujeongbu. Offer to send a team of Hwarang agents to help crack down and assure the population that they are safe. And I will want the Academy to issue a public condemnation of the attacks - do not suggest that we know who did this, because at the moment, even our own intelligence cannot confirm that the Mujeongbu are responsible."

"But your Majesty..."

"No buts. They did not claim it, nor should we force them to claim it. We do not want to make paper puppets out of such an affair. Make good use of the time."

Immediately, the people dispersed to deal with their duties swiftly. The Crown Prince came by the Emperor, asking a sincere question: "Is this what it is to be Emperor?"

The Emperor looked upon his son with a heavy sigh. "When you are Emperor, you too will have the duty to protect your posterity. You wish that you leave behind a world that is better, but things always suggest that it will be worse."

"I know."

"You will have to be a better Emperor than I, because by the time you are Emperor, you will need to be better for our survival."

"I know."

"The wind blows hard against a crumbling wall, and the more that it crumbles, the less effort the wind must take to overpower the wall. Remember that."

"What if the wind blows against itself?"

The Emperor smiled. "Blow harder."

Encrypted Communication to Candelaria And Marquez
Intelligence - Threat
Mujeongbu

To the National Security Adviser of C&M:

We, of the Great Han Empire, wish to convey our sincerest regrets to the tragedy that has overcome C&M. We are aware of the epic proportions that such a travesty has inflicted pain upon your people, for at one time, we suffered the same. At a time when the Empire was progressing into the modern era, we were subject to terrorists who preached the ideologies of anarchism - they called themselves the Mujeongbu. The Mujeongbu are a political force that believe in instilling fear in people to force them to revert their animalistic ways, rejecting the structured order of society and preferring lack of social hierarchy. They are led by very organized commanders that have experience dealing with populations; they are most effective in crowds, when people are subject to mass panic and pandemonium. As such, we believe that your people have been victims of the latest Mujeongbu attack.

We were unaware of the extent of Mujeongbu organization within C&M - in fact, the attack has caught our intelligence by surprise. We expected more organized Mujeongbu communities in Sorthern Northland, Starblaydia, or even Taeshan to take hold and attempt terrorist activities; but as the Mujeongbu are inventive, it is possible that the attack is an attempt to throw the community of C&M into chaos. Their timing - during the elections - is a critical example of their intentions: to disrupt processes of government that enforce and legitimize authority in a democratic society.

If the Mujeongbu are responsible, more attacks are likely. We caution against using extreme police force to hinder the Mujeongbu as that will only work to make things easier for them. People stuck at home, watching the television as random explosions rock across the country, will only instill fear in the people. Rather, it is most critical to allow people to live as normally as possible. The Mujeongbu will employ tactics that seek to inflict massive casualties - as you are probably aware; their methods usually employ common items, ranging from cooking utensils to extensive equipment. They rarely employ suicide strikes, which means that the attacker will be alive to strike again; therefore, alert your security forces to any and all unattended items. Treat all suspect items with extreme caution; even items as small as a knapsack can contain explosives that can affect a small area.

The unfortunate news is that - if the Mujeongbu are well organized - the attacks could persist for weeks, despite the valiant efforts of your security forces. In an effort to usher some hospitality and generosity, we are willing to send some counter-terrorist operatives to your country to help mitigate the threat presented by the Mujeongbu. We hope that your country will avoid discriminating against ethnic Han living in your country - a significant minority population, as we are aware - and in our efforts to restore order and rectify the injustices inflicted against your people, we hope that we can also assuage your people of any fears they may acquire in lieu of these attacks.

Of course, the intelligence strongly suggests that the Mujeongbu are reponsible, but no group has outright claimed responsibility, as of this posting. We hope that regardless of the outcome, that you will accept our offer and that we may cooperate in bringing justice to these outlaws.

Duke Weon Gwang
圓光公


Public Communication to the International Community

His Imperial Majesty abhors the actions of renegade terrorists against the citizens of The Republic of Candelaria And Marquez. The loss of life upon the eve of a special democratic function is abominable at the very least, and His Imperial Majesty is further distressed at the news of hundreds dead in the wake of these attacks. It is with general and sincere concern for the safety of the Candelariasian people that the Empire wishes to offer Candelaria And Marquez aid and assistance through this tragedy, even as the Empire has not established any official relations with the Republic (ooc: my bad!). Nonetheless, we are encouraged to see a strong people stand united against such cowardice, and we are confident that bright days lie ahead for the Candelariasian nation.

Count Han Seungsu
Academy of Foreign Affairs
韓昇洙伯
http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t156/daehanjeiguk/foreign.png

***

SIC STILL

Gang woke up next morning to hear the rolling tires outside his shop. A convoy had just passed, and he was late to open the store. Understandable, in the wake of the calamity. He didn't watch the news, but he had expected the chaos already. Hundreds dead, maybe more. He wasn't so concerned about them, but more so of his former comrades. How much was the Mujeongbu still around? Son was the only devout Mujeongbu agent alive, and now he was likely all over the place (literally). He didn't want to start picking through the rubble so soon either, because he didn't want to be picked out. After all, no one really would suspect him - the butcher of all things. What do butchers do? They cut up meat.

Well, it would be a far stretch from butcher to bomb-maker. But then again, he did house a lot of the former members in his house in the past nights. Perhaps they would catch on to his antics. Or perhaps they would ignore him. Perhaps they would look elsewhere and eventually return to his house. Perhaps he needed to get out and hide. But for what? No one was bothering him now.

Well, not now. Someone was knocking at his door. He went over to the door and unlocked it, letting a man into his store.

"Dammit, don't you know it's dangerous now?" the man said.

"What do you mean?"

"The terrorists, of course! Don't you know?"

"Oh, yeah. I locked the door because of that. I didn't want them coming in my store and ruining... everything..."

"Yeah, well I came for my steaks. I'm not so sure I want to cook in this... you know. It's horrible. Some of the people, they didn't even look like people! I mean, oh my %$#^. They had bodies without heads! They had heads with bodies! They had missing everything! And some of the bodies were so bad that they were all over the place. You should have seen it!"

"It was on TV. Some of it. I don't like to think about that stuff. It brings up bad memories." Gang put out the steaks, expecting the payment to be swift after that.

"Eh? Bad stuff happened where you came from too? Man, bad luck follows you."

"Well, there was a time when people in my ancestral home were frightened by terrorists too. But... nothing like this."

"I hear you." The man laid out the money and left. "Oh, you can keep the change, and if I were you, I'd barricade this door!"

"But I've got customers..."

"If they're as crazy as I am, they deserve to die. Have a great day!" The man rushed out, hoping to avoid any last minute explosions. Gang smiled, as he wondered over what happened last night. He had the choice to hit the "End" button, but he didn't. Why did he go through with it? Perhaps it was the attitude of his customers? So self-righteous, were they? Perhaps it wasn't about liberation, but an attempt to humiliate his neighbors, to make them realize that they were human too? But why would he need to kill them to make that point? There were more civilized ways to do the same.

But it was that "civilized" thought that got him into the Mujeongbu in the first place. Civilized people don't care about order, because they expect it. Shooting rough words at the rich and famous was as damaging as hitting their face with a feather. Pounding them with rocks and bombs was more effective and it cut straight to the core. The point was made.

Gang turned on the radio, hoping to catch more information about the attacks. "... have yet to figure out who did it. No group has responsibility for the attacks, and as of yet, the government has issued no leads on the case. It seems to be a dead end case, as the perpetrators are banking on total secrecy to hide their intentions. International opinion has been critical of the attacks, condeming the 'cowardice' shown by the attackers..."

Cowardice? Was Gang a coward to initiate the attack? Were any of his comrades cowards? No - they were liberators with a purpose. They were freeing the people from their rigid social hierarchy. Perhaps, the people needed another push in the right direction to settle their doubts for certain.

"...A recent public declaration by the Han Empire has joined the list of condemnations and condolences..."

Ah, the old enemy is provoked to answer. The cat and mouse chase was on, and the cat has taken the bait. What was next?

SIDE NOTES
Ad’ihani presidential candidates join condemnation of attacks

The three Ad’ihani presidential candidates have joined international condemnation of yesterday's terror attacks in the Candelariasian capital Albrecht.

Josh Randall (GA, Grand Island), Taylor Jun (PPA, Barrier Island) and Michael Rowand (AF, City of Ad’ihan) made their remarks in a joint statement issued by all three campaigns, following a suggestion of such by Mr Randall, whose sister-in-law, Justine Randall, is the Ad’ihani ambassador in Albrecht.

In the statement, the three candidates condemned the attacks as "hideous atrocities" perpetrated by "those who believe in the use of violence and hate to overcome their fear of the system". The statement also highlights the close relationship between the two countries — Candelaria And Marquez is one of only five nations Ad’ihan has direct bilateral ties with — and suggests that the three candidates will all be willing to help in any way in the capacity of president.

Mr Randall added in separate comments to the press that he had spoken to his sister-in-law in Albrecht, who has seen the aftermath for herself first-hand. He described her as being "emotionally shaken" on the phone, saying "that is something she usually isn't."

The statement comes a few hours after the Prime Minister Alex Canning wrote a personal letter of condolence to the Candelariasian ambassador in Ad’ihan.

“Stop fussing…”

“Mr Presi… um… Mr Anderson, it’s my job. I’m a doctor. Hold still.”

“I’m perfectly alright. I’m sure you’ve got patients who need you more than me…”

“Not really. This is a private hospital in the West End, Mr Anderson. Most of the dead in Thompsontown appear to be Bettian-Candelariasians. Do the math, as they say.” The doctor smiled at him warmly. “Not that that’s the fault of your administration, of course. I still voted for you…”

“Hey, did you hear that, Abby? We’ve found her!”

Abira Saleh, James Anderson’s director of policy, tutted and poked him in the elbow. “Jamie, you’ve just lost an eye, I hardly th–”

“All the better for seeing you with, moi dear…” Anderson sighed. “Have you got ‘Nessa, yet?”

“The phone lines from Nethertopia are awful, sir. We’re getting there, give us half an hour. But she says she’s fine. So’re the kids. Raffaella’s lost a tooth… but I think that’s supposed to happen with children,” she added, doubtfully.

“Right… Thanks, Abby.”

The Pres… the Mr Anderson sighed expansively as the doctor left them to it, to be replaced by the Military Intelligence Liaison Officer, Johanna Wilbur. Anderson grimaced. He didn’t need this. Joking aside, he had just lost an eye. He wasn’t feeling particularly ‘my face, my beautiful face!’ about it, but, well, it was an eye for God’s sake! That sort of thing didn’t just happen every day. He was off his skull on painkillers, but it still bloody hurt. And there was a bleedin’ great hole there. He wasn’t overly chuffed about it, all things considered.

“It’s bloody unlucky, sir,” Wilbur agreed, sympathetically.

“It wasn’t as though I was even anywhere near the blast,” Anderson complained. “We were halfway down St. Michael’s… A bit of glass, y’know…? Anyway,” he continued, pulling himself together, “What’s the latest? Says on the telly that Canning fellow’s offered us expert assistance after that awful Modna Nord thing the other year. Nice fellow, I’ve always thought. Even if he has been seduced by Morton’s womanly wiles…”

Wilbur raised an eyebrow.

“Well, she’s got something, y’know? In a stern sort of way… Anyway, Abby, if you could send my regards to Ambassador thingamabob, Randall, and tell her we’d be very… happy… to… Why are you looking at me like that?”

Saleh coughed. “Sir, you do remember that you’re not currently in charge of the country or anything, don’t you? I’m sure Jenna’s already responded to the Prime Minister, just like she’s managing everything else…”

Anderson stared at her. “Um… yes. Of course. Um, well in that case; Jo. What as it you wanted…?”

Wilbur handed him a sheet of paper. “Dame Julia received this an hour ago.”

Julia Reis was the Director General of Candelarias Military Intelligence. She wasn’t actually a Dame, the title being used only be a few truly ancient figures still surviving from the pre-Republic days before 1947. But she’d always possessed an unmistakable dameness about her. She was rather overweight for one thing, which always helped. Anderson scanned through the letter.

“Great Han Empire… they don’t do in for modest titles, do they? Travesty… Mujeongbu? That rings the proverbial.”

“They were responsible for the recent assaults on Casari. They were Maoist once, according to our records, and of Imperial origin, though they were effectively crushed in the Empire years ago. As far as we know today, they’re just your basic nihilist anarchists. These aren’t like our cuddly little anarchists, sir. These people have few obvious political ideals. They aim to destroy states – democratic ones, at any rate – to provide the survivors of their attacks with their own personal notion of freedom. Their targets don’t appear to be any particular racial group or cultural tradition… If it’s them, I’d say we’ve just been bloody unlucky to get picked.”

“Cooking utensils…?” Anderson read to himself.

“On the plus side, sir,” Saleh offered, “that’d help to explain the people in Sloane with tin-opener-based injuries…”

“…alive to strike again… You think that would be the case, Jo? There’s no evidence to suggest they’re still alive and kicking.”

“Nor to suggest they’re dead, sir. That’s what’s really unnerving. If the Mujeongbu are behind this, then there’s every chance they could strike again. And this time not strike at a Monument Place or anywhere like that when there’s barely anyone in it. At least we’d be prepared this time, but we’ve still nothing in the way of intelligence. I’m sorry.” Wilbur looked at her feet. “The fact is, sir, ninety percent of our resources go towards the M.O.R.T. We’re so busy stopping elves or ogres or God-knows-what-else from attacking us that we barely have time to concentrate on home-grown terror threats, never mind foreign ones. If that’s what this is…”

“We can’t know for sure though, can we? For all we know this could have been non-humans. There are plenty of groups out there with a serious downer on us, and don’t realise… Are the Svarts safe, by the way?”

“They’re back in their sewers, yes. And no; we can’t rule out non-humans. Especially after the… Events, or whatever we’re calling them. We’re pursuing every avenue, believe me. But it could still be Hispanics, or Muslims, or Lilliputians, or anything…”

“I take it we’re putting the ethnic Han in the Candelarias under surveillance now, anyway?”

“Of course. But… Sir, at the last census one in fifty Candelariasians was of majority oriental origin. A significant proportion of those are full-on Han, whether they or their ancestors came straight here from the Empire or not. It would be impossible to keep any eye on every one. There’s a couple of MPs for a start…”

“No, of course. I just… I just don’t think there’s anything wrong with remaining vigilant. I know it’s a stable door versus horse and bolting thereof situation, but still… What about De Wilde?”

“Um. What about him? He’s gone, sir, off this face of this planet. Probably. I’m sorry, we looked everywhere. Everywhere. For all I know he did himself in in Dance 2 Revolution.”

“Never the less… Look, I know you’re all convinced he’s just a red herring, but the fact remains that he’s an anarchist formally operating out of Hanland. Even if he was only in it for the women, he’s still got to be a threat. He’s wealthy, influential… He could’ve provided an ‘in’ over here. At the very least, we know now his disappearance wasn’t connected to Dr Malventi’s.”

“Yes… Alright. I’ll be sure to alert the next administration to De Wilde’s menace.” Wilbur caught Saleh’s expression. “Look, I’m just being realistic,” she muttered. “I’m only telling you all this out of courtesy. Even if you Unionists pull this out of the bag, are you really in a fit state to run the country right now? Are people really going to accept a President who presided over an intelligence failure that led to the deaths of a couple of hundred people, or more?”

“President Anderson is fit and ready to lead our nation,” Saleh told her stoutly. “Aren’t you sir? We all know you’re just the man to lead us through these dark times.”

“Yes… Thank you, Abby. And thank you, Jo, for your honesty. I’ll bear it in mind. Now, I could probably do with a quick zizz before I get back out on the streets, so…”

“Of course, sir.”

Wilbur and Saleh left the room, the intelligence officer shutting the door behind them. At a reasonable distance she grabbed the girl’s shoulder and pulled her slightly towards her.

“For the record… ‘Abby’… You better hope to your God that it [i]is[i] the Han behind this. Or Hispanics. Because if it’s any of your people… You’re not going to enjoy the next few months…”

“I know where my allegiances lie,” Saleh told her quietly. “So do the Candelariasian people.”

“Not all of them,” Wilbur whispered sadly. “Not all of them…”

The Albrecht Herald, May 14th
Counting the cost
Casualties hit 250 as search for survivors moves into third day
Electoral Commission slammed for withholding results

By Roy Greenwood

Horror, revulsion, anger… the people of the Candelarias ran through the full gamut of emotions yesterday as a public glued to the television watched rescue teams go through the damage in Albrecht brick by brick. But the overriding sentiment was of disbelief – the simple incredulity that such an atrocity could possibly happen here.

“It’s been brought to us in crystal-clear form,” a still evidently dazed Robyn Morton told TV1 yesterday lunchtime, “that C&M is today part of the world. We can’t hope to hide from reality, tucked away in our little corner of the planet. Awful things happen… but I suspect it is going to take us a long time to fully accept that, and what it really means for our future.”

In the aftermath of the attacks, the status of C&M’s government remains in turmoil with the Electoral Commission declining to formally give out the results of the PV, nor permit the release of the Regional Constituency results – even declaring one result void after the regional presiding officer opted to go ahead with the announcement. National Council leader Jenna Kmosko remains the transitionary head of state, with James Anderson, Robyn Morton and Ariadne Jefferson left kicking their heels impotently. Kmosko declared two days of national mourning yesterday, despite criticism from Conservative leader Tate Sayfritz that the country’s economy could not take further hits from those abandoning work this week. Sixty percent was wiped off C&M’s share index yesterday, briefly bringing the country to third-world economic levels.

International denunciation of the attacks came in swiftly, from Rushmore and beyond. The support of the Ad’ihani Prime Minister Alex Canning – who achieved notoriety in C&M earlier this month for publicly backing the candidacy of Morton and the MLP – and the three candidates in the Heartland nation’s forthcoming presidential elections will be particularly gratefully received, given the nascent country’s own experiences with terrorism following the Île Grande hotel bombing, which saw the deaths of over five-hundred people shortly before independence was achieved from the former Liverpool England. Ad’ihani terror experts were due to arrive in C&M early this morning. The Imperial government of the Han Empire – whose citizens have been rather ambitiously linked to the attacks in some quarters – was among those to also offer ‘aid and assistance’.

Whether home-grown or emanating from overseas, the consensus is that the twelfth’s massacres represented an entirely new threat to the islands. Sporadic violence continued in Arrigo throughout yesterday, between gangs of Anglo and Hispanic youths, in which one young man was stabbed to death. Those Marquezian police that haven’t been sequestered across the estrecho innomado were last night maintaining an armed presence on the second city’s streets, but community leaders from both majority communities and multicultural areas alike were keen to promote an image of order and tolerance. Muslims meanwhile, in cities across the Candelarias, were holding special prayers for the victims and their families, in an effort to prove their solidarity with those suffering in the capital and beyond. And as well they might, for as yesterday progressed the extent of Muslim casualties in Thompsontown slowly became clear.

In truth, no-one outside Military Intelligence and the highest echelons of governmental influence can hazard a realistic guess at the identity of the culprits, and even those in power may yet be a long way from establishing a definitive picture. By accident or design, the twelfth’s attacks brought casualties from seemingly every minority ethnic group in the country, every religious tradition, every cultural faction. Foreign nationals were not spared, with three citizens of Sorthern Northland among the dead and two more currently unaccounted for; while friends, family members or medical staff have identified the bodies of visitors or residents from Ariddia, Brutland, the Han Empire, Kelssek, Pacitalia, the Pazhujeb Islands, Sepuku and St Edmund, while the number of Bettian dual-passport holders confirmed dead stands at fifteen, and could well have increased markedly by today.

At the time of going to press, two-hundred-and-fifty bodies had been recovered – a figure less than many of the more pessimistic experts had predicted twenty-four hours before, but still representing the worst loss of life in a single attack on civilians on Candelariasian soil since the Starless City massacre during the Civil War. Ninety-six of the deceased were recovered from Thompsontown High Street, but that figure could yet increase – and, experts have warned, by a substantial number. Aside from the thirty-three injured individuals described last night as being in a critical state, and the two-hundred plus also requiring medical attention following the attack, some forty-six people from that district have been reported missing to the Metropolitan Police.

While it is likely that a number of these will be found safe and well, and that others are already counted among the recovered bodies yet to be formally identified; the city’s Chief of Police, Tony Villaverde, has warned that entire extended families may have been wiped out during the destruction of three residential tower blocks along Smythe Road, with no-one left alive to report them as unaccounted for. Grainy mobile phone images of implosion of these buildings form arguably the most striking pictures of the attacks currently available; and the damage caused to, and destruction of, buildings across Albrecht provided perhaps the most shocking aspect of the attacks. Holger Tautehahn, Professor of Terrorism Studies and Structural Integrity at Albrecht University, told this paper that the ignition of gas tanks within the buildings by the small projectiles embedded in the explosive devices would have caused spontaneous explosions within, weakening the central core structure and causing their implosion.

“It is highly unlikely that this was planned by the terrorists – more simply a bonus for them, if you will,” he added. “It is horrible to think, but they are most probably highly impressed by the numbers of casualties caused in this manner. We really should not build our houses in this way, but planners and architects over recent decades can be forgiven for not expecting this, I think.”

The horrible irony remains that early reports of the vestiges of the devices recovered yesterday suggest that the Thompsontown bomb was the weakest of the five in the capital, with the higher numbers of the dead and wounded caused by the tightly packed nature of the street at that time. The terrorists’ real money-shot was at Monument Place, which was the scene of by far the largest of the attacks, but which has so far been credited with the smallest number of deaths, at twenty-one. The time of day, the weather and, again ironically, the nature of election day, assured that relatively few people would be walking through the square at the time. Among the dead however include a large number of police officers, there to guard the giant toad that had opted to make the Place his temporary home. That the creature – nicknamed Hope by local residents – survived while the square and Memorial Tower burnt around it will no doubt go on to provide one of the most unlikely symbols of Albrecht’s determination to rise from the ashes of this attack.

The true figure of the dead at the Place may never be know, since it is believed that the force of the blast was such that anyone within a vicinity of five metres of the epicentre will have been utterly destroyed. As it is, a staggering sixty-one people believed to be in Central at the time of the blasts remain on the official missing list.

Thirty-nine people were killed when queuing voters were attacked in the Magnus district of Pretty England – the only large attack beyond downtown Albrecht. Whether the bombers originally intended to strike beyond the central heart of the capital is unclear, but Professor Tautehahn believes that such a tactic would be entirely possible. “It would be an excellent way of showing to all the people of Albrecht that there was nowhere safe to hide, that they were all at risk.”

Perhaps such a fact will help bring this city, usually thought of as more a pile of towns and villages than a single entity, together; but there can be no doubt that it was Old Albrecht that suffered the most. Twenty-nine bodies have been recovered from Bramlive, while ten more remain on the district’s missing list and ten further critically injured. One-hundred and twenty-two people were treated for more minor injuries following that attack. Twenty-two people have been confirmed dead in the Harbour blast, though with little damage to surrounding buildings that figure is mercifully unlikely to rise. But not so in Thompsontown, where a new body was unearthed by Candelariasian and Rushmori emergency rescue teams every ten minutes or so. No survivors have thus far been recovered.

One cannot and must not forget that the rest of the Candelarias is in mourning today. Ten people have been confirmed dead from the supposed practise attack in Arrigo, with four more residents unaccounted for. Seven are dead, one missing and nine critically injured in the as-yet uncertain incidents in Caires. Four people died west of Zapata and two died in Sloane, as the result of blasts involving small projectiles. Finally, all twenty crew of the vessel bringing COC votes from Sorthern Northland, which included Candelariasians, Candelariasian-Northlandishers and Sortherners alike, are missing presumed drowned.

Whether these events are all directly connected to the Albrecht attacks remain uncertain, but they have helped promote an atmosphere of fear across the Candelarias. Actual footage of the attacks and recovery operations remains relatively scarce, with the authorities keen to avoid the country becoming hooked on ‘terror porn’, but it was not merely the national day of mourning that left the islands as quiet as they have ever been yesterday.

Modest protests took place in various towns and cities, but they were not well attended. The MLP’s defence spokesman TJ Irons attempted to deliver a rallying cry, reminding the country that it had once suffered under the threat of extremist Hispanic terrorism for many years – but was forced to acknowledge that these new attacks represented a very different, albeit unknown, threat. That last night passed off without renewed assaults may convince many that the direct threat is over for now, but Albrecht in particular will take many weeks to return to a semblance of normality. Within Central, normally the most active and busy vicinity of the entire country, only those that felt compelled to move about did so, while the city remained under military presence. Families and friends of the missing roamed the capital desperately searching for their loved ones, but they could find little solace from the ghostly streets.

They found better opportunities on television, where the missing have become more familiar than the deceased. A few well-known faces are among the dead; the veteran Daily News columnist Mac Allister Martinovic in Bramlive, the young ballerina Alice Johnson in Harbour, both the parents of the C&M under-21 footballer Peter De’Ath, currently on loan at Kura-Pellandi club AFC Neegara, who was given the news in the aftermath of the Starblaydia game in the Di Bradini Cup. But in general it is the sheer numbers that shocks the most. That and the little disfigured bodies being pulled from the ruins in Thompsontown and Bramlive every few minutes. We can only be thankful that the timing of the attacks ensured a relatively low number of casualties among the Candelarias’ young; though the numbers of new orphans, created as parents left their homes to vote together, may well prove staggering.

How soon the armed presence on Albrecht’s streets will end meanwhile is uncertain, though a large number of CDF combatants were known to have been withdrawn from the Timonium Demilitarised Zone last night. At this current time, there simply isn’t a government to ask, following the decision by the Electoral Commission to withhold the results. The Commission’s chair, William Chadwick, has told the press that the “timing is unsuitable” – a move condemned by SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson, among others, who remains the bookies’ favourite to lead the next government. “If the Candelariasian people can get their act together and continue with life as normal,” she argued on the TTO News, “then why on earth can’t Chadwick and the EC?”

The lack of political leadership is certainly damaging C&M’s recovery, and yesterday National Council leader Jenna Kmosko was conspicuous by her general absence, appearing on television with Hebe Davdison to confirm the establishment of a relief fund, but little else. Yet the EC appears in no mood to end this bizarre impasse, going as far as to condemn the presiding officer for the Inner Clotaire RC, Kevin Fullerton, last night for bringing together the candidates and announcing that the MLP contender Victoria Lewis had taken the seat from the Unionists, represented by Space Programme Secretary Fallon Said, with a 4.2% swing. The SD&GP’s Emma Stojilikovic was third, comfortably ahead of the Tories’ Dwight Ward.

The result was quickly declared void by the EC, but will none the less provide a boost to the MLP. Exit polls consistently show a James Anderson/Unionist victory in the PV, but no more than three points at the most ahead of Jefferson and the SD&GP, with Morton and the MLP a further point back. An MLP victory in a Unionist-held seat widely expected to shift to the SD&GP, albeit in what was once classic Liberal territory, heralds more possible victories elsewhere, but it remains impossible to know just when the results will be formally given out.

One might suggest that, after a close contest between the big four parties, the Candelariasian public no longer truly care about who leads the country – merely that there is a government in place. As the sun set on the day after the night before, C&M’s transport hubs remain abandoned, pubs and clubs closed and sporting events on hold. And the questions that remain hanging over are heads are simple: When next? Where next? And who next?

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Terror 2008
Thousands gather in Martin Square to demand answers, government

Thousands of Albrecht residents have braved the threat of a renewed terror attack and the presence of CDF soldiers and armour to call for action by the security authorities and Electoral Commission to capture those responsible for the twelfth’s atrocities, and put in place a national government, amid growing dissatisfaction with National Council leader Jenna Kmosko’s tenure as transitionary head of state.

Martin Square, usually the site of crafts markets and arts festivals, was expected to become the centre of the capital’s grief following the five bomb blasts which have thus far been known to have claimed the lives of two-hundred and seventy-three residents and visitors. The destruction of Monument Place however had discouraged many from attempting to congregate in large numbers, while other effort to form mass rallies elsewhere in the city have been effectively prohibited by the City Council and Lt-Gen Peter Ermenault, who has been responsible for law enforcement in the city for the last two days.

As we reach the morning of the fifteenth however, disbelief at what is still viewed as a surreal state of affairs by many has boiled over into anger at the authorities, who have singularly failed not only to apprehend those responsible for the attacks, or their sponsors, but provide the public with any direct information on the possible identity of the attackers nor the risk of future assaults. The lack of any political leadership, with the results of the elections now running more than two days behind schedule, has added fuel to the protesters’ fire.

For the moment the rallies are peaceful, but over seven hundred individuals have begun to congregate along Claude Lenglet Street, and are preparing to march to Parliament Hill. Other demonstrations have begun outside City Hall in Middem Village and the Civic Offices in Morganstown, despite the best efforts of the Metropolitan police to disperse the crowds.

Several of C&M’s political leaders have this morning added their voices to the lack of political progress, in the hope of forcing the Electoral Commission to release the full results of the elections. At the current time, leaked reports featuring in various media outlets have any of the three main parties and candidates emerging victorious, and many analysts believe that the failure to close all polling stations at the correct time, nor shut down the official voting website, may have led to an uncertain and possibly invalid overall result which the EC are now desperately attempting to work around. Such a delay is otherwise unheard of in the Presidential era.

Eric White, who is acting leader of the Unionists in James Anderson’s absence due to health reasons, has defended the Unionist-led National and City Councils’ handling of the crises, as well as the efforts by national and regional police and intelligence services to track down the terrorists responsible. MLP leader Robyn Morton claimed this morning however that she, and the other current opposition leaders, were being “kept in the dark” over the progress of intelligence gathering in the capital and beyond. “I really hate to say it,” she told TV1, “but at the moment there seems to be an awful lot of dithering and little clear strategy in various quarters of our public bodies and services, and it’s putting Candelariasian lives further at risk.”

Conspiracy theorists have been suggesting that the lack of public instruction of the identities of the killers points to an unwillingness by the authorities to damage community relations, with both Marquez’s Hispanic population (which comprises around fifteen percent of Candelariasian residents) and the islands’ Muslim community (which is approaching two percent) both currently being fingered with the blame of harbouring terrorists and terrorist sympathisers within their midst. According to SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson, the current silence on the matter from the country’s authorities “could cause more long-term scars in these islands than the three-hundred dead themselves.” Asked to explain her comments, she argued that it was “important to remember that this country has in the past lost thousands of people during the first World War and Civil War, and many hundreds during the Gordon Bay disaster, and that many of countries around the world can and have recovered from the loss of thousands if not millions in incidents both natural and malign… but never before have we faced a threat which so threatens to rip this country and its communities asunder.”

***

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Terror 2008
Miracle girl pulled from ruins

Two-and-a-half days since the five blasts struck Albrecht, rescue teams in Thompsontown have recovered the first and so far only survivor from the remains of a Smythe Street tower block, which had been backing on to the district’s largest public library serving as the local polling station.

The nine year-old girl, named locally as Thompsontown resident Nina Moon, was conscious but suffering from severe dehydration and was dangerous close to major organ failure, according to reports, but Weston General Hospital staff have told the Herald that she is ‘recovering slowly’.

Rescuers remain baffled as to how she survived, and equally how the managed to miss her on the first sweep of the building. Emergency service members believe that she must have crawled into a tiny cavern of some sort, but the delirious child could only tell her stretcher-bearers that “the trumping cricket” had showed her the way to safety.

Nina is expected to be reunited with her mother, Rachel Moon, 39, later today. The girl’s father was identified as being among the one hundred and twenty people dead in the Thompsontown blast yesterday.

Her rescue revises the number of people still missing across the nationwide incidents down to twenty-three. Three hundred and twenty-one people have been confirmed dead in the five Albrecht blasts, the attacks in Arrigo, Caires, Sloane Town and Green Island and the Sorthern Northlandish trawler disaster.

Two men stepped off the plane, fresh off a strange flight plan that carried them through several countries before finally arriving in Candelaria And Marquez. Gak and Pak arrived in a frantic city, with police holding down the streets, people chanting weird incantations, and hospitals overfilled to the brink. Terrorism - it was a familiar face to them.

"Hello," Pak said to the airline clerk.

The clerk swatted a fly on her counter before giving Gak and Pak her courtesy smile. "Welcome to Candelaria And Marquez! How may I help you?"

"First of all, you can cut the cheap Englasian speech. We're fluent. And secondly, what's going on here?"

The clerk responded terrifyingly. "Oh, it was horrible! They came with bombs and bombs, and big fat toad sat on the Square all day! It was horrible!" In an instant, the clerk ended her melodrama. "Anything I can else you with?"

"Ummm. Okay. Do you know who did it?"

"HOW WOULD I KNOW? I JUST A %$#^ING AIRLINE CLERK! NOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS, PLEASE SCAT SO I CAN HELP HE NEXT PERSON IN LINE!" The clerk composed herself before greeting the next person.

"How rude."

"Don't worry about him, Pak."

"That was a she, Gak. You've got to pay attention."

"He, she. They're all the same to me."

"Women in this country still have breasts, and men don't."

"Still, we shouldn't lose focus on our mission. We've got to find de Wilde for that big paper assignment. If we don't get that interview, who knows what will happen?"

"I think we could do a side-assignment in the meantime," Pak replied. Gak sighed. "De Wilde first, then the terrorist bombing."

"People are going to be more interested in the bombings, more so than de Wilde."

"But our assignment was de Wilde."

"Fine. We'll split up the work. You find trash on de Wilde, I'll find trash on the terrorists. Heaven knows, we might find the same person!"

"Maybe." Pak and Gak went to the hotel to check in, before they went their separate ways. Journalists investigating terrorist anarchists? That wasn't such a bad cover. Heaven knows how much they would accomplish.

Ambassador expresses 'concern' over delay

The Ad’ihani ambassador in Albrecht, Justine Randall-LeFevre, has voiced concerns over the delay in releasing election results in Candelaria And Marquez following the terror attacks on polling day.

Risking her position in Albrecht, she spoke exclusively to the Islands Daily, saying that the mood on the ground was becoming more tense and frustrated as the electoral commission continues to withhold results. "This can't go on for much longer," she said.

"The people here are getting very impatient. It's concerning, not only to the people here but also to us, especially since Candelaria And Marquez is one of our key diplomatic partners. While it is understandable that they would want to delay the results to deal with the investigation into the bombings, the EC has to understand that a delay this long will not go down well.

"This delay only serves to extend Jenna Kmosko's temporary term in office, and is questionable at best," she added. Her remarks could harm the positive relationship between the two countries, according to political experts.

"Her remarks could be seen as interfering in domestic politics, something foreign ambassadors are expected never to do," says Prof David Hunter, director of the City of Ad’ihan University's School of Political Science. "I would expect that Ambassador Nelson here in Ad’ihan will make a formal complaint to the Senatorial Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Senator Thomas Desaiye, over Ambassador Randall's remarks.

"Although I doubt this will happen, the interim government in Albrecht might choose to recall Mr Nelson or expel Mrs Randall — although that would suggest it has something to hide and hence I really don't believe they would go that far," Prof Hunter added.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>Terror 2008
Kmosko calls emergency session… and is promptly removed for her trouble

Jenna Kmosko has lost a vote of no confidence as chair of the National Council and been replaced by her fellow former Unionist MP Duke Burton, the RINA news agency are reporting.

The fifty-eight year-old’s position as Chair of C&M’s advisory second chamber had become increasingly untenable over the last twenty-four hours, culminating in the MLP’ Finance Spokesman Park Tanter’s pronouncement on the Lunchtime News that “the poor woman’s lost the plot.”

Such a comment would likely result in a formal reprimand by both his party leader and the House of Representatives’ Speaker; but while there remains no speaker, or indeed House of Representatives, to give him a good telling off for such discourtesy, Tanter appeared to simply be reflecting the mood of the nation.

Unionist supporters of Kmosko’s – an increasingly rare species, at least in public – have defended her as a victim of circumstance, and claimed that – according to the Asylum and Immigration Secretary from 2007-08, Mortan Chibueze – she has “proven herself as an experienced and authoritative voice at the Council over the past four years and has risen to a role foisted upon her during this difficult time.”

Kmosko is far from the first National Council chair, or Senate Leader of the 1947-94 era, to find his or herself as the country’s political powerbroker or even de facto leader in times of high drama – Lemuel Shishelov effectively taking the reigns of power for all of two months in 1975 after President Allen’s death – but her extended period in her current rather undefined role has seen her office’s direct links with the Electoral Commission come under increasing scrutiny – with some minor opposition figures going as far as claiming that she has been attempting to give the Unionists time to prepare a legal challenge against an MLP or SD&GP overall victory.

A poll published this morning, asking 1015 Candelariasians for whom they voted, would suggest otherwise; with James Anderson’s party given a reasonably comfortable lead. At the same time, the MLP certainly seem confident enough in their chances to call for Kmosko to exert her influence on the EC to release the results or resign. “After a tragedy such as we witnessed on the twelfth,” Tanter’s recent interview continued, “this country is simply crying out for leadership. This confusion has to end, one way or the other – we need a government in place, we need to get Albrecht functioning again as our economic capital, and above all we need to find out exactly who committed these dreadful crimes against us, be they domestic or foreign, and bring them to justice.”

Metropolitan Police Chief Constable Tony Villaverde and Military Intelligence Director General Julia Reis have vociferously defended the progress of their joint investigation, but dissatisfaction can only be set to grow further while there remains no democratic input in the process. The delay over the results was criticised by the Rushmori Union last night, and this morning an interview in the Adi’hani Islands Daily saw the country’s Ambassador to C&M, Her Excellency Justine Randall-LeFevre, add her weight to calls for an end to the political deadlock.

Her comments – particularly coming from an unusually high-profile Ad’ihani diplomat, given her familial relationship to the Presidential candidate Josh Randall – have provoked some significant eyebrow-raising already in her homeland, and it seems inevitable that ‘our man in the CoA’, Eoin Nelson, will be forced to issue a formal complaint. Andrew Walton, the Conservative MP who has always been the member of Anderson’s coalition government to most vociferously oppose the establishment of formal embassy exchange arrangements, described Mme Randall’s “intrusion into domestic issues” as “intolerable”, and called for the CAMAFA team currently in Ad’ihan examining the country’s World Cup bid to return home immediately, to send a clear message of protest.

The MLP’s Tanter appeared more sympathetic. “Clearly her comments represent something of a diplomatic oversight, but I’m well aware she hasn’t been doing this job for very long. The Modern Liberals value our relationship with the United Islands, and let’s not beat about the bush here, she’s only saying what we’re all thinking. I don’t care whether you’re Candelariasian, Ad’ihani or Nak Nakian; clearly we can all see that this situation has gone on long enough.”

This afternoon however it finally seems as if Tanter may be closer to getting his wish. Though officially unconfirmed, reports indicate that Kmosko has either been pushed or fallen or her sword, and succeeded as NC Chair by the veteran Duke Burton – who becomes the first non-white leader of any political chamber in C&M and, in all probability, the briefest holder of the NC’s chair. “Abraham May-Colley will be shaking in his grave,” comments the Herald’s political scetchwriter Michael Judd, in reference to the Senate Leader for three weeks between May and June 1992. “It’s hard to know at this stage whether Kmosko chose to resign or was removed, but it would be a real embarrassment if the latter was the case,” he continued. “A bit like Coleman Mustard dropping Benji Fu from the Radyukevich line-up the other week. Not just embarrassing for her, but for the Unionists; given how high her stock was with Anderson and the rest of the party before all this.”

Judd added that Kmosko’s pronouncement this morning that Hope the toad should replace the mediocre fish as the islands’ national animal may have been the last straw. “Basically, the fear is that she’s gone all Harry Kyle on us. Hopefully Burton can now put pressure on the EC to end this situation, because I think we can all agree that this is all proving a major distraction to what this country should really be focusing on at the moment.”

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M Votes 2008
PV Results ‘imminent’

By Luca Russo

The general mood of utter disarray following the 12/5 attacks has continued its path into the downright peculiar, after the Electoral Commission finally deigned to publish the results of the Presidential Vote that will decide the direction of 200 of the 259 seats available in the House.

The results look set to appear within the next ten minutes following an announcement on the EC website, appearing with little fanfare and no attempt to warn the media of their impending arrival – further serving to increase the impression that William Chadwick and his organisation would have trouble locating their arses on a map. I’m sure in the current climate we can all forgive our fellow citizens their failings to cope with the messy aftermath of these generation-defining atrocities, but surely no-one can argue that Kmosko and the EC haven’t made a complete mess of this. It doesn’t happen very often, but C&M is in the international spotlight; and our current provisional political leadership is doing us no favours in our bid to retain the good will and sympathy of the democratic world.

Thank Duke Burton for getting us out of this particular fix, for my experience is that the mood on the streets was today just starting to boil over into something more menacing that mere exasperation. In a country with less of a democratic tradition, with a less open and trusting relationship between the political elite, apolitical authorities and the public, this situation could easily have taken a significant turn for the worse.

In truth however, the PV results are unlikely to tell us a great deal about the ultimate direction of the presidency on their own, with all surveys made both prior to the closing of the official polling time and afterwards indicating that the Unionists will have a narrow lead of the SD&GP, with the MLP a few points further back with ground to make up to challenge Anderson and Jefferson.

***

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M Votes 2008
C&M’s future on a knife-edge after PV results

By Luca Russo

With the fifty-nine regional constituencies on offer still to declare, the Unionists and MLP are all but neck and neck in the race to get their man or woman into Robinson House.

Four-and-a-half days after they were due, the official PV results put the Unionists in the lead with 26.9% of the popular vote earning them fifty-four MPs, with the MLP barely behind with 26.3% and fifty-three MPs.

The figures represent a major surprise for, though Morton’s MLP was comfortably leading the race a month ago, the sudden swell of support for the genuine ‘party of change’, the SD&GP of Ariadne Jefferson, was expecting to see the Modern Liberals slip to become the third party overall for the first time since the 1968 campaign under Jack Engebo.

Instead, Jefferson polled just 19.9% to earn 40 MPs – just seven more than at the last election and with a huge amount of ground to make up in the RCs.

The Regional Constituency results are now expected to follow in the usual fashion, with candidates, supporters and election official having been given less than an hour to make it to the electoral HQs of their particular RC to see the official results read out. Early predictions give the Unionists victory once all the available seats have been tabulated, but such forecasts clearly mean little after just about every pundit in the country was proved wrong by the PV confirmation.

The only realistic explanation for the discrepancy between the official results and the unofficial polls may be hidden in the turnout, which was announced as being at 68% – higher than had been expected, particularly after news of the terror attacks marred the last hour of voting.

Closer examination of the turnout will likely follow over the next few days, but it seems certain that while the number of votes cast in the cities fell in that last half hour, despite the improved weather, there was a swell of voters turning out in suburbia and in towns and villages across the country. After a campaign in which the MLP repeatedly barracked the Unionist administration for their supposedly lax record on ensuring national security, and the previously popular claims of senior SD&GP figures that the terrorist threat to C&M had been overblown by both the leading parties, the – supposedly – tougher stance of Morton’s MLP may have helped them to vastly increase their votes. If this is the case, the real deciding factor of the 2008 contest will be Unionist-held RC seats outside of the metropolitan boroughs.

A full breakdown of the PV results can be found elsewhere on the Herald Online, but the other headlines are these;

The Conservatives, who were at one point considered genuine contenders alongside the Big Three, polled 10.8% to increase their number of seats from this section of the contest by one, to twenty-two.

The Marquez Nationalist Party marginally increased their share of the vote to 7.4%, also gaining an extra seat and moving up to fifteen.

With the race at the top far from a foregone conclusion as had seemed the case four years ago, the Allied Libertarian Party suffered by still picked up 3.1% to see their seats fall from eight to six.

Perhaps it was the news of the terror attacks that encouraged the suddenly beleaguered Spanish-speaking population to shift to the MNP, but Free Marquez polled an astonishingly low 0.9% to give them just two MPs, unless they can pick up any Regional Constituencies. That’s by some distance their lowest figure since the Civil War, and puts the future of the party in doubt.

The Christian Peoples Party saw their vote more than halved. With 0.8% they will also have just two MPs from the 200 proportional representation seats.

The Workers Party increased their share, but still polled only just under 1% to claim 2 MPs. Their interest now is on whether Abdul Hussain can retain Inner Alvery.

Without wishing to move away from my perpetual impartiality, this is the worrying one. The Association of Nationalist Parties doubled their share of the vote to 1.5%, earning them three MPs. That’s their third election-on-election increase in a row.

The final surprise is that Nobby McShefferty’s Justice & Democracy also picked up 0.7% of the PV – enough to put the former Tory back in the House.

Others parties won a combined 0.8%, with the Rainbow Alliance apparently the best performer of the lot. The Independent Representation Party failed to repeat their performance of 2004, while their turncoat former leader John M. Fitzwilliam’s Green Progress also failed to poll enough to get him back in the House.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M Votes 2008
The Russo Report: Election Early Evening 2008 Blog

17:21

Five in the afternoon and I’m waiting for the Regional Constituency results of the 2008 elections to come in. This week just gets more surreal by the hour.

I’m guessing Inner Clotaire will be the first to declare… again, but traditionally the other Clotaire seat doesn’t like to be outdone. Assuming the result of the former has remained legit after it was first announced a couple of nights ago, it’ll be crucial to see if the MLP can take the other Clotaire seat as well. This might have been hardcore territory for them from the seventies ‘till the Anderson era, but if anything they were expected to go SD&GP this time around. If the MLP can win cities like this, then they may not even need the small-town regions with their big post-terror vote influx.

17:25

Pum-de-pum. Both TV1 and TTO are actually showing the candidates all lined up in half a dozen seats, and they’re still not giving out the results. I almost want to believe something sinister’s going on here, but it’s looking just like sheer fecklessness right now. Let’s have some results, already!

17:31

Right, here we go and it’s a bit of déjà vu to start with. Victoria Lewis – I’ve had a couple of days to get used to that name and I still don’t know who she is – has got Inner Clotaire. By exactly the same margin as it was two days ago. Curious, that.

17:33

Told you there’d be a civil war in Clotaire. But only for the race to announce their result, because their presiding officer also raced through the results in under a minute, and it’s the MLP again. Some great electioneering there, putting up a key figure on the left of the party, Patrick Bellard, in such a potentially key seat. Looking at it, he’s actually miles ahead… the Unionists’ Paul Dann barely scrapes into second ahead of Fred Hemberg for the SD&GP.

17:34

I didn’t notice actually that Vincent Peluso, the former Radyukevich manager standing for the Nationalists, actually polled a few dozen votes more than the Tory lass, Joy Cotton, to finish in fourth place. In Clotaire. That’s a telling statistic if there ever was one.

17:35

Right, the damns have burst now, they’re coming thick and fast. I thought the whole point of this inane exercise was that the results were going to be staggered? Who’re they trying to fool, this isn’t actually election night…

Anyway, John Kingston’s held Nr Caires for the MLP. No surprise really, he’s a popular figure here. The SD&GP’s Claire Dannson’s only three votes behind Jennifer Papadopolous… Three… Looking at it, actually, that’s a turnout of 33 and a bit percent. That tells its own story; we still don’t really know what happened up in Caires on the twelfth.

The MLP has also held Allemali Hawks… Not by much though, there’s been a big swing to the Unionist girl Georgette Khan. She’s bound to be high on the Unionists’ party list anyway, they reckon she’s wonderful. Can’t see it myself, seems rather giggly but whatever.

So that’s the MLP up to 57 seats to the Unionists 54, and you have to say the tide already looks to be turning at this stage.

17:38

Oh, this is starting to look like a bad night for the Unionists after all. Nr Bove has just gone to the SD&GP… is that the first time they’ve won a Bove seat under that name? I think it must be. Anyway, that’s Tris Lionel, the lad who’s supposed to be knocking off Jefferson. Even the Jewish vote couldn’t get Edward Abrahams the seat, so that’s another Unionist-held RC they’ve just lost. And perhaps the soc dems aren’t out of it after all.

17:40

Ho, I didn’t see that one coming! Matthew-Millie van Ijssel’s just taken Nr Onwere on the United Party of the Onweriii people ticket.

Oh, I know that’s just ridiculous, but you’ve got to love Douglas Ratkovic’s face! All the talk was that he might lose out to the SD&GP woman, Jane Sampson, because if anywhere’s core territory for the left it’s everyone’s favourite bohemian university city.

Right, never mind that; good news for the Unionists at last – Tanja Cuenca holds Nr Lavange. That’s crucial, that’s just the sort of seat you’d expect to go to the MLP post-attack, and she was up against Sol McPhee. The libs were totally gunning for this one, and they’ve lost quite comfortably. She’s a popular girl here, Cuenca, C.A.L season-ticket holder and everything.

17:45

This is starting to look ominous, the Unionists have just lost two seats. Michael Zazzera, promising to actually deal with the crime and poverty and whatnot of Inner El din has just taken it. That’s what you get for dropping Calum Sharman and imposing Vanessa Luque on the people, guys.

No less crucial, old Luciano Mello has finally got back an Arrigo seat after God knows how many years of trying. Gosh, he’s almost in tears, bless him. So, with that, that’s nine seats declared and the Unionists have taken one.

17:50

I still can’t quite get over van Ijssel. How are the Tories going to cope with a genderqueer sitting next to them?

17:51

Two good holds for the Unionists now. Fabien McCarthy keeps Inner Zapata, the old fox, and Reuben Queseda actually extends his lead in Nr El din. The MNP’s Luis Carlos Patiño is actually in second there. So much for the Hispanic bloc vote.

17:53

Right, we’re back to even stevens now, Cassandra Nash holds Inner Bove from the MLP’s Vicky Cave. The soc dem guy’s nowhere to be seen this time – some of the voting patterns here are just bizarre. “Very excited with this result”, yes, I bet you are Cass. Can’t believe your luck. Cave’s actually got more than one brain cell to rub together.

17:58

Gosh, the Tories have actually got one. Nr Talinger, that’s classic rural conservatism there, but for Owen Pollitt to jump from third to fourth is impressive. Helped by absolutely nothing being in it, admittedly, Paul Neville’s only just behind for the MLP.

I didn’t actually realise, but that was a Unionist seat… And their Millie Whaites only finished just about the SD&GP’s Dallas Ioannou, dear me.

They have a plus, they’ve just taken Nr Alvery from the MLP. Nathan Di Matteo there.

MLP hold Abiodun & Gamboa, which is no surprise really. Tories up to second there too.

18:00

A couple of holds, one each for the Big Two in Nr Sloane and Blackwell & Knee. Obviously the islands can’t make up their minds either.

Right, I see the big one coming up. Inner Albrecht. Any of the three can win, no post-attack vote to speak of… could be anything. Unionists looking to hold under new candidate Hayley Yeung.

18:04

And she wins it, and by some distance. There’s some really emotional scenes here, Yeung’s actually from Songstress but has family in Thompsontown. Thankfully unhurt, but that’s more than you can say for Owen Adjidarmo. This is the Bettian guy who was actually held on terror offences a couple of years back before the Met admitted that he was entirely innocent. Before then you had a real upswerve in anti-Muslim sentiment, and Adjidarmo’s been something of a community leader for the Candelariasian-Bettian population. He actually lives in Thompsontown, he’s saying in his speech that he counted among his personal friends at least half a dozen people who were killed. He’s actually finished behind Juli Kelly, in third, though. That’s a bit of a surprise.

18:08

Aaah, I can’t keep up with them all. The Unionists have held two more, that’s Martin Thornton on Sloane Island and Ziya Black just holds off America Gaicomini in Nr Khatib-Gassett. Fallon Island’s just gone SD&GP, now that’s a weird constituency. It’s got Cabrera Island in it, for one thing, and somehow managed to produce a Libertarian MP last time out. This time… Blimey. I’ve never heard of this Maureen Barré girl, but she’s a bit of wotzit, isn’t she? The libertarian’s in second this time. The MLP woman’s in fourth.

Carlos Obiols holds Nr Saurin for the MLP. Can I just say again how rubbish I think it is that the MLP’s token front bench Hispanic was actually born and bred in Candelaria? And north Candelaria at that.

18:12

Another block of four, and it’s three wins for the MLP and one for the Unionists. They’re on 64 each now.

Charity Morini holds Green Island again, so much for this being Unionist hardcore. Huge result for the Nationalists there, ahead of the Tories again.

This is more key – Andrej Golob loses Di Alfonso for the SD&GP, letting in some absolutely huge dude called Denver Judge. And, in the totally new seat of East-Central Candelaria, David Hall takes it for the MLP. Heavens, that’s a very right-wing speech… And the Tory woman’s in second there, what have we been missing in ECC? There’ll be lynch mobs before you can say knife.

Probably shouldn’t joke about that sort of thing right now, actually.

Anna Elzinga ‘holds’ South-East Marquez… that was Melin South in 2004, just so you know. That means we probably won’t get to see the new speaker having to cope with the MLP’s Estrella Rodríguez Fernández’s name… This is a disappointing election, I have to say.

18:18

You’ve got to say, the MLP’s new centre-right image isn’t working across the board, by any means. There’s just been three straight seats in which they finished third. Including the rural seats of West Candelaria and South Candelaria, they’ve both stayed Unionist, and the SD&GP weren’t second by much – Rachel Wilkinson only missed out on South by a fraction of 1%... I just don’t get how people are voting here, there’s just no demographic reasoning here at all…

How old is Tomer Deri, by the way? He’s got to be pushing eighty now, he’s won Inner Allemali every year since its been available, and he must have been an MP for a good couple of decades before that. So much for the young, fresh liberals.

Mace Abdel Naby keeps Khatib-Gassett… Oh, and the Marquez Nationalists win Castillo. Wow, there’s a surprise(!)…

18:25

There’s just no pattern to it! It’s starting to get to me. Who’d be a political analyst?

Lauren Cove’s held Nr Caires, no surprise there. But Jasmin Bayliss has lost Nr Westlake, now this is the one where she complained to the EC, or Equality Board, or something, over sexist remarks by the MLP candidate Meddick Drummer… Doesn’t seem to have helped her much.

On the other hand we’ve got another swap, and Albrecht’s going back to the Unionists, it seems. Summer Qasem-George’s just taken Outer Albrecht from that smug little so-and-so Jon Lake.

Since when were the liberals the insufferable ones?

Scott Biava keeps Nr Bass for the Unionists. And Martha David’s just taken Warne to West for the SD&GP… why, for heaven’s sake?! If anywhere’s not going to vote soc dem, surely it’s there? But again, it’s just so tight, anyone can win really. It’s becoming pot luck out here in the stucks.

18:29

The sticks, even.

Right, six more seats gone (I needed a wee) and the Unionists have pulled three ahead. Simple holds of NW Candelaria and Pranscke Island.

Another good performance by the SD&GP in Melin, they’re pretty much the established party there now. That’s old Mary Davidson back in the House for the first time in years. Scott Hesleton holds Nr Maidment for the Tories again. North Marquez and Nr Miranda both stay Marquez Nats.

18:31

The MLP have just held South-Central Marquez with Oberon Delgado. That’s huge, they’re failing miserably in Marquez so far.

18:38

God, there’s still just one seat in it, and by my count we’ve only got twelve to go. Inner Arrigo’s stayed Unionist, so that’s another divided city. But there’s some key defeats for Anderson’s mob here – they’ve lost Great Lakes to Patricia Benevute, Thomas ffinch has failed to beat Bob Herd to Orchards, and old Warren Benamara hasn’t taken Inner Alvery. That’s Wasim Mohammed, replacing Abdul Hussain who actually drops to fifth for the Workers Party…

18:44

The Candelarias Overseas Constituency has just come into play for the first time, and makes it seventy-two apiece with eight seats to go.

It’s hard to say whether the Candelariasians spread across our planet voted for Anderson because they particularly wanted him, or were voting again… um… Anderson. T’other one. Either way, they’ve sent a clear message that they want change, but the Unionist candidate actually finished sixth behind the Libertarian. Michael Anderson now faces regular trips not only between Albrecht and Parwood, but out to hold surgeries with Candelariasians in several dozen different countries. Analysing their choices will come later, I’m sure – for now, it means we’re still set to go to the wire.

That’s because Alex Fletcher has just about held on to Nr Hanlon for the Unionists, despite not being the first choice of the locals. Daniel Adimola has kept Albrecht Docks for the SD&GP, and Edward Pallante has won Inner Vo for the MLP.

18:49

A huge take just then for the MLP, Ysabel Andrews taking Nr Brayton from Christian Taylor. That’s coupled with a hold of Nr Vo, leaving the MLP two clear with five seats left to declare – remember Nr Webley isn’t voting for a couple of weeks.

The MNP have held North-East Marquez, by the way. Is there any other party in that part of the world?

18:53

Ooh, they’re not out of it just yet, you know… Jesca Telser’s just held Nr Lesperance from Athens Earl, that’d be a key MLP target. They’re one down and there’s two Unionist-held seats to go, but Free Marquez and the SD&GP.

I CAN’T CONTROL MYSELF, I NEED TO WANK!

18:54

That’s better.

18:56

Right… Somebody called Zachary Sjogren has just taken Nr Nader for the SD&GP. Bethania Espínola for the Unionists should have been nailed on here…

Three to go, it’s 74-73 to the MLP

18:59

Nr Chapon, just next door to Nr Nader, and Marcelo Zerdouk’s held it for the SD&GP. What that means, I think, is tha–

***

“…f Anna Toms can take Nr Abiodun for the Modern Liberal party, they’re going to have a lead which the Unionists could only match with a win in Webley next mon–”

“Yeah, thanks David…”

“Sir, I don’t reckon we’ve got anything to worry about. Gannison Reeve’s an old campaigner.”

“So’s Toms. She’s been whittling down our lead here the last two elections.”

“This is classic Unionist territory, sir…”

“No, Abby, it’s not. Anyone can take Abiodun, I… Alright everyone, a bit of hush…”

“Maggs, Gascoyne, Social Democratic & Green Party, twenty point three percent...”

“That’s not bad, but he won’t have taken votes away fro–”

“Abby, shush!”

“…pendent, nought point four percent… Reeve, Gannison, Unionist Party, thirty point one percent… Da–”

“That’s got to be enough, it’s got to be! I told you sir, the Candelariasian people know where their bread’s buttered!”

“…annard, Richard, Christian Peoples Party, one point one percent… Toms, Anna, Modern Liberal Party, thirty point nine percent… Will–”

“And that’s the money shot, Toms takes Nr Abiodun, and the MLP are two ahead with two to go and one of them isn’t for a mon–”

Saleh put a hand on James Anderson’s shoulder. “It’s okay, sir. One month from now we’ll take Webley and you’ll be in Robinson House on the Presidential Vote, I –”

“…ive now to Inner Bass, this is Unionist held but both Ian Cancela and Alex da Mendes Silva are going for this, and this is the last seat on offer, if I need to remind yo–”

“You don’t, David…”

“…cela, Ian, Modern Liberal Party, twenty-eight point one percent… da Mendes Silva, Alex, Social Democratic & Green Party, twenty-six point three percent… Frost, Adam, Unionist Party, twenty…”

“Yes!”

“…eight…

“Yes!!”

“…point…

“…”

“zero percent… González, Rubén, Free Marqu–”

“We didn’t win…”

“No…”

“That… that bitch is going to be President…”

“Yes. Thank you, Abby. Well summed up.”

“I… I love you, President Anderson.”

“…on seventy-six seats, the unionists have seventy-three, and that means that Robyn Morton, or President Robyn Morton, should I say, will go before the National Council tomorrow to offi–”

“Yes. Thank you, Abby.”

“Don’t mention it. Sir.”

The Albrecht Herald, May 17th 2008
In the shadow of terror, C&M ushers in its first lady
MLP returns to power, but victory anything but convincing
Anderson leaves the House as country prepares for unity administration

By Roy Greenwood
Additional reporting by Sophie Cummings and the Herald Editorial Team

After a single term, and just days after three-hundred and twenty-nine civilians lost their lives in the worst ever terrorist attacks to hit the nation, C&M’s most popular leader in decades, James Anderson, has been ousted from Robinson House, to be replaced by the islands’ first female President and Modern Liberal Party leader Robyn Morton.

Almost four days after the results of the general election were supposed to be released, Candelariasians finally learned for whom they had opted to lead the country for the next four – or maybe less – years: and now, with 259 of the 260 seats of the House of Representatives decided and the MLP back in power with seventy-six seats to the Unionists’ seventy-three, the question that remains hanging over the nation is; Why?

It was anything but a resounding victory, and any attempts by the new MLP administration to portray this result as any kind of mandate for their proposed sweeping economic, judicial and democratic reforms would be disingenuous to say the least. Not since 1984, and before that 1919, has the winning party taken so few seats, and Morton will face a major challenge in pulling together a workable coalition to take her government over the psychologically vital 130 mark. Even a renewed relationship with the Tories and Libertarians, following on from Anderson’s Unionists’ alliance with the same from 2004-08, will fail to give her a satisfactory margin to work with. Instead, with a centre-left arrangement with the SD&GP unlikely, Morton may be faced with allowing a substantial number of Unionists into her cabinet.

The woman herself remained taciturn last tight, after Ian Cancela’s surprise triumph in the Inner Bass RC in the final result of the night confirmed her party’s victory in the House. The speeches will follow today and beyond; for now Morton was content to appear in television interviews to pronounce herself “pleased” with victory.

“Clearly this is not the time for grandstanding and self-congratulation,” she told TV1. “This country faces a great many challenges, a great many immediate challenges, and I’m well aware that after the last few days that we’ve had, as a people, there’s no mood for here for grandiose claims – frankly even without the events of the past week, we can all see how close this contest was. The Candelariasian people faced some difficult choices when they went to the polls, and it’s perfectly clear that they came out divided. We cannot afford to be a divided people at this time, and I’m sure that, whatever our political differences, the leading parties of this country will be able to cooperate satisfactorily to ensure the safety of our citizens and our islands.”

Her comments provided the broadest hint that some form of unity administration was on the cards, but James Anderson will certainly not be a part of it. Appearing on television shortly after his successor, the outgoing President stunned the programme’s hosts and its millions of viewers alike by appearing with what was, very obviously, a glass eye. He made no direct reference to it, save admitting that he too had faced the wrath of the 12/5 attacks first hand, and instead used his five minutes to formally concede defeat. Further, he confirmed that it was highly unlikely that his party would enter into any legal challenges over neither the PV results nor the 59 RCs on offer, despite widespread allegations that many voters were able to register their ballots long after the elections had formally closed.

“Obviously there are issues surrounding the proper democratic functioning of this election that need to be discussed… but that can wait. There’s evidently no appetite to string out this election for any longer than necessary – the liberals have won, Dr Morton has won the Presidency by right, and I wish her the best of luck.” Asked whether his party would be now prepared to work under her, he replied: “That would be a decision for my successor.”

Unionist Head Office later confirmed that Anderson would not be taking his place in the House, despite being named at the top of their provisional List. Outgoing Finance Secretary Saul Lewis is now expected to be named the new number one, though Eric White will begin the new term as Unionist leader. Neither is expected to put themselves forwards for the job fulltime however.

Anderson’s defeat is certainly bittersweet. He becomes the first candidate since the current parliamentary system was adopted in 1992 to win the Presidential Vote but still miss out on Robinson House, after polling approximately 26.9% of the PV to Morton’s 26.3%. The latter’s victory via the regional seats was never anything approaching a foregone conclusion – indeed, despite leading the race by two seats with five to go, several bookmakers still had the Unionists as favourites. The final turning points came as the time approaching seven in the evening, when Bethania Espínola surprisingly failed to take Nr Nader – Zachary Sjogren instead won the SD&GP’s tenth and final RC – and in Abiodun, where the veteran Modern Liberal, Anna Toms, ousted Gannison Reeve.

The constituency race was surely the most unpredictable of all time – for though there was an apparent divide between the Unionists’ metropolitan victories and the MLP’s successes in ‘Middle Candelaria’, plenty of seats still bucked the trend. In truth, it was the SD&GP that ensured the Unionist defeat in either taking or holding onto city seats in Albrecht, Alvery, Arrigo and Bove. Compared to contests in the past, the belated announcements were conducted in a sombre atmosphere, with little cheering even for the most notable of upsets – such as Matthew-Millie van Ijssel’s ousting of Douglas Ratkovic in Onwere – and even the ANP’s high share of the vote in several constituencies failed to elicit boos from the moderates in the audience. The message was clear – this is not the time for the country to turn on itself, however much mutual antagonism may exist.

But when the dust settled, Morton’s victory was still a genuine upset. Three months ago such a statement would have been unthinkable, when the MLP led the race by some margin but, despite growing concerns over the status of the economy, Anderson’s Unionists looked set up until a fortnight ago for a second term, albeit by a significantly reduced margin of victory. The abrupt rise of Ariadne Jefferson’s SD&GP pushed the MLP into third in many polls right up until election day, with the West Indian Albrechter and her diverse cohorts suddenly representing the choice for change in many Candelariasians’ eyes. Morton was set to be an also-ran.

Perhaps the people simply got cold feet with the new voice of the multiculti Left; perhaps concerns over taxation, and youth crime and political correctness and corruption and state interference and Rushmori politics and – yes – the economy encouraged many, at the last minute, to dump the Unionists and flood back to the so-called natural party of government. But the statistics speak for themselves and Morton cannot claim otherwise – somewhere in the region of 19% of votes in both the PV and the RCs were cast in the final half-hour of polling, once news of the Albrecht terror attacks had come to dominate proceedings on television and the radio across the nation. After months of battering the government on their record on national security, on immigration, on softly-softly justice and ineffective ‘treatment’ programmes for criminals; it seems as though the MLP’s fears had suddenly been provided with tangible foundations. Undecided and apathetic voters from across small-town C&M rushed out to support their traditional protectors.

Others undoubtedly remained faithful to a Unionist administration criticised by the MLP in the recent past for disregarding civil liberties in order to fight terror threats, but clearly not quite enough. The SD&GP, who so recently claimed that the terror threat to the Candelarias was overblown, suffered horrendously. It is entirely possible that barely a vote was cast for Jefferson in that final half-hour, and despite their modest improvement on their 2004 results there will be some real soul-searching among the SD&GP hierarchy today.

Other parties may also have gained by the attacks, though the effects are less clear. The Tories polled only marginally better than in 2004, and Tate Sayfritz’s tenure as leader is surely coming to an end. The Marquez Nationalists added three extra seats to equal their best ever tally of nineteen from 2000, but the Libertarians, Christian Peoples Party and, in particular, Free Marquez all suffered. Perhaps, amid fears of an anti-Muslim backlash following the attacks, the Workers Party’s share of the Islamic vote helped them keep their two proportionally-selected MPs. Abdul Hussain lost his Alvery seat, however.

Among the minor parties, the big victors were the hard right. Indeed, the Alliance of Nationalists may be disappointed to only add one more MP to move up to three, but Justice & Democracy will be delighted to give Nobby McShefferty the opportunity to challenge the Tories for the hearts and minds of the country’s moderate right from inside the House.

All of this may end up mattering little to President Morton, who cannot unlike most of her predecessors rely on the support of some of the minor parties to pass through legislation. Today’s menu will consist primarily of the more tedious affairs of state, centring around what should be a solemn swearing-in ceremony in the early afternoon, but talks with the leaders of almost every party represented in the House will have to be high on her agenda.

Before even that however, this accidental President will be plunged straight into extended briefings with Julia Reis, the Director-General of Military Intelligence, Tony Villaverde, the Albrecht Metropolitan Police Chief Constable, Lt-Gen Peter Ermenault, who is currently and controversially leading the armed anti-terror offensive on the capital’s streets, and a host of other figures directly related to the events of the twelfth and their aftermath.

She may never say it publicly, but Morton has Robinson House because a panicky Candelariasian populace decided that she was the best man to keep them safe. If her presidency proves to represent nothing else, she must not only quickly learn to present herself as C&M’s protective mother hen, but to make good on her promises to place the security of these islands back at the heart of national policy. Aspiration can wait for another day.

Affirmed and presented by the grace and authority of Duke Burton,

We, the undersigned, on the seventeenth of May of the year two thousand and eight, do hereby assert our membership by democratic right of the House of Representatives, as established so by the grace of her royal highness Victoria, Queen of the British Dominions, and following the establishment of the thirty-sixth parliament of the Candelarian Islands in accordance with wishes of the citizens of the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez,

The following list does comprise two-hundred and fifty-nine names, so establishing the initial composition of the House of the thirty-sixth parliament, the political party by which each man or woman does represent the people of the Republic, and the authority by which that responsibility is bestowed, be it of a Regional Constituency or as a Party List Member, as established by the Democracy Act 1991,


Abdel Naby, Mace ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Inner Khatib-Gassett
Abdurakhmanov, Csaba ~ Unionist Party ~ 39th
Abrahams, Edward ~ Unionist Party ~ 27th
Addison, Amanda ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 32nd
Adimola, Daniel ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Albrecht Docks
Adjidarmo, Owen ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 12th
Advani, Tallulah ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 29th
Alicarte, Martin ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 2nd
Anderson, Michael ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Candelariasians Overseas
Andone, Vasile ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 32nd
André, Távora ~ Unionist Party ~ 24th
Andrews, Ysabel ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Brayton
Aparicio, Roberto ~ Free Marquez ~ 1st
Aranzadi, Alejandro ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 42nd
Archer, Steven ~ Conservative Party ~ 5th
Ayala, Hugo Iván ~ Unionist Party ~ 51st
Barré, Maureen ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Fallon Island
Basili, Merletta ~ Unionist Party ~ 54th
Bayliss, Jasmin ~ Unionist Party ~ 26th
Beard, Kenneth ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 14th
Bearman, Edward ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 23rd
Bellard, Patrick ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Clotaire
Benamara, Warren ~ Unionist Party ~ 19th
Benevute, Patricia ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Great Lakes
Benn, Tim ~ Unionist Party ~ 14th
Bevan, Rosie ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 35th
Biava, Scott ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Bass
Bickmore, Chyra ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 31st
Biggs, Jan ~ One Candelarian Nation ~ 2nd
Black, Ziya ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Khatib-Gassett
Boffy, Carlos ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 3rd
Boyle, Gary ~ Unionist Party ~ 41st
Brady, Jon ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 39th
Brandán, José Óscar ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ North Marquez
Bruce, Oscar ~ Conservative Party ~ 16th
Butler, Chet ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 22nd
Caballero, Edgar Antonio ~ Conservative Party ~ 7th
Campigli, Leonard ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 25th
Cancela, Ian ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Bass
Cantero, Cristina ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 15th
Carlsson, Stu ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 35th
Carozza, Gina ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 52nd
Carter, David ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Sloane
Case, Tim ~ Conservative Party ~ 10th
Cash, Noemia ~ Free Marquez ~ 2nd
Cave, Vicky ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 11th
Cela, Sergio Gómez ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 43rd
Chibueze, Mortan ~ Unionist Party ~ 10th
Christopher, Lee ~ Freedom Party ~ 3rd
Churchill, Rowan ~ Unionist Party ~ 43rd
Clayson, Jack ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Vo
Clitheroe, Robert ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 36th
Cobbald, Reuben Victoria ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 7th
Cobham, Spencer ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 38th
Cobo, Stephan ~ Unionist Party ~ 17th
Cooper, James ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 13th
Cove, Lauren ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Caires
Cronin, Wayne ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 36th
Cuena, Tanja ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Lavange
Cunico, Gabriella ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 19th
da Mendes Silva, Alez ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 10th
Dann, Paul ~ Unionist Party ~ 35th
Dannson, Claire ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 17th
David, Martha ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Warne to West
Davidson, Mary ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Inner Melin
De La Chaize, Isaac ~ Conservative Party ~ 21st
de Souza Santos, Pedro ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 24th
De Voor, Justin ~ Unionist Party ~ 47th
Delgado, Oberon ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ South-Central Marquez
Deri, Tomer ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Inner Allemali
Di Matteo, Nathan ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Alvery
Docherty, Isibeal ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 34th
Domínguez, Elen ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 4th
Drummer, Meddick ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Westlake
Dyer, Russett ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 15th
Earl, Athens ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 53rd
Edwards, Amey ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 45th
Eliot, Reuben Caroline ~ Unionist Party ~ 3rd
Elzina, Anna ~ Unionist Party ~ South-East Marquez
Espínola, Bethania ~ Unionist Party ~ 25th
Estevéz, April ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 2nd
Estevéz, Jorge ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 1st
Faber, Emma ~ Conservative Party ~ 3rd
Fairfax, Union ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 9th
Fairfoot, Milo ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 21st
Ferguson, Evie ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Abiodun & Gamboa
ffinch, Thomas ~ Unionist Party ~ 11th
Figuiera, Andrés ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 27th
Fletcher, Alex ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Hanlon
Fox, Mark ~ Conservative Party ~ 4th
Frampton, Peter ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 49th
French, Luke ~ Unionist Party ~ 6th
Frye, Bonny ~ Unionist Party ~ South Candelaria
Gaicomini, America ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 21st
Gallardo, Óscar ~ Unionist Party ~ 21st
Gellett, Damian ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 30th
Gerrard-Landolfi, Landi ~ Unionist Party ~ 18th
Glanz, Freddy ~ Unionist Party ~ 36th
Golob, Andrej ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 20th
Gomes de Oliveira, Provis ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 30th
Gomes-Thomas, Lily ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 14th
Gomm, Ethan ~ Unionist Party ~ 20th
Gorner, Opal ~ Conservative Party ~ 8th
Graulty, Bernadette ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 47th
Green, Simone ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 17th
Haag, Nigel ~ Conservative Party ~ 17th
Hall, David ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ East-Central Candelaria
Hamilton, Clare ~ Unionist Party ~ 23rd
Harris, Jenny ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 51st
Hayes, Annabel ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 23rd
Hayward, Heather ~ Conservative Party ~ 6th
Herd, Bob ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Orchards
Hernández, Lyndon ~ Unionist Party ~ 12th
Hesleton, Scott ~ Conservative Party ~ Nr Maidment
Hill, Andy ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 29th
Hollingworth, Rupert ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 40th
Hopkins, Joel ~ Christian Peoples Party ~ 1st
Hussain, Abdul ~ Workers Party ~ 2nd
Ibson, Tracey ~ Unionist Party ~ 28th
Ionnou, Dallas ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 39th
Ireland, Rob ~ Conservative Party ~ 9th
Irons, TJ ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 4th
Isgren, Jimmy ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ Nr Castillo
Jacob, DeLauni ~ Unionist Party ~ 15th
Jeans, Francis ~ Conservative Party ~ 20th
Jefferson, Ariande ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 1st
Jiao, Kirill ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 18th
Johnson, Ben ~ Conservative Party ~ 11th
Johnson, Elizabeth ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 24th
Johnson, Reuben ~ Unionist Party ~ Pranscke Island
Jones, Cathy ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 3rd
Jones, David ~ Unionist Party ~ 34th
Jones, Peter ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 4th
Jones, Simeon ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 4th
Jørgensen, Vic ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 28th
Judge, Denver ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Di Alfonso
Kelly, Julie ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 38th
Kenright, John ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 8th
Khan, Georgette ~ Unionist Party ~ 22nd
Khan, Hussain ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 48th
Kingston, John ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Inner Caires
Knowles, Sam ~ Unionist Party ~ 40th
Kraemer, Sebastian ~ Unionist Party ~ 50th
Lake, Jon ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 33rd
Lazarus, Hasson ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 1st
Leiva, Patricia ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 8th
Lewis, Saul ~ Unionist Party ~ 1st
Lewis, Victoria ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Inner Clotaire
Lionel, Tris ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Nr Bove
Losonczi, Mike ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 5th
Luque, Vanessa ~ Unionist Party ~ 38th
Luther, Mary ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 25th
Macías, Vicente ~ Unionist Party ~ 4th
Madeira, Nathalia ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 11th
Maggs, Gascoyne ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 34th
Mahmoud, Kovac ~ Unionist Party ~ 9th
Mammoliti, Tate ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 10th
Mann, Ljoltolf ~ Conservative Party ~ 12th
Martin, Pascal ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 26th
Matsumoto, Mandy ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 5th
McCarthy, Fabien ~ Unionist Party ~ Inner Zapata
McPhee, Soloman ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 6th
McShefferty, Nobby ~ Justice and Democracy Party ~ 1st
Medina, Anna ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ Nr Miranda
Melbourne, Joe ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 41st
Mello, Luciano ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Nr Arrigo
Menechella, Russett ~ Unionist Party ~ 8th
Mohammad, Wasim ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Inner Alvery
Montgomerie, Jack ~ Unionist Party ~ 5th
Morgan-Spencer, Christi ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 7th
Moriarty, Charlotte ~ Unionist Party ~ 49th
Morini, Charity ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Green Island
Morton, Robyn ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 1st
Multescu, Zeke ~ Unionist Party ~ West Candelaria
Nakamura, Paul ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 22nd
Nash, Cassandra ~ Unionist Party ~ Inner Bove
Nevett, George ~ Unionist Party ~ 53rd
Neville, Paul ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 18th
Newton, Matthew ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 13th
Newton, Mckenna ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 3rd
Nieto, Francisco José ~ Unionist Party ~ Inner Arrigo
Nunn, J.B. ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Blackwell & Knee
O’Connor, Ferdinand ~ Unionist Party ~ 48th
O’Connor, Janie ~ Unionist Party ~ 33rd
O’Donovan, Jacob ~ Unionist Party ~ 44th
Obiols, Carlos ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Saurin
Okpara, Smythe ~ Christian Peoples Party ~ 1st
Páez, Winston ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 7th
Pallante, Edward ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Inner Vo
Papadopoulos, Jennifer ~ Unionist Party ~ 30th
Parker, Nolan ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 12th
Parker, Olivia ~ Unionist Party ~ 46th
Patiño, Luis Carlos ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 10th
Pearson, David ~ Unionist Party ~ 45th
Peccarisi, Ciro ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Allemali Hawks
Pellegrino, Michael ~ Conservative Party ~ 13th
Pérez, Navarro ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 26th
Perry, Kira ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 37th
Pizarro, Bobby ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 12th
Pollitt, Owen ~ Conservative Party ~ Nr Talinger
Prajakata, Sukhon ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 27th
Purdie, Alf ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 46th
Qasem-George, Summer ~ Unionist Party ~ Outer Albrecht
Queseda, Rueben ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr El din
Randall, Adi ~ Workers Party ~ 1st
Reeve, Gannison ~ Unionist Party ~ 37th
Rooney, Gareth ~ Conservative Party ~ 15th
Rósa, Estelle ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 5th
Roverston, Simon ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 16th
Rowlands, Jane ~ Unionist Party ~ North-West Candelaria
Said, Fallon ~ Unionist Party ~ 7th
Salazar, Arjen ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 40th
Samed, Tatulya ~ Unionist Party ~ 13th
San Román, Marcelo ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 14th
Sanchéz, Michel ~ Unionist Party ~ 29th
Sánchez, Pedro ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ North-East Marquez
Sayfritz, Tate ~ Conservative Party ~ 1st
Schrieversmann, Damon ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 44th
Scotland, Sarah ~ Conservative Party ~ 19th
Shah, Arrian ~ Unionist Party ~ 16th
Simpkins, Colin ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 8th
Sjogren, Zachary ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Nr Nader
Smailes, Sinclair ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 15th
Spencer, Ben ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 6th
Spencer, Edward ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 16th
Tanter, Park ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 2nd
Telser, Jesca ~ Unionist Party ~ Nr Lesperance
Thomiczek, Murty ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 6th
Thornton, Martin ~ Unionist Party ~ Sloane Island
Timms, Bill ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 50th
Toms, Anna ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Nr Abiodun
Underhill, Alexandra ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 33rd
Unwin, Antonio ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 9th
Valerio, Mallory ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 13th
van Dijk, Natalie ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 11th
van Ijssel, Matthew-Millie ~ United Party of the Onweriii People ~ Nr Onwere
van Steeden, Debbie ~ Conservative Party ~ 18th
Vause, Zelah ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 2nd
Vause, Zennor ~ Allied Libertarian Party ~ 3rd
Wallner, Oscar ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 28th
Walters, Lucy ~ Unionist Party ~ 52nd
Walton, Andrew ~ Conservative Party ~ 2nd
Ward, Nigel ~ Marquez Nationalist Party ~ 6th
Ware-Thomas, Keith ~ Unionist Party ~ 31st
Waterson, Tomer ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 5th
Whaites, Millie ~ Unionist Party ~ 42nd
White, Eric ~ Unionist Party ~ 2nd
White, Theodora ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 9th
Wild, David ~ Freedom Party ~ 1st
Wilkinson, Rachel ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 37th
Williams, Vince ~ Conservative Party ~ 14th
Wodniki, Beck ~ Conservative Party ~ 22nd
Yamaguchi, Pippa ~ Unionist Party ~ 32nd
Yeates, Jayme ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 20th
Yeung, Hayley ~ Unionist Party ~ Inner Albrecht
York, Juli ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ 19th
Zazzera, Michael ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ Inner El din
Zerdouk, Marcelo ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ Nr Chapon
Zessin, Oliver ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ 31st

We each of us do hereby swear to be faithful to the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez, and do solemnly promise to perform our functions as members of the House of Representatives to the best of our abilities.


___________
A note:

A two-hundred and sixtieth member of the House was added several days later, following the victory of Reuben Sangster (Modern Liberal Party) in the delayed Nr Webley constituency contest.

In mid-September, the list MPs Lyndon Hernández (Unionist Party) and Joe Melbourne (Modern Liberal Party) died in mysterious circumstances in Septentrionia. They were replaced in the House by Jon McClean and Luke Broust respectively.

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M News
Pellegrino drops minority coalition hint

With Robyn Morton appearing no closer to forming a workable majority in the House, the Conservative MP Michael Pellegrino this afternoon stopped only just short of confirming that his party was on the verge of returning to government as the Modern Liberal Party’s junior partner.

Speculation had been rife that Morton and the acting Unionist leader Eric White remained deadlocked in talks to form a grand coalition of C&M’s two largest parties, in the aftermath of the 12/5 terror attacks and one of the tightest elections in the country’s history. Such an arrangement has not been seen in C&M since the two parties, under President Nikolov, governed from 1984-88 following the mental deterioration of President Kyle and the ensuing economic collapse. The Grand Coalition of that time gained stability only by C&M’s awkward fixed-term system, but despite its utter failure to influence social policy and the violence and unemployment of the period, the alliance has been credited with putting into motion policies that allowed President Hrehoresin to reap the rewards during the boom years of the nineties.

C&M’s economic status is today nowhere near as severe, though still precarious, but the threat today is of foreign origin – or at least from elements within C&M society that seek, if not its destruction, then at least the deaths of potential thousands. A poll published in this morning’s Herald revealed that nearly seventy percent of the population now supported the immediate establishment of an MLP-Unionist administration, but politics may get in the way. Several Unionist MPs have privately admitted concerns that such an arrangement could permanently split the party between conservative and Andersonite factions in the wake of James Anderson’s resignation, and a four-year spell under a Morton regime could allow the SD&GP to steal a march as the party of C&M’s fiscal left – particularly if, as is now widely expected, Ariadne Jefferson makes way for an individual from the right of the party in the coming months.

Veteran political analyst Damien Robertson believes that such fears are unfounded. “The fact is,” he told the Herald, “the divide between the MLP and Unionists has always been over financial issues. Any MLP cabinet will likely include social Candelariasian-liberals like Patrick Bellard and Charity Morini, and small-s-l secular libertarians like Nolan Parker and Carlos Obiols as well as Morton’s progressive neoliberals. Any protectionism on behalf of the Unionists could not only damage their reputation and future chances but the political and national stability and security of this country. Emphasis on could, mind you.”

If Morton cannot agree a relationship, informal or otherwise, with the Unionists, and with any coalition with the SD&GP implausible at this stage, she would be left with few options. Even securing an alliance with every single minority member of the House would leave her short of the one-thirty, leading to speculation that she may attempt to push through legislation altering the lengths and stability of parliamentary terms earlier than had been expected. Coupled with proposed changes to the manner in which MPs are elected, this could serve to help her secure a larger representation, or even outright majority, in the House in an election which, some Modern Liberals hope, could come as early as next year.

Such massive constitutional changes would clearly require the support of much of the House, but the desire for change to C&M’s democratic system is widespread and long-standing. With Tory support, such bids may prove simpler than forcing through some of the MLP’s more dramatic bills on privatisation, criminal law, immigration quotas, public transportation and the status of specialist and religious schools, and such a potentially short term could allow the new government to focus on forcing through democratic reform bills and anti-terror legislation, as well as their foreign policy, rather than concentrate on surely doomed domestic measures.

This afternoon Pellegrino, the Minister for Science, Technology and Adult Education in the previous government, gave the broadest hint that an MLP-Tory minority administration was on the cards by claiming that Tomer Waterson, the veteran MLP deputy leader who is expected to be named as Morton’s Prime Minister, had already spoken to him about the Law Reform office. MLP insiders have denied that any formal deal is done, but haven’t attempted to quash any rumours in this direction.

Morton, it is generally agreed, had better make up her mind quickly. After two days spent largely signing official documents and overseeing the swearing-in of the two-hundred and fifty-eight other members of the House, President Brown-Morton – as she is officially now known, though few will likely use the term – is now formally the Candelariasian Head of State and Head of Government. The phone calls with foreign leaders are out of the way, and now – according to Robertson – she’s got to bloody well get one with it.

The investigation into the 12/5 attacks are of course the centre of national attention besides Morton, and took a leap forwards last night with the first official confirmation that there were known and named suspects for the attacks – though the authorities, for their own reasons, have yet to release those names into the public arena. That police have not insisted on any media blackouts regarding their activities within minority communities with C&M suggests that overseas agents are regarding as the most likely candidates, but that hasn’t stopped continuing antagonism towards certain populations within the Candelarias over the past week. Morton herself is due to meet with prominent Muslim and Jewish leaders this evening, following talks with Hispanic leaders of Marquezian local councils and similar bodies.

***

Prime Ministers of the Candelarias (Limited Self-Government 1868-87), the Dominion of the Candelarias (1887-47), the Republic of the Candelarias (1947-60) and the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez (1960-2008, as heads of cabinet)


1. Sir William Dawes Robinson ~ Liberal Party ~ June 1868 to August 1872
2. George Nitkin ~ Conservative Party ~ August 1872 to September 1876
3. Peter Plummer ~ Liberal Party ~ September 1876 to October 1880
- Sir George Nitkin ~ Conservative Party ~ October 1880 to April 1885
4. Tomer Hague ~ National Unionist Party ~ April 1885 to August 1889, August 1889 to September 1903
5. Richard Youngmay ~ Liberal Party ~ September 1903 to September 1904
- Tomer Hague ~ National Unionist Party ~ September 1904 to July 1906
6. Reuben Merchant ~ National Unionist Party ~ July 1906 to June 1907
7. Oliver Ryan ~ National Unionist Party ~ June 1907 to July 1909
8. Jeremiah Sampson ~ National Unionist Party ~ July 1909 to June 1914
9. Peter Darby-Wales ~ Conservative Unionist Party ~ June 1914 to July 1918
10. Edmund Kemp ~ Conservative Unionist Party ~ July 1918 to February 1919
11. Ivan Dominik ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ February 1919 to January 1924
- Edmund Kemp ~ Conservative Unionist Party ~ January 1924 to October 1924
12. Oxford Birch ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ October 1924 to October 1928
13. Francis Luckin ~ Conservative Unionist Party ~ October 1928 to March 1931, March 1931 to June 1934
- Oxford Birch ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ June 1934 to August 1938, August 1938 to May 1943
14. Mullen Irving ~ Conservative Unionist Party ~ May 1943 to June 1947
15. Samuel Padovani ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ June 1947 to May 1948
16. Sidney Ferguson ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ May 1948 to June 1951, June 1951 to March 1954
17. Percival Dolezal ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ March 1954 to March 1956
18. James McManus ~ Socialist Party ~ March 1956 to April 1958
19. Percy Garrard ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ April 1958 to April 1959
- James McManus ~ Socialist Party ~ April 1959 to April 1960
(20.) Joshua Hopkins ~ Christian Patriotic Party ~ May 1960 to May 1962
(21.) Albert Fernández ~ Party for a Free Marquez ~ May 1960 to May 1962
(22.) George Vaughan ~ Liberal Party ~ May 1962 to May 1964
(24.) David Clarke ~ Clarke Unionist Party ~ May 1964
(25.) Isaac Julian ~ Clarke Unionist Party ~ May 1964 to January 1965
(26.) Harold O’Donnell ~ Liberal Party ~ January 1965 to May 1968
(- ) Isaac Julian ~ Unionist Party ~ May 1968 to May 1972
(27.) Michael Osborn ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1972 to February 1975
(28.) Tomer Benney ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ February 1975 to May 1976, May 1976 to May 1980
(29.) Dominic Studman ~ Unionist Party ~ May 1980 to May 1984
(30.) Norman Archer ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1984 to May 1988
(31.) Lucia Ligarotti-Baccimo (Mrs.) ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1988 to May 1992, May 1992 to May 1996
(32.) Laurence Janssen ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1996 to June 1997
(33.) Christopher Raffaele ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ June 1997 to September 1999
(34.) Soloman McPhee ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ September 1999 to May 2000
(35.) Paul Leach ~ Social Democratic and Green Party ~ May 2000 to February 2004
(- ) Soloman McPhee ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ February 2004 to May 2004
(36.) Joseph Frank ~ Unionist Party ~ May 2004 to May 2008
(37.) Tomer Waterson ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 2008 to ? (as Chief Cabinet Minister)

Presidents of the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez (1960 to 2008)


(1./20.) Kjell Mats Olousson III ~ National Reconciliation Party ~ May 1960 to May 1962
(2./21.) David Andrew Clarke ~ Liberal Unionist Party ~ May 1962 to May 1964
(-/- ) David Andrew Clarke ~ Clarke Unionist Party ~ May 1964 to May 1968
(-/- ) David Andrew Clarke ~ Unionist Party ~ May 1968 to May 1972
(3./22.) Michael David Allen ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1972 to February 1975
(4./23.) Michael Osborn ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ February 1975 to May 1976, May 1976 to May 1980
(5./24.) Erin Henry Kyle ~ Unionist Party ~ May 1980 to May 1984
(6./25.) Georgi Nikolov ~ Unionist Party ~ May 1984 to May 1988
(7./26.) Xavier Michael Hrehoresin ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1988 to May 1992, May 1992 to May 1996
(8./27.) David Israel Clark ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 1996 to May 2000, May 2000 to May 2004
(9./28.) James Trevor Anderson ~ Unionist Party ~ May 2004 to May 2008
(10./29.) Roberta Alice Brown-Morton (Mrs.) ~ Modern Liberal Party ~ May 2008 to ?

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M News
Morton names first cabinet

President Robyn Morton has finally confirmed her first cabinet after days of negotiation, forming the first post- Civil War government to act as a minority administration.

In bringing in Conservative MPs and the Justice & Democracy leader Nobby McShefferty, the MLP-led coalition can claim the formal support of just 101 of the 259 members of the current House; well short of the 130 needed to govern effectively. Talks with the acting Unionist leader Eric White towards the formation of a grand coalition of the two largest parties in the 2008 House broke down earlier this week, despite widespread public support for such an arrangement following the tightest election in years and the 12/5 terror attacks. The left of the Unionist Party are believed to have put the greatest pressure on White not to formalise the deal, amid concerns expressed last night by the prominent Andersonite Fallon Said that the party would be unable to effectively contest MLP moves on education, immigration and anti-terror legislation were they to be ‘forced into government’ alongside the MLP.

Many analysts believe that the Unionists, who are clearly suffering from a lack of definitive leadership in the wake of Anderson’s resignation, may have badly shot themselves in the foot by declining to take up Morton’s invitation, while the President now faces an extremely difficult balancing act in appealing to both the social conservatives, liberals and libertarians from both parties in her administration. Her task has been helped somewhat by the confirmation by the Unionists that they would, “in these difficult times”, support the government on budgetary issues – confidence votes not an issue in C&M’s democratic system.

For a party now supposedly devoted to cutting state bureaucracy, Morton has named a full cabinet of forty-two members; with fifteen, besides herself, part of her new inner circle. What is most immediately striking is the lack of a Prime Minister for the first time in Candelariasian history. Instead, the veteran Tomer Waterson is named as Chief Cabinet Minister, a role expected to take most of the previous duties of the Prime Ministerial position. Though Waterson himself claimed this morning that the change was a necessary part of the “streamlining and restructuring of government”, it will serve to further rumours that Morton plans to institute the firsts set of major changes to the way C&M elects its representatives since 1992.

There is also no Defence minister, with Terence Irons Jr instead taking the position of Minister for National Security. The position of Minister for Social Affairs, created by Anderson in 2004 to replace the Home Secretary, has been retained and is held by the J&DP leader McShefferty. Significant powers have been removed from the role and presented instead to the Minister for Justice, Lauren Cove, and the Minister for Citizenship & Immigration (replacing the office for Asylum & Immigration), Union Fairfax. McShefferty retains control of the NHS however, in a move that will surely horrify the left of the MLP, while the Social Affairs brief also includes the provision of state welfare and the social services, including numerous quasi-state support services alongside the Office for Child Welfare, et al.

The Conservative input will be significant. Their current leader Tate Sayfritz has as expected been giving the Foreign Secretary brief but, amid widespread convictions that the party will soon seek to replace this One Nationer with the more right-wing Andrew Walton, the Zapata-born MP has been granted the sinecure position of Minister for the Outliers and Bakeries.

His fellow Tory, Rob Ireland, has been appointed the new Speaker, while Steven Archer has the potentially vital Democratic Reform brief. Michael Pellegrino maintains the Science & Technology role he held under the Anderson government, while Mark Fox heads up the new Ministry for National Development as Minister for Transport. His Ministry is dominated by Conservatives, including at junior level, though Patricia Benevute adds an experienced voice to the Department for Rural Development.

Carlos Obiols has been named as Morton’s Vice-President, though as is traditional Waterson would seem the more likely candidate to succeed her were anything untoward to happen over the course of the next term. Obiols, who is of Candelarian birth and upbringing, is one of just four Hispanics in Morton’s wider cabinet, taking his place alongside the Minister for the Police, Oberon Delgado, the Tory Edgar Antonio Caballero who is Communities Minister and Andrés Figuiera, who takes the Minister for Forestry and Minister for Marquez briefs.

Morton has been unafraid to include veterans – indeed, the cabinet includes surprisingly view new MPs from her own inner circle – with former leader Sol McPhee heading up the Ministry for Natural Resources as Agriculture Minister, and former Finance Minister Charity Morini becoming Minister for Business & Enterprise. Park Tanter, himself the son of President Osborn’s chancellor Parkin Tanter, is as expected appointed as Finance Minister. Patrick Bellard, the unofficial leader of the MLP’s left wing, is Minister for Industry, Employment and Workers’ Right, whatever all that means.

Vicky Cave is the Minister for Culture and the Media, while Bob Herd is switched from his role as sport spokesman to become Tourism Minister, with an additional brief to work alongside the new head of the Department for Sport, Nolan Parker, with the stated aim of bringing either the Baptism of Fire or Cup of Harmony soccer tournaments to Candelariasians soil within the next four cycles.

What is very noticeable about this cabinet – and Waterson admitted as much in interview this morning – is its very Anglo make-up. Social Equality Minister Marc Mthembu is the only one of the forty-two members of the extended cabinet not of majority European ancestry, while the Tories Sayfritz and Gorner, and Social Security minister Stu Carlsson, are the only other representatives, surname-wise, of anyone outside of C&M’s three largest ancestral groups of British-Irish, Iberian and Italian. “It’s purely a statistical quirk,” an exasperated Waterman insisted this morning. “The Unionists got the Multescus and the Papadopouloses, the SD&GP got the Stojiljkovices and van Dijks… we got the Johnsons and Nevilles. It’s just the way the cookie crumbles.” There are twelve women among the forty-two, a record of around twenty-eight percent that compares favourably enough with the thirty-six percent of the 2008 House as a whole.

An all-Unionist shadow cabinet is expected to be named tomorrow, while Morton, Waterson and White will also be putting their candidates forward over the next few days to form the new National Council.

***
Cabinet of the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez, ratified on the twenty-fifth of May, in the year two-thousand and eight.


Expected members of the Inner Cabinet are displayed in bold. Members of coalition partners are listed with an asterisk (*)


Robinson House

Robyn Morton
President of the Republic
Minister for Women

Carlos Obiols
Vice-President
Minister for Civil Liberties

Cabinet Office

Tomer Waterson
Chief Cabinet Minister

Rob Ireland*
Minister for Candelaria
Speaker of the House of Representatives

Steven Archer*
Minister for Democratic Reform

Andrew Walton*
Minister for the Outliers and Bakeries

Ministry for Finance

Park Tanter
Minister for Finance

Charity Morini
Minister for Business & Enterprise

Patrick Bellard
Minister for Industry, Employment and Workers’ Right

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Tate Sayfritz*
Minister for Foreign Affairs

Lily Gomes-Thomas
Minister for Regional Affairs

Tate Mammoliti
Minister for the Overseas Trade Service
Minister for the Embassy Exchange Programme

Ministry for National Security

TJ Irons
Minister for National Security

Milo Fairfoot
Minister for the Armed Forces and Veterans

Sinclair Smailes
Minister for the Space Programme

Ministry for Justice

Lauren Cove
Minister for Justice

Union Fairfax
Minister for Citizenship & Immigration

Oberon Delgado
Minister for the Police

Edward Bearman
Minister for Law Reform

Marc Mthembu
Minister for Social Equality

Ministry for Natural Resources

Soloman McPhee
Minister for Natural Resources
Minister for Agriculture

Reuben Victoria Cobbald
Minister for Climate and Energy

Gabriella Cunico
Minister for Fishing

Andrés Figuiera
Minister for Forestry
Minister for Marquez

Paul Neville
Minister for Food

Ministry for Education

Mckenna Newton
Minister for Education

Joe Melbourne
Minister for Remedial Teaching

Michael Pellegrino*
Minister for Higher Learning
Minister for Science & Technology

Ministry for Social Affairs

Nobby McShefferty*
Minister for Social Affairs
Minister for Health and the Elderly

Stu Carlsson
Minister for Social Security

Julie Kelly
Minister for the Social Services

Rupert Hollingworth
Minister for Children and Families
Minister for Men

Edgar Antonio Caballero*
Minister for Communities

Ministry for National Development

Mark Fox*
Minister for National Development
Minister for Transport

Tim Case*
Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs

Opal Gorner*
Minister for Local Government

Patricia Benevute
Minister for Rural Development

Ministry for Culture, Media and Sport

Vicky Cave
Minister for Culture and the Media

Nolan Parker
Minister for Sport

Bob Herd
Minister for Tourism and C&M Welcomes the World Policy

Heather Hayward*
Minister for Candelariasian Heritage
Minister for Public Amenities

Elizabeth Johnson
Minister for Environmental Heritage

***

Canning offers congratulations on MLP win

The Prime Minister of Ad’ihan, Alex Canning, has offered his congratulations to the Modern Liberal Party of Candelaria And Marquez on winning the recent presidential and general election which was marred by terrorist activity.

A statement issued by Mr Canning's office said that Mr Canning had telephoned the new president of Candelaria And Marquez, Dr Robyn Morton, to congratulate her on her election success. Mr Canning had earlier publicly declared support for Dr Morton's campaign.

Mr Canning's office described the telephone call as "brief and cordial", saying it lasted no more than ten minutes. Mr Canning is said to have told Dr Morton to "count on Ad’ihan's support" whenever it was needed, including in the current ongoing investigations into the terrorist attacks on polling day. The statement adds that Dr Morton thanked Mr Canning for his support.

The Ad’ihani ambassador in the Candelariasian capital Albrecht, Her Excellency Justine Randall, has also officially conveyed congratulations from the Ad’ihani government to President Morton.

Mr Canning, himself facing an upcoming election in the Ad’ihani Senate, had departed from party lines to back Dr Morton, and some analysts have been suggesting that Mr Canning's influential foreign support for Dr Morton's campaign might have helped give it the slight extra edge it won Robinson House by.

The party Mr Canning leads, Green Ad’ihan, did not make a public endorsement, saying it did not wish to interfere in foreign politics, but by its charter would have backed the Social Democratic and Green Party.

It had been several weeks since the bombings. The new government was in place. Nothing had changed. Besides the police and stuff, nothing had changed. Sang felt extremely bitter about the lack of change. 321 people dead, and nothing was happening. He needed to make things more deadly. How so, though? He was only one person. He'd need at least 5 of himselves to equal even the damage on the 12th of May. Even the attacks in Casari were orchestrated by several hundred Mujeongbu, and they only killed thousands of Casaran citizens. What could one man do?

He could kill the President? If anything the Mujeongbu taught him, high priority targets were often hard to kill. Leaders, especially. Grunts were better off killing common people; and many of them at the same time. But where would be the best place to go?

Poison. It was one thing that he had learned very well. And it was easy to poison people. If he grew the right plants, he could have his own factory without arousing any suspicion. He already had a private greenhouse; why not add a few plants?

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M News
Clotaire sinks Le Guerrier following pitched battle

By Roy Greenwood and Luca Russo.

Candelariasian and Delamawarian rescue craft have hurried into action twenty nautical miles west of the Ransome-Bkyki coast after Rushmore’s most infamous pirate vessel, Le Guerrier was sunk following an engagement with the CNDS Clotaire.

The two ships appear to have met purely by chance, with the Clotaire en route to return member of the fourth infantry battalion back to pre-12/5 operations in the Timonium Demilitarised Zone. Details of the clash with Le Guerrier remain sketchy, but it represents the first serious incident between Candelarias Naval Defence forces and Rushmori freebooters for well over a decade.

The sinking of the pirate vessel was immediately praised by several Rushmori leaders, many of whose states have struggled with incursions from buccaneers both domestic and foreign for many years, and analysts on the continent believe that the engagement may represent a formal end to C&M’s indifferent attitude to a problem not traditionally affecting the more remote Candelarias. Armed Forces minister Milo Fairfoot has certainly been happy to claim responsibility for the ‘victory’, and confirm that the C&M government was now taking a “proactive stance” to the problem.

The move was received more coolly back home however, with SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson accusing the government of “attempting to divert our attention” with overseas matters. While many Candelariasians would privately admit sympathy with those suspicions, her comments seem ill-judged at a time when the overwhelming majority of C&M residents show as high a regard for all arms of the military as has been the case for decades. Jefferson had earlier led calls for the removal of troops from the ground in Albrecht, but her pre-election description of those self-same service personnel as the states ‘hired killers’ looks set to come back to haunt her. With the SD&GP currently representing the most viable opposition to the MLP/Tory administration, the government has been quick to dredge up seemingly indefensible quotes from Jefferson and her colleagues describing the terror threat to C&M as ‘negligible’, and remarking that there were ‘few situations in society that could not be made worse by the introduction of a police officer’.

Jefferson was quick to claim that she had merely been quoting from another source on both occasions, but such besmirching tactics are vital to the minority government. Morton’s place at Robinson House is of course guaranteed for the next four years if she wants it; but she and the government face the Regional Constituency election in Nr Webley later this month, which could effectively become a referendum on her leadership. The new government has thus far been able to pass emergency anti-terror legislation with the support of the Unionists and abstention of the SD&GP, but Morton will need to be seen to be retaining the broad support of the Candelariasian populous for some month to come if the opposition are to reluctantly wave through the first budget, never mind allow the bulk of the MLP’s domestic programme. Outside the direct sphere of the 12/5 aftermath, the flurry of minor bills that traditionally sneak though following a general election in C&M has been limited; the one major development being the passing of an early day motion to adopt Hope, the giant toad removed earlier this week from the ruins of Monument Place, as C&M’s national animal in place of the mediocre fish. The move is almost certain to be revoked later in the year.

Morton’s first week has instead been taking over almost entirely by regional issues, including the Le Guerrier incident, with the new President rebuked by her equally new counterpart in Switzaland for failing to attend the celebrations marking the regional power’s transition back to democracy. Foreign Secretary Tate Sayfritz was sent in her stead, with Morton’s own first overseas visit likely to be to Ad’ihan later in the year.

Her ‘calm, measured leadership’ has received commendation from various sides of the Candelariasian politics spectrum thus far, though at the current time this is a strange country to rule. The air of surreality, verging on denial, remains in place; with mentions in the media of the 12/5 attacks currently being kept to the barest minimum. Comedians have thus far not touched the issue with a bargepole, and polls show that Kris Healy’s first Big Blues squad has overtaken the attacks as the major issue of conversation between C&M residents.

The return to some semblance of normality has been hastened by the return of Albrecht to civilian rule, but in the last twenty-four hours the true scale of the horrors in the capital was becoming clearer to a disbelieving country once more. For the first time in three weeks, parts of central Thompsontown and Bramlive have been opened to the public, the extent of the clean-up operation required still very much in evidence. Meanwhile, after hundreds of private ceremonies across the country, over thirty individuals – formally identified but with no immediate family – were laid to rest in a public funeral yesterday. The image of four tiny coffins laid out in a row found its way into most Sunday newspapers and may help, more than any other single event, to disperse the continued conviction of many that this simply couldn’t have happened to ‘little old us’. At least twelve bodies meanwhile have been flown back to Bettia and Sorthern Northland for burial.

And still, three weeks on, are the killers unidentified. The extent of the divisions in Candelarias society has been made clear over recent days, with officially prohibited polls indicating that no single ethnic, cultural or ideological group is receiving the blame of the Candelariasian people, though it is worthy of note that the percentage of those who believe that Hispanic Marquezians were responsible is largest among Anglo Marquezians and lowest among their Spanish-speaking neighbours. A little over one percent believe that the deaths of three hundred and thirty-one people were the result of an inside job.

"Hey, Misser! What's that stuff over there?"

Gang looked at the kid, pointing at some bushes.

"Foxglove," Gang replied. He had had those bushes up in his shop since the attacks. No one seemed to bother him about it. His only excuse? It brings good luck.

"Do foxes wear gloves?" the little girl replied.

"No," Gang replied with a smile. "They just call it that. It's a pretty thing."

Pretty dangerous.

"Can I have one?"

Gang shook his head. "I wish I could, but I'm cultivating them for a friend. I've promised him that all of the plants will be here."

"Please?"

"I'm sorry."

"Pretty please?"

"I can't."

"PLEASE???"

Gang couldn't quite handle the temper coming on. He just handed her a little one.

"I want a big one."

"I can't give you a bigger one."

"I WANT A BIG ONE!"

Gang couldn't handle that temper tantrum either, so he relented. What was the loss? Some kid wants a plant; give it to her. If worst came to worst, she'd eat the darn thing and die. Of course, if she were that stupid too...

"Thank you, misser!" The girl left with the pot. He had his hand on the meat that the girl was supposed to pick-up, but apparently a little plant was more important than her daily bread. Gang put away the meat, expecting her mother to return and demand the meat that her daughter was supposed to pick up. In the meantime, he was busily making the most poisonous foxgloves around, in preparation for a great feast - the right parts would make even the most resilient characters dead. And who better to eliminate than the government itself? Serving meat prepared with foxglove extracts would produce the best result; just exactly now... how does he go about feeding his meat to the President?

http://members.optusnet.com.au/a_marrington/ns/pantocratoriamonosmall.jpg
PANTOCRATORIAN IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT

Department of the Imperial Chancellor
Office of the Hon. Dr Thibault Drapeur MP
Imperial Chancellor
To:
Her Excellency the Hon. Mme Robyn Morton, President of the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez

Madame le Président,

I write to you extending the sincere congratulations of His Majesty the Emperor and the Pantocratorian Government on your election victory and upon the appointment of your first cabinet.

I hope that your government sees a new era of peace and prosperity in Candelaria and Marquez. It is my most fervent desire to do all in my power to assist Your Excellency and the government you lead deal with the pressing concerns of international terrorism and piracy.

I hope that your administration brings our nations closer together, and I look forward to discuss issues of security, trade and bilateral relations with Chief Minister, Monsieur Tomer Waterson and yourself.

Yours Sincerely,

Thibault Drapeur
Hon Dr Thibault Drapeur MP
Imperial Chancellor

For the attention of The Honourable Dr Thibault Drapeur, Imperial Chancellor of the Holy and Most August Empire of Pantocratoria


Mr dearest Chancellor Drapeur,

On behalf of my party and government, I must express my deepest thanks for your congratulations and support. While I cannot pretend to have taken the reigns of power in the Republic in the circumstances that I would have hoped, I write today with the sincere belief that the Candelarias can and will emerge from these difficult times as a stronger, more united nation and people; and the support of a genuine world power such as the Empire can only serve to assist that evolution. On a personal level, it is clearly impossible not to appreciate the great strides made in Pantocratoria’s social and democratic institutions since your own election and, while our politics may not always be in line, yours is an example that all nascent leaders would be wise to take heed of.

You will appreciate, I am sure, my need to tread carefully when accepting foreign help on national security issues; given both the Republic’s traditions of neutralism and pacifism, and the ever-present risk of being seen to be snubbing our established regional allies. I and my government would certainly welcome further dialogue on the Empire’s experiences with those threats which cannot be swept away simply by military might. On a more formal level, we would strongly welcome the establishment of mutually recognised diplomatic missions.

In the longer term, I would personally welcome your consideration on the matter of financial investment. While it is my most ardent wish to see the sense of individual initiative and aspiration that characterised our forefathers returned to the Republic, I must remain aware of the damage that the terrorist atrocities on our capital, and the threat of further thereof, has done to our always delicate economy. In particular, my administration must serve to wean this country off its dependency on gambling-based tourism and similar, transient industries. Candelaria And Marquez has great experience in the design and manufacture of electronic goods, machinery and precision equipment, and I would welcome the interest of the Peacock group and similar entities at this difficult juncture. Frankly, we’ll take football shirt sponsorship if it comes to it.

Yours in the greatest of thanks,

Dr Robyn Morton, MP
President of the Republic of Candelaria And Marquez

The Albrecht Herald Online>Global Edition>C&M News
On the road to Webley

By Luca Russo

President Morton will arrive in Webley later today for her first public engagement in the Candelarias since returning from her top-level visit to Bostopia. She will be walking into what is increasingly becoming PoliticianEX 2008, with the leaders and other high officials from even the lowliest of parties keen to show their faces in the northern town ahead of the Nr Webley Regional Constituency vote later this month.

The election for the 2008 House’s two hundred and sixtieth and final seat was held over from May after the death of the sitting Unionist candidate Stefan Breetveld on the ninth and, despite the claims of the government, there remains along Claude Lenglet the suspicion that the Nr Webley vote could be viewed as a referendum on the Morton government’s first month in power.

Since Nr Webley is not officially a by-election, none of the failed candidates from the other fifty-nine regional seats are permitted to enter. A number of relatively high-profile figures will be involved however, with list members elected to the House standing for the Unionists, SD&GP and Conservatives. The Modern Liberal’s candidate, fifty-three year-old former potter Reuben Sangster, had previously failed to gain selection to the party’s list of two-hundred PR candidates, despite being generally seen as an ideological colleague of Morton on the social centre-right of the party.

Sangster has a narrow lead over the new Unionist candidate David Pearson if recent polls are to be believed, but the party leadership have been keen to portray this as being primarily a by-product of Pearson’s lower public profile. The thirty-nine year-old hails from the town itself, rather than the village-dwelling Sangster, which could provide the greatest divide in the region’s demographic – though with the added confusion that the MLP’s greater success in the north came in the more built-up areas while the Unionists retained their 2004 stranglehold on the rural centres. The SD&GP and Tories both polled well here in the proportional representation vote last month, but with the two main parties at seventy-six and seventy-three MPs in the House respectively, their nearest challengers are not expected to put up so much of a fight in the RC. Indeed, Conservative candidate Oscar Bruce is known to have been asked by Tory leader Tate Sayfritz to step down and support Sangster in an effort to uphold the current minority coalition. Bruce declined. There are fifteen registered candidates in total – the largest number of any of the RCs, brought about the greater public interest in this particular contest.

Morton will likely make several trips to Nr Webley’s agricultural heartland in an attempt to stress the MLP’s commitment to supporting traditional methods of farming and livestock rearing in the area, and wrestle votes from her erstwhile Conservative allies. SD&GP leader Ariadne Jefferson clashed with local farmers last week when she failed to backtrack on the party’s manifesto commitments to ending meat-eating, and her candidate Rosie Bevan will likely focus on winning votes from young suburbanites.

Jefferson’s place as SD&GP leader appears increasingly shaky, though polls suggest that her support among the party’s core members has strengthened since the 12/5 attacks. She has been the most openly vocal exponent of the country’s frustration that the perpetrators of the attacks remain unaccounted for, at least in the public domain, whilst strenuously criticising hastily forced-through “anti-Candelariasian” anti-terrorism legislation, but her criticism of the police and security services remains at odds with the general viewpoint across C&M which currently appears comfortable with the new emergency laws.

The Unionists meanwhile remain at a difficult juncture, being unable to criticise the government too vociferously while it remains they who receive the bulk of the blame for failing to stop the attacks and deaths of over three-hundred individuals from occurring. Their own acting leader, Eric White, is expected to make way for a newcomer over the next couple of months, and the decision of the parliamentary and national party on the matter could have major ramifications for the 2008 House. While the Unionists and SD&GP remain formally unaligned; suspicions will continue to rage that an alliance of one sort or another is in the offing, not least if Jefferson also loses her position. An S&GP led by a Cathy Jones or Luciano Mello would not, on the face of it, differ hugely from an Andersonite Unionist leadership, aside from inevitable disagreements over state interference in citizen’s private lives, C&M’s primary foreign relations agenda, the laws regarding intoxicating substances, the promotion of the traditional family unit, and attitudes towards multiculturalism, multicommunitism and the promotion of traditional Anglo and Hispanic culture in the islands.

The SD&GP could yet go slightly left-field, with Natalie van Dijk appearing to line herself up for a title at the leadership. Though an ally of Jefferson in the past, who supported the current leader on her law & order agenda in particular, van Dijk’s socialism is of a far more revolutionary bent. She spoke out against the MLP’s programme for revitalising Candelariasian business through the two parties’ alliance in opposition; while she is a major rebel on immigration issues, having called in the past for a dramatic reduction in non-Christian migration to the Candelarias. An agnostic herself, va Dijk has stood by comments in which she stated her fears that C&M ‘risks becoming an Islamic caliphate by 2050’. She has also described the Jewish and homosexual lobbies in the country as ‘unduly powerful… to the detriment of both those they claim to represent, and normal Candelariasians’.

Many on the hard-left and -right alike have been disappointed that the new points-system for immigrants, set to be put formally in place next year, makes little reference to newcomers’ cultural or religious background. Morton’s foreign policy has already come under fire as well, with the SD&GP in particular – as well as fringe MLP MPs – criticising Bostopia, a right-way one-party state, as a choice of ally, despite Morton’s insistence that talks involved only Bostopia’s previous experience with terrorism and limited trade agreements.

Bostopia themselves, alongside their close allies Casari, suffered at the hands of ethnic Han extremists, who have also been linked to recent attacks in West Starblaydia and Cafundéu, as well as the Albrecht blasts. Robinson House has been quick to dampen media claims that such individuals were involved in the 12/5 attacks, but it remains unarguably that attitudes towards C&M’s significant oriental population has hardened over recent days, to the point that notable public figures including former national football team captain Benji Fu, have been drawn to appeal for calm and tolerance on state television.

Morton’s tenure has thus far focussed predominately on economic affairs, though the government have been forced to admit that their spate of red-tape slashings amounts to little in tangible terms, with the coalition unwilling to push their luck with an unpredictable Unionist opposition. Foreign affairs may take centre seat again however, if the situation in Lower Timonium deteriorates further. The Foreign Office has already arranged the removal of several hundred Candelariasian expats, in a move timed to show the government’s close support for overseas nationals. This is a particular key issue at the current time, with the SD&GP said to be considering a legal challenge on behalf of their candidate for the COC, vanessaelliot, after the C&M embassy in Solenial admitted that the ballot papers of Candelariasians in the Pacific Islands monarchy had been accidentally left on a train and had not been counted towards the final tally.

To ‘lose’ two seats to their opposition, if vannessaelliot was to be returned at Michael Anderson’s expense and the MLP or Tories not to take the Nr Webley seat, would surely all but end the government’s democratic reform agenda. Concerns remain high in the Conservative’s camp that the proposed changes to the House – which would see fully half the seats allotted to first-past-the-post constituencies and the others divvied out on a regionally-based PR top-up system – could all but wipe them out; while an alliance between the Unionists and SD&GP, coupled with an end to the current FPTP Presidential system, would have seen James Anderson returned to power in May. Certainly, the rhetoric coming from the MLP has changed dramatically in recent weeks: whereas Morton had previously stated her desire to become C&M ‘last President’, a government spokesman dismissed the matter last week, claiming that the title was a ‘matter of semantics… a hang-over from the influence of Isabella II on the country’s political origins’. While it is true that pre-Civil War Prime Ministers were frequented referred to also as ‘President’, in the Spanish manner, it is surely slightly disingenuous to argue for democratic reform while not accepting that the most basic of changes to the way the country’s executive head of state is appointed would, on a current statistical basis, not see Morton returned to power.


Complete list of Candidates for the Nr Webley Regional Constituency, 2008

Bevan, Rosie (Social Democratic & Green Party)
Bower, Ian (Workers Party)
Bruce, Oscar (Conservative Party)
Christian, Adam (Freedom Party/ANP)
East, Benjamin (Justice & Democracy)
Escobar, Nerea (Independent)
Hadhari, Amy (Christian Peoples Party)
Kalic, Francis (Drinkers, Drivers and Hunters)
Leadbetter, Zoe (Independent Candidate Protecting Our Nation)
MacAdam, Patrick (Twenty-First Century Fish)
Mey, Guy (Western Nation Party)
Nash, Indya (Green Progress)
Pearson, David (Unionist Party)
Sangster, Reuben (Modern Liberal Party)
Zimmerman, Gabriela (Allied Libertarian Party)

Weeks had passed, and the foxglove plants were all ready. He had been stealing cats from the local streets, testing the potency of his flowers on the unlucky pets. The unfortunate circumstances to wild rumors that Gang was stealing cats to "cut up for meat" - but the rumors were only mild, and every one close to him knew he only chose prime meat from livestock. In fact, the local news of the disappearing cats caught the attention of some local anti-carnivore protesters, who have since then posted up signs showing dead cattle and chickens in grotesque forms. Gang has likewise neglected to remove them, to the detriment of his customers.

"If they can't handle the truth about the food they eat, then perhaps they shouldn't eat it?" he thought. "After all, if they value the sentiments of an animal, which has nothing tangible to what humans feel, then what then do they feel about the plants they eat? Should they eat anything at all?"

It was this sort of thought that spiraled into justifications for continuing with his plot to poison the Candelarias - they were weak-minded and lily-livered folk who couldn't bear to handle the truth. Humans are carnal creatures, and to belong at the top of the food chain, they would resort to dire measures to ensure their survival. Such it was with the Mujeongbu, on the last limbs of its power; it would do what it needed to do to ensure its survival. Now it was to the C&M people to decide whether they would reply in kind to the ferocious attacks before the Mujeongbu decided to continue it. At the moment, the best that they could do was label Gang's butcher shop as a "cat-eating messhole"; clearly not the best attempt.

He began to prepare his "herb" marinade with the extracts, careful to avoid getting too much on his skin. By the time he was done fixing it all, he had about 15 jars of marinade - enough for several unsuspecting folk to carelessly add into their meats (or anything at this point) and die from the swift action of the toxins. Cardiac arrest was the typical symptom, especially those with weak hearts. But having made this extract, the hard part was getting it to his intended victims. Perhaps, there would be an opportunity opening in the coming days?

“…ster has hit out at the decision by the Home Office to permit a UPC rally to pass through the streets of Albrecht on the two-month anniversary of the twelve/five attacks. Sangster, the two-hundredth and sixtieth member of the new House of Representatives following his comfortable victory in the Nr Webley vote late last month, has previously expressed his support for a continued military presence on the capital’s streets and has been a vocal proponent for the Protection of the People Act narrowly passed last week.

“However this lunchtime Sangster described as ‘extremely questionable’ the decision by National Security Secretary Terence Irons to allow the United Peoples of the Candelarias group to parade through the city on a day when ‘the capital and the nation should be occupied in a twenty-four hour period of quiet reflection’. The UPC has portrayed itself since its official formation last month as an apolitical entity designed to support social solidarity in the Candelarias, but its critics have dismissed it as little more than a new set of clothes for the Freedom Party and other far-right organisations. A Home Office spokesman told R1 that Sangster was entitled to his views, but that the new government was not in the business of silencing lawful protests, and that the UPC had gained full permission for their march from Albrecht’s city council a week ago.

“The coalition government will press ahead with plans to steadily dismantle the International Space Programme this year, despite pleas from C&M’s scientific community. Speaking at a press conference in El din this morning, Sinclair Smailes MP that ‘vital, long-term projects’ would continue unaffected, but that plans for the Space Station and a range of environmental satellites had been shelved indefinitely, in order to reduce the tax burden on the Candelariasian people. Smailes denied that his government’s relationship with the Descartian Transitionary Authority had broken down entirely, but confirmed that C&M was looking elsewhere to help further the MLP’s commitment to the country’s orbital defence requirements.

“The move has been tentatively welcomed by the Agujero Residents’ Association, who have claimed that their quality of life has been aversely affected by ISP test launches over the last year, but former Space Programme Minister Fallon Said has insisted that a failure to follow through with the organisation’s commitments would represent a far greater waste of taxpayer’s money in the long-term.

“Well, staying with politics and President Morton will attempt to divert attention from her struggles at home with a week-long tour of Rushmori nations next month. This move in itself has already come under criticism, not only from opposition parties, but MLP supporters; who have argued that, by leaving the country, the President will struggle to make further capital from the current infighting within the ranks of both the Unionists and SD&GP. But Mrs Morton has insisted that the fight against the terrorist threat can only be won with the closest of inter-Rushmori co-operation.

“To that end, Albrecht will host talks next week between Morton’s government and that of Ransome-Bkyki Island. The relationship between Robinson House and the Harold o’Gerald administration under Morton’s leadership is expected to be warmer than during James Anderson’s presidency, with Morton long insisting that RBI ‘should always be our closest foreign friend’. The talks – which will also involve o’Gerald’s likely successor, his more progressive Cautious Party colleague and Finance Minister Shawn t’son o’Augustine – will likely focus on issues of security, trade and investment, with the new C&M government apparently keen to open up trade links withdrawn over recent years owing to what has been perceived in Albrecht as the poor record of human rights from RBI’s largest manufacturing firms.

“Sources at Robinson House have confirmed that the lavish luncheons to be provided during the talks will involve only produce from RBI or that produced within the six boroughs of Albrecht, in order to both help promote the island’s agricultural base to Candelariasian firms and buyers, and show that the C&M capital is still functioning despite the horrors experienced eight weeks previously.

“Moving on to sport now, and the Candelarias Olympic Committee has confirmed that C&M will send a sizable team to the Columbia games next month despite fears that a lack of funds wo…”