Baltusia

[AdAstra36]

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Reform Coalition scores constitutional majority in 3rd elections since 5724

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The Reform Coalition, a big tent coalition of regional and confederalist parties, has received 241 seats in the Congress.

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The new Reform Coalition, established in 5725, has been elevated to power as Baltusians have gone to the polls for the 3rd time since 5724. Under the leadership of Anna Sofia Vera, the big tent coalition of regional and confederalist parties whose campaign has been defined by its simple but clearly effective goal and motto ‘Reform Now!’ has managed a landslide victory by one mere seat, achieving a constitutional majority in the Congress. In her election victory speech, Vera has declared that the Reform Coalition will immediately pursue a series of fast-paced reforms, including regional and local administration reform, ending isolationist foreign policy, and the convention of a constitutional assembly.

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Lead up to the 5721-5727 political crisis

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Ever since 5679, Baltusia has been dominated by two main parties, the Libertarian Union Party and the Non-Partisan League. Established in the 5660s as a radical communist party, the Non-Partisan League has significantly moderated between 5670 and 5679 as it consumed the old Radical Party and shifted towards the centre. In opposition to the NPL was the LUP, established in 5678 as a union of the Libertarian Vanguard Party and its junior right-wing parties, as the right-wing parties feared complete dominance of the NPL in the upcoming 5679 elections. With NPL serving as the left-wing big-tent party and LUP as the right-wing big-tent party, the two parties have taken turns in government every few electoral cycles. The NPL-LUP era was marked by rampant corruption, populism, and stagnation, as any attempt at reform was reversed by the opposing party.

Frustration by this cycle of decline has led to an almost complete loss of trust in central government, and the local governments of five Baltusian commonwealths have begun to expand their powers at the expense of the Johnston government. As a result a new political dynamic has emerged to replace traditional left-wing and right-wing parties, and elections became a competition between the ideologically moderate parties in support of the status quo, like NPL and LUP; the radical parties like the All-Baltusian Communist Party, the Monarchist Party, or the One Nation Movement; parties in support of constitutional reform like the Direct Democratic Constitutional Party, the Republican Confederation Movement, and the Commonwealth and Citizen's Rights Party; and localist and separatist parties like the Santiago People’s Party and the Free Party of Western Baltusia, among several others.

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The 5721-5727 political crisis

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The 5721 elections saw the rise of radical communist, nationalist, and monarchist parties and the formation of a left-wing minority coalition government between the All-Baltusian Communist Party and the Non-Partisan League, with support of the Santiago People’s Party. This was the first time in its history NPL had to form a coalition government. However, this coalition government has fallen due to withdrawal of support for the government with NPL by part of the ABCP, and in September 5723 early elections were held.

The 5723 elections saw the defeat of left-wing parties, with ABCP falling below the 3% threshold. This has resulted in the formation of a government between the LUP and the far-right One Nation Movement and Monarchist Party. Like the left-wing 5721-5723 government, the LUP-ONM-MP government has fallen due to infighting as parts of the ONM have pushed for the abolishment of the monarchy, which has been vacant for 50 years, something that was heavily opposed by the Monarchist Party and led to loss of a vote of no confidence in February, 5724.

In 5724 the LUP and NPL have for the first time formed a coalition government, as neither a left-wing coalition nor a right-wing coalition would have had a majority or been something any party was interested in, which has led to mass protests and public discontent. In November 5727, after three years in power, the coalition collapsed due to the sudden death of First Minister Joe Schwartz, causing infighting both between the LUP and NPL and within each party, resulting in the latest early elections.

All governments formed since 5721 have faced heavy protests, as every year a major scandal has shaken Baltusian politics. In this atmosphere of disillusionment and disappointment both local and constitutionalist parties have steadily risen in popularity, as support for the establishment of a decentralised confederation and the abolition of monarchy became near universal among Baltusians due to lack of trust in national government and institutions and high trust in commonwealth governments and institutions. Similar sentiment has also led to high support for direct democracy, as representative democracy was widely seen as a failure.

In 5725 the Direct Democratic Constitutional Party, the Confederation Movement, the Commonwealth and Citizen's Rights Party, and several local parties have formed the Reform Coalition under the charismatic leadership of Anna Sofia Vera. One month following the formation of RC, it has already reached 43% in the polls, with support only rising between its formation and the election. Despite this wide support, Baltusians remain dissatisfied with the state of Baltusian politics, and the election had a turnout of 45%.

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Consequences

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Now many ask, what will a Reform Coalition administration mean for Baltusia? In her victory speech, Anna Sofia Vera has outlined her vision for the new administration. According to Vera, the first aim of her administration will be large-scale reform of regional and local administration. Currently, the jurisdictions of the federal government and of the commonwealth governments are unclear, even overlapping in some places, as commonwealth governments have taken on a larger role due to stagnation, corruption, and disinterest of the federal government that defined it for the last few decades.

According to senior sources in the RC, the coalition has already created a draft for what it calls the ‘Civic Local Executive Administration Reform Act', or the CLEAR Act, which aims to make the de facto powers of commonwealths into legal reality. Since the 5680s, commonwealths have slowly taken over decision-making over most local affairs, primarily education, welfare, and partially fiscal policy, with the Johnston government retaining decision-making power over military, foreign trade and policy, and general economic policy. It is not yet clear if the CLEAR Act will give the commonwealth governments all their de facto powers or if some decision will be returned to the jurisdiction of the federal government.

The Reform Coalition has made it clear it will pursue opening up of Baltusian foreign policy and increase in foreign trade, seeking to raise Baltusian standard of living from its status as the lowest in Northern Seleya.

In the long term the parties of the Reform Coalition intend to convene a constitutional assembly in order to draft a constitution which would establish a confederation and abolish the monarchy. Since the Direct Democratic Constitutional Party and the Republican Confederation Movement form the two largest factions in the Reform Coalition, it seems probable that the RC will push for republican confederation based around direct democracy. It is not yet known how such a constitutional assembly would be composed, but there are rumours it would be composed of the 360 representatives in Congress, 360 random citizens chosen via sortition, and 360 representatives sent by the Commonwealth governments allocated proportionally based on population. According to sources within RC, a new constitution is a long-term goal that might take over a decade.

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Young Baltusians identify with their commonwealth over Baltusia

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In recent polling done by the OurAdmin polling company, over 63% of Baltusians under 30 said that they feel more belonging to their commonwealth than to Baltusia, with around 45% of Baltusians sharing that sentiment overall. This comes as no suprise to most, as the trust in federal government is at record-low, with only 12% of Baltusians having trust in the Johnston government, compared to 67% of all Baltusians trusting their local commonwealth government.

Among politicians, the leader of the Reform Coalition, Anna Sofia Vera, is most trusted, with 34% of Baltusians putting their trust in her, followed by the governor of Santiago, Kayla Lee, who has the trust of 20% of Baltusians.

Over 80% of Baltusians support constitutional reform, with 54% supporting the abolishment of the monarchy and 48% of Baltusians supporting the establishment of a confederation. 58% of Baltusians think direct democracy would be preferable to a representative democratic system.

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Beloved science communicator Sofia Rogers celebrates her 100th birthday

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Sofia Rogers, a popular science communicator well known for her work as a presenter on the Science Now! channel, celebrated her 100th day several days ago, on the 3rd of January, 5728. Sofia Rogers started her career after finishing her studies at the San Luis Metropolitan University in 5660, when she first appeared as the host of Science is Fun! children’s science show. The Science is Fun! immediately became a national phenomenon among Baltusian children and propelled Rogers to fame. Between 5660 and 5701, Rogers was a host and showrunner of various science programmes for both children and adults. In 5701 Rogers retired to her home in San Luis.

Rogers is also known for her outspoken activism and criticism of authoritarian regimes and warnings against democratic backsliding across the world. She is a member of the left-wing regionalist Santiago People’s Party, which she has cofounded.

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Douglas Barrera resigns as leader of the Non-Partisan League after 20 years

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Following the embarrassing defeat in the recent elections, Douglas Barrera has announced his resignation as leader of the Non-Partisan League, a post he has held since 5703.

I am fully confident I have led our movement to the best of my ability, and I am sure so did many of my colleagues, but the voters have sent a clear message: It is time for new NPL. As such, I will step down as the leader of NPL immediately. I am confident new young blood which my leadership was fostering and tutoring will lead our movement to more electoral victories, and this fluke government of people wishing to tear our country apart will be relegated to the dustbin of history.

Over his 24-year-long tenure as NPL leader, Barrera has faced many controversies, such as accusations of sexual harassment of younger party members and accusations of corruption. Barrera has also faced criticism for his approach to relations with the LUP and the ABCP, as he was criticised for his coalition with the LUP by the left wing of the movement and for his coalition with the ABCP by the right wing of the movement. Barrera has also been accused of building one-man party and dismantiling interparty democracy, while preventing new members to rise to higher positions.

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Governor of Santiago: There is no such thing as ‘Athosia’

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During her visit to the local high school governor of the Commonwealth of Santiago, Kayla Lee (SPP), has said that

There is no such thing as Athosia; it is an imperialist colonialist effort of our northern neighbours to undermine Santiago and Baltusia and to once again bring Santiago under their oppressive boot.

The Duchy of Athosia was a former duchy of the Empire of Ananto and Kalistan in the territory of the modern-day Commonwealth of Santiago. The Anantonese Empire maintains its claim over the territory despite no legal basis and despite Santiago belonging to Baltusia for centuries; Kalistani revanchist sentiment remains strong. Governor Lee and her party, the Santiago People’s Party, are well known for their anti-Kalistani attitudes, as the regionalist socialist movement led by Lee finds itself in ideological opposition to the absolutist empire.