Nouvelles de Neustrie

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There are three main, reputable news sources from Neustria worthy of international attention:​

• La Nation, a daily publication from Lisbourg long seen as Neustria's newspaper of record;​
• Neustrie 1, the primary news channel of the Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision (ORRT), Neustria's state agency that has a quasi-monopoly on radio and television broadcasting in the Kingdom, as well as regulatory control thereover; and​
• The Expatriate, a weekly newspaper (with a daily online version) published by Engellsh-speaking foreign residents living in Lisbourg.​

 

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Dimanche 22 juillet 2023 · 197e année · n° 40367 · 9 livres ·

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· Metropole
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King visits refugee camp as Government grapples with growing inflows
Nevers, le 22 juillet 2023 | Jean Lafleur

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Constables of the Sûreté nationale overlook the refugee camp visited by the King

On Monday morning, His Majesty King Philippe IX of Neustria surprised residents of the small town of Saint-Jean-des-Hauts near the city of Nevers, on Neustria's western border, where he visited a refugee camp set up the Sûreté nationale, Neustria's national police service, and the Gendarmerie royale, the Kingdom's rural police and internal security force. While Neustria has faced major inflows of refugees and internationally displaced persons since the collapse of the Republic of Pannonia two years ago, recent civil warfare in Tarusa, along with accompanying distabilisation and economic turmoil throughout Gallo-Germania, have exacerbated inflows to levels not seen since 2021. The Interior Ministry and other government agencies have stepped in to assist local municipal and regional bodies as they do their best to aid those in need, along with volunteer groups—all the while law enforcement agencies try to register and process those coming into the country. Visiting the growing mass of tents and improvised dwellings that fills what was once a regional park, King Philippe spoke in terms of compassion and Christian virtue, serving as the face of Catholic Neustria. "Our country, as the oldest daughter of the Holy Mother Church, is determined to help its brethren, many of whom share our Faith and come from a long-time neighbouring nation," His Majesty said during a press conference. "Neustria remains a neutral and prosperous country, free from many of the effects of this war. This fortune obligates us morally to do our part."

At the same time, the Government in Lisbourg has taken steps to ensure that hospitality and generosity do not overtax the realm's resources. In 2021, large inflows of people strained the judicial system, which found it impossible to process their claims. The Government of Prime Minister Charles Duval amended the law to transfer the processing of asylum claims to an administrative body not bound by judicial due process rules and without any right of appeal. As a result, the backlog in asylum claims was swiftly reduced and practically eliminated by mid-2022—though critics also pointed out that the number of rejections of claims without reasons given or with broad, general language underlying them increased exponentially. The Government also authorised Interior Minister Pierre Roussel to use the Gendarmerie royale to expel claimants whose asylum applications were rejected, often employing violent push-back tactics. Refugees were registered and confined to closed holding centres until processing. Conversely, for those whose applications were granted, the Government took a more generous approach: benefits and free linguistic and professional courses were provided, along with job opportunities; efforts were made to properly integrate newcomers into schools and communities; and for those who were able to prove successful integration, a pathway to citizenship was opened, with a pilot programme particularly aimed at children that had attended the formative years of their schooling in Neustria.

Now, with migrant flows surging yet again, and with the drums of war beating throughout Gallo-Germania, people across Europe look on, observing the Kingdom's reaction. On the one hand, the Government has allocated significant funds from a purpose-built budget to support humanitarian efforts, in addition to partnering with various charity organisations of the Catholic Church (@Radilo ) and the Pannonian diaspora; on the other hand, border fencing has been reinforced, and the National Guard has been activated in border regions to assist the Gendarmerie royale with border protection.
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Neustrian tourism industry both upset and boosted by global tensions
Groton, le 22 juillet 2023 | Hélène Touron

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The southern port city of Groton, long seen as Neustria's gateway to the Meridian Sea via the Serault Canal, has served as a favourite holiday destination for Neustrians seeking to spend their summer vacation within the country, as well as many foreigners who value the port city's rich history, as well as the temperate climate and comfortable beaches of the nearby towns and villages that line the southern Neustrian riviera. This year, with international tensions causing instability and fears of war across many popular destinations, Neustrians have chosen to spend the summer in the country in unprecedented numbers: demand for flights and hotels outside the Kingdom fell by nearly 40%, causing travel agents to redirect their focus toward domestic destinations. For wealthier and more adventerous Neustrians, farway foreign locations unaffected by war but enjoying a high standard of living, such as @The Federation, @Tianlong or @Touzen still figure high upon the list. But for average Neustrians, whose nearby, affordable and culturally proximate holiday destinations abroad, such as @Ebria and the @Hanseatic Republics, now sit on a razor's edge, the beaches and scenic countryside of their own land seem much more attractive. [...]

Domestic tourism has long been a strong industry in Neustria, partly due to state subsidies and tax incentives for affordable resorts geared toward working-class Neustrians, who need a respite from life in the industrial quarters of major cities. Many Neustrians who moved to urban areas only recently still retain a family home in a smaller, rural town, while a cottage is seen as a status symbol among the better-off urban classes (to say nothing of the legendary châteaux of the Neustrian aristocracy, which dot the country's fertile valleys). [...] Still, as the rest of Gallo-Germania seems ready to inflame, Neustria's tourism industry is also drawing visitors from outside the region, who wish to experience its wealth of culture and history from within the borders of a safe, neutral state. [...]​

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Court of Cassation rules midget-throwing illegal
Lisbourg, le 22 juillet 2023 | Sébastien Alvarez

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From its seat at the Palace of Justice in central Lisbourg, the Court of Cassation, Neustria's highest civil and criminal court of law, delivered

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settling a question that few ever expected to reach the judiciary. Per the Court's decision, which was penned by a plenary session of the court in light of its "great importance for the development and direction of the legal system" (in the words of the Court's President, M. de Belmont), a contract by which a midget engages to be tossed around for the purpose of others' entertainment or amusement violates public order and good morals and is therefore void under art. 6 of the Civil Code. [...] The matter was brought before the Court when the National Association for Human Rights (ANDH) sought leave to challenge the contract between two private parties (M.G., the dwarf, and S.B.A., a film studio). While third parties are not ordinarily allowed to challenge a contract entered into by others where it does not directly affect their rights, art. 6 provides an exception to this that permits anyone and everyone to challenge a contract or other exercise of civil rights that contravenes its provisions. [...] Per the decision, S.B.A. was ordered to pay the fees of M.G. and the Association. [...] Interestingly, the National Association for the Advancement of Little People (ANAN) has spoken out against the decision, as it reportedly limits one of their members' main sources of revenue and public exposure. [...]​

© 2023 Journal « La Nation », Société anonyme​

 

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.Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision |

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· Breaking Longtime Prime Minister Charles Duval passes away; Jean-Louis de Valaincourt named acting premier

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Photo (ORRT): The Palais du Prince, seat of the Neustrian Prime Minister, Council of Ministers and Council of State

(LISBOURG) Long-time Neustrian Prime Minister Mr. Charles Duval has passed away, according to an official press release by the Royal Government of Neustria. Mr. Duval passed away from throat cancer—a disease that he battled for the last few years of his life, despite keeping his health largely out of the media. He has been succeeded provisionally by Msgr. Jean-Louis Ponthieu, Count de Valaincourt, who was serving as de facto Prime Minister for the last few months as the Prime Minister's condition worsened. Msgr. de Valaincourt was previously Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Justice, having been a strong voice in favour of the government in the seats reserved to the hereditary nobility in the Senate. Msgr. Valaincourt has been appointed in his current role on a temporary basis by Royal Decree, and this appointment is to be confirmed as a permanent one in a vote before the Chamber of Deputies early next week; notably, this will make Msgr. de Valaincourt the first Prime Minister to not hail from the ranks of the elected Chamber in several decades. This is particularly notable because Msgr. de Valaincourt is seen as a political hardliner, despite his openness to certain social and economic reforms.

The funeral of the dearly departed Mr. Duval is to take place on Saturday with state honours at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, in downtown Lisbourg, in the presence of the Royal Family and the country's military and political leadership. Mr. Duval will be buried at the Cemetery of Saint Gabriel, in the city's northwest, among many other prominent figures of Neustrian history. A spokesman for the Royal Family has indicated that His Majesty the King intends to bestow upon Mr. Duval the Cross of Saint Joseph, Neustria's highest decoration, in recognition of his near two-decade-long tenure as Prime Minister. This is seen as an expression of the gratitude of many Neustrians for the leadership of the late Prime Minister, who steered the country clear of regional wars and significantly raised Neustrians' standard of living while guarding against neoliberal globalizing forces that imperiled the industrial economy that supported working-class communities throughout the country. Mr. Duval is also praised for his political overtures to the colonies, including devolving more power to local bodies and allowing colonial citizens greater representation in the Kingdom's politics. At the same time, certain segments of society resent Mr. Duval's social conservatism and his somewhat heavy-handed approach to political dissent, which they claim transformed the country into a near-one-party state. Regardless, polls showed high support for the late Prime Minister's government throughout his tenure, as he was able to wed popular Catholicism with the country's strong labour unions to create a model of class relations characterised by cooperation rather than confrontation.

Whether Mr. Duval's successor will be able to preserve and to build off this complex balancing act, both in the metropole and in the colonies, and also to maintain Neustria's careful economic and foreign policies abroad, remains to be seen. In any case, the Neustrian Nation seems determined to remember the late Prime Minister fondly: at the news of Mr. Duval's death, thousands stopped by his home in central Lisbourg to leave flowers on the metal fence enclosing its small courtyard.

Les titres
(Neustrie - Affaires courantes): Government confirms enactment of emergency ordinances, extends conscripts' service due to worsening geopolitical situation. Interior Ministry institutes tighter controls at all land borders, hardens asylum criteria.
(Monde - Diplomatie): Archbishop of Lisbourg refuses to condemn Csengian Inquisition, in contradiction to Papal Policy, citing supremacy of Neustrian state policy per official doctrine of Lacianism. Lisbourg committed to policy of neutrality vis-à-vis the Pannonian Question.
(Neustrie - Société): Fashion week kicks off in Lisbourg and Nevers, as rival fashion centers compete for world's top designers. Fashion industry sees markets and supply routes disrupted by global economic and political situation, but Neustrian designers refuse to give up.
(Neustrie - Sport): Groton beats Beauport 3-1 ahead of derby with Lisbourg. Beauport's coach resigns, citing disagreements with management that he blames for string of defeats of previously strong team.
©2023 | Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision (Neustrie)​

 

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Bund der rheinischen Fürstentümer und Bürgerschaften
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Korrespondenznummer / Correspondence number: RR/KA/2023-10-06/008149 ; 6. Okt 2023
Steht in Bezug zu den Korrespondenzen / Related to the correspondences: ———
Öffentlich / Public: ■ │ Vertraulich / Restricted: □ │ Streng geheim / Top Secret: □
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Kanzleramt
Fehrbellin, Rheinbund

We are saddened by the news of Premier-Ministre Duval's passing away. We hold him in our prayers. The flags at the Rheinian embassy and consulates in Neustria will be flagged half-mast with a black banner for the duration of the mourning period. Our condolences to the people of Neustria, especially to Premier-Ministre Duval's family and friends. We will hold him in our prayers.

Hans-Georg Lauritzen, Chancellor

 

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.Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision |

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· Breaking Emergencies Law enacted; Government declares "State of Emergency" due to regional war

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Photo (ORRT): The Interior Minister addresses the Chamber of Deputies regarding the proposed measures

(LISBOURG) In one of his first acts as Prime Minister, Msgr. Jean-Louis Ponthieu, Count de Valaincourt, has sought and obtained the consent of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate to enact a State of Emergency under Law n°55-385 of 3 April 1955, which governs states of emergency in Neustria. The law grants the government sweeping powers to militarise certain sectors of the civilian administration; to censor the press and correspondence; and to circumvent ordinary judicial safeguards. Though these measures can normally be enacted by decree, such enactment is limited to a period of 30 days. Given that the current crisis is expected to continue for a far longer period, the Government has been forced to seek the support of the legislature. The Chamber and Senate agreed with the proposed decrees, though strong opposition was voiced by the Parti socialiste neustrien (PSN) and the Parti social-catholique (PSC), the two major forces of the Kingdom's political left. Surprising was the support granted to the government by the liberal Parti radical institutionel (PRI), which has long been seen as a hotbed of republican radicalism, in spite of the ascendancy of more moderate wings of its coalition in more recent years.

The decree enacted by King at the advice of the Council of Ministers (n°1/55-385/2023), has made use of only certain of the powers granted to it by the Law, preferring to avoid unnecessary limitations on citizens' liberties for the moment. The Telecommunications and Mail Commission of the Interior Ministry has been granted expanded powers to monitor and block online messages, emails and physical mail in and out of the country, where these could geopardise the country's security or neutrality; moreover, the Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision and the Press Division of the Sûreté Nationale (the national police service) have been authorised to censor online, televised, radio and print media more closely with the same objective. The military has not been granted any civilian powers yet, though the Gendarmerie has been given more significant administrative detention powers when prosecuting for reasons of national security. Limits on public gatherings and political activity seeking to overturn Neustrian neutrality have likewise been authorised. Finally, the government has also deployed troops to aid the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard in securing the country's borders, while relegating refugee claims to mass administrative proceedings, rather than individual trials. This particular measure raised the ire of the the PSC, which has long followed the Catholic Church's pro-refugee line.

Following these enactments, certain protests have been announced in Lisbourg and elsewhere, though local police authorities have warned that expanded powers allow them to outlaw such marches if they explicitly jeopardize the country's neutrality. The PSN and PSC tabled a vote of no-confidence for symbolic reasons, though this was easily downvoted by the governing coalition, with the abstention of much of the PRI. Following this success, the Government announced that it would maintain its policy of retaining conscripts for a longer time, with additional pay, in order to maintain a larger standing army in case the country's security is threatened.

Les titres
(Monde - Diplomatie): Foreign Minister Count de Laroche calls for deescalation and condemns @Angliarique aggressive moves in major international seaways.
(Monde - Réligion): Neustrian Catholic Church reportedly in talks with Carian Orthodox Church on aiding refugees independently of larger church structures to which both national churches belong.
(Neustrie - Société): Famous fashion designer Léon Delagrande arrested over charges of sexual misconduct, coercion and statutory rape following allegations by former models and business partners.
(Neustrie - Culture): Annual traditional festivities for the coming of the winter occur in Vretognie, in Neustria's west. Crown Prince to reportedly take part in boat-pulling competition, while Princely Consort will meet with local noblewomen to learn about traditional Vretand sewing techniques.
©2023 | Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision (Neustrie)​

 

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| Neustria's Independent Engellsh Voice

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Public reaction against Emergency Measures Decree swells into protests
15/10/2023 | Jane Anderson

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Gendarmerie anti-riot officers cordon off a march against the Emergency Measures Decree in central Lisbourg

Throughout Neustria, reactions against the recently enacted Emergency Measures Decree (Décret n°1/55-385/2023) have swelled into protests of various kinds, as the residents of the Gallian country that is the historical home of the enlightenment have taken a stand to what they consider to be unacceptable government infringement against their liberties. On Friday, tens of thousands of Neustrian internet users ignored warnings by Telecommunications and Mail Commission (CCT) of the Interior Ministry, the country's online censorship organ, to call for mass protests on Sunday, right after the traditional feast of Saint Lucian. Despite receiving IP service bans and even notices of inquiry, the netizens got their message across; by Saturday, many cities throughout Neustria had seen the billboards that traditionally adorn street corners and public buildings covered with posters calling the country's citizens to march. On Sunday, in spite of a media blackout and a strong police presence, over a hundred thousand (according to Interior Ministry estimates) protesters turned up to flood the country's streets in protest.

Though initially warmly received as a stabilising force, Prime Minister Count de Valaincourt was now a target of many of the marchers, who shouted messages calling for the premier to resign. An online petition to the King, asking His Majesty to sack the Prime Minister, received more than eighty thousand signatures; embarrassingly for the Government, petitions cannot be removed from the dedicated official website outside of a few limited reasons (such as using inappropriate language), which meant that the Prime Minister had to formally "advise" the Crown to ignore the petition. In Lisbourg and Nevers, the marches were declared unlawful and dispersed with tear gas and baton charges, but many protesters vowed to return every weekend, until what they refer to as the "de Valaincourt Regime" gives way. For its part, the Interior Ministry has vowed a hard crackdown on those its considers to be the masterminds behind these protests.

"We will not tolerate any radical groups or acts that could jeopardize the fragile prosperity and the delicate diplomatic neutrality that our country has crafted over decades with hard toil and sacrifice," said Msgr. de Valaincourt, while addressing the Senate earlier today. Senators affiliated with the Socialist Party seemed unconvinced, booing the Prime Minister, while the liberal Institutional Radicals, who have so far lent support to the Emergency Measures, appeared to remain silent. "The PRI," said Louise, a bookseller from Beaumont who took part in the protests, referring to the liberal party, "thinks that it can allow to Right to silence popular opposition while sitting back and letting them take all the blame. But Neustrians aren't stupid. Our country is not at threat by anyone, except those who covet our freedoms." So far, hers seems to be a sentiment shared by many; and with election season coming up, it remains to be seen how these tensions will play out.
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The Neustrian Union: Lisbourg's response to decolonisation rhetoric?
14/10/2023 | William Bray

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Neustrian soldiers from Metropolitan and Colonial units discuss during drills in rural Loago

The Ministry of the Colonies has unveiled its long-awaited proposal for the future of the Neustrian Colonial Empire, which had originally been proposed during the ministerial tenure of the current Prime Minister, Msgr. de Valaincourt. According to the proposal, the colonies are to be transformed into sovereign countries closely joined with the metropole in an equal union of countries with free movement and trade, as well as common defence agreements and foreign policy alignment, called the Neustrian Union. The Union is to have a series of permanent organs headquartered in Lisbourg, with representatives from each country. Notably, the currencies of Union members will be pegged to the Neustrian livre, while collective security guarantees will be mainly managed by the Neustrian military. Moreover, Neustria is expected to retain its ownership of certain key state corporations as a majority stakeholder, though with local co-ownership and participation, as well as oversight by Union bodies.

The current Colonial Minister, M. Georges Vretand, has voiced his hope that the plan will silence all talk of decolonisation in Neustria and its colonies, by allowing the components of the colonial empire to become independent while also preserving the ties and benefits brought by centuries of coexistence and development. To this end, a Neustrian Union Development Bank has also been announced as part of the plan, with a view to aiding the continued development of the new states. The plan will likely be put to a referendum sometime in 2024, according to official government sources. [...] In Loago, the largest of Neustria's colonies, calls for independence have been growing more forceful by the year, leading many in Lisbourg to fear that, if nominal independence is not granted now, a full, non-amicable divorce could occur by the midpoint of the century.​

© 2023 Journal « L'Expatrié », Société anonyme | Permis de publication en langue étrangère n° 1/en/1959​

 

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Dimanche 29 octobre 2023 · 197e année · n° 40367 · 9 livres ·

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· Metropole
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Christian Democrats threaten no-confidence vote against Government
Lisbourg, le 29 octobre 2023 | Helène Toulon

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The public gardens of the Palais de Vieux-Bourg, which houses the Neustrian Parliament

The Christian Democratic Rally (RCD), the junior partner of Neustria's long-standing coalition government, has threatened a vote of no-confidence against the government of Prime Minister Msgr. de Valaincourt, if several of the emergency measures undertaken by the government are not withdrawn. By joining forces with the Catholic Popular Union (UPC), the other major Neustrian political party of the centre-right, the Catholic and Protestant right have been able to dominate Neustrian politics for over half a century. Under the leadership of the late and highly popular Prime Minister Mr. Charles Duval, the Coalition of the Right, as it is known in Neustrian, was considered to be practically invincible. Still, Msgr. de Valaincourt's domestic policies have undercut the unity of the two factions, as the RCD, which represents the interests of Neustria's protestant minority, has long been skeptical of government overreach and authoritarianism. While still strongly in support of the Prime Minister's efforts to reform the Neustrian colonial empire into a modern partnership of willing equals, the RCD is concerned that, unless the new UPC leader's autocratic policies are reversed, this could do irrepairable damage to its base, with many protestants supporting the liberal Institutional Radical Party (PRI) or the Neustrian Socialist Party (PSN) as a form of protest vote.

Indeed, even the Tiburan Catholic labour unions, which have traditionally been a bastion of the UPC, have started to join their voices with those who oppose many of the current Prime Minister's measures. A no-confidence vote would prove potentially chaotic, forcing the country into an election at a time of great political uncertainty. While the UPC lacks a clear successor to Msgr. de Valaincourt, the RCD's leader (who is, ironically, a Tiburan Catholic from a Salian-speaking family from Saint-Louis) is seen as a moderate, centrist candidate, who could even earn confidence and support from the social-democratic wing of the PSN, overriding any lack of votes from the UPC. At the same time, this would have the effect of disrupting the UPC's unity, potentially even leading to its fragmentation, and the formation of a new political axis. It is unclear at this junction whether any of this could be avoided, as a rolling back of the Emergency Decrees would significantly damage the prestige of the Prime Minister, especially with an election not too far away. It is likely that, either way, Msgr. de Valaincourt would be forced to resign if the decrees were to be removed, leaving the task of regaining popular support with his successor.

For their part, the parliamentarians of the PSN have voiced their support for a vote of no-confience, while the PRI maintains its silence, likely committed to its policy of allowing the right-wing to burn up its own political capital to crack down on the left, which the PRI seems as the main competitor for the favour of its urban voter base.
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Neustrian Silk Islands become first territory to vote in favour of Neustrian Union
Saint-Christophe, le 29 octobre 2023 | Constantin Sarazin

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The faraway and sparsely populated Neustrian Silk Islands, whose population is just over a million, have become the first part of the Neustrian overseas territory to vote in favour of the Neustrian Union Plan proposed by the current government as a successor to the existing colonial empire. The referendum which took place on Sunday was a pilot project to test similar initiatives in Neustria's two other major colonies, Loago and Gésire (officially the Protectorate of Gésire and Dependencies), as well as Metropolitan Neustria. Following the vote, the Colonial Ministry, which administers the Silk Islands along with all other colonies by appointing officials centrally from Lisbourg, has initiated procedures to implement local self-government that will, for the first time, have a fully official, rather than advisory, role, in conjunction with local groups, organisation, officials, and representatives of the local population, including natives and settlers alike. The Silk Islands' main export (which, ironically, is not silk but coal), as well as its major ports, which are located on important trade routes with @Tianlong , will pass to joint ownership between local government bodies and bodies seated in Lisbourg, instead of being solely owned by the Lisbourgian colonial authorities. The first indigenous Chairman of Charbon-I.S. S.A. (the local state-owned coal mining company) has been named by the Board of Directors as a symbolic move toward the territory's sovereignty and equal partnership with Neustria as part of the Neustrian Union. [...]

News of the vote led to celebrations throughout the small insular territory by both natives and settlers, as the two groups enjoy traditionally good relations in the Silk Islands. The Neustrian Royal Navy, which maintains a marine biology research facility along with some bases in the Silk Islands, made a demonstration to mark the occasion, including a naval parade and firework shows. Elsewhere in the Neustrian territories, both metropolitan and colonial, this experiment is being watched closely. [...]​

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Five dead following freak accident aboard offshore drilling rig
Vascognie, le 29 octobre 2023 | Sébastien Huron

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Five workers have been killed and one has been significantly injured following a freak depressurisation accident aboard an offshore drilling rig owned by S.R.P.N., the Neustrian Royal Petroleum Company, in the Thaumatic Sea. [...] According to reports, an error in the tendering procedure of the diving chamber where four deep sea divers were staying during protracted works near the seabed to a bell resulted in a rapid depressurisation of the chamber, as the door to the chamber was reportedly opened before the bell had been properly tendered. As a result of the accident, all four divers were killed instantly, as was one of the tenderers, who was killed by debris rapidly flying out of the depressurised chamber. The other tenderer was severely injured and was transported to Vascognie Naval Hospital by a helicopter of the Neustrian Royal Navy to receive emergency treatment. [...] An inquiry has been launched into the matter, though Neustrian press regulators have prohibited to release of photos from the incident's aftermath through mass media, citing the extremely brutality of the pictures. [...] The drill in question, SRPN Dauphin, will continue working with a replacement team of divers once inspections have been completed and under the supervision of government officials. At the same time, prosecutorial authorities have summoned several SPRN executives for questioning about safety aboard the vessel, following outcry from labour unions. [...] ​

© 2023 Journal « La Nation », Société anonyme​

 

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· Breaking Socialists, Christian Democrats announce agreement for coalition, to table no-confidence vote tomorrow; Count de Valaincourt likely to resign soon

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Photo (ORRT): The historic headquarters of the Parti socialiste neustrien on the rue des Œillets, in Lisbourg

(LISBOURG) The leaders of the Parti socialiste neustrien (PSN) and the Ralliement chrétien-démocrate (RCD) have reached an agreement "in principle" that would allow them to form a government together, according to a joint press release by both parties. Messrs. Jean Roussel (Deputy for Saint-Louis) and Guillaume de Châtillon (Deputy for Nerves), the two parties' leaders, met at the headquarters of PSN for the final negotiations of lengthy, secret talks that had occurred between the two parliamentary factions as part of their opposition to the emergency policies of the Union populaire catholique (UPC)-dominated Government, which they deem to be authoritarian. RCD, which is UPC's junior coalition partner, had threatened a no-confidence vote earlier this month to force the Government to withdraw the measures; however, Prime Minister Count de Valaincourt appears to have considered this to be a bluff, doubting RCD could negotiate a deal with other parties to avoid an election, given that it was set to lose seats should such an event occur, based on current polling. The putative accord thus comes as a shock, in no small part because the Christian Democrats and the Socialists represent two traditionally opposed factions of Neustrian politics.

According to M. Roussel, the two men chose to focus on the things that they agree on and to avoid those that they disagree on, as a means of facilitating collaboration. Since RCD has always been the more moderate of the two main right-wing parties in Neustrian politics, and since Christian Democracy borrows many ideological points from Social Democratic ideology (to which it evolved as a Christian response), the text of the accord published by the two parties was theoretically always possible, though few analysts thought it probably before today. Per the agreement, RCD would support PSN's reformist agenda in exchange for guarantees regarding the rights of traditional religious and linguistic minorities (who form one of its core constituencies) and the absence of official republican or secular changes to the country's constitution. In turn, PSN would be free to go ahead with its much discussed plan of transferring ownership of large corporations to their employees by banning the sale of their shares and instead giving them to workers; its proposal to abolish all privileges of the nobility and to transfer the last vestiges of the royal prerogative to the Government; and relaxing limitations on media, with a view to freeing up local media from the monopoly of the central government. Additionally, both parties have agreed to protections for domestic industry and agricultural production, sharing constituencies in that regard.

The two parties have announced their intent to propose a motion of no-confidence before the Chamber of Deputies at the start of tomorrow's parliamentary session; the measure is expected to easily pass the lower house, unseating the Prime Minister. Following the PM's removal, the King would direct the leader of the opposition (who is currently M. Roussel) to try to form a Government, repeating the process with every parliamentary leader until a Government is formed or an election is called. Given the accord, it is almost certain that a Government will be formed the same day. There is speculation in political circles that Msgr. de Valaincourt will likely resign this evening, to avoid the embarrassment of the no-confidence vote; reportedly, the Prime Minister's motorcade was spotted driving toward the Royal Palace in central Lisbourg.

Les titres
(Monde - Diplomatie): Government formally offers Vascognie as a neutral negotiating ground to @Angliarique , @The Federation , @Tianlong and other interested parties in the ongoing international crisis surrounding Angliarique's illegal deployment of troops near Frescania.
(Monde - Diplomatie): Colonial and Foreign Ministries condemn statement Pan-Himyari Communist Party's invitation of radicals from Loago to conference. "Cooperation rather than hostility should characterise the evolution away from colonialism into a partnership of equals," says FM spokesperson.
(Neustrie - Justice): Triple murderer François Villers to be executed by guillotine following appellate court's rejection of appeal. King rejects clemency petition, citing lack of remorse on defendant's part.
(Neustrie - Affaires courantes): SRPN Dauphin disaster prompts Labour Ministry to air new safety regulations for offshore drilling vessels. Labour union welomes move but intends to proceed with lawsuit.
©2023 | Office royal de radiodiffusion-télévision (Neustrie)​