Housing in the UNSR - Major Reforms Approved by both houses of the Socialist Congress and signed into law by Korojaunu Sanders

Home ownership in pre-revolution had been gradually declining since a mortgage crash and a recession in the late 2000s. The economy, which at the time was still struggling to make capitalism work, was devastated. Nowadays, less than 60% of people in the UNSR own their home, with 42% renting. A law which passed in July meant that landlords could choose one of their properties (including their own home) to keep, but the rest were confiscated by the government and the mortgages written off by the newly nationalised banks. No compensation was given to landlords, but they were allowed to keep the rent they took before and during a 5 month transition period while their properties were audited by the state. Landlords were furious, but they were reminded that the state could punish them for the money the laundered from the proletariat. They proceeded to protest, as is their right, but the government just ignored their protest.

The 5 month transition period is meant to make sure landlords can find new jobs, and make sure the state can set up housing cooperatives for people who can't afford to buy houses and want to continue 'renting'. This concept of rent, however, is much different to the current system. There's no profit to be made, so rent will be lower for all renters in the nation. Houses will be grouped into housing cooperatives of varying sizes, where they can pool resources and eventually come to own their group of houses collectively, and no longer pay rent to the state.

The new reforms are the nationalisation of water, gas, and electricity to provide renters and homeowners alike a better service. With just one, standardised system, everyone receives them all for free automatically and they aim to . People are free to opt out of the broadband scheme and use one owned by a cooperative that would have better speeds than the basic, government one. This is because both factions of the Communist Party believe that broadband has become a basic commodity, like water, gas and electricity.

All banks have been nationalised (though the Alliance écologique nicoleizienne has said that cooperative ownership of banks is acceptable), and as such mortgages have come into state control. The governing faction has decided to reduce the income rate of mortgages, to lower payments for people. The remaining interest is to be used to just keep the banks going, and to keep staff hired. Speaking on behalf of the governing Faction, the TANKIES, Cécile Laucre, released the following statement: 'Housing is a human right. Water is a human right. Heating is a human right. Electricity is a human right. People say that people will use too much of these and waste them, but the reality is that the real waste is not from normal people having more baths. It comes from the profits stolen off the back of normal, everyday people in wage theft, in rent, in their utilities. We are giving back the workers the profit that they make, the rent money stolen from them, and taking away the profits made on the utilities they need to live. It is fully medieval, feudal even, to let people to make money off of the things people need to survive. Let's remember folks, life was not always like this. In the very distant past, in prehistory, people supported each other - gave food, water and shelter for free. Gave what limited healing abilities they had to provide healthcare for free. I'm not an primitivist - by any means. But with the technology we have today means no one needs to make a profit off the survival of human beings. The reforms we have made hopefully mean life is more bearable, more affordable.'

Housing was a key element of grief amongst the proletariat of Icholasen before the revolution. Rent and mortgages were rising above inflation which meant that as productivity rose, wages stayed the same but prices and rent rose. The factions within the Socialist Congress believe that this is the way they win the hearts and minds of the Nicoleizian people as some resistance remains.

What a haunting time it is in the EU. Cackling Communists, Eerie EPAs, Macabre MEGAs and Haunted (Eastern) Haane. Why not make it even more ghoulish and haunted with a spooky edition of Eurovoice?

You have two options; the first is a Halloween themed song - whatever that means to you. Whether explicitly about Halloween, or just a song that mentions wolves, or a song was used on the Twilight soundtrack, these are all good. I'm not going to be harsh about this because I can't be bothered <3.

You also have another option. Halloween is of course the season of revenge. As such, you ghoulish people can resurrect Eurovoice (or even Retrovoice) artists that you think do not deserve their place in the mausoleum of non-winners. People and bands who were ROBBED by the zombie voters of Europe will have a second chance to haunt Eurovoice, and bring back the crown to them. Crucially, however, you may not enter the same song that they did not win with.

If you did a NF for this Eurovoice and that song does not fit the theme, feel free to just use that next Eurovoice, or if it fits either the revenge or Halloween theme, enter it now.

Rooms in the haunted chateau you can choose for your backdrop, it's not really that deep it'll just be the backdrop for your votes like how in Retrovoice it was your city. You can also make up/design your own if you want to ! You can repeat rooms too, as it's a huge chateau. Here are the options:

The Kursed Kitchen
The Jack-O-Lantern Lounge
The Bloody Bedroom
The Bloodcurdling basement
The Haunted Home Office
The Nightmarish Nursery
The Demonic Dining Room
The Pumpkin Pantry
The Tombstone Toilet
The Eerie Ensuite
The Unearthly Utility Room
The Werewolf's Wine Cellar
The Creepy Conservatory
The Alien Attic
The Spooky Study
The Cursed Cemetary

Nation Name:
Halloween or Revenge:
Artist:
Song:
Link to youtube:
Vote deliverer with their image linked:
Link to your flag:
Room in the haunted chateau:

Entry Deadline runs from now until the 2nd of October at 11:59 PM

Queen Anastasia, Carlos and Prince Tommy

Queen Anastasia and Prince Tommy had been living in Ibiza for the last several months. It had been bliss - the weather was absolutely perfect. Of course, as September came, the heat on Ibiza had somewhat dampened - but it was still hot enough for both of them. A beach-side vacation had been just what they had needed. Since the revolution that had few boring royal engagements, like opening an orphanage - SNORE! Helping some schoolkids fund their new sports pitch - BORING!!! Encouraging some dying hospital patients to push through - DULL!!!!!! However, lazing by the sea was becoming boring, and they were all three ready for a party. A change of pace.

Anastasia and Tommy were getting ready in their quarters, as Tommy and Carlos were not yet married, they had to stay in separate quarters. Of course Tommy was as much of a virgin as a hooker from Trondheim, but they still had pretences to maintain, with this 40 year age-gap, homosexual and royal couple. Both Tommy and Anastasia had become rather tanned, their apartment in Ibiza being in prime position for both the beach and the pool that they shared with their Airbnb guests. They had rented it out to some Inquistan partiers, some Fremetian boomers and some Nicoleizian refugees with nowhere else to flee. Of course Anastasia had to kick these refugees out once they could no longer pay the fee.

'Tommy I have been given a secret mission, and I'd like you to help me with it.' Said Anastasia

'What is it ? I'm not running coke across the border again - you know I'm clean now.'

'No, no nothing like that. The government has instructed me that pea warfare is back on. Now, I really do not want to get pea-ed on.'

'I thought you were into tha--'

'No, who said that?'

'I'm staying silent. There's nothing wrong with that though, of course. Everyone has their things. Like me, I'm into Icholo-Spanish Eurovoice royalty who are 40 years my former. It's kind of niche though, so I'm lucky I found Carlos.' Tommy commented.

'You really are lucky you found Carlos, you couldn't have found a normal man, no one who wasn't both 40 years older than you and also obese would like you.'

'That's unfair - but also kind of true. But hey, at least none of my husbands are dead.'

'Those were very unfortunate accidents.'

'Uh, yeah.' Tommy said.

Just then, a knock came at the door. It was Carlos. 'Guys, we're gonna be late.'

'You can come in, babe.' Tommy said.

Carlos entered, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. 'Why are you wearing that?' Tommy said.

(OOC: There are no pictures of Carlos in a remotely appropriate outfit. Let me live.)

'Accept my lifestyle.' Carlos said. 'This shirt got me through Eurovoice -- you know how stressful it is to work with Paloma Faith. If I didn't come second, I could've died.'

'Don't keep spreading those baseless accusations.' Anastasia said, scolding him. 'Paloma is literally a Saint. She would never ever lay a finger on anyone. Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.'

'Um, okay.' Carlos said. 'Anyway, we're late. I can hear Mikaela's shrill voice down there, she's going to be mad if we don't get down there very soon.'

'Okay, but before we go, we simply must defend each other against any peas.'

Carlos and Tommy nodded in agreement.

'And if necessary, we can take to the offensive.' Anastasia retorted.

Eilidh Whiteford:

Eilidh 'Centrist' Whiteford was coming in from Europolis after finishing her term as Premier Commissioner. She was pleased that her colleagues were going to be here for a last hurrah after finishing her term. She was very proud of what was achieved during her time in office. Whiteford was rather square. She was never a party girl. Maybe the Nicoleizian delegation and Jean-Claude 'Alcoholic' Juncker would be able to bring her out of her centrist, square, plain-Jane shell. She was now the official Korojaunu of the United Dominions of Icholasen and as such it was a gathering of the key Nicoleizians. Wouldn't it be terrible if some communists came and tried to kill her and the royals? Absolutely! Let's hope that doesn't happen.

Whiteford touched down in Inimicus and made her way to the party. She saw Tommy, Carlos and Anastasia walking through the corridor, and they recognised each other and decided to walk in together. They walked in the room and saw some people she recognised that she wanted to meet, but first she curtseyed in front of His Imperial Majesty, Artabanos, and said; 'Pleased to meet you, I'm not sure if we've met before.' Anastasia and the others followed Whiteford's lead.

King Louis III of the Kingdom of Romain had been in line to unite the entire island of Icholasen. He had a claim on the Kingdom of Regina and the Kingdom of Kicrlaunk. Unfortunately Uveira, the Bloodking, had put a stop to his and his dynasty's right to rule the entire island of Icholasen. Louis knew that he was the next Nicoleizian king to fall -- unless he did something about it. He was ready to talk. His right to expansion had been taken from him, and he was definitely not going to let his own Kingdom fall to these barbarians.

Louis was about 34 years old, his father Phillipe dying at 56 around 3 years earlier (historians however dispute the date of Phillipe's death). He was muscular and blond - definitely a jock by modern standards. He had a healthy but carefully manicured beard - a status symbol within the incredibly patriarchal society of Romain (it had never been possible for a woman to take the throne of Romain. During the reign of Queen Anastasia I, Romain was demoted to a Duchy so that she could legitimately rule over it - the title of Duke of Romain being now held by Prince Tommy). His hair was shaved at the back and the sides - like a modern fuckboy. However, this had an important purpose as Romain armour relied on chain-mail, which came up over the head, with long hair it would get stuck and become a huge mess. Louis' hair was newly shaved for this event, having delegated much of recent fighting of raids to his Knights.

Louis had the backing of his court to talk to Uveira - though the Archbishop of Romain had strong doubts about how holy it was to talk to total barbarians. But, the Pope was on Louis' side - Louis had promised the Pope he would take back Icholasen for the one true Christian faith - but that it was foolish to fight the far stronger armies of Uveira the Bloodking right now. Romain geographically was only around 1/3rd of the territory of the island of Icholasen - but it was less developed than the other areas of the island. It was also still subject to raids and other terrors. Louis governed a Kingdom in peril. Would this Kingdom and Christendom survive? In the Year of Our Lord, 989, that survival was certainly not guaranteed. Christian Kingdoms were falling like dominoes - two out of three Kingdoms on the Island of Icholasen had already fallen. Louis was literally the bulwark against barbarian infidels - he was well and truly on the very edge of the civilised world.

Despite Louis' dire situation was at least helped by being surrounded by a strong court. Some of the most powerful Christian nations were behind him. He was married to Angelica Lamborda, an Inquistan who brought with her the support of the (still Catholic) Inquista and its deep pockets of gold. The Pope, too, had sent an envoy to Louis' court, - a learned man who knew all about theology, but also about the natural world. Louis' Knights were also strong and relatively well armed, with the deep pockets of the Pope and some Inquistans funding their weaponry and mercenaries. Despite this, the army of Romain was incredibly unskilled. The Island of Icholasen had been relatively peaceful until the raids had begun, the 3 Kingdoms accepted the status quo. Skirmishes of course existed between the 3 Kingdoms, but the armies had still not become as skilled as the armies under the Bloodking.

Overall, Louis found himself unsure about the future of his Kingdom. He had plenty of advantages, but equally as many disadvantages. After a trip in a boat and a short trip by carriage, he arrived in modern-day Lunonjrauk. A city now named after a communist revolutionary who murdered royalty. Louis climbed up the windy hill and saw his interlocutor. It was chilly - the town was not far from the coast. Louis wore the fur of a bear, some chain-mail armour, furry trousers and boots. He had a sword sheathed on his belt.

'Greetings, Bloodking. I am happy to make your acquaintance.' Louis held out his hand, unsure if handshakes were a thing in Ruthund.

"Oh wow!" Whiteford exclaimed, "I needed this," she said while putting it into her handbag, and then retrieving a bottle of vodka. "Now, Aguilar, do not drink this all at once. It is very strong."

"Okay, we can meet in around a month with the Copalan Mayor and Copala herself, or an Inquistan representative to discuss Copala City's future.

Now is there anything else you would like to discuss?"

“It is of course up to the people of Copala City to decide. I am making the case for the status quo, but with the no fly zone removed. But fundamentally it’s up to the Copalans. We are always open to negotiations - tell us what you want to negotiate and when.

And I agree with you that Reitzmag is becoming a threat to Spain, and thus, Icholasen. We will do all that is possible to ensure that Spain is kept safe, though we apologise that there is not much e can do in this current state of weakness. But if there’s anything we can do, tell us.

Icholasen votes as follows:

Robert Rinder (Icholasen)
Frans Svenson (Mennrimiak)
Andreas Ekka (Fremet)
Luis López Guerra (Spain)
Clarisse Bourgeon (Montenbourg)
Jack McCoy (Leagio)
Christopher Vajda (Reitzmag)

Nation Name: The United Dominions of Icholasen
Head of Government/State attending: Queen Anastasia II of Icholasen, Eilidh Whiteford
Number of other party members (limited to three): 3
Names of other party members: Prince Thomas, Duke of Romain, Carlos

Dietary requirements: No dairy
Preferred apéritif: Vodka tonic
Seating preferences (e.g. "as close as possible to Artabanos"; note that not all preferences can reasonably be honoured): With the Inquistans/Mikaela

'Absolutely, I totally understand. What else would you like to discuss?'