Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 18, 2019 12:52:26 GMT
13 April 2025, Doressa RUBEN CHARGED WITH CORRUPTION • Former Governor General is arrested and charged on various corruption charges • Allegations include the cover-up of several of his colleagues' more serious crimes • Krebs under severe pressure
FORMER GOVERNOR General Marcus Ruben has been arrested and charged on various corruption charges a little more than a month after leaving office. State prosecutors have finally been given access to a variety of documents and files that detail Ruben's involvement in previous bribery scandals, which had previously passed with his colleagues falling on their swords. Now it is alleged that Ruben himself profited from numerous illegal schemes, as well as turning his back on NLP politicians' indiscretions such as severe corruption and sexual abuse cases in order to save his own skin.
With Ivan Krebs only in office a month, scrutiny has turned on him as well, focusing on his six-year tenure as Finance Minister under Ruben. Krebs' elevation to the premiership is only believe to have occurred because he was seemingly the only senior government figure untouched by corruption, but the cache of documents may yet reveal his hands are not as clean as he has made out.
With the NLP already running an unprecedented third in the polls, the news has been greeted with even more gnashing of teeth. Party figures did not believe things could have gotten much worse, but the arrest of Ruben and the document leaks are likely to provide even more pain for the party that has ruled Darnussia uninterrupted for sixty years. After 16 NLP delegates defected last month, the NLP has been left with only 135 delegates, leaving behind a minority administration. With morale at an all-time low, rumours of further defections or even a major split are doing the rounds.
The party's grassroots right-wing are believed to be furious with the more centrist leadership; however vast numbers of the liberal middle-class - another stalwart voting base for the NLP - are also poised to desert the party en-mass. For the first time in recent Darnussian history it appears that even the fear of a potential socialist government is not enough to hold the big-tent ruling party together. This long series of scandals might just prove to be the final straw that broke the camel's back.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 20, 2019 10:59:46 GMT
20 June 2025, Doressa FURY AS VAN HALDON PARDONS RUBEN • Marcus Ruben has had all charges against him dropped upon intervention by Secretary General • Socialists accuse Van Haldon of ''illegality on a stunning scale' • Vote of no confidence in Government narrowly fails; no elections for now • Socialists continue to top polls
FORMER GOVERNOR General Marcus Ruben has seen all charges against him dropped following his arrest for corruption. Secretary General Eric Van Haldon stepped in, and in an unprecedented move he pardoned Ruben and ordered his release, contradicting direct orders from the National Prosecution Director to proceed with the trial. The opposition Socialists and liberal Democrats reacted by calling the act 'illegality on a stunning scale', accusing Van Haldon of severely abusing his powers and subverting the judiciary for political reasons.
Indeed, Van Haldon's act has sparked debate among constitutional scholars over whether he has acted within the law. Constitutionally he is allowed to pardon whomever he pleases; however the constitution is unclear over whether he can do so before a case goes to trial. The general consensus is that Van Haldon has in fact acted illegally.
The main initial practical effect from the pardoning was it sparking a vote of no confidence in the government, the Socialists accusing Governor General Krebs of not standing up for the law against Van Haldon. The government won the vote 155 - 146, with enough non-NLP delegates propping up the government due to the fear of a potential Socialist administration if an election were to be held. The polls currently have the Socialists quite a way out in front, followed by the centre-right Truth and Justice Party, then the beleaguered NLP.
NLP support appears to have completely evaporated among the Kozer (mainland) working-class, as living standards have stagnated. Much of the Kozer middle-class has also deserted the party, choosing instead to support the Democratic Party. The only remaining stronghold of the NLPs traditional voter base appears to be certain sections of the Nariki (island) population; however even this is no longer a sure thing. This is unprecedented in Darnussian history, with the NLP winning every election since the advent of the republic in 1966. An election however, it scheduled for April next year
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 24, 2019 10:01:32 GMT
18 January 2026, Doressa KREBS NARROWLY SURVIVES PARTY COUP ATTEMPT • Right-wing NLP delegate Marcus Manticore officially challenges Krebs for party leadership • Krebs wins 71 votes to 63 among Parliamentary delegates, but confidence among grassroots is shredded • Observers say split in party is now unavoidable • Election due in April
BACKBENCH DELEGATE Marcus Manticore, an increasingly prominent spokesman for the National Liberal Party's right-wing was last night narrowly defeated in his bid to overthrow Governor General Ivan Krebs as NLP leader and premier. Parliamentary delegates voted 71 to 63 to retain Krebs as leader, however Manticore's bid received overwhelming support among the party's grassroots membership. The rift between the centrist party leadership and the right-wing membership now appears unassailable, with several observers now arguing that a definitive split in the party is unavoidable.
The challenge has been yet another blow to the NLP, who face a general election in four months time while languishing third in the polls. The failure of Manticore to wrestle the leadership from Krebs is likely to lead to an even greater number of defections from right-wing NLP voters towards the hard-right Republican People's Party (RPP), who look likely to capture a large chunk of the right-wing working-class vote. The Socialist Party meanwhile are actively preparing for government, confident that they will be returned as the largest party in April.
The NLP has ruled Darnussia uninterrupted between 1966 and the present, presenting themselves as the strong, stable and natural party of government. However, the disastrous premiership of Marcus Ruben has appeared to utterly shred trust in the party; is has only been the near-pathological fear among Darnussia's conservative voters of a socialist administration that has prevented the total collapse of the government.
If the Socialists are able to form a government, it will raise several questions as to the viability of Darnussia's present constitutional make-up. The unelected head-of-state, Secretary General Eric Van Haldon, is constitutionally bound to swear in any new government that can command a parliamentary majority; however he has made is clear he will block several major aspects of the Socialists' manifesto. His unelected status has the potential to spark a major constitutional crisis if he is unwilling to compromise.
Darnussia's once-powerful right-wing appears now to be completely polarised, with bitter infighting over the best way to proceed. Despite Van Haldon appearing to be the only way to block a Socialist government, one of the key tenets of the hard-right RPP is its uncompromising opposition to the fact the Secretary General is unelected. Despite being at opposite ends of the political spectrum, the RPP and the Socialists both officially favour a directly elected President over the current model. It appears for now political instability in Darnussia will continue for some time.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 25, 2019 22:31:41 GMT
ELECTION SPECIAL 22 April 2026, Doressa SOCIALISTS WIN; NLP DECIMATED • DSP form coalition government with Darnussian Democratic Party; Schuleberg is Governor General • Republican People's Party second; NLP humiliating third • Secretary General Van Haldon begrudgingly swears in government, but refuses any further cooperation
Governor General Schuleberg arrives in Doressa this morning
THE NATIONAL Liberal Party (NLP) has lost its grip on the Darnussian Republic for the first time ever following the electoral victory of the Darnussian Socialist Party (DSP). The utterly demoralised NLP came a humiliating third after years of sleaze, scandals and corruption finally caught up with the party at the polls, which allowed the DSP to form a coalition government with the liberal Darnussian Democratic Party (DDP). The former ruling party even failed to defeat the second-placed hard-right Republican People's Party, who capitalised on the waves of grassroots NLP members defecting from the party. Secretary General Eric Van Haldon, who has repeatedly made it clear he will attempt to block a left-wing administration at all costs, was constitutionally bound to swear in the new government, but has subsequently declared that he will be as big an obstacle to any government business as is legally possible. It remains unclear as to how the country will move forward with the current political deadlock; it is certainly possible that the DSP will attempt to reform the constitution entirely and replace the office of Secretary General with a directly elected president. Any such move will likely to be greeted with unprecedented controversy as well as further prolonging Darnussia's current period of political instability. Previous Governor General Ivan Krebs for now remains as leader of the NLP, but this is unlikely to last long. The right-wing delegate Marcus Manticore, who three months ago challenged Krebs for the party leadership, has indicated he will split entirely with the NLP unless there is a complete overhaul of the entire party machine. Krebs and the leadership also seem to have lost almost the entire support of the centrist members, who themselves are threatening a split. The moves made within the next month will prove whether the NLP will survive as a credible force going into the future. ELECTION RESULTSDarnussian Socialist Party - 129 Republican People's Party - 71 National Liberal Party - 66 Darnussian Democratic Party - 35 For previous Darnussian election results, click here
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 27, 2019 11:19:09 GMT
28 May 2026, Doressa VAN HALDON BLOCKS SOCIALIST LEGISLATION; OVERTURES MADE TO RPP • Secretary General Van Haldon blocks new government's budget • Socialist, Democratic and Republican People's parties now in talks over abolition of Secretary General • NLP continues to be plagued by internal strife
AS PREDICTED, Eric Van Haldon has refused to allow the passage of the Darnussian Socialist Party (DSP)-Darnussian Democratic Party (DDP) coalition government's budget, thus plunging the country into yet more chaos and uncertainty. In response, the DSP and DDP have approached the right-wing Republican People's Party (RPP) in order to open discussions regarding transforming the office of Secretary General into a directly elected president. This has long been a key policy of the RPP, who are now put in the unusual position of by agreeing to the passage of their major manifesto commitment they are in fact helping the Socialist Government. It is likely the DSP-DDP will promise several major policy pledges to the RPP in return for their support on the constitutional matter.
The National Liberal Party (NLP) are officially strongly against any constitutional changes, particularly those that are likely to help the Socialists, but have generally resigned themselves to its inevitability. Marcus Manticore, the firebrand leader of the right-wing NLP grassroots, yesterday repeated his threats to split from the party entirely - taking with him perhaps the majority of NLP parliamentary delegates and members - unless he is handed the keys to the party leadership. It appears Ivan Krebs and his allies have no appetite to hand over the party to the right-wing, however his refusal to step aside at all has also completely alienated the centrists in the NLP.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 30, 2019 12:33:54 GMT
29 June 2026, Doressa DARNUSSIA TO BECOME PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLIC • Government makes deal with RPP to create new semi-presidential republic • Presidential elections to be held in January; first ever direct election for head-of-state • Major concessions on various issues, particularly migration and normalisation Beluzia relations
THE DARNUSSIAN Government yesterday came to a definitive deal with the opposition Republican People's Party to transform the country into a semi-presidential republic, replacing the office of Secretary General with that of a directly-elected President. The office of Governor General will itself become the office of Premier. The roles of the new President will be similar to that of the Secretary General, its main difference being the fact the office will now be directly elected by universal suffrage.
The semi-presidential model is the compromise between the Government, who favoured a parliamentary-style state with a ceremonial president, and the RPP who were strongly pushing for an all-out presidential republic. The final model has left both sides feeling both satisfied and nervous; the Government hoped a parliamentary government would allow them to push forward with their reforms while the RPP hoped to use a strong president to curtail any potential socialist legislation.
Presidential elections will now be held in January 2027. Eric Van Haldon, the Secretary General, has indicated he will not attempt to run, mainly due to his extremely poor popularity ratings amongst the general public, many of whom blame him for the current impasse in Darnussia's political system. Early frontrunners have been the RPPs Rafael Sanz Durán, a political moderate, and the Socialists' Tomas Henries. The National Liberal Party, who are currently engaged in bitter political infighting and who were strongly opposed to the change to the constitution, have yet to form any coherent plan regarding the presidency.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 30, 2019 14:19:40 GMT
29 June 2026, Merenbürg NLP DISINTIGRATES; MANTICORE LEADS WALKOUT • National Liberal Party left with two delegates as rest of party storm out of conference • Marcus Manticore's right-wing faction take majority with them; centrists announce new party • 'Yeudi-Hosian Alliance of Patriots' formed by centrists; Manticore's group yet unnamed
THE INIVITABLE has occurred as the NLP has finally disintegrated following years of increasingly bitter infighting. Marcus Manticore, the firebrand right-wing NLP delegate yesterday sparked a walkout of the NLPs party conference, declaring their intention to form a new political party away from the 'toxic and treacherous' atmosphere of the former ruling party. Of the 66 NLP delegates, 44 announced their intention to join Manticore in forming a new right-wing party untainted by the corruption of its predecessor. Following Manticore's walkout, a further 20 delegates on the party's centrist wing, who had themselves been in discussions about forming a new party, took the opportunity to announce that they too were leaving the NLP to form the 'Yeudi-Hosian Alliance of Patriots' (AoP).
In a little under two hours, the NLP was reduced to having just two parliamentary delegates: former Governor General Ivan Krebs and his deputy Eva Heeren. Mass transfers of individual party memberships have followed; around 15% of NLP members have switched to the AoP, while a little over 80% appear poised to join Manticore's new party once it is announced. The NLP has in effect ceased to exist as an operational political entity, leaving the Darnussian parliament a very different-looking place to what is was just yesterday morning.
Manticore's next moves remain to be seen. Whatever he does, he commands a huge amount of respect among Darnussia's still-powerful right-wing, and he now has an enormous amount of manpower and resources behind him. Any party he will form will very quickly likely be challenging the Socialists for control of the country. There are rumours of a possible merger with the right-wing Republican People's Party. The RPP and Manticore have always strongly disagreed on the issue of the presidency, with Manticore always strongly opposing the concept of a directly-elected president. However, now that this issue has been taken off the table, both the RPP and Manticore appear to have remarkably similar manifestos. Manticore and the right-wing will likely relish no longer having to jostle with their centrist party counterparts for control, and a merger with the RPP will create a single powerful hard-right bloc in parliament.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jun 30, 2019 15:26:59 GMT
3 July 2026, Merenbürg RPP AND NLP REBELS TO MERGE INTO NEW RIGHT-WING PARTY • The 'Darnussian National Front' is to be led by Manticore as the new main opposition party • DNF to fight January's presidential election with former-RPP member Rafael Sanz Durán • Former aristocracy flock to the AoP in anger at Manticore's acceptance of republicanism
THE REPUBLICAN PEOPLE'S Party have officially merged with Marcus Manticore's right-wing NLP rebels to form the Darnussian National Front (DNF), increasing the size of the opposition's seat share in parliament. The merger came about after Manticore and the NLP's long standing opposition to presidential politics became obsolete upon the creation of Darnussia's new semi-presidential democracy. Manticore announced that it was 'time to look forward, not back' and that continuing to hold a grudge with the RPP regarding the issue would be detrimental to the future of the Darnussian right.
The announcement has been greeted with disgust by members of Darnussia's former aristocracy, who following the creation of the new republican constitution have lost all their official status and powers. They have mostly flocked to the centrist Yeudi-Hosian Alliance of Patriots (AoP), who have vowed to defend their official status as nobles. As far as the majority of the new DNF are concerned however, in Darnussia's new universal democracy support from the nobles is nowhere near as important that support from the masses.
Parliament is now as follows: Government DSP- 129 DDP - 35 164
Opposition: DNF - 115 AoP - 20 NLP - 2 137
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jul 1, 2019 15:27:52 GMT
11 January, Merenbürg DNF'S RAFAEL SANZ DURÁN DARNUSSIA'S NEW PRESIDENT; END OF FIRST REPUBLIC • Rafael Sanz Durán decisively defeats Socialist opponent as new constitution comes into effect • Sanz Durán is considered a 'unity candidate' on the left of the DNF • Despite Socialist presidential defeat, new constitution means President cannot block legislation
RAFAEL SANZ Durán of the DNF has become Darnussia's first directly elected President after defeating his Socialist rival Tomas Henries in the presidential election. With his swearing in, the Darnussian First Republic has officially ceased to exist and the new purely republican constitution has come into effect. At the same time, Governor General Maria Schuleberg's office was transformed into that of Premier., while former Secretary General Eric Van Haldon has ceased to have any legal powers. The Assembly of Nobles has now been abolished, at least in a legal sense, and members of the aristocracy no longer have any official status.
Sanz Durán is regarded as a moderate candidate of the DNF, and is a former professional soldier in the Darnussian Army. He has previously been a member of both the NLP and the RPP before joining the DNF upon its merger with the RPP. Sanz Durán's more centrist policies are hoped to help ease Darnussia's highly polarised political situation that has plagued the country over the previous few years. The President now has, unlike the old Secretary General, a clearly defined constitutional role and cannot override the wishes of the elected government, yet he can also use his influence to water down certain aspects of policy if they do not agree with him. Sanz Durán's moderate positions have seen him described as a 'unity candidate'.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jul 24, 2019 13:11:31 GMT
Breakdown of events, July 2026 - January 2030.
July 2027: DSP clash with President Sanz Durán over budget; Sanz Durán's veto of budget is overruled by parliamentary vote.
February 2028: DSP and DDP fail to agree over the DSP's planned nationalisation of the energy sector. The DDP refuse to allow the nationalisation to occur, thus ensuring the unravelling of the government. On 26 February, the government collapses and elections are called after only two years of socialist rule.
March 2028: The DNF win an overall majority in the general elections in a bitter, often violent campaign, with Marcus Manticore installed as Premier. The Socialists are stung, and parliament also sees the emergence of the Communist Party of Darnussia for the first time. The Communists' stronghold is exclusively among the Kozer working-class, terrifying the Nariki middle-classes. It is now clear that a strong distinction in voting patterns between Narikis and Kozers has emerged, which is willingly exploited by Durán and Manticore.
Like the NLP, the DNF's demographic make-up is broad, however unlike its predecessor it does not profess a big-tent, catch-all philosophy. Instead, it is unmistakably and strongly right-wing. They are aware that large numbers of their voters are only temporarily seeking refuge with the DNF due to a fear of socialism and communism, and that it is liable to break-up at any time. Support among Kozers for the DNF is much smaller than Narikis, and so Manticore and Durán gradually begin to make conscious efforts to play to the Nariki gallery.
Manticore himself is a Nariki, while Durán was half-Nariki and half-Aldurian. Their ethnic-baiting was often subtle rather than explicit, yet this shared policy could not disguise their often deep political divisions; Manticore is deeply right-wing, and is the closest thing to an openly fascist leader Darnussia has ever had. Durán on the other hand is on the moderate wing of the DNF, and has much of the support of Narikaton's aristocracy. They clash frequently on issues of policy and ideology, with Manticore himself much more willing to pursue an ethnically-charged party line than Durán. The language and rhetoric that is beginning to be used in this period has previously been almost unheard of in Darnussia; clear distinctions between Kozers and Narikis are now being drawn for the first time.
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Mike
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Post by Mike on Jan 9, 2020 15:13:43 GMT
It’s a shame this never worked out; really looked forward to it but unfortunately I changed to a new demanding job and so couldn’t find the time. I had written a big 5000 word document as a basis for a wikia article that detailed the war I had planned. If anyone would like me to post it, if indeed anyone still checks in here, I’d be happy to do so.
Mike
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