Vascania

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Condemnation of Vascanian Interference in Southern Artania viewtopic.php?f=17&t=66&start=720#p171667

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Election 4912: Hard right to enter government
28 July 4912

          

The hard right coalition of the RM and VRK are likely to enter government after the RM became the largest party by far in the Vascanian parliament. However, even with the help of the populist SAM, they will need to 'poach' MPs from the opposition parties. This means that they will have to do individual deals with independents and more conservative USLF or AVL members to pass budgets and avoid votes of no-confidence. The resulting government will be right-wing by nature, but will be severely restricted in what it is able to pass due to the many sides it must please to maintain its legislative majority. Among the party's proposals likely to take effect is an increase in the legislative term to five years.

The RM won the clear plurality of constituencies in the election, topping the polls in every state besides Bhaporistan, Utsal and Rajuttistan. For the first time in the party's history, it came first in Paristan, Rajavant, Khond and Surasa - breaking the party's losing streak in the south-west. However, in the capital of Kamalata, the RM failed to get the breakthrough they had been hoping for and took no seats in the city's metropolis. Despite this, the far-right managed to take seats in unexpected places, including the Kalinda-based seat of Prime Minister Amrit Pande. Though Pande will remain in parliament due to list votes, the concentrated campaign against him lead to a shocking result that has already severely damaged the AVL and its public image.

The AVL won many constituencies in Utsal and Bhaporistan - their heartlands - but they failed to win many seats elsewhere. They ended up falling backwards, causing party leader Karna Devadhikar much embarrassment even though she kept her parliamentary seat with a large majority. Key races that developed in the night included a tense battle in central Kamalata between the AVL and USLF, a photo finish in the country's furthest south seat in Rajavant, as well as the Prime Minister's defeat.

The SAM will have significant power over the right-wing coalition and will likely demand significant positions in the cabinet. Independents and minor party candidates from Thikkonagama and other large cities will also want special investment in their areas even if the RM and VRK themselves have largely rural bases of support. More socially conservatives members of the USLF largely retained their seats and will likely be looking for budget concessions from the right in order to support them on choice votes. The USLF and AVL at-large will oppose the new conservative government in essentially every way they can and make even eject members from their caucus who help the RM-VRK-SAM coalition.

          VascaniaNews is a Vascanian public news service produced by the Vascanian Broadcast Union

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Nationalist government building bridges with Emperor Kritagni
22 March 4914

The recently coronated Emperor Kritagni is reportedly in continuous contact with the recently elected right-wing government in Kamalata and is hoping to work collaboratively with them, sources inside the palace say. The Emperor is understood to be considering regular cabinet attendance in the vein of Empress Sumitra, granting him a closer position to the running of the country than most monarchs have chosen to accept. Reportedly, Emperor Kritagni is working alongside Prime Minister Thayakan to create a strong and durable bond between the palace and the parliament, which has been worn away by successively moderate Emperors.

The Emperor, who admires the overt religious principles of his ancestor Empress Sumitra, is known to favour the political right. The political right, in turn, tends to favour increased powers for the monarch and the direct involvement of the Emperor in the business of managing the country. The Imperial Crown is intended constitutionally to serve as a quasi-religious institution and a uniting figurehead for the entire Empire but the extent of its involvement with governance and its political powers are not defined explicitly. Within the various interpretations available, Emperor Kritagni and the Prime Minister agree on a hard-line monarchist view that the Imperial Court is the supreme power of the land and divinely inspired in matters of state.

Emperor Kritagni does have particular flaws in his appeal, however, which are his religious beliefs. Though the nation holds an official stance in favour of Sundarat Dharma, the actual beliefs of the faith can be interpreted differently. For most Vascanians, the religion includes a mixture of teachings from Geraja, Daenism and ancient folk beliefs. Indeed, these are the faiths from which the state religion is fundamentally derived. However, there are key aspects of theology which are interpreted differently by different groups. Emperor Kritagni's interpretations are known to be very much closer to Daenism specifically than most other monarchs in Vascanian history. As such, the Emperor's distance from more Gerajan rituals and social teachings has lead to a controversy within the nation's most prestigious Brahmin. The Emperor views his position as deeply religious and his scepticism towards the Brahmin class and the vestiges of the caste system in general will only continue to cause religious division a his role continues.

The syncretic nature of Sundarat Dharma allows a spectrum of beliefs, with most Vascanians opting to take a 'middle approach'. However, with the exact nature of the national faith still debated by theologians and the public at large, the religion of ordinary people is changing. Hosianism is known to be growing among the middle classes, particularly in wealthier areas of the country like southern Rajavant and Kayal Island. If the state-sanctioned religion looks increasingly messy and divisive, significant religious changes in Vascania could be observed causing great political change in turn.


The Kamalata Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Kamalata with national and international circulation.

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Flooding devastates Paristan
18 February 4915

          
           Above: flooding has devastated Karo, the largest city and capital of Paristan.

Heavy monsoon rain has created a catastrophic flood in the low-lying areas of the state of Paristan, along Vascania's south-west coast. The state's largest city and capital, Karo, has been particularly badly effected with at least 20 people reported dead and dozens more still missing. The federal government has promised a 'swift and intense' response, with emergency services from Bhaporistan, Khond, Rajavant and even as far away as Surasa being rerouted to help the rescue and salvage efforts. The monetary damage to property and key infrastructure is likely to get into the tens of millions of rupees, with some smaller structures being rendered uninhabitable and requiring reconstruction.

Blame has been laid on the state government for evacuation failures, with the assembly in Karo having gained a reputation for incompetence and inefficiency. The ruling coalition in Karo is an awkward alliance of the USLF and AV, with frequent infighting and difficulty reaching conclusions on key public works programs. Public rage around the deaths and the apparent lack of preparation has boiled over on social media, with the state's First Minister forced to deactivate his online profiles to avoid anonymous threats. The hashtag "#WhatAboutParistan?" has trended at number one for more than 24 hours now.

Measures to combat monsoon-season flooding have advanced significantly in Vascania over the last century, with federal funding going to projects that keep the water away from urbanised areas. Several multi-million rupee works have been undertaken to build small artificial valleys which can hold the excess water as well as shallow channels leading from low-lying areas to the sea. The state of Paristan has had trouble procuring funding for these extremely expensive earthworks even as its neighbours in Khond and Rajavant have excelled in reshaping the land to protect against the monsoon's severe rainfall. This has led to accusations of favouritism from successive governments towards the larger and more electorally valuable regions to the state's north and south-east. The federal government, now under RM-VRK control, is promising to construct anti-monsoon earthworks 'immediately' after the first response efforts are complete.

          VascaniaNews is a Vascanian public news service produced by the Vascanian Broadcast Union

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Emperor presses religious reforms to increase Daenist influence
18 September 4915

The Emperor's Daenist sympathies have led to a significant period of reform to the state-sanctioned faith, Sundarat Dharma. Emperor Kritagni will direct the priest of Vascania to preach ideas clearly in line with a Daenist perspective with Geraja influences side-lined. As the head of the national religion, the teachings it provides to the Vascanian people is at the Emperor's discretion. Among the key teachings to be emphasised by the clergy are the Daenist beliefs in the impermanence of the material world and a rejection of greed, as well as a renewed focus on meditation.

Officially considered a distinct religion, Sundarat Dharma is influenced by Geraja, Daenist and folk beliefs with a unique reverence to the Vascanian Imperial family. Theologians tend to consider it as either a sister religion to Geraja or a daughter of both Geraja and Daenism - though influences from indigenous Vanashishu beliefs have been present since the faith first came to be. A spectrum of belief with varying levels of influence from each of Sundarat Dharma's parent faiths have led to its continuing evolution, with the particular philosophy of any given Emperor or Empress changing the practices and beliefs endorsed by the priestly elite. The Emperor is the spiritual head of the faith and has ultimate control over its organisation.

Emperor Kritagni's plans are not welcomed by all in the Empire's Brahmin class, with many taking issue with the apparent distancing of Geraja from Sundarata. Some are even refusing to take on board the reforms in full, risking dismissal or censure. The vast majority of Vascanians follow the traditional views on ritual and the gods which are now being deemphasised by the Imperial Court. There is little expectation that the country's religious views will be changed overnight, but it seems increasingly likely that the Emperor is positioning Sundarat Dharma to be accepted as a form of Daenism rather than its own distinct religion.

               Kalam Courier is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Kalam Nadu with a conservative editorial stance

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Left-wing parties to run united slate in 4917 election
5 April 4916

The LSS, USLF and minor or regional left wing are set to unite to contest the 4917 election, positioning themselves as an alternative democratic socialist government. Not only will the parties run united candidates for the constituency seats, they will also run a joint list for the proportionally allocated seats under Vascania's MMP system. They will also run a unified ticket in the local and state elections. Though not a permanent merger of the component parties, their unity is an effort to defeat incumbent right-wing MPs and establish a sufficient parliamentary bloc to legitimise a left-wing government. The name of the coalition is the 'Left Bloc' and will be using a dark red in its imaging and will be headed jointly by the leaders of the LSS and USLF. Smaller parties involved include the Communist Party of Vascania, the Bhaporistani Socialist Party and the Utsal Labour Alliance - all of whom hold a small number of regional assembly seats.

The grouping will shake up next year's elections on every level, providing a serious threat to the RM-VRK coalition. It is expected that the RM and VRK will continue to run separately despite this announcement from the opposition benches, as will their smaller coalition allies like the Community Party and various conservative independents. However, the Left Bloc will not include the Greens who have chosen to controversially oppose the merger. Sources inside the Greens suggest that the party's leadership is not yet ready to make a firm statement on whether they prefer the left or the moderate AVL as their coalition partners, though they are strongly opposed to the current RM-headed government.

Target constituencies for the new alliance stretch from Surasa to Sakrandi Pradesh, but there will also be a focus on running up the score in the Kamalata urban area to gain list seats in the Rajuttistani count. The Left Bloc can also threaten AVL seats in urban areas, with many seats decided by a narrow margin between the USLF and the AVL in the last election. Among the incumbent vulnerable to a concentrated effort are the VRK's leader and Finance Minister Bhavabhuti Dongerkerry and the RM's Trade Minister Amrit Daghi. Right-wing state governments in Sanashtra and Hamal Pradesh will also be vulnerable to even a small swing against them.


The Kamalata Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Kamalata with national and international circulation.

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Right-wing set for yet another narrow victory
20 May 4917

          
           Above: Summary of the election results.

The governing right-wing coalition, comprising of the RM, VRK and SAM, is set to govern Vascania for a second term with an extremely small parliamentary majority. Having campaigned on a message of national strength and traditional social values, the alliance won overwhelming support in the north and sufficient support in the south to provide an advantage over the moderate AVL and the left-wing BP - itself an alliance of smaller left-wing parties from throughout the country which chose to campaign on supporting nuclear energy and expanding the social safety net. While the RM lost some seats in the central zone of Vascania, their dominance in rural areas throughout the country, particularly in the populous state of Kalam Nadu, prevented the opposition from stripping the right of a second term in office.

Results at the state and local level were also strong for the right. They retained control of the key states of Hamal Pradesh, Sakrandi Pradesh and Sanashtra, which had all been forecasted to be competitive but each saw strong victories for the RM's regional branches. The city council in Kamalata elected its first ever RM members, though overall control swung to the Left-Wing Bloc and no conservative-minded representatives were able to win federally. The city council in Thikkonagama, the largest city in the northern zone, provided rare relief for the left as the RM's two-thirds majority was reduced to a minority with some support from independents.

The drastic regional differences in Vascanian politics grew increasingly apparent as the election results came in, with the states of Utsal, Bhaporistan and Rajuttistan overwhelmingly opposing the right while the predominantly Vanashishu states in the north like Kalam Nadu gave the government a resounding endorsement. The AVL has declined significantly outside of its middle class, coastal base where they are competing with the Green Party. The Greens also struggled in this election, getting only 23 seats. Other small, regional or minor parties continued to struggle against the powerful party machine that the RM has.

For the opposition, the results are a crushing blow. The left had hoped that by running on a united ticket, they would be able to present a clear vision to the electorate that could challenge the RM among working class voters. Instead, the group has only minorly improved on its tally and may not survive to the end of the parliamentary term. If the group splinters back into an array of national and state-level parties, a vacancy will grow for someone to provide serious opposition to the ever-ascendant nationalists and conservatives.

          VascaniaNews is a Vascanian public news service produced by the Vascanian Broadcast Union

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Government welfare and social services reforms cause outrage
3 September 4917

The Vascanian government's welfare and social services reform package has caused significant anger among the working class and the political left-wing, with many accusing the government of 'lacking compassion' for the country's neediest. The bill is supported by the far-right RM and the right-wing VRK, who have announced the proposals as a measure to pressure their more moderate SAM party allies to endorse the proposal. The reforms would significantly reduce the country's deficit and get it on track for a budget surplus by the end of 4930, but would also enact significant cuts that have been labelled as 'uncompassionate' by left-wing activists.

The government's proposals would see reduced payments for a variety of social benefits, with unemployment support and payments to the disabled being among the worst affected. The government's justification of the measures is to 'prevent complacency' among the working class and address the nation's acute budget deficit. The Ministry for Work & Industry defended the cuts as a way to encourage self-sufficiency among Vascanians, which they juxtaposed with the 'patronising charity programs' instituted under previous governments. The Ministry has also stressed that their financial advisors believe the payments will continue to be 'sufficient' in support the 'genuinely vulnerable' but will be kept in check to prevent people from earning more unemployed than employed, which the government blames for a slowing down of Vascania's economic growth. The government is also cutting subsidies for a variety of industries, but notably not for the agricultural sector.

The left-wing parties in parliament, the USLF and LSS, have come down furiously in opposition to the bill. They are pleading with the SAM to bring their senior coalition partners back to the negotiating table to at least moderate their proposals. The Prime Minister, for his part, has showed little willingness to reconsider what he considers 'essential economic work'. The PM has also defended himself against his aims to reduce the budget deficit are at odds with his desire to keep corporate tax rates low. The government says that their low spending, low taxation strategy is a way to earn the confidence of international investors and project an image of Vascania as a 'fiscally sensible' country.

               Kalam Courier is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Kalam Nadu with a conservative editorial stance

[Aquinas]

Leaked letter reveals discussion of "Raktavani Bomb"

[Luis1p]

LE NATIONAL: Lourenne begins Grand International Diplomatic Tour throughout Terra