News from Europe
CORSICA'S FIRST ELECTIONS. Ajaccio, Corsica. The Mediterranean nation of Corsica has held its first constitutionally mandated elections this year, as the first representatives to the nation's Parliament are elected or appointed by the monarchy. Thanks to the appointees, the conservative Party of Tradition has secured the majority, but they also surprisingly managed to win a large number of the elected seats in addition to their appointed ones. This has been attributed to the plethora of minor liberal parties, which failed to unite behind a common cause, disagreeing on a number of minor issues. The Party of Tradition, however, managed to present a common front, and a strong stance for the people on military and government concerns. They have pledged to continue their buildup of the Corsican navy for the defense of their nations, as well as preserving neutrality in Europe, and a friendship with Sardinia. The policies of the status quo won the Party of Tradition plenty of support, especially with the sheer chaos presented by the moderate and liberal parties. (+1 Stability)
OCCITANIA'S FIRST ELECTIONS. Toulouse, Occitania. As the second nation to hold its first elections this year, Occitania has at last put its new constitution as devised by King Louis III into motion. The new election has proven to be a highly contested one, but the conservative National Unity Party has been swept into office. The conservatives have pledged to continue forging forward in national security and preparing to rebuild the nation from Spain's devastating invasion during the Great War. They have promised to complete the king's program of reconstruction, and to restore the prosperity and growth of Occitania as opposed to its neighbors. The concerns of the Confederation became a key issue in the elections, as the liberal Party of Confederation began running on the platform that Occitania should consider either joining the Franco-Burgundian Confederation or at least building ties for a unified French front against German and Spanish threats. The revisitation of alliance between Spain and the Franco-Burgundian Confederation late in the campaign season led to this notion collapsing, as the conservatives rallied upon fears of another two front war. Therefore the National Unity Party was swept in, hoping to restore Occitania's former diplomatic positions and alliances. (+1 Stability)
SWITZERLAND ESTABLISHES NEW CONSTITUTION, HOLDS ELECTIONS. St Gallen, Switzerland. The Swiss Free State has established its new constitution this year, pledging the neutrality of the state, and essentially making offensive war illegal under the new law. The Swiss have similarly made note of those living under the Confederation's rule and have expressly stated in the constitution that it views those territories as naturally part of the Swiss nation. The first elections under the new constitution were held this year, and with little time between the formation of the new government and the elections, a large number of political parties were established for a fairly small population. All of the groups had varying points of view of the direction of the Swiss state, one calling for the unification with the German Economic League, and another for joining the Franco-Burgundian Confederation. There was even a small group interested in merging with the new Italian state, but they failed to gain much traction. The winner proved to be a coalition government, the Coalition of Stability, which has pledged to rule the nation under the mandates of the constitution at the status quo for until their mandate is up by the elections in 1915. (+1 Stability)
CECHY-MORAVA ELECTIONS. Prague, Cechy-Morava. As the fourth nation in Europe to hold new elections for the first time this year, Cechy-Morava had the dubious benefit of working from an already established political system with preexisting political groups. The two main contending political groups were the liberal Czech National Party and the conservative Traditionalist Party, as they vied for the affection of the population. The Czech National Party has called for further distancing from the German Economic League and efforts to established complete independence from Austria and Brandenburg. The Traditionalist Party have called for a preservation of the League, as a defensive arrangement against possible threats from Slovakia or Russia. The nationalists, claiming victory for the reforms so far conducted by the Austrians, and the de facto domestic independence they have achieved, managed to leverage this into support for their political agenda. Therefore the Czech National Party has been swept into office, with a solemn pledge to further distance themselves from Vienna. (+1 Stability)
EXPEDITION SENT TO CONSTANTINOPLE. Constantinople, Roman Empire. For the first time since the Constantinople Event occurred in 1903, the Roman government has authorized the sending of a scientific expedition to the ruins of the old capital this year. The expedition has consisted mostly of scholars from the University of Athens, but a number of foreign physicists and biologists have been hired from the University of Genoa in order to provide outside expertise. The Roman government has announced that other nations are free to participate in scientific research in Constantinople, providing they first ask and receive clearance from the government in Athens. The stated goals of the official expedition are to determine the exact site of the center of the explosion, and the official cause, as only stories exist about what actually occurred. Furthermore, they have been told to investigate a mysterious illness in the area, which has caused the deaths of several people who initially survived the explosion in the center of the city. Some are concerned about the viability of the expedition, as much of the rubble has been cleared over the past eight years due to rescue efforts and the needs of the military. There do remain some hopes that with the expedition will come a greater understanding of what happened that fateful day back in 1903.
ITALIAN SHIPS SEIZED BY SARDINIAN GOVERNMENT. Tunis, Sardinia. A number of Italian ships registered in Naples and Palermo were detained and seized by the colonial Sardinian government in Tunis this year, after it was discovered that several members of the crews were involved in the sale of weapons to Tunisian rebels. The sailors and captains of the ships have been revealed to have been involved in the smuggling of munitions to the Tunisians for the past few years, even before Italian unification, hoping to make a quick profit. Some have claimed allegiance to the Italian government, but no evidence supports this beyond the word of those imprisoned. The ships themselves have been seized by Sardinia, and no word exists on whether or not they will be returned to the corporate owners in Italy. Representatives of the Italian government have denied any involvement in shipping weapons to Tunis and have demanded the relinquishing of the ships back to their proper owners.
CALLS FOR REPUBLIC IN BULGARIA. Sofia, Bulgaria. Intellectuals and political leaders in Bulgaria have begun calling for a resumption of preparations to establish a republic in Bulgaria this year. The ideas of establishing a republic were first brought up by General Draganov in 1905, which led to a temporary truce with the Roman Imperator. Unfortunately, it seems to some that the breakdown of the truce in 1908 may have led to the death of the democratic morals of the general still leading the nation. Therefore, with the end of the war for independence from the Roman Empire, the intellectual core of Bulgaria has issued a call for the restoration of the republican cause. They have called for the establishment of a constitution and the holding of elections no later than 1913. While not calling for the general to step down, they have expressed the desire that he choose between service in the Bulgarian army or as a politician in government.
DANES EXPRESS DOUBTS ABOUT RUSSIAN RELATIONSHIP. Copenhagen, Denmark. A number of Danish intellectuals have come together this year to protest the growing relationship between the Danish government and Russia. The recent technological cooperation and economic ties have caused much concern among those seeking to avoid international conflict. The antagonism of the Russians towards the German people and the atrocities perpetrated by them have caused the Danish liberals to reel back in horror against their government's policies. They have called for an end to the Free People's Party's love affair with the Russian Empire and the binding of the two nations. They have expressed concerns that alliance with Russia will only hasten the end of Danish morals, and perhaps even the Danish nation, threatening war with the Germans and Scandinavians, placing Denmark in an untenable position.
PAPAL INQUISITION CRACKS DOWN Rome, Papal State. The Papacy has begun a nation-wide crackdown upon various dissidents and would-be rebels, seeking out proletarists and other radical groups within their territory. The Papal Inquisition has proven highly successful at this task this year, arresting over two hundred would be rabble-rousers and proletarists, who have threatened to destabilize the local government. The Papacy has declared that any activity by proletarist parties to be illegal and that those supporting this radical ideology will be arrested for crimes against the government. The efforts have proven successful beyond the Inquisition's wildest expectations, and its believed that with the success of the recent sweep through Rome and the rest of the nation, the heart of the Papal State's proletarist movement has been thoroughly gutted. Pope Paul VI has clearly come out and given speeches, claiming that proletarism is an affront to men of faith and religion as a whole. This policy has done much to regain substantial support for the Catholic Church among distanced believers in South America, as well as in other places firmly opposed to the spread of proletarism. (+1 Stability)
BROTHERHOOD GAINS SUPPORT IN POMERANIA. Stettin, Pomerania. The German Brotherhood, a liberal political party in Pomerania, has been struggling to hold on with the apparent successes of the social proletarists since the 1909 elections. With new elections not coming until 1914, the German Brotherhood has begun making a significant come back throughout Pomerania. The recent atrocities by the Russian government in Prussia and the growing strength of the Brotherhood in Brandenburg and Austria has given new life to the Pomeranian branch of the German Brotherhood. The Brotherhood has continued to call for closer ties and unification with the neighbors to the south and the German Economic League as a whole. The outcry for unifications grew louder this year as the Brotherhood called for elections in the wake of the nationalist fueled elections in the rest of the German Economic League. The Pomeranian government, while refusing to relinquish power, have promised a referendum on Germanic unification in 1912, while awaiting the results of the elections in Brandenburg and Austria. (-1 Stability)
COUP RESULTS IN BLOODY STRUGGLE IN ROMANIA. Bucharest, Romania. Violence erupted in the Russian satellite nation of Romania this year, as elements of the military sought to overthrow the monarchy and established a Romanian government for the people. The rebels managed to achieve significant success at first, driving the loyalist guard out of Bucharest and the surrounding towns, securing control over the largest elements of the military. The monarchy was fearful that the revolt would turn into a prolonged civil war like that raging in neighboring Hungary, and immediately called for aid from Russia before more army units could rebel. The Russian army neighboring Romania was immediately dispatched to quell the uprising as Romanian troops were pulled back from the front to avoid a conflict of brother versus brother. The Russians offered amnesty to the rebels before engaging, much to the surprise of all involved, but it was firmly rejected as many suspected a trick. Both sides avoided fighting in Bucharest itself, but the battles were vicious in the surrounding towns and villages. The Russians managed to successfully crush the uprising, but have promised immediate consultation with the Romanian monarchy to determine a new course for the nation.
Casualty Lists
Romania: 8 Infantry Brigades, 3 Artillery Brigades (+1 Stability)
Russia: 12 Infantry Brigades, 2 Artillery Brigades
CALL FOR DEMOCRACY IN SERBIA. Belgrade, Serbia. The ongoing war in Hungary has begun sapping the resources and potential of the Balkan state of Serbia, as the government struggles to hold back the tides of growing proletarism. The Serbian nation has long had a festering underbelly of proletarism, often cooperating and working with the Hungarian proletarist movement. These people have only grown more determined and active over the past few years, struggling to achieve the successes of Scandinavia and Hungary at home. There are those who seek reform, without completely overthrowing the establishment, however, and they have at last spoken out. They have called for the establishment of a proper national constitution and an elected government like those that have been enacted elsewhere across Europe. With the success of similar policies this year in Corsica and Occitania, it is believed that Serbia is the next European nation ripe for the formation of democracy. In an emotional appeal to King Stephan III, the intellectual community in Serbia has called for the establishment of a national legislature and the holding of elections for office.
ELECTIONS IN AUSTRIA. Vienna, Austria. Elections took place in both of the primary German states this year, Austria and Brandenburg, and to many the tone of the elections took upon the nature of a referendum on unification. The specter of Russia and the recent massacres in Prussia have dominated the elections and the minds of the German people. In Austria, the recent economic shifts caused by the agreement with Italy, the independence of the Swiss, and the autonomy of the Czechs have all led down a new road. The old guard's support base among the population has dwindled substantially, as the people look towards new answers to provide for Austria's security in these troubling times. The German Brotherhood has risen to the forefront of this political wave, and have pledged to bring about unification through peaceful means with Brandenburg, should they be elected. The elections were much closer than anyone could imagine, as the social proletarists also showed up in force, and the Brotherhood was unable to secure a true majority. Regardless, their plurality has allowed them to establish the new government in cooperation with the other liberal parties, and it seems that the possibility of Germanic unification is once more on the table for the first time in decades.
ELECTIONS IN BRANDENBURG. Berlin, Brandenburg. As in Austria, the elections in Brandenburg have turned widely into a referendum on whether or not the German Economic League should be translated into a unified nation state. The reigning Shield Party has faced immense criticism for its betrayal of the Allies during the Great War and the failure to come to the aid of the Poles against Russia. The Shield Party has responded by countering the arguments with the idea that the Poles were doomed and that no one could have foreseen the brutal nature of the Russian occupation of Prussia. Regardless of this standing point, the Shield Party was torn apart by the German Brotherhood, which has pledged to rework the German Economic League into a unified nation, and has gained wild support among the masses. The Brandenburger elections were thus dominated by the Brotherhood, which won an overwhelming majority and has assumed the trappings of political office.
DUTCH ELECTIONS. Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Socialist Party of the Netherlands came under heavy attack this year, as a number of other political parties criticized them for the stagnating economic situation in the Dutch homeland and imperial possessions. Other political groups have accused them of wasting the nation's funds on pointless social and military projects, leaving the economic system and empire in shambles. The Socialist Party has faced a vicious struggle for survival politically, pointing out the successes of its social programs and the higher standard of living that they have brought to the Dutch people. The elections proved heavily divisive, and the Socialists only barely maintained their position, losing the majority, but still possessing the largest percentage of the electorate and seats in the legislature. An uneasy coalition government has been formed with various liberal parties, as they struggle to preserve power and the landmark social reforms they have passed over their last four years in office.
ITALIAN ROYAL UNIVERSITY CREATED. Naples, Italy. King Ferdinand of Italy has spearheaded the establishment of the new Italian Royal University this year, providing substantial funding for the new campus and staff. The Royal University is stated not to be a true competitor with the respected University of Genoa, but is rather slated to be an invitation only center of research and the pursuit of knowledge. Ample books have been donated to the library, some from the exclusive collections of the wealthiest families in Italy. Elite scholars have been brought in from across the nation, while only the best and brightest students of Europe are invited to attend classes and perform research in the halls of the new institution. So far, the program has been a miserable failure, as over half of those invited have declined in order to pursue their education at more traditional universities with better established infrastructure.
CROATIA AND SERBIA CEASE FIGHTING. Zagreb, Croatia. The governments of Serbia and Croatia have declared a temporary cease fire this year, as they stand down their forces to deal with the more pressing matter of the proletarist threat. Under pressure from the international community and from the monarchist Hungarian government, the Croats and Serbs saw little choice but to come to terms. King Vladislaus IV of Hungary has pledged to respect both the territorial gains seized by the Serbs and the independence of the Croatian people, should both parties participate in the effort to reclaim Budapest and restore order. The cease fire has proven fairly unpopular among all involved, leaving few content and willing to push onward with the war. The effort has been hindered as both parties continue to maintain substantial garrisons along the new border, which will only be solidified by the conclusion of the war for Hungary.
FIGHTING CONTINUES IN HUNGARY. Budapest, Hungary. The civil war between proletarists and royalists continued in Hungary this year as both sides struggled for control over the heartland of the nation. The proletarists were given an early boost as more elements of the military, including the newly assembled conscript regiments, defected to the proletarists and mutinied from royal control. The unreliability of the monarchy's soldiers has turned into the basis of all problems in the war, as they have begun to rely heavily upon the forces sent from other groups. This has led to King Vladislaus IV effectively recognizing the independence of Croatia and Slovakia, as well as ceding substantial territory to Serbia. The proletarists kicked off the actual fighting in the war with a massive assault upon Slovakia, hoping to neutralize it and capture Zilinia, neutralizing the support of this ethnicity for the monarchy. The attack proved fairly successful, though the proletarists became bogged down and were unable to reach Zilinia, becoming stalemated in vicious fighting in the south, after suffering heavy casualties. Thankfully, the war progressed better in the south, where the royalist and Croatian armies were bogged down themselves in a stalemated fight on the southern boundary between the two factions. So far neither side have truly gained a decisive advantage, and both look to gain more support in the ongoing civil war.
Casualty List
Hungary (Proletarist): 15 Conscript Brigades, 20 Infantry Brigades, 2 Cavalry Brigades, 8 Artillery Brigades
Croatia: 4 Infantry Brigades, 1 Artillery Brigade
Hungary (Royalist): 14 Infantry Brigades, 4 Artillery Brigades
Slovakia: 10 Infantry Brigades, 4 Artillery Brigades
VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE LEADS TO REGIME CHANGE IN CONFEDERATION. Paris, Franco-Burgundian Confederation. The aftermath of the Confederation's remaining alliance with the Russian Empire has heaped enormous domestic and foreign political pressure upon the Septemberist government. The massive criticism has emerged over the Franco-Burgundian Confederation's government remaining allied with the Russians, due to their vicious atrocities against the German population in Prussia. This led to a major surge in the German Brotherhood, and a major backlash in the legislature from the German provinces. The backlash has led to a call for a vote of no confidence in the current government, which has resulted in a new Septemberist coalition being formed and a new prime minister being brought into office. The alliance with Russia has been summarily cancelled, and its seems that the political situation has begun to shift back from the brink. The situation was further helped as the government of Brandenburg called for calm and pacifism among the German population in the Confederation, further stabilizing the tense situation. (+2 Stability)
SCANDINAVIA BEGINS BUILDING NEW LEGISLATURE. Stockholm, Scandinavia. The revolution against the old regime did have some limited damages in the fighting that occurred in Stockholm, and the old Rikstag building unfortunately was one of those which burned to the ground. The Syndic has announced plans for construction upon a massive new building for the new Manniskorstag, which will feature a proposed "Avatar of the Worker" upon the stop, and is planned to be the largest building in the world in square footage and height. The new building includes a museum to the workers, the halls of the actual legislature, and a forum for the discussion of the ideals and thoughts of proletarism. All the offices of government would also be included in the new structure, including the halls of the bureaucracy and other elements needed to continue the running of the government. The new project is fairly expensive, but could be near completion by the end of next year if full funding is put forward.
An artist's depiction of the completed new halls of the Manniskorstag and the statue of the work atop it.
. Brussels, Flanders. The government of Flanders has illegalized proletarism this year, both social and traditional branches of this radical ideology. In order to preserve the peace and prevent any backlash against this policy, a major offensive was launched by the newly assembled Flemish Security Service. The Flemish Security Service has had its members selected from among the finest candidates of both the nation's civilian police forces and the elite of the military. Though most of the agency's activities have been classified, it has been revealed that they are busy working to infiltrate and dismantle any proletarist organization within Flanders. The new organization's formation has placed a great strain upon the relationship between Flanders and the socialist Netherlands, for obvious reasons. Dutch political officials have condemned this alleged witch hunt and have stated that the Flems are overreacting to events in more radical nations.
VENEZIA TURNED OVER TO ITALY. Venice, Italy. Venice has long been a thorn in the side of Austrian rule over northern Italy, but it seems that at last this issue has come to an end. The city of Venice and a number of surrounding areas have been turned over to Italy after a series of plebiscites were held. The Italian center of Venice quite adamantly voted to join the new Kingdom of Italy, as did a number of surrounding towns and villages. To the dismay of the Italian nationalists however, Trieste and a large part of what once was the Republic of Venice voted to remain within the Austrian nation. This has been mostly attributed to the large influx of German immigrants to the region which occurred in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Regardless of the cause, the key Austrian naval base remains firmly under German control and it seems that the issue has been resolved, though some bitterness remains in the hearts of the more hawkish Italian nationalist groups. (+1 Stability for Italy and Austria)
RUSSIA BEGINS GREAT STATUE OF THE EMPEROR. Odessa, Russia. The government of Russia has announced the plans for the construction of the new Statue of the Guardian Emperor to be built atop a hill outside of Odessa. This statue will be of the late Emperor Nicholas wielding a sword and shield, facing towards the Dniester River. The statue will represent the further extent any enemy will ever achieve in invading the Russian Empire, and has inscribed the terms of the surrender of Hungary upon its base. The statue is a monument to the brave defense of Odessa against the Hungarian invasion during the Great War, and stands as a testament to Russian resistance against the Allied attacks during that conflict. The statue is said to soon extend to over seventy meters in height, making it the tallest sculpture in the world once completed, surpassing the Statue of Liberty in Rio de Janeiro.
WORKER REFORM PASSED IN UNITED KINGDOM. London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. With the elections last year firmly bringing the Labour Party into control of Parliament in Britain, a number of new reforms have been brought through this year. The first of these is new labor laws under the Workday Act which stabilize the average working hours at no more than twelve per day, while forcing overtime pay to be paid to those who work longer. Surprisingly, this act faced little resistance from conservatives in Parliament, as they focused their efforts against the more intensive Common Fiscal and Commercial Security Acts that followed later in the year. The commonly called "Comfis Acts" included a fairly well received portion about increasing the availability of common and higher education, but the main argument came over the issue of pensions. The new legislation has established a token pension system which will provide a very small sum to those who retire from the work force, and has been given very limited funding. The conservatives have derided the effort as the beginning of the rise of proletarism in Britain but have been forced into silence by the small scale of the funding actually provided for the effort.
ROMAN EMPIRE ESTABLISHES SECRET POLICE. Athens, Roman Empire. After nearly a decade of constant turmoil and chaos since the Constantinople Event, the Roman Imperator has announced the establishment of a new security bureau. This thinly veiled secret police force has been established in order to hunt down and destroy those who would seek to demolish the tenuous peace established in Anatolia and Greece. The Roman government has pledged full support for this organization and has begun seeking out external security experts to help establish the institution as a part of daily affairs in the Empire. These experts have primarily come from the Roman Empire's close ally in Russia, but others have been found, including those skilled in interrogation techniques and equipment. They have proven highly effective so far, and over three dozen proletarist leaders were arrested this year during what they believed to be a secret meeting in Athens, gutting the movement for the time being in the empire. (+1 Stability)
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