Hutori

[RileyHP]

Tories make minimal gains, wiped out in Lagard and Roccato, nearly in Kenai; Liberals re-elected

The Conservative Party will form the Official Opposition for the fourth Parliament in a row. Despite seeing little change in the overall seat count, the election saw a vast shift in the regional results. Conservatives were completely wiped out in Lagard and Roccato & the Isle of Sutton, and all but the leader lost in Kenai; but the party flipped the Province of Falristan and also maintained their majority government in Adelia. Despite winning just shy of 55% of the popular vote, the Liberals won more than 70% of the seats in Parliament.

Full election results below.

National Vote
Liberal - 10,598,940 (54.98%)
Conservative - 8,679,697 (45.02%)

National Seats
Liberal - 236
Conservative - 99

Roccato & the Isle of Sutton Vote
Liberal - 2,409,525 (99.67%)
Conservative - 8,065 (0.33%)

Roccato & the Isle of Sutton Seats
Liberal - 67
Conservative - 0

Kenai Vote
Liberal - 2,472,413 (99.55%)
Conservative - 11,102 (0.45%)

Kenai Seats
Liberal - 66
Conservative - 1

Adelia Vote
Liberal - 1,424,303 (24.22%)
Conservative - 4,457,598 (75.78%)

Adelia Seats
Liberal - 18
Conservative - 50

Lagard Vote
Liberal - 2,662,738 (99.96%)
Conservative - 941 (0.04%)

Lagard Seats
Liberal - 67
Conservative - 0

Falristan Vote
Liberal - 1,629,961 (27.95%)
Conservative - 4,201,991 (72.05%)

Falristan Seats
Liberal - 19
Conservative - 48

[RileyHP]

Conservative Members Still Confident in Martin


Conservative leader Jean-Guy Martin in a recent interview with HBC's Canrillaise-language network, Radio-Hutori.

Conservative leader Jean-Guy Martin faced a vote of confidence at the recent party convention in Acton. These votes are automatic whenever the party loses an election, but while Martin was expected to get the green light for a second run at forming government, the vote was far less close than expected. 74.7% of party members backed Martin remaining leader, with many telling HBC during the convention that while last summer's election was disappointing, they believe Martin is taking the party in the right direction. "We lost seats in each of the 3 previous elections. This is the first time we've increased our seat share in 16 years," said one Martin supporter. "While the results in Kenai, Roccato, and Lagard were disappointing, I believe Jean-Guy Martin can win those voters over again."

This week Martin unveiled his new shadow cabinet. Newport (Adelia) MP Leah Davies, who returned to the House last summer after losing her seat in the shambolic Tory collapse of 5397, returns to the Trade, Industry & Small Business portfolio. A trio of Falristan rookie MPs enter the shadow cabinet; Martha Hopkins (St. John's Rainy River) takes on the Infrastructure & Transport portfolio; Jared Redekopp (Tremaine West) takes on the Foreign Affairs portfolio; and John Canmore (Carter City Foothills) takes on the Food & Agriculture portfolio. Former interim leader Isaac Houston (Glentingham East, Adelia) moves to the Finance portfolio while second term Corktown Centre (Falristan) MP Richard Smith replaces him as Internal Affairs shadow minister. Dr. Michael Johnson (Axminster Muncey, Adelia) is the new shadow minister for Health & Social Services; Darrell Wilkins (Acton Newmarket, Adelia) is shadow minister of Science & Technology; rookie MP Rachel Thompson (Carter City Heritage, Falristan) is shadow minister for Education & Hutorian Heritage; and Michelle Rankin (Glentingham Fanshawe, Adelia) rounds out the shadow cabinet, taking on the Environment & Tourism portfolio.

[RileyHP]

Tories Table Health Reform Bill; Workers Act to be Defeated


Dr. Michael Johnston, MP for Axminster—Matsqui, rises to table Bill C-10: Provincial Healthcare Act, 5404

The Conservative Party today tabled Bill C-10, which would abolish the federal public health system and replace it with a provincial public systems. The bill establishes the Hutori Health Transfer, which would receive all funding currently allocated to the federal public health system, and divide it amongst the provinces on a per capita basis. This type of system has a long history in Hutori, being in place most recently before the current federal public health system was established in 5090.

Government sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told HBC News that the Liberal government is likely to support the legislation. Legislation the government did not support however was the Conservatives' Bill C-9, the Workers Act. All Liberal members have voted against the bill, which would have restricted the hiring of foreign workers to situations of labour shortage, banned "positive discrimination", and required union strikes be supported by a majority of union members, regardless of voting status.

[Svetlana2]

Yingdala reatracts its candidacy to the WDU citing "Yingdala can stand on its own" as Jian Ai lands in Hutori to restore relations and ratify an economic deal: the Yingdalan way or the highway?

[RileyHP]

With Confidence Vote Looming, Martin Steps Aside

In a video message posted to his social media channels, Conservative leader Jean-Guy Martin announced he would be resigning as leader of the party once a successor was elected.

With the Conservative Party's biannual policy convention just 2 months away, the party's leader has announced he will be stepping down. The move comes as a confidence vote in his leadership was set to take place at the convention. Despite growing the Tory caucus in each of the last two elections, Martin was unable to lead the party back to government. The party says it has already struck a leadership election organizing committee, chaired by former Prime Minister Tristan Taylor. A date for the election is undecided, but expected to be before the end of this year.

Lots of Interest


There is a lot of interest in the top job, with 4 candidates already publicly declaring, with another dozen or so names being rumored to be considering a run, including several members of the party's parliamentary caucus. The four declared candidates are Dr. Michael Johnston, MP for Axminster—Matsqui; Leah Davies, MP for Newport; Richard Freeman, a lawyer and conservative activist from Acton, and David MacDonald, a conservative strategist and commentator from Port Prosperity. Other rumoured candidates include MPs Rachel Thompson (Carter City Heritage), Danyil Yehorenko (Tremaine—Interlake—Eastman), and Richard Smith (Corktown Brome), as well as businessman Ronald Gump, psychologist Gordon Pearson, and conservative talk show host Benjamin Pisharo. The debate stages could get quite crowded (and rowdy).

[alaskancrabpuffs21]

Dolgava Takes Flight-Joint Space Development between Hutori and Dolgava takes Shape

[RileyHP]

Pisharo Wins Tory Leadership



Talk show host and political comentator Benjamin Pisharo has been elected the new leader of the Conservative Party and Hutori's official opposition. The 39 year old won on the fifth of a possible nine ballots in the 10 candidate election. Full results from the election below.

Round 1
B. Pisharo - 34.1%
M. Johnston - 16.9%
L. Davies - 13.1%
R. Gump - 9.5%
D. MacDonald - 7.6%
G. Pearson - 5.2%
R. Thompson - 5.1%
D. Yehorenko - 3.6% (withdrew)
R. Freeman - 2.9% (withdrew)
R. Smith - 2.0% (eliminated)

Round 2
B. Pisharo - 34.7%
L. Davies - 17.1%
M. Johnston - 17.0%
R. Gump - 11.3%
D. MacDonald - 7.9%
R. Thompson - 6.3%
G. Pearson - 5.8% (eliminated)

Round 3
B. Pisharo - 35.7%
M. Johnston - 18.6%
L. Davies - 17.5%
R. Gump - 13.1%
D. MacDonald - 8.7% (withdrew)
R. Thompson - 6.5% (eliminated)

Round 4
B. Pisharo - 42.4%
M. Johnston - 20.9%
L. Davies - 19.6% (withdrew)
R. Gump - 17.1% (eliminated)

Round 5
B. Pisharo - 72.1% (winner)
M. Johnston - 27.9% (eliminated)

Pisharo to Seek Seat
Leading without a seat in the House is always a challenge, which is why Pisharo says he will be seeking a seat this year. Joseph Schutte, the longtime MP for Acton Aurora and Tory House Leader recently announced he would not be reoffering, and is expected to be the Member who steps aside for the leader.

[RileyHP]

Tories Push Priorities with Suite of Bills


Conservative leader Benjamin Pisharo speaks to reporters after his party moved for votes on 4 bills.

Though it is still nearly 2 years away, Benjamin Pisharo's Conservatives are already hard at work to set the tone for the next election. After 5 straight election defeats, the Conservatives know they have their work cut out for them.

This week the party moved for final votes on four pieces of what they consider key legislation. Two of the bills would see provincial governments gain control of regulatory powers on most education and certain economic policies. Another would greatly scale back Hutori's foreign aid, cut World Congress funding and strengthen security checks at Hutori's borders. The final bill would re-authorize the use of landmines, with restrictions, by the Hutorian Armed Forces, while banning paramilitaries and limiting the export of arms to close allies of Hutori.

At the time of writing, all Liberal MPs have voted against the four bills.

[colonelvesica]

Hutori Secures Borders, While Deploying Law Enforcement into Davostag in light of Increased Tensions



Sources close to the government of Prime Minister Addison MacDonald have confirmed that Hutori has taken steps to both secure their western borders and to assist the Davostani national government in putting down the terrorist organization known as the FTNV. Approximately 2,500 uniformed officers have been deployed to assist directly with maintain law and order in Davostag, with an addiontal company of the Royal Hutorian Marines deployed to the Hutorian Embassy in the Davostag Capital; Hutorian Marines being deployed at every Hutorian Embassy internationally. Amongst the 2,500 Officers are rumored to be several hundred that specialize specifically in counter-terrorism and counter insurgency tactics to assist the Davostani government get control of the situation.

Meanwhile reservists from the Provinicial Militias of Lagard, Falristan and Adelia have all been deployed to the western border to aid in securing it against the increasing stream of refugees and Davostagers seeking refugee from the escalating violence. People from Davostan are not required by law to obtain a Visas to reside or visit Hutori (one of only three nations in Terra with this privlege) and the Militia's presence at the borders seems primarily aimed at ensuring that the violence doesn't spill over into Hutori and to ensure that the situation remains calm and orderly. Temporary relief camps have been set up at the border towns while more permenant arrangements can be made. Prime Minister MacDonald has reportedly been in contact with the Premier Sundin, and assured him that any Davostagers who came to Hutori would be well taken care of, and that Hutori stood ready to assist their western ally in all matters to restore law and order.

Foreign Minister Mateo Tran has already issued a scathing condemnation of the groups responsible for the burning of the Kundrati Embassy in Davostag stating "Directly attacking the sovreign soil and Embassy of another sovereign state is never the answer. It is beyond lucky that there was no loss of life."

The Foreign Minister didn't keep his scorn to the terrorists in Davostag however, and issued a thinly veiled statement against Kundrati as well. "Deploying thousands of troops to a nation and then making statement that you expect substantial changes for your assistance sounds like a threat when you already have military force deployed in their nation. Other nations then deciding to flex their military muscle is only giving further credence to the terrorists themselves." The final sentence expected to be aimed at Beitenyu, who recently issued one of their infamous "warnings" of potential use of force against Davostan.

The Royal Hutorian Navy has deployed elements of the 1st Fleet into the Aoi Sea, lead by the Cruiser HMHS-Groomsbridge officially in a deterrence and anti-piracy patrol. Officials close to the Hutorian Department of National Defence have made it extremely clear that any movement of armed forces through the Aoi Sea would be seen as a direct violation of Macon Sovereignty and Hutori would respond as such.

[colonelvesica]

Royal Hutorian Navy to Go Through Second Phase of Expansion



Vice Admiral Justin Dalton, the Chief of Naval Staff and Commander of the Royal Hutorian Navy, has announced that the second phase of expansion for the Royal Hutorian Navy has begun.

The initial phase was about getting our remaining vessels back up to combat effectiveness. This second phase is about making sure our vessels can remain supported anywhere they are deployed internationally, whether via logistic support or alternative combat operations.

The Hutorian Parliament had recently passed the newest Naval Contract which is seeing the Royal Hutorian Navy acquire two Bunker class Auxiliary Support Vessels. The Bunkers, once a mainstay of the Royal Hutorian Navy, was heavy tankers and support vessels which allowed the Hutorian Navy to remain deployed for significant periods of times in alternative theatres. The drive to obtain the bunkers is known to stem from the attack on the HMHS-Kincardine during the Kafuri Crisis, which saw Alduria seal off their ports to the Royal Hutorian Navy squadron that had been deployed to assist the World Congress Security Council Mission. The sealing of the ports, done allegedly at the urging of Beitenyu to force the Hutorian to return, lead to the deaths of four Hutorian sailors, all of whom were not able to receive suitable medical treatment. While no official sanctions against Alduria or Beitenyu ever occured following the incident, Hutori has pulled back from most official engagement with Beitenyu and Alduria and rhetoric coming from the Hutorian Foreign Ministry often appears harsher when aimed at Beitenyu, something not expected to return to normal anytime soon. Even during the official Coronation of the new Yeudi King, of which Queen Victoria, the Queen of Hutori, and Prime Minister Addison MacDonald, both attended, reportedly the Hutorian delegation refused any official or unofficial overtures from Beitenyu, seemingly only attending the coronation, giving the new King their best wishes, and returning to Hutori afterwards.