Gaulois News Agencies
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Parliament Resumes Next Week; What the New Year Will Bring Politically
COLLINE DU PARLEMENT, AURELIS --- Parliament resumes next week with Baschet's increased majority and a Speech from the Sovereign to be delivered and voted on in the first sittings of the session to test her majority. She will pass with flying colours and the first majority government since the Sarkozy Christian Democrat government in 2005. What does that mean for Gallorum?
It means quite a lot. The very first thing is that Baschet's government will now have more freedom to be a bit more socially progressive. Baschet, despite being in the middle between the farther left Social Democrat wing of the party and the more traditionalist Travaillistes, is more prone to pursue issues of social justice and equality of opportunity. She argues that Gallorum's values are wrapped in progressivism.
"Baschetism is at its core a socially progressive, economically moderate movement," said Jean-Luc Martin, professor at the Gallic Orthodox University of Escolives. "She is a devout Gallic Orthodox Christian and she strongly believes that the values of social progressivism can be found in the Bible and its teachings. The belief that it is easier to put a camel through the eye of a needle than the rich to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Christ who has repeatedly spoke out against excesses of wealth. Baschet and by extension the Parti Social Democratic et Travailliste have embraced that Christian progressivist stance. It has worked for them electorally now, so be prepared to see more of it."
The second hallmark of Baschet as Prime Minister has been her stewardship of the economy. She's presided over a steady, meaningful increase in GDP. Inflation has been under control and on the whole, wages have gone up. Baschet's Finance Minister Gerald Darmanin has had a key influence at the cabinet table. As it continues, Darmanin will continue to have a big role to play in the success of the Baschet government as it enters its second term. No longer able to call itself completely a pack of underdogs, now it will firmly have had its hand on the levers of government until 2023.
First on the agenda: a middle class tax cut and some changes to the tax code to be able to collect more efficient and better tax revenue through the MACP (Ministère de l'Action et des Comptes publics). Second: increased spending on energy infrastructure to get Gallorum on track to be at zero carbon emission energy by 2030. Nuclear power is playing a particularly large role in the transition to cleaner energy in the Baschet government. Third: beginning a scholarship fund for students at secondary and tertiary education to be able to achieve their degrees and get the careers they want based on merit, not ability to pay.
Big goals for Baschet are coming up but the Government is confident it can achieve those goals.
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Breaking: Marion Rousselot Will Seek Election to European Council
EUROPOLIS --- Current European Councillor for Gallorum and Deputy Speaker Marion Rousselot will seek election to the European Union after legislation at the European level has stated that all Councillors be elected to their positions.
"I am excited to bring my campaign to continue the progressive work that the Baschet Government has championed to the European levels. As a Councillor, I have had the blessed opportunity to work with my EPA colleagues like Edward Firoux as well as work cooperatively with our Angleteric centrist and Duxburien colleagues. I hope to continue to bring policies that we can be proud of to Europe," Deputy Speaker Rousselot said in Europolis.
She is expected to win a landslide re-election and will only be opposed by the Nationalists, who may decide to withdraw from the race. If so, she would run unopposed with write-in candidates accepted.
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Christian Democrats Begin Task to Select New Leader
AURELIS --- As the Baschet PSDT government continues on strong in the polls (holding a comofrtable 44%-35% lead in the first opinion poll since the election), the Christian Democrats who are Gallorum's centre-right party, Les Gallons, look to elect a new leader. Someone positioning themselves in the Chamber of Deputies has been Francois Baroin, a sort of Francois Fillon clone of sorts. He has championed a lot of the same policies and would be a safe choice. Against Prime Minister Baschet, however, a real problem of fighting over the centre ground arises and as the election proved, she has won the case by appealing to a long standing belief of Les Gallons. She has used her faith and identity as a devout Gallic Orthodox member as justification for progressive ideas. Add in the Esteemed Speech to the Estates-General by Edward Firoux and Baschet has made an effective case that the European moderate progressive cause is well and truly solidified in the majority of Gaulois. Baroin is up against it, and tepid response from the party membership has opened the door. A door that has been blasted open by one of the few new Christian Democrats in the chamber: Jean-Michel Kligenberg.
The husband of makeup mogul Theodora Kligenberg, he is a giant in financial institutions, founding the international trading company BNA Pays-Est, worth nearly £200 billion in equity. The billionaire won his lush seat of Aurelis-Saint-Therese in the last election and he is looking like a threat to take on Elisabeth Baschet.
"We need to clean up Gallorum. There are far too many people who do not believe in our country, do not share our values, and would in essence tear up what it means to be Gaulois. They are coming from Dromund Kaas, swamping our systems. Everywhere I turn, there is a Kaasian taking up spots in queues at our médecin généraliste. They are in our homes and enough is enough. If we are truly to be an exceptional nation, we must learn that being Gaulois is exclusive. It is a right, not a privilege," said Kligenberg at his rally. "They must learn how to integrate with society or leave."
Two paths emerge for the Christian Democrats. Polling has shown increased support for Marine Le Pen and Les Nationalists. Could this signal a turn towards Kligenberg? Only time will tell. The first round of the leadership ballot will happen on February 18th, with a potential second round ballot happening on the 25th should there be a tie.
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Kligenberg Wins Leadership Spill 65-41
AURELIS --- Jean-Michel Kligenberg has won the leadership spill within the Christian Democratic Party by an internal caucus of 65 to 41 over moderate Francois Baroin.
"I'm so happy to see that our party has decided to be a credible and clear opposition to Elisabeth Baschet and the damage that her socialist PSDT government has done to our country," Kligenberg said to the press after the vote was announced by outgoing leader Francois Fillon. "We have someone who is going to tank our industry, destroy our economy and sell out what we as Gaulois have held precious to us for centuries. Baschet is a radical who would sooner rather than later sell out our nation to be a second-rate republic than the glorious monarchy that we are. Baschet would rather give immigrants full access to our healthcare, our schools, and our jobs than help out the people who voted her into office! Our Queen deserves better, our country deserves better, and you deserve better."
More to come at Le Cinq à cinq...
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Baschet, Government Wary of Free Movement Zone
AURELIS --- This Sunday, the Prime Minister announced her opposition to the free movement of peoples being mandated across the whole of the European Union via the establishment of a free movement zone. The proposal put forward by Reitzmag and Spain was met with tepid response from Aurelis.
"I do not think that Europe needs mandatory agreements like this," Prime Minister Elisabeth Baschet (PSDT) said to the press outside of the official residence. "Gallorum has made it clear what its standards are when it comes to being economic partners. Reitzmag is a wonderful addition to the European Union, but we need to see more data to support what will ultimately be opening our country to mass proxy immigration."
The stance comes as the Prime Minister has to triangulate the stance she and her party have on immigration and free movement of people at a time when the Christian Democrats have elected a more populist leader to take her on.
"Should we be able to retain national abilities to control who enters our nation to work via visas and long term immigration controls, then I believe whomever will be our European Councillor will be able to support that legislation in Europolis."
The Prime Minister is referring to the current race for European Councillor, in which the PSDT candidate Marion Rousselot is running against the Nationalist candidate Marine Le Pen, who is also the leader of the Nationalist Party. Polls suggest that Rousselot has only a seven point lead over her rival, 49-42 with about 9% of the nation either dissatisfied with either or unsure about who they would support.
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Government Announces Refugee Deal with Angleter
AURELIS --- The Baschet Government has announced that, starting March 9th the Kingdom will begin taking refugees from the Dromund Kaas conflict. In 2011, a rogue regime in the nation of Dromund Kaas abducted then Premier Commissioner Maleeka Liczskoszi prompting a pre-emptive strike by a Coalition of the Willing including the Union of Duxburian Dominions, the Kingdom of Angleter, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Federal Republic of Rhine Ruhr. As time has gone on, a refugee crisis has born from the conflict and tens of thousands of displaced Kaasians have looked for homes. Some were so brainwashed into a religion called Sith that they began to commit terrorist acts in varying nations. Famously, the equally crazed regime in Pravoslavie decided to torpedo a boat of Kaasian refugees deeming them dangerous to their state.
These are the people that Elisabeth Baschet wishes to bring to Gallorum. In a press conference today, Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault explained the policy to the media.
"We will only accept refugees that have cleared the screening process in the Apostolic Kingdom of Angleter or the Union of Duxburian Dominions. This is not an open invitation to all refugees but rather those that we have decided to accept by working with Angleteric and Duxburian authorities on the ground. This does not guarantee citizenship in the Kingdom. However, we cannot simply be bystanders and instead act as our Lord Jesus Christ would want us and be good neighbours in Europe to all," the Foreign Minister announced.
Jean-Michel Kligenberg, in his first weeks of leading the Christian Democrats, slammed the policy.
"Clearly we see that this Prime Minister does not care about the safety of our citizens and instead opens our borders in the name of Christ. We in this party believe in treating our neighbours as ourselves as well, but that does not mean we must take in all people who show up. Particularly from a culture that is known to be dangerous and produce terrorists," Kligenberg rebutted. "Where do we get the information for screening these people? Dromund Kaas is an utter pit of despair. There is no way to properly vet these people. Yet here we go, bringing them in. It's a crime of incompetence being committed by this Government and we will oppose any legislation to authorise it."
Liberal Party leader Emmanuel Macron announced shortly after that his party would work with the Government to assure the safest admittance of refugees into Gallorum, while Marine Le Pen and the Nationalists vociferously opposed the move. The Greens have not answered yet.
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European Councillor Election 2020: Rousselot Wins Landslide Over Bardella
TURIN --- Marion Rousselot, the Deputy Speaker of the European Council and representative of the Parti Social Democrate et Travailliste, is projected to win in a landslide over Jordan Bardella, her Nationalist Party rival. Rousselot had a lead of 59-38
"This is a victory not just for Gallorum, but a victory for European cooperation and an open Gallorum at the European level," Rousselot said to a crowd in Turin who gathered to celebrate her win. "Europolis has seen great victories across the ages and I hope to bring a coalition of voters with me to ensure that we keep working for a progressive Europe. A Europe that is responsible to its citizens regarding climate, regarding equality of opportunity, and a strong sense of social justice. That is the Europe I want to promote and work towards. Our partners in Inquista, Spain and the EPA caucus want to see this same bright future come true. My message to Europolis is clear: join us and work on this future together!"
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The Chamber of Deputies Authorises Military Action in Reitzmag
AURELIS --- The Chamber of Deputies voted overwhelmingly for the authorisation of the Government to aid Inquista in military action in Reitzmag. The Prime Minister on the floor of the chamber applauded the bipartisan effort of the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats to come together in the name of national security.
"We have a duty to our ally, Inquista, and the promotion of democracy and freedom abroad to do what we can to support the rightful government of Reitzmag. The Kingdom of Gallorum and the Government of Her Majesty condemn the communist rebel uprising. Communism, as we saw in our neighbours to the west of La Manche, has no place in modern European society. Its ideas are backwards and repressive," Prime Minister Elisabeth Baschet said in her speech to the Chamber of Deputies. In a vote of 362-65, the government's authorisation of military action in the name of Her Majesty was approved.
The Cabinet will meet after the vote to decide the best course of action, though it is rumoured that the Marine Commandos, the Air Force and the Navy will be put into action as support and special ops against the communist uprising.
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Gaulois Budget 2020: Government Set to Spend Nearly £21bn Extra Due to Communism Crisis
The Kingdom of Gallorum is gearing up for its Budget Week next month, and many indications have already shown how the budget will go. Finance Minister Michel Sapin stated that one of the first steps of the budget is to account for the continued economic cost of the Gallic response to the communism outbreak.
"It will be an extra cost to the budget, but we are a strong nation with a strong economy and we will continue to grow economically. Opening our economy to more markets as we did with the Most Blessed State of Inquista will be crucial to our continued growth and sustainability," Finance Minister Sapin said to the press corps at Bloc Central.
Estimates state that the Gallic air and naval superiority campaign in La Manche, or the Gallic-Nicolezian Channel, will cost around £20.7bn should it last throughout the year. The Prime Minister at Hotel Matignon said yet again that the Government was committed to restoring the rightful government of Icholasen to its capital.
"The illegitimate band of thugs that call themselves the Politburo do not speak for the democratically elected will of the people of Icholasen. The Government will not idly stand by as these pretenders attempt to take power," Prime Minister Baschet said at the Hotel Matignon, the official residence.
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Grand Duke and Duchess of Escolives Update on Pregnancy
Pictured at their wedding in 2012
ESCOLIVES --- The Grand Duke and Duchess of Escolives update the country on the birth of their child, expected in May.
"My wife and I are so happy to announce that she is doing well in her pregnancy and that our child is on track to a healthy birth. We thank the media privacy that we have been given at this time," the Grand Duke said to the media earlier on Saturday.
Due to media laws regarding the royal family, when the pregnancy was announced was the last time we in the media had been able to get close to the couple. Until the child is one year old, the royal couple is granted privacy from paparazzi. This was in response to the near death accident that the Queen of Icholasen suffered in the streets of Aurelis after being chased via paparazzi.
HRH Guillaume, Grand Duke of Escolives, is the oldest son of Queen Margrethe, and will take the throne at her passing.
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Pop Star and Reality TV Star Erika Jayne Starts Youth Mental Health Programme
TW: discussion of mental health issues, brief mention of suicide rate
RACINES --- Mental health problems in Gallorum's youth have skyrocketed in the age of digital. The Kingdom of Gallorum is a notoriously competitive society where people are expected to perform to and give their absolute best from the beginning of school into the world of careers. Sadly, the suicidal thoughts among our young people hits nearly 2% by the age of thirty, which means that 1 in 50 young people have taken their lives or thought of doing so. It is one of the highest rates in Europe.
"I survived a rough life growing up and it was a tough time. I struggled with my mental health late into my twenties," Erika Jayne said to Channel 4. "As my career began on the Real Housewives of Escolives, I also felt a lot of pressure from the camera. So I wanted to give back."
Enter the Erika Jayne Foundation, a non-profit organisation devoted to improving the mental health of youth across the Kingdom and across Europe. Erika Jayne as a prominent pop star and reality TV star has used her outreach to change the lives of young people. It all started when one of her fans reached out to her on Twitter.
"They asked me what they could do, they were in a lot of distress and I realised that there wasn't a lot of support for our young people beyond the hospitals and GNAM was not covering them well," Jayne said. "So I started my foundation to just cover the costs of children in need of mental health services, and it has grown every week."
She personally donated £250,000 of her own money starting at the new year. It has since garnered donations and support among the community, accruing a staggering £10.7 million with more donations arriving daily. It is a light moment in what is a dark subject for many families.
"If I can help out just a little bit, then I have done my job in this world," Erika Jayne said at the close of her media time. "That's all we can do with our light, as the Lord said. Love thy neighbour as ourselves and be a source of light and uplifting in this world."
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Breaking: Baschet Out; Ayrault In - Kligenberg Mocks
AURELIS --- With the evening departure of Elisabeth Baschet from Hotel Matignon and the immediate appointment of Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Government and the nation took an unexpected turn to the left. Ayrault, a life-long member of the more left-leaning social democratic wing of the PSDT, takes over from the more centre Travaillistes wing that Baschet represented. His appointment strengthens the social democrats in the cabinet like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the Interior Minister and Michel Sapin, the Finance Minister.
"We have been through a time of great strength led by four years of Elisabeth Baschet, and I want to thank her for her extraordinary effort in the National Assembly, taking us from opposition for nearly 20 years to the heights of power at Matignon and for four years and another election win, guaranteeing the Gaulois four more years of a social democratic government, strengthened by its partnership with the labour movement," Ayrault said outside of the Hotel Matignon. "As Prime Minister, it is my duty to build upon and expand the work that Elisabeth Baschet has done. She has done a tremendous amount of work but there is still a job for us to do in government."
One of the key agendas that Mr. Ayrault looks to build upon is a reduction in retirement age to 60 for mining, construction, and factory workers as well as increased contribution from business to the social security schemes that include L'Assurance Maladie, pensions and others. He also wants to see subsidised employment for young people aged 16-25.
"Let us build on our progressive record and catapult Gallorum into the future. For it is that future, that New Jerusalem on Earth, that we are striving towards," Ayrault finished.
Jean-Michel Kligenberg went on the attack immediately. Baschet's popularity had always been something of a guard against most attacks from the Christian Democratic Party, but now that they face Mr. Ayrault there are some barbs.
"At least Baschet was not a career politician. She was only in the Parliament for 10 years, tops. She came from the military as a highly respected Marine Commando. She had life experience. Much like myself in running my media business. What does Ayrault know beyond employed by the state. Yes, he was a teacher, but he does not work like an ordinary people. Teachers have one of the most powerful unions in the Kingdom. No, he does not know what it is like to be ordinary," Jean-Michel Kligenberg said on the floor of the National Assembly.
A new dynamics, a new era of Gaulois politics has begun. Ayrault has inherited a popular government. We will see if he can keep it.
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Opinion: On Second Thought, We'd Rather Baschet
Above, Michel Kligeberg; below, Jean-Marc Ayrault
written by Michel Kligenberg, leader of the Christian Democratic Party
And with that, one of the brighter careers in Gaulois politics of the last thirty years is gone. From daughter of a miner to Marine Commando to Prime Minister, Elisabeth Baschet's tireless energy and conviction is a reason to praise her. She is an example of the kind of Gaulois exceptionalism and work ethic that we all strive to teach our children. As the first female Prime Minister, she's even more solidified her place in history. Even though I have disagreed with her on policy, you couldn't say that she was a slouch at anything she put her mind to. Ms. Baschet, I'd wish you luck in your life after politics. We're coming for your seat at the Racines West by-election.
That brings me to her replacement, Jean-Marc Ayrault. The country could not have asked for a worse replacement. Boring, underwhelming, he is nothing but a cog in the party machine. The Government had already done some good with Baschet as its leader looking to the centre. Ayrault has always been more left-wing, so expect a shift to the left. Baschet at least understood the importance of productivity, markets, and did not do much to ruin those. Ayrault will have people working 30 hours a week, ballooning salaries while decreasing productivity. He will take money from the rich and bleed corporations dry. We will become a third world nation under his control, sad! Very sad!
Have I mentioned the guy is boring yet? It's like watching paint dry whenever he delivered any important speech. Is that why his students used to fall asleep during his lectures? Oh yeah, he was a teacher. Not just any old teacher, but head of the Teacher's Union of Gallorum. TUG is one of the largest unions in the country and he created with it a weaponised, left-wing force that teachers our children garbage. I mean, just look at the Interior Minister Ocasio-Cortez. She's dancing in the street at the sight of communist tanks in Saint Regina. Yes, I am calling it Saint Regina. No Casa Neuve or whatever that is. It is Saint Regina. The Queen of Icholasen and the rightful leader of the Government of Icholasen need our support to get back to Saint Regina, yet here we are letting the communists win.
I'm making my appeal to the ordinary Gaulois citizen: is this any way for our nation to act? Should a premiership begin like this? In shame and a total walking back of our values? Send a message to the Ayrault government by taking back Baschet's seat in the inevitable by-election. Aux armes, citoyens!
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Breaking: PSDT Changes Name to Parti Socialiste (PS)
The Parti Social Democrate et Travailliste (PSDT), the party of Elisabeth Baschet and current Prime MinisterJean-Marc Ayrault has renamed itself the Parti Socialiste. Ayrault was available to comment, saying "the name is simpler to understand and gives our party a broader church under which we can invite people to join". Opposition Leader Michel Kligenberg of the Christian Democrats said that the name change shows their true intention to "put Marxist socialism on our nation".
The Parti Socialiste is still very popular among the Gaulois, though a snap poll of the name change that officially went into effect on Monday showed that support put the Christian Democrats within 6 points of the Government, which would hang the National Assembly and force a coalition should an election be held today.
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Municipal Elections 2020: Macron Best Chance of Continuing Baschet Legacy
ESCOLIVES -- With the change from Elisabeth Baschet to Jean-Marc Ayrault, the Parti Socialiste seems to have taken a bit of a left turn. Even Michel Kligenberg has called them out in an op-ed piece in Le Figaro, friendly territory for him.
This is where a rebirth of the radical centre could begin, and who better than Emmanuel Macron and the Libéraux En Marche? Council elections are coming up, which means political parties in opposition get a rare chance to elbow their way into the national spotlight and take on the Government and its messaging. Political party broadcasts will soon be ready in the next week for the April 13th poll. It would be a perfect time to send a message to the Government. Drift too far to the left, and a resurgent LEM will be there to take the spoils.
"We are a party that provided the ideas that put Elisabeth Baschet in Matignon!" Macron said to a crowd of young enthusiastic voters in Escolives. "If you want to tell the Government to stay on the Baschet track, don't vote for the Ayrault Socialistes. Vote for us, and we will tell them to stay on this side of La Manche."
This, of course, a reference to the Union of Nicolezian Socialist Republics forming nearly overnight communist regime. Indeed, the sudden pop up of a true communist threat has sent a shiver down many a party that dares share the red rose of socialism (though many veer on the side of social democracy rather than democratic socialism). The Parti Socialiste shares that problem now. With Jean-Marc Ayrault, a teacher who soon became a major player in the FSU (Fédération Syndicale Unitaire) and leader of the Mitterandist faction, they can be hit on two sides. On the left, Les Verts (EELV) could come and say they need to pull more into anticapitalist thought and invest more in upending norms of liberal globalisation. Or they could be hit on the right by both Macron and the Christian Democrat leader Kligenberg.
As for this magazine? En Marche!
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Annunciation Marks Beginning of Holiest Part of the Gaulois Calendar
VALENCINES - The city of Valencines was built as an exact replica of the Spanish city of Valencia upon the return of Gaulois traders from Castile et Leon in the 12th century. Since then, it became the capital of the Occitanie region. This week, the Archbishop of Seigneux, the official head of the Gallic Orthodox Church, prepared a special Annunciation service. He will be leading the televised services for Her Majesty in the Church of the Annunciation on the Sacred Hill on Saturday and Sunday of next week for Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday before delivering services for Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Vespers Saturday and Holy Pascha (known as Easter). The entire Holy Week from Palm Sunday to Holy Pascha is a banking holiday in the Kingdom of Gallorum.
Why all this deference in a modern nation? It's tradition.
"Gallorum is proud of its heritage as a Roman nation and through Orthodoxy, it continues to reach back on that Roman heritage. Faith plays a big role in the values of a nation, and the Gaulois value the strength, faith, and excellence of the late Roman Empire and have done so since Gallia was forced to fend for herself. Despite being united by Charlemagne into the Frankish Kingdoms, Gallorum was one of the first nations to follow the Orthodox track after Inquista led the way. So you can see really not only is it a tie to Rome, but a tie to Inquista as well," said anthropologist Dr. Anne-Sophie Durand at the University of Aurelis.
The ties of Valencines, Seigneux and Aurelis form a triangle of religious ceremony between them, and it is those three cities that lead the nation its celebration of the passion of Christ.
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Budget 2020: Ayrault Suggests Emissions Trading Scheme Coming to Gallorum
The Government looks set to include an emissions trading scheme with an initial price of carbon fixed for three years, with caps set depending on industry. Companies will only be allowed to purchase up to 15% more emissions than the cap before being whacked with further, harsh penalties. The proceeds of the cap and trade scheme marketplace will go to funding alternative fuel sources in Gallorum. This policy, which seems further to the left of Elisabeth Baschet, has found widespread support in the Kingdom with 56% of voters approving, while 32% disapprove, with a remaining 12% undecided.
"It is the right thing to do, therefore we will pursue this policy as part of our budget proposals," Ayrault said to TV5 Monde on the Sunday morning political programming bloc. "I have loved working with Elisabeth in Government, but this was something that I knew was the right thing to do for our country and would adhere to the principles of the Saint Dominico Agreement that we signed with Inquista."
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Council Elections April 2020: First Polls Show Government Behind
ENTRAGES --- As polling first begins in Gallorum's local council elections, popularity for the national government is not translating to the council levels. For this third of councils, many of them were previously won in 2014, when the Parti Socialiste, then the PSDT, were surging behind Elisabeth Baschet. With Jean-Marc Ayrault as head of the party, the Socialists have maintained their lead nationally (40-35, some tightening there as Kligenberg starts to catch up). Locally, here is how things stand:
- Socialistes: 30%
- Democrats: 35%
- Lib. En Mar.: 25%
- Nationalist: 7%
- Les Verts: 3%
Unlike the national voting system, where there is a mixed-member proportional vote, the council elections are first past the post. Meaning, should the standings hold now, the Socialistes would lose quite a few councils on a knife's edge. The difference this time around is the fact that the third party vote, Macron's Liberaux En Marche are doing significantly better. The poll has them, at the moment, outperforming their last result by 10%, when the third party votes were more evenly split. 2018's council votes were largely held in Socialiste strong-holds like Racines, Entrages and Tours. This year's are in the Democrats heartlands of St. Nicholas, Tigeaux, Turin and generally more southern locales.
As for the by-election for Baschet's seat of Racines-Burgogne, the Government is experience a moderate swing against them. Considering it was a former leader's seat, it shouldn't be quite this hard to keep. Considering she was the only party leader who won a constituency of her own makes it even harder to flip. However, as many political pundits will note, governments have a hard time retaining by-elections. A recent poll found the PS only 5% ahead of the Christian Democrats in a seat that Baschet carried by nearly 20 points in the last election. LEM is stealing quite a bit of the vote by aligning themselves as the inheritor of the Baschet legacy as the Government steers to the left.
It's off to the races now, and it looks exciting!
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Le 19:45 - Racines-Burgogne by-election: Who Will Be the Next Baschet?
RACINES --- Among the Council elections, a by-election for Elisabeth Baschet's former seat has quickly shifted the narrative from who will work better for local government to who will become the next star of politics. Though the money spent in this election is capped by the Gaulois Electoral Commission, the media attention and visits to this crucial city has turned heads.
The Gallons, Socialists, and Libéraux En Marche have all made clockwork visits to the key city of 500,000 residents. Racines was once a booming mining town; former Prime Minister Elisabeth Baschet would constant refer to her heritage as the daughter of a coal miner. Indeed, during the height of the industrial 19th century, Racines was an epicenter of activity. Once industry began to leave and efforts for clean energy began to move to the forefront, the economic activity of Racine and the surrounding area began to dwindle.
"Elisabeth Baschet was my last hope for this town when she first came up in the 2000s," said a voter at a local cafe. The usually bustling streets were quiet as patrons got ready for the Palm Sunday worship. "Now, I am not so sure."
The Parti Socialiste is looking vulnerable here in Racines. Why? Simply put, Baschet promised to bring more economic attention to this region and had not delivered enough. A high speed TVG rail link has done something to the area, but if anything it has sucked people from working in Racines to other, more economically active locations.
"Everyone works in Aurelis now. They commute from Racines and sometimes even rent hotels to stay for the week and work there. I personally make the long drive as well. That rail link that was supposed to bring people to us has done the opposite," says Martina Devereux, a 42 year old mother of three. "My husband can telecommute, so he stays home with the children while I spend all my time in the car and at work."
That is the reality for the people of Racines, and because Baschet promised to revitalise the area as Prime Minister, the Socialists are really paying for it. The vote on the left is splitting. As the old union workers find a brother in Ayrault, the younger, more social democratic leaning voters in the Racines metropolitan area are switching allegiance. And they're switching towards Emmanuel Macron and the LEM.
"Macron is uplifting; he has a positive solution for our area," said a university student attending a LEM rally. "He's really been speaking to me about my future, our future in Europe, and how the two major parties have been abusing the votes of the people for too long. It's time for a change."
LEM has taken a sizeable chunk out of the 20% lead Baschet had in this blue-ribbon Socialist seat. Now the Government has fallen behind as the remainder of the older population finds solace in a...different solution.
"Europe is broken!" said Marine Le Pen, leader of the Rassemblement National. "The EU institutions mean nothing. Look at these communist revolutions. And now we have a Prime Minister who would rather bow to the communist scum in Icholasen than stand up for the people here in this nation. Socialism leads to communism, and it will be Chairman Ayrault in the driver's seat telling us all where to buy our groceries and force a leftist global agenda down our throats."
That's not the only game in town on populism.
"Racines can stand up and tell the government that it will not be taken for granted anymore. Tell the government that your vote is for freedom from government tyranny. Tell Jean-Marc Ayrault and the Socialists...go away. Go away, Ayrault. Get out of our lives, Ayrault. It is very clear that the communist tail is wagging the Socialist dog. This country cannot afford statism that will force the EPA agenda down our throats. If you want to restore this country to the way it was before this European Union-Marxist/Leninist-Socialist mess, there's only one party that you can vote for!" Michel Kligenberg said in a fiery campaign speech in the Racines town square.
Poll show the Christian Democrats have now crept ahead of the Government, 34-31, with Marcon's party at 22 and the RN at 10%
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Socialists Slump into Second Place as Christian Democrats, Liberals make big gains
AURELIS --- The Government is praying to God that its majority of 12 deputies does not vanish between now and 2024, as they have been put on the back foot. Council results have been finalised and the Government has a lot of work to do. The results were as follows:
- Christian Democratic Party (PDC): 37% (1,649 councillors)
- Socialist Party (PS): 31% (1,142 councillors)
- Libéraux En Marche (LEM): 24% (909 councillors)
- National Rally (RN): 7%
The Greens failed to generate above 1% as did other minor parties in the council elections, except in the Escolives area. That council changed hands from Socialist to Green. The result confirmed the type of spreads polling suggested. In the by-election for Racines-Bourgogne, the Government held on barely to its blue-ribbon seat, with a strong 5% swing towards the PDC. As constituency seats are elected via first past the post in the national mixed-member proportional scheme, the PDC were hoping that the Liberals would instead split enough of the vote on the left to leave them open, but the opposite happened. A surprisingly strong showing from the National Rally at 8% split the right vote, putting the PDC on 32%, the Government on 33% and LEM on 25%, leaving the Greens and minor parties collectively at 2%.
"This is a wake up call," said popular government spokeswoman and Internal Affairs Minister Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "The Government has to pay attention more to the people like the ones in this seat, the true working class of this nation. We have to make sure that our policies work for them too, not just for the inner suburbs of Aurelis."
Granted, unless something catastrophic happens, there will be no election for four years. But the government will continue to lose council seats and those councils will be much more critical of the central government has time continues to move on.
