by XAT » Tue Jul 02, 2019 5:24 am
The Gadur Times
OPINION: LENETTI, YOU BRING SHAME TO GADURI CONSERVATISM
Written by: Ortega Conde
Gadur, Marligantos - In perhaps the most hyperbolic statement in recent years, President Lenetti has practically declared the NLP to be not just an enemy, but indeed, the enemy to Gaduri conservatism. Such barbs from opposing candidates, were of course, expected. That is the unfortunate nature of politics, and when I accepted the call to become the NLP Presidential Nominee, I expected political attacks to come from all directions, even from our supposed closest allies in the SCP. What I did not expect, however, was an attack on the NLP itself - and by extension, my good friend, the Former Prime Minister Alavaro Tam.
The NLP, under the leadership of Alavaro Tam, has endorsed, and campaigned for, the Presidency of Alfonso Lenetti. Even before the elections of 4592, which would see the NLP soar to become the largest party in Parliament, Alavaro Tam had, behind closed doors, faced internal NLP opposition to not running a Presidential candidate, and had opted to support the candidacy of the SCP's Lenetti, for "the good of the unity of Gaduri conservatism". The NLP contacted the SCP behind closed doors to advise them to run a strong Presidential campaign, offering innumerable NLP assets to the cause. The NLP even reached out to the GFP in order to attempt to establish a united conservative voting bloc - to no benefit of the NLP, or to the then-precarious political position of Alavaro. But he did it anyways, for he believed in Gaduri conservatism, and believed that the SCP, a party with whom we've been allied with since the inception of our party centuries ago, would deliver for the people.
In the 4596 elections, Alavaro was once again pressured internally, within the party, to run a NLP Presidential Candidate. But he refused, citing that he made a pledge to the SCP to support yet another one of Lenetti's many bids for the Presidency. Facing down the rest of the NLP leadership, much of the NLP base, as well as the fact that the largest party was counter-intuitively endorsing the sixth largest, Tam insisted, and pushed for the endorsement, calling the SCP to be "our eternal friends". Has President Lenetti forgotten the massive influx of NLP campaign resources to the Presidential campaign? Does the President have no respect for the personal and political sacrifices of the NLP and its leadership?
During the years of conservative rule, when Alavaro was Prime Minister Alvaro Tam, he called upon the NLP Parliamentary Caucus to vote in favor of limiting abortion, despite knowing that abortion was still a contentious issue within the party - that this would likely lead to a weaker result for the NLP in the next election, due to disagreements regarding the issue of abortion. The Prime Minister insisted that the Caucus do so anyways - to my disagreement, I must confess - in order to "maintain solidarity with the rest of the Gaduri conservative parties". Does Lenetti also care not for this sacrifice?
We are now in the midst of a geopolitical crisis - great struggles for our nation lie ahead. Kazulia stands against Gaduri values - and for the first time in living memory, the parties are united. Both left and right call for a united nation is the face of the horrors of the Kazulian regime. With the exception of President Lenetti. But the NLP didn't even criticize the statement made by the President - no, we simply voiced our own opinion, and attempted to find consensus in our fractured government. Alavaro Tam, the Leader of the Opposition, didn't even comment on the President's comments, though I know that he personally disagrees profusely with it. No line-party votes - no condemnations - Alavaro simply let the President express his opinion, as is their right - and attempted to keep the nation unified, as is Alavaro's right.
In the midst of this crisis, the NLP has finally decided to field it's own Presidential candidate - as is their right as the second largest party in the nation. President Lenetti could have remained silent. The President could have contacted the NLP behind closed doors to reach a compromise. The President could have served that Gaduri conservatism that he supposedly cherishes so much. Instead, the honorable President goes behind the backs of his most loyal allies in the past decade, and condemns them to the nation, as being enemies of conservatism - despite the NLP having headed one of the first conservative governments in decades.
The President attempts to appeal to the old times of Gaduri politics, when the landscape was dominated by the left. But does he forget that the members of the NLP had lived through these years too? Why else does the President think that the NLP was restarted? Why else has the NLP been attempting to unify the right? To forge new alliances with the left, where possible? The leadership and membership of the NLP had been as much of a victim of the leftist years as the President had been!
I cannot tolerate this insult to the NLP - nor of this insult to the SCP. The NLP and the SCP have been allies since the NLP was first founded by Lon Zola in the 4100s - I refuse to believe that President Lenetti represents the entire party. There are good, decent people in the SCP. People of character. People who place nation before party politics and personal careers. People who understand compromise, who understand etiquette. People who have loyalty, especially to old friends. Sadly, the President is not amongst them.
President Lenetti, you are the enemy of Gaduri conservatism. You forsake the traditional values of loyalty for power.
President Lenetti, you are an insult to the SCP. You have forsaken the pacts between the NLP and the SCP that have been kept for centuries. You have endangered Gaduri conservatism with your reckless words.
President Lenetti, you are a blight upon Gaduridos - you take the charitable nature of Former Prime Minister Tam for granted, and throw a temper tantrum like a child when the NLP attempts to forge its own path. Were you not taught as a child to have decency and respect? Were you not taught that you were not the center of the world?
President Lenetti, shame on you. Should you have even a shred of honor left, President Lenetti, apologize on behalf of the Gaduri conservative movement - on behalf of the SCP - and, acknowledge your mistakes - resign. You are not fit for office.
Reported, October 4599.
NLP, Gaduridos [INACTIVE]
NDP, Indrala [INACTIVE]