Mordusia

[XanderOne]

Emperor and Minister Secretary of State in Mordusia

[Autokrator]

Government re-opens mines to boost mineral extraction industry
August 5648

Randworth - Minister Edward Harding has today signed a contract to lease the resource rights of the various mines in Trelodge and Rimly to various mining companies to resume the exploitation of these natural resources.

Originally the mining rights were held for most part by foreign companies from Vanuku. However, after the fall of the Jelbic Empire and the communist world-burnist junta took hold the government revoked their lease and re-nationalised the mines. The lease was temporarily given to a company that didn’t hold out. That was until the Reform-Labor Government choose to shut the mines for ecological reasons in their coalition agreement with the ecological green party the Wildlife Party.

The National-led government has long announced that they wished to reverse this decision. In this they were backed by the liberals of the Forward Mordusia party, who agree with the Nationals that to develop and feed the growing industry and tech sector in Luthori more raw minerals are needed. These minerals are imported from nations in Dovani and other places, however the native resources can keep prices and shipping costs down.

The lease contract was opened up to tender for competition within the nation and foreign companies. One of the biggest winners from the tender was Hexlon Imperial Mining, the Luthorian & Mordusian conglomerate. Second was MacKenzie Metals. Some other companies also won lease contracts on the mines, which were still generous and large mines. With these contracts the government remains the owner but leases out the use of the mines to these companies for a fee and a percentage of the revenue mined at the mines.

The government hopes that the economic opportunity and jobs it creates can boost investment in natural resource extraction but also fuel the target of increasing the industrial capacity of Mordusia. With this Mordusia can benefit from the high tech knowledge of countries such as Luthori and export manufactured goods to Luthori.

[Autokrator]

Mordusia to invest in navy as tensions in the region remain hot
The Rildanor question remains a hot topic
December 5664
 

 

Randworth – With the tenious situation to the south-east of the Commonwealth still precarious as the two Rildanorian governments bicker over who the legitimate government is, the Federal government of the Commonwealth has decided it is finally time to address the issue. In that manner the Foreign Minister has held discussions with top diplomats, experts and opposition parties as well as with the Luthorian Empire on the situation. The Foreign Ministry stated that the Foreign Minister will also discuss the situation with the Anantonese Empire, a fellow Seleyan nation before deciding the stance of the Commonwealth. In the meantime, however the government has announced that after years of investing in replacing the armed forces with new materials to defend the nation on land and in the air, the navy will get a massive expansion.

 
Minister of Defense Brandon Davidson announced yesterday that in response to ‘’geopolitical tensions in the area’’ the Commonwealth finally had to put its wallet and actions where its mouth is and invest in the navy. The Defense ministry has laid out the plan for a detailed upgrade of the naval forces to upgrade and expand the now lacking navy form a brown-water navy with a few patrol boats and outdated ships who can barely leave port, to a formidable green-water force that can operate independently and securely with other parts of the armed forces within the EEZ of the Commonwealth.
 
The navy will order the construction of 6 multi-role Corvettes, 5x Offshore Patrol Vessels, 1 small landing platform dock, 1 Supply ship and 6x maritime helicopters. This will be used alongside the various currently operational patrol vessels for shore patrol. The Defense Ministry in its report calls it an effort to build up a true green-water capable navy for the Schismatic Sea. With these ships the Royal Navy will be able to project power within its own littoral zone and EEZ and defend it until an allied power can provide back up, aka an Offshore Territorial Defence Navy. Such a role will probably be friendly neighboring powers with a blue-water navy such as the Imperial Navy of Luthori, who is arguably has a Major Global Force Projection Navy.
 
In sight of the passing of the new budget for the navy, the Minister announced to Parliament that various naval and maritime industries in Mordusia have gained the order from the Defense ministry already for building the ships. At least 2 Corvettes will be locally made, with the rest being ordered for purchase from friendly nations. The rest of the fleet will be made domestically. The Commonwealth government is looking towards Hutori, Luthori and Egelion or other friendly powers for purchasing the Corvettes.

[Rogue]

Saridan and Mordusia sign the Woollowilli Treaty

[Autokrator]

Elections! Third time the charm? Liberals win big
Losses on the left and right
March 5683
 

 

Randworth – Voting, the greatest democratic right we all have in Mordusia. A patriotic duty of the people to tell His Majesty’s Government which direction the Commonwealth has to go. Hopefully we vote every 5 years. Sadly, the last two governments have not found a stable government leading to two falls of the government and thus two snap elections. Yesterday we Mordusians went again to the polls, to vote for our future, for the third time in a short while. The results were shocking.

 
What happened?
Before we get into it, we will take you through what happened the last years for those who haven’t been keeping up with the various events.
 
After the 5655 elections it seemed that the Coalition and the Nationals had a harder time winning over a full majority of the seats and often had little differences in seat numbers. Either of them always won the plurality but not always the majority. This had been going on before that but has become more common after 5655. This led to either a minority government or a coalition government. The Coalition and Nationals preferred to work alone and looked to the smaller parties such as Forward Mordusia, Wildlife and even Parti Voisainaise for support. This reliance on others and unease in the main parties who were not used to this caused instability in the governments.
 
Drama on the right (5670-5675)
The main parties seem to keep this under control until the elections of 5675. Despite the worrying tensions in the world and specifically the situation in the region, the main focus was the slowing economy and the lack of action of the government led by the Nationals, who still had a minority government. The Nationals were plagued by ministers who left after repeatedly not getting support for their proposals and laws in the chamber and refusing to compromise with the Reform-Labor Coalition.
 
Failure on the left (5675-5678)
The election went well for Reform, they won 8 seats and the Nationals lost 10, 1 to Parti Voisainaise and 1 to Forward Mordusia. The Reform-Labor Coalition formed a confidence and supply agreement with Forward Mordusia after three months of negotiations. Forward Mordusia actually wanted to enter government but the Labor part of the Coaltion didn’t want to rule with the liberals, they wanted to work with Wildlife and the Ikpi rights which was not to the liking of the social liberal Reform side of the coalition. The bickering between the two blocks within the Coalition made the government unstable and resignations of party members was rampant, to the dismay of Forward Mordusia.
 
Tories and liberals bickering over policy (5678-5681)
This led to the elections of 5678 which saw a further decline of the two main parties, but with the Nationals coming on top as the largest party. Again, they worked with Forward Mordusia, who had gained 11 seats this election, this time entering into government with them to keep them appeased. However, the National ministers openly bickered with the liberals over a lot of policies leading to an early collapse of government in 5681.
 
The surprise of 5683
With the collapse of the last government the chaos went full circle as we have all seen in the last debates, media and leaks. First came out that the Reform-Labor Coalition had an internal struggle for the leadership of the coalition which caused a view of disunity. The Nationals blamed all other parties for the failures of the last governments, this overshadowed their focus on their usual topics of defense, imperial relations and the economy. The surprising candidate was the leader of Forward Mordusia, who had shown himself optimistic and level-headed despite the crisis. His campaign focused on the option and possibility of a different course for the nation under him and that compromises and team work are part of politics.
 
The results
The results were clear; the big victor was Denny Woodford of Forward Mordusia and Nataly Gibson of the Wildlife Party. Both parties won big with Forward Mordusia gaining 86 seats, ending with 119 seats in total. Wildlife went from 6 to 30, gaining 24 seats. The election was an absolute disaster for the Nationals and the Coalition. They both lost more than in any election prior, ending with 98 for the Nationals, 40 for Reform and 54 for Labor. This also sparked an end of the Reform-Labor Coalition. This gives Forward Mordusia a good mandate for start forming a government and seeking a majority. Mr. Woodford had already been given the task of His Majesty the King through the Governor-General to form a government in His Majesty’s name and seek a majority for said government.

[Autokrator]

New government under Forward Mordusia!
Politics in the centre
May 5683
 

 

Randworth – The formation seemed so hopeless, the major parties decimated and a traditionally smaller party taking a huge leap to victory. However, after two months of negotiations and discussions with various parties, Denny Woodford, leader of Forward Mordusia could announce a new coalition government of Forward Mordusia, Reform Party and Wildlife Party. The new government will in the words of the new prime-minister be ‘’centrist, progressive and environmentally sound cabinet that will bring politics back to the middle and keep it stable’’.

 
The new government under Prime-Minister Woodford will focus on educational reform, environmental reforms such as redesignating areas for protecting local wildlife, preserving more areas of the country as natural heritage and taking the historic regions of the Ikpi people into consideration and proving them with more support. ‘’We cannot love Mordusia without preserving her, her natural beauty is what makes this country so rich and special’’ said the Minister for Environmental Affairs from the Wildlife Party at the joint press conference.
 
A surprise in this cabinet is the Reform Party, one of the oldest parties in the Mordusian parliament. For a long time, it has held its coalition with Labor in tact and often won government responsibility in the vote. With its coalition with Labor broken and both itself and its historic rival the National Party being decimated in the elections, everyone thought they would sit this one out. However, the party of social liberals, progressives and social democrats was convinced by the optimism and open hand from the social liberal Forward Mordusia party to join the cabinet. They will gain the Ministry for Health and Social Services and some junior ministries.

[Autokrator]

Peace in New Endralong & Kizenia: lasting peace? Imperialism or set up for new conflict?
August 5684

Randworth - The guns have gone silent as the war in the Kerisian nation of New Endralon & Kizenia has finally ended with the governments surrender to the invading forces of Trigunia and Egelion. Though a world away the crisis has caught the attention of the international news to no end. Though domestic issues prevail in Mordusia, the plight of the innocence in Keris have not gone unnoticed in our Commonwealth.
 
The fragile state of this state within Keris is not new, long have we known that the three ethnicities in New Endralon & Kizenia fear the domination of the other over them. For long in their history have the various groups reigned with an iron grip over them, with equally long periods of shared power in a balanced union that was more build out of distrust and compromise than truly living together. War have been frequent. New Endralonian independence fights, Kizenian dominance wars and Kuzaki’s trying to protect their small communities from the others. Now a corrupt regime killing its own population to keep control. The situation in the New Endralonian, Kizenian and Kuzaki territories is not to be envied.
 
In defense of what is right and to answer the call of the cries of the innocent did the powers in the region rise up and make a bloody end to the junta who so cold-bloodedly ended lives to keep control. The Ananto Empire, Egelion and Trigunia intervened and overwhelmed the forces of evil in Keris and put this regime out of its misery. In this war each side occupied some territory and presumably took over the control of said region until the final matter was resolved. Whispers and fears in the international community have gone up that the once good-looking intentions might have turned into annexation and conquest or setting up a puppet regime. Quite disturbing.
 
It is without question that the peace plan Is more complex than just re-creating a kingdom of republic. A real question should be asked: Can the ethnic populations still live together? Do the New Endralonians who are by far the majority population in Zyldavia (67%) and Endrafold (68%) still want to be part of the same nation as the Kizenians? Zyldavia and Endrafold used to constitute the New Endralonian state within federations, confederations and monarchies. And what about the Kizenians? Do they want to split their nation or are they also ready for their own state in Tilarnia (60%) and Tiania (82%)? How is the safety of the Kuzaki guaranteed? They are the majority population in Kutohaderia with 66%. And what about the minorities in each province?
 
As you see the solution isn’t cut and dry. If a new state is formed or multiple puppet states or even annexations or maybe independent nations for the three ethnicities it might spark civil war or wars of domination as they have done for centuries. The three powers need to commit together with the international community towards a lasting peace with the right to self-determination and peaceful co-existence. This might even require peacekeeping.

[Autokrator]

Education reforms pass with broad support
The coalitions promise stands! ''For our children'' says minister
September 5685
 

 

Randworth –  As announced by the new government, the new Forward Mordusia led-government wants to radically reform the education system in Commonwealth to better serve a modern world with better technology and a globalizing world. It is the believe of the new coalition government that more central government and state-level oversight is needed in schooling and more centralizing funding to make sure everyone enjoys the equality of opportunity within the nation. Now the coalition adopted the bill in the Parliament to change and radically reform this system.

 
How our educational system works
Education was a mostly decentralized thing in our nation with various terms and starting ages across the nation. Most legislation of the curriculum was already legislated by the federal government, that change was made earlier. But most of the funding, local curriculum and rules for schools and terms differed wildly. For instance, children in Voisain start in kindergarten at age 4, kindergarten being the first year of primary school. The same applies in Trelodge. However, in Trelodge the age is 5. Coliwick, Rimly and New Orange all differ as well. In those states kindergarten is pre-school education and is not mandatory. In Coliwick and New Orange you start year 1 at age 6. In Rimly this is at age 5.  This makes the education system vary across borders and makes it harder for migrants from within Mordusia or from outside our country find it hard to understand our education system.
 
Various studies also have shown that pre-school programs and early starting in school helps in the development of children. In every study it shows that levels of education and development of a child is better in schools that start at age 4 of 5, instead of 6. And this is only talking about pre-education and primary schools, not the different webs of tertiary education for vocations or college/university. The only thing that is common amongst all states is how secondary school functions.
 
Changing the system was difficult
Changing this system was always a difficult task for political parties. For years only small reforms were enacted, reformed back or moderately changed. The Reform Party has traditionally been the party that opposed taking away the freedom of states, whilst Labor and the Nationals believed children being longer at home with their parents was good for them. This changed with the large victory of Forward Mordusia.
 
The new system
The new system will make it more uniform across Mordusia with shared terminology whilst also keeping regional flavour and input in education by the states. For instance, in Voisain and in regions within states with large Ipki populations it’s allowed to institute bilingual education, in which Luthorian and a minority language are taught side by side. We summarized the changes for you:
 
Pre-Schools
Pre-school programs will remain non-mandatory and regulated by the states, however for foreigners of a non-Luthorian speaking country or a non-Commonwealth country they will become mandatory for at least two days a week. Studies have proven this will add to the integration and learning the norms, values and Luthorian language.
 
Primary education
Primary Education will begin at age 4. Primary education is mandatory and lasts 8 years. Year 1 and 2 are now recognized as kindergarten and called as such.
 
Secondary education
Secondary education will remain largely the same. Starting from year 9 and ending in year 12. An exam or test is made from which students can graduate. They can then pass on to the next years 13 en 14 to prepare for university or they can directly go to tertiary education for vocational training by receiving vocational education at colleges. A level system will not be introduced and students can pick up other subjects next to mandated federal and state subjects. Luthorian, math, science, history, social studies are primary subjects mandated throughout their entire years at secondary school. Health education is given at year 9 and 10.
 
Vocational education
Vocational education (vocational colleges) are studies for a vocation at different levels which has four levels for which you can get different certificates. Each vocation has its own certificate level and some allow you to pass onto the next by passing a lower certification first. This remains largely the same, though vocational education is now more standardized and will transition into proper colleges and a proper curriculum that is approved by the state and the Commonwealth Government with input of the market to make sure it fits the needs of the vocation the student is learning for.  More emphasis is given to internships.
 
University
University is the other tertiary form of education given. A student passing a level IV vocational study or passing year 14 of secondary school can move to university. University gives studies on higher vocations or more general fields of studies. One can study for an associate degree, bachelor or a masters degree. The bachelor is achieved after 4 years of study and passing by a bachelor proof or writing a thesis or doing a specialized assignment. Afterwards the student can go do their masters if they have taken the advanced class on scientific research and data analyses in their third and fourth year. If not then they have to take these in an extra year. In their next two years they will work for their master’s degree which they will get after their thesis is approved.
 
Digitalizing and using electronics in education
The government also passed, with great visible joy from Jody Bell, the minister of education, a secondary bill to fast track and fund the digitalization of schools and introducing more computers. Introducing more tablets, laptops and smartboards in schools to lessen the usage of paper. Hopefully reducing the needing of buying books and using printing paper. This was a deep desired environmentally sound policy in the eyes of the Wildlife Party whilst also a logical step for Reform and Forward Mordusia to take. The funds will help schools and families with limited spending power purchasing these electronic and digital tools.
 
Private schools and special schools
The government has announced that private schools and special schools remain outside the realm of changes in this huge educational reform bill. The government has announced that it will be addressed in a separate bill. From within the coalition, it has been hinted that the different parties are not yet of the agreement on how to deal with them and how to reform them. Reform is against abolishing them whilst the Wildlife Party thinks private schools should be banned. Forward Mordusia believes more in integrating them into the public system whilst maintaining their special characteristics.
 
Easier access for studying in Mordusia and abroad in Luthori and Hutori
The Minister of Education, Jody Bell, announced with the bill on a question from a member of her own Forward Mordusia party and from the Nationals if arrangements will also be made for easier access to study in Mordusia or for Mordusian to study abroad. The minister responded in saying that she pledged to make this happen with Luthori and Hutori, saying that it is ‘’a high priority, but before we could establish that we needed to sort this out first’’. Claiming that without a clear federal system the other countries wouldn’t be able to understand it.

[Autokrator]

Budgetary crisis and cabinet troubles

First real crisis for the liberal government?

February 5686 (backdated)

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Randworth - The Forward Mordusian-led centrist government could be set to be the most stable and crisis free government of the last decade, with various stable reforms being put into place with the real major one being the education reform and the states reform that is still being worked on. However, the real first real major setback for the government came this month in the form of two big problems: Budgetary problems and political differences. These problems can only be described as hurtful and precisely the kind no government wants to have all at once.
 
The first problem came in the form of huge budgetary deficits thanks to the subsidy on fuel. It came about with the support of Labor to eleviate the cost for workers and the transport sector for the high costs of fuel and oil during the Vamasj crisis. The Vamasj network suffered several setbacks that caused huge shocks in the oil market. Currently, Mordusian Royal Oil (owned by the state, the Luthorian Oil Company and the Crown) is fully dependent on oil from the Vamasj network and Mordusia lacks its own oil reserves and refineries. This shock was stopped by creating a subsidy for oil based fuel. After the shock the subsidy for companies was abolished, however the one for citizens remained as it is very popular amongst Reform and Labor voters. However the huge cost of this subsidy was never calculated in the budget to remain on the books for years on end, causing a budgetary deficit that needs to be resolved. Forward Mordusia wants to lower the subsidy, Reform under pressure of Labor wants to keep it and the Wildlife Party wants to cut it for enviromental reasons. 

This split between the coalition partners resulted in a second problem, the political differences between the coalition partners. The Wildlife Party is not willing to budge on this issue and has weirdly the support of the conservative National Party. The leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition from the National Party, Reginald Humperdinck has called the subsidy ''fiscally suicide'' and ''typical of a leftist government'' to ''waste money''. This blowback against the coalition from a coalition partner and the opposition by the National Party is painfull, especially since the Forward Mordusia party has already a lot to prove, seeing that it isnt historically part of the mainstream dominant parties. Can the government come to a compromise to save the budget and keep the cabinet together is the big question of the day. The Prime-Minister Woodford has stated that the cabinet will come together at the end of the week to resolve the matter and put a bill before parliament as soon as possible.

[Autokrator]

Compromise saves cabinet

First crisis averted, energy solution also reached

April 5686 (backdated)

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Randworth - Prime-Minister Woodford has announced that the cabinet has resolved the crisis regarding the fuel subsidy and at the same time the budgetary crisis. Though not entirely to everyone's satisfaction, especially not the opposition of the National Party. Last month it became apparant that the coalition government suffered from an internal crisis thanks to the increasingly overly expensive fuel subsidy that was instated to stabalise the fuel prices that hiked during the Vamaj crisis. 

The Prime-Minister together with the minister for economic affairs, the minister for infrastructure and the minister for enviromental affairs made a joint statement saying that the cabinet would propose to the parliament a new bill to revise the budget and the subsidy for fuel. It will be slowly phased out over the course of 2 years. The government will instead try and solve the problems of the lacking oil refinaries and oil reserves within the country. 

To do this, the Minister for Economic Affairs, David Scott, stated that the government will invest in the Mordusian Royal Oil Company to build refineries and fuel tanks within the nation to build up oil and fuel reserves as well as the capacity to make fuel within our own borders. The current capacity is near non-existant or severally lacking, with only a few private companies holding these capacities to keep their own operations running. Most fuel is exported from either Luthori or through the Vamaj network to Mordusia. 

Originally the Oil Company wanted to hike up the prices more to pay for the costs. Though the prices of fuel and oil have since stabalised to largely the level of prior to the crisis, it remained a political sensitive topic. It could cause huge inflationary hike and economic turmoil within Mordusia. On top of that the Reform and Labor Parties arent too keen on hurting their voting base. 

 

To prevent this the government decided in the compromise that it would not only phase out the subsidy but also try and make sure the prices remain stable, even during a crisis. A deal was made that the refinery and reserves will be co-owned by the government and the Mordusian Royal Oil Company. The Oil Company can buy the government out whenever they can or want without having to raise the prices of fuel.