Stalemate in the struggle for the RepublicAfter having taken important first steps, the government has navigated itself into a stalemate in the abolition of the monarchy.
It all started well for the libertarian-anarchist coalition. In a first round of constitutional changes, a 3/4 majority voted in favour of changing the wording in Endralon's structure of the executive branch. This means that theoretically, the head of state does not need to be hereditary anymore, chopping off one of the pillars of Endralon's monarchist system. Surprisingly and against all odds, the Conservatives voted in favour of this proposition. The ULF initiated the bill and also proposed a shorter legislative period. Strategically, according to political analysts, this step was meant to attract the vote of the Conservatives. However, insiders say that the Syndicalist Alternative was not privy to the ULFs plan. Yesterday, the ULF pushed further and proposed to install a president as head of state. Again, the SA seems not to have been involved in the proposition. This might lead to tensions within the anarchist camp. "We said we would like to get rid of the monarchy, however, we feel the ULF has taken too quick steps. Who says that the head of the state should be a president?", asks Henryk Bothers, moderator of SA's anti-monarchist Think Tank in Jovan. "Let us first establish that the head of state should not be the king anymore and formulate alternatives". The SA is currently holding urgent meetings all over the country to advise about the continuation in this matter. The second proposition in the round of constitutional changes has proven to be less successful. Here, the Conservatives have voted against the proposition. "Where are the conservatives, with us, or against us?" asked Ho Chi Phung, Minister of Education and Culture today in parliament. "First they say no to the hereditary system, then they say no to the democratic system of representation. We need to ask ourselves where this party's integrity is." So far, the conservatives have not commented on their voting behaviour.
The Communitarist Alliance, however, never had doubts about its stance on monarchy. Its ties to the house of Syldavia is no secret. However, for the first time for a long period, the CA has lost its government mandate and it is hard to tell whether it can form a firm opposition to the ongoing changes.
Leaders of the SA at an urgent retreat in DoumaMeanwhile, the tension in Endralon is building up. First reports of clashes between anarchists and monarchists have been reported in the capital city Syldavia. The pictures remind of a dark past in the country's history. "I am really scared all our achievements in terms of democracy are in danger now" says a young consultant from Hotta. "one of the parties will have to make a compromise, but I wonder who". The Minister of the Interior, Simone Ferriers, tries to put oil on troubled waters: "no, history is not repeating here, the way it looks now, this coalition has and for the foreseeable future will keep a majority in parliament. The only thing we need to do is to be patient. We will succeed at last".
Endralon's capital has become the scene of confrontation between supporters and opponents of the monarchyAt the end of the day, the house of Syldavia stays in place, however, it is difficult to say in which position. In parliament, things seem far from being definite.This proposition is not new in Endralon. "We should keep in mind that this country is torn between the left and the right, and in the last years since the ULF took over, the left is stronger, and opposition parties had a hard time to form" says Margot Tweebeen, editor of the political Magazine
Pelican. "But the left is not strong enough to take the absolute majority. This is going to be a long and difficult process, and only one side will take it all."
Fears that parliament will not be the only deciding factor in this drama have been affirmed in the last days. The SA has already been built on shaky grounds, since this stalemate risks proving those anarchists right who do not believe in parliament in the first place. The same ones hitting the streets lately.