11 May 2021, 15:55

The Citizens' Voice: Polling on important issues

  1. Do you support the establishment of the J-TAI in its present form?
  • YES: 0,9% (-1,2)
  • NO: 99,0% (+1,3)
  • NO OPINION: 0,1% (-0,1)
  1. Do you support the presence of Reitzmic troops?
  • YES: 0,5% (-0,5)
  • NO: 99,4% (+0,5)
  • NO OPINION: 0,1% (-)
  1. Do you support the presence of Vardic troops?
  • YES : 0,4% (-0,6)
  • NO: 89,8% (+44,1)
  • NO OPINION: 9,8% (-41,2%)
  1. Would you support an extended joint-EU presence in Istkalen for peacekeeping purposes?
  • YES: 47,3% (+4,2)
  • NO: 35,5% (-2,0)
  • NO OPINION: 17,2% (-2,2)
  1. Would you support the J-TAI if it collaborated with the present institutions of government which function democratically in Istkalen, even if it excludes the provisional government?
  • YES: 14,3% (-31,0)
  • NO: 80,4% (+38,3)
  • NO OPINION: 5,3% (-7,3)
  1. Would you support an ERF deployment?
  • YES: 49,5% (+0,5)
  • NO: 43,2% (-)
  • NO OPINION: 7,3% (-0,5)
  1. Are you in support of the government in Līresz?
  • YES: 84,5% (+8,2)
  • NO: 9,4% (-4,3)
  • NO OPINION: 6,1% (-3,9)
  1. Are you in support of the People's Committees?
  • YES: 95,3% (+2,1)
  • NO: 1,7% (-4,1)
  • NO OPINION: 3,0% (+2,0)
  1. Are you in support of the producers' unions, as a concept?
  • YES: 95,1% (+0,3)
  • NO: 3,2% (-)
  • NO OPINION: 1,7% (-0,3)
  1. Are you in support of the administration of the producers' unions?
  • YES: 81,3% (+33,1)
  • NO: 16,8% (-31,0)
  • NO OPINION: 1,9% (-2,1)

Over the past few days, there has been a massive drop in support for the present occupation of Istkalen, primarily because of the so-called "Vardic hysteria" in the north of the country, as well as worries that the country's resources, both mineral and human, may soon be exploited by occupiers. Several conspiracy theories, especially one which claims that occupiers are responsible for the death of Gertrude Echteran, have also contributed to this.

The unpopularity of the J-TAI, the central institution of the occupation, is extremely high. The elections it plans to hold are expected to be widely boycotted; at the same time, almost no one in Istkalen has actually carried out its orders. They are promulgated by the government - yes; but the primary instruments of execution, the state occupational unions and people's committees, rarely actually execute those that are controversial, or rather 'attempt' to execute them in the slowest and least useful ways, bending interpretations to the point that they are made beyond nonsensical.

"What are we supposed to do?" wrote the People's Committee of Liremer in a statement. "This order obviously tells us that the city must be made in the shape of a clown, and that everyone in it must also dress like clowns," referring to an order that had nothing to do with clowns. "How can we enforce this? How? We are trying our very best, but it will take some time!"

At the same time, daily burnings of effigies of the members of the organization take place outside of its headquarters, on weekends with extremely large audiences, who often cheer in delight. The events are described as "almost hysterical in the happiness of their participants; people run around as though they are drunk, drunk on the happiness that one day, the fate of the effigies will befall the J-TAI."

Support for the present government, especially the Council of Ministers and the National Assembly, who appear to have deposed the unpopular Kerel, has risen massively. As the only government in decades to have successfully managed to restore democracy, as well as to expand it into the economic and cultural spheres, they are viewed as highly competent, especially in comparison to the J-TAI, which is seen as colonialist.

Yet many realize that the country needs stabilization, and have thus supported potential peacekeeping operations in Istkalen. The words of Premier Ikomar sum it up best:

"We want to carry on as we have carried on for the millennia. We want to manage our own affairs, we want to remain independent. But we know that what those who claimed to lead us have done, and we understand that we must pay penance for that. They may come to ensure that we remain peaceful, that the horrors that happened will not repeat themselves."