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'CHRISTMAS CRISIS' OVER?
  • General Radek killed by Trivodnian special forces
  • Crotobaltislavonia declares other alleged coup ringleaders dead
  • Joint demobilisation with Kadikistan going ahead
President Meier Lauterpacht declared the Christmas Crisis to be over after confirming Trivodnian special forces killed rebel Crotobaltislavonian general Alexander Radek as he attempted to enter the Free State's territorial waters.

Addressing the nation just days after he delivered his traditional Julian New Year message, the President said the end of conflict in Crotobaltislavonia and joint demobilisation with Kadikistan meant Trivodnia's borders were as "secure" as they were before the crisis, which erupted following a failed coup attempt in Banja Luka. President Lauterpacht continued to insist the Free State had "no part" in the attempted coup, and said "all the intelligence" pointed to a "joint Crotobaltislavonian-Kadikistani false flag operation" designed to shore up support for Crotobaltislavonian dictator Raoul Farrago, who seized power in a coup of his own.

However critics of the President said claims the Christmas crisis was over were "premature", pointing out the mutual demobilisation, which is being overseen by the High Kingdom of Caledonia, had yet to finish and that Farrago's regime continued to target Trivodnia for being majority Jewish. "We have a President declaring us to now be as secure as this time last year while Kadikistan still looms large in the East and its puppet continues to attack us from the West," warned Social Democrat leader Alexander Kahnemann.

The Krasnislavian National Party also criticised the lack of action over the number of refugees pouring into Trivodnia from Crotobaltislavonia, many of which are Jewish Yiddish-speakers. "The Free State must stem the tide and take up the generous offer of far richer nations like Eiffelland," said KNP head Uladzimir Sannikov.

The President has promised to help any refugees wanting to relocate to Eiffelland or the Socialist World Republic, but ruled out forced deportations. "We cannot uproot these people even more," Lauterpacht said in his televised address today, also noting many refugees were ethnic Slavonians.

At the other extreme, both the Jewish People's Party and Homeland Union have called for immediate citizenship to be granted to Jewish refugees, claiming the anti-Semitic propaganda of the Farrago dictatorship meant they were unable to return home. The two parties also want fresh elections when the state of emergency is lifted, tipped for when Kadikistan has fully demobilised, arguing the recent crisis meant voters deserved another say. "The vulnerability of the Jewish people has been made clear.. no doubt this is playing on many minds," said Homeland Union leader Moisei Carlebach.

However President Lauterpacht, who led a series of JPP minority governments in the 1980s, has cautioned against new elections or automatic citizenship for refugees based on their ethnicity. "Now is the time for unity and healing, not further division," his spokesman said, echoing an earlier speech by the President.

News of General Radek's death at the hands of Trivodnian special forces saw the Trivodnian Mark and Amstov Bourse rise rapidly, but many think the crisis has done long term damage to the Free State's economic standing. "Investors are likely to think twice as the fragility of the geopolitical situation has been made clear," read one analyst's note.

For ordinary Trivodnians, a return to normalcy will be welcome, having lived under the heavy restrictions of the state of emergency for almost a month now. "I just want to be able to go out at night and have a drink," said Andrei Artemev, who lives in Kretyn, referring to the curfew put in place by the authorities.

In its own statement, the National Watch thanked Trivodnians for their cooperation, with only minimal disturbances taking place. Yet one Watch commander privately predicted it would only be a matter of time before the next state of emergency was declared. "The button's been pushed once, it'll be pushed again".
 

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Editorial: Trivodnia faces uncomfortable choices over foreign policy

While Kadikistan has long been painted as the main threat to Trivodnia, it is clear from the so called 'Christmas Crisis' that is in fact Crotobaltislavonia that poses the greater danger to the Free State. Ivar, for all its faults, has never once broken the terms of the 1921 peace treaty, despite countless threats to do so. Banja Luka on the other hand, with its constant coups, has been a poisonous source of regional instability since the 1950s, when Crotobaltislavonia broke down into a bitter civil war. The latest trouble, this time with a disturbing anti-Semitic bent, only underscores the fact Amstov should be looking West, not East, when conducting its next defence review.

President Meier Lauterpacht can claim to have secured peace - for now - by agreeing joint demobilisation with Kadikistan, which seems to have been achieved by promising to veto any attempt at overturning the Free State's long standing constitutional neutrality. But the reality is that the Social Democrats, for all their bravado, would have quickly shelved such plans, facing an unfavorable legislative arithmetic in the National Assembly and an ever sceptical public. Yet now it is the official policy of the country's dominant party, it is only a matter of time before the issue is put to a vote of some form.

There are big question marks whether abandoning neutrality and entering into a formal military alliance with the Trier Concordat - Burgundy, Eiffelland and Retalia - would make Trivodnia any safer. Proponents say yes, arguing the three monarchies' previous public guarantees of the Free State's sovereignty would now be a legal obligation. Opponents previously said no, suggesting the Concordat would never tolerate a Kadikistani presence on the Polesian coastline, so would be bound to act regardless. Now a new school of thought is emerging, arguing the Concordat, with or without a treaty, will never leap to Trivodnia's defence, as it doesn't have the appetite for war.

"There was genuine shock within Amstov how casually all three have accepted the Kadikistani takeover of Crotobaltislavonia," says one senior military officer, "we thought the Concordat would be far more assertive in demanding Kadikistani forces leave."

Among army strategists, there is a growing consensus that Trivodnia needs first strike capabilities if it cannot rely on foreign powers to come to its rescue. Yet offensive wars are also prohibited by the constitution, meaning a future President, who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces, facing a twin attack from either side, may be forced into launching a potentially illegal action.

"Our defensive strategy is naïve," continues the officer, "all our war game scenarios assume 'white knights' coming to our aid. Even if they did, most of Trivodnia would be destroyed or overrun by the time they arrived. To have a reasonable chance of survival, we'd need to strike first."

For many, both inside and outside of politics, such a thought is unpalatable. "A strong strain of pacifism exists in Trivodnian idealism," says Professor Francysk Smolski of Amstov State University, "the Free State would be the first post-national, post-election, post-war society.. many still hold onto such ideals."

In certain quarters there is a grim realism that the easiest option geopolitically would be to embrace Kadikistan, turning what had been Trivodnia's doctrine of 'strategic patience' into one of 'strategic friendship'. "It would be a relationship of convenience," laments one former minister. Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann, the Social Democrats' leader, previously tried this by encouraging cross-border trade, but became increasingly hawkish over the election campaign as the chaos in Crotobaltislavonia unfolded.

Any pivot towards Ivar would be a hard sell domestically too. Yet survey after survey shows Trivodnian voters want the impossible: the ability to act independently diplomatically and militarily, while keeping constitutional neutrality. The truth is we cannot have both.

Ultimately, the Free State will have to decide on either shifting closer to Ivar, or potentially landing the first blow should regional tensions rise again. With an actively hostile Crotobaltislavonia now firmly in the Kadikistani sphere, it is a decision that needs to be made sooner rather than later.

 
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The Morning Journal

SHOCK POLL SHOWS SOCIAL DEMOCRATS LOSING MAJORITY

Demands for a fresh election are growing after a new poll suggested the Social Democratic Alliance would lose its majority, with a resurgent Jewish nationalism boosting the Jewish People's Party and the Homeland Union.

While the election results have yet to be released, most believe the Social Democrats to have won the election with a firm majority, perhaps even by a landslide, with the Krasnislavian National Party coming second, based on polling over the course of the campaign. Political surveys are banned in the final week of campaigning, but the last group of polls all gave the SDA at least a five point lead. Social Democratic politicians have also been seen meeting civil servants in preparation for government.

However, the latest survey, produced by Medved Consulting and seen exclusively by the Morning Journal, puts the Social Democrats on 27%, the KNP on 26%, the JPP on 23% and the Homeland Union and Alternative both on 11%. If voting took place today along those lines, the Social Democrats would be deprived of the 325 seats needed for a majority in the National Assembly, opening the way for an opposition coalition.

The figures give the Folkists and Homeland Union more ammunition in their fight for fresh elections when the state of emergency is lifted, which is expected once the joint demobilisation with Kadikistan has finished. Both parties are planning on appealing to the Supreme Court and Independent Electoral Commission for a new vote, despite President Meier Lauterpacht, a former Folkist, urging against such a motion. But the two parties are confident they can convince President Lauterpacht to call new elections - a power granted to him by the constitution - if there's been a clear change in public opinion. "There's no precedent with the Supreme Court or IEC.. our best hope is the President and we think he can be persuaded," said one senior Homeland Union official.

Yet to call fresh elections the President would have to accept the new National Assembly then dissolve it, and few expect Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann would go quietly if that did occur. "We're talking about a major domestic showdown," says a Social Democrat backbencher.

The current political situation - a President ruling by emergency decree without a sitting National Assembly - has never happened in Trivodnia before, and many worry political uncertainty so soon after a major regional crisis will do further damage to the Free State's already weakened economy. "We're without doubt going into recession ," warned the Free State Monetary and Foreign Exchange Authority only yesterday.

Even keeping Kahnemann as Chancellor would risk political upheaval, as opposition parties would view his administration as illegitimate, and therefore shoot down any legislation or boycott the National Assembly completely. "This was a savage election and everyone wants Kahnemann dead," says one KNP candidate.

The Social Democrats have so far insisted whoever won the last election should form the next government - a position they are unlikely to give up especially if the latest polling is to be believed.​
 
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Football fans fear return of hooliganism in new season

The Trivodnian Professional Football Association is reportedly fearing a surge of hooligan violence in the upcoming season, as an economic downturn and tense political environment feed a febrile atmosphere in stadiums across the Free State.

According to a leaked letter seen by the Republic, football clubs up and down the country are appealing to National Watch and local police departments for extra security for the opening matches. Acting through the TPFA, the clubs have warned the "impending recession" and "political uncertainty" would encourage many into the arms of hooligan gangs, which are typically divided along ideological, ethnic and religious lines as well as by team allegiance.

Both the TFPA and the Ministry of the Interior refused to comment on the letter.

Some security experts fear after the extended state of emergency, whether the National Watch and local police forces will have the resources to man more intensive operations. "Budgets are already stretched while part-timers and reservists have been exhausted," says one.

Football-related violence peaked in the 1990s as many former Jewish and Krasnislavian militants abandoned terrorism and moved into petty crime instead. As a result, Trivodnian football fans and teams were prevented from attending international matches by many countries due to a reputation for extreme thuggery. More aggressive law enforcement tactics, such as pre-dawn raids on suspected troublemakers and banning orders, together with higher ticket prices, led violence to subside in the 2000s, although it is still a problem for amateur and lower league professional clubs. Only last in March year were 31 left injured and two dead after supporters of two rival Kretyn-based street teams clashed in the city's notorious outer-city housing estates.

 
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די צײט | Di Tsayt ‎

President plans more active foreign policy role

AMSTOV - Reports that President Meier Lauterpacht is planning a more hands-on approach to foreign policy after the new government is formed are at the centre of the latest political row in Amstov, as politicians of all stripes warn against presidential overreach.

According to sources close to the Presidency, Lauterpacht is concerned both the next administration - likely to be led by the Social Democratic Alliance - and opposition parties will try and disrupt the peace process with Crotobaltislavonia and Kadikistan to score points with voters. "One wrong move and the whole thing can come undone, and we'll have Kadikistan breathing down our neck again," says one side. "The President will not let his legacy be ruined by vote chasing belligerence," adds a friend.

Lauterpacht has already faced criticism for promising to veto any attempt to overturn Trivodnia's constitutional neutrality, a key campaign pledge by the Social Democrats, with Social Democratic leader Alexander Kahnemann accusing the President of "selling Trivodnia's sovereignty". Lauterpacht has since insisted the threat to veto was not linked to the joint mobilisation agreed with Kadikistan, although many are sceptical. "He announced both in the same speech," points out Nissim Kessler, a political commentator and regular columnist for the Times.

Rumours the President will now take a more active role in foreign policy decision-making has angered the Social Democrats further, who feel Lauterpacht is actively undermining them. "We cannot help but feel he doesn't want us in power," suggests Yury Bogdanov, a prominent Social Democratic backbencher.

However, the President has stated several times he believes the winners of last year's election - thought to be the SDA - should form the next government, despite pleas from his former party the Folkists for a new vote following the 'Christmas Crisis'. Both the Jewish people's Party and the Homeland Union believe they will benefit from a renewed sense of Jewish nationalism fuelled by the anti-Semitic outbursts of Crotobaltislavonian dictator Raoul Farrago and others, and so have been lobbying for a fresh election, citing the latest polling showing the Social Democrats would not win a majority if voting was held now.

Yet even the JPP and Homeland Union have spoken out against the President's plan for a bigger foreign policy role. "The Presidency most work closely with the National Assembly on such matters," urged Folkist leader Yitzhak Epstein while Homeland Union head Moisei Carlebach warned "Trivodnia cannot be speaking with two mouths."

But there may be little the future Chancellor and his team can do. The constitution lists foreign policy and diplomacy as two remits of the President, although recent heads of state, including Meier Lauterpacht up until the 'Christmas Crisis', had previously taken a back seat. "If the President wants to take a leading position, then he can," states one constitutional lawyer.
 

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The Morning Journal

OPINION: AGAINST ZION, NOW AND FOREVER

"The Folkists are happy with the shtetl, we want the nation," declared Chaim Barak, founder of the Homeland Union, in 1911 as debate raged on the future of international Jewry. The previous century had seen the formation of the first modern nation-states, as sovereignty transferred from monarchs to the people. The Jews, without a king or a kingdom, missed out, remaining subjects, often second-class ones, in these new polities, but never having one of their own.

Not that they didn't try. The 1800s saw the birth of Zionism - the belief that a Jewish state should be established in the Holy Land. It also witnessed its near death. Colonisation efforts by Jews had not set foot on the ancient soil of Israel for millennia were swiftly stopped by the South Tiburan Empire, which jealously guarded its role as custodian of the birthplace of Abraham, the progenitor of the world's great three religions, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.

Realising the Star of David would not fly over Jerusalem in their lifetime, some Zionists accepted the idea of a Jewish state anywhere. It was not the location that mattered, but the fact there would be a Jewish government, elected by and for the Jews, fighting for and defending their interests.

It is the last part of that sentence that has always let the Zionists and their fellow travellers down. The sad reality is, as the Christmas Crisis has shown, a Jewish state would make the Jews more, not less, vulnerable. The reason we Jews have been able to survive for thousands of years is that our fate is not tied to a single entity.

Yes, we have faced some of the worst persecution at times. Yet that only goes to show that had we established a state of our own, it, at the urging of anti-Semites everywhere, would have been attacked and no doubt annihilated at some point. And for the Jews outside this state, no doubt they would be held responsible for its actions by those hostile to its very existence, regardless of their own actual beliefs.

We only have to look at Trivodnia, not even a de jure Jewish state but treated as a de facto one by the international community for simply being majority-Jewish, to see the dangers a Jewish nation, in the Holy Land or elsewhere, would face.

Wrongly blamed for the failed palace coup in Banja Luka, anti-Semites of all stripes - from the arch-reactionary Catholics to militant revolutionary Communists - have seized on the Yiddish element of Trivodnia to propagate theories of an international Jewish conspiracy. Had a dedicated Jewish state existed at the time of the coup, I only dread to think of the opprobrium it would have faced as well.

By Yael Feirberg, a former National Assembly member and Jewish People's Party activist.

Please note the opinions here do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the Morning Journal.
 

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DOMESTIC CRISIS LOOMS

  • President Lauterpacht considering fresh elections
  • Social Democrats vow to fight any new vote
  • Joint demobilisation with Kadikistan nearly complete
Trivodnia is on the brink of its biggest domestic political crisis since the Free State's founding with President Meier Lauterpacht reportedly considering calling fresh elections once the state of emergency is lifted.

Intense behind the scenes lobbying by the Jewish People's Party, Homeland Union and Krasnislavian National Party has nearly convinced the President to order a new vote once the joint demobilisation with Kadikistan is completed according to sources close to the Presidency. "He understands too much has changed for the old result to be respected," says one political insider.

Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann called a snap election last year in order to shore up his authority. However, the outcome was never officially announced, as the vote count was delayed by bad weather, and then the so called 'Christmas Coup' in neighbouring Crotobaltislavonia and threat of war with Kadikistan eventually led President Lauterpacht to impose a state of emergency and rule by decree.

After agreeing a mutual demobilisation with Kadikistan, President Lauterpacht promised to release the election results and hand executive power back to the new administration, which most believed would be led by the Social Democratic Alliance thanks to their consistent poll lead throughout the campaign period. However more recent polling has shown the Social Democrats losing their majority, with the Folkists and Homeland Union boosting their support.

This has led to both parties calling for a new election. They also argue, given Trivodnia's security situation and anti-Semitic outbursts in Crotobaltislavonia, Gunnland and elsewhere, voters deserve another say. "Would Trivodnians back the Social Democrats knowing they would drag us into a pointless war and will not defend their interests? I think not," suggests Folkist leader Yitzhak Epstein.

The Social Democrats have vowed to fight any attempt at a re-run. "We are at risk of falling into a dictatorship... We will resist any attempt to undermine democracy," declared Alexander Kahnemann in an interview with state broadcaster FSBS, who also questioned the President's impartiality. "Lauterpacht is trying to help his old friends in the JPP," Kahnemann added.

The Presidency is meant to be a non-partisan institution, with nominees required to renounce any party affiliation and receive a certain kevel of cross--party support. Lauterpacht led a series of Folkist minority governments in the 1980s, before becoming President six years ago, but his defenders say his decision is motivated by "the national interest" not party politics.

In order to call a new election, the President would have to summon the new National Assembly before dissolving it, or have the original result declared void, which is only possible if there is proof of large scale electoral fraud. "It's not a viable route," claims one constitutional lawyer.

However, the Social Democrats could appeal to the Supreme Court and legal experts believe once in power, the SDA will prove hard to dislodge. "It would be a messy process."

Business groups have also cautioned against another election, warning further uncertainty or instability would undermine confidence in Trivodnia's economy.


 
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Editorial: The Tiburan Catholic Church is returning to its dark past


News that the Kingdom of Elben had indeed struck a "dirty deal" with Kadikistan, allowing the free passage of military men and supplies through its airspace in return for the freedom of a few Tiburan Catholic missionaries, has shocked many in Trivodnia more than it should have. For years, the Germanian Kingdom has displayed anti-Semitism typical of reactionary Catholics, who continue to blame Jews for the murder of Jesus. Further to the North, Gunnland has displayed a similar disturbing anti-Semitism, motivated by the same backwards thinking.

It is a bitter, almost cruelly ironic twist of history that one of Christianity's greatest churches has adopted the name and many traditions of the Empire that brutally executed their Messiah. It was Tiburan legionnaires that nailed Christ to the Cross, not the Jews. But it is the Jews that continue to be blamed.

Since then Jews have been accused of child sacrifice, orchestrating international communism or dominating global finance. Yet the real truth is we Jews in the face of continual adversity have proved an incredibly resilient, entrepreneurial and innovative people, and in places we have been allowed to thrive, we have flourished.

If anything is clear from the Crotobaltislavonian Crisis, it is there is a new wave of anti-Semitism washing over Gallo-Germania, with 'Big Brother' Raoul Farrago blaming "Yiddish gangsterism" and "Yiddish Free State" for his country's woes. Yet rather than attack this anti-Semitism, regional leaders would rather remain silent, or if you're a Tiburan Catholic politician or clergyman, repeat it.

The situation will only worsen if Cardinal Taft, rumoured to be the front runner in the Papal elections, seizes the Papacy. A virulent anti-communist and anti-Zionist, Taft is banned from entering Trivodnia for hate speech. The Conclave for now remains deadlocked, and we can only hope a surprise moderate candidate, such as one of the Eiffellander cardinals, secures a shock victory.

The very lack of leadership at the top of the Tiburan Catholic Church is a problem in itself, as it allows secular authorities forces such as the Elbener and Gunnish governments to fill the void with their own idea of Catholicism - one that harks back to the dark ages of the Counter-Reformation and Inquisition.
 
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KNP: 'Jewish cohabitation' threatens Krasnislavians

The Krasnislavian National Party has dramatically abandoned its plans for a bi-national confederacy and demanded immediate independence for Lesser Krasnislavia, warning cohabiting with Jews threatened the safety and security of Krasnislavians.

"As a patriot I must first and foremost consider what is best for my people," said KNP leader Uladzimir Sannikov in a TV interview with FSBS, "and clearly living alongside the Jews as part of Trivodnia endangers ordinary Krasnislavians."

Sannikov then went onto to call for fresh elections, and promised to begin preparations for an independent Krasnislavia if the KNP won the majority of ethnically Krasnislavian seats, putting him on a major collision course with whoever forms the next government.

Previously the KNP had supported turning Trivodnia into a bi-national confederation, formed of a Krasnislavian and a Jewish state - a policy also backed by the Zionist Homeland Union. This new radical stance is to try and galvanise the KNP's core base to turn out in the face of a renewed Jewish nationalism, with polls showing increased support for the Folkists and Homelanders. Surveys suggest the KNP will benefit from its hardened position, with 68% of Krasnislavian voters agreeing with the statement 'Jewish politicians are at least partly to blame for the Christmas Crisis'.

However not all KNP politicians are happy with the shift. Zhanna Khalinkina, who is rapidly emerging as a leading star on the party's moderate, progressive wing, urged "caution and restraint" and warned against "rash and provocative actions".

Rival parties have been swift to attack the KNP's secessionist demands. Social Democrat leader Alexander Kahnemann accused Krasnislavian nationalists of "reckless divisionism" and warned an independent Krasnislavia would be more vulnerable, not less. Yury Bogdanov, a Krasnislavian Social Democrat injured at the Unity March terror attack, added independence would make Krasnislavians poorer.

Homeland Union head Moisei Carlebach said he eventually supported an independent Krasnislavian and Jewish state but said "now was not the time" and called on the KNP to return to their original policy of a bi-national Trivodnia. Meanwhile the Alternative accused the KNP of "ignoring" Trivodnia's other Slavian communities.

However a bigger problem for the KNP is the Supreme Court and constitution. KNP strategists privately admit they are unlikely to get anything through the National Assembly, and even if they did, President Lauterpacht would likely veto it. However, if the KNP's manouevrings are seen as unconstitutional, the party could end up on the wrong side of the law, with their offices closed, assets seized and staff arrested. "It is a high risk gamble but we're willing to pay the price," says one KNP activist.
 

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The Morning Journal

TOURISM INDUSTRY CALLS FOR STATE AID

Trivodnia's tourism industry has called for government help to get itself back on its feet, as hotel operators, airlines and nightclubs all count the cost of the Christmas Crisis.

More money for advertising campaigns abroad and emergency tax relief for struggling small businesses are the top two priorities on a wishlist put forward by a collection of trade bodies, including the Trivodnian Hospitality Association, Free State Night Economy Federation and Leisure Industries Alliance. In a letter sent to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the lobby groups warned unless "decisive action" was taken, the tourism industry was "doomed".

The coup in Crotobaltislavonia and near war with Kadikistan saw visitor numbers plummet by over 90 per cent over the festive period, with Q4 2017 figures being the worst since records began. "Years of progress undone by our bad neighbours," sighs one employee of Visit Trivodnia, the international face of the Free State Tourism Marketing Authority. He warns rebuilding the country's reputation as a safe place to visit will take years.

Trivodnia's Christmas and Hanukkah markets were previously growing in popularity with overseas visitors, while many foreign revellers were choosing Amstov or Kretyn to celebrate the Gregorian New Year thanks to the low cost of booze. Yet despite the joint demobilisation with Kadikistan, calming situation in Crotobaltislavonia and end in sight to the state of emergency in Trivodnia, projections for inbound tourism bleak. "They'll remember the war, not the peace," warns an Amstov hotelier. Not even a devalued Trivodnian Mark will help the industry he says.

Another challenge is coming in the firm of a potential Folkist government. Current polls point towards a Jewish People's Party minority administration, and the President is reported to have agreed on the need for fresh elections. In the last campaign, the Folkists promised to crackdown on what it called "vice tourism", with new sin taxes on alcohol and cigarettes, tougher street policing and tighter licensing for bars and clubs. The party also blames foreigners for the rise in prostitution, which it has also promised to re-criminalise.

However the JPP insists it is supportive of tourism, pointing towards its proposed protections for artisans and craftsmen and reduced taxes and regulations for small businesses. Yet it wants a greater focus on Trivodnia's cultural and natural heritage, not its nightlife. "We have so much more to offer!" exclaims Folkist leader Yitzhak Epstein.
 

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ANOTHER ELECTION

  • President Lauterpacht promises new vote
  • Social Democrats to take rerun to Supreme Court
  • Folkists will likely form any new government
Trivodnia is plunged into uncertainty again after the President promised to call new elections after the state of emergency is lifted in a televised address.

Rumours had been circulating Amstov for days on whether President Lauterpacht would agree to a fresh vote, but eventually he gave into lobbying from opposition parties, including his former Jewish People's Party, which will likely win a new election. Consistent polling showing the Social Democratic Alliance, predicted to have won the last election, now losing is believed to have ultimately convinced the President, together with the belief the Social Democrats would likely challenge him most on foreign policy - his key legacy.

Trivodnian voters "face different questions now" and needed a "rethink of [their] priorities" according to President Lauterpacht in his statement, as he noted Trivodnia's precarious security situation and the spectre of Krasnislavian independence. Rejecting accusations of creating economically damaging uncertainty, Lauterpacht asserted "you cannot put a price on democracy" and claimed the Trivodnian economy would soon recover.

A firm date for voting would be announced at the end of the state of emergency he said, which will be lifted when the joint demobilisation with Kadikistan, being overseen by Caledonia, is completed. The President will also push for a short campaigning period given how recent the last election was, and to minimise disruption.

However he may be stopped by the Supreme Court if the Social Democrats are successful in their legal challenge. Social Democratic leader Alexander Kahnemann has called for the result from before Christmas to be respected, and vowed "to defend democracy no matter what the cost". His party was widely believed to have won last time, but will likely come second in a fresh election.

In order to call new elections the President will first have to accept a government nominated by the National Assembly before dismissing it. Constitutional experts agree that National Assembly would have to be formed from the last result, meaning it would likely be dominated by the Social Democrats, who could refuse to leave. If he wanted to push ahead with another vote, the President would potentially have to use force to turf them out, leaving him open to accusations of a coup. "The scenes would be terrible.. imagine the news reels," shudders one political communications advisor.

President Lauterpacht could convene the National Assembly then reject its proposed government, but he would be on shaky legal ground. "He'd need evidence of mass electoral fraud to justify that," says a high ranking judge.

There is also the chance the Krasnislavian National Party, should it win enough seats, will demand preparations for Krasnislavian independence be made, provoking another constitutional drama. "The next National Assembly will be bloody," predicts Natan Dorfman, columnist for the Day.

However even inaction called have proved difficult, with the opposition united in demanding another election. "There was talk of a boycott," claims one Folkist candidate.

The Social Democrats are not alone in opposing a new election however. The business community has made clear its desire for stability, with the Trivodnian Chamber of Commerce and Industry calling for "an end to uncertainty".
 

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Also we are concerned about what can be considered a constitutional crisis in Trivodnia. We call upon President Lauterpacht to act according to the applicable legislation. Last year's election results may not conform with the current preferences of the Trivodnian people, but a parliamentary democracy cannot function correctly when each sudden shift in voter's preferences is followed by new elections. Such a situation would not be democracy but tyranny by majority. Furthermore, it cannot function correctly, either, when there are new elections once every three months.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor
 

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Office of the President of the Free State of Trivodnia

President Meier Lauterpacht is acting in full accordance to the Constitution, which grants him the power to dissolve the National Assembly in extraordinary circumstances. While we appreciate Eiffellander concern for democratic norms, we think it could be better directed elsewhere.
 

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The Free Statesman

Elections of nationalisms

Recent political analysis has focused on the resurgence of Krasnislavian, and more recently, Jewish nationalism while ignoring a third force: Trivodnian nationalism

After over 30 years of Social Democratic rule, Trivodnia came very close to a nationalist government. Had the Supreme Court not blocked President Meier Lauterpacht's quest for fresh elections, the Jewish People's Party would likely be leading a minority government - the Folkists' first since the 1980s.

The Social Democratic Alliance would have probably come second in such a scenario, and the Krasnislavian National Party a close third, although the Free State's first-past-the-post system and convoluted electoral geography meant it received fewer seats than it deserves.

The Alternative, which has abandoned the liberal urban middle class to become the voice of Trivodnia's Slavian minorities, would have likely come fourth, with the Zionist Homeland Union, which wants a temporary Jewish state in the Three Seas region until the Holy Land is freed, finishing last.

Unbeknownst to most outsiders, the SDA is in fact technically two parties - Jewish Social Democracy in Trivodnia and the Krasnislavian Social Democratic People's Assembly - that compete under one banner. As their names suggest, the main dividing line between them is ethnicity, not ideology. At various points in history they have tried to unify into one single structure, but the fear of losing their respective communities has always held them back. In this regard the Social Democrats are no different from the other parties in pandering to Trivodnia's communalist politics. What separates them is their pretense that class matters more than race or religion.

Yet under the leadership of Alexander Kahnemann, there has been a subtle but seismic shift in this analysis. During the election Kahnemann fiercely opposed any form of federalism - ironic given he leads a federally structured party - on the grounds that Trivodnia was a single, indissoluble nation. Sources within his camp say he eventually wants to unify the Social Democrats into one central party too.

All of this has been said by politicians of various stripes before. What separates Kahnemann from his predecessors is that he genuinely believes it.

Survey after survey has shown the steady growth of the Trivodnian identity. Those viewing themselves as Trivodnian first are still a minority, but an expanding one. Kahnemann is one of them.

The spread has not been even. Trivodnia's Jews, always sceptical on the benefits of a Jewish state, have been most eager to embrace being primarily Trivodnian. The Krasnislavians, who have already tasted statehood, are less willing to give up on the dream of a united Krasnislavia under their control.

Had a fresh set of elections taken place, the Folkists would have been propelled to first place by Jews previously sympathetic to a post-racial Trivodnia swinging behind them. The anti-Semitic outbursts from Crotobaltislavonia and elsewhere strengthened a sense of Jewish, more specifically Yiddish, solidarity. Most Trivodnian Jews, while feeling some sense of kinship with Jews elsewhere, having also maintained a sense of separation, explaining why the Folkists, and not the Zionists, have always been the dominant Jewish nationalist force in the Free State.

In his pursuit of a Trivodnian nationalism, Alexander Kahnemann was not wrong that its electoral potency was underestimated by the commentariat. Where he was wrong was underestimating how fragile it was.
 
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DER TOG

OPPOSITION BOYCOTT

  • Opposition parties to boycott new National Assembly
  • Social Democrats plan to form administration next week
  • President urges Supreme Court decision is respected
Trivodnia is in the middle of an unprecedented political crisis after all the major opposition parties promised to boycott the new National Assembly after shock Supreme Court decision sees the Social Democratic Alliance return to power.

Supreme Court justices voted 10 to two to block a fresh round of voting and reject any potential appeals against the decision. The Court also demanded the release of last year's election results, which revealed the Social Democrats as winners, taking 350 out 650 seats - a majority of 24.

President Meier Lauterpacht had pledged to call new elections after polling showed the Social Democrats losing their majority, with a resurgence of Jewish nationalism after the Christmas Crisis propelling the Jewish People's Party into first place, with the Zionist Homeland Union also receiving a boost. The President was also reportedly worried the Social Democrats would threaten the fragile peace he secured with Kadikistan by trying to abandon constitutional neutrality.

Following the Supreme Court ruling President Lauterpacht has since insisted the court's decision be respected and said he "looked forward" to working with the new Social Democratic government.

However all opposition parties have denounced the incoming Social Democratic administration as "illegitimate" in a joint statement and said they will not take their seats in the National Assembly.

"There is clear evidence of public support for a new constitutional settlement," continued to the statement, referring to demands for greater devolution, "and the Social Democrats have made obvious they have no desire for compromise."

With the Social Democrats planning to start forming a government next week, uncertainty lies ahead as the National Assembly is required to approve candidates for the Free State Council, Trivodnia's ministerial body.

Social Democratic leader Alexander Kahnemann has said his party will attend the opening session of the National Assembly, and called for an end to "needless drama". "This was a free and fair election and clear judgement from the Supreme Court... There are no legitimate grounds for a boycott," added his spokesman. Kahnemann is reportedly confident opposition parties will soon give in, betting a lack of public appetite for political in-fighting will force them to reverse their decision.

But the opposition is adamant it will only accept fresh elections. "The Trivodnian people will have their say," claims Alternative leader Shmuel Bernstein.
 
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Office of the Chancellor
The Empire of
The Honorable Meier Lauterpacht
President
The Free State of
Amstov, Trivodnia

Dear President Lauterpacht,

The Empire of Carinthia-Harkány stands in support of the Trivodnian people and their President during these difficult times. The story of the Trivodnian People is the story of a peoples who have risen to the occasion, put their lives on the line, and came out victorious to carve out a nation where they can live in peace for generations.

It is the firm belief of the Carintho-Harkaner Empire that the Trivodnians will stand strong in this politically difficult time. It is our firm belief that the institutions that have founded the Trivodnian State, fueled by the tenacity of its people, will resolve this crisis in such a way that the country will emerge even more powerful than before.

As always, the Carintho-Harkaner Empire offers its full support to the Trivodnian Government and will stand by it in these times. Whatever assistance the Empire can provide to the Trivodnians should be considered granted.


Signed,
Stefan Furst
Chancellor
 

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Also we will support the people of Trivodnia in the current times. We are convinced of the fact that both President Lauterpacht and Chancellor Kahnemann and the Supreme Court act with the best intentions for Trivodnia in mind. We call upon the opposition parties to take up their seats in the new National Assemblee, because that will be the only way to influence the decision making at the highest levels.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor
 

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рэспубліка
respublika

Krasnislavian Social Democrats demand devolution deal

Prominent Krasnislavian Social Democrats including former Treasury committee chair Yury Bogdanov have demanded Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann agree some sort of compromise on devolution, or risk splitting the party.

In an open letter published to the Social Democratic Alliance's leadership, a group of leading Krasnislavian Social Democrats warned a deal was necessary to end the political paralysis that has lasted for over a week now, and to avoid a "permanent rupture" in the SDA.

A growing number of Krasnislavian Social Democrats are increasingly uneasy with their party's strident anti-federalist position, which they feel cost them votes and saw the Krasnislavian National Party emerge as the main opposition in the National Assembly.

Some 53 Krasnislavian SDA representatives - over one-third of the parliamentary party - signed the letter, which was shared with Republic and a few other media outlets.

The National Assembly has yet to be formally sworn in since the shock Supreme Court decision that saw the President's request for a second election blocked, with opposition parties refusing to take their seats. Rallies continue across Trivodnia's major towns and cities calling for a new vote, as the latest polls show one of the nationalist parties - mostly likely the Jewish People's Party - forming a minority government if a fresh ballot took place.

The letter's signatories have said they will lobby the Krasnislavian Social Democratic People's Assembly - the Krasnislavian half of the SDA - to adopt a bi-national Trivodnia as its formal position, putting it odds with its sister party Jewish Social Democracy in Trivodnia, which continues to support the Free State's current unitary structure.

Chancellor Alexander Kahnemann does not seem to be in the mood for compromise however, and has vowed to push ahead with forming a new government in spite of the opposition boycott. "While others play politics in the streets, we will get on with the solemn task of running the country," Kahnemann declared. He said constitutional lawyers were currently consulting with the Supreme Court over whether absence will be treated as abstention, which would effectively allow the Social Democrats govern as a one-party state. Such a prospect would likely tempt opposition parties back into the National Assembly political insiders believe.

Yury Bogdanov argues he and his co-signatories compromise would avoid such high stakes legal drama while also giving Trivodnian voters what they want. "Clearly there is a genuine desire for change," Bogdanov, who was injured at the Amstov Unity March terror attack, explains.

But a federal Trivodnia would have to pass both the President and Supreme Court and then a referendum to become reality. The JPP also remains nominally opposed to such constitutional reform, meaning Kahnemann could reply on them to help stop federalisation, although there is rumoured to be internal discussions within the Folkists on a shift in policy. "Trivodnia is on the brink of huge transformation," says one civil servant, "I'm just not sure what it looks like yet."​
 

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DER TOG

OPPOSITION SPLINTERS

  • Folkists and the Alternative back arrest of KNP leadership
  • Homeland Union slams move as "unwise"
  • President appeals for calm on all sides
A moment of unprecedented unity between Trivodnia's main opposition parties came to an end today after members of the Krasnislavian National Party, including party leader Uladzimir Sannikov, were arrested for sedition and disrespecting the Constitution.

The Jewish People's Party, which had joined the KNP in boycotting the National Assembly, defended the arrests, as did the Alternative. Only the Homeland Union criticised them, describing the arrests as "unwise" and "deeply worrying".

As the boycott nears its third week, many had been wondering how long the united front would last, especially with the Folkists backing away from the idea of a binational Trivodnia and claiming they only wanted another election, not devolution. "Fault lines are emerging," wrote the Day's lead political columnist Zigfrid Vogel only yesterday.

With the KNP rudderless and the JPP and Alternative firmly siding with the Social Democratic Alliance on the issue of Krasnislavian independence, some believe now it is only a matter of time before one of them takes up their seats, especially if the Social Democrats go ahead and try to told anyway. "Should the Supreme Court back them again and allow the Speaker to treat the boycott as abstentions, Trivodnia will be an effective single-party state," warns one constitutional expert, "I doubt the opposition will tolerate that."

"The Folkists especially have to remember how conservative their base is," adds an electoral analyst, "their voters will soon tire of the drama."

However all the opposition parties have insisted they will continue with the boycott regardless, with the KNP vowing to not take their seats until its leadership is free. "We will not legitimise dictatorial behaviour," read a KNP statement while the Alternative declared "cross-community solidarity is vital".

One JPP candidate said off-the-record the opposition was "hoping" for the trade unionists to call a general strike as reported, so the Social Democrats are also blamed for disruption. "It will not be us wrecking the economy," he implied.

Responding to the latest developments, Meier Lauterpacht once again urged all parties to come to the negotiating and appealled for calm, with riots expected in Kretyn and elsewhere in retaliation for the arrests. "It could even get bloody in Amstov," fears a senior officer in the National Watch.
 
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די צײט | Di Tsayt ‎

Social Democrats propose cross-party commission on devolution

AMSTOV - In a bid to break the political deadlock gripping Trivodnia, the Social Democratic Alliance have promised to set up a cross-party special committee in the National Assembly to explore devolution options.

In a draft proposal published today, the Social Democrats said the commission would evaluate different types of devolution and compare the benefits to the status quo, if any. It would then recommend an option, one of which may be to keep Trivodnia's current unitary structure. An
y form of devolution would require amending the constitution, meaning a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly and then in a referendum would be necessary.

According to inside sources, the special committee is an attempt by Social Democrat leader Alexander Kahnemann to stave off any rebellion by the party's Krasnislavian wing, which had previously demanded some form of compromise on the issue of devolution, fearing the loss of Krasnislavian voters. Having the Krasnislavian Social Democratic People's Assembly onside will be crucial for Kahnemann if he forges ahead with plans to take its seats in the legislature and govern without the opposition parties present.

"If the Supreme Court rules the legislative boycott by the opposition can be treated as a mass abstention, then Social Democrat backbenchers will end up the powerbrokers," explains one SDA official.

Opposition parties were less than impressed with the Social Democrats' proposal. "An attempt to kick reform into the long grass," said Alternative chief Shmuel Bernstein while the Krasnislavian National Party called it "more a fig leaf than olive branch" that "barely hid" the Social Democrats' rejection of devolution. The Jewish People's Party slammed it as a "clear distraction from the need for a second election".

Rioting continues to take place in Kretyn and other Krasnislavian-majority towns and cities, with the arrest of the KNP leadership provoking a violent backlash. KNP head Uladzimir Sannikov and others have been charged with sedition and disrespecting the constitution after setting up an independence 'working group'.

 
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