F
Special Edition: Veritas, Justitia, Libertas
PART TWO
Trondheim, Fremet
20 April 2021
Above: Staatsoberhaupt Gaarder speaking to Fremetians on the steps of the Bundestag after being sworn in as the new Staatsoberhaupt of the Republic
A New Head of State
The High Council, made up of the provincial constituency delegations from the Staatsrat and the appointed representatives of respective Provincial Councils, met immediately after the Speaker closed the session and moved to appoint the new Head of State to serve as interim President of the Republic.
After two hours of debate, one candidate eventually achieved a unanimous vote from the 101 members of the High Council, leading Whoopi Gaarder of Norrland to be declared the First Staatsoberhaupt of the Fourth Republic of Fremet.
Staatsoberhaupt Gaarder was sworn in on the steps of the Bundestag at Noon FST, 20 April 2021.
As stipulated in Article III of the Constitution of Fremet, the Staatsoberhaupt was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Fremet. Gaarder used the official copy of the 1935 Constitution that was given to Norrland upon their ratification of the document. She placed her right hand upon the Constitution and raised her left to deliver the oath:
"By my honour and by my concience,
I, Whoopi Gaarder, do solemly swear:
That, in order to be selected Staatsoberhaupt of Fremet, I have not promised or given, directly or indirectly, any promises, gifts, or favour to any person under whatsoever name or pretext,
That, in order to do or refrain from doing anything whatsoever as Staatsoberhaupt, I have not accepted and will not accept, directly or indirectly, any promises, gifts, or favour from anyone whomsoever,
That I will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of Fremet against all enemies, foreign and domestic,
That I will bear true, concientious faith, allegiance, and adherence to the same,
That I take this obligation freely, without any reservation or purpose of evasion,
and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of Staatsoberhaupt of Fremet.
This I swear by my honour and by my concience in service of the people of Fremet."
The inauguration was observed by thousands of citizens in Trondheim's Central Square along with millions of Fremetians by radio, television, and otherwise. Whoopi's inaugural address was broadcast across Fremet and the European Union:
"My fellow Fremetians,
We have achieved something few in history have ever done: the peaceful dissolution of a monarchy and transition to a republic. This not only speaks to the strength of our institutions, but also our allegiance to them. Fremet is not merely an island, a race, or single culture. Our nation has survived decades of occupation, a century of fear, and horrific tragedy time and again. In all of that, we have been forged. In that great forge of history, we have been made into a country that protects the weak and seeks the betterment of all of its citizens. We have been lucky. In what should have destroyed our society, our culture, our spirit, our institutions, these things that give us our very grasp on reality only grew stronger.
Our institutions today remain strong. The state of the Union of Provinces formed in some shack in Fjellmark two centuries ago remains strong. We have cast off the chains of monarchy. We have proven that the idea of Fremetian democracy does not need some thoughtless figurehead to remain real. We have realised a chief goal of an egalitarian society that has alluded us for so long: that everyone, no matter their birthright, race, politics, creed, religion or lack thereof, sexual orientation— everyone— is equal under the law.
And so, we must look forward. We are all equal under the law, but what of society? If we are responsible for our actions who is responsible for our circumstance? If inequity is inevitable, must we fight against it? My fellow Fremetians, we must. For it is in the fight that we prove our ideals. It is in the fight that we grow into a better country. It is in the fight that we grow into a better society. It is in the fight that we grow into a better people.
We have always lived in tumultuous times, and the fires on our doorstep today are not merely just the crisis of the week, but the heat of the forge. This past year has proven that our metal will be tested every single day. We have been, are, and will continue to be ready.
Once again I ask, if crisis is inevitable, must we fight against it? Of course we must. What kind of people would we be if we traded our ideals— our identity— and withdrew into relative obscurity. We must fight tooth and nail in defence of every inch of ground. There is no security— there is only opportunity.
But 'Whoopi,' you may ask, 'at what point do we stop fighting?' — My dear, we stop fighting for the same reasons why we fight. When our principles— our ideals— are lost in the fight, what in truth is the point in fighting? Money is temporary and power moves with the tides. Throughout our history, only our ideals have survived the tumults of time. Only our institutions built upon those ideals have survived. When we keep fighting for the sake of it, we lose sight of the fight, we lose sight of ourselves, and we lose sight of why we fight. We must not let that happen.
As such, in my first official act as Staatsoberhaupt, I will be extending a hand across the Emerald Sea to our long-time enemy in Icholasen. Regardless of what has happened in the past, we must not let sins of the father to be laid upon the children.
Mr Sanders, both of our peoples have suffered too much for too long under the squabbles of two states nearing ever closer to disaster. If you, Mr Sanders, so claim that this UNSR is different from the empire of old, I want you to prove as much to the world. Prove it to the people of Fremet. Prove it to me. Come here and see for yourself the camps, the poisoned fields still unable to bear crops, the survivors and descendants of the tragedy that was brought upon us. Do what you must to reconcile with my people for the horrors wrought by the empire of the old, and we will do what we must to move past them.
I'm not asking for a trade agreement or an alliance of any sorts. I'm asking for communication. Dialogue. I'm asking to start the process of healing wounds a century old.
My fellow Fremetians, hear this: we mustn't lose sight, we musn't lose perspective. The government supplanted by the UNSR made no efforts to reconcile with us, instead choosing to distance themselves from the past and bury it. If this new regime is willing to hear us, why shouldn't we speak out?
Whatever happens, the forge continues its work, and we continue to grow in strength and number. We have a bright future ahead of all of us, and it is such an honour to be entrusted with this great duty by the representatives of my people.
Keep fighting, but do not lose sight of what we are fighting for.
Thank you. Long live the Republic."