Gruenberg
23-02-2006, 00:05
Gruenberg State Department - Press Release
This morning, His High Holy Goat-Enabled Sultan, Gardab Woltzten IX, dissolved the Federal Assembly, after agreeing with the Leader of the Opposition, Popo Poppypants, to call for a general election. This brief report is intended to give the international community a flavour of Gruenberg's electoral system, and the probable effects on policy election results are likely to bring. An opinion poll is attached, to which you are invited to register your preference (although obviously, under The Enfranchisement Act of The 717th Year, none of you are nearly goatly enough to be allowed to actually vote). Parties were assessed for their views on ten key issues.
The Electoral System
Gruenberg is a constitutional monarchy, with a bicameral parliament. However, the Sultan is also head of the (majority) Monarchist Party, and as such is both Head of State and Head of Government. He is also the Head of the Supreme Court. The concept of 'separation of powers' is thought by most Gruenbergers to refer to using the right sort of battery in their torch.
There will actually be five elections on Decision Day, given Gruenberg's high level of devolution: town (or local area) councils, administrative district councils, regional councils, regional representatives and the General Congress election. All candidates must be affiliated to a registered political party, but local candidates effectively run as independents, and often completely depart from the standard platforms.
The franchise is extended to all ethnic Naffarronese - Gelziens are not entitled to vote, despite comprising almost one sixth of the population of Gruenberg - with Gruenberger nationality, who are over the age of 18. Sex is not discriminated, and women tend to vote in statistically higher numbers than men. Also disallowed from voting are criminals, those certified mentally unfit to vote, and a list of undesirables, including the entire membership of the Gruenberger Socialist Party. Further, in the past week, a full 18,000 Gruenbergers have been detained. This will render them ineligible, or at least unable, to vote. The action was condemned by members of RightsAlert, a civil rights advocacy group based in Flurthwel, who said the detentions were largely politically motivated. RightsAlert members were promptly rounded up too, and shot. Other civil rights groups have since come out in favour of the Sultan, saying he was "swell", "neat", and "just super".
The past term has not been an easy one for the Monarchists, and their vote share is expected to be slashed. It is unlikely they will retain a majority, and will probably look to form a coalition. Their partners will determine the political spectrum of Gruenberg's politics for the next term, depending on whether they turn left, to the ever-popular National Liberals, or right, to the rapidly rising Wenaist Right party, an ultraconservative, some have suggested neo-fascist, collaboration of military officers and the hard-line remnants of the former Gruenberger National Front.
The Parties
Monarchist - Current government party
Current seats in National Congress: 306/500
Current seats in Regional Congress: 112/200
Leader - His High Holy Papa's Got A Brand New Baaaaaaaag Sultan Gardab Woltzten IV
Policies:
1. Crime - combination of increased police spending, and targetted education
2. Government - maintain
3. Welfare - possible privatisation linked to public system
4. The Gelzien Nub - move towards integrating into political system
5. Military - reduce in size, maintain funding levels, develop air force
6. Legal System - retain, campaign for abolition of international juries
7. Religion - expand Wenaist missionary network
8. Gay marriage - retain
9. Foreign policy - more international free trade/diplomatic links, retain UN and NSO membership
10. Goats - to be venerated above all else
Strengths - ruling party; significant power and funding; strong economic record
Weaknesses - poor recent performance in social affairs; seen as inconsistent in foreign affairs
National Liberals - Current opposition party
NC: 104/500
RC: 38/200
Leader: Popo Poppypants
Policies:
1. Crime - concentrate on education and welfare
2. Electoral System - retain monarch; increased power for National Congress
3. Welfare - gradual privatisation
4. The Gelzien Nub - retain, introduce democratic assembly
5. Military - expand, increase spending, concentrate on navy
6. Legal System - separation of judiciary, abolition of death penalty
7. Religion - retain state religion, but permit more religious debate
8. Gay marriage - retain and promote greater LGBT rights
9. Foreign policy - support greater internationalism
10. Goats - generally supportive; would permit culls of diseased stock
Strengths - middle class support; popular foreign policies
Weaknesses - little peasant support; leader has fucking stupid name
Capital Conservative Party
NC: 32/500
RC: 22/200
Leader: Billuj Tzem
Policies:
1. Crime - support a balance of punishment and rehabilitation
2. Government - retain monarch; separation of church and state
3. Welfare - reduce
4. The Gelzien Nub - grant autonomy
5. Military - increase funding, but geared towards professional training
6. Legal System - promote jury system, retain judiciary
7. Religion - separation of church and state, tax religions as charities
8. Gay marriage - reduce to 'civil union' status, abolish state marriages
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, cautious isolationism, free trade agreements
10. Goats - support, but would not enfranchise
Strengths - seen as good 'compromise' party; very popular amongst non-Wenaists
Weaknesses - suffering from religious backlash; seen as dull
Wenaist Right Party
NC: 29/500
RC: 17/200
Leader: Sirl Fizzi
Policies:
1. Crime - tougher sentences, shoot-on-sight permits for police
2. Government - abolish Congress; absolute powers for head of government; retain monarch in ceremonial role
3. Welfare - abolish
4. The Gelzien Nub - ethnically cleanse Gelzien 'filth', retain martial law
5. Military - instate draft, develop nuclear weaponry, expand
6. Legal System - tougher sentencing, abolition of jury system
7. Religion - expel all other religions, execute heretics
8. Gay marriage - criminalise homosexuality to capital offence
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, begin military conquest of heathens
10. Goats - would make goat-hunting and goat meat trading capital offences
Strengths - strong support among the old; seen as tough on crime
Weaknesses - despised by moderates and the young; concerns about repressive policies
Democratic Party
NC: 16/500
RC: 7/200
Leader: Urgi Urgi Oo
Policies:
1. Crime - significant police power checks, massive increases in welfare spending
2. Government - abolish monarchy, elected independent head of state
3. Welfare - significantly increase
4. The Gelzien Nub - grant autonomy
5. Military - reduce in size, concentrate on developing small, highly trained corps
6. Legal System - retain jury system, more power to local magistrates
7. Religion - separation of church and state, retain favoured status for Wenaism
8. Gay marriage - retain, strongly support gay rights
9. Foreign policy - much greater involvement internationally
10. Goats - believe moon rams should lose protected status
Strengths - natural party of choice for republicans; only female leader (although she's hardly a looker)
Weaknesses - seen as unpatriotic; no significant seat gains in 30 years of existence
Greens
NC: 13/500
RC: 3/200
Leader: Pallo Ezzefiah
Policies:
1. Crime - ban on armed police, greater efforts at education and rehabilitation
2. Government - retain monarch in ceremonial role, elected party head of state
3. Welfare - increase, but limit for those who refuse to work
4. The Gelzien Nub - introduce democracy, with a view to granting autonomy
5. Military - spending cuts, emphasis on peace-keeping role
6. Legal System - abolition of death penalty, emphasis on rehabilitative sentencing
7. Religion - separation of church and state, promote Wenaist missions
8. Gay marriage - retain, affirmative action for homosexual students
9. Foreign policy - expand environmental commitments
10. Goats - would protect, but would do likewise for all Wena's animals
Strengths - soak up much of the 'left-wing' vote; popular among students
Weaknesses - largely sidelined since the National Liberals adopted a pro-environmental stance
Communist Party
NC: 0/500
RC: 1/200
Leader: TBA
Policies:
1. Crime - strong emphasis on rehabilitative justice
2. Government - devolve national government to regional commune council rule
3. Welfare - massively increase
4. The Gelzien Nub - retain, but grant full citizenship to Gelziens
5. Military - massive spending cuts
6. Legal System - separation of judiciary, abolition of death penalty
7. Religion - abolish state religion, tax religions as businesses
8. Gay marriage - retain
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, isolationism
10. Goats - constantly attacked for their moderately anti-goat politics
Strengths - almost none
Weaknesses - entire leadership council executed in run-up to election; campaigning subject to violent police actions; dissemination of manifesto illegal
Another four parties are expected to field candidates, but are unlikely to win seats.
OOC: Any questions, feel free to ask.
Wenaism is Gruenberg's religion.
The Gelzien Nub is a small region, annexed 100 years ago.
Excuse the public poll: don't expect it'll matter, but puppetwank is undesirable.
Any RPed comments are welcome.
This morning, His High Holy Goat-Enabled Sultan, Gardab Woltzten IX, dissolved the Federal Assembly, after agreeing with the Leader of the Opposition, Popo Poppypants, to call for a general election. This brief report is intended to give the international community a flavour of Gruenberg's electoral system, and the probable effects on policy election results are likely to bring. An opinion poll is attached, to which you are invited to register your preference (although obviously, under The Enfranchisement Act of The 717th Year, none of you are nearly goatly enough to be allowed to actually vote). Parties were assessed for their views on ten key issues.
The Electoral System
Gruenberg is a constitutional monarchy, with a bicameral parliament. However, the Sultan is also head of the (majority) Monarchist Party, and as such is both Head of State and Head of Government. He is also the Head of the Supreme Court. The concept of 'separation of powers' is thought by most Gruenbergers to refer to using the right sort of battery in their torch.
There will actually be five elections on Decision Day, given Gruenberg's high level of devolution: town (or local area) councils, administrative district councils, regional councils, regional representatives and the General Congress election. All candidates must be affiliated to a registered political party, but local candidates effectively run as independents, and often completely depart from the standard platforms.
The franchise is extended to all ethnic Naffarronese - Gelziens are not entitled to vote, despite comprising almost one sixth of the population of Gruenberg - with Gruenberger nationality, who are over the age of 18. Sex is not discriminated, and women tend to vote in statistically higher numbers than men. Also disallowed from voting are criminals, those certified mentally unfit to vote, and a list of undesirables, including the entire membership of the Gruenberger Socialist Party. Further, in the past week, a full 18,000 Gruenbergers have been detained. This will render them ineligible, or at least unable, to vote. The action was condemned by members of RightsAlert, a civil rights advocacy group based in Flurthwel, who said the detentions were largely politically motivated. RightsAlert members were promptly rounded up too, and shot. Other civil rights groups have since come out in favour of the Sultan, saying he was "swell", "neat", and "just super".
The past term has not been an easy one for the Monarchists, and their vote share is expected to be slashed. It is unlikely they will retain a majority, and will probably look to form a coalition. Their partners will determine the political spectrum of Gruenberg's politics for the next term, depending on whether they turn left, to the ever-popular National Liberals, or right, to the rapidly rising Wenaist Right party, an ultraconservative, some have suggested neo-fascist, collaboration of military officers and the hard-line remnants of the former Gruenberger National Front.
The Parties
Monarchist - Current government party
Current seats in National Congress: 306/500
Current seats in Regional Congress: 112/200
Leader - His High Holy Papa's Got A Brand New Baaaaaaaag Sultan Gardab Woltzten IV
Policies:
1. Crime - combination of increased police spending, and targetted education
2. Government - maintain
3. Welfare - possible privatisation linked to public system
4. The Gelzien Nub - move towards integrating into political system
5. Military - reduce in size, maintain funding levels, develop air force
6. Legal System - retain, campaign for abolition of international juries
7. Religion - expand Wenaist missionary network
8. Gay marriage - retain
9. Foreign policy - more international free trade/diplomatic links, retain UN and NSO membership
10. Goats - to be venerated above all else
Strengths - ruling party; significant power and funding; strong economic record
Weaknesses - poor recent performance in social affairs; seen as inconsistent in foreign affairs
National Liberals - Current opposition party
NC: 104/500
RC: 38/200
Leader: Popo Poppypants
Policies:
1. Crime - concentrate on education and welfare
2. Electoral System - retain monarch; increased power for National Congress
3. Welfare - gradual privatisation
4. The Gelzien Nub - retain, introduce democratic assembly
5. Military - expand, increase spending, concentrate on navy
6. Legal System - separation of judiciary, abolition of death penalty
7. Religion - retain state religion, but permit more religious debate
8. Gay marriage - retain and promote greater LGBT rights
9. Foreign policy - support greater internationalism
10. Goats - generally supportive; would permit culls of diseased stock
Strengths - middle class support; popular foreign policies
Weaknesses - little peasant support; leader has fucking stupid name
Capital Conservative Party
NC: 32/500
RC: 22/200
Leader: Billuj Tzem
Policies:
1. Crime - support a balance of punishment and rehabilitation
2. Government - retain monarch; separation of church and state
3. Welfare - reduce
4. The Gelzien Nub - grant autonomy
5. Military - increase funding, but geared towards professional training
6. Legal System - promote jury system, retain judiciary
7. Religion - separation of church and state, tax religions as charities
8. Gay marriage - reduce to 'civil union' status, abolish state marriages
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, cautious isolationism, free trade agreements
10. Goats - support, but would not enfranchise
Strengths - seen as good 'compromise' party; very popular amongst non-Wenaists
Weaknesses - suffering from religious backlash; seen as dull
Wenaist Right Party
NC: 29/500
RC: 17/200
Leader: Sirl Fizzi
Policies:
1. Crime - tougher sentences, shoot-on-sight permits for police
2. Government - abolish Congress; absolute powers for head of government; retain monarch in ceremonial role
3. Welfare - abolish
4. The Gelzien Nub - ethnically cleanse Gelzien 'filth', retain martial law
5. Military - instate draft, develop nuclear weaponry, expand
6. Legal System - tougher sentencing, abolition of jury system
7. Religion - expel all other religions, execute heretics
8. Gay marriage - criminalise homosexuality to capital offence
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, begin military conquest of heathens
10. Goats - would make goat-hunting and goat meat trading capital offences
Strengths - strong support among the old; seen as tough on crime
Weaknesses - despised by moderates and the young; concerns about repressive policies
Democratic Party
NC: 16/500
RC: 7/200
Leader: Urgi Urgi Oo
Policies:
1. Crime - significant police power checks, massive increases in welfare spending
2. Government - abolish monarchy, elected independent head of state
3. Welfare - significantly increase
4. The Gelzien Nub - grant autonomy
5. Military - reduce in size, concentrate on developing small, highly trained corps
6. Legal System - retain jury system, more power to local magistrates
7. Religion - separation of church and state, retain favoured status for Wenaism
8. Gay marriage - retain, strongly support gay rights
9. Foreign policy - much greater involvement internationally
10. Goats - believe moon rams should lose protected status
Strengths - natural party of choice for republicans; only female leader (although she's hardly a looker)
Weaknesses - seen as unpatriotic; no significant seat gains in 30 years of existence
Greens
NC: 13/500
RC: 3/200
Leader: Pallo Ezzefiah
Policies:
1. Crime - ban on armed police, greater efforts at education and rehabilitation
2. Government - retain monarch in ceremonial role, elected party head of state
3. Welfare - increase, but limit for those who refuse to work
4. The Gelzien Nub - introduce democracy, with a view to granting autonomy
5. Military - spending cuts, emphasis on peace-keeping role
6. Legal System - abolition of death penalty, emphasis on rehabilitative sentencing
7. Religion - separation of church and state, promote Wenaist missions
8. Gay marriage - retain, affirmative action for homosexual students
9. Foreign policy - expand environmental commitments
10. Goats - would protect, but would do likewise for all Wena's animals
Strengths - soak up much of the 'left-wing' vote; popular among students
Weaknesses - largely sidelined since the National Liberals adopted a pro-environmental stance
Communist Party
NC: 0/500
RC: 1/200
Leader: TBA
Policies:
1. Crime - strong emphasis on rehabilitative justice
2. Government - devolve national government to regional commune council rule
3. Welfare - massively increase
4. The Gelzien Nub - retain, but grant full citizenship to Gelziens
5. Military - massive spending cuts
6. Legal System - separation of judiciary, abolition of death penalty
7. Religion - abolish state religion, tax religions as businesses
8. Gay marriage - retain
9. Foreign policy - withdraw from UN, isolationism
10. Goats - constantly attacked for their moderately anti-goat politics
Strengths - almost none
Weaknesses - entire leadership council executed in run-up to election; campaigning subject to violent police actions; dissemination of manifesto illegal
Another four parties are expected to field candidates, but are unlikely to win seats.
OOC: Any questions, feel free to ask.
Wenaism is Gruenberg's religion.
The Gelzien Nub is a small region, annexed 100 years ago.
Excuse the public poll: don't expect it'll matter, but puppetwank is undesirable.
Any RPed comments are welcome.