Bzerneleg parliamentary elections, 2019

 

The 2019 Bzerneleg parliamentary elections (formally the Election of the Fiftieth Parliament of Bzerneleg) is scheduled to take place on June 21, 2019. Every seat in the Chamber of Representatives and one-half of the seats in the Senate will be contested. This election is run by Bzerneleg's Federal Election Commission (FEC). All questions and enquiries can be directed to the FEC by posting them below. 

 

	Chamber of Representatives	Senate
COMPOSITION
SEATS	305	92
POLITICAL GROUPS	Conservative (184) Liberal (102) Progressive (12) Goodman Coalition (7)	Conservative (49) Liberal (29) Crossbench (Governors' Representatives): Conservative (7) Liberal (6) Environment (1)
LEADERSHIP
Presiding Officer	Francis Muhlenburg Carnegie (CON) Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives	Francis Joseph Underwood (CON) President of the Senate
Majority Leader	James Albert Wright Jr. (CON)	Charles Merrick Holburn (CON)
Majority Whip	Elaine Wang Merkley (CON)	Mitchell Aspinwall McConnell (CON)
Opposition Leader	Bernard Adelieu Cazeneuve (LIB)	Joseph Matthew Connolly (LIB)
Opposition Whip	Ralph Arleigh Norman (LIB)	John Winslow McCormack (LIB)
Minority Leader(s)	Jacob Harold Goodman (GOC)	Vacant

Historical Context

The Republic of Bzerneleg was founded on March 21, 1869 following the merging of two states: the Free Land of Bzerneleg and the Kingdom of Bzerneleg. Both states agreed to end a two decades-long Civil War by together forming and signing the Articles of Confederation, which officially merged the Free Land of Bzerneleg and the Kingdom of Bzerneleg in order to establish the Republic of Bzerneleg. The Articles of Confederation laid the groundwork for its successor, the Constitution of Bzerneleg. Under the Constitution, a new republican government replaced the old monarchy. However, some aristocratic elements are still intact in Bzerne politics and society. Several prominent families still hold major high-ranking government and business positions. The federal government was divided into three branches: executive, legislative and judicial. The executive branch includes the President, executive departments and agencies. The Parliament, which is composed of the Chamber of Representatives and the Senate, makes up the legislative branch. Lastly, the judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court and other lower courts at the federal level. 

Chamber of Representatives

The Chamber of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Parliament of Bzerneleg. It is composed of Representatives over the age of 21 directly elected for a term of 3 years from parliamentary districts allocated to each of the Republic's 13 states. The allocation of seats is based on population, which is decided by the National Census, with an average of 173,147 people per district. After serving 12 years in the Chamber of Representatives, members are entitled for their lifetime to the title Viscount/Viscountess and the honorific Sir/Dame.

The Chamber is charged with the passage of federal legislation which, after concurrence by the Senate, are sent to the President for assent. In addition to this basic power, it has certain exclusive powers, among them the power to initiate all bills related to revenue; the impeachment of federal officers, who are sent to trial before the Senate.

The presiding officer is the Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives, who is elected by and from the members thereof. The Speaker is traditionally considered as the leader of the majority party. The floor leaders of each party are chosen by their respective party caucuses.

 

Senate

The Senate is the upper chamber of the Parliament of Bzerneleg. It is composed of Senators, each of whom represents a certain "senatorial group", and Governors' Delegates, each of whom represents the government of a state in the Senate. Senatorial groups are designed to represent sectors of the Bzerne society. They include the Arts, Business and Industry, Academic, Law, Sciences and Religion. Each group is equally represented by thirteen Senators, with one from each state.

To be elected Senator, one must be 35 years old or older and have 15 years of experience in the sector of which one is running for. Governors' Delegates are appointed by the state governors and approved by such state's legislature. After serving 24 years in the Senate, members are entitled for their lifetime to the title Count/Countess and the honorific Lord/Lady.

As the upper chamber of Parliament, the Senate is vested with several unique powers. All treaties, nominations of Supreme Court justices, federal judges, heads of executive departments and independent agencies, ambassadors and other high-ranking federal executive officials need to be approved by the Senate. Furthermore, the Senate has the responsibility of conducting the trials of those impeached by the Chamber of Representatives.

The presiding officer of the Senate is the Vice President of Bzerneleg, who is President of the Senate. In the Vice President's absence, the President Pro Tempore, who is the most senior member of the majority party, presides over the Senate.

 

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Election Schedule

• May 12, 2019 - Chamber of Representatives party primaries voting
  
• May 19, 2019 - Senate party primaries voting
  
• June 1, 2019 - Chamber of Representatives party leaders' national debate
  
• June 14, 2019 - Senate party leaders' national debate
  
• June 21, 2019 - Election Day
  

(This post was last modified: 06-20-2019, 11:20 PM by Bzerneleg.)

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Party Descriptions

The Conservative Party is the oldest party in Bzerneleg, having been founded after the end of the Bzerneleg Civil War. Its original purpose is to establish a political force to defend the existence of the aristocratic values in the country's system of government and society during the drafting of the Constitution. Now, it stands for authoritarian and conservative values such as:       -  Bigger government (more government intervention and involvement in foreign conflicts and the private       sector);     -  Preservation of titles of nobility;      -  Anti-egalitarianism and a merit-based society;     -  Expansion of Bzerne diplomatic and military influence overseas; and     -  Shrinking the welfare system and lowering taxes.   Stances on Foreign Policy Issues:   - World Forum: Moderate Conservatives, who are the current dominant wing of the party, favour staying inside the WF and intend to use it as a means to advocate the country's national interests. Members on the right and extreme right want to withdraw from the World Forum as it infringes upon Bzerneleg's sovereignty and limits the range of decisions the leadership may take. - Reizen Civil War: Almost all Conservatives are united under one supreme principle: Reizen must be a democratic and capitalist country. The party takes a very harsh stance against communism and fears that the Reizen situation may cause the spread of communism in the South Pacific. There exists other very small factions within the Conservative Party that are in favour of a peaceful solution to the issue and Reizen sovereignty.

As the historical opposition party to the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party often finds itself in contradiction with its main challenger. Found by business magnate Gerald Carnegie during his successful 1888 presidential run, it is seen as a voice for the business sector in the government. The party adopts classical liberalism as its political ideology. Here's what is on their agenda for the next Parliament:       -  Implementation of reasonable income and corporate tax cuts;      -  Transformation of the current universal welfare system into a need-based system;     -  Government subsidization and assistance in the creation of new industries (technology and renewable        energy); and     -  Expansion of Bzerneleg's diplomatic power abroad. Stances on Foreign Policy Issues: - World Forum: The vast majority of the Liberal Party supports Bzerneleg's membership in the WF, since it was the party which first gathered support within Parliament on joining the Forum. They believe Bzerneleg should contribute more in the World Forum in order to help push its agenda forward and build a reputation as a changer of the world for good. - Reizen Civil War: The Liberal Party shares the belief of the Conservative Party that Reizen should become a democratic and capitalist country. However, ensuring a stable free market economy comes first and foremost. It believes that Bzerneleg could further grow its economy by taking advantage of Reizen's future economic potential.

Created during the Labour Rights Movement in the 1960s by leaders of several manufacturing and agricultural unions, the Progressive Party grew to become the third largest party in Bzerneleg. Its idealist philosophy of socioeconomic equality advocates for more workers' rights for and greater recognition of their contributions in society. Their pro-worker policies have gained a lot of traction among blue-collar workers and millenials, who are increasingly distressed over the current "libertarianesque" administration:     -  Reducing the maximum work week from 40 to 35 hours per week;     -  Re-establishment of a minimum wage of BZF 5.25 (USD 10.24) per hour;     -  Reduction of Bzerneleg's military presence overseas; and     -  Formation of a universal health care system. Stances on Foreign Policy Issues: - World Forum: On this issue, the Progressive Party is divided into two wings: the pacifists and the skeptics. The former sees the World Forum as a middleman between opposing parties in large regional conflicts. The latter, however, is unimpressed over the body's lack of competence and mandate to deal with the issues at hand. - Reizen Civil War: While the Progressive Party is left-leaning, it, except for a small amount of self-identified socialist members, does not pledge support for the Workers' Party of Reizen. It seeks a peaceful solution accepted by all parties and representative of the will of Reizeners.

Named after former President Benjamin Francis Goodman, the Goodman Coalition represents a small group of Members of Parliament who strictly follow the philosophy of pragmatic idealism. Noted by high ratings among their members for bipartanship, they are often found compromising with the other two bigger parties: Conservative and Liberal, in order have more influence in the Parliament's decision-making. The party runs on a set of moderate and centrist ideals which form a firm, unchanging foundation for their policies:     -  Protection of practitioners' right to not perform an abortion based on religious reasons;     -  Imposition of a BZF 52,000 individual campaign donation limit;     -  Extension of the use of marijuana to recreational purposes; and     -  Abolition of the estate tax. Stances on Foreign Policy Issues: - World Forum: While most members of the Goodman Coalition favour joining the World Forum, they question the organization's credibility and the commitment of its members. They plan to press the President for more actions on trade and containment of the spread of communism in the South Pacific. Some members propose leaving the World Forum and create a stronger, more effective economic and security bloc among free market countries. - Reizen Civil War: Contrary to the belief of members in the Blythe administration, the Goodman Coalition believes Bzerneleg can achieve its goals through diplomacy and if necessary, intelligence activities. It considers the massive use of the military is unsustainable due to lack of nearby bases. Some even consider backing the Reizen Independent Movement since it is a much stronger faction than the Reizen Democratic Coalition.

Born as a result of rising concerns on climate change and global warming, the Environment Party covers a particular part of constituents that had been left out by other parties for a very long time. Its core principles are environmental protection and sustainable social and economic development. Almost all of its policies are to address those principles:     -  Achievement of 100% energy independence by 2024;     -  End the subsidization of oil and gas companies;     -  Ban the use of single-use plastic in 2021; and     -  Establishment of a universal health care system.   Stances on Foreign Policy Issues: - World Forum: The Environment Party believes the World Forum to be a place where Bzerneleg can demand global change on the environment and take leadership in combatting climate change and pollution issues. As a self-proclaimed pacifist party, it favours diplomatic and non-interventionist foreign policy. - Reizen Civil War: It is strongly against Bzerneleg's military intervention in the Reizen Civil War. The party believes that the funds allocated for military actions in Reizen should be redirected for other domestic purposes, such as renewable energy and infrastructure. Furthermore, it believes that Reizen should have the right to their sovereignty and accepts the Reizen Independence Movement and Reizen Democratic Coalition as the legal government of Reizen.

(This post was last modified: 05-11-2019, 11:10 PM by Bzerneleg.)

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What foreign individuals and governments can do to influence this election?

 

While this is not recommended, government entities, businesses and individuals outside of Bzerneleg with sufficient resources and interest in this election, can stage an effort to swing the parliamentary election in their favour. While doing so, it is important to pay attention to diplomatic protocol and Bzerneleg's election laws. Here are several important election laws to keep in mind:

• Foreign nationals are prohibited from making any contribution, donation to a political party or expenditure in any federal, state and local election.
  
• Foreign nationals are also banned from making any "expressed advocacy" expenditure, such as an advertisement that supports or opposes a particular outcome.
  
• The President is able to ban individuals lawfully residing in Bzerneleg but are neither Bzerne citizens or permanent residents from making any donation or gift related to any election. The Parliament has the power to overturn the decision by a simple majority in both houses.
  

Despite all the laws that have been put in place, that does not mean foreign nationals, which include governments, are hopeless when it comes to influencing Bzerne elections. Election laws do not prohibit speaking out on issues and making expenditures to advocate their views on issues. Here are some suggestions on what you can do to influence this election:

• Express verbally your support for a particular party (doing this will not violate any election law as it is not a contribution, donation or expenditure of any kind);
  
• Deploy state-run news organizations in Bzerneleg (foreign governments may infuse propaganda into the news broadcasting, though they should be careful so as to not give explicit endorsement to a specific political party);
  
• Get involved with Bzerneleg-based lobbyists (Bzerne lobbyists are Bzerne citizens, thus they are entitled to all rights and freedoms given to citizens and are not banned from making political donations or contributions).
  

Any action to influence this election should be posted in this thread. Please bear in mind, however, that these secretive, controversial and potentially illegal actions may be discovered and investigated upon. You have 1 month left before this all ends. Good luck!

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Valkyrian political parties have made endorsements in the Bzerneleg parliamentary elections

• Parties endorsing the Conservative Party
  • Conservative Party
    
  • The New Right
    
• The Liberal Party of Valkyria endorsed the Liberal Party of Bzerneleg
  
• Parties endorsing the Progressive Party
  • Labor Party
    
  • Populists of the Left
    
  • Socialist Party
    
• The Greens endorsed the Environment Party
  

The Centrist Democratic Party did not endorse any party.

4× Cabinet minister /// 1× OWL director /// CRS member /// SPSF

My History

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GI-Land's 8 biggest political parties also expressed their moral support for different parties.

The KPHA (Conservatives) wants the moderate wing of the Conservatives to win, while the AVP (Ultra-Conservatives) see the right wing of the Conservatives as the most fit for the job to lead on Bzerne politics.
The SLP (Social Liberals) and SDP (Social Democrats) said in unisono they want the Progressives to come out strong out of this election. The Greens naturally want the Environment Party to have success.
The FPG (Libertarians) wish the Goodman Coalition best of luck. The PPG (Pirates) as well as the LGI (Leftists) wished either luck to all participants or criticised the lack of more radical forces for a democratic revolution.

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Gianluca IV
Roleplayer (active in TSP since 2016)
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Head Bartender of the Lampshade Bar & Grill


Information about my roleplay
Pacifica GI-Land, Snolland (Hazelbrust), Guardian of the World Forum, IUFA-FWC/WFWC- and Pacivision Supervisor • 
Aurora Markatt (Maura)

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Chamber of Representatives Opinion Polls

Date(s) conducted	CON	LIB	PRG	TGC	ENP
June 18-20	47%	34%	15%	4%	0%
June 14-17	48%	36%	14%	2%	0%
June 11-13	49%	35%	13%	3%	0%
June 10	48%	35%	14%	3%	0%
June 8-9	45%	33%	16%	5%	1%
June 5-7	41%	34%	20%	3%	2%
June 1-4	41%	32%	21%	4%	2%
May 31	40%	33%	22%	3%	2%
May 27-30	41%	33%	20%	3%	3%
May 26	43%	35%	16%	4%	2%
May 22-25	45%	36%	15%	4%	1%
May 18-21	44%	32%	18%	3%	3%
May 13-17	48%	35%	14%	2%	1%
May 10-12	47%	34%	13%	4%	2%

 

Senate Opinion Polls

Date(s) conducted	CON	LIB	PRG	TGC	ENP
June 18-20	62%	33%	3%	2%	0%
June 14-17	63%	32%	3%	2%	0%
June 11-13	64%	32%	2%	3%	0%
June 10	64%	33%	1%	2%	0%
June 8-9	61%	37%	1%	1%	0%
June 5-7	58%	39%	2%	1%	0%
June 1-4	57%	42%	1%	0%	0%
May 31	55%	43%	2%	0%	0%
May 27-30	56%	41%	2%	1%	0%
May 26	58%	40%	1%	1%	0%
May 22-25	61%	36%	1%	2%	0%
May 18-21	62%	35%	1%	1%	1%
May 13-17	60%	39%	1%	0%	0%
May 10-12	59%	38%	2%	1%	0%

(This post was last modified: 06-20-2019, 03:21 AM by Bzerneleg.)

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Live election coverage

 

BBC MORNING NEWS
JUNE 21, 2019  07:00 (UTC-2); 10 hours from voting

 

WALTER: Good morning Bzerneleg — I am Walter Allen-Monroe, along with my co-host, Ms. Claire Frances Penham, and this is Berneagne Broadcasting Company's Morning News. Today is a special day for Bzerneleg, as the country is electing a new Parliament. All seats for the Chamber of Representatives and half for the Senate are up for election and tonight you are going to decide your representatives for the next 3 years and Senators for the next 5 years.

CLAIRE: It's a big day indeed, Walter. Today is the final day of the 2019 parliamentary election. Parties are today fighting for their spot in the Parliament. There has been a lot of anticipation that the Conservative Party will secure another victory in this election, however minor parties like the Progressives and Environment [Party] are seeking to prevent such outcome. 

WALTER: What we saw from the Progressive Party — it started off early in the election very strong and there was even a split second of hope that they would be able to replace the Liberal Party as the new opposition party. However, it is currently lagging in the polls. It is at 15% right now. Do you think that the number is below what we or the people inside the Progressive Party expected?

CLAIRE: I think it probably is — but let's remind ourselves how far the Progressives have come. Not only is its Chamber of Representatives representation going to get tripled in size, it is also well on track of gaining a seat in the Senate. In fact, can you please show the Parliament projections?

Chamber of Representatives projections

Margin of Error: +/- 10 seats
Number of seats needed for majority: 153

CONSERVATIVE PARTY — 146 seats (-38)
LIBERAL PARTY — 93 seats (-9)
PROGRESSIVE PARTY — 47 seats (+35)
GOODMAN COALITION — 16 seats (+9)
ENVIRONMENT PARTY — 3 seats (+3)

Senate projections

Margin of Error: +/- 4 seats
Number of seats needed for majority: 40

CONSERVATIVE PARTY — 47 seats (-2)
LIBERAL PARTY — 25 seats (-4)
PROGRESSIVE PARTY — 5 seats (+5)
GOODMAN COALITION — 3 seats (+3)

(This post was last modified: 06-21-2019, 04:03 AM by Bzerneleg.)

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