Press from the Free Cities - New Head of State approves troop deployment

[Free Cities League]

As per usual I shall have several newspapers, which will represent the deep internal divisions among the Free Cities. I'll see if I can still post something today, but you know, exams:

- Die Handelsburger Zeitung - the newspaper of the German-speaking elite and establishment. Though it is generally seen as unbiased, it will slightly write in favour of the ruling german-speaking, conservative elite, who stands for free markets, is Lutheran or Calvinist and fights for cities' rights, as opposed to extension of the confederal government.

- De Garenmarkter Handelsblad - the main Flemish newspapers, it is politically centrist but adopts a political stance in favour of constitutional reform, be it through transferal of powers from cities to regions or through fighting the politically dominant German establishment. It is also Flemish nationalist, though not independentist.

- The Norssexer Telegraph - the major English-speaking newspaper, it is liberal and supports constitutional reform, though not as virulently as De Garenmarkter Handelsblad.

- De Daglishes Harrold - Bogan nationalist and left-wing, it is extremely biased towards the left and Bogan interests.

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

24. Dezember 1953 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Liberale, Sozialdemokraten und regionale Parteien unterzeichnen einen historischen Abkommen - 'Plattform für Verfassungsreform' Liberals, Social-Democrats and Regional Parties Sign an Historical Deal - 'Platform for Constitutional Reform' ​ Handelsburg For the upcoming January elections, the Liberal-Democratic Party, the Social-Democratic Party of the Free Cities League, the Flemish christian-democrats of the Volksunie (People's Union), the Norssexer liberals of the Norssexer Interest Party, the two Bogan nationalist parties, the Boganishes Befrëeing Beveging (Bogan Liberation Movement, right-wing conservative) and the Boganishes Sotsial and Natsional Union (Bogan Social and National Union, left-wing conservative) and the autonomists of the Outersea Party, signed a deal today in Handelsburg, 'determined to push forward constitutional reform' and make the League a 'polity where all of its constituents have a place'. What do liberals, social-democrats, christian-democrats and conservatives in a coalition? The answer, according to the President of the LDP, Stijn van de Voorde, is no, it is not a coalition. Van de Voorde, together with his counterpart from the SDP, Frank Schumacher, insist that 'the liberals and the social-democrats have two completely different economic worldviews, but what links us is the desire of fighting the protestant, elitist, german-speaking elite based in Handelsburg and Lübeck and open the halls of Government not only to germans but also to the Flemish, the Norssexers and the Bogans (...) this platform is merely an agreement that states that, in the possibility all of these parties together have 67% of the seats in the Citizens' Assembly, it can propose constitutional reform. We know it needs the approval of an extremely conservative Council of Mayors, but it would already be a victory to be able to make official political pressure'. Van de Voorde stresses, on his turn, 'the assymetrical nature of our confederation', with the German-speaking elite holding 'too much political power, which is supported by legal grounds'. This Platform is also a counterweight to the coalition signed between the ruling party, the Citizens' Alliance (right-wing conservative, representative of the German elite) and the populist Deutschesprächerverein (Union of German-speakers, a regional right-wing populist party), which the opposition sees as a desperate attempt to save lost electorate in the German-speaking areas, joining a right-wing elitist and a right-wing populist party). Despite not having majority in the lower house (The Citizens' Assembly), they hold a plurality of Boroughmaster seats (including all of the German-speaking cities) which allows the CA to dominate that upper house and veto pratically all legislation and nominating the General-Administrative Council. According to the Platform's manifesto, these parties would collectively make these demands: - The Council of Boroughmasters, upper house of the Congress and holding important legislative powers, is composed by 14 members (12 Boroughmasters and two Representatives-General from the Provinces). The 5 German-speaking Member-Cities have two votes, due to outdated demographic reasons, and all others have one, which means, in practice that, the German-speaking cities can block any proposal on which the Council has legislative competence - the Platform demands one City, one vote. - The Citizens' Assembly, which represents proportionally the citizens of the League, should gain more autonomous legislative competence, with the Council of Mayors becoming progressively a consultative organ, having veto only in vital issues such as defence, external relations and criminal policy - the Platform demands more power for the only democratically-elected institution in the League. - Although the basis for the League continues to be the City-State, other realities emerged. With the national awakening of Flanders and Norssex, the cities of such regions would like to work more closely in common matters, such as education and culture. As such, the Platform proposes the creation of the Region, a structure between the City and the League, which would coordinate and implement education and cultural policy according to linguistic region. - The Province of Boganhem should not be anymore considered a second-ranking entity - the Bogans have as much right as Germans, Flemish or Norssexers to participate in the League's political life, considering most of our raw resources come from that Region. As Boganhem has no tradition of urban autonomy, the Platform proposes the creation of the Republic of Boganhem, which would emerge as a sovereign entity in equal footing with the City-States, transferring its sovereign competences to the League. The same for the Outersea Province of Providence, which would become the Republic of Providence. This proposal would radically change the constitutional system of the Free Cities' League but it would need the Council of Boroughmasters' approval to be carried out, as the City-States remain 'masters of the Basic Law'. If none of the German-speaking cities accept, the proposal will fall. The President of the General-Administrative Council, Johann Buddenbrook (Citizens' Alliance) already warned against the dangers of this proposal, saying that van de Voorde and Schumacher's anti-natura deal with Flemish, Norssexer, Bogan and colonial separatists, 'wishes to tear the League apart, breaking away from years of tradition and gradual reform with a single revolutionary act', calling the proposal of the creation of Region 'an inadmissible subtraction of Member-City sovereignty' and the creation of Republics within the League 'a subversion of the very conception of Free Cities' League'. Elections for the Citizen's Assembly are set to be held in January. You must be registered for see images van de Voorde speaking to the press ​	You must be registered for see images Christmas Market in Erding ​ Weihnachtseinkäufe Breenstoffe wirtschaftlichen Bewertung Christmas Sales Fuel Economic Reform ​ Lübeck The President of the Confederal Shopkeepers Association, Daan Vlamyck, expressed today his joy over the consumption patterns of our fellow citizens this Christmas, noting a 'responsible but intense spending, fueling the economic recovery we have been needing', saying that shop sales grew 45% when comparing the homologous period last year. Until very recently, since 1945 that the Free Cities' League has been experiencing a deep economic crisis, produced by the decline of industrial output and closing of factories. Many businessmen seek lower labour costs elsewhere in Europe and close their factories. An anonymous factory owner declared - 'the industrial period of the League has ended, turn to the tertiary sector'. And it happned - since the beginning of the current decade that the growth of the financial and banking service, making credit more available, was a welcome incentive to small and medium-sized traders, who could get that little bit of credit to invest in a new shop, new product, etc. It seems it is paying off, as consumer confidence has been increasing, and the real GDP growth last year was of 1.3%, best since 1945, and most of them use this time of year to spend money for their loved ones. The Central Confederal Bank already warned some caution. According to President John Darby, the recovery is visible and is sure, but we could never know the precise developments cautiously. The General Administrative Council is optimistic. Bart Govaere, Secretary of State for the Market and Competition, has already said that, 'thanks to the tax reduction and simultaneous elimination of market barriers, our economy has started to grow and will soon rise to one of the top 10 in Europe', allegations opposed by the social-democrats, more worried about the increasing on immigrants,

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

25. Dezember 1953 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Weihnachtsansprache des Bürgermeisternratpräsidenten - 'die Bund sollte wieder nach außen drehen' Christmas speech by the President of the Council of Boroughmasters - 'the League should turn outwards once again' ​ Handelsburg Karsten Schmidt, the President of the Council of Boroughmasters, had, through radio and television, his traditional Christmas message broadcast. While having the traditional references to the significance of Christmas as a religious and cultural celebration, importance of the family as 'bedrock of society' and wishes for a successful new year, Schmidt's speech went more political than one would expect. The President of the Council has stressed that the 'decline of the Free Cities' as a global actor will end and that 'the League should be, once again, more outward looking'. A transcript follows: "Liebe Mitbürgerinnen und Mitbürgern, Geachte medeburgers, Gekte Vitburgers, Dear Fellow Citizens, I address you today as President of the Council of Boroughmasters, the highest political authority of the League and its representantive inside and outside our land, in order to wish you a merry Christmas and a 1954 full of successes. I must remind all of you about this extremely important celebration that is Christmas - despite the religious differences between the League, between Lutheran and Calvinist Protestants and Roman Catholics, all Christians share the same feeling when this time of year comes - a time of sharing, of caring, of family. It is almost magical, families torn apart join again, parted sons and parents have dinner together - it is wonderful and miraculous, in a way only the birth of Jesus Christ could be. Even for our fellow citizens in Boganhem who are not Christians and follow their ancient religion, this time of year is also a time of celebration and family gathering. That's what we all share - Protestants, Catholics, Pagans - the love for our families, the bedrock of society. Without family there would be nothing else - it is the first organic unit ever created by man. Before tribes, city-states, nations, federations or confederations. First of all, there is the family. And in times where morals change so quickly we must not forget the importance of the woman as caretaker of children, as the mother, as the creator of future citizens. It is not mainly the father, too busy working to get bread for his family, who takes care of the children's everyday affairs - it is the mother. And all together, this primal organic unit supports our society and is extremely important during this time, where days as shorter and colder, when no one rejects the warmth of the companionship of the family. (...) I would like to take some time to talk about the current state of the League. Who does not recall our glorious past, dominating the seas, trading to everywhere? When all Europe was plunged into absolute monarchies and we were free? Where commerce tore down the barriers of war, ethnicy, religion and nationality. We were the most international of actors, accepting jews, muslims, renegades, freedom fighters from everywhere, offering them an opportunity to know the power of internationalisation, of commerce, of globalisation. But the economic crisis of the beginning of the century has hit us hard, not only economically, but also morally and psychologically. Now, as we rise from the ashes, we see a League that became too inwards looking. It cannot be. Using the power of political direction trusted on the Council of Boroughmasters by the Basic Law, I shall direct the President of the General Administrative Council, Mr. Buddenbrook, to implement policies aiming at expansion of our businesses to the outer world, and negotiation of treaties with other nations seeking the removal or the mitigation of commercial barriers, for we wish to see a world without barriers to movement, where services and goods can be allocated where they are most needed - that will bring prosperity in all Christmasses to come! Frohe Weihnachten und ein glückliches neues Jahr! Prettige Kerstdagen en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! Frolëk Yul and ën Lukishes Noeyar!! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! This politisation of a usually neutral message is seen by some as a sign that Schmidt is really committed to influence the General Administrative Council so that they can adopt more outwards looking policies. Schmidt is President of the Council (while being Boroughmaster of Flensburg) for 7 years, and this is his seventh speech, all the others being very neutral. Let us see if these words will come into action You must be registered for see images Official photography of Karsten Schmidt, President of the Council of Boroughmasters and Boroughmaster of Flensburg ​	You must be registered for see images Flooding in Assebroek, town in the vicinity of Garenmarkt ​ Schlechtes Wetter in den flämischen Städte - Schäden und Hochwasser Bad Weather in the Flemish Cities - Damages and Floods ​ Garenmarkt The Christmas Storm was felt all over the League with heavy rainfall in the south and heavy snowfall in the North, and, of course, high-speed winds. But the flat terrain of Flanders was most vulnerable to the storm, who hit hard the four flemish Member-Cities, Garenmarkt, Eekhoutpoort, Gent and Ieper. Three people were reported dead on the floods, and many more are in critical condition. The storm gained full force in the last hours of the 24th, cutting electric power and leaving many families with no power for Christmas. Though in many areas electricity was promptly restored, many others, especially towns around Garenmarkt, like Assebroek, St. Kruis or Blankenberge, remained isolated due to the difficulty the authorities had in reaching the affected communities. The boroughmaster (burgmeester) of Garenmarkt, Bart Winnock, has talked to Die Handelsburger Zeitung, saying that 'the situation was extremely serious' and that 'it had been the worst flood Garenmarkt in particular and Flanders in general had experienced in 20 years'. The boroughmaster devoted all his energies and those of the government of the City-State to 'ensure that at least the families in the affected areas can have a delayed but decent Christmas'. In Flanders, where the majority of the population is Catholic, Christmas is deemed culturally the most important religious holiday, an importance the Protestants elsewhere in the League reserve for Easter. That amounts for the greater drama of these families, deprived of their most important religious festivity. The President of the General Administrative Council of the League, Johann Buddenbrook, already pledged one million tallers from the League's Catastrophe Fund, a fund jointly financed by all Member-Cities to provide emergency relief in case of natural disasters. According to the Confederal Weather Central, normal weather should return tonight, as rainfall will continue softer and winds will blow slower. With the temperature drop expected next week, also comes sunny weather, which can help the necessary relief works and deflooding process. According to local resident Inge Meertens "we the Felmish are accostumed to deal with floods. Some even say the word 'Vlaams' comes from ancient Germanic words for 'floods'... Anyway, usually it is not a problem - but on Christmas eve? I hope is no divine sign! All my extended family was due to come, but due to the train cuts and power outages, it was impossible. Let's see if we can have a late Christmas!"

 

[Free Cities League]

De Garenmarkter Handelsblad

Voor kennis van Zaken
​

Zondag, 29 december 1953

Vrije Stede Verbond en Ivernië ondertekenen historische Verdrag tot Oprichting van de Gotische Zee Vrijhandelszone
Free Cities League and Ivernia sign Historic Treaty Establishing a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area

Handelsburg In the past few days, Johann Buddenbrook, President of the General Administrative Council, and Prime-Representative Mac Brady of the High Kingdom of Ivernia, together with League and Ivernish diplomats, have been negotiating an historical deal and today, the two governments signed it in the form of the Treaty Establishing a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area. It has still to be approved by the respective parliaments and confirmed by the respective Head of States. This agreement has been described as 'groundbreaking', providing for the free movement of goods, of service-providers and freedom of establishment. According to the wording of the Treaty, it provides for: "- Free movement of goods - this Treaty prohibits the High Signatory States from imposing custom duties, quantitative restrictions on imports and discriminatory taxation or any measures having equivalent effect to those thereof. Custom duties between the League and the High Kingdom shall be lifted. Restrictions on grounds of public health protection, public order, public policy or public morality shall be allowed. - Freedom of establishment - this Treaty prohibits any measures aiming to hinder the establishment of natural or legal persons from one of the High Signatory States on the other in order to discriminate with basis of nationality. Restrictions on grounds of public health protection, public order, public policy or public morality shall be allowed. - Free provision of services - this Treaty provides that any self-employed service provider can freely move between the High Signatory States with no restriction whatsoever, except those based on the aforementioned grounds. Restrictions such as barriers to entry or discriminatory taxation shall be prohibited. - A High Authority for the Gothic Free Trade Area, with the responsibility to oversee the application of the Treaty shall be created, and a Court of the GSFTA shall be created in order to solve any dispute arising thereof. - Protocol nº 1 - the High Signatory Parties shall reconvene in the near future to discuss the possibility of including provisions on free movement of workers and of capitals." ​ The President of the General Administrative Council, Johann Buddenbrook, in a press conference given today in Handelsburg, emphasised the meaning and the benefits of the Free Trade Area: "The Governments of the Free Cities' League and of the High Kingdom of Ivernia are extremely satisfied with the smooth and positive negotiations that took place in Handelsburg in the past few days. The Gothic Sea Free Trade Area will allow for goods and service providers to establish profitable cross-border relations between the two States, abolishing commercial borders and custom duties. As a result, both economies will enormously benefit from the ease of trade and the increase in commercial activities, benefits all of the population can reap. But much more important than the economic aspect is the political one - such a deep economic cooperation between our States will create a strong interdependence, which will sow the seeds of peace and mutual understanding. The days where our navies were at conflict in the Gothic Straits are over. This is the beginning of a new way of doing diplomacy and establishing international relations." Domestically, Buddenbrook wants to present this Treaty as a victory of the conservative pro-german Citizens' Alliance, moving away from its more isolationist policy of recent years. However, some of the more right-leaning members of the CA, such as Udo Hoffenheimer, denouncing the Treaty as a 'resignation of our collective sovereignty' and 'insidious reduction of the competences of the City-States'. The right-wing populist German Speakers' Union is also opposed on the same grounds. On the left, the Social-Democrats are divided, but most support the deal. Those who do not support the Treaty cite social dumping and forced liberalisation of markets as concerns. The largely marginal communists also do oppose the deal, as well as both Bogan nationalist parties, the Bogan Liberation Front and the Social-National Union, arguing that it will only perpetuate the 'exploitation of Bogan soil and people'. However, a comfortable majority in the Citizens' Assembly will probably be reached, as most of the Citizens' Alliance, the Liberals, the Flemish Christian-Democrat of the Volksunie and the Norssexer Interest (norssexer, federalist, liberals) as well as a sizeable number of Social-Democrats are in favour.

​

 

[Free Cities League]

The Norssexer Telegraph

Thursday, 2nd January, 1954 - 1,5 tallers​

Happy 1954! New Year, New Life for the League?
by Jonathan Fisher

Yesterday, people from all over Europe celebrated the coming of year 1954. The League was no exception, with celebrations taking place in the various Member-City-States and Provinces. I myself was in Shoreham-by-Sea, watching the fireworks hovering over the cold Gothic Sea and thinking about what this year will bring us. And we have reasons to be optimistic. Less than one week ago, the League, coming out of a period of relative isolation, signed an historical deal with the High Kingdom of Ivernia, creating a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area, ensuring the free movement of goods, service providers and freedom of establishment. That means a lot, not only for the business community of the League, able to do business in a bigger and wider market comprising the two States, but also the people as a whole, which will benefit from foreign competition lowering the prices of goods and which will have access to a wider range of products. However, despite the economic change, there is an urgent need for a political one. The good news is, the Liberals, the Social-Democrats, the Volksunie, the Norssexer Interest Party and the Bogan nationalists, despite their differences, rallied behind the cause of constitutional reform, vowing to fight the conservative pro-german coalition in power. In all of those parties combined manage to have more than 67% in the Citizens' Assembly, they will be able to push for constitutional reform. Even if it is possible for the Council of Boroughmasters to reject it, it will be under an unparalleled political pressure. Just imagine, a League where every City would have the some votes, where Bogans would be no longer treated as second-class citizens, where the cultural unity between some City-States would be taken into account, through the creation of the Region, entity which would coordinate, for instance, education and cultural policy among the Norssexer cities. A League where the will of the people would really be taken seriously, through a Citizens' Assembly with much more power. And the polls suggest that is possible. The ruling Citizens' Alliance has long lost its trans-confederal appeal. People realised, in recent years, that the CA is a forefront for the German-speaking conservative elite. Let the people know there are progressive parties, like the Liberals and the Norssexer interest, which support the free market that has made us so prosperous. Even the Flemish chirstian-democrats are moderate. In the elections later this month, let the People see that democracy and popular pressure for reform can work. A new year. A new beginning. Jonathan Fisher is a regular commentator in the Norssexer Telegraph and is the former boroughmaster of Shoreham-by-Sea, being a MCA (member of the Citizens' Assembly) for the Liberal-Democratic Party since 1950. He is a lawyer.

"Just imagine, a League where every City would have the some votes, where Bogans would be no longer treated as second-class citizens, where the cultural unity between some City-States would be taken into account (...) where the will of the people would really be taken seriously..."

 

[Free Cities League]

Frëdë, 10. Yanuar 1954

De Daglishes Harrold
1 taller | sinds 1893, fon Malachor | Autlegerdrëver: Uve Eitebaden
​

De Gothishsee Frëhandelsreumfertrag: Meer Autbauting dez Boganishes Folkez and zëne Naturlishe Helpbrunne!
The Gothic Sea Free Trade Area Treaty: More Exploitation of the Bogan People and its Natural Resources
opinion article, by Broomhilda Hammershmit

The Treaty Establishing a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area signed between the Free Cities' League and the High Kingdom of Ivernia is hailed by all sectors in the society of the League as a revolutionary instrument that will increase wealth and prosperity for all. Such an assertion could not be so wrong. In fact, the TEGSFTA is another elitist-capitalist tool to exploit even further the natural resources of our beloved land of Boganhem.

As every well-informed Bogan knows, Boganhem is an ancient Nation, the first of all those who inhabit this peninsula. For centuries, we have chosen to live rather isolated from the Christian world who tried to forcefully convert us and take away our religious traditions. When we started concluding agreements with the nascent Free Cities League in the High Middle Ages, whereby the League would trade our raw materials, such as gold, iron, timber and fur, in exchange for a fee and would provide us with agricultural products, the Bogan Kings thought a peaceful coexistence would be possible. And, despite some isolated episodes of violence, such as the Ivernish Crusade, the Walland peninsula lived in peace for centuries. Until the League, under the pretext that our last King, Rikhard V, was prosecuting Christians (which is not true, according to most historians), invaded the Kingdom of Boganhem in 1845. Doing so by ostensibly political reasons, it did so by economic reasons. Largely unexplored coal ores and the still profitable iron and gold extracting industry attracted the aggressive annexation by the League, rendering the Bogan working class in slavery for the last 100 years. While until 1900 Boganhem was a Protectorate, it was included in the political structure of the League in the turn of the century as the Province of Boganhem, with its citizens gaining the political and civil rights all others enjoyed, at least on paper. But as the name 'Province' implies, it is a pro vince, from victory, a spoil of war. The League's occupation made it possible for greedy bourgeois from the South to exploit easily our thriving mining industry and establishing low-wage factories.

Of course, the Bogan workers reacted, and the Bogan Labour movement is probably the strongest in the League. Now, in 1954, we still remain a Province. Though de jure equal, de facto we are second-rank citizens, underrepresented in any level, without any titular sovereignty like the Member-Cities do. Recently, the two main Bogan parties, the Boganishes Sotsial and Natsional Union (the left-wing patriotic party of which I am a member) and the Boganishes Befrëing Beveging (Bogan Liberation Movement, the original independentist organisation, now a conservative and an autonomist party) have signed an agreement with other open-minded parties from across the League in order to provide Boganhem with the autonomy it needs - through the creation of a new sovereign entity within the League, equal to any Member-City, the Republic of Boganhem. Those are all positive political developments, but the exploitation will go on.

With this new Free Trade Agreement, Ivernish merchants, the same people who tried to wage war and forcefully convert us 400 years ago, will have free access to Bogan national resources and will use Bogan cheap labour as a way to inhumanely increase profits! Free movement of goods means no customs, which could aid the local economy, can be charged! Free movement of services means that unscrupulous lawyers and 'enterpreneurs' can come freely to Boganhem without saying anything! And freedom of establishment prohibits prior authorisation to companies to set themselves! It will be a social disaster and will enslave Boganhem even more that it is.

I call the Bogan working classes to rise up and strike, in order to save themselves from this trojan horse!

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

12. Januar 1954 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Bürgertagwahl '54 - Kennen Sie die Parteien und ihre Ideen Citizens' Assembly Elections '54 - Know the Parties and the Ideas ​ Handelsburg The official two-week period for the legislative elections of January the 27th is opened. All the major parties have put forth their candidates and every Member-City/Province will elect a number of representatives proportional to their population. The Citizens' Alliance, the right-wing conservative party that currently has a plurality of seats in the Citizens' Assembly, will try to maintain its fragile dominance, only assured by a contra natura coalition with the pro-Germanophone right-wing populists of the Deutschesprächerbund (German Speakers' Union). Here is a short presentation of the candidate parties, their current seats and their ideas. For those participating in the Platform for Constitutional Reform, which is not a coalition but a pre-electoral agreement on reform-minded parties, a 'PCR' will be added. For parties registered all across the League, their name in multiple languages will be provided. For regional parties, only the name in the region's language will appear. Citizens' Alliance (Bürgerbund, Bondgenootschap Burgers, Burgern Bound) Current Seats: 75 Ideology: Market-oriented conservatism President: Johann Buddenbrook (current President of the General Administrative Council) Ideas: Accelerate outwards opening of the economy following the Gothic Sea Free Trade Area Treaty, defend the family through family social policies, rejection of constitutional reform, defend Cities' rights Comment: For many years the dominating party in League politics, many commentators foresee a great loss of seats, especially for the liberals, as social mores change but attitudes towards the market do not. Also, a perceived distance between the CA and the non-germanophone electorate alienates part of that electorate, especially in Norssex, where there is no regional conservative party. It's strong electoral base remains in the urban and populous germanophone agglomerations Social-Democratic Party of the Free Cities' League (Sozialdemokratische Partei des FSB, Sociaal-democratische Partij van de VSV, Sotsial-Demokratishe Partë dez FSB) - member of the PCR Current Seats: 25 Ideology: Social-democracy President: Frank Schumacher Ideas: Adoption of directive laws to ensure basic social protection throughout the League, ensure workers' rights when moving from Member-City to Member-City, League-wide state investments, rejection of free trade agreements, adoption of constitutional reform, liberalisation of abortion, decriminalization of homossexuality Comment: The historical social-democrats are at a crossroads. Frank Schumacher is a transition leader, having one foot in the old-fashioned, more radical social-democrats from a working-class stock who were, at the same time, not very morally progressive, and a new generation of middle-class social-democrats, who support liberalisation of abortion, are anti-clerical and even support the decriminilization of homossexuality. Such ambiguity might be a double-edged sword, as more old-fashioned electors might be inclined to vote for the communists or for the BSNU in Boganhem. Liberal-Democratic Party (Liberaldemokratische Partei, Liberal-democratische Partij, Liberal-Demokratishe Partë) - member of the PCR Current Seats: 25 Ideology: Market-oriented liberalism President: Stijn van de Voorde Ideas: Opening up of the League's economy to foreign investors, negotiation of free trade agreements in order to open a northern-european market as big as possible, abolition of remaining trade barriers among Member-Cities, support for constitutional reform, decriminalization of hommosexuality, liberalisation of abortion Comment: The LDP was once one of the two great parties of the League, fighting for control with the CA. After the emergence of the social-democrats, it was relegated to a third position, but with the young and energetic leadership of van de Voorde, it might skyrockted its position, kidnapping young, market-oriented but not conservative electors in all the big cities, especially the german ones. With its new support for constitutional reform, it gained a cross-League appeal that it did not have in the past. Flemish People's Union (Volksunie) - member of the PCR Current Seats: 15 Ideology: christian-democracy, moderate conservatism, flemish autonomism President: Dirk Winnock Ideas: Opening up of the League's economy to foreign investors, negotiation of free trade agreements in order to open a northern-european market as big as possible, introduction of some social security guideline policies all over the League, constitutional reform, especially stressing the importance of the creation of Regions as intermediate entities between Cities and League, opposes any change of abortion laws. Comment: The VU is 'the' flemish party by excellence, capturing the prevailing cultural environment in the flemish cities, combining catholic social doctrine with moderate conservatism and pragmatism, it is undoubtedly regionalist and autonomist, wishing the creation of Regions in order to ensure control of linguistic communities over common educational and cultural policies. It will probably get half of the flemish votes outright, growing over the disenchantment with the CA You must be registered for see images The fall of Buddenbrook and the CA? ​	You must be registered for see images Sitjn van de Voorde, rising start in League politics? ​ Norssexer Interest Party - member of the PCR Current Seats: 10 Ideology: Market-oriented liberalism, norssexer autonomism President: Samuel Bruton Ideas: Opening up of the League's economy to foreign investors, negotiation of free trade agreements in order to open a northern-european market as big as possible, abolition of remaining trade barriers among Member-Cities, support for constitutional reform, namely the creation of Regions. Supports decriminalization of homossexuality but not the liberalisation of abortion. Comment: The NI is not as socially liberal as the LDP but is equally market-oriented. It is though the most dangerous party of the LDP, as it catches the same electoral base and takes precedence in the Norssexer cities due to its local appeal. In autonomist content, is more or less like the Volksunie. Bogan Liberation Movement (Boganishes Befrëeing Beveging) - member of the PCR Current Seats: 9 Ideology: Centrist conservatism, Bogan autonomism President: Frank Villsun Ideas: Introduction of special legislation restricting overexploitation of Bogan mineral raw resources, constitutional reform, especially the enfranchisement of Boganhem in equal footing with other Cities, as the Republic of Boganhem Comment: The old armed movement turned civil has ceased to be independentist. The BBB is now a moderate conservative party, though not market-oriented, who wishes only that Boganhem is an equal participant in League politics. Notable as well is its abandonement of monarchism - they no longer wish the establishment of an independent Bogan Kingdom, they merely want an autonomous Bogan Republic. Bogan Social and National Union (Boganishe Sotisal and Natsional Union) - member of the PCR Current Seats: 5 Ideology: Far-left nationalism, conservatism, independentism President: Rëner Rëder Ideas: Gradual independence of Boganhem through constitutional reform, end of exploitation of natural resources by foreign and League companies, nationalisation of resources in a future independent Bogan state Comment: The BSNU has a long tradition in Boganhem, gaining the support of its conservatism and radical working class. It is virulently nationalist and sees no other option than the independence of a supposedly left-wing people from a right-wing project that is the League. It might gain some support in the working classes due to the Gothic Sea Free Trade Area, but the moderation of the BBB will surely attract most of the more moderate Bogan population. German-Speakers' Union (Deutschesprächerbund) Current Seats: 5 Ideology: Right-wing populism, less market-oriented, anti-elitist speech President: Udo Lausberg Ideas: Curb Flemish and Bogan immigration into the German-speaking territories, opposition to constitutional reform, limiting salaries on big companies, more agriculture-oriented policies Comment: The DsB is a relatively young party founded on the wake of the CA decline in the German-speaking areas. Its main electoral base is in the Cities of Regenthal and Erding, predominantely agricultural and rural and more religious than Handelsburg, Lübeck or Flensburg. It might win votes from disaffected German voters. Party of Workers and Peasants of the Free Cities' League (Partei der Arbeitern und Bauern des FSB, Partij de arbeiders en boern de VSV, Partë de Arpëtern and Beuern dez FSB) Current Seats: 5 Ideology: Marxism-Leninism President: Jan Bakker Ideas: Dissolution of the Free Cities' League and establishment of a Federal Socialist Republic of Walland, nationalisation of all means of production, transition to socialist and then to a communist and classless society. Comment: The communists have never been much strong in the League, as the social-democrats and the Bogan social-nationalists occupy their potential electorate.

 

[Free Cities League]

De Garenmarkter Handelsblad

Voor kennis van Zaken
​

Maandag, 13 januari 1954

Van de Voorde begint zijn campagne in Garenmarkt zijn steun uitsprak voor het regionalisme en meer federalisme
Van de Voorde Begins his Campaign in Garenmarkt, Expressing Support for Regionalism and More Federalism

GarenmarktStijn van de Voorde, President of the Liberal-Democratic Party, started his campaign today in Garenmarkt, his hometown, in a big rally in the Grote Markt, Garenmarkt's main square. There, he talked almost exclusively of constitutional reform, and the LDP's vision on and support for regionalism and federalism: "We, together with many other parties, have embarked in this ambitious project of constitutional reform, to make the Free Cities' League a fairer union of free peoples... The two main axis are regionalism and democratic federalism, which we also share with the parties who signed the Platform for Constitutional Reform with us. Regionalism recognises that, despite the fact that the organisation of the Free Cities League centers around City-States, i.e., small territorial circumscriptions, there are cultural realities which cannot be dismissed. For instance, Garenmarkt, Eekhoutpoort, Ieper and Gent form a cultural unit called Flanders, sharing a culture and a language. As do the German-speaking cities form a cultural unit with no precise name, varying from Walmark to Walland, and the English-speaking cities form the cultural unit of Norssex. What regionalism is, unlike many fearmongerers in Handelsburg say, is a mere assessment that such cultural realities should have joint control over educational and cultural policy. It is not an attack on the sovereignty of the City-States, they just share their sovereignty with other cities in such policy fields. (...) Democratic federalism is a different thing. It is the recognition that the Free Cities is still an assymetrical confederation with federal elements. What we want to change is the assymetry, through the elevation of Boganhem to a sovereign constituent Member of the Free Cities, through the 'one City, one Vote' system in the Council of Boroughmasters, ending the privileges of the German-speaking cities and progressively enfranchise the population of the Outersea Province of Providence. We also want to give the Citizens' Assembly more say in all aspects of confederal law, expanding the competences of the League to domains such as social security and criminal law. Why is homossexuality a crime in Handelsburg, in Ieper and not in Garenmarkt, Lübeck or Shoreham-by-Sea? Affairs as serious as crimes should be decided at the confederal level. That is our vision for constitutional reform. 'An ever close union', says our Fundamental Law. Let us make that union closer, let us recognise that a closer union cannot have certain members privileged over the others. Let us fight for constitutional reform!!" Receiving a cheer from the crowd, van de Voorde is set to win in Garenmarkt, as not only it is his hometown but also is the less conservative of the Flemish cities. In all others, the Volksunie will probably win with comfortable majority, but that is no problem to van de Voorde - he knows that, in a likely scenario of having to form a coalition government, the Volksunie, after the Norssexer Interest Party, is his most likely partner. And van de Voorde will focus little on Flanders this campaign, leaving the job to the Volksunie's moderate christian-democrats. van de Voorde is off to the German-speaking region to catch young, progressive and market-oriented electorate that is disaffected with the Citizens' Alliance and will not vote in the right-wing populists of the German-speakers' Union. Another focus of his campaign will be certainly Boganhem, where he will try to break the traditional hold of the conservative Bogan nationalists of the Bogan Liberation Movement. In Flanders and Norssex, where two of his most likely partners, the Volksunie and Norssexer Interest will almost certainly win a plurality of votes, there is an understandable need not to focus the campaign there. It remains also to be seen if he will travel to Providence to talk to the white voting-population, as his beliefs in enfranchisement of the negroes have probably alienated a sure portion of the population. You must be registered for see images Stijn van de Voorde addressing the crowd in Garenmarkt ​

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[Free Cities League]

The Norssexer Telegraph

Tuesday, 14th January, 1954 - 1,5 tallers
​

Race Riots in Providence Result in 70 Dead: Until When the Shackled Negro?
Oerwoudstad, Outersea Province of Providence

With the campaign for the legislative elections starting, the racial equality debate flares again in the Outersea Province of Providence, the FCL's colony in the southern tip of Himyar, as the main association for defence of negro interests, the Front for the Enfranchisement of the Negro Providencians (FENP), summoned a mass demonstration in the capitals of the three districts of the Outersea Province - Oerwoudstad, New Shoreham and Vorsehungshafen. It all started after the FENP's Chairman, George Huambo, currently serving a sentence for terrorism, summoned a mass demonstration in the Province's main cities, in order for 'Negroes all across Providence to show they are politically conscious and want to take part in the democratic process and be enfranchised in public life'. The FENP, he says, 'does not want to conduct land reform or expel the white settlers - we just want equal rights, that is all'. Enslaved until 1830, disenfranchised until now, the Negroes of Providence remain the poorest population in the Free Cities League, with the lower literacy rates and the highest rates of child mortality. Unlike many supposed eugenists say, there is no genetic cause for that, simply social pressure for them to be kept away from the democratic process and be second-class citizens. And that is facilitated by a policy of triple apartheid in Providence. Providence is divided into three districts - Oerwoudland, settled by Flemish whites; Capeland, settled by Norssexers, and Sandland, settled by German-speakers. The result - despite one official policy of non-franchisement towards Negroes, three different attitudes. The Norssexer settlers of Capeland are mainly concentrated in the Coast and adopted a policy of non-intervention, leaving the tribes in the Hinterland to their own devices, and tolerating urban-dwelling Negroes; the Germans are more neutral, barring Negroes from entering some urban areas, but not actively exploiting the countryside, save for the occasional plantation; the Flemish settlers proved to be the more violent, taking territories from several tribes in Oerwoudland and aggressively confining Negroes to reserves. Hence, in Providence, not only are white linguistic communities separated, as as Negroes separated from Whites. One thing this newspaper has always been proud of was of being the only mainstream newspaper in the League to support the franchisement of the Negro population, through education programmes aimed at making them full-fledged citizens. Over the past years, illiteracy in the Negro population decreased from 87% to 65%, and we think that all of those who can read should be able to be citizens of the League like any other. Recently, Stijn van de Voorde supported Negro emancipation, though not very loudly as not to alienate voters from the Liberals. But what happened in Oerwoudstad, the capital of Oerwoudland District (Flemish colonised) should be a turning point. While in other Providencian cities the demonstrations were tolerated, in Oerwoudstad, popular militias attacked the unarmed demonstrators, killing over 70 Negroes and rendering over 200 wounded. While the defenseless demonstrators tried to reply with sticks and stones they found in the floor, the Oerwoudlandian militias were equipped with guns and katanas. Our correspondent in Oerwoudstad described a 'literal bloodshed', with the streets 'drenched in blood' and dead bodies. Frederik Kwak, Head of the Oerwoudland District, claimed no responsabilities - "They were only afraid civilians trying to defend their property and things got a little bit out of hand. It is a natural reaction, when one sees a thousand angry Negroes...". Neither Karsten Schmidt, the President of the Council of Boroughmasters, nor Johann Buddenbrook, President of the General Administrative Council commented the incident. The only major politician offering some remarks was Stijn van de Voorde, saying that "while I understand that some people are afraid of a quick takeover of uneducated Negroes over the politics of Providence, they are people like us. More than 40% are literate and could qualify for voting, living among whites as equals. This massacre is unacceptable and I urge the Public Prosecutor of Providence to find the responsibles. It is time Negroes are treated like people in a Providence that is not merely a colony." The Oerwoudstad Incident promises to ignite the campaign, until now centered solely in the issues of constitutional reform and external relations. The only party supporting Negro Rights besides the communists is the LDP, and even so, timidly. The social-democrats showed some signs of change of position and the political commission of the SDPFCL is meeting today to issue a statement over the incident.

"With over 70 Negroes dead because of the violence (...) the Oerwoudstad Incident will probably become a central issue of the campaign and will show the public that Negroes need to be enfranchised..." You must be registered for see images Negro Protesters Marching Towards Oerwoudstad You must be registered for see images The Three Districts of the Outersea Province of Providence

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

29. Januar 1954 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Buddenbrook und van de Voorde in Providenz: Die Negerfrage wirdt entscheidend bei der Bürgertagswahl Buddenbrook and van de Voorde in Providence: the 'Negro Question' Becomes Decisive in the Elections for the Citizens' Assembly ​ Oerwoudstad and Cape City Following the Oerwoudstad Incident/Massacre, when 70 Negro demonstrators demanding political rights equivalent to Whites where killed by an angry and unruly white mob and 200 more were injured, the racial question became simultaneously central issue in the elections and a taboo. Trying to untie this Gordian Knot, the two most popular candidates, Johann Buddenbrook, incumbent Head of Government and president of the conservatives of the Citizens' Alliance and Stijn van de Voorde, the liberal leader, have travelled to the Outersea Province to make their points, resulting in two completely different views: Buddenbrook favours 'progressive civilization', while van de Voorde advocates 'immediate enfranchisement'. For the more distracted readers, the racial policies in Providence vary. The Outersea Province, represented in the Council of Boroughmasters and in the Citizens' Assembly, is divided into three districts, corresponding to the land conceded to each cultural group to colonize and exploit in the 17th century: Oerwoudland to the Flemish, Cape for the Norssexers and Sandland for the German-speakers. In all three districts all white inhabitants are full citizens of the League and have the same political rights. However, attitude towards Negros, drawn from the concern that massive illiteracy did not make them fit to fully participate in political life, varies. Cape has the most liberal attitude, having changed their electoral laws ten years ago for laws that provide that 'any literate Negro, speaker of the English language, who wishes to renounce its political ties with the local tribal powers and pursue an urban or semi-urban life shall have the same political rights as any white. The same applies to Coloureds'. In Sandland, the former German-speaking colony, attitude towards Negros is peaceful coexistence but segregation, with the Negros having their own representatives in the local Council and maitaining their tribal political structures. However, in Oerwoudland, the Flemish settlers have always had big problems with the local population, resulting in many clashes. While Norssexer and German settlers were happy to maintain commercial relations to tribes in the interior and had little interest in settling away from the coastal towns, Flemish farmers drove deep into the interior of Oerwoudland, setting up massive cotton, sugar and coffee plantations, being in constant wars with the local Xhopa tribes. Hence, their mutual hatred is much more intense, explaining the Oerwoudstad Incident. Buddenbrook held a rally in Oerwoudstad, being careful not to blame it on the locals. While being unapologetic, he tried not to exclude Negros from his cultural project. Electoral laws are an exclusive competence of the League vis-à-vis the Cities, but because Providence is a province, though it can enact its own electoral legislation, if the League steps in, the local legislation is revoked. He proposed a League-wide 'Negro Education Programme', rooted on 'the charitable nature of all good Christians'. Through charity/government funds, a mass education programme aimed at 'civilizing' Negroes, the population would gain political conscience and would be eventually able to vote for District, Province and League elections. 'The process could take some time, and there would be a yearly assessment of literacy and cultural integration, considering historical and literary knowledge, language fluency and day-to-day habits'. Such project appeased the local white population, who fears retaliation if Negroes gain political power. van de Voorde, speaking in Cape City, defended a broader approach of 'immediate enfranchisement'. According to the liberal leader, 'every human being is created equal in dignity and should be equal before the law'. He said that what was happening was not the result of 'illiteracy' as many whites in Providence and in the Mainland are illiterate and can vote. However, he proposed that, in a first phase, such enfranchisement would only apply to those Negroes living within limits of urban settlements, as it would be 'wrong' to impose political rights on the tribes living in the hinterland, which van de Voorde thinks should keep their political tradition but have representatives in the towns to defend their interests. He also ridiculed current regimes that define races: 'What is a Negro and what is not a Negro? What is a White Man? There is no clear line. How would millions of mixed Negro-White people integrate in such rigid and scientific classifications? It is ridiculous to distinguish people on grounds of race. Not only ridiculous but morally wrong, usually committed by such 'Christian charitable hearts' as Buddenbrook's ' Next Sunday, citizens all over the League will be called to the ballot, and there are many suspects that the Incident was a machination by one of the candidates. By Buddenbrook to divert the attention from constitutional reform. Or by van de Voorde in order to become a champion of racial equality. You must be registered for see images Johann Buddenbrook, incumbent President of the General-Administrative Council and leader of the Citizens' Alliance ​	You must be registered for see images Will Albert Holborn become an influential figure in Norssexer politics? ​ Sprachenstreit in den Norsachische Städten teilt regionalistischen Partei Language Dispute in the Norssexer Cities Divides Regionalist Party ​ Warmstrand The Norssexer Interest Party, running for elections only in the Norssexer cities (Warmstrand, Shoreham-by-Sea and Lancing) with a regionalist platform, advocating, together with all parties in the Platform for Constitutional Reform, the creation of the confederal entity of Regions, which would hold unified competences on education and culture within language groups, is now going through a crisis. Having both a liberal ideology, the Liberal-Democrats are stealing voters from the NIP, which is creating tensions within the party itself. The NIP, created in the 30's in the midst of the Norssexer and Flemish cultural revivals, has two different internal factions: one liberal and urban, another conservative and agrarian. The former managed to eventually prevail, though, in order to maitain consensus, is not as socially and economically liberal as the League-wide LDP. Besides ideology, one main point divides the two factions - language. Until the time it joined the League, people in the Norssexer region spoke entirely Norssexer, a Germanic language of Saxon origin which, together with English, suffered a great French influence. With the arrival of thousands of English-speaking merchants, English began to slowly displace Norssexer as the language of administration in commerce, and, by the 18th century, English was the sole official language in the three Norssexer cities. Norssexer was relegated to the rural areas, still spoken by peasants and farmers, but never standardized or written. In the 30's, a nationalistic wave took the crisis affected League, and in Norssex it was well-felt. Many writers began advocating to a return to Norssexer in detriment of the import of English, and Gerard Rotherhithe, who passed away last year, published the Great Book of the Norssexer Talk, which standardized Norssexer dialects into a written form imported from English. Due to centuries of coexistence, Norssexer had effectively become 'English with very few Latinate words'. An illustrative example: English: "The Norssexers are a Germanic people living in the South of the Waland Peninsula. There are three sovereign city-states which form part of the Free Cities League together with Flemish/Dutch-speaking cities, German-speaking cities and the Bogan people, who live in the far North" Norssexer: "The Norssexers are a Germanish folk living in the South of the Whaland Half-Island. There are three overmaking stead-realms which take part of the Free Steads' Bond together with Flemish/Netherlandish-speaking steads, Dutch-speaking steads and the Bogan folk, who live in the far North" Though mutually intellegible to a certain point, there are fundamental differences. The agrarian wing of the NIP, angry with the lack of strategy for the elections, have been advocating internal elections and demanding Norssexer to be used in all Party official events and documents. Samuel Burton, president of the NIP and proeminent member of its liberal and urban wing, has rejected the possibility, saying that '90% of Norssexers speak Standard English as their first language, a language shared with many other Nations' and that it would be 'economically harmful' and 'socially impossible' to revert to the widespread use of Norssexers. Albert Holborn, speaker for the agrarian wing, threatened to leave the Party, and has clarified what he saw as erroneous statements by Burton: "I never said that Norssexer should be the only official talk [language] of the Norssexer Stead-Realms [City-States]. It will have to overlive [survive] in a foelish [hostile] omworld [environment] with English, but with official beknowing [recognition] at least". Burton in a response carefully tailored not to alienate electors, eventually said that: 'if the constitutional reform goes forward, we will have Regions with competence over education, culture and language policy. That being said, it would find it reasonable to designate certain areas as Norssexer Talk Lands, in which official business had to be carried out also in Norssexer. I am just saying that it should not be imposed on the Norssexer population as a whole. Modern Norssexer is basically English with Germanic words replacing most Latinate ones, grammar and syntax are apparently the same. Morever, for that same reason, it is highly artificial, and barely corresponds to Classic Norssexer that was once widely spoken.' The language dispute is only a sign of growing divisions on the NIP. The dominant wing champions a cosmopolitan and marketed-oriented world view, free-markets and social liberalism, while the agrarian wing, besides the use of Norssexer, advocates more protection to farmers, more attention to mores and social cohesion and 'Christian solidarity'. The results of the NIP in the Norssexer cities shall reveal who will eventually overcome. Bad results for the NIP could provide grounds for an agrarian takeover, and a shift in the NIP's policies. Ultimately, it would be good for the LDP and bad for the Citizens' Alliance, since the liberal Norssexer electorate would shift for the League-wide Liberal Party and conservative rural population would turn to the NIP again, which they now deem 'too liberal'.

 

[Free Cities League]

De Garenmarkter Handelsblad

Voor kennis van Zaken
​

Donderdag, 30 januari 1954

Volksunie leider Bart van Kortrijk benadrukt de noodzaak van het regionalisme en het federalisme: 'Verbond, Vlaanderen en Stede'
Volksunie's Leader Bart van Kortrijk stresses the need for regionalism and federalism: 'League, Flanders and Cities'

Eekhoutpoort The Volksunie continues bent on achieving victory over all four Flemish cities. Though Garenmarkt is the most difficult battlefield, Kart van Kortrijk, the leader of the flemish christian-democrats of the VU, was in Eekhoutpoort, the second biggest Flemish city, today, trying to recreate the national revival atmosphere of the 30's. He talked to an excited crowd: 'in the 1930's, the Flemish understood that they could no longer be culturally subject to the German cities and that they could not hold more privileges. As did the Norssexers. That led to the National Revivals era, when both of our peoples realised that, though desirable to keep the current Member City-State structure, we need intermediates. That is why both the Volksunie and the Norssexer Interest Party were created and that is why we are allied with the cross-League parties of the Social-Democrats and Liberal-Democrats and with the Bogan nationalist parties, in order to bring more justice and more equality'. Stressing that Flemish culture is 'as ancient' and 'as sophisticated' as German culture, citing the great Flemish Primitive Masters, like Jan van Eyck, van Kortrijk believed that, without cultural unity, the Flemish would be left at the 'cultural mercy' of the Protestant majority in the League, and that they wanted to preserve 'the distinctive Catholic imprint in our ways of life'. He also said that, though Flemish is still spoken by 95% of the population of the Flemish cities, German and English are making their way into the educated and informed speech, and that 'must stop'. With a Flemish Region controlling education and cultural policy, Flemish culture would be 'stronger' and 'more united'. Our pledge is 'League, Flanders and Cities', said van Kortrijk. 'We are neither separatists nor anti-City rights'. The Volksunie has been introduced as a regional party in 1931, when, in the wake of National Revival movements in Flanders and Norssex, Flemish members of the Citizens' Alliance split, to found a 'christian-democratic party', more 'social' than the CA and 'distinctively social-catholic'. The VU has been increasing its voting and achieved a majority in all Flemish cities save for Garenmarkt in 1950. It dominates Flemish politics because it captures the political thinking of most Flemish, not as right-winged as Protestant conservatives and more concerned with local reivindications, like regionalism and federalism. In next Sunday's elections, it is foreseen that the VU will probably achieve majorities in Eekhoutpoort, Ieper and Gent, but Garenmarkt seems lost. The more cosmopolitan and younger population of the biggest Flemish city seems more drawn to the Liberal-Democrats, since they correspond more to their thinking and satisfy the demands for regionalism and federalism. Anyway, after the Norssexer Interest Party, the VU is the most likely to form a governamental coalition with the Liberal-Democrats, which could yield a majority in the Citizens' Assembly. You must be registered for see images 'More than ever, Federalism: Volksunie, Flemish Interest' reads a poster ​

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[Polesia]

Luzabi ya Malongo
Ministry of the Exterior

The refusal to grant the Native Men and Women of Providence full and equal rights is an outrage. An even greater outrage is that Native Men and Women demanding these rights were butchered like mere animals by a settler mob, in an act of savagery that exceeds any act of violence by indigenous Himyaris resisting colonial incursion into their ancestral lands. Diplomatic representatives of the Free Cities League have been summoned to explain this appalling tragedy to President Deogracias Kabila and External Affairs Minister Rafael Ngundiankama.

 

[Free Cities League]

Freie Städte Bund
Vrije Stede Verbond
Free Cities' League
Frëe Staeden Bound

You must be registered for see images

Allgemeine Verwaltungsrat - Generaldirektion für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
Algemene Administratieve Raad - Directoraat-generaal van Buitenlandse Zaken
General Administrative Council - Directorate-General for Foreign Affairs
Allmëners Fervaltingsrad - Direktorat-General for Autlandishe Zake


On the Oerwoudstad Incident


​

As we have stated before, the massacre that ensued in Oerwoudstad was carried out by private individuals which are now being investigated, and about whose investigation the State cannot comment, since this is a State under the rule of law, and procedural rights shall be respected. Our law predicts increased penalties for those who commit murder fueled by hatred. Hence, if such people are caught and it is proven that their murders were fueled by hate, their penalty will be as severe as our law permits.

We eagerly await your answer,

The Director-General for Foreign Affairs,
William Billingham

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

1. Februar 1954 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Bürgertagwahlen '54: Erster Sieg der Liberalen in 30 Jahren, schlechteste Ergebnis des BB aller Zeiten. Citizen's Assembly Elections '54: First Liberal Victory in 30 Years, Worst CA Result Ever ​ Handelsburg This evening, the whole league awaited patiently for the results of the most-disputed and tense Citizens' Assembly elections of the last two decades. As it is known, the Citizens' Assembly is the lower chamber of the FCL's legislature, whose higher chamber is the Council of Boroughmasters. The former is designed to represent the interests of the citizens of the FCL as a whole and the latter to represent the interests of the Member-Cities and the two Provinces. Sharing many legislative powers with the Council, the Assembly is, notwithstanding, decisive to the election of the General Administrative Council, i.e., the executive entity within FCL politics, akin to Governments in more centralized States. Usually, parties make coalitions to integrate the GAC. These elections where different. Constitutional reform finally became a widely-discuted issue, nationalism, especially Bogan nationalism, increased, and the Negro Question became central. While these results usually do not influence decisively the lives of common citizens, since the League has no competence over many policies, if constitutional reform goes forward, some important changes might ensue. Anyway, the results, though within expectations, confirmed the fall of the Citizens' Alliance, whose monopoly over FCL politics seems to be diminishing. The Liberal-Democrats, now with a pulse they lacked before, gained the most seats in the Assembly (45 out of 175) and regionalist parties saw a small increase in votes, while the Social-Democrats, though not decreasing much, became the third political group in the Assembly. The results were as follows: You must be registered for see images Liberal-Democratic Party/Liberaldemokratische Partei/Liberal-democratische Partij/Liberal-Demokratishe Partë: 45 seats (25.71%) Citizens' Alliance/Bürgerbund/Bondgenootschap Burgers/Burgern Bound: 40 seats (22.86%) Social-Democratic Party of the FCL/Sozialdemokratische Partei des FSB/Sociaal-democratische Partij van de VSV/Sotsial-Demokratishe Partë dez FSB: 30 seats (17.14%) Volksunie (Flemish 'People's Union'): 16 seats (9.14%) Norssexer Interest Party: 15 seats (8.47%) Boganishes Befrëeing Beveging (Bogan Liberation Movement): 12 seats (6.86%) Deutschsprächer Bund (German-speakers' Alliance) - 7 seats (4%) Boganishes Sotsial and Natsional Union (Bogan Social and National Union): 5 seats (2.86%) Party of Workers and Peasants of the FCL/Partei der Arbeitern und Bauern des FSB/Partij de arbeiders en boern van de VSV/Partë de Arpëtern and Beuern dez FSB: 5 seats (2.86%) As we can see, the three biggest parties are still trans-League parties, though their order was inverted. While before the conservatives of the CA were the main political force, followed by the social-democrats and the liberals, now the liberals became the major force, the CA the second and the social-democrats the third. What is more impressive though is the incredible fall of the CA, from 75 seats to 40. Why such a big fall? Many young germanophone voters who are right-wing but do not identify with the conservative values of the CA voted for the Liberals; and non-conservative right-wing people from Flanders or Norssex, seeing the Liberals defend regionalism and constitutional reform, instead of voting for their local parties, decided to give a chance to Stijn van de Voorde. A remarkable thing, that is also related to the CA's decline, is the rise of regionalist parties. The Flemish christian-democrats regionalists of the Volksunie, the moderate liberal regionalists of the Norssexer Interest Party in Norssex, and the more temperate Bogan Liberation Movement increased their electorate, as did the right-wing populists of the German-speakers' Alliance. With the current numbers in the Assembly, a constitutional reform is probable to take place, with enough political will. The political landscape continues to be dominated by right-wing parties, as only 21% of the seats are occupied by the left (social-democrats, Bogan social-nationalists and communists combined). Conservative parties lost some voters, as now only 49% of the electorate voted for socially conservative parties (CA, Volksunie, Bogan Liberation Movement, German-speakers' alliance). So we see a largely right-wing electorate, in a transition between social conservatism and social progressivism (demonstrated by a recent poll which concluded that the FCL already has 5% of non-believers in any religion, and within the religious, only 60% attended regularly mass). As to the Member-Cities and their preferences, now follows the City/Province and their former and current most voted party: Walmark (German-speaking) Region Handelsburg: before: CA now: LDP Lübeck: before: CA now: LDP Flensburg: before: SDPnow: SDP Regenthal: before: CA now: CA Erding: before: CA now: CA Flanders Garenmarkt: before: VU now: LDP Eekhoutpoort: before: VU now: VU Ieper: before: VU now: VU Gent: before: VU now: VU Norssex Warmstrand: before: CA now: LDP Shoreham-by-Sea: before: SDP now: NIP Lancing: before: NIP now: NIP Province of Boganhem: before: BBB now: BBB Outersea Province of Providence: before: CA now: CA These data demonstrate that the once CA-dominated german-speaking region is breaking apart. In Handelsburg and Lübeck, the two biggest cities in the League and a traditional CA stronghold, the CA was roundly defeated by the Liberals, who appealed to a young and progressive urban electorate. Flensburg continues to be staunchly social-democratic and had the greatest communist electorate (11%). The rural Cities of Regenthal and Erding continue true to the CA, but the right-wing populists of the German-speakers' Alliance continue to rise in the charts, achieving 30% of the vote in each of those cities. In the Flemish cities, the Volksunie had about 40% of the total vote, well-above other parties, but was uncapable to hold on to Garenmarkt, which fell for the Liberals (who had 37%, compared to the VU's 34%). In Norssex, the Norssexer Interest Party narrowly won the traditional social-democrat stronghold of Shoreham-by-Sea, while was not able to outvote the Liberals in Warmstrand, the biggest Norssexer city. In Boganhem, the BBB, winning elections there since it desarmed in the 40's, kept being the most voted party. While no significant rise for the Liberals occurred, the social-democrats increased, despite the Social and National Union's popularity as the Bogan working class's preferred party. In Providence, amidst the Oerwoudstad Incident and racial tensions, the CA barely managed to keep the lead, being only helped by the Flemish settlers who fear Negro emancipation, while the Liberals made considerable gains. Now, in order to build a credible parliamentary coalition and nominate a General Administrative Council, the Liberals will have to make coalitions. In principle, the cooperation of the Flemish and Norssexer regionalists is already guaranteed, but that is not enough to form a majority. van de Voorde, which will most likely be charged by the Council of Boroughmasters to form a GAC, will have to negotiate either with the social-democrats or the Bogan nationalists in order to gain enough seats, considering he will not either negotiate with the CA, the communists, the Bogan social-nationalists and the German populists.	You must be registered for see images Stijn van de Voorde, the victor and probable future President of the General Administrative Council ​ Bürgertagwahl '54: die Reaktionen Citizens' Assembly Elections '54: the Reactions ​ Handelsburg As one can see, these elections were historical for breaking the CA's dominance, increasing the right-wing and socially progressive electorate and witnessing yet another rise of nationalisms. Let us see how the main party leaders reacted to the elections. Stijn van de Voorde, Liberals: "I do think these elections were historical. Not only because the Liberal-Democratic Party managed to be on top of the citizens' preferences after 30 years of conservatism, but because most of half of the citizens voted for non-conservative parties, marking a new chapter in our League's values and also, and most importantly, because two-thirds voted for parties committed to constitutional reform. The process will start was soon as possible, but I do promise that I will do everything within my reach in order to turn the League into a symetric confederation without special privileges, bring our Member-Cities together with new competences for the League and create the cultural Regions in order to coordinate education and cultural policy. We will also continue to promote free-trade agreements and promote integration of the FCL's economy into the wider European economy. It is a new dawn of openness, justice and transparency." Johann Buddenbrook, incumbent President of the General Administrative Council, Citizens' Alliance: "The Citizens' Alliance has served the League for over 100 years, when like-minded businessmen and common people decided to cleanse the League of a certain installed nobility that had corrupted the republican nature of this project. Save for some periods out of office, we have commanded the League through prosperous times and tough times. Now, the citizenry decided to give a chance to another Party. Let is be, that is democracy. We honourly and humbly thank those who put their trust on us, on the value of commerce tempered by pietism, humbleness, morality and family values. And most of all, based on tradition and the realisation that any change must be gradual, not immediate. I warn you, the proposed 'constitutional reform' will be a disaster, and will take sovereignty from the Member-Cities. The immediate emancipation of the Negros will bring unrest in Providence. The liberalisation of mores will bring about debauchery. Be wary and ever vigilant. If you want to return to a more cautious way of doing politics, we are here. Thank you." Frank Schumacher, social-democrats: "We have mixed feelings about today. We did not increase nor decreased our electorate. But we are happy that most of the citizenry decided to support the project of constitutional reform. I am sure Mr. van de Voorde will do a good job handling the reform, and will have the total support of the SDP. What sadens me the most is the fact that only a quarter of our citizens realise that the savage free-market is not the way to bring about justice to the land. We might be extremely developed, but some neighbourhoods in Handelsburg and Lübeck make us feel like we are in Himyar... Inequality is still rampant, and a redistribution of wealth is needed. Divergent labour laws in the different cities make employers move employees from Flensburg, a social-democratic city, to cities with more relaxed labour laws, leading to social dumping... But we shall carry on the struggle to make the middle-class realise it's not only about factory workers, it's about them as well. Tyranny of the market rules all over us. I hope you will understand." Dirk Winnock, Volksunie: "Once more, the Volksunie grows. It grows embodying the spirit and the thoughts of the Flemish people. Respect for tradition and its faith but not the Protestant pietism of the CA, social concerns, pragmatism and will to compromise. We are available to cooperate with Mr. van de Voorde in his constitutional reform project and even in a GAC, as we represent the will of Flanders. Finally we will have a Flemish Region in charge of education and culture, and the structure of the League will be closer to its reality" Samuel Bruton, Norssexer Interest: "I am mostly satisfied with today's elections. We won Shoreham-by-Sea, a social-democrat stronghold for many years and, in the League as a whole, economic and social liberalism triumphed, defeating the fundamentalist conservative backwardness of the CA. We have already approached Mr. van de Voorde in order to form a parliamentary grouping to vote as a whole. And of course, constitutional reform is at the corner. Well done, Free Cities' League, well done." Frank Villsun, Bogan Liberation Movement: "I do sincerely hope that this day marks the beginning of a process which will enfranchise Boganhem. Yes, Bogans are, de jure, citizens as any others, but are treated as second-class people, devoid of education and knowledge. We are often discriminated because of our faith in our ancient religion. But the Gods have provided upon us an opportunity to change all that through peaceful means. With enough pro-reform parties in the Assembly, it is very possible, my fellow countrymen and my fellow citizens, that, in a year's time, this will no longer be the 'Province of Boganhem', but the 'Republic of Boganhem', a sovereign entity integrated within the Free Cities' League as the Member-Cities are, with the same rights and obligations. I thank you, the Bogan people, for bring about this victory." Udo Lausberg, German-speakers' Alliance: "And so it began. As I had warned you, the urban elites were uncapable of stopping the forces of destruction of this League, League founded by Germans. Even our urban brethren is weak and corrupted by the big metropolises on the coast, while we remain aware, in our rural simplicity. We remain aware of the Flemish and Bogan migrants stealing our jobs, of Negros being granted political rights, of City-States' rights being threatened. We know what is happening. The Liberals want to transform the League into a federal state, and then, ultimately, in a centralized State without any consideration to local autonomy. I have warned you. Personally, I am happy the Alliance got so many votes, especially in Regenthal and Erding, but we need more. In four years, we will be at the forefront of the German-speaking resistance!" Broomhilda Hammershmit, Bogan social-nationalists: "I thank all the hard-working Bogan peasants and workers who voted for the BNSU. The struggle's ultimate result, the total independence of Boganhem, is still away, but we shall make it. The Liberation Movement is no longer a Liberation Movement, it is a 'Collaboration, Treacherous Movement', cooperating with the capitalist occupier. Spread the word. Convince your neighbour, your friend. We shall see an independent, nationalist and socialist Boganhem one day!" Jan Bakker, communists: "Once again, we stand strong. We stand united. Despite keeping the same seats in the Assembly, we know the corrupt establishment hides the true results, trying to hold on to the red wave. We shall not give up! We know our historical fate - it is inexorable and inevitable that for the proletariat and the pesantry to rise up and claim their historical destiny. Struggle, occupy, strike! That's what I ask of you, o working class of the so-called 'Free Cities'. It is our destiny."

 

[Rheinbund]

Aussenministerium
Trier, Eiffelland

We congratulate Mr. Van de Voorde with his victory in the elections of the Free Cities League. We look forward to a fruitful cooperation with the new government to be formed by him.

Rudolph Kögler, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Chancellor

 

[Free Cities League]

De Garenmarkter Handelsblad

Voor kennis van Zaken
​

Donderdag, 3 februari 1954

De onderhandelingen voor de vorming van de Algemene Administratieve Raad: Volksunie en NIP te Liberalen nodigen, maar 10 meer zetels nodig.
Negotiations for the Formation of the General Administrative Council: Volksunie and Norssexer Interest to Join the Liberals, but 10 Seats are Still Needed

Handelsburg The negotiations to form the next General Administrative Council have already started, after Stijn van de Voorde was charged by the Council of Boroughmasters to form a GAC within a week. Today, van de Voorde met Bart Winnock, leader of the Volksunie, and Samuel Bruton, leader of the Norssexer Interest Party. After some hours of conversation, the three leaders announced that in this legislature 'the Liberal-Democratic Party, the Volksunie and the Norssexer Interest Party would closely cooperate during the next 4 years, and members of all of those parties would be part of the General Administrative Council'. However, they postponed any official formation because they still need another partner. Van de Voorde stated that he was seeking an 'absolute majority' and the three parties, together, hold 76 seats, needing 88 in order to hold such majority. The LDP-VU-NIP project needs another party, but all of the available ones have drawbacks. The Citizens' Alliance, though ideologically close to all of those parties, is completely opposed to constitutional reform and would never accept to do so after such an humilliating defeat. The social-democrats, though running on similar platforms of reform, and sharing societal policies with the LDP and the NIP and some economic policies with the VU are already excluded on economic grounds, as it would be difficult to compromise. The BBB might be a choice, but they are perhaps too conservative for the coalition and might make demands over Boganhem that van de Voorde, Winnock and Bruton would not accept. The Bogan social-nationalists, the communists and the German populists are excluded for obvious reasons. What will happen then? Most political commentators say that the 'natural option' is the inclusion of the Bogan Liberation Front in the Government. The BBB has precisely 12 seats, the ones needed in order to form a majority, but two issues might complicate negotiations: First of all, free trade agreements, because, though not as extremely as the Bogan social-nationalists, the BBB oppose 'unrestricted exploitation of Bogan natural resources' and though having voted positively to the Gothic See Free Trade Area Agreement, they made some reservations concerning the 'overexploitation'. Van de Voorde and the BBB would have to agree on some kind of compromise. The second problem is the status of Boganhem. It is known that the LDP, the VU and the NIP, having signed the 'Platform for Constitutional Reform' agreement (as well as the BBB), have promised to give sovereignty to Boganhem as the 'Republic of Boganhem', being in equal footing with alll the Member-Cities within the League. However, what does Frank Villsun, leader of the BBB, think? A referendum? Total independence is out of question, he already said. But, will internal pressures radicalize him? Or will the idea of knowing he holds the key for GCA formation render him more inflexible? One will see. Van de Voorde has until next week to sort things out.

​

 

[Free Cities League]

Vodensdë, 5. Februar 1954

De Daglishes Harrold
1 taller | sinds 1893, fon Malachor | Autlegerdrëver: Uve Eitebaden
​

Van de Voorde Forstel Koalitsion Auk Vit De BBB: Villsun Fragde Bezondere Rezorsse Stoer Als Kondition
Van de Voorde Proposes Coalition Also With the BBB: Villsun Demands Special Resource Tax as Condition
Handelsburg

After winning the plurality of votes, without absolute majority, in the legislative elections for the Citizens' Assembly, Liberal-Democrat Stijn van de Voorde was charged by the Council of Boroughmasters to form a Government. Immediately finding partners in the Norssexer Interest Party (liberal and regionalist) and in the Flemish Volksunie (moderate Christian-Democrat and regionalist) he still needed 12 more seats. As the Social-Democrats have a completely different economic outlook, the Citizens' Alliance opposes any constitutional reform and the Bogan Social-Nationalists, the German populists and the Communists were too extreme, the only option left would be the Bogan Liberation Movement (BBB - Boganishes Befrëeing Beveging), the former armed resistance movement who in recent years moderated its speech and now wants an independent, self-standing Boganhem as a confederal sovereign entity within the League with the same privileges as the Member Cities. Economically, though not as pro-market as the Liberals, the BBB holds a more centrist and moderate view, in line with the Volksunie. Socially, issues like homossexuality, abortion and control of public mores, are disregarded by the BBB because, due to the fact that Boganhem is not a Christian Nation, such practices are accepted.

As such, van de Voorde started lobbying Frank Villsun, leader of the BBB, to form part of a coalition to form the General Administrative Council, as the BBB holds the 12 seats that the Liberals need. Villsun had previously stated that he admired van de Voorde's project of constitutional reform, and would vote for it when it came before the Citizens' Assembly. However, in order to accept van de Voorde's proposal to integrate the Council, Villsun put some conditions on the future framework of Boganhem:

- The Province of Boganhem will be dissolved, following constituent elections in order to approve a Constitution for Boganhem
- After such Constitution is approved, the Province dissolves and a new Bogan State is born, which must take a Republican form of Government.
- The BBB will do everything within its power to ensure no monarchical forms of Government are instituted.
- The new Bogan Republic will acceed immediately to the Free Cities' League as a confederal entity, equal in rights to the Member Cities, having one vote in a new configuration of the Council of Boroughmasters in which the German cities lose their double vote
- A special tax over natural resources such as gold, platinum, uranium, coal, not exceeding 3% of their value, will not be considered contrary to the internal market of the League

Van de Voorde has not yet replied, but many of the proposals already annoy some more conservative elements of the German-speaking elite, who fear loss of Boganhem should the Bogan people exercise their right of self-determination in a way contrary to their wishes.

 

[Free Cities League]

Die Handelsburger Zeitung
seit 1795
​

11. Februar 1954 | 1. taller | Handelsburg

Die Verhandlungen für die Bildung des Allgemeines Verwaltungrates gelähmt über natürliche Ressource Steuer Negotiations for the Formation of the General Administrative Council Stalled Over the 'Natural Resource Tax' ​ Malachor The parties already agreeing to form a parliamentary coalition in order to support a General Administrative Council (GAC, executive organ of the FCL), the Liberal-Democrats, the Volksunie and the Norssexer Interest Party, had their leaders meet Frank Villsun, leader of the Bogan Liberation Movement (BBB), the conservative nationalist Bogan party, in order to bring them into the GAC deal, since the BBB possesses the 12 seats the other three parties need to form a GAC. The four parties agree in most of the points posed by Villsun, namely a detailed plan for the 'enfranchisement of Boganhem', integrated in the project for constitutional reform signed by all major parties save for the Citizens' Alliance and the German-speakers' Union. The problem lies not in the political, but in the economical. Villsun's BBB, though economcially centre-right, has an electorate to please. And most of the Bogan electorate does not feel right with the intense extraction of natural resources from Koldland and Goddhaus, the two northernmost municipalities of the Province. Though not demanding the nationalisation of the gold, platinum, uranium and coal mining industries, like their more radical rival, the Bogan Social and National Union, the BBB, who holds a comfortable absolute majority in the Bogan Assembly, wants to keep that, and wants the LDP-VU-NIP alliance to promise that a tax no higher than 3% of the value of sale is imposed over the extraction of such resources, a tax that would be charged by the Bogan Authority. According to Villsun: "It is true that the Bogan natural resources are being exploited without immediate economic benefit for the Bogans other than low-paid jobs. It's time that the revenue is used by the Bogan Authority in order to invest in Boganhem". On the other hand, while the Volksunie is not frontly opposed to this proposal, the Liberals and the Norssexer Interest Party do not wish to make this concession. Though van de Voorde made no declarations, an internal source from the LDP told us that it would prove highly unpopular and hypocrital to allow this exorbitant tax, as it would not only hurt intra-League trade, being inconstitutional (namely against articles 28 ff. of the Basic Law), but would also present a barrier to international trade, being possibily against the Treaty Establishing a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area signed with Ivernia. Meanwhile, negotiations in order to form the GAC are paralyzed. Van de Voorde has a mere three days before the Council of Boroughmasters delegates in other person the task to form a GAC. For the more distracted readers, the racial policies in Providence vary. The Outersea Province, represented in the Council of Boroughmasters and in the Citizens' Assembly, is divided into three districts, corresponding to the land conceded to each cultural group to colonize and exploit in the 17th century: Oerwoudland to the Flemish, Cape for the Norssexers and Sandland for the German-speakers. In all three districts all white inhabitants are full citizens of the League and have the same political rights. However, attitude towards Negros, drawn from the concern that massive illiteracy did not make them fit to fully participate in political life, varies. Cape has the most liberal attitude, having changed their electoral laws ten years ago for laws that provide that 'any literate Negro, speaker of the English language, who wishes to renounce its political ties with the local tribal powers and pursue an urban or semi-urban life shall have the same political rights as any white. The same applies to Coloureds'. In Sandland, the former German-speaking colony, attitude towards Negros is peaceful coexistence but segregation, with the Negros having their own representatives in the local Council and maitaining their tribal political structures. However, in Oerwoudland, the Flemish settlers have always had big problems with the local population, resulting in many clashes. While Norssexer and German settlers were happy to maintain commercial relations to tribes in the interior and had little interest in settling away from the coastal towns, Flemish farmers drove deep into the interior of Oerwoudland, setting up massive cotton, sugar and coffee plantations, being in constant wars with the local Xhopa tribes. Hence, their mutual hatred is much more intense, explaining the Oerwoudstad Incident. Buddenbrook held a rally in Oerwoudstad, being careful not to blame it on the locals. While being unapologetic, he tried not to exclude Negros from his cultural project. Electoral laws are an exclusive competence of the League vis-à-vis the Cities, but because Providence is a province, though it can enact its own electoral legislation, if the League steps in, the local legislation is revoked. He proposed a League-wide 'Negro Education Programme', rooted on 'the charitable nature of all good Christians'. Through charity/government funds, a mass education programme aimed at 'civilizing' Negroes, the population would gain political conscience and would be eventually able to vote for District, Province and League elections. 'The process could take some time, and there would be a yearly assessment of literacy and cultural integration, considering historical and literary knowledge, language fluency and day-to-day habits'. Such project appeased the local white population, who fears retaliation if Negroes gain political power. van de Voorde, speaking in Cape City, defended a broader approach of 'immediate enfranchisement'. According to the liberal leader, 'every human being is created equal in dignity and should be equal before the law'. He said that what was happening was not the result of 'illiteracy' as many whites in Providence and in the Mainland are illiterate and can vote. However, he proposed that, in a first phase, such enfranchisement would only apply to those Negroes living within limits of urban settlements, as it would be 'wrong' to impose political rights on the tribes living in the hinterland, which van de Voorde thinks should keep their political tradition but have representatives in the towns to defend their interests. He also ridiculed current regimes that define races: 'What is a Negro and what is not a Negro? What is a White Man? There is no clear line. How would millions of mixed Negro-White people integrate in such rigid and scientific classifications? It is ridiculous to distinguish people on grounds of race. Not only ridiculous but morally wrong, usually committed by such 'Christian charitable hearts' as Buddenbrook's ' Next Sunday, citizens all over the League will be called to the ballot, and there are many suspects that the Incident was a machination by one of the candidates. By Buddenbrook to divert the attention from constitutional reform. Or by van de Voorde in order to become a champion of racial equality. You must be registered for see images Frank Villsun, leader of the Bogan Liberation Movement (BBB) ​	You must be registered for see images A Biergarten in Erding ​ Obergerichtshof des Freie Städte Bundes trifft Verordnung von Erding, die lokale Biere schützt. Supreme Court of Justice of the Free Cities' League Strikes Down Regulation of Erding That Protected Local Beers ​ Erding The Member-City of Erding is well-known for its appreciated beers, having a well-known rivalry with Regenthal, Garenmarkt and Ieper in the production of the beverage. Its most exported variety is Weißbier, a type of beer made of wheat also produced throughout Germania. In order to protect the breweries located in Erding (Paulaner and Erdinger being the most famous), the Stadt- und Landsgemeine (Urban and Rural Council, legislative organ of the City) has passed a regulation, on initiative of the Stadtsrat (City Council, executive), according to which the designation 'Weißbier' could only be accorded to beer produced with a specific type of wheat only found in Weißbieren. The General Administrative Council initiated procedures before the Supreme Court of Justice of the FCL (SCJ), on grounds of violation of article 34 of the Basic Law, which prohibits any measure which 'hinders intra-League trade' and relying on past decisions of the Court establishing case law that effectively bans 'equally applicable measures' which have a discriminatory effect hindering intra-League trade. The Stadtsrat alleged that it was a measure intended to 'protect the consumer', who thought that any Weißbier must be made of the local variety of wheat. Moreover, they argued that production of this kind of beer in other Member-Cities was residual, and, as such, it had no effect on intra-League trade. Anyway, the Court decided to follow the General Administrative Council's argumentation that, though the measure does not hinder significantly intra-League trade, it could deter producers in other Member-Cities to start producing Weißbier. Moreover, it added, the measure constituted a violation of the international obligations of the League, for instance, vis-à-vis Ivernia, in virtue of the Treaty Establishing a Gothic Sea Free Trade Area. The decision motivated the producers to demonstrate before the Court today, in Handelsburg. The head of the Wheat Breweries' Association of Erding, Karl Bruckhardt, told us that: "Soon we will see Ivernian, Bogan and Handelsburger Weißbiern with a label that the consumer associated with a certain flavour and quality. The consumer will be tricked and will be disappointed, and the economy of the Free City of Erdinger will be invaded by beers produced by cheaper labour. A shameful day for a millennial tradition." The Weißbierschütz Verordnung is now considered null and void, which pleases many producers all over the League. For instance, a spokesman of Gordon's Brewery, in Shoreham-by-Sea, was 'happy' to 'see the League's values defended by the judiciary'.

 

[Free Cities League]

De Garenmarkter Handelsblad

Voor kennis van Zaken
​

Woensdag, 12 februari 1954

We hebben Algemene Administratieve Raad! LDP, Volksunie, NIP en BBB een akkord breiken!
We Have a General Administrative Council! LDP, Volksunie, NIP and BBB Reach a Deal!

Malachor The fourth round of negotiations between the Liberal-Democrats, the Volksunie, the Norssexer Interest Party and the Bogan Liberation Movement (BBB) took place yesterday evening in Malachor and the result was a successful coalition between the four parties. With a majority of seats in the Citizens' Assembly achieved, Stijn van de Voorde, Liberal-Democrat leader and the man chosen by the Council of Boroughmasters to form a General Administrative Council, was nominated President of such Council, leading the executive of the Free Cities' League. The negotiations were stalled due to disagreement on the natural resource tax demanded by the Bogan nationalists, but a compromise was reached. There will be no tax, but any future Bogan Government is free to impose a 'nature conservation duty', a fixed amount charged to the mining companies in Boganhem. Such duty can only be used only for ends of conservation of Boganhem's nature reserves. 'In that way' say van de Voorde and Villsun, the leaders of the LDP and the BBB, respectively, 'the charge will not qualify as unconstitutional, falling under the justifications laid out in article 36 of the Fundamental Law.' After the negotiation, the four allied parties had already a body of Directors-General (i.e., Ministers) nominated and a concise political programme, based on 4 simple points: - Free-market policies tempered with regulation, not State intervention will continue to develop - International trade shall be favoured, namely through free trade agreements. Regional integration might be an option - Commitment to Constitutional Reform that will turn the political system into a more egalitarian one, which includes the total enfranchisement of Boganhem - Decriminalisation of homosexuality - Gradual enfranchisement of the Negro population in Providence - Abolishment of the death penalty for peacetime crimes A more detailed version of the points presented above will be presented to the Citizens' Assembly in the next weeks. Meanwhile, an official outline of the General Administrative Council of the next four years was published in the Official Journal of the Free Cities' League, and shall be reproduced below. It includes three Flemings, two Norssexers, one Bogan and one German. Two liberals, two Volksunie and two NIP members and one BBB member. Most of the Directors-General are experienced in local government. ​

Freie Städte Bund
Vrije Stede Verbond
Free Cities' League
Frëe Staeden Bound​

You must be registered for see images

Der Neuer Allgemeine Verwaltungsrat
De Nieuwe Algemene Administratieve Raad
The New General Administrative Council
De Noe Allmëners Fervaltingsrad
​

Präsident des Allgemeinen Verwaltungsrates
Voorzitter van de Algemene Administratieve Raad
President of the General Administrative Council
Praesident dez Allmëners Fervaltingsradez
Stijn van de Voorde (LDP)​

Generaldirektor für auswärtiges Angelegenheiten Directeur-generaal van Buitenlandse Zaken Director-General for Foreign Affairs Direktor-General for Autlandishe Zake Thomas Buddenbrook (LDP)	Generaldirektor der öffentliche Finanze Directeur-generaal van Openbare Financiën Director-General for Foreign Affairs Direktor-General for Autlandishe Zake Bart Winnock (Volksunie)
Generaldirektor für Wirtschaft und Binnenmarkt Directeur-generaal van Economie en Binnenmarkt Director-General for Economy and Internal Market Direktor-General for Verthshep and Innenmarkt Samuel Bruton (Norssexer Interest)	Generaldirektor der Verteidigung Directeur-generaal van Defensie Director-General of Defence Direktor-General for Folksshuts Herman Ëtenshmit (BBB)
Generaldirektor der Justiz und Sicherheit Directeur-generaal van Justitie en Veiligheid Director-General of Justice and Safety Direktor-General for Yustits and Sikerhëd Bruno Koopmans (Volksunie)	Generaldirektor der Bund-Mitgliederstädte Beziehungen Directeur-generaal van Verbond-Lidstede Betrekking Director-General of League-Member Cities' Relations Direktor-General for Bound-Vitgliderstaede Ferhaldness Simon Jackson (Norssexer Interest)

ooc: photos will be added when I have the time

 

[Free Cities League]

The Norssexer Telegraph

Sunday, 16th February, 1954 - 1,5 tallers
​

The Turning Tide: the New General Administrative Council and the Challenges it Faces
by Anthony Brooks

With the General Administrative Council formed, the historic event of these 1954 elections has been completed. Not only did the Citizens' Alliance lose its dominant position, but also, for the first time, the Citizens' Assembly has a pro-constitutional reform minded constitutional majority, that can force the Council of Boroughmasters to initiate an amendment procedure. It also shows a social trend that has been boiling for several years - the German cities and culture, once completely dominant, are loosing ground to Flanders and Norssex. There is only one German in the GAC, Thomas Buddenbrook, as Director-General of Foreign Affairs. The rest is dominated by Flemish and Norssexers. Apart from the sociological analysis I was about to make, I must say I am extremely satisfied with these elections. Not only does the left continue to lose ground, but also conservative forces. As a Liberal myself, it is very appeasing to see both the Liberal-Democrats and the Norssexer Interest Party in the same GAC, together with moderate conservatives such as the Volksunie and the BBB, who lack the Protestant puritanism and 'law and order' approach of the Citizens' Alliance. But let us focus on the cultural issues. I do not desire a League where German culture would disappear. At all. The League was founded by the German cities, and they have a very central place in our history. Yes, in our history. Their predominant role could not go on without popular dissatisfaction. 50 years ago, Germans still dominated politics, business, intelligentsia, while the Flemish were regarded as extremist Catholic farmers, the Norssexers as uncultured merchants and the Bogans as savage heathens. Now, with commerce and industry growing in Flanders, with the Norssexer economy back on track and Norssexer investors getting shares in major companies and with Bogan enfranchisement, everything is set to change. I will always appreciate the songs by Till Lindemann (popular German-speaking singer), but I encourage the Norssexers who return from Providence mixing Negro music with our traditional one, or Flemish artists and Bogan poets. We have something few other countries have - diversity. Diversity can be a liability, surely, but it provides us with a cultural, economic and human wealth incomparable to any other place in Europe. Despite the problems, we show that four different peoples, organized in small City-States, can cooperate. Nonetheless, there is a political obstacle to be lifted - the constitutional reform. If it goes forward, German cities will lose their privileges, being forced to deal with all others in equal footing. How are the German-speakers feeling about this? In downtown Handelsburg or Lübeck, full of cosmopolitan young professionals, they hail this, even if as a stabilizing measure. But if you go to the villages around Erding or Regenthal, or even the cities themselves, there is a growing paranoia that their lands will be taken over by 'heathen Bogans' or 'heretical Flemish'. Despite the possible consequences, the reform must go forward, showing that all ethno-linguistic groups are willing to yield and negotiate. And I do sincerely hope it does. I also expect the humane treatment of Negroes. The Outerseas Province of Providence is under direct authority from the GAC and the Assembly, and laws should be enacted to ensure a uniform and good treatment of the natives, and education, in order to create a truly democratic space that will one day be more than a Province. In what concerns foreign policy, I expect more free-trade agreements. As for the Council itself, I see Stijn van de Voorde at the top. A wonderful person, with whom I had already the opportunity to work with, he is energic and believes in what he thinks. I see Thomas Buddenbrook, son of the former GAC President Johan Buddenbrook, who symbolizes the generational divide between the Germans. He is an extremely competent man, with a doctorate in Foreign Relations in Flensburg and in Gent and having diplomatic experience abroad. I see Volksunie's Bart Winnock taking care of public finance. As a former Secretary for Finance of the Free City of Garenmarkt, he inverted a public deficit into a surplus. I believe the Treasury is safe with him. My colleague and friend Simon Jackson is on the League-Cities Relations portfolio. His experience as Boroughmaster of Shoreham-by-Sea gives him a deep insight in the problems of the Member-Cities. And all the others, men with great qualities. I believe in this General Administrative Council - I believe they will do a good job for the League. But, let us not celebrate beforehand. We can only be sure in 1958. Anthony Brooks is a regular commentator in the Norssexer Telegraph and is Secretary for Economy in the Free City of Lancing, having been a MCA (member of the Citizens' Assembly) for the Norssex Interest Party. He is a professor of economics, with several papers published.

"We have something few other countries have - diversity. Diversity can be a liability, surely, but it provides us with a cultural, economic and human wealth incomparable to any other place in Europe. Despite the problems, we show that four different peoples, organized in small City-States, can cooperate. "