On behalf of the Kingdom of Gallorum, I, Marion Rousselot, vote FOR the two amendments.

Parliament Resumes Next Week; What the New Year Will Bring Politically

COLLINE DU PARLEMENT, AURELIS --- Parliament resumes next week with Baschet's increased majority and a Speech from the Sovereign to be delivered and voted on in the first sittings of the session to test her majority. She will pass with flying colours and the first majority government since the Sarkozy Christian Democrat government in 2005. What does that mean for Gallorum?

It means quite a lot. The very first thing is that Baschet's government will now have more freedom to be a bit more socially progressive. Baschet, despite being in the middle between the farther left Social Democrat wing of the party and the more traditionalist Travaillistes, is more prone to pursue issues of social justice and equality of opportunity. She argues that Gallorum's values are wrapped in progressivism.

"Baschetism is at its core a socially progressive, economically moderate movement," said Jean-Luc Martin, professor at the Gallic Orthodox University of Escolives. "She is a devout Gallic Orthodox Christian and she strongly believes that the values of social progressivism can be found in the Bible and its teachings. The belief that it is easier to put a camel through the eye of a needle than the rich to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ who has repeatedly spoke out against excesses of wealth. Baschet and by extension the Parti Social Democratic et Travailliste have embraced that Christian progressivist stance. It has worked for them electorally now, so be prepared to see more of it."

The second hallmark of Baschet as Prime Minister has been her stewardship of the economy. She's presided over a steady, meaningful increase in GDP. Inflation has been under control and on the whole, wages have gone up. Baschet's Finance Minister Gerald Darmanin has had a key influence at the cabinet table. As it continues, Darmanin will continue to have a big role to play in the success of the Baschet government as it enters its second term. No longer able to call itself completely a pack of underdogs, now it will firmly have had its hand on the levers of government until 2023.

First on the agenda: a middle class tax cut and some changes to the tax code to be able to collect more efficient and better tax revenue through the MACP (Ministère de l'Action et des Comptes publics). Second: increased spending on energy infrastructure to get Gallorum on track to be at zero carbon emission energy by 2030. Nuclear power is playing a particularly large role in the transition to cleaner energy in the Baschet government. Third: beginning a scholarship fund for students at secondary and tertiary education to be able to achieve their degrees and get the careers they want based on merit, not ability to pay.

Big goals for Baschet are coming up but the Government is confident it can achieve those goals.

I think that we could make this work for everyone involved. I do agree with Councillor Greene that perhaps it would be unwise to invite people who cannot convey the will of both the people and the national government. I do not think Councillors should be that removed from public policy of their homeland. Imagine if, for example, Francois Fillon had won the Gaulois election and I would still be Councillor?? I would heavily consider leaving my post as I would not be reflecting the will of the Gaulois people as demonstrated by their vote in the general election.

Perhaps we could, then, mandate that a councillor election occur at a set time OR one month after a national election?

Marion Rousselot
Councillor for the Kingdom of Gallorum
Deputy Speaker

I see my dear friend Councillor Firoux has had time to reflect and to open his heart and eye chakras to really get to a very valiant cause. I am fortunate to have come from a nation where we are very adamant about making sure that needs of the masses are met so that we can all perform to our excellent ability. Yet, like many post industrial nations, the Kingdom of Gallorum is still trying to do right by our shrinking mining communities. This Safe and Accessible Water Act not only guarantees at a European level that we do something but it gets the ball rolling in ways that can only be done if national government is prodded by the Union itself.

I will be communicating with my newly elected friend, Prime Minister Baschet, back at home. As someone from a coal mining community, committed to improving all parts of our Kingdom and promoting environmentally sound projects, she will make a perfect ally in this.

Besides, if we don't have safe water, will we truly be able to look beyond ourselves and achieve the enlightenment that we so desire?

Councillor Marion Rousselot
Councillor for the Kingdom of Gallorum

The Annual Le marché de Noël à Seignaux Sees Record Visitors

SEIGNAUX --- What has been a tradition since Christendom in this nation is Le marché de Noël à Seignaux, the Christmas Market at Seignaux. Centuries have gone by since the very first Christmas Market in Roman Gallia, but since then it has been a staple of culture across the Kingdom. The largest and most attended being the one at Seignaux notable for its being open most of the day Christmas Eve before inviting the shoppers to mass and then an all night shopping time to head into Christmas Day. This year, the market has seen from December 21st to Christmas Eve nearly 120,000 visitors, a new record.

Upon first glance, it seems like a creeping amount of medieval commercialisation into the Christmas festivities but the Gallic Orthodox Church seems to allow these chalets to be placed on church property and for money to be passed. It seems as though the tradition was in fact started by the Church as a way of inviting the community into the church for a mass and a good meal. Many of the serfs and peasants surrounding churches in those days would be struggling around the holidays as many of the landed gentry were celebrating with Christmas goose and massive feasts for their families and extended families. So the Church in a building of community and instilling piety into the population decided to get in on the action and invite the poor to come to the shops where things would be sold at a much lower price and then come in for a Christmas dinner and mass as a community.

"Yes, it was Archpriest Antoine of Seignaux who began this tradition in the 12th Century when it was known to all of the dioceses across Gallorum that many of the very poor that Christ's word says we must help would be going Christmas Eve and Christmas Day unattended." says historian Amelie Decougis. "This is also the beginning of the Gallic Orthodox Church deciding it would make a compromise with its Catholic neighbours to hold Christmas on the 25th of December on the Julian Calendar. It was previously held in early January."

The smell of candied nuts and spiced wine and duck lingers all night and spreads throughout the high street of Seignaux but this is for certain: it has never lost its connection with the Church through 900 years of tradition. So when you are attending the Christmas Eve mass after the chalets close in your local Christmas market, think of Seignaux and its Christmas celebration.

Entry deadline will be extended to 22 December at 23:59 GMT

PSDT, Baschet Score Majority Government; First Since 1994

AURELIS --- The Gaulois government has been returned with a solid 210 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. The election result which had fallen right on the margins of where polling had been for the entirety of the election brings Elisabeth Baschet to a second four year term in government. The previous Travailliste Government in 1990 lasted until 1994 when they were upset by the Chirac and Sarkozy Governments before a brief stint in from 2012-2016 with the Hollande minority government and the First Baschet government.

Here is a map of the Chamber of Deputies and the new seats:

Breaking: Election Exit Poll

With polling due to closing in the general election of the Kingdom of Gallorum, a brief La Croix/Gallorum Trois exit poll has indicated the following result:

• Parti Social Democratie et Travailliste - 40%
• Parti démocrate-chrétien - 33%
• Parti Liberal - 14%
• Parti Nationaliste - 7%
• Parti Vert - 6%

On those numbers, we are predicting the following seat totals:

• PSDT - 210
• PDC -- 153
• PL------ 022
• PN----- 007
• PV ----- 007

The Parti Social Democratie et Travailliste would be able to form a majority government.

@Glorious-Leader Hello there; plot 32 is already occupied by a nation. Could you please select a different plot?

@FJN_GAAMontreaL Accepted! Welcome to the European Union