Due to the European Court of Justice ruling concerning write-in voting, write-in ballots shall not be counted. With that said, voting has now concluded. A total of 5 votes were cast. The results are as follows:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner:
Corinna LARSEN (Spain): 5 votes (100%)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner:
James MIZRACHI-ROSCOE (United Duchies): 4 votes (100%)

For the Office of Foreign Affairs Commissioner:
Vincent DRAKE am Weisshaupt (Duxburian Union): 5 votes (100%)

Corinna Larsen is thus duly elected as Premier Commissioner of the European Union, while James Mizrachi-Roscoe is duly elected as Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the European Union, and Vicent Drake am Weisshaupt is duly elected as Commissioner of Foreign Affairs of the European Union. Congratulations to the new European Commission.

Nominations are now closed. These are the candidates to the European Commission:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner

Corinna LARSEN (Spain)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner

James MIZRACHI-ROSCOE (United Duchies)

For the Office of Foreign Affairs Commissioner

Vicent DRAKE am Weisshaupt (Duxburian Union)

Voting has now concluded. A total of 11 votes were cast. The results are as follows:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner:

Round I
Akem LINEK (Istkalen): 5 (~45.5%)
Ricarda SCHMITZ (United Duchies): 4 (~36.5%)
Sofie ČIKAROVÁ (Czech Slavia): 2 (~18%)

Round II
Akem LINEK (Istkalen): 6 (60%)
Ricarda SCHMITZ (United Duchies): 4 (40%)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner:

Wirt HARLAND (Elthize): 7 (100%)

For the Office of Foreign Affairs Commissioner:

Tomáš KREJČÍ (Inquista): 8 (100%)

Akem Linek is thus duly elected as Premier Commissioner of the European Union, while Wirt Harland is is duly re-elected as Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the European Union, and Tomáš Krejčí is duly elected as Commissioner of Foreign Affairs of the European Union. Congratulations to the new European Commission and commiserations to the other candidates.

Tonight, I ask you to lend me your support. In a world where decisions are often made by elites disconnected from the struggles of everyday people, I offer a fresh perspective for our Union's foreign affairs. I have faced the darkness of mines and have emerged strong, determined, ready to serve our collective Union. Together, we can shape a foreign policy that reflects the hopes and dreams of every European. Let's strive to make a difference for all Europeans tomorrow, together.

Thank you.

Nominations are now closed. These are the candidates to the European Commission:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner

Sofie ČIKAROVÁ (Czech Slavia)
Akem LINEK (Istkalen)
Ricarda SCHMITZ (United Duchies)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner

Wirt HARLAND (Elthize)

For the Office of Foreign Affairs Commissioner

Tomáš KREJČÍ (Inquista)

Ursula Orlich furiously wiped her hands with a wet cloth. They still felt dirty; why did they still feel dirty? She knew they were clean - she had rubbed at them until they had reddened and burned - and yet still, it felt to her as though something, dirt, filth, was stuck fast to them.

She sighed, stopping just by the door to the chamber to lean against the wall. "You're losing it," she muttered to herself, breath catching in her throat. "Don't lose it." Seventeen years, she thought, she had held firm, watching the tides of state go in and out, leaders rising and falling after the other, thinking, always, of the silliness of it all. Laughing, even, at how ridiculous, how bizarre, how surreal, it all seemed to be. But she had taken their place among their ranks, now, and in but - how long had it been? - two months (it couldn't have been just two months, surely not) she had found herself exactly the same as they had been, floundering and desperate and terrified.

She looked down at her hands again, and for a moment she thought she could see the slightest trace of dirt, blood, something, at the edges of her fingers. But she shook her head, and it was gone, her skin perfectly clean, if chafed.

A little confused, a little scared, she at last walked into the room with careful pace, her eyes fluttering as she took in all the new and foreign things before her, the people, the plush and fresh furniture, the bright lighting. She sat, though hesitantly, at her designated seat, leaning back in her chair, pursing her lips as she listened to the long speeches of Commissioners and Prime Ministers and Presidents galore.

And at last, she spoke after Mouri-Kudo finished with her remarks.

"Thank you, dear Commissioners," she said, "for holding this conference. I doubt that anyone here is particularly familiar with me, for good reason, so let me take this time to introduce myself. My name is Ursula Orlich; I am the current head of state, the State Protector, of the Republic of Istkalen. I am something of a caretaker in that position, a steward, really; I will not be here for long."

"The Union is facing a crisis of credibility. We have seen mounting crises, from climate change to the formation of bloc antagonisms, that it has refused to deal, or is incapable of dealing, with. It has become, as a result, useless in the eyes of many. If we stay the present course, we risk the possibility of mass exit and eventual, total collapse. It is thus crystal-clear, in my opinion, that reform is necessary. We must brook no delay in pursuing a course of European reconstruction that creates the institutions necessary to avert disaster, whether ecological, social, or diplomatic - and thus gives the Union renewed purpose and life."

"This means, for us, continued support for frameworks like the Freedom of Navigation Act that protect national integrity and prevent imperialism and piracy. It means the expansion of such regulations to new and other frontiers, from space to the air around us, likely to come into contestation in coming years. It means further work to protect the environment around us, from the institution of union-wide biodiversity protections to the establishment of a European carbon price, whether direct or indirect. And yes, it means investigating the possibility of genuine integration - of zones of free trade, of common protectionsregarding and coordination of monetary policy, even of free movement - that brings the countries of this Union further together and makes discord and war untenable."

"We are pleased, then, to hear of the Commission's committment to a strong role in enforcing and ensuring peace in the Union - that it stands, and will stand, always on the side of the continued integrity and stability of its member states against civil conflict and war that seems ever to grow. We are, however, less than pleased at its apparent opposition to the actions the Council has taken, in recent months, to bring Europe further together and strengthen the rule of law in realms where the medieval principle of might once ruled."

"The power of the Council, we believe, is the only force that can, and will, drive the integration necessary to preserve the peace and the integrity of this Union. The experiments with multilateralism we have seen, from the failed Bergen Treaty to even the Caspian Council negotiations, have seen only partial, if any success. All have found themselves hijacked, held hostage, by one or two major powers who seek, too often successfully, to impose their own interests above those of the Union to the detriment of everyone else. It is only the Council, where in law and in power every member-state is equal, where equitable and unbiased solutions have been and can be found to the issues we face - and thus only the Council that can be trusted with the task of driving forwards the growth and renaissance of this Union in a way that benefits all without privilege or condition."

"Let us stand, then, for a strong, a united, and rejuvenated Europe, where equality and the rule of law prevail - a union with rights for all and privilege for none."

With the following results:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner:

Jean Claude JUNCKER (Spain) --- 10 Votes --- 100% of votes --- casted has been duly reelected the Premier Commissioner of the European Union.

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner

Wirt HARLAND (Elthize) --- 11 Votes --- 100% of votes casted --- has been duly elected the Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the European Union. Tarek AL-WAZIR (United Duchies) ---- 0 Votes ---- received no valid vote during this election cycle.

Thank you to all candidates for a wonderful campaign, congratulations to our new/reelected commissioners, and commiserations to Mr. Al-Wazir. We look forward to seeing you all in May.

Juncker saw with disbelief how Tarek was escorted out by security after going insane once more. He had seen a lot of things throughout his long life, yet he had never seen anything like that ever. "Can any candidate from the United Duchies ever be stable? We have a European Mental Health phone service we are paying thousands of euros for and people who need to call seem not to use it... I certainly need to tell Donald to review that.", he thought, while he witnessed the odd scene.

Surprisingly, the good, old Jean-Claude had an amazing ability to remain focused even if mad people popped up next to him and started to do weird things. He remained calm and listened to Wirt's sort of closing statement. When it was finally his turn, he delivered his statement:

"My dear Europeans, I’d like to thank you for watching and listening to this debate, as well as thanking Aron and the security members for their incredible work tonight. What’s just happened doesn’t represent the EU and can only be called shameful.

Back in July, Europe elected me as their Premier Commissioner, putting their trust on me. Last month, when I decided not to stand for re-election due to my inactivity, you once more asked me to be your Premier, I accepted. Now, your will has been translated into my candidacy, and fate’s wanted me to be the only one standing for this office. It’ll be a huge honour to serve you, as always, with great satisfaction and emotion. Furthermore, I want to thank you for trusting me, for believing on the power of Europe, for giving me one more chance.

With the budget soon to be passed by the European Council, the European Agricultural Fund already codified as an act, and our Union on track to improving, my second term will be oriented into that: making something out of this Union you can feel proud of. I might not be young, perfect or liked by everyone: at my age, that’s impossible, those of you watching that are aged over 70 will certainly know. Nevertheless, it doesn’t matter if some of you don’t like me or if I’m not young: I just want to work for you and the European Union.

Europe, let’s continue our love affair, let’s take the streets with our European flags and show those who have lost all hopes on us that we’re still here, fighting for this union. Let’s unleash the Power of Europe, let’s keep improving the EU, let’s keep moving forward. But overall, let’s remain united, because unity is what makes us stronger."

[Photo]

Candidate Name: Wirt Harland
Home Nation: The State of Elthize
Office(s) sought: Internal Affairs Commissioner
Incumbent? (Y/N): No
Eurogroup Affiliation: None
Biography: A politician of the Labour Party's moderate wing, Harland was an assembly member from April 2008 until June 2009, when he was a senator until his retirement in April 2022, winning in 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2018 elections. During his time as a Senator, he became the main figure pushing for the impeachment of the former president, Archibald Franklin. He was one of the biggest advocates for Elthize's ascension to the European Union. He was the presidential candidate of the opposition in 2018 and was defeated by the incumbent Greenwich Grimwald by a minuscule margin. Some Elthics still consider him to be a possible successor to the presidency after Grimwald.

As an Internal Affairs Commissioner, Harland wants to amend the Constitution of the European Union to clarify the election process further, make the Commission elections more democratic and ensure further approval of the bills passed by the European Council. Harland also provides unconditional support for the free market and collaboration with European Union's member states on all his policies.

(image credit)

Due to the unprecedented nature and legal ambiguity of write-in voting, write-in ballots shall be counted, and the following results shall be official and binding, but the legitimacy of these elections will be decided by the newly-elected European Court of Justice, and an eventual re-run of these elections remains plausible.
With that said, voting has now concluded. A total of 7 votes were cast. The results are as follows:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner:

Jean CLAUDE JUNCKER (Spain): 4 votes (~66%)
Sofie ČIKAROVÁ (Czech Slavia): 1 vote (~17%)
Greenwich GRIMWALD (Elthize): 1 vote (~17%)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner:

Round I
Kevin COTILLA (Leagio): 3 votes (50%)
Sofie ČIKAROVÁ (Czech Slavia): 2 votes (~33%)
Tarek AL-WAZIR (United Duchies): 1 vote (~17%)

Round II
Kevin COTILLA (Leagio): 3 votes (60%)
Sofie ČIKAROVÁ (Czech Slavia): 2 votes (40%)

Jean Claude Juncker is thus duly re-elected as Premier Commissioner of the European Union, and Kevin Cotilla is duly re-elected as Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the European Union. Congratulations to the re-elected Commissioners, and commiserations to all other candidates. The Commission shall take office alongside the new European Court of Justice, but again, the legitimacy of these elections will be decided by the Court.

Tarek prepared and got up to front of the stage to speak: My friends I am sorry for this democratic farce in what is my crowning if one votes for me with no other choice. I recognise my election would not be democratically legetimate and stolen from the nations and people. That is why my first acts will be to consult the nations and ask what they want in a democratic manner to overcome the lack of democracy if I become so called "elected" . If I do become elected please protest , mobilise on the streets, protest your stolen choice and stolen election. Tell the powers that be this is not acceptable have your pro-democracy voices heard. We can force law changes and as a result of this I will prioritise changing the law so that two candidates have to be in an election before it can go ahead an the position will remain unfilled until that is the case so true democracy can win out. I will also look at lengthening terms to reduce the cost and increase the effectiveness of commissioner terms. I promise if elected to never think it was a true democratic choice and recognise the undemocratic farce crowning it was , if you choose to vote none of the above in protest or just refuse to vote I also endorse that move also .Thank you for listening and may we restore democracy to this currently democratically deficient institution.

Nominations are now closed. The European Commission candidates for the following offices are thus:

Premier Commissioner
Patrick Baitfemme (Independent, Blue Croatia)
Annelise Bauer (Independent, Istkalen)

Internal Affairs Commissioner
Tarek Al-Wazir (Independent, United Duchies)

Voting has now concluded. A total of 13 votes were counted. The results are as follows:

For the Office of Premier Commissioner

Jean CLAUDE JUNCKER (Spain): 10 votes (~77%)
Calvin KÜHNERT (United Duchies): 3 votes (~23%)

For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner

Kevin COTILLA (Leagio): 8 votes (~62%)
Ilmaras KALESSED (Istkalen): 5 votes (~38%)

For the Office of Foreign Affairs Commissioner

Antoni REYNELS (Inquista): 11 votes (100%)

Jean Claude Juncker is thus duly elected as Premier Commissioner of the European Union, Kevin Cotilla is duly elected as Commissioner of Internal Affairs of the European Union, and Antoni Reynels is duly elected as Commissioner of Foreign Affairs of the European Union. Congratulations to the newly elected Commissioners, and commiserations to all other candidates.

Candidates, thank you all for your contributions to this debate. As all candidates have now delivered their closing statements, this concludes our event tonight. To everyone watching at home and on the various streaming platforms this debate was shown on, I say goodnight. To our candidates, I say good luck. And to all European voters and representatives who vote for Commissioner, I wish all the wisdom in the world to make their decision.

Candidates, thank you again. Europe, goodnight!

Well, I'd like to thank everyone that showed up tonight and thank everyone catching us from home! Ria, you carried this.

The Foreign Affairs Commissioner is often the most invisible role within the European Commission. Much of their work happens behind the scenes and much of their labour will go unnoticed. It's a pretty thankless job. Even so, I hope it's position that you can all trust me with. I've done it before, and you can feel secure in me doing it again. My record should speak for itself.

I also hope that you can extend your trust to the rest of the Progressive Team. Jean-Claude Juncker is a highly qualified and experienced candidate for Premier. I served alongside him in both of his terms as Internal Affairs Commissioner, and I can personally vouch that nobody can match Juncker's energy, enthusiasm, and willing to get things done. He would make an excellent Premier.

Senator Kevin Cotilla is a great choice for Internal Affairs. Cotilla has a great vision for our Union, and he has a solid and achievable platform to make sure we get there. Above all, he has a strong commitment to uniting and working with the EU's member states in tackling our regional hurdles.

Please support the whole Progressive Team in the upcoming Commission elections. We'll work together, as one, for you.

Good night! Peace!

alt text

Candidate name: Ilmaras Kalessed

Home nation: Republic of Istkalen

Office sought: Internal Affairs Commisisoner

Incumbent: Y

Eurogroup affiliation: PEL

Biography: Ilmaras Kalessed was born in 1947 to a family of craftspeople, in an Istkalen recently disturbed by revolution. She would become one of the few rural Kitetois-speaking people to obtain a university education in Istkalen's history, and would initially enter the civil service before joining the Agrarian Union, a left-wing agrarian party in Istkalen, in 1977 following the destructive liberalization of the economy in 1973, which had led to millions losing their work and income, alongside severe social upheaval, in which she would rise rapidly, becoming its leader in late 1982. In 1983, the party was banned, along with all others, and Kalessed was placed under house arrest, where she would remain until 1992. Upon her release, she sought the introduction of a multi-party system in the then-Communist Istkalen, arguing that it was necessary to avert the collapse of the government. Her efforts succeeded in October of 1995; she was appointed as Prime Minister, a new position at the time, in January of 1996, heading a government of national unity, as the Republic of Istkalen collapsed as hatred for the communist government, particularly after a series of botched economic reforms spearheaded by the party against the advice of the Minister of Finance, greatly increased. She would flee the country during the "Revolution" in March, and was deposed in favor of a restoration of absolute monarchy, which she agitated against from abroad. Upon a military coup in June, after reports of extreme atrocities, she returned to the country, and was appointed Head of State by the ruling military junta of the time, a position in which she would serve, attempting to stabilize the country and create the foundations for democracy, until May of 1997, when the civilian cabinet of Istkalen was dissolved by the junta. In late 2002, she attempted to campaign for the Agrarian Union in elections to be held in January of 2003; in the end it was for nothing, as, merely fourteen days before the election, it was announced that the elections would merely the approval of a "Joint List," prepared by the junta, including several parties but excluding the Agrarian Union. She was placed in an internment camp for political dissidents after the Social Democrats took power later that year, in late March, where she would remain until the declaration of war of 2021, at which point she, alongside the rest of those in the camp, were forced to march over 100 km in an "evacuation," during which many died. Upon the end of the march, she appeared to be on her deathbed, and entered a comatose state; she was abandoned in a requisitioned barn, alongside the dying, where she was discovered by liberating troops. She spent a few months recuperating from this, and retired from politics during this time. She now seeks to take her expertise to Europe.

@Lusitanovetonia said in Commission Elections, Mar 2022:
For the Office of Premier Commissioner:
Corinna LARSEN
For the Office of Internal Affairs Commissioner:
Ilmaras KALESSED
Gania