Pacitalia
08-02-2006, 06:39
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Profile: Kasumi Liscel
Centralist Party candidate in the upcoming Amestrian election
From The Economist print edition, week of 11th February
TIMIOCATO
Simply put, Amestria is quite possibly one of the most random nations this newsmagazine has ever had the privilege of covering. Amestria's diplomatic and democratic ideals are all at once, controversial, repudiative, and original, but also stunning. The self-proclaimed "State" is by no means a world power but it is quickly gaining attention and influence for its take-no-prisoners style of military intervention. The country is beginning to make a name for itself over the Torontian mess. And social and economic freedoms are at a respectable level, for the most part (at least, as much as can be permitted in a country that is in a constant state of tension with Kahanistan).
Kahanistan. It is a word that brings up its own share of hard feelings in Amestria, a nation of just under two billion people in a region of the same name. Amestria's isolation has allowed it to prosper relatively well, but the constant meddling of Kahanistan in its affairs has proven to hold back Amestrian potential to the point where its GDP per capita is still under $25,000 and its government has had to become overextensive in order to control the negative influence Kahanistan has unintentionally attempted to impose.
There is no doubt that Kahanistan is a trouble spot in the minds of Amestrians, but it is important to note that despite the picture painted here, Kahanistan and Amestria are not enemies. Certainly, they are not friends; nonetheless, there is still noted enmity between the two states after the Torontian conflict. However, for the time being, Amestrians are focusing on democratic means of standing up to their greatest opponent, and before eligible voters go to the polls, they will be diligently reading news and watching TV to figure out who most deserves their vote.
Kasumi Liscel, the Centralist Party candidate, is a short, dimuinitive woman, but her looks and intellect sharply counterbalance the assumption of weakness. Ms Liscel certainly can breathe fire when she wants to, though for the most part she is a compatriotic and cooperative political figure who carries a lot of admiration, respect and expectation on her shoulders. Voters will expect their new president to balance the books, improve social conditions and deal with the issues with Kahanistan once and for all, but preferably with kinder words than forceful action or sabre-rattling. Amestria would rather be friends with Kahanistan than enemies, but it is certainly obvious the latter state is not making it easy (as any politically savvy man or woman will know, Kahanistan has a habit of complicating simple matters).
Amestrian Public Broadcasting (APB) is already casting Ms Liscel in a favourable light, well deserved in the opinion of this publication. The Economist was impressed with Ms Liscel's dogged determination to improve Amestrian standing in the world and the quality of life of her people. Her Centralist Party may be fundamentally social-democratic but it is beginning to embrace neoliberal economic policies that it feels are the only solution to Amestria's currently underproductive national economy. Perhaps it is this non-partisan acceptance of the need for progress that makes Ms Liscel the best candidate for president. She will not bend over to just anyone but she will make sure everyone has a voice. And that, at least for the time being, is what is important in Amestria.
Ms Liscel's sexual relations are certainly questionable - she has been accused of having an incestuous relationship with her sister, who is almost two decades her junior, by none other than a Kahanistani candidate for president in that country. The candidate, General al-Ghazi, called Amestria's criticism of his candidacy "illegitimate" and "hypocritical", adding "I personally find their opposition to my candidacy for President quite amusing, given that they themselves are about to elect a known pervert and sociopathic child-rapist to their own highest office". Mr al-Ghazi vehemently claimed his accusations were truthful.
Ms Liscel, an inheritantly wealthy 45-year-old orator with an oblique tooth that makes her look almost predatory or catty, proved her diplomatic skill soon after, downplaying the rumour and sending back shots of her own. In her interview with The Economist, Ms Liscel said "personal relations should not dictate how the office of president is run, or who is qualified to occupy it".
"I find tasks are completed much more effectively and quickly when we focus on the task itself," she added. "If a person is capable of running things, why should we discriminate against them because of their lifestyle choices?"
It is a statement that resonates well with many Amestrians, who, in pre-election polls, seem to, albeit in a minorital plurality, agree Liscel, a PhD holding graduate of Amestria City University, is the best presidential candidate. Her Centralist Party maintains a slight lead in the polls but they will need to work hard in order to end twenty years of time spent outside the position of governing party. And although the former version of this party was operating a singular-party state, the new form of the Centralist Party is much less authoritarian.
In addition to the new liberalist version of the party, Ms Liscel's feudal and noble ties are hot topics of discussion in Amestrian political circles. However, those ties are certainly not stopping her from championing democracy - she officially holds the title "Duchess of the Manor" but openly chooses not to use it. In addition, her immaculate wealth has never given her a sense of superiority over other Amestrians, something that has aided her in forming solid left-leaning but compatriotive political beliefs.
Ms Liscel insists her father, the former leader of the Centralist Party was betrayed when he was forced out of office twenty years ago, and told The Economist "betrayal is the very last thing Amestria needs. We must work together, we must be a nation that supports and respects each other, that works hard, pays its taxes and plays by the rules." Her frequent battles with the Socialist Party have left some questioning whether her claims of nonpartisanship are genuine, but she waves that off, saying "it's just politics. It's my job to defend the positions of the Centralist Party."
As the interview wrapped up, Ms Liscel was not overly defensive about her ideals, but merely patriotic, with a classic hint of good nature and charisma. She adds, in what seems to be a cheeky but well-guided attempt to solidify her nonpartisan views: "I am a soldier, and that means that I am both defendant and judge. I stand on both ends of the fire, overtaking life and death." The comment, ambiguous in itself, is a seemingly apt symbolism of the whole Amestrian nation during its struggle with its opponents and its politics. Only time will tell whether or not a Liscel-led Centralist Party gains power and sets to work doing what it promised.
Profile: Kasumi Liscel
Centralist Party candidate in the upcoming Amestrian election
From The Economist print edition, week of 11th February
TIMIOCATO
Simply put, Amestria is quite possibly one of the most random nations this newsmagazine has ever had the privilege of covering. Amestria's diplomatic and democratic ideals are all at once, controversial, repudiative, and original, but also stunning. The self-proclaimed "State" is by no means a world power but it is quickly gaining attention and influence for its take-no-prisoners style of military intervention. The country is beginning to make a name for itself over the Torontian mess. And social and economic freedoms are at a respectable level, for the most part (at least, as much as can be permitted in a country that is in a constant state of tension with Kahanistan).
Kahanistan. It is a word that brings up its own share of hard feelings in Amestria, a nation of just under two billion people in a region of the same name. Amestria's isolation has allowed it to prosper relatively well, but the constant meddling of Kahanistan in its affairs has proven to hold back Amestrian potential to the point where its GDP per capita is still under $25,000 and its government has had to become overextensive in order to control the negative influence Kahanistan has unintentionally attempted to impose.
There is no doubt that Kahanistan is a trouble spot in the minds of Amestrians, but it is important to note that despite the picture painted here, Kahanistan and Amestria are not enemies. Certainly, they are not friends; nonetheless, there is still noted enmity between the two states after the Torontian conflict. However, for the time being, Amestrians are focusing on democratic means of standing up to their greatest opponent, and before eligible voters go to the polls, they will be diligently reading news and watching TV to figure out who most deserves their vote.
Kasumi Liscel, the Centralist Party candidate, is a short, dimuinitive woman, but her looks and intellect sharply counterbalance the assumption of weakness. Ms Liscel certainly can breathe fire when she wants to, though for the most part she is a compatriotic and cooperative political figure who carries a lot of admiration, respect and expectation on her shoulders. Voters will expect their new president to balance the books, improve social conditions and deal with the issues with Kahanistan once and for all, but preferably with kinder words than forceful action or sabre-rattling. Amestria would rather be friends with Kahanistan than enemies, but it is certainly obvious the latter state is not making it easy (as any politically savvy man or woman will know, Kahanistan has a habit of complicating simple matters).
Amestrian Public Broadcasting (APB) is already casting Ms Liscel in a favourable light, well deserved in the opinion of this publication. The Economist was impressed with Ms Liscel's dogged determination to improve Amestrian standing in the world and the quality of life of her people. Her Centralist Party may be fundamentally social-democratic but it is beginning to embrace neoliberal economic policies that it feels are the only solution to Amestria's currently underproductive national economy. Perhaps it is this non-partisan acceptance of the need for progress that makes Ms Liscel the best candidate for president. She will not bend over to just anyone but she will make sure everyone has a voice. And that, at least for the time being, is what is important in Amestria.
Ms Liscel's sexual relations are certainly questionable - she has been accused of having an incestuous relationship with her sister, who is almost two decades her junior, by none other than a Kahanistani candidate for president in that country. The candidate, General al-Ghazi, called Amestria's criticism of his candidacy "illegitimate" and "hypocritical", adding "I personally find their opposition to my candidacy for President quite amusing, given that they themselves are about to elect a known pervert and sociopathic child-rapist to their own highest office". Mr al-Ghazi vehemently claimed his accusations were truthful.
Ms Liscel, an inheritantly wealthy 45-year-old orator with an oblique tooth that makes her look almost predatory or catty, proved her diplomatic skill soon after, downplaying the rumour and sending back shots of her own. In her interview with The Economist, Ms Liscel said "personal relations should not dictate how the office of president is run, or who is qualified to occupy it".
"I find tasks are completed much more effectively and quickly when we focus on the task itself," she added. "If a person is capable of running things, why should we discriminate against them because of their lifestyle choices?"
It is a statement that resonates well with many Amestrians, who, in pre-election polls, seem to, albeit in a minorital plurality, agree Liscel, a PhD holding graduate of Amestria City University, is the best presidential candidate. Her Centralist Party maintains a slight lead in the polls but they will need to work hard in order to end twenty years of time spent outside the position of governing party. And although the former version of this party was operating a singular-party state, the new form of the Centralist Party is much less authoritarian.
In addition to the new liberalist version of the party, Ms Liscel's feudal and noble ties are hot topics of discussion in Amestrian political circles. However, those ties are certainly not stopping her from championing democracy - she officially holds the title "Duchess of the Manor" but openly chooses not to use it. In addition, her immaculate wealth has never given her a sense of superiority over other Amestrians, something that has aided her in forming solid left-leaning but compatriotive political beliefs.
Ms Liscel insists her father, the former leader of the Centralist Party was betrayed when he was forced out of office twenty years ago, and told The Economist "betrayal is the very last thing Amestria needs. We must work together, we must be a nation that supports and respects each other, that works hard, pays its taxes and plays by the rules." Her frequent battles with the Socialist Party have left some questioning whether her claims of nonpartisanship are genuine, but she waves that off, saying "it's just politics. It's my job to defend the positions of the Centralist Party."
As the interview wrapped up, Ms Liscel was not overly defensive about her ideals, but merely patriotic, with a classic hint of good nature and charisma. She adds, in what seems to be a cheeky but well-guided attempt to solidify her nonpartisan views: "I am a soldier, and that means that I am both defendant and judge. I stand on both ends of the fire, overtaking life and death." The comment, ambiguous in itself, is a seemingly apt symbolism of the whole Amestrian nation during its struggle with its opponents and its politics. Only time will tell whether or not a Liscel-led Centralist Party gains power and sets to work doing what it promised.