Elthic News Media
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Referendum on political reforms to be held in February
Elthics will vote on a variety of political reforms on February 9 and 10
August 27, 2022
Speaker of the Senate May Hobbes stated this morning that the referendum on political reforms will take place on February 9 and 10, 2023. The date was debated in the Senate since this Monday and was approved by President Greenwich Grimwald last evening.
Elthics will vote on ten reform proposals that mostly concern the legislative chamber of the country. The proposals, if passed, will be effective after the next Elthize general election. The proposals are separate, meaning that if one or two of them fail, the rest will still pass. For a proposal to pass, they need to gain simple majority approval and voter turnout (50%). Here are the proposals:
Political reform proposals - February 9-10, 2023 Do you support expanding the National Assembly by fifty seats, from 250 (two-hundred and fifty) to 300 (three hundred)? Do you support giving the Elthic legislature absolute supremacy over all institutions in Elthize, including executive and judiciary branches of the government? Do you support term limits for Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges? Do you support a merger of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court? Do you support having general elections every three years instead of four? Do you support the restoration of the position of Prime Minister, which was abolished in 2007? Do you support some parliament seats being reserved for minor parties to ensure diverse representation in Elthic politics? Do you support some parliament seats being reserved for specific demographics based on age, gender, ethnicity, or any other factors not mentioned? Which of the following two should choose the European Councillor? (A - The president, B - The parliament) -
Controversy sparks over councillor question in the referendum
The opposition figures are calling for a boycott of the proposal for not being democratic
August 29, 2022
The proposals of the 2023 referendum caught even more attention after the date for the referendum was announced. One of the questions, however, has caused the most backlash: The councillor question. One of the ten proposals in the referendum asks Elthic citizens which institution should choose the European Councillor, and the two options are the president and the parliament. There isn't an option to select the councillor with an election, similar to how our current councillor, Liam Zachary, was elected.
MA Ronald Lorenzen's original proposal did have three options for this question: The president, the parliament, and the people. However, The Third Option, the largest party in both houses of the parliament, refused to vote in support of the bill unless the options were cut down to the first two. While the initial proposal passed both National Assembly and the Senate without the approval of the TTO, President Greenwich Grimwald vetoed the bill, citing the same reason and amending the bill himself before passing it again to the Senate. The bill was then approved with Grimwald's amendment, among others.
Since the Elected and Accountable Council Act of 2020 was repealed fairly recently, nothing is forcing Elthize to have elections to choose the councillor. However, some politicians believe that the power should remain in the hands of the people.
"Not having elections for a position this important is ridiculous, and there are no valid arguments for otherwise," said Matthew François, head of The Greens. "I also would like to point out that Councillor Liam Zachary has supported the repeal of the EACA, which shows that he is a power-hungry being who only cares about his seat." Lorenzen was also disappointed over the decision to remove the possibility. "Elthics should have the power to elect and power to be elected, at all opportunities. I am frustrated that Grimwald did not allow them this opportunity."
Michael Jenkins, head of Labour, has called a boycott against the proposition. Because the proposals require at least 50% voter turnout to pass, he urged party supporters not to vote to defeat them.
Other politicians, however, argue otherwise. Michelle Teel, the TTO's spokesperson, said that because the parliament and the president are a reflection of people's votes in general elections, their selection of the councillor was just as democratic as a general election. The Nationals' Francis Elvin equated the councillor role to that of a minister, meaning that it is acceptable if the president picks the councillor. Finance Minister Tobias Walters argued that councillor elections would be "useless and expensive" and condemned Jenkins' boycott call, saying that he should "know his place and not tamper with the votes of the people".
The proposal, along with other nine proposals, will be put up for a referendum on February 9 and 10, 2023.
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Constitutional Court reportedly waiting on the referendum to make a decision
A ruling on the dispute between Parliament and the Supreme Court will not be given until the referendum is complete, sources report
September 7, 2022
Both the Elthic Parliament and the Supreme Court of Elthize are patiently waiting for the Constitutional Court's decision on whether or not the parliament has the right to dismiss a Supreme Court ruling. And according to the latest reports, they might have to wait a little longer, as the Constitutional Court waits on the 2023 reform referendum to pass.
That's because the 2023 reform referendum, set to commence in February, has a proposal that directly affects this court case, the third proposition, which reads: "Do you support giving the Elthic legislature absolute supremacy over all institutions in Elthize, including executive and judiciary branches of the government?"
"According to the Constitution of Elthize, the only thing that can repeal a referendum is another referendum, and the Constitutional Court has supported this idea many times in the past," reports Frances Irving, a journalist for The Tribunal. "If this proposition passes, then the court case is meaningless, so there is no point in deciding before the referendum."
The dispute between the Supreme Court and the Parliament comes from the landmark decision on the court case Gresham v. Elthize. Last month, the Supreme Court decided that all restrictions against the Unitees were unlawful and thus needed to be repealed. However, President Greenwich Grimwald asked the parliament to ignore the ruling, and the parliament released a joint statement in response. In retaliation, The Supreme Court sued the Parliament, and the dispute is now pending a response from the Constitutional Court.
Proposition 3 is unlikely to pass, according to the most current Polling Institute of Elthize (PIE) data, possibly because of low voter turnout. To succeed, a proposition must have at least 50% voter turnout as well as more than 50% favourable votes. According to PIE, the major reason behind this is that the proposal grants the parliament control over the executive, which is not something Elthics are excited about.
"Proposition 3 will turn Elthize into a parliamentary republic and make the president a mostly ceremonial figure. That is not popular among Elthic people, and it's not just Grimwald, it's that most Elthics believe that the president should have powers to change things in general," Irving claims.
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Liamville man arrested over plotting an assassination on Grimwald
by Frances Irving - September 8, 2022
Greenwich Grimwald at the Third European Leaders Summit in Europolis. September 4, 2022. (image credit)
(OOC: To avoid confusion, this event took place after the 3rd European Leaders Summit ended. It will not affect that RP, but will affect RPs going forward.)
Elthize was shocked Tuesday morning (September 6th) to learn that a man from Liamville was arrested for planning an assassination against President Greenwich Grimwald. The failed assassin was identified as 39-year-old Matthew Chucks, and he is currently in police custody, awaiting charges. The assassin is expected to receive at least nine years in prison and to be charged with, but not limited to, violating local gun control laws, attempted murder, terrorism and plotting to harm a high-ranking Elthic politician.
According to police reports, Chucks had travelled from Liamville to Harry's Island on September 1st with a private boat to ensure that his weapons, a hunting shotgun and a bayonet knife, were not confiscated. He knew Grimwald was planning a three-day vacation with his wife, Imogen, on Harry's Island, which was a favourite vacation spot for Elthize politicians in the 1980s and 1990s, and travelled ahead of time to ensure he didn't arrive late. After that, he used Homegetter, an app for short-term rentals in Elthize, to rent a property near the Montgomery Hotel, where he predicted Grimwald would stay.
Thankfully, things did not go in his favour.
On September 4th, the day Grimwald was supposed to take a flight to the island, Grimwald was unexpectedly invited to a European Leaders Summit by Internal Affairs Commissioner Kevin Cotilla, and had to delay the entire vacation to travel to Europolis. (As of today, this vacation has been cancelled.) Chucks, who was still on Harry's Island at the time, was enraged and went on a rampage inside his house, screaming, shouting and even shooting his shotgun to the roof. Thankfully, no one was injured during this incident, but it was enough to make his neighbours call the police. After the local police arrested Chucks, they confiscated his weapons, which were illegal on the island. (In Elthize, provincial and local governments can make their gun control laws, which can be more restrictive than national law.) Shortly after his arrest, Chucks had confessed his intent to assassinate Grimwald during interrogation, which failed, all thanks to an unexpected invitation.
The attempt received widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. Alfred Phillips, head of the Crimson, which Chucks was a member of, disapproved of the attempt and stated that Chucks' membership has been suspended indefinitely. Michael Jenkins, head of the Labour, stated that they "denounce any kinds of politically motivated violence". Francis Elvin, head of The Nationals, called the attack "vile and uncivilized". Bernard Lee, head of For The People, claimed that "Violence is never the way to go, ever. I offer my condolences to President Greenwich Grimwald and his wife."
Michelle Teel, spokesperson for Grimwald's party The Third Option, stated that Grimwald was unharmed, and has safely returned to Forecoaster, alongside Minister of Foreign Affairs Oscar Crofton. She also said that Grimwald was "distressed and traumatized by the series of events and has cancelled most of his public appearances for the foreseeable future". In a rare public statement, First Lady Imogen Grimwald has told that she and her husband were now seeking therapy. So far, President Grimwald has not made a public statement regarding this incident.
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Elthize now meets requirements to join the EMUzone, says Minister of Finance
by Frances Irving - September 9, 2022
El Castillo de San Carlos in Finisterre, Spain, where the Treaty of Finisterre was signed in October 2020. (image credit)
Elthics received wonderful news this morning when Finance Minister Tobias Walters announced that Elthize has fulfilled all of the requirements to become a signatory to the Treaty of Finisterre, meaning that the country can now join the EMUzone. He further stated: "We are now confident that our nation will enter the EMUzone well before President Greenwich Grimwald's deadline of January 2024."
The EMU, an acronym for European Monetary Unit, is a currency that was established with the Treaty of Finisterre in October 2020. The signatories are Spain, Inquista, Vayinaod, Fremet, Montenbourg, the United Dominions of Icholasen and Leagio, which was previously an observer state that joined the treaty in April this year. The agreement focuses on the economic cooperation between European states and was a breakthrough moment in economic integration within the European Union.
The use of the EMU within Elthize has been a discussion topic since January 2021, when President Greenwich Grimwald said that Elthize would use a "special circulation status" with the EMU, accepting the currency alongside the florin. Grimwald claimed that this move would improve tourism in Elthize, which is a prominent sector in our economy. The move was approved by the parliament, despite some opposition regarding the move's reality.
Since then, the EMU has been considered a de facto legal tender in Elthize. While the EMU is not the currency of Elthize by law, many shops and stores accept the currency alongside the florin. It is observed that many Elthics are ready for an eventual transition to the EMU. The process is also approved by many: According to the Polling Institute of Elthize (PIE), a survey conducted on the EMU in April 2022 found that 56% of those interviewed agreed that the implementation of EMU would be beneficial to their lives. This number is expected to be higher today, as Elthize gets one step closer to adopting a common monetary unit.
It was expected that President Greenwich Grimwald would announce an exact date for the transition from the florin to the EMU in the coming days, though this is uncertain now, due to Grimwald's current recovery from a very recent assassination attempt. He still has not made a statement regarding that incident.
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September 13, 2022 - 09:27 AM
St. Lucas considers mandatory humanities classes
"We want to ensure that our children grow up to be decent people," says Governor Martha Krystoff
We are back with another story. My name is Emilie Marie-Louise and you are watching Good Morning Elthize, live from Forecoaster.
We are living in an era where young Elthics are becoming more aware of social issues and have a particular interest in solving societal problems. Lawmakers in St. Lucas seem to be aware of this fact and want to capitalize on it by introducing mandatory humanities classes in the province's school curriculum in the next school year.
The members of the provincial parliament in St. Lucas have been discussing the possibility of mandatory humanities classes, starting in fifth grade and ending in eleventh. The bill was co-written by Paula Mannheim, a Labour member of the St. Lucas Assembly and Matthew Okungwe, Provincial Minister for Education in St. Lucas. Okungwe had this to say regarding why he wrote the bill: "Our children, our students, live in a vastly different era than we do, where they can access channels of information that we could never imagine in our childhood, without restriction. And because of this, they need significant guidance."
Mannheim also spoke about the bill: "Our intent with this bill is not to restrict our kids' freedom of opinions or information, but rather to have them make more informed decisions, to ensure awareness, and, most importantly, to reduce reactionary behaviour. Humanities classes will ensure that our students are not led by irrational anger when looking at the world around them. It will make sure that whatever people are doing in the future, they will always have other people in mind, and it will motivate them to do good."
The bill also has the full support of the Governor, Martha Krystoff: "We want to ensure that our children grow up to be decent people, have a basic understanding of human decency. In a perfect world, this would be taught by parents, but, unfortunately, not all parents are created equal, and some children do not have the opportunity. Schools should act as institutions to help parents on topics where they might be lacking in knowledge. It's the best way to ensure children are fulfilled with life and go into adulthood in the best way possible."
The bill is expected to pass the Labour and Green-dominated legislature of the province. While most have no issue with the program, some are sceptical, like Bill Withers, an New Democracy member of the assembly: "The definition of humanity is hugely subjective. I am concerned that the governing parties of St. Lucas, Labour, The Greens and the Socialist Alliance are planning to enforce their definition of humanity and human decency to attract new and young voters and to use morality to guilt trip them to vote for them. That is very concerning."
As stated previously, the bill is expected to pass the legislature and become law. Right now, I have two experts with me to discuss this law, ladies and gentlemen, say hello to Marcell Kirchner, a professor at Forecoaster University, and Bella Morwell, an English teacher of thirty-two years in St. Lucas. Folks, do we agree with what assembly member Bill Withers has said regarding this bill?
Marcell Kirchner: Well, yes, I think it is a valid concern. Paula Mannheim says that she wants to reduce reactionary behaviour in children, like, what do we think that means?
Bella Morwell: It means that she wants to ensure that our children are open-minded, understanding and compassionate. Reactionary behaviour is the opposite of this, reactionary people look at everything new and different with an irrational amount of suspicion.
Marcell Kirchner: That is correct, yes. But I still share the same concerns with Withers, I feel like there should be supervision to ensure that humanities classes remain apolitical, void of political influence.
Bella Morwell: I'm sorry, but I think it is wrong and ridiculous to imply that there is anything political regarding humanities or human decency.
Marcell Kirchner: That is not what I meant.
Bella Morwell: Well, you are implying it, saying that it should be void of political influence, and I'm wondering, are humanities classes inherently political or is it that some parties do not follow-
Emilie Marie-Louise: Thank you. Thank you, I have to interrupt now, I have another question to ask now, which, I should've asked first, let's talk about that: What are your general opinions regarding this bill?
Marcell Kirchner: Well, I am not opposed to humanities classes in grade schools. While I may be not content with the way Lucasian schools manage it in their curriculum, I think it is an important skill to learn.
Bella Morwell: I think it's marvellous, it is what our children needed. Humanities is dismissed by many people. It is considered useless because, in their minds, it cannot make money at all. And we think that just because something is not profitable, it is useless, and now we have young people who are capitalists, do not think about anything but themselves and their inventions are detrimental to humanity.
Marcell Kirchner: That sounds like a generalization.
Bella Morwell: And I guarantee you it is not, it's these young people who make these dystopian inventions that they believe are for the greater good, but in reality, it is one of the most harmful things ever.
Emilie Marie-Louise: Alright. Mr Kirchner and Mrs Morwell, thank you. I'm glad you guys took the time to come on here and share your opinions regarding this bill. We will now be having an ad break and return to you with more news across the country.
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September 14, 2022 - 12:15 PM
Brownell announces 90 million € artist fund
The fund will help starving artists by offering basic income
Good afternoon. I'm your host Elodie Giulietta, and you're watching Twelve News, live from Forecoaster. We're going to start our program with some news from the Brownell province, which has set 90 million Euros or 150 million florins aside to support its struggling artists. The program is expected to provide a basic income for thousands of people and bring new life to Brownell's famous creative industry.
This morning, Governor Rowan Holmwood of Brownell announced an artist fund for all artists that live in Brownell and make under eight hundred florins (600 €) a month.
For decades, the province was known for its comics and animation industry, which produced numerous Elthic masterpieces, some of which are known all around the European Union. However, since the 2000s, the business in Brownell has been in a fierce rivalry with the emerging animation companies in St. Lucas, the majority of which have larger budgets and superior technology.
While Brownell is known for its animation industry, Governor Holmwood assured that the fund will cover all types of artists, including actors, musicians, illustrators, poets and many more. "Our province's image was built by artists. It's the least we can do to support them in making ends meet. It's our answer to the ever-growing competition; we want to nurture and attract new talent to Brownell," said the governor.
"Berkeley "Berk" Zauner, a retired animator, had this to say regarding the fund: "Studios here are already higher paying, and more unionized and you have equal standing with your supervisors. Unfortunately, we've seen in recent years that studios in St. Lucas have seized all the credibility. Working in St. Lucas is just seen as more hip and fashionable these days. I just hope this is one of many steps we take to make our industry far more competitive."
*The fund includes a basic income of 500 florins (300 €) per month for all artists in the fund. In addition, the provincial government will take funding requests for creative projects and fund approved projects for up to 170,000 florins (100,000 €).
To participate, the applicant must have lived in Brownell for at least eight months and make less than eight hundred florins (600 €) a month. In addition, depending on the artist's profession, they must either have at least one finished work or must have participated in a creative project in the last five years.
There you have it. Artists in Brownell will be able to submit their applications for the fund until December 14th. The fund will accommodate two thousand artists, with half of the spots reserved for young individuals aged sixteen to thirty, and 750 of the total 2000 spots dedicated to women and non-binary people.
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Elthize to switch to EMU on New Year's Day, Grimwald declares
Grimwald made his first public appearance after a failed assassination attempt (image credit)
In an address to the nation in his first public appearance in two weeks, Grimwald announced that Elthize would switch to EMU on January 1st, 2023.
The announcement comes a week after Finance Minister Tobias Walters announced that Elthize had now met all the requirements needed to join the EMUzone.
The EMU, the acronym for European Monetary Unit, is a common currency authored by the Treaty of Finisterre in October 2020. The treaty was signed by seven countries: Spain, Inquista, Vayinaod, Fremet, Montenbourg, Leagio, and the United Dominions of Icholasen. On September 9th, Elthize became the eighth signatory country after getting unanimous approval from all other signatory states.
While Elthize will officially switch to EMU on January 1st, 2023, the currency has already seen widespread use in the country. On January 1st, 2021, Greenwich Grimwald announced that the currency would enter a "shared circulation status" alongside the florin. Since then, the EMU has been accepted in many places, from small shops to big box stores. In addition, some banks in the country have already started accepting the EMU alongside the florin as a domestic currency.
"I took this office eight years ago. Ever since then, my priority has been strengthening the connection between Elthize and the world. And we made significant progress this year. Elthize became a member of the European Union under my administration and now will use a currency that will become a worldwide standard in the coming years," President Grimwald stated while speaking to the crowd in the city of Forecoaster.
"We are future-proofing our systems, our institutions, our country, leaving the next generation a better Elthize. The EMU is a small part of this vision," he continued.
While Grimwald did not address the assassination attempt, audience members found him to be more energetic and confident than he usually is while giving speeches.
Grimwald's endeavours regarding the EMU are supported by the Elthic public: According to PIE's most recent reports, more than two-thirds of the Elthic public thinks positive of using the EMU as a currency.
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Finance Minister Walters announces the abolition of VAT on basic necessities
by Frances Irving - September 24, 2022
This morning, Finance Minister Tobias Walters revealed a plan to eliminate value-added tax (VAT) on basic necessities, such as groceries, drinking water and hygiene products. The plan covers a wide range of products that are defined as "necessary to keep the physical well-being of a person". Some of the products included in the 500-item long list are fruits and vegetables, dairy products, and meat, as well as sanitary products like pads, tampons, and toilet paper.
"With abolishing taxes on essential products, we plan to ease the weight of the cost of living for Elthics," Walters stated. "Poverty and income inequality remain a problem in many areas of Elthize. While this will not solve the problem completely, it will be valuable, especially for the lower middle class and the unfortunate."
Currently, there is a value-added tax of 7%, applied equally to all products. According to the plan published by Walters, from 2023 onwards, the VAT on basic necessities will drop to 3,5%, and in 2024, it will be gone completely. To counter this measure, the VAT on products and services that are not considered basic necessities will be raised to 12% in 2023. In addition, there will be a VAT rise on a set of luxury products, though details regarding that were not announced by Walters.
The plan was not a part of President Greenwich Grimwald's 2022 reelection agenda. However, it is believed that the plan was influenced by the popularity of the progressive tax, which is a tax system that involves higher taxes on higher income, during the 2022 elections. It is believed by political analysts that The Nationals' support of progressive tax was the reason why they won fourteen seats in the Elthic Parliament, more than anyone else. On the opposite side, New Democracy, which didn't support the plan, lost ten seats in the National Assembly.
The plan is expected to be sent to the Elthic Parliament for discussion in the coming weeks.
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Councillor Zachary will run for Prime Minister if the position is restored
Zachary announced his intent to run for PM in an interview with Europolis journalist Charles Janvier. (image credit)
During an interview this Monday, Councillor Liam Zachary announced that he would be running for Prime Minister if the following year's referendum restores the position.
In the interview, Zachary talked about his political career, his career as a councillor, and his plans for the future.
"I'm well past the phase of getting used to Europolis by now," Zachary told Janvier. "I mean, the weather is more chill here than in Forecoaster. Like, I forgot to wear my sunscreen for a week while working here, and, when I just realized it, I was shocked that I wasn't sunburnt to death. Elthic sun is unforgiving, especially for white guys like me."
Coming from an upper-middle-class family who was involved in Elthic politics for generations, Liam Zachary had a quick start, being elected as a member of the National Assembly in 2012, at the age of 18, then a member of Liberal Democrats. Following the 2012-13 corruption scandal, Zachary switched to The Third Option and won re-election in 2014 and 2018.
"I wasn't the greatest assembly member, to be fair... But being at the centre of politics in any country teaches you a lot," Zachary claimed. "I also want to thank our president, Greenwich Grimwald, he helped me a lot to get where I am today. It's a privilege to work with him to better our country."
In 2019, President Greenwich Grimwald appointed Zachary to be the third and last Minister of Membership to the European Union, a ministry specifically created for Elthize's membership to the European Union in 2016. In March 2022, he was declared the joint candidate for European Councillor, backed by The Third Option and New Democracy. He won the elections with 36% of the vote, taking office on April 15, 2022.
"Right now, we are working on a neutrality motion for the State of Elthize. I'm constantly in contact with Foreign Affairs Minister Oscar Crofton and various parliament members about it. We are considering introducing the plan to President Grimwald in November and to the European Council sometime in January. I'm excited."
When asked about the 2023 reform referendum, Zachary announced his intentions to run for prime minister: "If Elthics and our president open the doors for me, I will try my hardest to get that job. It would be an honour to be in that position."
On February 9 and 10, Elthize will go to the polls to decide whether to enact various political reforms, including the restoration of the position of prime minister. The position was abolished in 2007, also in a referendum, initiated and supported by former President Archie Franklin. Before 2007, prime ministers were often selected by the leader of the party that received the most votes in elections, who would then become president.
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For fifteen years, Elthize has become more and more unsafe. But why?
- This year, Elthize's crime rate has climbed from 53,3 to 59,2 per 100,000 inhabitants
- Since 2006, the crime rate has been gradually increasing
- The reason cited is a decrease in funds for police and social security services under the Franklin administration
Freddie Bonnay - October 3, 2022
Did you know that, in some areas of Elthize, you have as high as a 50% chance of being killed before you die of old age? Or that, according to the Polling Institution of Elthize (PIE), violent crime rates in the country have increased twelvefold since 2006? Or that robberies have increased as far as twentyfold in some provinces since 2010? In St. Lucas, even the Mayor puts up advisories on so-called "no-go zones". Some of these zones are essentially independent republics where Elthic law has no hold. This crime crisis, talked about rarely, if ever, in Elthic media, has been rotting our streets, neighbourhoods, cities and Elthic society at large, for decades. Here in this article, we will be talking about its origins, the reasons why it's happening, and how can we solve it.
Why and how did it get so bad?
It all started after Archibald "Archie" Franklin got elected in 2002. After Former President Gloria Dietrich died in office under suspicious circumstances, which are still discussed in Elthize today, Liberal Democrats (today known as The Nationals) were eager to take the government from Labour. And they succeeded: Labour nominated Roy Harper, who had served as Dietrich's predecessor from 1992 to 1997. Unfortunately, this did not work for them because Harper was rather unpopular in Elthize at the time, LibDems trashed him to death in whatever media they controlled, and some Elthics viewed Franklin's personality to be stronger than Harper's, which, for them, made him a better leader. Because of all this, Franklin crushed him, receiving 55,2% of the vote, a hard achievement in a country whose political system is as divided as Elthize. (For comparison, Grimwald received 43,3% of the vote in this year's presidential elections.)
A hardline liberal that was "tough on all kinds of tax", Franklin's first job was to slowly but surely abolish almost all kinds of welfare, which were established by ten years of Labour governance, from 1992 to 2002. One of Franklin's biggest campaign purposes was to reduce national government spending "to the point where it's negligible". He couldn't manage this before being ousted out of office (which we'll get back to), but he was somewhat successful: When he took office in 2002, the government spending to GDP value was 38.5%. In 2011, it dropped to 22%. By his supporters, Franklin was hailed as the ally of the working class, lifting the weight of taxation off of their shoulders. But he went to the point where basic services would barely function. This included privatizing everything, and defunding everything that couldn't be privatized... Including the police.
Everything is barebones!
Defunding the police is not a new concept in Elthize. From the 60s up until Benny Kalzer's presidency in the early 80s, one of the most contentious topics in Elthize was whether or not law enforcement was getting too much funding. When Kalzer, who was on the defund team, was elected president, many Elthics were worried that previous governments had spent much too much money on the police in the name of security, which, to put it bluntly, intimidated communities, particularly impoverished, mostly non-white ones. Kalzer took advantage of this concern, as it was in Kalzer's interests to defund the police, because he too was a fan of lowering taxes, just like Franklin. However, there was a key difference: Kalzer knew that if he wanted to defund the police, he had to find alternative ways of preventing criminals, preventing chaos.
So, starting in 1988, after spending his time slowly reducing funding for law enforcement for six years beforehand, he quietly started funding social programs for impoverished communities and neighbourhoods all around Elthize. It was unusual, and certainly not seen from your average Liberal Democrat, but it showed signs of working. However, this also led to his downfall for many reasons: It made him unpopular among his voter base, who were mostly upper-middle-class people, concerned with their tax money being spent on "the wrong people", and when Labour promised far more extensive welfare, his commitment was just not seen as enough. In addition, while his plan was working, it wasn't working fast enough for him to win an election. Not being able to strike a great balance, as well as other unrelated things that made him more disliked, Kalzer was voted out in 1992, with Roy Harper replacing him.
Why does this matter? Well, Franklin, seeing all this, decided to take it one step further, by almost completely abolishing all national funding for law enforcement and social services in 2009. He left it to the provincial governments to handle, who now had to increase their taxes to ensure they had enough money to get the services working, which was deeply unpopular and caused a crisis in many cities. At the time, Franklin called it a "short-term effect", stating that everything would be fine for at least a year. He was wrong. Very wrong.
Let the chaos commence!
If there was a list of anni horribiles for Elthize, 2009, 2010 and, to an extent, 2011, are on that list. Hell, the early 2010s were just bad times to be an Elthic. Provincial governments, who were shocked and unsure of what to do with Franklin's sudden decision of simply cutting the national funding in half, suffered, not being able to fund their services, such as healthcare and fire departments. With the rising bills, inflation and the complete loss of the social security net, people protested, angry at all kinds of government. They walked towards the Elthic Parliament and the Presidential Palace in Forecoaster. As a response, the government shut down all the highways to the capital city. In Montgomery, the provincial parliament was burned down. In Florence, angry protesters badly injured then-governor Kristina Garleen. She later resigned. In Brownell, things were so bad that a curfew was applied, for the first time in Elthic history. It is said that, at its peak, more than a quarter of the country participated in these protests nationwide.
By the end of 2009, the rage had slightly died down, but was still present, with clashes ongoing. Inside, there was huge pressure against Franklin. Even his party's MPs were rioting against him. In November 2011, the Elthic parliament issued a vote of no confidence. He survived, though barely. After his survival, many LibDem MPs resigned, resuming their careers as independents, including future president Greenwich Grimwald. Even New Democracy, who are usually tolerant to be in coalition with anyone, was questioning whether or not they should stay.
What's the worst that could happen?
And then 2012 came.
The streets were filled with rage, and so was Forecoaster. In July, there was a general election. Somehow, after all of what we mentioned, the LibDems were still in majority, but barely. Their time of towering over Labour was long gone, as the two parties were neck and neck. New Democracy, their former partners, refused to continue. He tried to look to the independents, but they despised him, as most of them were formerly Liberal Democrats. In October, Franklin gave up on forming a coalition, saying that he would continue with a minority government.
And then disaster struck. In November 2012, everything about Archie Franklin was leaked. His messages. His acceptance of bribery. His offshore bank accounts. His photos. Everything was shown to the public to see. People saw how he spent billions more than needed on infrastructure projects just to feed his rich supporters even further. His research on how he could escape Elthize if stuff hit the fan. Everything. Archie Franklin, who was already hated, was now a disgraced, despised man.
In July 2013, Franklin was officially kicked out of Liberal Democrats. But the damage had already been done. The police, or whatever was left of it, arrested dozens of LibDem politicians, their relatives and their close friends. Even Liam Zachary, our current councillor, who was just eighteen at the time, was briefly arrested. (He wasn't charged with anything.) They couldn't touch Franklin, who still had presidential immunity. A couple of months later, In October 2013, Greenwich Grimwald, who was still an independent MP, created the New Liberals Party, renaming it The Third Option in January 2014.
The Blue Wave of 2014
While Elthics wanted Archie gone, they weren't necessarily complaining about his policies. Before his draconian measures in 2010, his liberalization programs were wildly popular. There was a hole to be filled, as Elthics were looking for someone that offered similar policies but not to the extreme. This is where Greenwich Grimwald came in. He positioned himself as a classical liberal that practically opposed everything Franklin stood for. He, at the age of 66, wildly toured across Elthize, reaching hundreds of locations, ranging from cities to even small villages.
And it paid off: He had won, reaching a great majority in the parliament, thanks to more and more LibDem MPs jumping ship to Grimwald’s party. Meanwhile, LibDems were now just a small, insignificant party. By 2014, they had fewer MPs than the Socialist Alliance. Franklin, meanwhile, had already fled to Inquista, hiding from extradition back to Elthize for two years before dying in 2016.
In Grimwald's defence, he had reverted the radical changes that Franklin had done in his first three months in office. At this point, however, it wasn't enough. The societal and material damage from Franklin's reckless spending cuts was so deep that radical changes were necessary for Elthize to recover. But they didn't come. After all, Grimwald and Franklin were cut from the same cloth, they were LibDems for decades. Grimwald spent far more money on recovering Elthize's reputation, labelling it the best country for big business (The Duxburian Union would like to have a word), and making Elthize a "world country"- A country where everyone is welcomed no matter what they are... Unless they're poor, then they're at the mercy of their provincial governments, who are so underfunded they can barely find workers. In Grimwald's eyes, they're welcome as long as they're not desirable and a burden to the government.
Is there a solution?
With the current government? No. We need to vote them out, of course, but this goes beyond politics. This is about what Elthize stands for as a nation. The hyper-individualism that we adopted at the start of the 21st century works against us in every corner of our lives. We let greediness lead us, we elect liberals that cut more and more, to the point where there's nothing to cut anymore. As long as we save a couple of cents from taxation, we don't care about what happens to anyone else.
We make fun of those who dare to long for healthier communities and discredit those who believe that it is possible to eliminate crime, hunger, and homelessness in Elthize, all because we believe in the minuscule odds that we will be swimming in riches someday. We trust the rich and their fake philanthropy, we trust the companies and conglomerates who we think do good for the country, more than our starving neighbours, our struggling friends, and our loved ones in crisis. So yes, there are solutions, but the permanent ones involve us radically changing our lives and our way of thinking.
Fixing our nation, Elthize, starts with fixing ourselves.
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According to the opposition, the people should vote on Elthize's neutrality
by Janice Kyou - October 3, 2022
Matthew François, leader of The Greens, speaking at the Conference of Major Green Parties in Saint Romain, Icholasen, September 2022. (image credit)
A new discussion topic in Elthic politics is on the horizon: Should Elthize officially be a neutral nation? The discussion sparked once again after European Councillor Liam Zachary stated in a Europolis interview that he was working on a neutrality motion for the country, alongside other Elthic officials such as Foreign Minister Oscar Crofton.
"I am quite busy, actually. Right now, we are working on a neutrality motion for the State of Elthize. I'm constantly in contact with Foreign Affairs Minister Oscar Crofton and various parliament members about it," said Zachary in an interview with Europolis journalist Charles Janvier.
According to Article VI of the Constitution of the European Union, a state can trigger a neutrality motion to have its commitment to neutrality recognized by the European Union. A neutrality motion needs a supermajority to pass, meaning it requires 75 per cent approval from the European Council.
To avoid the same difficulty that Ruthund had with its neutrality motion in 2020, which fell short of the requisite approval with only 71%, it appears that the Elthic administration is gathering support from other nations. According to Spanish news reports, President Greenwich Grimwald had sought confirmation of support in a "hypothetical neutrality motion" at the Spanish-Elthic summit in June, to which the Spanish side replied positively. Currently, it is expected that Elthize will not face opposition in the European Council in the case of a neutrality motion.
However, there is criticism from the opposition, regarding how this neutrality progress is done. The most common criticism is that the people do not have enough say on this important decision. Matthew François, head of The Greens, criticized the government on Twitter: "How pathetic is it that Grimwald won't even bother for a referendum on a decision that will shape our country's foreign policy for years, if not decades? First, he elects ECoJ by himself, now he does this. How bothersome!"
Michael Jenkins, head of Labour, retweeted François' tweet, further adding: "What we are witnessing today is the erosion of Elthic democracy and Elthic will. Grimwald must stop taking reckless liberties on himself and instead collaborate with the other branches of government to secure further consensus on important decisions."
It is unclear if President Grimwald would call a vote in parliament on the neutrality motion before submitting it to the European Council through Councillor Zachary. In the interview with Janvier, Zachary noted that he would meet with the president in November to discuss the neutrality motion. He also stated that the motion would be submitted to the European Council sometime in January.
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Kendall Hudson, ambassador of Elthize to Leagio, resigns
by Janice Kyou - October 7, 2022
Hudson talking to interviewers in Tullion, Leagio, shortly after the Supreme Court decided on Gresham v. Elthize, August 2022. (image credit)
Kendall Hudson, ambassador of The State of Elthize to the Commonwealth of Leagio, announced her resignation immediately this Friday morning.
Kendall Meti Adebayo-Hudson, 42, was appointed by Foreign Affairs Minister Oscar Crofton on June 4, 2022, and assumed office the day after. Before being appointed as an ambassador, she was elected as an Independent member of the National Assembly in this year's elections. During her time, she saw The Unitees crisis, where the Supreme Court declared all restrictions towards The Unitees unlawful.
Hudson, like other Elthic politicians, reacted to the Supreme Court decision negatively, calling it "naive and odd", and ensured Leagioan politicians that the decision would "not put a dent to Elthize-Leagio relations".
In her resignation letter, Hudson stated that her decision to resign was entirely personal and without outside pressure: "Overtime, I started to understand that I was not satisfied with my current position in my career. Because of this, I will be resigning from my position as the Ambassador of Elthize to Leagio, effective immediately," she wrote in a public announcement in her blog.
She made certain that her hiatus would not be permanent: "Please be aware that I am not retiring. When my conscience is ready, I'll come back." The sudden departure, granted by Crofton the same day, surprised the Elthic people, and several theories have already been made to explain Hudson's resignation.
The position is now vacant, and it is unclear who will fill it. Crofton is expected to name the new ambassador next week.
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Pressure mounts as Elthics seek neutrality in the February vote
More than two-thirds of Elthic voters want a say in Elthic neutrality, according to PIE
October 10, 2022
Over the last couple of days, we've seen the Grimwald administration slowly pushing for Elthize to be a neutral nation. A possible neutrality motion is in the works and is expected to be submitted to the European Council as early as January next year. Furthermore, In November, Councillor Liam Zachary, alongside Foreign Affairs Minister Oscar Crofton, is predicted to meet up with President Greenwich Grimwald next month to discuss the neutrality motion.
However, not everyone is happy with the recent push for neutrality, including opposition figures, but also many Elthics, who seem annoyed that they don't get a say in it.
"If Grimwald thinks that the neutrality motion is so popular, let's put it to the referendum in February! We'll see how well it fares," yelled Labour Party leader Michael Jenkins at a parliament session. The move was met with loud claps from the opposition, and loud boos from the government coalition.
According to the Polling Institution of Elthize (PIE), 68% of the polled agreed that it would be wrong not to decide Elthize's neutrality with a referendum. In the case of a referendum, however, Elthics have not made up their mind yet: 29% of the surveyed showed support for the neutrality proposal, while only 11% were against the idea. The rest didn't know or refused to answer.
Janice Kyou, a journalist at The Tribunal and a political expert, wrote this on her blog: "It is very clear that a referendum on neutrality today would have abysmal turnout. This is because most Elthics have no idea what neutrality means, what it means for their country to be a neutral state, and what consequences would it carry for Elthize going forward if it chooses to become one."
She further elaborated on an interview with NET: "Any party, politician, corporation, or individual... can easily dominate the neutrality debate right now... It's a wide-open field. We have to remember that this is still a relatively new issue in Elthize. Therefore, It would be a mistake, in my opinion, to include it in the February referendum. The proposals in that referendum had been argued for months and years. This isn't the case with neutrality."
Regardless, a bill to amend the 2023 referendum and add a neutrality proposal was submitted to the Elthic parliament and is expected to be discussed in the coming days.
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Neutrality amendment on referendum rejected by National Assembly
An amendment to add a neutrality question to the 2023 referendum was rejected 130-118
October 14, 2022
This morning, the proposal to add a neutrality question to the 2023 reform referendum was rejected in the National Assembly, with a four-vote difference. The proposal was submitted by Labour assembly member Basil Osborne and was put up for voting after days of debate.
The proposal was defeated 130-118, with 68 of The Third Option's 73 assembly members, and 30 of New Democracy's 40 assembly members voting against it. Also, 10 of 11 assembly members of the Socialist Alliance, all 5 assembly members of The Crimson and For The People, all 3 assembly members of the Christian Cultural Movement and four of twelve independent assembly members voted against the measure.
All assembly members of Labour and The Greens voted for the measure. Furthermore, two independent MPs abstained from voting. Only 5 of The Nationals' 15 assembly members voted against the proposal, which some political experts comment as another signal of The Nationals distancing themselves from the ruling coalition, and President Greenwich Grimwald.
The proposal to add a neutrality question to the referendum comes after Councillor Liam Zachary's announcement that he would submit a neutrality motion for Elthize. According to Zachary, the motion will be discussed with President Grimwald in November and is expected to be submitted to the European Council in January.
The rejection of the proposal is a blow to Michael Jenkins, head of Labour and leader of the opposition. It is expected that a similar bill will be submitted to the Senate by a Labour or Green senator, where the bill may circumvent the National Assembly.
While the proposal to add a neutrality question to the referendum was rejected, the idea remains popular with the Elthic public: According to the Polling Institution of Elthize (PIE), 68% of those questioned thought that it would be incorrect not to have a referendum on Elthize's neutrality.
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Kito Orji to be the next ambassador to Leagio
by Janice Kyou - October 18, 2022
Orji at a press conference of The Third Option, July 2016. (image credit)
This morning, Minister of Foreign Affairs Oscar Crofton appointed Kito Orji to be the next Elthic ambassador to Leagio, after eleven days of a vacancy in the position, which started due to the previous ambassador, Kendall Hudson, unexpectedly resigning after four months due to personal reasons.
Born Mikkael Kito Orji on December 12, 1970, he initially aspired to be an electrical engineer at William Lee Marchand University in Montgomery. There, he achieved an undergraduate degree. At the age of 25, he began an unexpected political career as a city council member in Festholder, a small town of 35,000 residents on the outskirts of the Montgomery metropolitan area.
In the 2002 and 2004 elections, he ran unsuccessfully for the Liberal Democrats' assembly seat. Shortly after his defeat in 2004, he moved to Port Nelson and returned to his old job, until returning to politics as a local commentator in 2010. During the 2014 elections, he ran for assembly again, this time as a member of The Third Option. He was successful this time and was elected to the National Assembly until December 2016, when he abruptly resigned. Orji revealed in 2020 that he had to resign from the position due to serious health issues that have now been resolved. (Orji did not reveal what type of disease he had at that time.)
"I have full confidence that the excellent Mikkael Kito Orji will make the perfect ambassador for Elthize to Leagio and the excellent successor to the honourable former ambassador, Kendall Hudson. I have no doubts that Mr Orji will strengthen the already firmly established relations between the two countries even further," Crofton wrote in his appointment letter.
Former ambassador Kendall Hudson also congratulated Orji on her blog: "I am extremely glad that he finally has the position he deserves, after overcoming so many struggles and many, many years of hard work. I hope that his time at Tullion will finally give him some stability."
Orji is expected to arrive at Tullion and assume office tomorrow morning.
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Senate to not vote on neutrality amendment proposal
Amendment to add a neutrality question to the 2023 referendum will not be discussed in the Senate, says Speaker
October 23, 2022
This afternoon, Speaker of the Senate May Hobbes announced that the neutrality amendment proposal would not be put up for discussion in the Senate. The proposal would add a proposal on whether Elthize should be neutral in the 2023 reform referendum. The exact proposal, submitted by Labour MA Basil Osborne, was defeated 130-118 in the National Assembly, and it was expected for a senator to put a similar bill into the Senate. However, when Labour Senator Erle Thrussell proposed the bill for consideration of discussion, it was rejected, and vetoed, by Hobbes.
"I don't think this is a topic important enough to be discussed in the Senate right now," said Hobbes, explaining her decision to NET. "Likewise, it is not important enough to attempt to override the National Assembly's decision." Hobbes continued, stating: "We are acting too early, I think. I believe that we can have a more healthy discussion, once more about the neutrality plans of the President and the Councillor are revealed."
Councillor Liam Zachary and President Greenwich Grimwald are expected to meet up sometime in November to discuss a potential neutrality motion in the future.
The veto initiated by Hobbes was condemned by opposition figures as an undemocratic move. Matthew François, head of The Greens, stated: "It is tragic to see a rejection of democracy so stubborn. What does the President exactly fear?"
Others, however, praised Hobbes' decision. Francis Elvin, head of The Nationals, replied back to François: "How can we talk about democracy when the decision of a proper assembly is rejected? This circumvention is laughable. To be honest, the Senate should not even have the authority to send laws to the President on its own."
While the motion would have a better chance of passing through the Senate, many political experts say that it would be vetoed by Greenwich Grimwald anyway, making it pointless.
"It's no use. I mean, I didn't agree with that route, I feel like the decision of the National Assembly should be final. Grimwald would have vetoed it, but it's more about making a statement if that makes sense. It's important to at least show disapproval," Basil Osborne told NET.
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Greenwich Grimwald "not keen" on neutrality motion, close sources report
by Frances Irving - November 10, 2022
President Greenwich Grimwald alongside Senator Merrill Kooben, January 2020.
(image credit)
Yesterday morning, Councillor Liam Zachary landed on Forecoaster to meet with President Greenwich Grimwald to discuss a possible neutrality motion for Elthize, which, if passed through the European Council, would make Elthize a recognized neutral state by the European Union. Being a neutral state has its benefits: Most notably it gives a state legal protection from a declaration of war and further trust in peacekeeping missions. While Zachary seemed confident that he would be able to convince Grimwald to support his motion, things didn't go as well as he hoped.
According to sources close to the Presidential Palace, the President was "not too keen" on the idea of neutrality, and found it "useless and redundant".
"Do we need this? Do we really need this?" Grimwald allegedly asked Zachary, who was apparently distressed.
Grimwald also disagreed with the fact that the neutrality motion would bring in more business opportunities, in fact, he thought the opposite, reportedly stating that neutrality would cause distrust in relations between Elthize and other countries. "You need to avoid picking a side," he apparently declared.
This signals a U-turn from Grimwald himself as well, as he asked various countries, including Yosai and Spain, whether they would support an Elthic neutrality motion. In fact, Grimwald had very similar ideas to Zachary's just a couple of months ago. In a summit with the Yosainese government in late May, Grimwald stated that Elthize would remain neutral, joining neither Telum nor ECON, to not harm the Elthic economy. Grimwald also made comments on foreign policy, stating that he "didn't want to see anyone side-eyeing his country".
So far, it is unknown what motivated Grimwald to change direction on foreign policy, though neutrality seems to be off the table... But is it? Not according to Kelly Meghan, a notable journalist at the Elthic Affairs newspaper.
"Zachary's idea is not good for Grimwald and his ideals," states Meghan. "I mean, let's make this clear first: Grimwald does support neutrality. I don't expect him to move toward either ECON or Telum. However, I also don't expect him to move toward being a recognized neutral state."
"Grimwald and Zachary have conflicting ideas on Elthic neutrality. Grimwald would not want Elthize to be a recognized neutral state by the European Union due to all the responsibilities that come with it. The most important part is that being recognized as neutral by the EU would significantly limit potential military cooperation in the future. That is a huge concern for any leader, not just Grimwald. It can massively limit what can you do in the name of national security. I think what happened is that Grimwald finally read the fine print on neutrality, that's why he's opposed to it right now."
When asked about her own opinions on neutrality, Meghan called it "unnecessary". "I don't think we have a special case that requires us to be officially neutral. Surprisingly enough, I agree with Grimwald, we can just exist. We can not pick a side as long as times are not extraordinary. That's enough for most people. Even if we became recognized as neutral, it wouldn't last."
Zachary is expected to go back to Europolis tomorrow morning.
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Ministry of Health orders markets to take canned Czech products off their shelves
The order comes after a botulism outbreak in the country
November 15, 2022
Health Minister Noelle van Hassel has demanded a stop to all sales of canned products made in Czech Slavia following a botulism outbreak there.
According to the state-run Czech News Agency, fifteen people fell ill in the small Moravian town of Moravský Krumlov after showing symptoms of botulism, such as weak muscles, nausea and difficulty breathing. They have been transported to a hospital in the city of Brno and all have reported eating canned potatoes or products containing canned potatoes.
"Effective immediately, we demand all markets take canned produce made in Czech Slavia off the shelves to prevent a health crisis in Elthize," van Hassel expressed. "These products carry the risk of being contaminated with toxins made from the bacterium of Clostridium botulinum. The disease that these toxins cause, botulism, can be fatal."
Following the 1994 cholera outbreak that happened in Elthize, the Ministry of Health has been given powers to issue orders to various industries, ensuring the safety of Elthic people. Not following these orders is punishable, with the sentence depending on the size of the offence, ranging from three to twenty-one years in prison. Corporations may be fined millions of florins, as was the case in March 2018 when thirty-two companies were fined 118 billion Ꞙ in total after knowingly selling food contaminated with E.coli five years prior, causing a small-scale outbreak.
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Next European elections to have a "none of the above" option
The directive was approved by President Grimwald and will be in effect for the upcoming European Union elections
November 17, 2022
Yesterday, two motions have passed through the Senate regarding the European elections in Elthize, both of which were approved by President Greenwich Grimwald this morning. Speaker of the Senate May Hobbes called the bills a "safety mechanism", while Grimwald said that the legislation was "a step in the right direction"
The first change will add a "none of the above" option for races that have more than one person competing in it. With this, the voters will have the option to vote for no candidates, if they do not wish any of them to be part of the European Commission. If the choice wins the vote, then the country will simply dismiss the voting process for that race specifically.
The second change, concerning unopposed races, will add a vote of approval for the sole candidate. The ballot will ask the voters whether they would like to see Elthize vote for the unopposed candidate. If the candidate receives higher than 50% of the approval, Elthize will vote for the candidate. If not, it will dismiss the voting process entirely.
The support for the changes can be seen across the political spectrum, with some, like Leader of The Greens, Matthew François, stating that the changes should also apply to national elections in Elthize, though it is unknown if the ruling coalition has a plan for that now.
Some journalists have argued that the changes are a reaction to candidates in the next European Commission election, where both candidates for the Premier Commissioner are highly controversial. Patrick Baitfemme of Blue Croatia, a country well-known for its misogyny deeply rooted in its culture, is well-known for his radically patriarchal statements, made in The Locker Room podcast, while Annelise Bauer of Istkalen is well-known for her attacks on politicians, mostly European Councillors, using chemical weapons and clay knives. NET has found a warning that was issued after she escaped prison in December 2021.
The warning reads: "Ms Bauer is a known violent criminal, and was responsible for two attacks on the Council, on both occasions attempting to stab a number of Councillors, succeeding once. She was also responsible for an attempted chemical attack on the Council chambers, involving a concentrated white powder which directly resulted in the hospitalization of two Councillors and their eventual resignation, as well as an extended physical assault on Councillor Mizrachi-Roscoe of the United Duchies, who she repeatedly bit, stabbed, and threw the named white powder on, resulting in his hospitalization for over a month."
