[DRAFT] Europe: Elections, Fraud and Secrets (by Canibull)

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EUROPE: ELECTIONS, FRAUD AND SECRETS

On 26 May 2020, the Government of Europe issued an executive order, Cabinet Order 2020, that saw the Home Secretary, Feria-Alkaline (F-A), stood down from office. The basis: F-A’s importation of foreign votes into the European Parliament.

Three days earlier, on May 23, F-A admitted to contacting private real-world friends and convincing them to create World Assembly nations, in the hope of securing the passage of the Defence Office Act 2020. Authored by Regnum Italie, the act would have seen the creation of an additional Cabinet position that served to bolster Europe’s defences against, ironically, foreign intervention.

Imperium Anglorum (IA), Europe’s World Assembly Delegate and de facto leader since late 2016, stood opposed to the passage of the Defence Office Act for a series of reasons. From F-A’s perspective, the act was neither necessary nor redundant, and so the Home Secretary resolved to support the executive’s position.

“It’s never a bad idea to have ‘the Man’ on your side,” F-A told the Northern Light.

The man in question, however, did not return F-A’s blasé approach.

Otherwise, F-A has described her actions as a demonstration of Europe’s electoral weaknesses. She strongly argues that vote rigging needs to be criminalised entirely, and that it has not been due to administrative complacency. When the Northern Light declared her a martyr, she did not reject the title.

Cabinet Order 2020 included screenshots highlighting F-A’s crimes. F-A argues that these screenshots were manipulated. IA denies any such manipulation.

On the surface, the case is rather transparent. But through its seeming simplicity, it invites speculation, and if readers are wondering how such came to pass, they can find some explanation within the confines of this article. Europe, like any region in NationStates, is not without its secrets.

Europe is one of NationStates’ oldest user-created regions, founded in 2002. Renowned for its contribution to the World Assembly, its professional legislature and its refusal to institute an endorsement cap, it has still suffered negative press. For many years, it engaged in a petty ideological conflict perpetuated by the Confederation of Corrupt Dictators (CCD). The controversial authoritarians, of course, failed to seriously damage the democratic union.

The Northern Light is repulsed to print anything remotely associated with CCD, but for once the region’s antics actually do shed light on an important feature of Europe’s governing laws. In 2018, CCD attacked Europe and installed Foucaults garden as World Assembly Delegate. The following update saw Imperium Anglorum take back the delegacy.

This transference of power was, in fact, legal. Proudly, though obviously at the risk of foreign interference, Europe conducts elections for its World Assembly Delegate every twelve hours. This approach is unique to amongst all regions of note within NationStates.

When pressed, Imperium Anglorum recounted his rise to power as Europe’s World Assembly Delegate. He fought a hard campaign against his principle opponent, Jenesia, in 2015, advocating for regional reform. Such reforms included the creation of a clear law code, the creation of a constitution, a more active role for government, and a restart of recruiting efforts.

IA has described his initial attempts to see these reforms carried as “overly ambitious.” A week after his election, he lost his delegacy to Jenesia. After a period of months, he returned to the post and began his reforms at a more measured pace. From this point onwards – late 2016 – Feria-Alkaline has existed within Europe since the nation’s founding. She served for three terms as First Deputy Commissioner during 2018 before rising to Secretary of the Home Office in September of that year at IA’s invitation.

Interestingly, September was not the first time IA had offered F-A the Home Office. On 13 February 2018, IA wrote to F-A over Discord concerning the retirement of then-Home Secretary Jenesia (the same Jenesia that had given IA a run for his money back in 2015):
“I don’t know who to replace [Jenesia] with that I can pretty reasonably trust [for the position of Home Secretary] other than you.”

Perhaps IA faced similar concerns when considering the addition of a Defence Secretary.

In any regional government, loyalty is arguably the most important quality of a regional officer. Sometimes this can come at the expense of the democratic process.
“The cabinet is comprised of Imperium Anglorum and, well, Imperium Anglorum’s cronies,” said F-A.
“The only thing elected by the people is the commissioners.”

When a movement surfaced to increase the authority of these commissioners by way of the Commission Reform Act 2018, IA opposed it. The reform act failed to carry.

F-A has also drawn the Northern Light towards some of Europe’s more authoritarian legal provisions. The Government Act 2017 includes a clause on statuary interpretation, which reads:
“Interpretation of statutory law will be vested in a ‘European Council’ composed of three persons: the Founder, the author of The Basic Law, and the current Delegate.”
“Which is EuroFounder (inactive), IA (author of The Basic Law), and IA again,” said F-A.

This clause came as a surprise to the Northern Light, but F-A was unfazed. She contends that no one really knows how IA’s power is codified, since Europe’s laws and constitution are so difficult for the ordinary person to interpret.
“This **** doesn’t make sense to me and I’ve been here for three years and Home Secretary for nearly two,” said F-A.

That said, IA alerted the Northern Light to his many publications explaining Europe’s laws.
“If others in Europe have ideas to simplify our laws or make them clearer, I would be happy to cooperate with them in doing so, as I have in the past,” said IA.

While F-A paints a bleak, almost dictatorial, image of Imperium Anglorum’s Europe, the World Assembly Delegate has hit back strongly, attacking F-A’s credibility.
“I did not intend to dismiss Feria before the Defence Office act’s irregularities became known,” said IA.

Nonetheless, he and F-A suffered past disagreements.
“Since the creation of the Moderation Committee, we have disagreed repeatedly on the enforcement of RMB moderation regulations. In one case, I asked for and received her recusal from a moderation case, as she was involved in an exchange.”
“But in most cases, consensuses emerged on the committee.”

IA also alerted the Northern Light to an incident from September 2018 involving F-A and Aweland from the region, supplemented with legitimate evidence.
“Two days after Feria was appointed as Home Secretary, she claimed to have ‘accidentally’ banned Aweland from [Europe]. She apologised to him both publicly and privately, which I had recommended.”
“I am not entirely sure that she in fact gave the apology, but she admitted on 13 May 2020 that her claim of ‘accidentally’ banning Aweland was a lie.”
“However, this did not induce me to dismiss her almost two weeks later, as I then believed that such unlawfulness would not be repeated.”

Some might argue that for IA to hold such a belief indicates a certain level of nativity. F-A had performed unlawful acts in the past, including importing votes to secure the passage of Statutory Revisions Act 2018. The same tactics that were used this May were used in 2018.

F-A has claimed that IA had a vested interest to see the passage of the revisions act. IA has denied being aware of the importation, and has in any case argued that the May importations were to his benefit too.
Furthermore, F-A has expressed concern with IA’s leadership presence.
“[He] is conspicuously not around much,” she told the Northern Light.
“The man’s so ******* distant it’s like being ruled by a wall.”

F-A also contended that IA was now more involved in the General Assembly of the World Assembly than he was in Europe’s government. To date, IA has authored a total thirty World Assembly resolutions, making him one of the most prolific legislators in NationStates’ history.

The Northern Light had no difficulty in reaching IA for an interview.

Several other nations also offered their interpretation of IA’s delegacy, confirming F-A’s beliefs. These nations requested anonymity for their own safety. F-A also expressed concern:
“I prefer not to endanger my friends.”
“I know a few who, after this debacle, have begun to more vocally disapprove of IA, but always in side servers.”

It is even F-A’s opinion that the European government is scared of its leader, whose addiction to power knows no bounds.

Both Feria-Alkaline and Imperium Anglorum were asked to describe Imperium Anglorum’s five-year delegacy in one word.
“Long,” was Feria-Alkaline’s immediate response.

Imperium Anglorum declined to comment, declaring the question “unhelpful.”

Regardless, Europe is an undeniably successful region, and whatever its politics it remains a close friend and ally of The North Pacific. The Northern Light was pleased to conduct this inquiry, and looks forward to working with both IA and F-A in the future.

For now, F-A intends to remain in Europe and work productively to “close the loopholes” she has uncovered.

IA has given his assurances to the Northern Light that legislative actions are being taken to unequivocally criminalise the importation of votes into both Europe’s elections and Parliament.'>Europe saw an unprecedented population boom, the effects of which are still felt today.

Alternatively, Feria-Alkaline has existed within Europe since the nation’s founding. She served for three terms as First Deputy Commissioner during 2018 before rising to Secretary of the Home Office in September of that year at IA’s invitation.

Interestingly, September was not the first time IA had offered F-A the Home Office. On 13 February 2018, IA wrote to F-A over Discord concerning the retirement of then-Home Secretary Jenesia (the same Jenesia that had given IA a run for his money back in 2015):
“I don’t know who to replace [Jenesia] with that I can pretty reasonably trust [for the position of Home Secretary] other than you.”

Perhaps IA faced similar concerns when considering the addition of a Defence Secretary.

In any regional government, loyalty is arguably the most important quality of a regional officer. Sometimes this can come at the expense of the democratic process.
“The cabinet is comprised of Imperium Anglorum and, well, Imperium Anglorum’s cronies,” said F-A.
“The only thing elected by the people is the commissioners.”

When a movement surfaced to increase the authority of these commissioners by way of the Commission Reform Act 2018, IA opposed it. The reform act failed to carry.

F-A has also drawn the Northern Light towards some of Europe’s more authoritarian legal provisions. The Government Act 2017 includes a clause on statuary interpretation, which reads:
“Interpretation of statutory law will be vested in a ‘European Council’ composed of three persons: the Founder, the author of The Basic Law, and the current Delegate.”
“Which is EuroFounder (inactive), IA (author of The Basic Law), and IA again,” said F-A.

This clause came as a surprise to the Northern Light, but F-A was unfazed. She contends that no one really knows how IA’s power is codified, since Europe’s laws and constitution are so difficult for the ordinary person to interpret.
“This **** doesn’t make sense to me and I’ve been here for three years and Home Secretary for nearly two,” said F-A.

That said, IA alerted the Northern Light to his many publications explaining Europe’s laws.
“If others in Europe have ideas to simplify our laws or make them clearer, I would be happy to cooperate with them in doing so, as I have in the past,” said IA.

While F-A paints a bleak, almost dictatorial, image of Imperium Anglorum’s Europe, the World Assembly Delegate has hit back strongly, attacking F-A’s credibility.
“I did not intend to dismiss Feria before the Defence Office act’s irregularities became known,” said IA.

Nonetheless, he and F-A suffered past disagreements.
“Since the creation of the Moderation Committee, we have disagreed repeatedly on the enforcement of RMB moderation regulations. In one case, I asked for and received her recusal from a moderation case, as she was involved in an exchange.”
“But in most cases, consensuses emerged on the committee.”

IA also alerted the Northern Light to an incident from September 2018 involving F-A and Aweland from the region, supplemented with legitimate evidence.
“Two days after Feria was appointed as Home Secretary, she claimed to have ‘accidentally’ banned Aweland from [Europe]. She apologised to him both publicly and privately, which I had recommended.”
“I am not entirely sure that she in fact gave the apology, but she admitted on 13 May 2020 that her claim of ‘accidentally’ banning Aweland was a lie.”
“However, this did not induce me to dismiss her almost two weeks later, as I then believed that such unlawfulness would not be repeated.”

Some might argue that for IA to hold such a belief indicates a certain level of nativity. F-A had performed unlawful acts in the past, including importing votes to secure the passage of Statutory Revisions Act 2018. The same tactics that were used this May were used in 2018.

F-A has claimed that IA had a vested interest to see the passage of the revisions act. IA has denied being aware of the importation, and has in any case argued that the May importations were to his benefit too.
Furthermore, F-A has expressed concern with IA’s leadership presence.
“[He] is conspicuously not around much,” she told the Northern Light.
“The man’s so ******* distant it’s like being ruled by a wall.”

F-A also contended that IA was now more involved in the General Assembly of the World Assembly than he was in Europe’s government. To date, IA has authored a total thirty World Assembly resolutions, making him one of the most prolific legislators in NationStates’ history.

The Northern Light had no difficulty in reaching IA for an interview.

Several other nations also offered their interpretation of IA’s delegacy, confirming F-A’s beliefs. These nations requested anonymity for their own safety. F-A also expressed concern:
“I prefer not to endanger my friends.”
“I know a few who, after this debacle, have begun to more vocally disapprove of IA, but always in side servers.”

It is even F-A’s opinion that the European government is scared of its leader, whose addiction to power knows no bounds.

Both Feria-Alkaline and Imperium Anglorum were asked to describe Imperium Anglorum’s five-year delegacy in one word.
“Long,” was Feria-Alkaline’s immediate response.

Imperium Anglorum declined to comment, declaring the question “unhelpful.”

Regardless, Europe is an undeniably successful region, and whatever its politics it remains a close friend and ally of The North Pacific. The Northern Light was pleased to conduct this inquiry, and looks forward to working with both IA and F-A in the future.

For now, F-A intends to remain in Europe and work productively to “close the loopholes” she has uncovered.

IA has given his assurances to the Northern Light that legislative actions are being taken to unequivocally criminalise the importation of votes into both Europe’s elections and Parliament.
 
Europe is one of NationStates’ oldest user-created regions, founded in 2002. Renowned for its contribution to the World Assembly, its professional legislature and its refusal to institute an endorsement cap, it has still suffered negative press. For many years, it engaged in a petty ideological conflict perpetuated by the Confederation of Corrupt Dictators (CCD). The controversial authoritarians, of course, failed to seriously damage the democratic union.
It's unclear what "negative press" Europe has suffered. As mentioned in the following sentence, CCD's antics have hardly damaged Europe's standing. In fact, I would say the CCD had never factored much into Europe's politics.

I would also make clear in the following paragraphs that Focaults garden is a Europe native who was simply second-place in endorsements, and that the elections Europe conduct for the Delegacy are simply utilising the in-game endorsement mechanic.
 
Last edited:
Minister,

Would you like an updated article with the aforementioned changes? That being done, I believe the article is ready to go to print as soon as possible, since this topic is nearing a month old.
 
Minister,

Would you like an updated article with the aforementioned changes? That being done, I believe the article is ready to go to print as soon as possible, since this topic is nearing a month old.
Sure, just post the new article below.
 
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