UNSR Elections 2020

[Inquista]

June 19th, 2020
Chalons, Courvières
Campaign Rally

Bishop Karinn Lallana, still wearing leopard print

Good afternoon Challonators and Challonateurs! Wow, I am so pleased to be with you all in such a beautiful place! Chalons is truly remarkable.

As I've been touring and campaigning throughout Icholasen, I've been struck by two things. First, I've been struck by the extraordinary beauty of the country and its robust agricultural advancements and agricultural output. Secondly, I've been struck by the amazing diversity of the Nicoleizian people, and their ability to come together as comrades.

It is such a shame that the TANKIES wish to destroy these beautiful things in Icholasen. It really, really is sad.

Whether it be the vineyards of Courvières, the farms of Honoré-Mercier or even the onion farms of Nirshauzun, Icholasen's agricultural sector is at the heart of the country's economy. Agriculture not only offers tremendous economic opportunity and employment to the country, but it also offers the bread, food and sustenance that is vital to life of every Nicoleizian. Only the AÉN recognizes the importance of Icholasen's agricultural sector, and only the AÉN will prioritize agricultural advancement and protection, and only the the AÉN seeks to protect the environment and combat land degradation and climate change.

What the TANKIES aim to do to Icholasen's environment is nothing short of bourgeoisie exploitation. The TANKIES hope to exploit Icholasen's lands until they're degraded, destroyed and inhospitable. Under the TANKIES, there is no future for Icholasen's agricultural sector... there is no future for rural communities... there is no future for farmers... there is no environment... there is no future. There is only destruction, degradation and exploitation. Just look at what they hope to do in Nirshauzun. Nirshauzun is home to many onion farms, one of which is even famous for belonging to that bourgeoisie fascist, Eilidh Whiteford and her family. Remember how she sold out on onion farming to becoming a neoliberal pig? How she sold out on a humble and important industry just so that she could make money off the backs of her countrymen? As we know, Whiteford is a lying little bitch who ruins things. That's what the TANKIES aim to do to the entire department. They will focus solely on oil production, totally forgetting and ignoring the plight of onion farmers, and then they will put them out of work by destroying their onion farms through environmental damage and dirty oil. Best case scenario, it will take 10 years of environmental damage for all onion farms in the region to cease production, and in worst case scenario, there is an oil spill tomorrow and all the onion farms will be destroyed. Under the TANKIES, there is simply no future there for onion farmers or the rural community. Imagine Icholasen without onion farms? That would be a betrayal of the people and a betrayal of the country. The TANKIES are traitors.

By focusing only on heavy industry, the TANKIES will send Icholasen spiraling head first into an environmental catastrophe and will accelerate climate change. Climate change ultimately effect who the most? Farmers. Rural communities. Do the TANKIES care about these communities? No. Only the AÉN has policies for farmers and for rural communities, and it is only the AÉN who sees the value in your work and your communities. The TANKIES only care about cities, and they only care about putting ugly, brutalist structures and pavement onto Icholasen's picturesque countryside.

Worse yet, the TANKIES do not care for all Nicoleizians, and the diversity and camaraderie between your people. I don't think the TANKIES even have one French-speaking candidate on their entire electoral list. The TANKIES are anti-French. If you look at the AÉN's electoral list, you will see a diverse array of names and cultural backgrounds. The TANKIES will have you believe that cultural backgrounds don't matter, but they do. How can we construct a truly equal and egalitarian society if not every person and community has a voice? How can there be equality and prosperity for all Nicoleizians if there are not both Nicoleizian and French speaking people at the table? Equality requires an equality of the voices. Without Icholasen's French speaking people inside of the Assembly, their problems will be overlooked and unaddressed by the Nicoleizian speaking majority. The AÉN understands this, and understands the importance of giving voice to Icholasen's linguistic and cultural minorities.

The TANKIES don't care about representing Icholasen's marginalized and vulnerable communities, and instead, are more concerned about representing foreign voices. They're more interested in towing the line to the PEL and kneeling down to the state of Czech Slavia. Chairman Václav Kohout controls the PEL with iron chains and he fully expects to have Icholasen on a tight leash. Who is Comrade Bernie Sanders meeting with right now? President Sova of Czech Slavia. Comrade Sanders is kneeling before President Sova, asking him what he should be doing and how high he must jump for Czech Slavia. What was the Revolution ultimately for? Was it to advance the betterment of the Nicoleizian working people, or was is to bend at the knee to Czech Councillor and the Czech President? The TANKIES are selling you out to foreign powers, and that's why the TANKIES want Icholasen to be isolated. The TANKIES want to see Icholasen isolated and alone so that they have no choice but to accept Czech Slavia's tight leash.

I have been calling for all of Europe's leaders to recognize the legitimate government of Icholasen in Cesae Vauvra. Icholasen deserves to be a free and equal partner in Europe. Isolationism only hurts Icholasen, and ultimately, it hurts your working and your most vulnerable people. I have made tremendous progress lobbying on this matter in Inquista, and I know that Carole Baskin and the AÉN are the best equipped to lobby for Icholasen's true government to be recognized abroad. Say no to the isolationism of the TANKIES and say no to kneeling down before the Czech overlords.

Please join me on Sunday for my next Comrades in Christ broadcast. I also ask that you please support the AÉN and to please support Carole Baskin. [Bishop Lallana then raises a communist crucifix to the crowd] God bless the Revolution, and may God bless Icholasen! Thank you.

[Icholasen]

Rebecca Bareham, Cousin of Lucinda Bareham, Announces Support for Capital Punishment

'Some reactionaries have been very naughty, and they deserve to be punished' Rebecca Bareham said, cracking her whip. Bareham, who is a candidate for the TANKIES for 'other services', which includes actors from a number of different settings (and positions) has said that she thinks reactionaries deserve the harshest punishment. 'If we found Firoux, I would be the first to call for his public whipping in the centre of Cesae Vauvra, maybe on a crucifix too, or on a swing. Either way, it would be the kinkiest shit, but it would also serve and ideological purpose. That purpose is to discourage other reactionaries from being naughty.'

'I am 100% in agreement with the Nicova. I have starred in numerous films where a reactionary is detained by them. With no Nicova, stars like me will have no choice but to lose a key sector of interest and also money. The AÉN has no respect for our profession. None at all.' Rebecca cracked her whip and said; 'interview's over, boys.'

[Icholasen]

Marie Myriam, Candidate for the Politburo Post of 'Minister for Romain Affairs' has today Announced Support for more French Language Protections

Myriam called for more protections for the French language, calling for an overhaul of the way the law works for French speakers, and calling for more French language classes in the North of Icholasen, where Nicolophones live and make up the majority of the population, at 55%. Lots of Nicolophones do not speak French, especially in more deprived areas of which there are many. People see English as a more useful language as it is a kind of UNSR-wide and Europe-wide lingua Franca, but Marie Myriam argues that the French language must be taught more robustly in Nicolophone regions. 'The French language is beautiful and strong, but in danger. The majority must learn it.'

Myriam is also in favour of a ratio of songs on the radio in French, at 40%. Though Francophone music is much more popular in the UNSR than Nicoleizian music, English music from Inquista and elsewhere often dominates the charts, pushing some home grown talent off of the charts.

TANKIE candidate for Minister for Romain Affairs argued that 'people don't listen to music on the radio anymore, grandma. Good luck policing spotify you old wench.'

[Icholasen]

[Icholasen]

Jane Birkin Announces Support for a Bill that will set Icholasen on a course for normalisation of relationships with Europe

After attending an event with Bishop Lallana in Chalons today, Jane Birkin lead a press conference where she stated she would push for a bill in the Ausnat (short for the Assembly of Nationalities, the Nicoleizian upper house) that would lead a path to the normalisation of relations with all European powers, notably Inquista and Fremet. 'It has been a difficult few months for Icholasen, and with this Ausnat bill, we will reopen, negotiate our rejoining of the European Union, and normalise relations. After that, I'm sure more people will support a smaller military and a smaller Nicova as then the nation will be more secure.'

Harriet LeRauk commented that the whatever the makeup of the Auswirr (short for the Assembly of Workers, the Nicoleizian lower house) 'people will find it hard to support the regulatory change that comes with reintegration into the European Union. The Czech Slavia amendment is a start, but there has to be a fundamental change at the heart of Europe for us TANKIES and many on the AÉN benches to support reintegration with Europe.

Carole Baskin dismissed this, saying that 'with an AÉN majority in the Ausnat and the Auswirr we will ensure that we rejoin the European Union and reintegrate with the world at large, in the spirit of internationalism and friendship between nations. Bishop Lallana's speech today was magnificent and she should be proud of the future Icholasen she is helping to bring about.'

[Icholasen]

Cécile Laucre Attends Campaign Gala in Cimsau

Though Cécile Laucre is a candidate for a geographically specific region, Leuse Valley, she is a national figure for the TANKIES and has proven herself popular amongst industrial communities. 'Comrades, this is a crucial time. Most people in this Département know someone who works in the mines or in factories here. These industries have a direct effect on all aspects of life in regions like Cimsau. They provide customers for retail and other services, students for educators and clients for construction workers. Bishop Lallana talks about the desolation of industry, but, here, industry is the lifeforce. Without industry there would be no jobs here. It is a tight-knit ecosystem that will crumble without its central pillar. The AÉN and other globalists want industry to be relocated to other countries, but here, today, we say no. Imagine the desolation of this region if industry were gone. It would mirror the fates of so many regions in Europe, where rapid deindustrialisation has killed opportunity and dreams. And so I say to ''Bishop'' Lallana that that is desolation and destruction. Industry is a force for good, it provides for Icholasen. We do not need foreigners to tell us our industry is bad, and that we should be ashamed. No, we are proud!'

Cécile Laucre then toured some coal mines and other industrial implantations in the region, noting their 'efficiency, strong labour, and potential.'

[Icholasen]

[Icholasen]

[Icholasen]

FOREIGN AFFAIRS TOWN HALL PART ONE

SDV: Hello, I am Stephanie DeVey and I am here with the two most Senior candidates for the Ausnat, the Assembly of Nationalities. This house has a unique job, of scrutinising the executive on all manner of things by holding hearings, voting on foreign agreements (including membership of the EU), approving and amending the bills passed in the Auswirr (the Assembly of Workers, aka the lower house) and a whole range of different jobs. To start off, our candidates will present themselves and their party. Since in the last town hall, the TANKIES started, Jane Birkin of the AÉN will start us off with her opening statement, Jane.

Jane Birkin: Hello Comrades. Icholasen stands at a crossroads. We can either be excluded from Europe and the EU or we can embrace involvement in a body which we can use to affect change. I and the AÉN support our adhesion into the European Union, and that is one of our main political objectives in the Ausnat. Our other objectives are the decreasing of conventional military forces in favour of a stronger nuclear deterrent instead. We are also in favour of opening up relations with Inquista and other powers as if we work with them, their proletariat masses are more likely to follow us on our path to enlightened socialism.

SDV: Madam Laucre.

Cécile Laucre: Hello Comrades. We need to have a stronger foreign policy. We need to shout from the rooftops our support for communist movements the world over. I think that we cowered in fear in Neo Venetia after a dangerous battle over Reitzmag. Despite the benefits we could reap by inflicting a blow against the capitalist menace of Angleter, the government cowered from the moment and did not send conventional forces into the country. What is Angleter going to do? Nuke us? I and other TANKIES are ready to engage in brinkmanship with the capitalist menaces of the world in order to enact proletarian change in the world.

SDV: Okay, the first question comes from Mikaela an Inquistan living here in Romain City. No relation to the Kligenberg. She asks, 'when will travel reopen between Icholasen and the world? I want to see Lizzo in concert.' Ms. Birkin you have the floor.

JB: Well, I want to see us open to the world. I think that our cooperatives are great and should be able to engage with other companies, this will show them that our system works. I await the day when Inquistan wine-moms come to Chalons and taste our communist wine. I want restrictions lifted in all domains including travel.

SDV: Madam Laucre.

CL: I think that we need to be careful. I think that the travel restrictions are important for now to prevent reactionary influence in Icholasen. We need to be fully vigilant before we let anyone in our out. I think before we allow immigration, we need a law to prevent people taking advantage of our medical and other keys schools to prevent people leaving the UNSR after receiving a free education here before a certain number of years have elapsed.

SDV: We'll be right back. After the break, we will be discussing the contentious topic of the European Union among other things.

[Icholasen]

FOREIGN AFFAIRS TOWN HALL PART TWO

SDV: We are back with the second installment of this town hall, live from Romain City. Let's get straight back to the debate. We are now going to discuss the European Union and what our candidates think about it. We first are going to discuss adhesion into the European Community. Jane Birkin, what are your thoughts on Icholexit and UNSRejoining?

JB: I'm in favour of a UNSRejoin, I want us to reintegrate into the European Community, so that we can start to have a normalisation of relations with the rest of Europe. I want the UNSR to have a role in legislating in the European Council and for a AÉN candidate to be legally elected to serve in the Council. I am willing to work with other EU Councillors in order for us to be recognised by the European Council as the legitimate government of Icholasen.

SDV: Madame Laucre.

CL: I and my colleagues think that adhesion into the EU isn't our biggest priority. It wasn't so much as an Icholexit, than a Nicoleiziexpulsion. Of course, the conditions in the European Council have to change to allow a UNSRejoin, as the PEL alone does not have enough votes. Myself and colleagues, are not prepared to move away from Socialism in order to convince EPA globalists to convert to our cause, and so I am in favour of a UNSRejoin but it ain't happening any time, suga!

SDV: In the final part we will discuss the status of the so-called 'Free Icholasen' and other foreign policy questions.

[Icholasen]

FOREIGN AFFAIRS TOWN HALL PART THREE

SDV: Welcome back to the final part of the Foreign Affairs Town Hall. We are now going to discuss so-called 'Free Icholasen. Should the UNSR interact with any nations who recognise Free Icholasen, Jane Birkin.

JB: I think we can, to an extent. If the recognise both nations, then I am okay with that. But if they just recognise so-called 'Free Icholasen' then we should cut all ties, if they haven't already cut ties with us. I am all in favour of reaching out a hand to the international community so long as they reach out a hand to us too.

SDV: Madame Laucre.

CL: We should not interact with any country who has recognised Free Icholasen, even if they recognise us. To quote Miss Taylor Alison Swift, 'The old Icholasen can't come to the phone right now. Why? Because she's dead.' If reactionaries are going to continue to recognising a dead state, with no land and no legitimacy, we shouldn't give people who recognise them the time of day.

SDV: And now for closing statements. Jane Birkin you may begin.

JB: Comrades, a tricky path lays ahead of us. But I believe, with diplomacy and dialogue, we can reintegrate into the international community and foster peace in Europe. I think we should absolutely keep a strong military, but we can afford to reallocate some of that money to the people who need it most by using our nuclear deterrent as a deterrent, rather than a bloated military that takes money from schools and hospitals.

SDV: Madame Laucre.

CL: Right now is the time for strength. The globalists only respond to physical strength. That is what the AÉN does not understand. They do not care about diplomacy, they do not care about goodwill. They care about the market of 75 million people here in Icholasen that they have lost. They have lost a cash cow and they will do anything to make us move an inch from Socialism. Will we let them move us? To exploit us once again? Absolutely not.

SDV: Thanks for watching folks, remember to tune in for the first day of election coverage on Tuesday.

[Icholasen]

SDV: Today we're taking a look at some of the poll data. We can see that since the first poll after the TANKIES and the ANL unified, the TANKIES had a bounce in the polls. The AÉN only beat the TANKIES in the 20th of June poll, which must be slightly worrying for the AÉN camp. Despite this, the AÉN has consistently been within the margin of error for beating the TANKIES and could definitely pull through when the elections happen.

In some specific national races, the TANKIES are doing much better. Bernie Sanders' approval rating is at about 80% and as such is expecting to win election as Foreign Minister. Him being a potential candidate for Korojaunu also increases the TANKIES' likelihood of having a TANKIES consul of the plebs elected and thus the control of the executive branch of government. Despite this, polls are relatively close at about 54% to the TANKIES and 46% to the AÉN for the position of Consul of the Plebs.

[Icholasen]

Baskin: 'I do not believe in state atheism'

Today Harriet LeRauk commented saying that 'state atheism is the way forward. We should be actively and energetically promoting atheism in the UNSR.' Baskin disagreed, saying that she does not believe in state atheism, and thinks that all religions should be allowed to exist and thrive. 'There's nothing in the Christian Bible that goes against socialism. Quite the opposite.' Baskin said. Icholasen is split down the middle on religion, with about 45% of people identifying as Christian (of many different kinds), 45% of people identifying as 'atheist' and 10% of people identifying as other religions, or refused to reply to the question.

'There's nothing worse than the state intervening in what you can think about religion, state atheism is not the policy we should enact right now. We need to build consensus with all Nicoleizians. French speakers, Nicoleizian speakers, religious people and non religious people. Everyone has a stake in our society. Don't get me wrong though, I believe in secularism, there should be no link between the Church and state. But, we must still respect peoples' religions.'

Harriet LeRauk hit back, 'Carole Baskin is again acting as an outrage monger of the government doing anything. Baskin loves to tell people what to do, and acts defensive when people tell others what to do. Which is it, Carole?! Can we tell people what to do or not?'

[Icholasen]

Kim Yo-Jung, Ausnat Candidate for Miens Marx, Announces Support for Nicova Expansion

'I think that the defense of the revolution is more important than any 'freedoms' one might lose with a Secret Police. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.' Said Yo-Jung at a campaign event in Marxssauks. 'We need to make sure that the Nicova is A. Funded, B. Expanded, and C. Has enough powers to carry out its duties. We need to support the vanguards of the revolution so that Communism can continue here in Icholasen and not be corrupted by capitalism.'

Kim Yo-Jung continued, 'I want criminals to feel terror. And, believe me, they will, if TANKIES are voted into all branches of government. We will not allow reactionaries to spread reactionary thought here in Icholasen.' She concluded.

[Inquista]

June 22nd, 2020
Creusot, Honoré-Mercier
Campaign Rally

Bishop Lallana on the cover of Vogue Proletariat

Good afternoon, Creusot! I am so pleased to be in such a young and energetic city. Wow, I can really feel your energy this afternoon! Keep this energy up for the next few days as Icholasen heads into the elections.

Now, full disclosure, I'm Inquistan [A mixed reaction of boos and cheers erupt from the crowd]. Boo! Yes, that's right. Boo! No, it's okay, you should all be fully booing right now. Inquista is a concrete jungle of capitalist exploitation, an environmental abomination and a skyline of complete inequality. The only thing that can save my country from economic and environmental collapse is if the Inquistan Orthodox Church embraces liberation theology and successfully integrates Marxism and ecotheology into its Church doctrine. Apart from this, the next worst thing about being Inquistan is that I can only speak English, and some Latin, so you will have to excuse my English. I know many of you are French-speaking, so please excuse me, but I couldn't miss out on this opportunity to visit you all.

I couldn't miss out on visiting you, because I know you are the future. Many of you are students. You will all shape the future of this country. However, I am gravely concerned about the future of your country, and how it could become an exploitative and godforsaken husk of concrete and sin, like Inquista. Your leaders are gambling with your future, and it is imperative that you all take destiny into your own hands. There is no graver threat to the young generation of today than climate change. Climate change is already happening. Earth is getting much warmer and it is already beginning to impact our seasons, increase natural disasters and effect our agricultural harvests and other important sectors of our economies. However, this is just the beginning. It will only get worse, and it will only become more impactful. Not only are your livelihoods and your quality of life on the line, but the entire lives of your generation are on the line, and leaders are gambling with it. Leaders are taking the young people of this country for granted and they're taking your futures for granted. It is enough. It is time that leaders begin thinking about the future generation, properly prioritize them, and tackle climate change with serious urgency. That's why I come to you all on behalf of the AÉN and on behalf of Carole Baskin, who need your support in the coming days.

A lot of people have criticized me for being "anti-industry" here in Icholasen. I am not. I stand in complete solidarity with industrial workers and I stand in solidarity with heavy industry. The notion that industry and ecology are two opposing forces is a false narrative, and is a lie that the TANKIES are selling you. The TANKIES don't care about about the environment or climate change, and they'd like you to believe that the environment is an enemy of industry. The TANKIES see the two as mutually exclusive. This is not the case. Your leaders could unleash a whole new modern Green Revolution onto the country, push for complete green industrialization, which would create millions of new jobs and millions of new economic opportunities. The AÉN knows this, and they would push for an environmental agenda that would save Icholasen from environmental ruin and would simultaneously open so many new economic opportunities. A Green Revolution would create many so many new jobs and create so much innovation, that Icholasen would become a beacon of industrialization and of environmental responsibility. In fact, a Green Revolution would bring so many new opportunities, it could create far more jobs than what current energy sectors provide. It's common sense. So why do the TANKIES oppose this? They're in the pockets of Big Oil, that's why.

The TANKIES are so whipped by Big Oil, that they don't care about any of the other industries. They don't care about farmers or about agriculture, who are the most effected by climate change. They don't care about technological sectors or green innovation. They don't even care about Icholasen's energy supply, because green energy would be more sustainable in the long-term, they just care about keeping oil in business. Who does oil even benefit? The TANKIES have no one to sell oil to, and they don't want to sell it either. The TANKIES want to see Icholasen become economically isolated, have nobody to sell their products to, except for Czech Slavia. So that's all they care about. They only care about oil, and they only care about selling it to Czechs, and they don't care about anyone else. Who does this hurt the most? You, the future generations of this country. Your livelihoods will bare the full and long-term effects of isolationism. You who have grown up with the European Union understand better than anybody, how important it is to be able to travel abroad, to study abroad and to have friends across Europe. The European Union is an exploitative institution led by a mediocrely-handsome at best neolib, and so it needs urgent reform, but it still offers more benefits than what isolationism brings, and the young generation know that. Isn't it also funny how countries like Czech Slavia participate and lick the boots of the European Union, but expect and want Icholasen to be ousted from it? Something doesn't add up there.

As I mentioned earlier, many of you are also French speakers. I really do love the Francophone Nicoleizian community. Marie Myriam, the AEN candidate for Minister for Romain Affairs, has an amazing agenda for protecting the rights, freedoms and culture of Francophones in Romain and in wider Icholasen. The AÉN understand the value and importance of Francophone communities in Icholasen, and they value the Franocophone contributions to Icholasen, its culture and even its economy. Nicoleizian Francophones have done particularly well in EuroVoice, which I don't think the TANKIE candidate understands, and I'd like for her to release her Spotify playlist immediately. I bet it's all just English, and it's all probably all Angleteric EV entries, which are tasteless.

The TANKIE candidate for Romain Affairs has said the most deplorable things, and stands in opposition to Francophone Nicoleizian. The TANKIES, yet again, don't care about Icholasen's vast array of diverse communities, and therefore don't stand for true equality. They only want equality for the ruling class, which are Nicolophone, Czech-controlled reactionaries who love nothing except having a police-state and towing the line for Big Oil. They don't want Nicoleizians of all languages to be equal, they only prioritize one language, and that language is Czech.

The TANKIES don't prioritize green innovation or agricultural industries, they only prioritize oil. The TANKIES don't prioritize the future of young people or students, only old white men like Comrade Sanders. The TANKIES don't prioritize foreign relations, they only prioritize isolationism and getting medals of friendship from Czech Slavia. The TANKIES don't prioritize the freedoms of the people and the withering away of the state, they only prioritize the Nicova and a reign of terror.

The TANKIES offer an unacceptable future, and this is your final chance to all take a stand against it, before the TANKIES destroy all of you in their Nicova-led reign of terror. The Revolution will not thrive unless Icholasen thrives. Icholasen is thriving now more than ever, and we need to keep it that way. That's why you must support Carole Baskin and the AÉN. [Bishop Lallana then raises a communist crucifix to the crowd] God bless the Revolution, and may God bless Icholasen! Thank you.

[Icholasen]

Cathy Badger: being out of the EU turns politics into something people feel they own much more

Cathy Badger, TANKIE Auswirr (Assembly of Workers) candidate for Transportation and Warehousing has today given an interview about her thoughts on the European Union. The former editor of the publication Living Marxism expanded on her views about her adamence on the UNSR remaining outside of the European Union.

'I genuinely think that being out of the EU turns politics into something people feel they own much more. They engage in politics rather than passively sit back while the elites are making decisions on their behalf. It is not a guarantee what will happen now, but at least people can feel as though there is a possibility, no less than a possibility, that they might be able to shape the way things are going in the future. I want us to remain outside of the European Union, whatever the cost. Decisions must be made here, in Icholasen.'

These comments drew criticism from AÉN candidates for the Auswirr. Sophie Anderson, candidate for other services, said that 'European Union membership can ensure that we can affect change across Europe and allow our citizens to travel and enjoy visiting EU countries. I am proud of our multicultural society and it is threatened by us being outside of the EU.'

When asked about this, Badger said that 'multiculturalism and selfish identity politics have no roots in Marxism and should not be discussed. The only form of oppression that exists is economic, it just manifests in different ways. I don't think discussing multiculturalism and the darn LGBTs is productive, when the real enemies are capitalists.'

[Icholasen]

Icholasen Goes To The Polls

Nicoleizians are today voting for the Lower House of the Nicoleizian Legislature. Famous people up for election are Carole Baskin, Harriet LeRauk and others who are all vying for a seat in this large assembly. The Auswirr contains 832 members and represents the different sectors of the workforce in Icholasen. Polling is pretty 50-50, with no lead for any faction that breaks the approximate margin of error of 3.2%, and so it really is anyone's game.

Votes are being counted as they come in, with results starting to become available at around 10pm GMT. NBC's panel includes Stephanie DeVey, Megan Jirluchuz, Carole Baskin among others, with hinted special guests along the way.

[Icholasen]

ASSEMBLY OF WORKERS ELECTION

SDV: Welcome to election night, I am Stephanie DeVey your host for this evening. Today, the Assembly of Workers is being elected, the lower house of our parliament. With me tonight is a panel of guests from different political and social spectrums who will offer us their thoughts as the night progresses. These are Megan Jirluchuz, the daughter of Chairman Jirluchuz and panelist on the soon-to-be released show, The View. She is a TANKIE and supports that faction. Welcome.

Megan Jirluchuz: Thanks for having me.

SDV: We also have with us Misty Foxx, AÉN candidate for other services. Welcome to the show, Misty.

Misty Foxx: Thank you! I can't wait to discuss the issues.

SDV: We will also be getting commentary from other figures, we believe that Bishop Lallana will pop in for a brief chat, and also other TANKIES figures. But, for now while we wait for the votes to be counted, let's get predictions from both of our candidates. Let's start with Megan Jirluchuz.

MJ: I think that for me personally, that this should be a good night for us TANKIES, it's really whether we've done enough to convince the voters. I, personally, actually, have been doing a lot of campaigning I went all round to talk with people about the election and from my own experience I think that I and others did really well.

SDV: Misty?

MF: I think that the AÉN has probably done very well. You know, if I live to see seven wonders an AÉN majority in the Auswirr will be one of them, believe me. I actually even think it could be a landslide. In my Dreams it certainly is. That would guarantee cooperatives their rights and their freedoms to act and make the economy great for everyone.

SDV: Join us with the first results, hopefully, soon!

[Icholasen]

SDV: So our first result in is from the miners and construction workers. This was a very strong showing for the TANKIES here. It really is incredible. What factors do you think this is due to, let's start with Megan.

MJ: I think that it's the Sanders pull. He is literally a war hero and I think that Nicoleizians want to see him have an easy ride in power once they put him there. In my own, personal, experience with Sanders - I actually consider him to be a great friend of mine - we really got on, he's so charismatic and nice and I just think that the people of Icholasen want him to be the best. These tallies are great and I think the TANKIES will end up, maybe, around 55% of seats in the final tally. I mean both these constituencies were not just gifts for the TANKIES, we had to work to achieve these massive percentages, and no doubt Sanders' 80% approval rating helped us.

SDV: Misty, do you think that you guys can recover from these two defeats?

MF: Absolutely - there's still so many different categories of workers yet to come - 14 more and 93% of the seats left to go! There's no reason why it's over for us, I think any betting man would bet on the AÉN, why didn't the TANKIES get all of the mining seats? Sounds weak to me. I also think that people from both factions appreciate Sanders without feeling the need to vote for him in this, the lower house election.

[Icholasen]

SDV: A major declaration today, with Manufacturing releasing their seats. 72% for the TANKIES and 28% for the AÉN. A small result in Utilities, with 55% to 45%, another TANKIES win. If things continue in this way it will definitely be a TANKIES majority here. We have with us Harriet LeRauk who joins us from the count at the Syndicat Pour la Fabrication, (Union for Manufacturing). We understand you've just been elected, Ms. LeRauk.

Harriet LeRauk: Yes! It's an honour to be elected to represent the people of the manufacturing sector, I will work tirelessly to represent them in the Auswirr.

SDV: Where do you think the night is going?

HLR: I think it'll be a great night for us TANKIES, of course I'll be modest about it, but Utilities represents a very broad set of people and we won there. I think that that 55/45 split will continue as the night goes on.

SDV: And so what do you think will be the first piece of legislation that the Auswirr passes?

HLR: I hope that we collectivise agriculture. I really do, I hope that we can make sure that agriculture works for all of us.

SDV: Thanks Harriet.