Noumonde

[Locke1342]

Elections Returns Moderate Parliament, December 4750



New Prime Minister of Noumonde, Pascal Bintang

The Noumondian Conservative Alliance has taken a majority in Noumonde's elections for its National Assembly. The alliance, which predominantly gains support from the heavily populated areas in the more affluent North-West of the country, is made up of mainly Noumondian (OOC: Malay-French) and establishment Mondesian (OOC: Malay) parties. The first-past-the-post system means that, as a consequence of the population density on the coast of the country, the Noumondian parties are significantly over-represented despite making up a minority of the population. Meanwhile the primarily Mondesian-supported Thirteen States Movement will form the Official Opposition. The more radical anti-Canrillaise Eastern Mondesian Front also performed reasonably well, taking 51 seats, including four of the five seats in Tanahgema.

Overall, however, the results of the election indicates a desire for stability, and that through the expected moderate leadership of new Noumondian Prime Minister, Pascal Bintang, most analysts expect the nation to be able to drive towards greater socioeconomic development and establishment of a network of international allies.

Following victory, Bintang released a statement saying that he was "looking forward to working with His Royal Highness for the betterment of Noumonde." Bintang inherits control of the country's finances, with the Constitutional Federative Assembly placing the budget in the hands of the National Assembly. In this first administration in a new Noumonde, the economic policies the PKNd follow will be crucial in determining the path the country will follow going forwards.

The Council of the Thirteen will also be assembled soon. It is appointed by the King on the advice of the Prime Minister.


Constituency Map of the Federal Kingdom of Noumonde

Election Results in Full:



Noumondian Conservative Alliance/Parikatan Konservatif Noumondian (PKNd) - 261 seats
------- Noumondian Party/Parti Noumondian (PN) - 134 seats
------- Alliance for Cooperation/Perikatan untuk Kerjasama (PK) - 91 seats
------- Nouville Conservative Party/Parti Konservatif Nouville (PKNv) - 17 seats
------- Eastern Noumondian Alliance/Perikatan Timur Noumondian (PTN) - 11 seats
------- Monarchist Movement/Gerakan Monarki (GM) - 8 seats

Thirteen States Movement/Gerakan Tiga Belas Negeri (GTBN) - 163 seats
------- Federalist Alliance/Parikatan Federalis (PF) - 103 seats
------- Mondesian Party for Progress/Parti Mondesian untuk Kemajuan (PMK) - 27 seats
------- Mondesian People's Alliance/Perikatan Rakyat Mondesian (PRM) - 21 seats
------- Masjima Party/Parti Masjima (PM) - 8 seats
------- Tanahgema Party/Parti Tanahgema (PTh) - 4 seats

Eastern Mondesian Front/Depan Mondesian Timur (DMT) - 51 seats
------- Eastern Power/Kuasa Timur (KT) - 26 seats
------- Liar Alliance/Perikatan Liar - 8 seats
------- Tempahir Party/Parti Tempahir (PTp) - 6 seats
------- Sudat Party/Parti Sudat (PS) - 6 seats
------- Malajau Front/Barisan Malajau (BM) - 5 seats

Independents/Bebas - 25 seats

[Locke1342]

King Perwira condemns Violence in Vascania, December 4750


The Yang di-Berkhidmat has condemned the rising violence in the Vascanian Empire. Addressing his advisers, it has been reported that His Majesty raised the issue of the increasing levels of tension between the Vascanian government and the Bhapori people. During the weekly foreign policy meeting, His Majesty asked what Dikurniakan could do to help the situation. One idea posited was to open the nation up to Vascanian citizens who wished to claim political asylum. Other matters which were discussed during the meeting included the World Congress' plan for agricultural subsidies and the recent confusion of events in Bianjie.

Following the meeting of the King's advisers, a spokesperson for the Yang di-Berkhidmat gave a statement to the press in which the Dikurniakan government unequivocably condemned both the terrorist attacks and the increase in police brutality which have occurred in Vascania. The violence, the spokesperson suggested, helped to "cement the stereotype of Third World nations being backwards," and would further present the eastern hemisphere as a "violent, dangerous place." The statement was very careful not to get involved within the internal politics of the Empire and did not give any clues to whether His Majesty lands on the side of the reelected right-wing government or the autonomy-demanding Bhapori protesters.

[Locke1342]

National Flag Act Passes Through National Assembly, January 4751




Noumonde has established for the first time in recorded history a national flag. The historic vote, which passed the National Assembly 361-123 means that the blue-white-green tricolor will from henceforth be adopted as the national flag of Noumonde. The vote split the new government, however, as most of the votes against came from the Noumondian parties (in particular the Assembly's largest party - Noumondian Party) due to the inclusion of the Ahmadi (and in particular Israeist) crescent and star symbol. Most Mondesians are practicing Ahmadis with Israeism and Sahabism being the two largest denominations within the country, whereas amongst the Noumondian population there is a roughly equal split between Sahabists, Aurorian Hosians, and irreligious.

The Prime Minister, Pascal Bintang, who is himself a practicing Sahabist, voted in favour of the motion before the legislation was signed into law by the King (who holds a veto on all issues bar financial/economic ones). Yet many in the Prime Minister's party voted against the bill. Of the 123 rejections, all but 10 came from his own Noumondian Conservative Alliance (PKNd), whilst the Eastern Noumondian Alliance (part of PKNd) abstained alongside five Sahabist Eastern Power delegates.

Disagreement within the ruling coalition so early is a little worrying, but most analysts believe that once the government turns its attention to economic matters there should be a greater level of consensus. "The issue of a national flag was always going to divide Noumondian opinion," one analyst pointed out. "The government have managed to solve this problem quickly by using the political capital they have as a new government to push this through without too much dather and delay which would definitely hurt them."

Overall, however, it the flag will act as a symbol that Noumonde is finally looking to look past Canrillaise influence and establish its own identity. The nod to its religious makeup, as well as the geographical symbolism of the blue-white-green (sea-coast-rainforest) demonstrates a nation ready to make its own way in the world and at last free itself of the shackles of colonialism. This new look Noumonde is on its way to establishing itself as a nation independent of its past.

[Locke1342]

Education Reform Passed, March 4751



The Yang di-Berkhidmat signing the Universal Education Reform Act of 4751 into law

The National Assembly has today passed legislation to provide fully subsidised education for every child in Noumonde up to the age of 16. The private system, which will have its prices controlled by the government, is hoped to give a more comprehensive form of education to the children of Noumonde who are currently often failed by the poorly funded educational facilities of local governments. Meanwhile the King confirmed he had agreed with two unnamed private contractors to build two brand new universities, one of which to be built in Pelabuhanama (the capital of the Julienna state), and the other in Teluk Syurga (capital of Masijima state).

Currently, education is funded by local administrations still trying to get on their feet economically following the reunification of Noumonde. This means that several of the more cash-strapped states, in particular in the east of country, have been unable to adequately fund their education services. Whilst this issue was discussed at the Constitutional Federative Assembly at the beginning of 4750 no agreement could be made at the time between delegates regarding the funding of education, though the King said that he would make sure that education was any government's "first priority".

Education Minister, Awda binti Sharaf stated that the new education system would mean that every Noumondan child would have the mathematic, scientific and literary skills to be part of a modern-day workforce. In a interview she said that it was her ambition for one of Terra's next generation of world leading scientists to be born in Noumonde. Awda Sharaf also confirmed that His Majesty had also been in discussions with government about starting a Royal Scholarship to reward university places to lower-income students in the STEM subjects.

Such a scheme would help reinforce the view analysts are touting that Introducing this is an attempt by the government to bring the eastern states back into line with the western ones. Whilst many of the Noumondian dominated states have strong education systems, it is the eastern, more Mondesian states which have lower quality of life and poorer educational services. Yet whilst these reforms are "encouraging," according to Thirteen States Movement leader, Malim bin Indera, they do not go far enough in order to address the "huge disparity between the quality of lives of the Noumondians and the quality of life of the Mondesians." When debating the issue in the National Assembly, Malim Indera argued that the only way the government will achieve equality of opportunity for its pupils was through a publicly run education system:

I promised on the first day of this Assembly that I would provide constructive criticism of the government, and I can honestly say that the legislation in front of us today is a significant step forward from what the current situation is. However, if they really wish to end the inequality between Noumondians and Mondesians once and for all, they must go one step further than subsidisation and establish a nationally run education system.

The Eastern Mondusian Front were significantly more upfront about their rejection of the legislation, calling it "a ploy" in order to dupe voters into thinking that the Noumondian government were serious about Mondesian issues.

The government rejected the both the opposition leader's and the Eastern Mondusian Front's positions, suggesting that a publicly run system would need an increase in taxes, and that Noumonde's economy needs stimulation rather than sedation. However, the government further added that it planned to expand further on these education reforms and this act would not be the last. Furthermore, it suggested that it wishes to look at the role of religion when it comes to education, and would be looking at persuading His Majesty to enact a Royal Commission to review religion's role.