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RE: Saridan - Rogue - 23-08-2025
![[Image: UoIPiU6.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/UoIPiU6.jpeg)
Sonskaap - In a suprising election win, the Progressive-Social Democratic combination has won a plurality of seats in the Tasselstaat Provincial Assembly last night, defeating the SNP. While the SNP was largely favoured to win in almost every poll the new P-SD combination managed to pull a strong ground game, winning in certain electoral districts where they were expected to lose before. The previous Progressive government was relatively unpopular, prompting many to believe the polls at first. But just 4 months before the election the Tasselstaat Progressives announced that they would enter the provincial elections in a electoral combination with the social democrats. Additionally current Premier Hansie Loots announced he would not lead this new combination, instead popular social democratic lawmaker Hein Adams would lead this combined ticket.
Within the next few months they ran a near perfect campaign, travelling throughout the province and concluding the campaign with one of the largest political rallies seen in the province in years. At least 30.000 supporters gathered in Sonskaap and cheered Adams and his team, hearing them speak passionately about new and fresh ideas. The SNP ran a relatively dull campaign, trying to prevent taking harsh positions on a variety of issues in order to remain appealling to a majority. This strategy made the party nearly invisible in the campaign, with Adams and his P-SD combination gaining all the attention.
When the final votes were counted, the P-SD celebrated as the party won 36% of the vote, resulting in 38 seats in the 100 seat provincial assembly. The SNP came second, capturing around 19 seats with the smaller Federals capturing 13 and other minor parties capturing the rest. In order to form a majority, Adams has contacted the Federals in order to form a coalition government of progressives, social democrats and liberals. In his victory speech, premier-elect Adams called his win "a victory for all that want a social and just Tasselstaat". he has already announced that his first focus as premier will be the strengthening of Tasselstaat's business climate, investments into the healthcare sphere and the introduction of provincial policies regarding family leave and the introduction of a minimum wage. Federal SNP leader Andries Pienaar has refused to comment on the results, with no one from the SNP available for a comment.
The succes of the combination is helping efforts for the progressives and social democrats to run a joint list in next years federal elections, with Progressive leader Elizabeth Lombard calling it "a sign of the times" and pushing her socdem colleagues to make a formal agreement soon.
RE: Saridan - Rogue - 24-08-2025
![[Image: uH6WASM.png]](https://i.imgur.com/uH6WASM.png)
Sea of Lost Souls - Secretary of National Defense Ingdon Moulayunda has announced that the Saridanese Air Defense Force will resume and expand air patrols over the Sea of Lost Souls after decades of ending the practice. According to Secretary Moulayunda the continuation of air patrols is a necessary step in maintaining "stability and security in Southern Seleya and specifically one of our most important trade routes through the Sea of Lost Souls." With the situation in Rildanor, combined with growing uncertainty and worries over security, the federal government is seeking to maintain control and protect its interests and the interests of the wider region.
While no direct threat was named, some within the department of national defense have indicated that the government seeks to prevent the return of piracy in the sea of lost souls, as well as prevent powers from using the sea for their own interests. Secretary Moulayunda did note specifically that the SADF has been instructed to stay within the Saridanese Air Identification Zone, patrolling along its edges and performing a variety of reconnaisance missions. The navy does not yet have the capabilities to commit active patrols but is likely to participate in patrols once the first of the planned frigates enter service.
Secretary Moulayunda further noted that patrols will be combined with pilot training on certain occasions, making patrols efficient and less costly. Keeping permanent air patrols running in the Sea of Lost Souls is expected to cost the department around 200 million annually, which includes the cost of aircraft maintenance, pilots and fuel. Defense expert Jaco Bronkhorst has noted that while the patrols might enhance the feeling of security, they will likely be of little signifiance in securing the sea. While some benefit, primarily in a potentially quicker respond to security threats, is to be expected, these benefits are minor compared to the costs. "I primarily think this is the government sending a message for the future. It is clear to me that Saridan is getting serious about protecting its own and regional interests, and with this move they show that committment. But in the long term i think only a naval presence in the sea could have a significant impact. So far, the navy does not yet have the capabilities to commit to such a mission."
The SADF will be primarily flying the older Cheetah G multirole fighters for now, with modernized Cheetah G-E fighters to slowly replace the original Cheetah's over the next 4 years.
RE: Saridan - Rogue - 26-08-2025
![[Image: bdUBepm.png]](https://i.imgur.com/bdUBepm.png)
Koeistad - After a exciting electoral campaign it has become clear that the ruling Saridanese Nationalist Party will retain its position as the country its largest party, but will lose its absolute majority. The party primarily ran against a joint list of the Progressives and Social Democrats under the leadership of firebrand progressive candidate Bettie van den Berg. While the SNP also lost seats due to previous electoral reforms, which abolished the 5% electoral treshold, the party has also suffered from competition from the far-right Reform Party and a liberal Federal Party that has retained most of its seats.
In the end, the SNP captured 52 seats in the Volksraad, followed by the P-SD combination with 43 seats (a increase of 12 seats when combining the two parties their seats from last election.) In the far distance the liberal Federal Party has captured 19 seats, a loss of just one compared to last election, followed by the far-right Reform Party with 16 seats, the new Centre with 12 seats and the new Green Democratic Alliance at 8 seats.
The new "Centre" seems to hold a interesting position following this election. Jumping into the gap between the SNP and Federals this new party has created its own following of social liberal voters, dissapointed by the SNP its rightist course but also seeing the Federals as to weak on social issues. Centre seeks to position itself as a liberal party, but in favor of a pro-active and social government. With 12 seats in its first election, the party has captured a strong position in Saridani politics. The new Green Democratic Alliance has meanwhile "eaten" away some left-wing support from the P-SD. Disgruntled left-wing voters seem to have chosen for the new GDA thanks in large part due to the P-SD moderating its platform in order to gain wider appeal. The GDA ran on a firm left-wing program, also being the only party that advocates for climate justice and reparations for the Ikpi people which the party sees as "disadvantaged natives that have suffered under industrial rule." With 8 seats, the party also has a clear following.
Interesting will be the days ahead. State President Smit has once again appointed Andries Pienaar, current State Secretary, to once again fullfill the position of head of government. It will be his task to bring the SNP closer to other parties in an effort to form a government. The most likely outcome seems to be a center-right cabinet of SNP-FP and Sentrum, which would force the SNP to moderate on some key nationalist issues. The position of the State President is also likely to be discussed, as both Sentrum and the Federale Party both introduced a "parliamentary system" in their programs, advocating for a weaker state president and bigger role for the Volksraad in governance. Whether these points will gain the neccessary 2/3rd vote to make it is to be seen. For now, government formations are on the table and the country awakes from its election slumber.
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RE: Saridan - Rogue - 27-08-2025
![[Image: VMybImQ.png]](https://i.imgur.com/VMybImQ.png)
Die Republiekhuis - In the House of the Republic, the seat of government, the new ministers of the SNP-FP-Sentrum government stood to pose for the cameras. A new team, led by already incumbent State Secretary Andries Pienaar, to lead the country for the coming 4 years. The new government, center-right of nature, took the last two months to hammer out a coalition agreement that satisfied all three parties. The largest party in this coalition, the SNP, has to moderate its platform and add "water to the wine" on a wide variety of issues, all in order to come closer to the more centrist and liberal FP and Sentrum. What remains is a relatively balanced coalition agreement where the involved parties put a clear emphasize on defense, the economy and education.
The SNP under Pienaar came into the negotiations with the clear intend on continuing rearmament, willing to give in on other topics. With this in mind, the coalition agreement details that the current direction on defense will be maintained, as will the billions worth investment package pledged by the previous government. On the economy the parties have agreed to further privatization efforts and cut the amount of federal regulations, clearly aimed at introducing a liberalized market economy. When it comes to education, both the FP and Sentrum demanded additional investments into this sphere, with specifically Sentrum calling for the introduction of a new student loan scheme to allow for more students to enter higher education. These measures have also been included in the agreement.
One of the more contentious topics agreed upon in this coalition agreement is the role of the State President. Both the FP and Sentrum wanted to limit the powers of the office, making the Volksraad more important. After much debate, the parties agreed that limiting the power of the state president would require a constitutional majority, something they do not have in the Volksraad. Instead the government will be introducing several measures to strengthen the powers of the Volksraad, making sure that it is not overshadowed by the executive branch. One such agreed upon measures is the strengthening of parliamentary commissions and the ability for the Volksraad to impeach the state president, something not possible under the current law.
All in all this new center-right government will thread a new course on several topics, while remaining on course on others. The next 4 years will prove whether or not their partnership will last.
RE: Saridan - Rogue - 30-08-2025
![[Image: PNcwCPw.png]](https://i.imgur.com/PNcwCPw.png)
Koeistad - The coalition has managed to pass a comprehensive education reform package that introduces a new student loan scheme on the federal level. The proposal originated from Sentrum, being one of their main points in the coalition agreement between them and the SNP and FP. With the new scheme, students will be able to get a monthly loan of 500 dollars, with the potential for students of low income families to be granted 400 dollars more. This loan can be granted for the first 4 years of your education. If you get a delay in getting your degree, the loan stops at the end of the 4th year. The loan does not need to be repayed if you get your degree. If you fail to get your degree, the loan must be repayed with a 1% interest.
By introducing the new scheme for higher education, the government hopes to make higher education more accessible for all children, no matter their background. It will help them pay for school costs as well as housing if needed. The reform is a federal reform, which includes provisions that leaves room for provinces to do even more in encouraging widely available education. Besides the new scheme, the reform also adopts a advisory federal curriculum, increases pay for all federally employed educational employees and provides more support for local and provincial schools by the federal government.
Secretary Piet Botes of Education, Culture & the arts (Sentrum) posted on social media thanking the Volksraad for "their committment to quality and widely available education for students throughout our republic." He has pledged that once signed by State President Smit, he will immediately put his department to work in implementing the bill.