Jydsken-Østveg
Established Nation
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Trying Times in Hajr
en anglais • l'édition française est disponible en ligne
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he end of the European Forum's Mandate system came with a great deal of debate but overwhelming approval among the delegates. The result ultimately bought about the opposite of what many believed would happen, the end of autonomy in the mandates. This was not surprising to the Guyenasque delegation which voted against the end of the Mandate System and argued that its collapse would reverse years of progress for many Mandates. Nevertheless a coalition of autocrats and liberals came together to end the system. Recently this has resulted in the beginnings of the referendum process brought about by Antonios Antoniou's «Abolition of the E.F. Mandate System». The Government of Gordon Howe has however skipped the referendum process as perhaps was assumed by the voters. As Parlement gathered today, Prime Minister Howe made a bold pronouncement that has put both autocrats and liberals across the globe on notice. His lengthy speech which outlined the future for Guienny's Mandate of Hajr also informed Parlement that a «referendum of stakeholders» within the Hajr Mandate voted in favor of the annexation of Hajr. Hajr is an ancient civilization that itself has had a long history of independent Kings and Sultans which crashed to an end in the early 20th-century due to reckless foreign policy and wars that it could not win. Best known for its pyramids and beloved mummies, Hajr has been under the semi-direct control of Guienny since 1956 when the Kingdom of Hajr was pronounced. It stopped short of declaring a Guyenasque King, but rather instead allowed for a local monarch. No monarch however was ever appointed and a regency made up of Guyenasque officials and locals have ruled Hajr ever since. This is not to say that Hajr has not developed as a Mandate. Hajr has seen a massive growth in infrastructure, economic and civil rights, as well as increased in critical human development measurements. The introduction of democratic mechanisms was brought to local governments in 1995, and as such local townships now elect their own officials. At a national level however, there is not any clear way for representation although free speech mechanisms were put into place coinciding with elections in 1995.
Today, the Hajr Mandate is most clearly led by Hasan Abdulrashid, who has now been promoted to Governor General of the Hajr Mandate. He has been called upon by Prime Minister Howe to introduce national elections and the formation of a local Parliament. In the meantime, an increased military position held by Guienny has removed any spirit of rebellion now that the Mandate era was over. The implementation of the new government system is receiving mixed reviews by locals who admire the fact that expanded democracy will now arrive; however, others have criticized Le Vieux-Bourg for not allowing for a wide-scale public referendum and thus give Hajr total independence.
How this will play out internationally is another question. It cannot be known how foreign powers will respond to Prime Minister Howe's implementation of the referendum question and domestic critics from His Majesty's Loyal Opposition have cried out in anger suggesting that Howe has allowed for expanded autocratic regimes to increase their hold on the developing world. A representative for His Majesty's Government has only retorted saying that the foreign expansion of autocracies was always the point and purpose of the dissolution of the mandate system and the liberal democracies of the world had no clue what they were doing when they voted. No doubt, the annexation of Hajr will cause a bit of chaos in some circles, the question will be what will happen in the European Forum, and if any nation will dare to challenge Prime Minister Howe on his gambit.
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La Presse is one of the premier newspapers in Guienny founded in 1836 and published daily in French in the morning and English in the evening. La Presse is owned by La Presse Holdings Ltd. which wholly owns La Presse, L'Albatross, The Press, The Telegraph Dispatch, and holds a 49% interest in Bourdignie's Le Temps. Headquartered in Le Vieux-Bourg with key offices around the world, La Presse provides the best news in the world from a uniquely Guyenasque viewpoint.
La Presse • Depuis 1836