Aldegar

[Reddy]

Deadly Clash in Somasi
October 2, 4072


Apostolic protesters in western Somasi

A clash between pro-government supporters and anti-government protesters at an election rally in Darvan, Somasi has left two dead and dozen injured. The protesters were largely Apostolic Hosians who were protesting about the Daftari government's Loyalty Checkers, who they view as intrusive and violating religious liberty. The incident is the climax of religious tensions which have ripped the Aldegarian island of Somasi since Court Minister Peroz Daftari began his anti-clerical moves four years ago. Daftari condemned the clash as "stringed together by Loony Miki the Cildanian dog." Unconfirmed reports state that Daftari threatened to "nuke Cildania back to the age of the dinosaurs" in retaliation for the Somasi clash, an unlikely comment since the country is not a declared nuclear power...nor does it declares non proliferation. Many in the country are seriously worried about the divisive nature of the Government's ruling and of course, the ongoing economic crisis which has entered its third year.

[Reddy]

Daftari: 'Coup' Prevented
January 12, 4074

Aldegarian Court Minister Peroz Daftari has announced in an address to the nation that his government has managed to prevent a military coup last night. Daftari said that the Spahbod (Commander of the Armed Forces) General Kurosh Ansari ws arrested after he 'attempted to force the government to resign' at a meeting between the two men at Durrani House, the Court Minister's official residence. Gemeral Ansari was arrested at the meeting and himself claims that he only suggested, as friendly advice, that the government resign due to its incompetence and denies making any threats during his meeting with the Court Minister. Ansari's arrest was followed by that of several military leaders who have been accused of conspiring with him.


Court Minister Peroz Daftari

The developments come as the country continue to suffer from an economic recession, increasing religious conflict and a general breakdown of public services. Daftari continues to blame all of these problems on the 'corrupt political-mobedan class' and 'Loony Miki' the Clidanian Apostolic Partriach. It was rumoured that within his own Great Aldegar Party, many legislators are greatly distressed with his bungling and might attempt to pass a vote of no confidence on his government.

[Reddy]

Shah Dismisses Court Minister
October 3, 4074

In a highly controversial move. Shah Bardiya II has issued a Firman (decree) of questionable legality, dismissing the troubled government of Court Minister Peroz Daftari. The 51 year old Shah, now the seventh year of his reign cited continued economic and religious issues as the reason driving him to 'make an extraordinary intervention into public affairs.' Daftari condemned the decision and said that he would seek the invalidation of the Firman in the courts. He did however agree to step down and the Shah appointed Ret. Gen Kurosh Ansari as Daftari's replacement. Ansari has been in the courts a lot himself ,recently, facing charge of attempted treason over his alleged attempt at a coup about half a year back.


Bardiya II Shah

The dismissal was welcomed by a majority of Aldegarians who have suffered greatly economically in the past seven years. Daftari was so unpopular that he failed to raise a meaningful number of protesters to 'defend his political rights'. His successor Ansari has announced that he will re-form the old Aldegarian Restoration Party which is associated with the good times and political stability of the first quarter of this century.


Court Minister Ansari

[Reddy]

Economic Reform In Aldegar
September 26, 4077

Aldegar is wrapping up its so called 'shock therapy' economic reform. The reforms which began just after the 'royal dismissal' in 4074 saw the traditionally statist Aldegarian economy radically and rapidly transformed through a series of neoliberal economic measures. The measures included the ongoing reduction of the state budget by nearly 40% - most of which are the generous agricultural, energy and industrial subsidies. The currency has been floated, all tariffs abolished, labour laws sharply deregulated and state enterprises sold off. Aldegar's economy is now of the freest in Terra. The low taxes favoured by the Daftari regime have been kept in place, although income tax was raised from 10% to 15%.



The reforms are widely viewed as the work of the University of Southern Kemoku trained economic team. These are the Finance and Industry Ministry ministers who both hail from the economically liberal School of Economics. The Court Minister General Ansari, has freely admitted his lack of grasp of economics and was apparently encouraged by the Shah to appoint technocratic Ministers unbeholden to political factions to carry out the reforms. The Shah has gained much authority since his dismissal of the populist Court Minister Peroz Daftari and is thought to be a strong proponent of free-market economics.
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The reforms have undoubtedly brought pain to many poorer Aldegarians but a grim climate of perseverance has developed as many are determined to try almost anything to leave the 'lost decade' as the period between 4067 and 4077 is now be seen by most. Thus the Government despite its lack of a popular mandate has faced relatively limited opposition and protests and is very likely to receive that mandate in upcoming elections in December.

[jamescfm]

Committee for Cultural Restoration Launched
December 3, 4134


Tutak Esfahani attends the launching of the Committee for Cultural Restoration

Tutak Esfahani, a former Professor of Aldegarian History at the University of Aldegar, has announced the creation of the 'Committee for Cultural Restoration'. Esfahani, along with a number of close associates, hopes to garner support for the traditionalist ideology which the Committee espouses. While details about the structure, leadership and ultimate goals of the organisation are hard-to-come-by, its website states that the aim is to form 'the Aldegarian Melli Hezb' (Aldegarian National Party). Strict regulation in Aldegar results in no funds being made available to political parties, emerging or pre-existing, and this means that it can take a great deal of campaigning to even put a party in a position to stand in elections.

Esafhani himself is something of a maverick; well-respected by his academic peers but similarly infamous for his severe criticisms of Aldegarian society. Last year, he hit headlines when he claimed that 'under the Republican Union government, Aldegar is on the path, not to good and righteousness, as Yazdān intends, but to moral oblivion. If we do not see a cultural revolution within the next decade, we will be too far gone'. Whether it is such views which inspired him to embark upon this latest venture is, of course, only speculation. Esafhani was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press however the Committee for Cultural Restoration told us they 'would be publishing media content and providing interviews in due course'.

[jamescfm]

National Party Preparing for Election
May 11, 4135

The Committee for Cultural Restoration has published its plans to contest in the next national elections this week. Using the new name 'Aldegarian Melli Hezb (Aldegarian National Party)', they have secured sufficient funding to field candidates for all 625 seats in the National Council as well as nominating first Party Chairman Tutak Esfahani as their candidate for the election of the Principal. With the current Republican Union regime now in complete disarray, it is widely reported that the elections will be held within the next couple of months. Though relatively little is known about the political positions of the ANP, a party spokesperson told this publication that they 'believe that only through the collective strength of the nation state can freedom truly be understood' and that 'recent leaders of Aldegar have been weak and heathenistic'.

A large portion of the funding for the party's launch is purported to have originated from religious organisations. Chariman Esfahani is a devout Yazdean, citing his religious conviction as a dominant factor in his creation and leadership of the ANP. As a professor specialising in Aldegarian History, he is also known for his outspoken views of what he refers to as the 'rejection' and 'rewriting' of national and cultural traditions under previous governments. The Presidential system of government, in which the Head of State and Head of Government are a single office and the broadly secular legislation are given as examples of what he believes needs to change. Furthermore, Esfahani has claimed that Aldegar should immediately switch its Security Council votes away from the 'barbaric Jelbanian Satalinists'. If he does triumph in the months to come, Aldegar will certainly experience great societal shifts.

[jamescfm]

Esfahani Swept Into Power
June 16, 4135


Principal Tutak Esfahani arrives in the National Council for the first time

In special elections this month, Tutak Esfahani and his Aldegarian National Party cleaned up every seat in the National Council and won the race for the position of Principal. With no other parties contesting, the vote was something of a formality but the more than eleven million votes the ANP received will reassure the incoming regime that they have been granted a clear mandate by the population. At an event in the city of Pāytakht-e Aldegār, the Principal told supporters;

Today marks the beginning of a glorious new era for the sublime nation of Aldegar. In this election, the citizens have made clear that they want a return to the traditional, Aldergarian way of living which for centuries has fostered prosperity, pride and patriotism in our people. As your leader, I will ensure that this is delivered. Previous regimes embraced values which were completely alien to us; anti-religious legislation and support for far-off Ahmadi barbarians were among the most repugnant changes we saw. This is the end for such feeble governance.

This month, and no later, I will present to the National Council a series of bills which will re-establish Aldegar as a nation of immense honour and dignity. Constitutional reform will bring more effective and robust government, which responds to the needs of the nation and does not serve outside interests. Furthermore, I will be promoting legislation to target these foreign powers directly- by restricting their flooding of our nation with cheap imports and by withdrawing our Security Council votes. We will strengthen our borders to ensure that we only allow the cream of the international community in and to keep disruptive individuals from causing trouble for our people.

Finally, I will be ensuring that every single citizen contributes their fair share to our national institutions through an income tax plan which heavily taxes the wealthiest- after all they are the ones who are most able to contribute! Once this initial transition period, during which I will personally stabilise our government, has concluded, fresh elections will be called to confirm that the population is satisfied with my direction. Do not fear, the new era of cultural restoration has begun!

Since then, the precise details of Principal Esfahani's agenda have been revealed, primarily through the Constitutional Reform for National Strength and Elimination of Foreign Subversion bills. As well as protectionist trade policies and restrictive criteria for immigration, Esafhani has proposed widespread institutional change. Under the new system, his own office would be renamed the Supreme Leader of Aldegar while a new office for the leader of the cabinet would be created, entitled Court Minister. The National Council would be relocated, to the traditional capital in Pāytakht-e Aldegār and a new motto introduced 'Āzād-mardī, Aldegār, Yazdān' or 'Freedom, Aldegar, God'.

Such vast change could be seen as alarming, particularly among more liberal aspects of the population, but the general national mood appears to be that the new Principal should be given time to implement his manifesto before a judgement is made. If it seems that the reforms are having a negative impact on the quality of life for 'our people', as Esafhani refers to them, then he would presumably be voted out of office. If not, then Aldegar may well be entering a new era.

[jamescfm]

Supreme Leader's National Renaissance
April 23, 4136


The Aldegarian Army at a public parade aimed at increasing nationalist feeling

Supreme Leader of Aldegar Tutak Esfahani has restored the once eroded national pride, according to his former Press Secretary and current Court Minister Farzin Shahbahram. Speaking to a small number of selected journalists, primarily those of the left-leaning, somewhat nationalist newspaper Pāytakht-e Aldegār Times, Shahbahram explained how the Supreme Leader- a title implemented as part of his restoration of national pride- had taken feelings of optimism to levels unheard of under the Republican Union. Through a combination of economic reform, heavily taxing wealthy earners while vastly increasing public spending, and constitutional tinkering, including the re-creation of the new Court Minister's position, Esfahani has awoken a national honour and unity.

Nonetheless, the Supreme Leader has his critics, many of them vocal. There has been a marked increased in recorded levels of hate crime, particularly against the Majatran minority population, since he ascended to power. Furthermore, many have argued that the Combatting Threats to National Security bill amounts to the elimination of civil liberties in the Glorious State. Addressing such criticisms, the Court Minister said that anyone who opposed the bill should be considered a 'terrorist sympathiser'.

In contrast to the Aldegarian National Party's assaultive rhetoric, Aldegar has not yet isolated itself internationally. With the arrival of the Kalistan for C campaign last year and the subsequent ratification of the Terran Association of Free Trade, some have accused the government of backtracking on their earlier promises. Foreign Minister Selab Nishapuri has stated recently that he is analysing Aldegar's position in Terra carefully before he proceeds with any further engagement but no concrete proposals have yet been given. Despite traditional connections to Kalistan and the international friction between the two nations, the Supreme Leader is said to be a private admirer of the Vanukean Royals.

[jamescfm]

Heir to the Aldegarian Throne Located
April 5, 4137


A stylised drawing of Shahnam of Persuna

Citizens across the Aldegar rejoiced this month with the news that the rightful heir to the throne of Shah Bardiya II had been located. His Most High Majesty was deposed a number of years ago by the republican elements of the population in what Supreme Leader Esfahani has referred as 'an illegitimate coup to install a foreign government'. Following the landslide election of Esfahani's Aldegarian National Party, he promised that an enquiry into who the rightful heir to the throne was would be conducted as soon as possible. That enquiry has now concluded and its leader Samrad Naksatkhan has determined that Shahnam of the House of Pesuna, the grandson of the previous Shah's second cousin is the true heir to the throne.

The Supreme Leader has now called for an early election to receive a mandate to appoint the Shah. The National Democratic Union, it is believed, have agreed to support the Shah's ascension so the main opposition would presumably be in the form of the Aldegar Republican Front, which Esfahani believes to be the work of foreigners. If the ANP return members in the National Divan (which will be reduced from 625 to 95 seats), their first action will be to have the Shah introduced and to officially retitle the nation, for the second time since they formed.

The 57-year-old Shahnam, who has three brothers and two sisters, has enjoyed a comfortable life by most standards. Despite not ruling Aldegar, he has built up a small but dedicated group of followers whose financial backing have allowed him never to seek employment. His personal views, which are now subject to ravenous media speculation, are not well-known except that he is a devout Yazdean. Some outlets argue that he is a liberal reformer, who disapproves of the authoritarian tendencies of the ANP. In contrast, others believe him to be a traditionalist with some even saying he used his personal funds to support the Aldegarian National Party. Perhaps his true intentions will only become clear after he is appointed.

[jamescfm]

Glorious Illuminator|The Shah's Official News Outlet
His Most High Majesty Determined As Rightful Ruler of Indrala
January 13, 4139

A startling revelation has been unveiled by a student studying World History at the University of Kemoku. While analysing historical archives, a record of marriage was found between a direct ancestor of His High High Majesty Shahnam I and a descendant of the now-deposed He Dynasty of Indrala. After much consultation, cross-referencing and consideration, the University made contact with the Shah's official representatives to inform of their intention to go public with the revelation. Since then, the governing Aldegarian National Party have said they recognise the Shah as the true and legitimate ruler of the Celestial Empire.

The records, which had been contained in the University's library for decades, show that Shahnam's Great-Grandfather (also known as Shahnam) married the eldest daughter of Wu Xian, a Celestial Emperor. While the validity of the records is not in doubt- the marriage certainly occurred and the woman in question, Wu Qigang, is indeed the Shah's Great-Grandmother- some are questioning whether this truly makes His Most High Majesty the Emperor of the He Dynasty. Wu Xian was the last ruler of the He Dynasty to also rule Indrala so who succeeded him is not on government records. The University, as well as the ANP, now state that it was Wu Qigang but this is contentious.

The timing of the news, a year after the Shah ascended to the throne is questionable, especially given that the relationship between the individuals is neither distant nor clandestine. Presumably, the Shah himself withheld the information until now perhaps concerned that overstating his prestige would grant ammunition to republican sects of the populace. Incidentally, during his time as a Professor of Aldegarian History, Court Minister Tutak Esfahani addressed reports that the House of Pesuna may be the lawful rulers of Indrala in a book titled A Glorious History: The Shahs of Aldegar. In it, he remarks that 'there may be some truth to the rumours, it seems that the House has married into foreign dynasties to preserve their prestige in recent times' but he did not comment directly on whether Wu Qigang was her father's successor (if indeed she is Wu Xian's daughter).

Nonetheless, the Court Minister says he will immediately contact the Indralan government, as well as those of Baltusia and Luthori which His Most High Majesty will now preside over, to request they recognise him as their Head of State. His official title will also be updated in due course.