Federation Free Press

[Aerandariel]

Federation Free Press
News and Opinion in the Solhaven Federation
15 Elva 1597

Chancellor Scott to embark on international tour


From our correspondent in Hyperion:
Chancellor Montgomery Scott has announced his intention to take a lengthy overseas trip to sure up the Federation's economic and political ties on Kvaenna and around the world. His first stop is scheduled to be Goldecia then Taeunas in Kvaenna, in order to sure up Solhaven's ties with the new Kvaennan Economic Community, which the Chancellor is expected to put the Federation on the path of joining in the coming weeks. This decision was long expected from Mr. Scott, but nonetheless still is a rapid change in pace in government affairs even into the third parliamentary term. Mr. Scott's decision came after lengthy back-door negotiation between the Chancellor's senior staff, the Foreign, Home and Treasury Offices and the leading powers of the K.E.C. for the last few years. Mr. Scott's further itinerary also includes trips to Adwest, the West Brigidnan Union, Severyane, the Allied States of Carpathia, A'sir, Kazemura, the Mestran Imperium, Lomarre, the Holy Lanlanian Empire, Drahen, Nyland and then finally back home.

The Chancellor's trip is a bit of a gambit, in that some of the nations on his list are known to be "aggressive, unfriendly powers yet still economically viable for foreign investment". However, the government's official position seems to point to an "centrist way of making allies of nations of all varieties".

In recent years, Solhaven's economy has tepidly grown. It has risen to the 16th biggest economy in the world as of 1595, and is considered one of the strongest economic powers in Kvaenna. The unification of the city-states as well as the formation of the Federation has sparked an increase in foreign investment and consumer confidence in the overall national economy. The gross national product of the Federation has grown at an average of 2.58% per every 5-year parliamentary term, as well as an job growth average of 63,500 per month over the last two terms. The economic surge has likely contributed to Chancellor Scott's continued popularity as well as the steady strength of the Federation Party over the last two election cycles.

Some opposition MPs, particularly those in the Union Party, believe that the Federation is having to make "too many deals with too many devils". William Decker, the Union MP for Oberon, said after the release of the itinerary, "Mr. Scott's choices of nations he wishes to deal with are problematic. They stretch from imperial regimes to communist dictatorships." The Leader of the Opposition, Jonathan Gates Archer, MP for the City of Enceladus, said in a statement, "The government's idea of a centrist way is a bit confusing. There is no middle way in allying with dictatorial regimes. The Chancellor cannot just simply say that these trade talks he wants are simply for continued economic gain."

No Union or Democratic Republican MPs have voiced any significant opposition to the possibilities of the Federation's entry into the Economic Community, though some have shown concern that joining such a conglomerate could derail some, if not all, of the economic growth the Federation has enjoyed.

[Aerandariel]

Federation Free Press
News and Opinion in the Solhaven Federation
1 Fein 1598

Alliance MPs threatening to jump ship in opposition to KEC


From our correspondent in Hyperion:
Chancellor Montgomery Scott's government is facing internal opposition to Solhaven's continued membership in the Kvaennan Economic Community from members of the Federationist-Alliance coalition. Sixty-four of the ninety-nine Alliance Party MPs submitted a letter of protest to Chancellor Scott's office as well as the Federation Ambassador to the K.E.C. Willard Decker, arguing that "our Federation's continued submissiveness to the Community pact is exacerbating a growing feeling within the nation that this government is surrendering our economic and financial sovereignty to a Goldecian-based body that does not have the people of Solhaven's interest in mind." The letter went on to ask the Chancellor for a vote to authorize a referendum on K.E.C. membership.

The government's response to the Alliance letter was one of tempered dismissiveness. Chancellor Scott informed Alliance MPs that he would not agree to holding a referendum vote, arguing that Solhaven has largely benefited from membership in the K.E.C. and that any actions taken by the government or by Parliament in general to undermine the relationship between the Federation and the rest of the continent - already generally shaky at best - would prove disastrous for Solhaven in the future.

Alliance Party officials have now begun to threaten the government with walking out of the tenuous coalition with the Federation Party over the issue. Though the number of MPs signing on to the protest is not quite enough to strip the government of a majority, the loss of nearly two-thirds of the Alliance MPs would be disastrous for Chancellor Scott and the government, as such an action might provoke other MPs to jump ship and move to the opposition.

For their part, the Union and Democratic Republican parties are largely staying out of the fray, but some MPs from both parties have shown a willingness to vote with the government on the K.E.C. issue should the Alliance Party leave the coalition. One Union MP said, "It is better to vote with the government on this issue than against it. The Union Party doesn't see the K.E.C. as perfect, but it has done us some good and to threaten it now is in our view dangerous both politically and economically."

[Aerandariel]

Federation Free Press
News and Opinion in the Solhaven Federation
21 Vintyr 1600

Election results show divided nation, hung Parliament


From our Election Headquarters in Enceladus:
In an election season in which Chancellor Montgomery Scott's Federationist government was supposed to strengthen its hand in Parliament with a backlash against the extremist parties on both sides and a general sense that the Federation was heading in the right direction, instead voters handed the government a reality check. What did they say? The government still has a lot of work to do.

The Federation Party can have it both ways in these results. Though the government failed to add seats, it also didn't lose any. Though some of their incumbents were ousted in primaries, those were in seats were in Federation-held areas as it were and were not likely to flip. The title of "Biggest Winners of the Night" can be split between the Union Party and independents, both of whom gained the most seats in the election; the Unionists added 14 and 13 independents were elected, marking the first time that independent and minor parties added up to a double digit level in the House of Delegates. The Union Party strengthened its hand when it came to opposition, but did not make a big enough splash to seriously threaten the Federationists alone. The clear biggest losers of the night were the Alliance Party, who lost a whopping 33 seats in the House. That devastating showing is the worst recorded loss of any of the four general elections, and it spoke to voter anger against the ultra-right wing in Solhaven that nearly derailed the Scott government and attempted to force a referendum on membership in the Kvannean Economic Community. The Democratic Republican Party made a modest gain of 6 seats, and while this doesn't seem to make much difference to most observers, it could make all the difference in the next House. The left-wing party moved into triple-digit territory as far as their seat count goes, and could play a hand in a coalition government or be a difference maker on key votes, especially if the Alliance continues to be antagonistic or if the Unionists dig in their heels after losing a fourth straight election.

In terms of the raw vote, the Federationists took home roughly 38% of the vote, down 1% from 1595. The Unionists got a little over 28%, up 5% from 1595. The Alliance got barely 12%, down almost 10% from 1595, and the Democratic Republicans got a little over 19%, up 6% from 1595. The lack of forward movement on the part of the Federationists is likely to cause some consternation among party leaders, especially after seeing the Unionists gain in the polls, and the near collapse of the Alliance. The fact that the Unionist share of the vote increased from 1595 is significant, as it shows that the opposition movement is slowly starting to gain traction, and is further buoyed by the fact that the Democratic Republican share of the vote also increased by an even slightly higher margin than the Unionists.

Turnout remained largely static from the last time, hovering at 74.9% of eligible voters actually going to their polling stations and voting; in 1595, it was 74.7%. However any increase will likely be seen as good news for the still fledgling government as it continues to establish itself as the central authority in Solhaven, with large sections of the population still yearning for a return to the Confederacy.