COMMISSION POLITICS

Upcoming EU Leaders’ Meeting
Commissioner Cotilla has announced an upcoming meeting in September where EU heads of government will come together to discuss and address any current issues or concerns facing the region.
 
Regional Defence and Expansion Targets Reached
Commissioner Reynels completed his regional security review and successfully established a greater consensus and endorsement of the EU’s defensive procedures. Commissioner Reynels also oversaw the expansion of the European Union to 280 member states, the region’s highest since June 2020, surpassing his initial target of 200 member states.

COUNCIL POLITICS

Commission Veto Powers
Commissioner Cotilla has proposed a constitutional amendment that would give the European Commission the power and ability to veto any Council legislation that was passed with less than 25% of voting participation from active European Councillors. The constitutional amendment is currently up for debate, where it is facing resistance.
 
Discussion on Repealing the European Space Exploration Act
A discussion on the possibility of repealing the European Space Exploration Act is currently underway. The European Space Exploration Act is responsible for the establishment of the European Space Agency (ESA), which has come under increasing fire due its alleged mismanagement and wasteful cost of funds.
 
ECB Presidential Election
Luis de Guindos Jurado of Spain was elected as the President of the European Central Bank. The ECB Presidential election was mired by low voter participation from European Councillors, which sparked criticism of how the EU elects its top bureaucrats.
 
European Border Protection Fund Act
Councillor Sofie Čikarová of Czech Slavia has proposed the European Border Protection Fund Act, which would provide additional funding to frontier states of the European Union in order to foster border protection along their borders with countries and entities outside of the European Union.
 
European Agricultural Fund Passes
Premier Juncker’s proposed European Agricultural Fund, which aims to provide economic assistance to workers of the EU’s farming and fishing industries, has unanimously passed the European Council with 7 votes in favour.
 
European Order of Merit
Eurocorps Commander Vincent Drake of the Duxburian Union was unanimously recognised by the European Council for his contributions to European security and global peace, and was subsequently awarded with the European Order of Merit. Commander Drake received his award from Commissioner Reynels who nominated him.
 
Amendments to Mental Health Act Pass
Amendments proposed by Councillor James Mizrachi-Roscoe of the United Duchies to the European Mental Health Act were unanimously passed with 3 votes in favour. The amendments decentralize mental health services away from the European Health Organization and entrust them with relevant national organisations instead.
 
Constitutional Amendment on Voting Majority Fails
Councillor James Mizrachi-Roscoe of the United Duchies proposed constitutional amendment that would have prevented the EU from fining European companies more than 1% of their pre-tax profits for breaches of European law failed in a 3-1 vote against.
 
Elected and Accountable Council Act Repealed
The Elected and Accountable Act, which requires member states with less than 12 months in the European Union to democratically elect their European Councillors, was unanimously repealed with 7 votes in favour.

NEWS FROM AROUND EUROPE

A Tale of Three Icholasens: Chairman’s Death Leads to Socialist Split
The Chairman of the Nicoleizian Communist Party, Michul Jirluchuz, quietly passed away on August 15th. Following the Chairman’s death, a power struggle seemed inevitable between the two factions of the Nicoleizian Communist Party, the TANKIES (authoritarian left) and the AÉN (libertarian left). In order to pre-emptively win that struggle, and with the support of the chairman’s widow, Cécile Laucre, the leader of the TANKIES, organised for the murder of Korojaunu Bernard Sanders and AÉN leader Carole Baskin. Shortly after, Cécile Laucre declared herself as the new Korojaunu of the UNSR. Aware of Laucre’s machinations, and fearing an imminent purge of the whole AÉN, AÉN-aligned leaders of the UNSR’s southern socialist republics announced their secession from the UNSR, establishing their own Federal Republic under the temporary leadership of President Anne-Marie David, the President of the Romain Socialist Republic. In order to consolidate their respective powerbases in the north and south, Korojaunu Laucre of the UNSR and interim President David of the Federal Republic have formed a flimsy truce and have also agreed the split the Nicoleizian capital city (Cesae Vauvra/Saint Regina) between them as a neutral zone. Meanwhile, Free Icholasen, the government in exile of the former United Dominions of Icholasen, remains outside looking in.
 
You Have No Power Here, Grimwald
August saw a major Supreme Court case decided in Elthize, which had dramatic political fallout. The Supreme Court of Elthize ruled that a fringe group known as the Unitees (who advocated for the reunification of Elthize and Leagio) as a legitimate and legal political group, and ruled that the suppression of their political beliefs have been unjust. President Greenwich Grimwald of Elthize condemned the ruling as “disgusting”, citing the group as a movement that undermines Elthic sovereignty, and requested that Parliament dismiss the ruling. Both houses of Elthic Parliament released a joint statement that also condemned the controversial ruling, slamming the decision as “"illogical and dangerous”, but their ability to dismiss the Supreme Court’s ruling remains in question. The Constitutional Court will now see to the dispute between Parliament and the Supreme Court to see if a dismissal of the Supreme Court’s ruling by Parliament is possible.
 
Election Season in Lusitania and Vettonia
Following an eventual governing coalition collapse after months of political strife, election season has now officially begun in Lusitania and Vettonia. Candidates from the Liberal Party, Democratic Conservative Union, Monarchist Party, Social Democratic Party, Popular Confederation of the Left, the National Front, as well as the pro-Vettonian and pro-Lusitanians parties, have all announced their presidential candidates. While campaigning is now underway, the election will only take place on September 25th.
 
It’s A Matter of President
The newly seceded Federal Republic of Icholasen has called an election to elect its president. Despite being led by the AÉN (formerly a faction of the Nicoleizian Communist Party), the Federal Republic has vowed to uphold free and open democratic elections, and many parties associated with the former United Dominions of Icholasen and the Free Icholasen movement are expected to participate. No official candidacies have been announced yet, but candidates from the AÉN, Socialists, Party of June, Liberal Democratic Socialists, National Awakening Party, Dairy Is Lovely and Filling Party (DILF), Milk Is Loathsome and Foul (MILF), Nicoleizian Dawn, and Parti Romain are expected to run.
 
Sofie’s Choice
Former Premier Commissioner of the European Union, Sofie Čikarová, was appointed as the Czech Councillor to the European Union by her government, following the repeal of the Elected and Accountable Council Act. Outgoing Czech Councillor, Václav Kohout, served as the leader of the Party of the European Left.
 
Let’s Get This Straight
Blue Croatia, a paternalistic nation dominated by gay men, built itself in contrast to Red Croatia, a matriarchal society dominated by predominantly heterosexual women. Blue Croatia has invited foreign guests to the country to make their case for whether Blue Croatia should enact ‘straight rights’ in order to protect heterosexuals, a controversial move that could land its President in hot water for pushing ‘the Heterosexual Agenda’.
 
Rewriting the Rules
Several major constitutional amendments have been made in Inimicus, most of which have strengthened the position of the Emperor while weakening all other governmental institutions and bodies. Interestingly, the constitutional amendments also included a clause which states that the “Empire of Inimicus is inextricably bound to the People and Government of the Confederacy of North Diessen", signalling the omnipresent influence that the Empire plays in North Diessen.
 
On the Rails
The Department of Public Transportation of Brickston has made an ambitious pledge to connect 100% of all rural communities to means of public transportation by 2050. Since 1986, settlements with a population of 100,000 and above have already been connected to national railways networks, but the new initiative focuses on smaller towns and villages, and promises to build up local buses, trams and metros in rural areas.
 
All Your Base Are Belong to Us
Troops from Spain have landed in Gadalland and Aspern, where they will be garrisoning in a newly constructed overseas military base. The military base will serve to protect Gadalland and Aspern, as well as to extend Spanish military influence in the Caribbean, where Spain has traditionally held considerable influence.
 
We Remember
Following their ascension to the European Union, the citizens of the Aether Federation have paid remembrance to the many lives lost during its 5-year long civil war that came to a recent conclusion.
 
The Little Engines That Couldn’t
Transportation woes continue in the United Duchies, this time as two major rail companies, the Central Link and the Eastern and Baltic Train, have had their franchises removed from operation due to "disgraceful tardiness". The two rail providers failed to meet a national standard that requires rail providers to have at least 95% of their trains arriving within 2 minutes of their timetabled time at 90% of stations on their route.
 
Lost and Found
Archaeologists from Czech Slavia have discovered Slavic jewelry in the Lake of Mostařanka, and have theorised that the jewelry originated from the nearby island of Dována. The discovery has flamed further speculation that the island was once inhabited by a Slavic population and could potentially be a significant heritage site of Slavic paganism. The island of Dována, however, remains out of Czechoslavonic jurisdiction and thus cannot be further investigated.
 
A Government on a Diet
The government of the Aether Federation made significant reductions in its government bureaucracy by closing or merging 24 of its ministries. In addition to streamlining and reducing the size of its government bureaucracy, the reforms were also made in part due to the large amount of ministerial-related scandals.

SPORT AND CULTURE

EuroVoice 42: Trondheim
The 42nd edition of the EuroVoice Song Contest came to a long-awaited conclusion. Ineland’s Clara Luciani walked away as the winner of the contest, winning with her song Le Reste. Clara Luciana is the first winning artist hailing from Ineland. Autoheart, representing Istkalen, claimed second place with their song Lent, while Supersister, representing a united team from Icholasen, finished third with Coffee. The European Union eagerly awaits the next contest to be held in Ineland!
 
This regional update has been issued by the Commissioner of Foreign Affairs.