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Air fhoillseachadh o 1855 ann an Dùn Eidyn - 1 Buinn
An toiseach anns a 'mhadainn - dreach Beurla - English Version
SPECIAL EDITION
Caledonians vote for the Restoration of the Monarchy
The voting day has finally come and the Caledonians have come to the ballot to cast their vote in regards to the newly called second referendum for the form of government. The vote came after a meeting between Toiseach Lucas Ros and the leaders of Clans Blacach, Sutharlainn and Loganach in which the clans declared that they will recognise the Republic only after another referendum is organised, as the first one has been called rushed by mild critics, going as far as a "legal coup d'etat fuelled and legitimised by manipulation and despair" by more acid critics. Toiseach Lucas Ros was also pressured into accepting the second referendum after the dissidents from the Far North, still militating for the restoration of the National Union government and the liberation of Saig Madec has attacked patrols of the constabulary and terrorised the population, going as far as even pushing the authorities away from isolated villages and taking over the duties of the constables.
In the second referendum, the voters had to choose between three option, the first one being the keeping of the republic, the second one the return to the hereditary monarchy and the third one, a compromise option championed by Robert Blacach, representing an elective monarchy. The first option would keep the 2018 constitution, the second one would return to the 1985 constitution while the third, returned to the 1985 constitution but brought a few amendments to it. First, the title of Tanist, the heir to the throne was to disappear, as per the new elective customs, after the death or abdication of the king, a commission of the parliament, together with representatives of the church and the royal clans would elect a new king from the Rígdomna, people having a "royal bone", meaning to come from one of Caledonia's royal clans or from the Gunnish clans of Gunn and MacLeish. To respect the local autonomies, the amended constitution recognises the authority of the devolved councils, but it renames them for what the Constitutional Commission called "a more local and inclusive name". Thus, the Jewish Republic is to be renamed into the Mormaerdom of Baile Steaphan, the Far Northern Republic into the Mormaerdom of Votadinia, the Ivernish Republic into the Mormaerdom of Farrais etc.
The results from the Electoral Bureau has been published this evening and are the following:
- 49,8% for the Elective Monarchy (Amended 1985 Constitution);
- 29,7% for the Republic (2018 Constitution);
- 17,2% for the Hereditary Monarchy (Original 1985 Constitution);
With this victory, the third republic has been declared defunct and the High Kingdom of Caledonia has been reestablished. As part of the compromise deal, Mael Coluim V is to return to continue his reign, with the parliament electing his successor in the aftermath of his death or abdication. In the periods of vacancy of the throne, before an election, a Regent will be nominated from one of the clan chiefs by the Toiseach to act as an interim head of state. The new title of Mael Coluim will be "H.R.H, Mael Coluim V, High King of Caledonia, of the Gall-Ghàidheil and of the North by the grace of God and the will of the people, Mormaer of Dun Eidyn and Grand Master of the Order of Saint Piran".
The referendum also brought forward a political crisis, as the National Prometheist Union has been split between those accepting the compromise, led by Lucas Ros and those supporting the compromise, while many upper members of the NPU, especially the members of the Aonach have left the party, forming the Radical Prometheist Party (RPP), not accepting the compromise. The split was an extreme problem to the NPU presence in the Aonach as its dominance of the Aonach was shattered, with many members going to the RPP and some moving to the Country Party and the National Democratic Party. This left the NPU with an extremely small number of MAs (Members of the Aonach). Lucas Ros has already announced during the campaign that he will resign if the republican cause won't wing in the referendum, to avoid further political crises and by now, a coalition of the Country Party and of the National Democratic Party, will be nominating Olibhia MacAnndra as the new Toiseach of Caledonia. A spokesperson from the royal family has stated that High King Mael Coluim has requested no formal ceremony to be organised, as he already had a coronation five years ago, when he succeeded his father, King Mael Coluim IV.
"As Caledonia has returned to its natural form and status, I am glad to announce that the crisis which we have started calling "the Caledonian Spring" has finally ended. We have managed to survive a coup, a revolution and to avoid a civil war, while keeping this country together. I declare that we, the whole people living in Caledonia are victorious. To keep this country stable in the future while still continuing the tradition of the compromise and amnesty, I will propose to the Aonach a bill to declare that the period between today and the Snowdrop Revolution simply didn't happen and amnesty to be given to those which have violated the statute and sovereignty of Caledonia. But to be sure that there will be no internal enemies, the Office of the Justiciar will begin a legal purge of those involved in the coup organised by the National Union. Targeted will the Saig Madec, the chairman of the National Union, which is under custody and the members of the blueshirts which have been accused of high treason, violating the sovereignty of Caledonia and of crimes against humanity, when they tried to suppress the pro-democracy demonstrations on Heroes' Square in Dun Eidyn in February. As for the dissidents in the north, those which have surrendered or left the movement during the compromise or the ceasefire will be acquitted, but those which have violated it, like in the episode in Dun Add, will be accused of high treason and attempted murder," stated Olibhia MacAnndra, giving a speech in an extraordinary meeting of the Aonach this evening.