Vascania

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New Vascanian Military Equipment 'Sign Of Growing Strength' Says Minister


New Driver-less Manas Tank

Thikkonagama, Kalam Nadu - The Vascanian military has been empowered by a series of new military developments which will give it an advantage in future conflicts. Most significantly, a new small tank that does not require a driver has been developed by the government - to be named after Emperor Manas III. This tank is armed with a machine gun and a grenade launcher, though researchers have suggested future improvements could allow for other attachments which will allow the small tank to fight effectively in narrow streets or to destroy barricades that obstruct military targets.

There have also been other major developments in the nation's military capabilities with regards to equipment. In particular, the government has started to issue new and improved Bullpup rifles to the common soldier with modifications made to ensure maximal efficiency in urban combat environments. The government justified this move as being 'a sign of growing strength and a strategic recognition of the future needs of the Vascanian army'. The new rifles will 'maximise versatility and flexibility' says the Minister for Defence, Mahadaji Nan:

I am very happy to be announcing these new improvements to our national military capabilities. This is only the beginning of a long series of developments we are making to ensure that Vascania is respected internationally.

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60% Decrease In Piracy In Recent Years

Sangora, Kalam Nadu - Piracy on the Vascanian coast has been dramatically reduced, according to government statistics. A massive 60% drop in pirate activities and piracy-related convictions has occurred over the last decade, with the coast guard the most likely part to thank. Since gaining office, the federal left wing government has invested massively in the coast guard in an effort to appease the Sangora area, which went dramatically in favour of the right-wing Action Party during the last federal election

These investments now seem to have paid off as people on coastal areas feel safer than ever, according to recent polling. Vascania now has one of the lowest ratios of piracy convictions to coastline in kilometres, as measured by the 'Sangora Index', named after a city that once lived in fear of piracy. Before the Vanakalamese Civil War, the city was ravaged consistently by piracy and contained a smuggling harbour that was uncontrollable to authorities. Today, that area is a prosperous middle class neighbourhood in one of the country's most wealthy cities. Some critics have said not enough has been done to help victims of piracy, and that some of the area demolished was actually a substitute for affordable housing. The city's mayor denies both claims, saying that it is the local right-wing government has actually been the source of lowered piracy with it's tough-on-crime attitude.

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Election 4760:
SDP Vote Collapses Despite Government Popularity
Regionalists Hold Balance Of Power
Agrarians Gain Big In Southern Kalkalistan


Election results. Above, popular vote share; below, number of seats.

In spite of what had widely been viewed as an economically successful term of governance, the governing Social Democratic Party has fallen in vote share spectacularly throughout the Empire. Under a mixed-member proportional system, the SDP fell back 100 seats exactly, with their rivals the national conservative Action Party -led by Hasika Asuri - losing 21 seats. The major parties' losses were caused by a surge in interest for the Empire's third parties, in particular the populist Communitarian Party (also called simply 'Community') and the hard-left Democratic Socialist Party (also known as 'the Socialists').

The result came as a surprise to the government, as their approval ratings were quite high throughout the country and polling had shown them losing only a dozen or so seats in the run up to the vote. Theories that people did not want to tell pollsters they were voting for more radical parties have been spread across social media, though pollster Iyati Paramannca says it is more likely that bad news in the final few days of the campaign hurt the government. In particular, recent stock market troubles, an embarrassing failed bid for a Security Council seat, an apathetic student voter base and the personal popularity of Community's leader Patala Kotadia were likely factors in the surprise result.

The result casts doubt on the ability of the Social Democrats to form government again, though they would certainly have support from the Socialists and almost certainly from the Green Party. The Action Party will likely use its popular vote victory as leverage in bringing the regional parties on board - as well as a handful of regional-aligned independents - who might otherwise resent the party for its historic pro-centralisation policies. A number of moderate independents may also be required to form government.

Community made major advances in the south, particularly in poorer towns. The Greens picked up a number of seats on the mostly upper-middle-class island of Kayal. The socialists stormed ahead in the troubled region of Bhaporistan, where the Action Party fared very poorly once again. Of course, Vascania is an extremely diverse and large country. In this article, we at Vascania News will break down the results for the public and any international sources. Below are the results when the country is split into four roughly equally-populated geographic and cultural areas.

Vanakalam


Vote shares in Kalam Nadu and Avidangana.

Vanakalam has always been a stronghold for the conservative Action Party, being an area that has developed massively since the Empire's creation. With the Action Party tracing its roots all the way back to the pro-democracy camp in the Vanakalamese Civil War, there was no question that the area would vote solidly for the right-wing bloc. Indeed, the SDP's vote share fell by around ten points in this region, having been at an all-time high last election - in the mid-thirties in terms of percentages. In particular, the Action Party won convincingly in the Sangora seats and in the countryside around Srishayini Temple. The SDP lost a number of seats in the Thikkonagama metropolitan area in the south of Kalam Nadu, though most of these individual members were re-elected via the regional list system.

The Greens made a number of gains in wealthier suburban towns and coastal areas, though they were unable to make a significant breakthrough. The Green leader, Kianosh Shapour, had suggested that the long-term goal of the Greens is to become the main opposition to the Action Party in their strongholds of Kalam Nadu and Kayal Island (which is in the next region we plan to cover). Only in the latter area did they succeed. The socialists and agrarians performed poorly in this area, possibly because of the lower level of poverty. Hasika Asuri, leader of the Action Party, won again in her own seat in Avidangana by a large margin.

Eastern Kalkalistan


Vote shares in Rajuttistan, Hamal Pradesh and Zaqrandi Pradesh.

Eastern Kalkalistan contains the national capital, Kamalata, which swung dramatically towards the the SDP in the last election. This seems to have mostly reversed in these new results, though the SDP held up better in Hamal Pradesh and Zaqrandi Pradesh, two cultural minority provinces that have less natural affection for the Action Party. The suburban areas around the capital have historically been heavily pro-Action, though there was a slight increase in Green Party support which was primarily at the expense of the Social Democrats. Indeed, throughout the region the SDP also lost to the more hard-line Socialists, who appealed to the less developed neighbourhoods of the capital and similar towns in Zaqrandi Pradesh.

Kayal Island was a top target for the Green Party, who were seeking to win over new supporters in the trendy towns on the eastern side of the island. They gained a handful of seats, two of them from Action Party members who stepped down. The Prime Minister Subhas Luitail was able to narrowly retain his seat on the western side of the island, though even if he had been defeated he would have been the first SDP name elected off the regional list. The Communitarians also unexpectedly edged out the Socialists in Hamal Pradesh and in the process topped the regional vote in a state for the first time.

South-West Kalkalistan


Vote shares in Khond and Rajavant.

South-West Kalkalistan gave the Communitarian Party a lot to be happy about on election night, with dramatic upsets in Rajavant as SDP members were pushed out of their seats and then rendered unable to rely on the list system to put them back in parliament. Community's leader Patala Kotadia trounced the incumbent Minister for Justice in a high-profile local race, though the Minister will now take Kotadia's space on the regional list instead. The area also provided some good news to the Agrarian Party, who had previously been a two-man band in the parliament. Partially through a successful regional list campaign in mid-Rajavant, those two members now have 41 more friends joining them in parliament, 16 of which are from the south-western part of Kalkalistan.

Localist parties also triumphed in the area, especially a number of smaller liberal-conservative parties focusing on transport issues, the upkeep of historic sites and respectful temple maintenance. This is a potentially good sign for the Action Party if it wants to reform government, as these types of local parties are far less likely to baulk at the idea of partnering with the right-wingers. The Greens made a number of gains as well, primarily on the more middle class southern coast of Rajavant.

North-West Kalkalistan


Vote shares in Utsal, Bhaporistan and Sanashtra.

North-West Kalkalistan was were the SDP fell back the most dramatically, shedding over twenty points from their popular vote percentage and with forty-two of their one-hundred losses in this region alone. They lost a number of seats in the densely populated cities of Utsal, mostly to the Democratic Socialist Party which invested its campaign staff very heavily in that area. Indeed, the leader of the DSP won his own seat there against a prominent and incumbent Independent who had made unpleasant remarks about Bhaporis on social media. The Community party also gained some seats from the SDP, largely in the working-class state of Sanashtra.

The Socialists blew every other party out of the water in the troubled region of Bhaporistan, which continues to suffer from sporadic ethnic conflicts and random attacks of law authorities. The Action Party, often blamed locally for some of the police-related tension, performed very poorly in the area - it also failed to make gains in Sanashtra despite a large and very well-funded get-out-the vote operation.

Overall, this election had a number of interesting and unexpected twists to it. Who forms government next is hard to say, though both the Social Democratic Party and the Action Party will certainly be trying to court smaller, regional parties in a desperate bid to get parliamentary approval and imperial ascent. Emperor Sanas III will invite a new Prime Minister to office whenever that moment occurs, whether it be incumbent SDP PM Subhas Luitail or Action Party leader Hasika Asuri.

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Lutail Clings On By His Smelly Fingers
by Prem Joshi

The FOUL-SMELLING Prime Minister Subhas Luitail has tragically been able to form another government after the recent election results. After so narrowly escaping defeat in his Kayal Island seat, MR SMELLY has also been able to gain the support of the TREACHEROUS regionalist group in parliament to form a new government. He will be forming his government along with the 'Democratic' SOCIALIST Party and the SJW Greens, who love to VIRTUE SIGNAL about how amazing they are just because they don't litter or smack their dog when it gets too loud. This new government will no-doubt be driven by a desire to DESTORY our culture and our traditions, while giving YOUR MONEY to the LAZY AND SHIFTLESS in cities like Bhapor.

It's a true tragedy this was allowed to happen, and my thoughts go out to the GRACEFUL leader of the RIGHTEOUS Action Party, Hasika Asuri, who led a very HONOURABLE campaign and came so close to winning. She had the great majority of the support of the Kalam and Avidanganese people, but was fell by the FOUL people of terrible places like Utsari and Bhaporistan (UGH). Do not despair though, dear reader, because we will have our time. We will reclaim our nation from these BASTARDS, and I am glad to say that Hasika Asuri will be staying on to fight the next election.

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Government Plans Major Naval Investment


Above: draft proposal for the new Vascanian destroyer.

Sangora, Kalam Nadu - The government of Prime Minister Subhas Luitail has announced a major increase in spending on the nation's navy, with plans to reinforce and expand the current fleet. The investment will consist primarily of a new destroyer, two new frigates and four new corvettes over the next decade - though there will also be large investments in coastal defences and the coast guard. Costs are expected to be up to 50 billion rupees, and will be paid for by an increase in the top rate of tax - which predictably has caused mixed reaction from some on the political right who are defence hawks but high-tax-averse. The names of the seven new ships are yet to be announced, however some technical information has been made available.

The government has said that as an island nation, surrounded by ocean, the Vascanian Empire should be prepared for conflicts in the region and be able to respond aptly to threats of piracy, even though instances of piracy have been on the decline in recent decades across the country. Some commentators have suggested that the government is seeking to become a larger power on the international stage, developing a military system to rival western powers. Decades of speculation about imperial enlargement at the expense of nearby nations have also fed the theory that this navy could be used to enforce Vascanian hegemony on Rapa Pile, Medina and Tropica. The Ministry for Defence has denied claims of ulterior motives, maintaining a firm line that this enlargement is a matter of national defence and not of external aggression.

Vascania has not been involved in a conflict with another nation for several hundred years, though it maintains the world's largest army by manpower - with constitutional provisions to allow for mass-conscription in cases of war. The new technology required for the production of these ships has been acquired via extensive outreach to the nation's growing scientific research sector, who aided in the production of the new Manas-type tank. The new classes of ships in this major investment will likely be used in the next decade, as the government recently unveiled a 'hundred year strategy' to make Vascania the primary power east of Yingala and Kazulia. International reaction to a growing Vascania is likely to be mixed, though the Minister for Defence, Mahadaji Nan, has said that 'it would be very strange for nations satisfied by our cheap production of their clothes and technology to suddenly be upset by us taking an interest in our own defence'.

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Stock Market Registers All-Time High In Kamalata

Kamalata, Rajuttistan - The main Vascanian stock market - the VASK - has registered an all-time high of 10,152 points as of this evening, marking the first time that number has ventured north of 10,000. Celebrations could be heard on the busy stock floor as traders rejoiced at the sudden flash of green upon the many monitors above their heads, with a number of record returns for many of the buyers and sellers today. The end to uncertainty over the recent election, the nation's developing investment in naval technology and the higher-than-expected profits posted by many of the nation's technology companies are all factors in this important milestone.

The government expects to take in much higher than budgeted taxation after a number of the VASK's largest businesses, including Ajuna Manufactoring and the social media company reaksocial, announced they had made much higher than expected profits. The economic news is good for Prime Minister Subhas Luitail, who was nearly unseated at the last election and has been trying to appeal to moderate voters evere since. The Ministry of Finance has commented that their next goal is to reduce inflation to below 5% to meet the government's target by 4765.

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Vascanian Airforce To Get Major Boost

Kamalata, Rajuttistan - Kayal-Island based manufacturer Aidhonira has been granted a prestigious contract to produce many new jet fighters for the Vascanian airforce, with the contract worth up to 9 billion rupees per year. The contract requires the production of 40 jets per year after one and a half years of research and original development. The contract could continue for up to seven years, resulting in an almost entirely replenished and replaced air force. The contract will be paid for through borrowing from a number of international investors alongside yet another small tax increase on top earners.

This would vastly improve the Empire's ability to control the airspace around the continent, as well as monitor piracy activity just off of its shores. Some of the Social Democratic Party's left-wing voters have expressed disappointment that the government is continuing to invest so heavily in the military, when many areas of the country such as Utsal and Bhaporistan remain underdevelopped. Socialist leader Faran Cunnarillat and Communitarian Party leader Patala Kotadia have both condemned the move, though they remain supportive of the government as a whole.

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The New Vascania
Vascania is receiving record foreign investment and buffing up its military industry
New city of Sangamara to be built on Kayal Island

Vascania's economy is growing at the fastest rate since unification, with living standards on the steep incline. Foreign investors are choosing Kayal Island over traditional financial centres like Haldor and Bekenial. The Vascanian government is funnelling funds into its naval and aerial capabilities. What is behind this boom in activity?

The Empire's economy has grown strongly and consistently for the past five years under Prime Minister Subhas Luitail, who has emphatically encouraged foreign investments through repeated offerings of government contracts to corporations from across the globe. Luitail has also invested heavily in small business grants to increase job opportunities and build on the middle class, with affordable homes being built around urban centres.

There have been concerns that this has caused a gentrification process in urban centres, and has been paid for by high taxes on the Empire's large, agricultural-land-owner class. The nation is now increasingly having to rely on imports, which has required the reduction in protectionist tariffs - a move that has angered many Vanakalamese business owners.

Major investments in the nation's military, particularly in its navy, have greatly increased the nation's influence in the region. Hundreds of billions of rupees will be poured into new ships, aircraft and tanks in the next two decades, with plans to become one of the world's largest military forces by the end of the century. Medina, Tropica, Xsampa, Rapa Pile and Kurageri have all been targeted by Vascanian investors and diplomats in a serious outreach effort, which completes a multi-pronged approach to building up the nation's sustained sphere of influence. Trade deals are likely to be the next step in the development of Vascania's regional relationships, as it looks to become the east's preeminent power.

Vascania will soon have a third stock market based in Vora, with an emphasis on the nation's growing technology sector. Kayal island and Vora valley have been the epicentres of a massive increase in tech start-ups and development for existing brands, with social media innovation having driven significant growth in the area. CEO Kareena Panda's reaksocial has already began a large-scale community-outreach program to increase brand perception and has sponsored a degree program in the disadvantaged region of Bhaporistan to get new people into the tech industry.

Perhaps the pinnacle of this advancement is the construction of a new planned city on the western coast of Kayal Island. Sangamara is the name of the Empire's newest city, a major planned project based on increased economic activity on the island. This new metropolis will be based around a small, underdeveloped fishing port, but will have a new town centre with epic architecture and luxurious modern apartments to draw in the nation's young, fresh middle class. The city will be built up quarter by quarter, with some of Kayal Island's key businesses sponsoring certain neighbourhoods in order to get privileged access to the city's major utilities at a discounted price.

The government's left-wing supporters and coalition-supporting socialists have been enraged by most of this activity, which they regard as capitalistic imperialism at the expense of the marginalised. Socialist leader Faran Cunnarillat has expressed deep dissatisfaction with the actions of his coalition partners, who he says have spent money on 'attempting to gain international recognition over helping the nation's neediest'. With elections coming up soon for the Empire, there are rumours that a major realignment of national politics could soon happen - where politics is not based on conservatism versus liberalism, but on externalism versus internalism.

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Greens & Social Democrats To Merge - Socialists Left Out

Kamalata, Rajuttistan - A major development in Vascanian politics was announced today, as Kianosh Shapour of the Greens and Prime Minister Subhas Luitail of the Social Democrats have announced that the two parties will merge and run in the upcoming election on one platform as the 'Progressive Alliance'. This means the two parties will run a single candidate in each district, and one list in each region. The alliance will run on a platform of internationalism, free trade and high levels of public spending - especially on advancing the nation's foreign policy.

Left out of this alliance is the other member of the governing coalition, the Socialists. The Democratic Socialist Party of Vascania, as it is officially registered, has savaged the nation's increased spending on the military and will be campaigning on internal development, worker representation on corporate boards and inheritance reform. The right-wing Action Party has also taken a strong anti-free-trade position with a manifesto based on protectionism and cultural conservatism. The party has, however, moved to the left on environmental issues - with a proposal to spend more developing nuclear power as opposed to oil production.

The Agrarian Party has fallen into disarray, as have most of the regional parties, as farmers have gravitated towards the Action Party and disillusioned minorities have moved to back the Socialists. Both of these anti-Luitail forces have marketed heavily to minor party voters, as local issues take the back seat over concerns about internationalism and military development. Both the AP and the United Regional Group are threatened with falling under 5% of the popular vote, taking them out of the top tier of federal funding and forcing them to rely on the more time-consuming, signature-collecting process of unlocking federal funds.

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Election '64: What To Watch Out For

Vascania is headed for its most divisive election in centuries, with four extremely different parties competing for votes. Each party is proposing highly contrasting policies and have focused heavily on particular demographics and locales where they think they can gain the upper hand. The four major parties are: the Communitarians and their leader Patala Kotadia; the Action Party and their leader Hasika Asuri; the new Progressive Alliance under current Prime Minister Subhas Luitail; the Socialists under Faran Cunnarillat. In this article, Vascania News' election team will guide you through the key seats, battleground states and big names for Election 4764.

Modern Vanakalam

The Progressives have their hearts set on the traditional right-wing heartland of Vanakalam, in particular the flourishing northern coast of Kalam Nadu. Once oppressed by piracy and smugglers' rings, the coastline north of Sangora has developed into a tourist destination with low unemployment. Dock workers in coastal Avidangana have been buoyed by news of new naval investment, which has led to government-sponsored profit-sharing schemes. If anywhere in the Vascanian Empire is going to swing towards the incumbent government, it will be this area which has so clearly benefited from the bloom of Vascanian innovation.

Graduates are much more likely to vote for Luitail, with environmental concerns becoming the number one issue in some of the small, coastal villages along the shoreline. Luitail has worked hard with his Minister for the Environment, Kianosh Shapour, to cultivate an ecological image that is optimised to win votes in this region. It is likely that this will come into sharp conflict with the very socially conservative tendency of the rural and exurban areas surrounding Sangora and central Kalam Nadu, which should help the Action Party maintain an advantage region-wide. There is also an interesting local race in which right-wing political pundit and columnist Prem Joshi is targeting the only non-Action Party member of parliament in Sangora, who he accuses of being a 'gay marxist'.

Key seats:
- Abalya, northern, suburban seat represented by the Action Party's Sathush Suvanan, targeted by Progressive Vithusa Haniha
- Sangora South-West, urban seat held by moderate independent Naveen Geerthakan, targeted by independent, right-wing columnist Prem Joshi
- Adharsha, large coastal seat represented by the Action Party's Vrishin Perepa, targeted by Progressive Jap Mantha

Utsari Woes

Utsal was once the absolute core of the centre-left's support base in federal elections. It had voted for the Social Democrats consistently for two hundred years and voted nearly 50% for the now-defunct SDP when Luitail was first elected. These voters dramatically abandoned the Prime Minister four years ago, causing his party to lose 100 seats - mostly in this region. Instead, the Socialists have surged into third place here and are looking for a convincing win over the Progressives and the Action Party by running up their scores in cities like Bhapor or working class farmland in southern Utsal.

They will have some competition from the Communitarian Party, led by the charismatic and popular Patala Kotadia, who will be hoping to break the 100-seat-barrier and hold the balance of power in the next parliament. She is barnstorming through Sanashtra in the hopes of winning some more seats on the regional list. She herself is not standing here, but her message of cultural conservatism and economic populism has really broken through with former Action Party supporters in a region without the affluent, growing suburbs which buoy the major, established parties elsewhere.

Key seats:
- Saadal-Upasa, urban seat held by Progressive Somu Hamid, targeted by Socialist Chaman Osmani
- Durupa, coastal town seat held by Progressive Minister for Industry Ekalavya Devi, targeted by Socialist Ektaa Mallick
- Pagishka, town-based seat held by Progressive Varsha Mahasaya, targeted by Communitarian Vinita Ghani

Kayal & Kamalata: Tomorrow's Vascania

The capital of Kamalata is only an hour's ferry ride away from the very affluent island of Kayal, which has been home to the nation's tech industry surge. The general area has greatly increased in wealth and prosperity as new housing has expanded the urban centres and entire new cities will soon have to be built to accommodate the middle class baby boom that has resulted from it. These middle class voters on Kayal Island will almost certainly swing strongly towards the green component of the Progressive Alliance, with Subhas Luitail's seat on the inner shore of the island likely to be retained.

There are, however, growing concerns about gentrification and the so-called 'left behinds' who have not felt the nation's economic growth in their pockets or their bank accounts. Most of these voters supported Luitail in his first election victory, and unlike many of the Utsari and Bhapori poor remained faithful four years ago as well. If they abandon their historic party now, the Socialists could surge into second or even first place, while the Progressives will have to really make up for their failings in other areas.

Key seats:
- Kamalata Centre, ultra-urban seat held by Progressive Anil Divakar, targeted by Socialist Aaliya Kamal
- Kamalata Bhatarshi, ultra-urban seat represented by Progressive Dhani Upasani, targeted by Socialist Amish Kapadia
- Kayal Dravesha, modernising, island seat held by Action Party's Vijya Srivastav, targeted by Progressive Goyal Maavika

Where the Fields Meet the Coastline
The south-west of Kalkalistan was once dominated by localist and agrarian parties, but they have now declined and their seats are being targeted heavily by the Action Party, especially the rural seats which are inclined to be somewhat socially conservative and religiously traditional. The Action Party is hoping for major gains in Rajavant to counterbalance losses to the Socialists in urban areas. Increasingly, these rural areas see themselves less as part of distinct regions alongside the coastal and urban areas, but instead as having solidarity with rural areas in other parts of the country - united by cultural conservatism.

The Progressives also think they can make a few gains at the expense of local independents and minor parties along the southern coast of Rajavant, which have developed somewhat as a result of the national economy improving. Though not as liberal or environmentalist as Kayal island or northern Avidangana, this coast and the nearby Vora valley are certainly ripe targets in an election season which has seen moderate local parties be swept aside.

Key seats:
- Vatavana West, coastal, urban seat represented by local-affiliated independent Gagan Pande, targeted by Progressive Chhotu Nanku
- Dakheta, rural seat held by the Agrarian Party's Sandracottos Raj, targeted by Action Party's Leela Deshmukh
- Virorka, rural seat currently held by the Agrarian Party's Alia Kamal, targeted by Action Party's Vrikod Chattarak