Hutori

[RileyHP]

Long awaited defense modernization plan unveiled


Defense minister Martin Bezan announces his long awaited defense modernization plan at HFB Brett Hawkins near Bekenial.

After years of delay, the defense minister, Martin Bezan, unveiled his promised military moderization plan. Bill C-5 would authorize the withdrawal of more than 360 billion Lira from the Hutorian Sovereign Wealth Fund to cover the costs of this modernization plan. The plan includes a complete replacement and expansion of Hutori's fleet of HF-35D fighters as well as the replacement of 20 warships and 3 submarines and the development of a new class of aircraft carrier. The Navy is set to purchase 4 of the carriers, named Manning Class after former Hutorian President Eugene Manning, who served a total of 18 years in office between 4619 and 4641.

Flanked by members of the Hutorian Army at HFB Brett Hawkins, the defense minister made the announcement last week. He expressed his frustration over what he called a "century of neglect" towards the HAF and vowed to ensure Hutori once again has a force capable of defending our shores and our interests across Terra.

Overall, the plan would see the addition of 125,000 new active duty troops, along with 56,500 new reserves. The planned new Manning Class Aircraft Carriers will be able to carry 75 aircraft and will be manned by more than 2,600 crew each.

[RileyHP]

Tories try military modernization again


Defense Minister Martin Bezan speaks in the Senate after tabling Bill C-6: Hutorian Armed Forces Procurement and Modernization Act, 5209.

After failing to pass their long-awaited military modernization bill, the Progressive Conservatives have tabled a new bill, with compromises made. Bill C-6 would shorten the timeframe of the project from 30 to 15 years and will require an independent audit of the Hutorian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defense. The changes seem to address concerns that were raised by the Unionist Front, while refusing to budge on the expansion of both active duty and reserve forces, which was reportedly a key concern of both the Republican Liberal Democrats, and the Tories' coalition partners in the Bread Party. This move by the Tories to seemingly abandon the votes of their coalition allies in favour of the party they and the National Progress Party have fought so bitterly against in the past has confused some analysts, while others believe it makes sense given the issue at hand.

"Potentially signing a deal with the devil to get their military spending bill passed is something the Tories are going to have to square with their voters next fall," said Jeremy Morrison, a political science professor at Bekenial University and a regular pundit on HBC's Today in Politics. "Couldn't they have made more compromises with other parties?"

"Frankly, this makes perfect sense," said Sheila Campbell, another regular pundit on Today in Politics. "The Tories and the NPP are very much aligned on defense modernization and expansion, however their coalition partners are not, and it seems their former partners in the RLD aren't either. If they want to get this done, they have to find a willing partner, and the Unionists seem to be the only one with enough votes. On top of that, the reported asks of the UF are nothing that wouldn't be popular if it came from a different party, so I don't believe this is something voters will hold against the PCs or the NPP."

[Conser]

Lily-Rose Carney elected leader of the National Progress Party


The National Progress Party held its leadership election earlier today. The national office of the party's headquarter in Carter City sent us the official result:

Lily-Rose Carney - 62,24% (482 104 votes)
Everly Dmitrievna - 30,02% (232 532 votes)
Lawrence Sutton - 7,75% (59 952 votes)

The election didn't even get to a second round, the long-timed minister currently serving as minister of Health and Social Services Lily-Rose Carney won with a indisputable majority of more than 62%. Everly Dmitrievna, current minister of National Affairs, finish far second. Her platform of unapologetic nationalism didn't seem to impress the members of the NPP all that much. For Lawrence Sutton, who ran on a platform of assumed militarism, it was obvious that his message resonated very little with the voters.

Carney seemed to have created a consensus within the party with a program of mix between left-wing economic policy and traditional nationalism. The fact that she had occupied three different ministerial position in her career (National Affairs, Science and Technology and Health and Social Services) helped her position herself as the candidate of experience.



(Picture of the new leader of the NPP, Lily-Rose Carney)

[Friedrich]

LIVINGSTANE NEWLY ELECT RLD PARTYLEADER


Bekenial (Adelia), November 5209
From our own correspondent

The former Minister of Trade and Industry, Brian Livingstane, has been elected by the RLD congress as their partyleader and will replace Frank Gamer. Despite the poor election results of the liberal democrats nationwide and in the regions, Gamer still has many supporters in the party. He's partly blamed for the heavy losses (the RLD lost about 50% of its seats in the Senate) but the former partyleader was also seen as a good negotiater who was able to achieve important goals for the liberal democrats. Gamer is promoted and as such rewarded to be the party's next presidential candidate for the upcoming 2010 election.

Livingstane can be considered as a supporter of RLD's right wing. Congressmembers voted for more free market ideas which means that the RLD swift slightly from centre-left to a more centre-right agenda. "We still stand for human rights, caring for our poor and peace but also for promoting entrepreneurship", he said during his accepting speech. "Our platform will be good for the "have nots", the economy and for our international relations", Livingstane continued.

Furthermore, Lawrence Ferdinand Blacksmith, once a Minister of Foreign Affairs and the former presidential candidate for the party, has been elected as partychaireman and replaced Mary Peterson. She served the RLD as chairwoman for 20 years and was one of the fouders of the party. Peterson stepped down because of the latest election defeat and want to enjoy her retirement.

Sources close to the partyleadership said that the party is quite split on the new course of the party. This means that the new partyleader need some brinkmanship to keep the RLD united.

[RileyHP]

Armed Forces modernization to receive green light from Senate


Finance minister, and Tory leader, James Houston (left) in discussion with the Speaker of the Senate.

The Progressive Conservatives will finally get the Senate's approval of their plan to modernize and expand the Hutorian Armed Forces. By adding clauses requiring additional ministerial and auditorial oversight, and fast-tracking the program to be completed in 15 years rather than the planned 30, the Tories were able to secure the support of the Unionist Front and the bill has exceeded the 153 vote majority threshold, currently having 204 yes votes.

Defense Minister Martin Bezan spoke with reporters outside of the Senate after yesterday's Question Period and expressed his gratitute to other parties for working with the government on what he called "this incredibly important project for the security of Hutori".

[RileyHP]

Houston resigns Tory leadership


James Houston announces his plan to resign the leadership of the PC Party at a press conference.

After an abysmal election result, the Progressive Conservatives are headed to a leadership election, their first in 13 years. James Houston announced his plan to resign at a recent press conference in his home town of Glentingham. Houston, who served as finance minister for the last decade, says he intends to stay on as the Senator for Glentingham East and support whoever succeeds him.

In a statement released shortly after the press conference, Houston said he was grateful for the faith Progressive Conservatives placed in him and that he was proud of the record he leaves office with.

"We approved the largest infrastructure project Hutori has seen in centuries, reformed the Sovereign Wealth Fund, and in our last act, found an agreement to approve the modernization and expansion of Hutori's Armed Forces. All of my Progressive Conservative colleagues should be proud of themselves for the work we have accomplished over the last 10 years."
~ James Houston

While no candidates have announced at the time of writing, two outgoing cabinet ministers are being touted as potential successors to Houston. Lianne Drummond, who has served as minister of infrastructure & transport throughout the tenure of the PC-NPP coalition, is seen as the early frontrunner, while outgoing defense minister Martin Bezan is expected to enter the race as well.

[RileyHP]

Tories choose new leader with potential early election looming


FROM FILE: Martin Bezan speaks in the Senate. Bezan was recently named the new leader of the Progressive Conservative Party.

(Caretaker) Minister of National Defense Martin Bezan has been named the new leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Bezan, who oversaw the approval of the ongoing defense modernization plan, has served in a caretaker capacity since the last elections resulted in a hung Senate that has yet to appoint a new cabinet.

With a potential early election looming, the Tories were in a pinch to finally select their new leader. It was clear after the Tories lost more than two-thirds of their caucus that it would be tough to find a new leader, but few thought the process would take nearly three years. The reason for the delay? Only one candidate stepped forward, and the party says they were holding out officially launching the contest until more candidates announced their bids. With the potential for early elections, the party was forced to acclaim Bezan as the new leader.

That being said, early polls show good signs for the new party boss. A recent poll of PC Party members showed 80% of members supported the acclaimation. A poll of the wider electorate put the PCs, with Bezan at the helm, at a respectable 10.3%, an improvement of 4.4% over their 5210 result.

In a statement to HBC, Bezan's office confirmed he would not be seeking the presidency as the party's focus is on reclaiming seats in the Senate.

[RileyHP]

POLL: Majority of Hutorians favour early elections as Senate remains gridlocked


Protesters rally outside the Senate building in Bekenial.

After weeks of protest outside the Senate and the headquarters of the Unionist Front and Bread Party, a recent poll shows 63% of Hutorians agree with their call for early elections. Nearly three years since the last election, the Senate has yet to agree on a new government, and the old cabinet remain in a caretaker capacity.

"It's time for the gridlock to end. Hutorians deserve a government with a mandate from the people," said Janine Smith, one of the protest organizers. Several politicians from the Progressive Conservative and National Progress parties have joined the rallies in recent days, including PC leader Martin Bezan.

"The cabinet proposal before the Senate is downright hypocritical. The UF should be ashamed of themselves for this attempted power grab. Progressive Conservatives call on the Bread Party to reject their proposal and join us in support of early elections," said Bezan.

[Conser]

Prime Minister Russell and ministers from the NPP AND PCPH resign in protest

In a shocking turn of event, all members of the cabinet from both the National Progress Party and the Progressive Conservative Party of Hutori have announces their resignation from the cabinet. All 9 ministers, including the outgoing Prime Minister George Russell, were in in a joined press conference to explain their decision. Prime Minister Russel spoke first:

''With 3 years passing since the last election and no new government in sight. With a President that has crealy failed at his most fundamental job, the one of forming a government. With 22 vacant seats that clearly upset the balance of power. It is clear that this Senate can no longer function. The is a urgent need to address the situation and organise an election. With the largest party in Hutori, the party that control the presidency, refusing to hold an election and using us and our willingness to manage daily business as an excuse to withold democracy, we can no longer accept to be part of any of this. We can no longer accept to work for a President who clearly has no respect for democracy. We have no other choice but to resign.

We urge all our colleagues in the Senate to follow us in our call for the organization of an election''
-George Russel, chairman of the National Progress Party and outgoing Prime Minister

Martin Bezan, outgoing minsiter of Defence and leader of the PCPH then spoke:

"Hutorians deserve a government with a mandate from the people. My fellow Progressive Conservative members of the caretaker cabinet and I have tendered our resignations to the President, as we do not have that mandate. It is our hope the UF or the Bread Party will join us and vote in favour of an early election."
-Martin Bezan, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and outgoing minister of Defence

[Conser]

National Progress Party rebrand itself

In an marketing exercise that is probably no stranger to the recent mediocre election result of the NPP, the part announce through a press release a complete rebranding of the partys image. The party first announced that it would change its color for a significantly lighter shade of blue. The party also announced that it would have a new logo:



The new logo is rather simplistic, the initials of the party accompanied with the name of the party on a blue shading background. The logo is mounted by the image of a wolverine, the official animal of Hutori, which is supposed to represent the: ''long attachment of the party to patriotic values''.

As claim by the leader fo the party, Lily-Rose Carney, this change is far more than just a purely aesthetic change:

''The National Progress Part will go back to its roots. its that that we revamp the ideological core of our party. What we want is a state that believe in solidarity, a state that is present for the hutorian people. It's that that we go back to unapolathetic nationalism and assume social-democracy. Our party has a long history, it was founded nearly 11 century ago, we have to reflect on the vision that the founders and builders of our movement has. We will inspire ourselves of the vision fo great man and woman like President Tom Bokota , Prime Minister Sarah Vence or Prime Minister Jake Davidson. ''
-Lily-Rose Carney, leader of the National Progress Party and minister of Foreign Affairs

Lily-Rose Carney