MEDIA - ALKHARYA
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BILL SUBMITTED BY KURULTAY MEMBER WILL RAISE THE MINIMUM AGE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA TO 18
The bill will help minors to develop throughout their childhood without disturbance, says bill writer and submitter Derya Okan Çevik
DÖRTKÖŞE - Social media is a part of every Alkharyan today, especially the young people. Alkharyans post most of their moments on social media for everyone to see. However, it has its setbacks. Supported by research and studies, the image on social media is the biggest concern for many teenagers. The data retrieved from minors by social media corporations were also questioned by courts and many citizens. The bill submitted for discussion in Kurultay by Derya Okan Çevik, if approved, will ban all citizens under 18 from using social media, and charge parents with parental negligence if their children are caught using social media.
"Our children shan't worry about what anonymous people far away think of them", says Derya Okan Çevik, the submitter. "I have seen far too many children worrying about their friendships in social media or keeping a good look of their image. I believe that this should not be our kids' concern during their coming of age. Social media is used as a digital pacifier for our children- and I do not like that at all. We, as parents should be responsible and held accountable. As our kids develop to adolescence, they discover themselves and who they really are. Internet damages them in the process and they start to question if they will be accepted and be valid. The bill will help minors to develop throughout their childhood without disturbance. I mean, I do find it quite stupid that our kids have to go to the Internet to find acceptance, and that is why the bill includes charging parents for parental negligence. You don't deserve kids if you cannot love them to the point where they talk to random strangers. Simple."
In the bill, social media is defined as "A network that is based around connecting people for the purposes of socializing, blogging and idea-sharing", Though some find this definition too vague. Some argue that the bill will destroy their careers that kicked off on social media. For instance, there are many young artists that gained a huge following on social media via their art, and it's where they take commissions. These artists fear Çevik's bill will destroy their financial support. Some argued that Çevik is targeting freedom of speech, such as our European Councillor, Aylin Gökçen. "I find it disgusting that Çevik tries to take freedom of speech away from our children!", she tweeted this morning.
This is not the first try to regulate social media usage for teenagers in Kurultay. Mert Karakaş, the creator of the bill which banned missionaries after 13 years, has submitted another bill in early 2017 which would raise the minimum age of social media usage to 16. The bill didn't pass the Kurultay. Currently, there is not a defined age limit of social media by law- although many social media companies put the limit at 13, the standard for much of the European Union. The bill has been submitted to the Kurultay for discussion and the discussion period will start on the 27th of October. The voting will start on 3rd of November and, if approved, will be submitted for approval by President Tülay Elçi on 5th of November.
This was Erin Karagül, writing for Dörtköşe.
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PRESIDENT TÜLAY ELÇİ STRIKES DOWN ÇEVİK'S SOCIAL MEDIA BILL, CALLS IT A "KNEE-JERK, REACTIONARY BILL"
Political experts predict that it is highly unlikely that the bill will pass the Kurultay.
DÖRTKÖŞE - A couple of days ago, Kurultay member Derya Okan Çevik submitted a deal that would ban citizens under the age of 18 from using social media, and charge parents of the said citizen with negligence if caught using the social media. The bill is currently up for discussion in Kurultay and has gotten mixed feedback so far. Member Leyla Gündoğdu has criticized the bill for being "too restrictive and vague". She also mentioned that it would possibly cripple the technical intelligence of the youth and make them more dependent on their family. Member Aybars Demirci was open for the idea of regulations for minors in social media, though said that the bill was "extremely flawed in the core". Member Mert Karakaş completely supported and endorsed the bill and said it would give a "less-corrupted youth" in return if passed.
Politicians predict the bill will not pass the Kurultay due to its divisive and harsh nature. The similar reasons were also given for the 2017 bill submitted by Mert Karakaş, which had a similar goal in mind, compared to Çevik's bill. Political experts say that it shouldn't be the age limit that must be focused on- it's the security of the minors on the Internet. However, journalist Ayla Hatun argues that kids danger freedom of speech on the Internet. "The Government will try to find ways to limit freedom of speech and casually track down people in the name of protecting kids. Çevik should've gone further and deny any possibility for people to say "But what about children?" in the long run. That's how they struck you down. Kids are innocent people, how dare you question laws to protect them?" She wrote in her last blog post.
This morning, President Tülay Elçi disapproved the bill. "I do not believe that the current bill is based on constructive and hard grounds. I think it's a knee-jerk, reactionary bill. I obviously approve the idea of protecting our children from harmful grounds, although I would like to see a better bill than this." If the bill passes Kurultay with approval from less than two-thirds of the parliament, the President has the full ability to veto the bill back to Kurultay. The voting in Kurultay will start on 3rd of November and, if approved, will be submitted for approval by President Tülay Elçi on 5th of November.
This was Erin Karagül, writing for Dörtköşe.
photo taken from here, edited
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CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM WAITING FOR APPROVAL TO BE HELD ON 26TH OF DECEMBER, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE
If passed, Kurultay will lose the ability to directly elect its president.
ART - Breaking news came from Kaanpaşa today as Kurultay passed a referendum notion which will make Alkharyans decide to have presidential elections. The notion passed 52-74, with strong opposition from Northern Alkharya, especially Alfur, whose twenty-four Kurultay members all voted against the notion. In Southern Alkharya though, the bill was met with heavy support, especially in Kaanpaşa and Barbaros. Councillor Aylin Gökçen opposed the tweet, saying that it will cause regionalism and argued that the presidency is fine as is. The opinion of President Tülay Elçi, who's currently participating in the 2nd European Leaders Summit in Europolis, is unknown, however, it is expected that she will give out her opinions after the summit. The referendum is set to held on 26th of December if Tülay Elçi approves the notion.
At the moment, the President of Alkharya is chosen by the Kurultay itself, usually around a month after the general elections. There are around 2-7 candidates every presidential election. Tülay Elçi became the president of Alkharya in 2020. She was one of four candidates that term and she will re-run for another term in 2022. If the referendum gets a "yes" vote from Alkharyan voters, instead of Kurultay voting for presidential candidates, there will be nation-wide elections to choose who gets to be the president of Alkharya for two years.
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BREAKING NEWS: PRESIDENT ELÇİ APPROVES THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
The referendum will take place on 26th of December.
ART - After coming back from the European Leaders Summit in Europolis to Kaanpaşa, President Tülay Elçi has given the green light for the constitutional referendum. The referendum that passed from Kurultay with a 74-52 vote and, if passed, will strip Kurultay from its rights to elect the president of the country and give that right to Alkharyan citizens of voting age. She talked to the press in the early morning to give her insights on the upcoming referendum.
"This referendum marks another step for the Alkharyan democracy. It was about time that we've had the talk on the way I and every president before me were chosen. This is truly a historic moment that I cannot do anything but applaud. I would like to congratulate Kurultay for passing this bill. I will run for a presidential campaign in 2022 if this passes by fellow Alkharyans."
The decision was protested in Northern Alkharya, particularly in the city of Alfur, where thousands marched in the city square. Members of Kurultay from Alfur Region argue that this referendum is a direct target to weaken the political power of Northern Alkharya. "This referendum is an attack on The North in the name of so-called European democracy", Alfur MP Behiye Düzgün claimed, participating on the protests in the city of Alderik, another northern stronghold. "Shame on Tülay Elçi for having the audacity to ruin the Alkharyan values!" Tekin Karakaş protested, a television personality from Leylekhan.
Down south, however, attitudes to the referendum are very different. The folk of Pamukköy in the south of Barbaros Region celebrated the referendum with an enormous car convoy that ran from Pamukköy to the city of Barbaros. "I am living for this moment!" said a driver, who we managed to catch in a gas station for some quick words. "I love democracy, man. That's all there is to it. Can't wait to vote! Woo!"
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"TAKE HER HOME!" PROTESTERS CHANT, DEMANDING COUNCILLOR GÖKÇEN TO BE REPLACED
Teodor - On the city of Etikel, a protest of around two-thousand people has gathered to protest the current Councillor of Alkharya, Aylin Gökçen. It is said that the protestors are gathered over the now-withdrawn Protection of Body Integrity for Children and Intersex People Act. The Act in question gives Intersex people more protections and bans some body modification on children, most notably circumcision. The protesters, mostly believers of Judaism and Islam, as well as irreligious people who support religiously liberal policies, called the act "horrible" and "authoritarian".
PROTESTER - (During an interview) "We're trying to make Alkharya an inclusive place for all religions and this is what she does? Disgusting."
RANDOM GUY - She is right, you delusional freak!
PROTESTER - Excuse me?
RANDOM GUY - Alkharya will not be a place for your fairytales! (Another person shouts in support far away.)
PROTESTER - Councillor Gökçen gives voice for people like this and then we wonder why other countries hate us! Disgusting!
(The Protester and Random Guy start arguing even louder, eventually fighting until a nearby police officer separates them.)
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YARGITAY RULES BARBAROS' TAX TRANSPARENCY LAWS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND "A DANGEROUS BREACH TO PRIVACY"
Governor of Barbaros has resigned over the controversy.
Showtime - This afternoon, Yargıtay ruled Barbaros' tax transparency laws are unconstitutional, as they are a direct violation of the right to privacy. The laws in question make it so that any EU citizen can see the tax returns without any requirements. According to the decision, while having a public tax database is not against the right to privacy, the court has ruled that publishing this database outside Alkharya is. In addition, the Government of Barbaros has also been repeatedly accused of not informing people who have checked their tax returns and has been sued multiple times.
7 of 11 judges who were able to vote, from the regions of Kaanpaşa, Geyikli, Açelya, Levent, Leylekhan, Alfur and Atlıkarınca have voted for the law's repeal or changes to the law in accordance with the Constitution.
Governor of Barbaros, Ilgın Erbakan has resigned over the controversy. She will be replaced by another election in the Barbaros regional parliament sometime next week. The other two regions with public tax laws, Etikel is expected to adjust their laws in accordance with the lawsuit.
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A LITTLE TALK WITH AYLİN GÖKÇEN
ONE Radyo - Hello everyone, you are currently listening to ONE Radyo, my name is Altuner Fadıl, it is now 18:00 in Alkharyan time which is the time in which many come back from work and stuff... so, I hope you had a great day so far! It is yet another episode of our series, A Little Talk, where we... well, have conversations with relevant people, have a cup of tea and just... have fun, you know? Today's guest is none other than our Councillor, Aylin Gökçen! Hello!
Hello!
Aylin, I've been waiting to do this episode for quite some time now and there are many questions I want to ask! But first, as the first Councillor of Alkharya, how's life in the city of Europolis, and how does it feel to be a councillor, or more specifically, the first councillor of Alkharya?
Well, life's fine in the city, I do feel homesick for my hometown Alderik sometimes, Europolis is good! I've started to use my bicycle more ever since I got here, though, as the traffic is really bad. Being a councillor is cool, though I am probably far from the most liked councillor, as long as I got the back of Alkharya, it's all good!
I believe that's because of the... what's it called... Protection of Body Integrity for Children and Intersex People Act..?
That's one of the reasons. You know, even our President hated that Act.
Oh wow, really?
She was all like, "Why is circumcision your business all of a sudden?" You know, I wouldn't even withdraw it if councillors weren't so distracted from the kid that came through, which, I can't blame them, I was terrified as well.
Yeah, that's- (wheezes) Ha-ha! That was something! I saw that live on TV and- (uncontrollably laughs, Gökçen starts laughing as well)
Haha, yeah- Nobody could focus on the Act. Anyway, so here's the thing, Altuner, there are so many cultures that love to just interrupt children's bodies, I couldn't believe it.
Well, yeah, not all countries value individualism and people as we do. Though I would argue that directly battling it out isn't going to solve problems, it will cause conflict.
I mean, I feel like, even if the Act would fail, it would clearly show my and most of Alkharya's stance on body interruptions. I mean, I knew that banning circumcision for kids was going to be controversial from the get-go. But there was also some objection against banning medical interventions against intersex people without their consent... like what?
I guess there would be less opposition if it was specified more. Medical interventions could mean anything, really.
Hmm. Maybe you're right. I'll note that in the second version.
Oh, okay. So, you have said that there are other reasons why people don't like you?
Oh yeah, well, for one, the EPA seems to think that I'm a Euroskeptic, which is such a buzzword at this point I don't even hear that anymore. People only call me that because I don't want other countries to tell Alkharya what to do with its democracy! It's ridiculous! Councillor Tusk loves to talk about how I give voice to the anti-EU folk only because I wanted to repeal EACA, can he say the same to Wesley Greene of Duxburian Union? One of the oldest countries in the EU that wants EACA gone?
That sounds ridiculous.
It is! It is ridiculous! These people love to just tell what to do to others! Does Alkharya look like a puppet state to you?
I mean, of course not. And it's no secret that Spain wants to increase its influence on the European Union. They've got permission from the ENAA to build nukes.
Yes, I am aware. I believe that this nuclearization of the EU is very concerning... Fremet, Icholasen and Gallorum all have nuclear bombs, so does Spain. We are literally covered with them, on all sides. I'm not sure what our response will be, honestly.
Okay, let's talk internal politics now. As we all know, Alkharya will go through a constitutional referendum on 26th to 27th of December, listeners, if you are over 16 and under 65, you are automatically registered to vote! Feel free to go to Alkharya's election website and look out for which voting booth you are registered to! Aylin, I would like to know your opinions about presidential elections.
I am against that.
Okay. Why is that?
I don't think it's equal. I think it reduces the political power of the North and it's an unnecessary change. We have chosen our presidents in Kurultay for centuries, why is it a problem now?
I mean... like, things change, policies change. We had many laws over the years that changed. Presidential laws can change, too.
Sure, you're correct but, for years we've had a bigger opportunity to have a Northern to be a president with the current system. Our ancestors deliberately built the system this way because a Southern does not have the capability to understand North, nor it's policies, nor it's estabilishments.
That's... degrading, I would argue that the North and the South are now much closer than ever.
I mean, yeah, I would count that as a good thing, as it is now easier to transform information. But still, the North has it's own way, and the South shall respect that.
I'm not sure. If I have to be honest, I don't see much of a difference between a Northerner and a Southerner. I lived in the city of Yeditepe until my 20s, and I saw all kinds of people there. I didn't see a difference between someone from Alfur and someone from Kaanpaşa. They were all the same, speaking the same. The only difference is that when the two argued, there would be fighting over the monarchy.
I mean, the South didn't had to execute the Royal Family now, did they?
I... won't argue about that.
Okay then. (Gökçen's phone starts ringing) Okay, Altuner, I think I have to go. I've been waiting for this call.
Sure. And that concludes this interview! People, thank you so much for tuning in. This was A Little Talk with Aylin Gökçen. See you all next week and have a great night!
Good night!
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KAANPAŞA SEPARATED INTO TWO, FEDERAL CAPITAL REGION ESTABLISHED
The deal aims to ensure equality between all regions and ending a decades-old cold conflict.
KUM SAATİ - The parliament of Alkharya that we all know and love today, Kurultay, has been seated in the city of Kaanpaşa since the establishment of Alkharyan democracy in all of Great Alkharya, after the catastrophic collapse of the Alkharyan Kingdom which ruled Northern Alkharya for the longest time. Over time, this has become controversial, with this move being one of the ways the Northern folk accusing the South of stealing political power from them. The city of Alderik was always proposed as a "second capital" for the interest of the North, though the idea never became reality. However, Alderik technically can not be a second capital, since there isn't one in the first place... on paper, at least. See, the Constitution of Alkharya never explicitly states a capital city for Alkharya. The Southern Republic has had its parliament in the city long before the reunification, and, since the North had succumbed to riots, uprisings and instability, there was just no reason to change that.
The other concern is the growing political influence of Kaanpaşa in general. The truth is, Alkharya hasn't really been a true federal state for the longest time. Most decisions made by the regions had to pass through the Kurultay, many of which just didn't pass. The region parliaments constantly had to keep Kaanpaşa in mind if they wanted laws to pass in the national parliament, voted by the regions that weren't affected by said laws, at all. Those laws were changed eventually, giving regions more freedom, though in expense, being a true part of Alkharyan politics became much harder, to make sure Alkharya was "at the hand of the experts".
A deal between the federal government of Alkharya and the regional government of Kaanpaşa has been going on for the past decades, regarding the conflict between the laws and regulations of the federal government and of the regional one, especially those who particularly affect the region itself. President Tülay Elçi has announced a new deal between the federal government and the regional government. The deal gives the region of Kaanpaşa full autonomy while creating a separate region for the federal government called Kaanpaşa Federal Capital Region (Kaanpaşa Federal Başkent Bölgesi). The deal was announced this evening. "I am glad that this decades-old cold conflict between the country and its regions is now over. This is another right step towards peace and unity between our borders." President Tülay Elçi announced on social media.
This was Demir Aygüzel, writing for Kum Saati.
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Alkharyans say "YES" to presidential elections, candidates will still be chosen by Kurultay
KUM SAATİ - This week, Alkharyans decided to have even a bigger voice in the democracy of their country by saying yes to presidential elections, following a referendum which was approved in November of 2020. From now on, instead of Kurultay choosing the president from a few candidates from itself, Alkharyans will choose the president, although the candidates will still be chosen by Kurultay. The referendum was published to Kurultay in the 10th of November and was approved 74-52, with strong opposition coming from Northern Alkharya. Regardless, Elçi approved of the referendum and it was scheduled to be held on 26th-27th of December 2020. The voting procedure was mostly smooth, although some voters complained waiting on lines for hours. In response, Tülay Elçi took it to social media, assuring that different ways of voting would be implemented to boost voting turnout. Despite the delays, though, the referendum did not have a turnout problem, it actually exceeded the expectations. Most experts predicted the turnout would be around sixty to seventy per cent, but the actual turnout was 78%. Alfur had the highest turnout with 84%, followed by Etikel and Yeditepe (82%).
YES kept its lead since the results were first announced. As per usual, Northern Alkharya was strictly against, but Geyikli upset the whole nation by merely winning the YES vote. Levent also voted NO, unexpectedly, by a difference of 816 votes. It is believed that a court case demanding a recount regarding these regions is underway, but it is uncertain at this moment. Açelya was another close region, with YES winning by more than 3000 votes. Alfur was the least supportive with only 20.8% voting YES.
Full results can be found here.
As the count got closer to finish, protests started all over the country. Some minor, some major, with biggest protests being in Alfur, Leylekhan and Alderik. In some cities like Yeditepe, Yeasayers and naysayers crashed with one another, occasionally turning violent. The police have taken the control shortly, In Geyikli, the governor declared a state of emergency for the whole night to calm things down, which was extended for a whole week.
President Tülay Elçi celebrated the referendum, once again congratulating the workers of the election, saying that it's her command to make the people's decision reality. She also announced her candidacy for 2022:
Dear Alkharyans, it's been an honour to see a democratic referendum take place here once again. The fact that we have established democracy with such longevity is enough to make our ancestors proud. I have watched the results progress alongside with you. I have no doubt that the election was done free and fair, as usual. I would like to honour those who worked to make this referendum come true. I would also like to honour those who have voted and made their voices heard. Your decision is the government's command. It is my command to make your decision become reality. It is truly amazing to see Alkharyans taking more control of our democracy. In 2022, The first presidential elections will be held, and I will be one of the candidates. Until then, long live democracy! Long live unity! Long live Alkharya!
It is expected for the president to sign the referendum into federal law in upcoming weeks.
This was Demir Aygüzel, writing for Kum Saati.
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ART announces song and artist that will represent Alkharya in EuroVoice 40
4x - Alkharya will debut in the 40th edition of EuroVoice, a music competition in the European Union done around every two to five months. In the last, Halloween themed edition, Spain barely won over Mennrimiak by a point, so they get to host the contest in the city of Antequera. According to insiders close to ART, the song selection procedure was a long process that took two to three months and many other songs were considered before the final decision. Çağlar Beyaz, head of the Alkharyan Delegation for the EUBC told ONE that the team was divided on which song to choose. Well, it appears that this division was resolved, as ART has announced it a few hours ago on their radio that the singer Karsu Dönmez, with her song "Siyah" will represent Alkharya at EuroVoice 40 in Antequera, Spain. The song is about the singer's personal struggles on love, success and life in general. It is accompanied by echoes, very high notes and it sure will make a mesmerizing scene in... Antequera Convention and Exhibition Centre. Okay. Got that right. Also uh, there are rumours that Tülay Elçi will present Alkharyan votes, which is, uh, quite the surprise for the debut. Anyway... The music. Karsu, Siyah.
So, let's have a listen together, shall we?
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Alkharya is ready to offer assistance after recent Spanish earthquakes, says Minister of the External Affairs
ART - In Granada, Spain, the earthquakes have been terrorizing the region since last Friday. Repeated earthquakes have shaken the region, the biggest one being of 4.5 magnitude. While no fatality has been registered, dozens of buildings have been damaged, ranging from minor damages to catastrophical structural damage. Many countries have offered condolences, including Alkharya- The Minister of the External Affairs Asuman Metin has made a statement on the press room, saying quote "The Government of Alkharya sends their commiserations to those affected by the recent earthquakes in Spain. We are ready to offer assistance and aid if necessary."
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Alkharyan public poll - Commission elections and general political climate
ART - The Alkharya Statistical Institute (AİK) has released its poll regarding the upcoming commission elections, as well as the general political climate of the country. This is the first poll done by AİK since Alkharya's EU debut on October last year.
I describe myself as...
Left-wing: 11,1%
Centrist: 14,4%
Right-wing: 5,5%
Unaligned, independent or other: 69%I also...
Support European integration: 10,6%
Oppose European integration: 59,2%
Neutral / have no opinion on European integration: 30,2%I believe that the European Union accurately represents the interests of Alkharya.
Agree: 6,1%
Disagree: 44,6%
Neutral / no opinion: 49.3%I believe that Alkharya should leave the European Union.
Agree: 38,2%
Disagree: 51.6%
Neutral / no opinion: 10.2%I believe that Merkel-Juncker-Reynels Commission was a good commission.
Agree: 10.4%
Disagree: 8,2%
Neutral / no opinion: 81.4%On commission elections, I support this Premier Commissioner candidate:.
Leeson: 19,9%
Cocx: 38,6%
Le Berre: 34,8%
Undecided / no opinion: 6,7%On commission elections, I support this Internal Affairs Commissioner candidate:.
Birdane: 85,7%
Winston: 9,4%
Undecided / no opinion: 4,9%On commission elections, I support this Foreign Affairs Commissioner candidate:.
Reagan: 30,5%
Am Lind: 45,9%
Neutral / no opinion: 23,6%I believe that Tülay Elçi is a good president.
Agree: 44,3%
Disagree: 39,2%
Neutral / no opinion: 16,5%I believe that Aylin Gökçen is a good councillor.
Agree: 38,5%
Disagree: 34,6%
Neutral / no opinion: 26,9%The 2020 constitutional referendum is a positive change for the Alkharyan democracy.
Agree: 48,6%
Disagree: 46,2%
Neutral / no opinion: 5,2% -
Kurultay member publishes bill that will initiate a referendum on a "full name" for Alkharya
This is a segment taken from ONE Radyo broadcast, in January 31st 2021 at 9 PM, hosted by Elnara Irmak.
ONE Radyo - All eyes were on Kurultay member, Melisa Atalay of Etikel today as she released a bill for a full name for Alkharya. For those confused: In many countries, there's a full name and there's a shortened name, right? For instance, do you know the full name of Inquista? The Most Blessed State of Inquista. What about Red Croatia? That would be The Absolute Monarchy of Red Croatia. No lie, I appreciate the honesty. Not many countries have the courage to just be undemocratic and act like nothing's wrong with it, you know what I mean? So anyway, Alkharya doesn't have this. Full name? Alkharya. Shortened name? Alkharya. We just didn't have these fancy, schmancy, pizzazz names because we didn't really need them, you know. Now, sometimes, people just throw the letter "H" out as it's mostly silent. I would argue almost all of us have done this at some point when writing, texting, whatever, unless you're a Turkish major or a gifted kid who pays too much attention to detail, slowly railing to severe depression and absolute perfectionism that doesn't let you try any skill whatsoever. Anyway, I'm getting off the track there- So it's not really known how the names will be chosen as that's left to the President, which, fair, we can safely assume she will do a good job, exactly like that time when she brought us all to this EU mess. I love more taxes! So, as of current, it's up for discussion in the Kurultay and will go into voting this week, I predict it will be approved as barely anything doesn't pass from there. Honestly, I oppose it? Like, just being named Alkharya while all these states have such old-fashioned names that should've been left off in the 16th century is so iconic to me. Melisa, I don't know what you're thinking, smoking or drinking, whatever is it, I don't want it. Period.
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YENİ GAZETE - Town in Leylekhan Region bans all religious worship, challenged in Yargıtay and the High Court of Leylekhan
The decision deemed invalid as it was beyond the town's reach to make such a decision.
- Gözükara, a small town in the Atlas Province of Leylekhan bans all religious worship, public or private
- Town immediately challenged in Yargıtay and the High Court of Leylekhan as the decision is assumed unconstitutional, based on 2002 religious freedom amendments
- High Court of Leylekhan rules the decision invalid as counties themselves do not have the legislative power to take such action
Mayor of Gözükara, Bal Yükselen, a town of seven thousand people in the Atlas Province of Leylekhan, has had announced that they would ban all religious worship in the county, starting in January of 2021. Yükselen told ONE Radyo that the decision was done to "cripple outsider influence" and to "make sure that the children would grow healthy". Many citizens of the town seemed happy with the decision. However, outside the town, it was highly controversial.
For one, this decision technically violates the constitutional amendments of 2002, as the amendments grant every Alkharyan citizen religious freedom in public or private. This was one of the first amendments that were approved in Kurultay and Arzuhan Gülerman herself, former president of Alkharya between 2002 to 2008. While the amendment itself is vague and whether or not it protects the religious from discrimination, law experts argue that the blocking of religious worship itself is a direct violation. Therefore, the decision was challenged in Yargıtay.
However, the ruling of Yargıtay isn't needed at all. The High Court of Leylekhan ruled the decision illegitimate, as counties, third-degree administrative divisions used to divide provinces, do not have any legislative power and are directly ruled by the province itself. The mayor had taken the action all by themselves, which was heavily criticized in all of Alkharya, with the Governor of Leylekhan demanding their resign. However, the town is confident in their mayor and had a small march in support of them after the decision of the High Court.
Tensions in Northern Alkharya seem to be slowly rising, as the President and the Kurultay are mostly against the average Northerner's self-proclaimed values. The thin ice had melt even more after the constitutional referendum of December 2020, which approved presidential elections, something the North was heavily against. As President Tülay Elçi tries to take the country closer to the European Union with giving the country a makeover from its brutal history against the religious, following the steps of Gülerman, the North gets even angrier and Kaanpaşa constantly finds itself with a standoff against Gözükara, Alderik, Leylekhan and many others. With all this conflict, one does ask: Can Alkharya stay united in the next five years?
This was Ezgi Özer, writing for Yeni Gazete.
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Alkharyan public poll - Update on commission elections
ART - The Alkharya Statistical Institute (AİK) has released an update of its poll regarding the upcoming commission elections.
Correction: Candidate Jon Mitchell Am Lind's name should now correctly show his surname. We apologize for our mistake.
On commission elections, I support this Premier Commissioner candidate:.
Leeson: 23,3% (+3,4%)
Cocx: 36,7% (-1,9%)
Le Berre: 35,9% (+1,1%)
Undecided / no opinion: 4,1% (-2,6%)On commission elections, I support this Internal Affairs Commissioner candidate:.
Birdane: 84,5% (-1.2%)
Winston: 9,9% (+0.5%)
Undecided / no opinion: 5,6% (+0.7%)On commission elections, I support this Foreign Affairs Commissioner candidate:.
Reagan: 21,8% (-8,7%)
Mitchell: 54,3% (+8,4%)
Neutral / no opinion: 23,6% (+0,3%) -
DÖRTKÖŞE - Here's how Alkharya voted in its first commission elections
- Le Berre, Birdane and Mitchell are the winners of commission elections
- Birdane surprisingly weaker than expected in Northern Alkharya
- This election marks the first time the voting turnout is below 60%
The European Commission election results have been finalized in Alkharya after a week of the voting period, which was extended as this was the first time the country had participated in a European election. The turnout was lower than expected (56%) with over 12 million people voting in the elections, which is the first time an election in Alkharya has a below 60% turnout.
Francois Le Berre upsets the previous predictions made by AİK and wins the Premier race over Walter Cocx, the favoured candidate. This was the most competitive race in the Commission elections in Alkharya and all around Europe, as predicted by the Union of Dissidents. Cocx dominates non-coastal areas while Le Berre snatches most of the mainland coast and a significant part of Northern Alkharya. Many predict that the upset happened because of Alkharyans fear of nuclear fallout in case of a war in the UNSR caused by Cocx's aggressive policy there. Peter Leeson of United Duchies barely wins a couple of counties here and there but is unable to get many votes because of the conflicts in the council between Alkharya and the United Duchies.
Francois LE BERRE - 6,014,328 - 48.4%
Walter COCX - 5,445,070 - 44%
Peter LEESON - 940,512 - 7,6%
As predicted, Münevver Birdane benefitted from home advantage and dominated all across the board in the Internal Affairs race, except in the North, where a lot of counties preferred Winston over her. This is possibly caused by the fact that Birdane is a southern politician, which shows the North-South separation in the country once more. Regardless, this did not affect the results in general.
Münevver BIRDANE - 10,543,636 - 85,2%
Edmund Jasper WINSTON - 1,831,523 - 14.8%
In the Foreign Affairs race, Jon Mitchell dominates Alkharya even more than the AİK predicted. It appears that people just don't trust Ronald Reagan, possibly because of his lack of knowledge regarding foreign affairs policy, compared to Mitchell.
Jon MITCHELL Am Lind - 9,454,622 - 76,4%
Ronald REAGAN - 2,920,537 - 23,6%This was Erin Karagül, writing for Dörtköşe.
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Breaking News: Aylin Gökçen has been withdrawn from the European Council by the government
Reasons for the departure is currently unknown.
ONE - A strange and shocking order has been issued by the Alkharyan government this afternoon, which withdrew the current councillor, Aylin Gökçen off Europolis. The order was issued this afternoon with the entire cabinet signing the order. The document declared that there will be no councillor for Alkharya until the special election at a future date and it demands Gökçen to come back to Alkharya within 72 hours.
Aylin Gökçen was elected as a councillor in September 2020 elections, narrowly beating the centre-right populist candidate Baykur Viron, she started as a councillor on October 14th that year. During her unexpectedly short career, Aylin Gökçen immediately stuck out like a sore thumb, for lack of a better term with her brazen and blunt attitude. She made a repeal bill on the Elected and Accountable Council Act (EACA), which narrowly failed. She submitted Protection of Body Integrity for Children and Intersex People Act, later withdrawn due to Austrian shenanigans, which caused backlash over the banning of male circumcision, which is a sensitive topic for religious people.
More recently, she ran for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker elections but failed to get a position.
The reason for the withdrawal is currently unknown. Neither Elçi nor Gökçen nor any other government source have made any statements regarding the removal. We will give you the latest updates regarding this situation.
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SÖZ - Violent protests against the departure of councillor continue all across Alkharya
The protests came in response to Councillor Aylin Gökçen's calls on Twitter to save Alkharyan democracy.
- Councillor Aylin Gökçen was recalled from Europolis in an unexpected move by the government
- Gökçen took it to Twitter, claiming the withdrawal was illegitimate and an attack on Alkharyan democracy and called for protests
- Independent sources claim that almost ten million people all around the nation have participated in the protests
Something quite strange happened on February 16th, when the Alkharyan Government publicly released an order to withdraw the 1st Councillor of Alkharya, Aylin Gökçen. They gave her 72 hours to come back to Alkharya. There was no reason given in the document, but all of the cabinet signed it. Nobody was sure why it existed, or what happened. What could've Gökçen done? She certainly wasn't the most loved in the Council, but that can't be a reason for getting withdrawn.
Whatever the reason may be, Gökçen was livid. She immediately took to Twitter, saying that she would not come to Alkharya until there was a valid reason for her to come. She claimed that this was a clear attack on Alkharyan democracy. She called in for protests all around Alkharya.
Her calls have been widely successful, especially in the Northern Alkharya. In Alfur alone, independent sources claim that around three million people have participated in the protests, which were observed in all twelve regions of Alkharya. "Democracy now!" protesters called, condemning the departure. The protests were not peaceful, as most Alkharyans do not believe in peaceful protests. Buildings burned, shops destroyed and looted... This was when the police had to step in, and they did: Almost one hundred and fifty thousand people were arrested in the first two days, three-quarters of which were released shortly after.
"Of course the Southern president wants to oppress the North!" One woman told ONE interviewer. "They're always like this. From generation to generation, cannot wait to annex us and our liberty! Demons!" She then proceeded to throw a gas bomb at police all by her bare hands.
"We cannot trust the government anymore!" Another protester told the same interviewer. "If they're going to just decide our decisions are invalid like that... They can't do that! I'll beat them!"
Police brutality has also been visible in the protests. Many photos from protesters getting affected by gas bombs and rubber bullets have been made public, even in the regions where both of those items are illegal. It is unknown how many people have gotten injured at this time.
Protests against the government continue, and it seems like they will continue until President Elçi withdraws the departure. Some people have reported sights of the military in the streets, possibly to deploy against the protests. What will happen after these protests remain unclear.
This was Gür Yaman, writing for Söz.
