Valruzia

[Aethan]

INTERVIEW: JUDYTA KRAM, THE IRON COMMANDER AT THE HELM OF VALRUZIA

We speak with the new Valruzian Chancellor about this short legislature trigered by the Monarchical referendum

August 5708

Chancellor Judyta Kram speaking in Egelion

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Those who know her often call her the "Iron Commander". Half jokingly, half not. General Secretary of the Communist Party of Valruzia since 5704 and Deputy Chancellor of Valruzia since 5705 after the alliance with Sovereign Valruzia and the Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party, she was behind the political negotiation that ended with former Chancellor Krystian Barela's resignation and stepping aside to allow for the coalition government to be formed. A member of the Sejm since 5700, she is known for her aggressive rhetoric and for not mincing words when criticizing what she considers wrong or harmful. Considered a loyal follower of former Foreign Minister Iwan Nowik's ideology, she decided to step forward and take the party leadership away from Roksana Parzych, believing that the party was drifting too far toward “social democracy.” and in just three years she has managed to reach the highest position in national politics, following an agreement with Sovereign Valruzia and the Social Democratic–Agrarian Party as a result of the early elections caused by the referendum on the monarchy and the subsequent declaration of incompatibility by the Supreme Court of Valruzia. She is Judyta Kram, and today we have the pleasure of interviewing her.

In person, Mrs. Kram is not the firebrand one might expect from her speeches in the Sejm. She is composed, precise and possesses a piercing gaze that seems to analyze the structural integrity of everything she looks at. She doesn't raise her voice, she simply speaks with the weight of someone who knows exactly where she is going.

Journalist: Chancellor, thanks for this interview. First of all: your critics often focus on your rhetoric, calling it "aggressive". How do you define your style of leadership?

Judyta Kram: (leans back, fingers steepled) Efficiency is often mistaken for aggression by those who benefit from inertia. I am here because the current system is mathematically unsustainable for the working class. If I am "fierce" in debate, it is because I am defending the time we have left to fix this country. We don't have the luxury of politeness when there is a need for urgent change in the course of our nation.

Journalist: The 5710 elections are only two years away. After the Supreme Court's declaration of incompatibility regarding the monarchy, the country is in a delicate state. What is your priority for this short window?

Kram: My priority is to make the change irreversible through institutional reform. We are focusing on three pillars: energy sovereignty, the strengthening of local workers' councils, and the final separation of the state from any monarchist or aristocratic influence. By 5710, I want the citizens to feel the tangible benefit of a state that serves them.

Journalist: You’ve been described as a "loyal follower" of Nowik’s ideology. Many fear this means a move away from pluralism.

Kram: Pluralism is healthy when it's a debate about how to improve the lives of Valruzians. It is toxic when it is used as a shield for those who wish to hoard wealth or restore outdated privileges. I am a constitutionalist. I follow the law, but I intend to use the law to its fullest extent to protect the majority. If that makes the elite feel "excluded", perhaps they should reflect on why they feel so disconnected from the common interest.

Journalist: You are in the Chancellery because Chancellor Zagórski decided to call for early elections following the declaration of incompatibility issued by the Valruzian Supreme Court in regards to the Monarchy referendum. What's your verdict?

Kram: I'm in this position as largest force of the coalition. The Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party and especially Sovereign Valruzia, led by now Deputy chancellor and until then former Chancellor Marzel Zagórski understood that. Our agreement was based on mutual understanding and respect, and that is what we got. Some people I have heard that called for Sovereign Valruzia to give me the same treatment we demanded from them regarding former Chancellor Krystian Barela, but there was a completely different situation. And they understood it. Regarding the referendum, we voted against it in the first instance, and we advise against doing it. People believe that because we are the KPW we do not have an understanding of laws and only want to call for "revolution", but we do know what do we talk about. And we knew this would be turned down, no matter the outcome of the referendum. That's also why we called, after the declaration of incompatibility, for all those deputies that voted in favor of the referendum to step aside, because I believe it was it's duty. They failed the nation, and they should then play their part. From our part, Valruzia will have no monarch as long as we have a say in such thing.

Journalist: So what do you say about the sudden rise of the Valruzian Monarchist Party?

Kram: It's a party born from the fire of the emotion. My prediction is that they will not last long. Monarchy will NOT return to Valruzia, simply because there are not enough numbers to pass it in parliament. And people need to understand that. Of course, they can turn out in even larger numbers to support the Monarchists, but I doubt that they will ever get even close to the numbers needed. And that's it.

Journalist: But isn't that turning a blind eye to the will of the people?

Kram: "The will of the people" is a term that is often twisted and used by many to fit their own ideas. "The will of the people" cannot be a single moment, nor a situation of the current time. If there is a continuous support for monarchism over time, I guess we will need to address the elephant in the room. But again, I doubt it will come to that. It will simply fade, because Valruzians don't long for monarchism. They simply feel grateful for all the things the Nowiks have done for our nation – including our former leader, Iwan Nowik – and felt like they had to repay the debt. But it is not necessary.

Journalist: Currently, you are in Egelion for one of the most important conferences in recent times, along with representatives from Kalistan, Lodamun, Trigunia/Nadiya and New Endralon. What are you making of it?

Kram: We are taking where Chancellor Zagórski left it. We have been very clear and vocal about where we stand. In that sense, Kalistan and Valruzia have many common points, and we are making our voices heard. But overall, I believe we are working towards a very powerful and fruitful agreement that will benefit all nations present in the Conference, and will make a very powerful alliance in our part of Terra.

Journalist: Final question: You have less than 2 years to make something out of your Chancellorship before the 5710 elections. What are your plans?

Kram: My goal is, of course, to gain a full term in office. And for that, we need the KPW to regain the strength it once had, under Chancellor Nowik. It's a difficult task, but I feel up for the challenge. Valruzia has lost valuable time under different governments, but it's time to get back to work. And the KPW is the only one able to deliver the results we need. Our nation needs to progress in social rights, granting LGBT people the rights they have been long neglected such as third-gender recognition; our workers' need higher salaries; our cities need cleaner air; women deserve more equality; our military needs strength... And of course, in my 5710 plans is also to attend the Terran Olympics! [laughs]

[Aethan]

First Conference of Marshalls to deepen collaboration between Voivodeships 

Five regional presidents meet in Nowogard to discuss political collaboration and Olympics, among other issues

September 5708

From left to right: Marshalls of Chynberg, Gryfit, Kampania, Valusia and Ruzia during the I Conference

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Despite previous informal attempts, since the fall of the Morawski regime and the restoration of democracy the leaders of the Valruzian Voivodeships had failed to strengthen and develop continuous open channel communications for collaboration and development projects between the regions, which resulted in often frustrating projects being abandoned or tensions arising among their borders. But this seems to slowly being put in the past as today, the five Marshalls of the Voivodeships have met in Nowogard for the official I Conference of Marshalls (I Konferencja Marszałków) at the proposal of the Ministry of Territorial Administration.

Walenty Blechacz (Chynberg, Forward Valruzia), Milena Czarnowska (Gryfit, Forward Valruzia), Szczepan Kozak (Kampania, People's Front of Kampania), Otylia Tyszka (Valusia, Sovereign Valruzia) and Edward Rudziński (Ruzia, Sovereign Valruzia) met today inside the Kazynsky Palace, seat of the regional parliament of Valusia, to discuss a wide range of issues from transvoivodeship infrastructure to agriculture or the upcoming 5710 Terran Olympics to be held in three of the Voivodeships (Kampania, Valusia, Gryfit).

During the opening session, Minister of Territorial Administration Hugo Kijek described the conference as "a necessary step toward a more cooperative and functional Valruzia", stressing that while the country, albeit not officially a federation, had granted many devolved powers to the Voivodeships, and the most pressing economic and social challenges required coordination beyond individual regional borders. "National infrastructure does not stop at Voivodeship lines, nor do environmental risks, labor markets or demographic trends” he noted.

A major focus of the first day was transvoivodeship infrastructure, particularly rail and road corridors linking Valusia and Kampania with the southern and eastern regions. The Marshalls discussed long-delayed freight rail upgrades and the harmonization of regional investment plans to avoid duplication and bottlenecks, as well as the plan to develop a single nationwide train ticket. Walenty Blechacz of Chynberg highlighted that "for decades, regions have competed for the same funds instead of planning jointly. This conference is the first step towards changing that logic."

Agriculture and rural development also featured prominently on the agenda. With Ruzia and Chynberg representing some of Valruzia's most agriculturally intensive regions against Gryfit and Kampania's more industrialist regions, discussions centered on coordinating subsidy frameworks, water management and responses to climate-related risks. Szczepan Kozak of Kampania argued that closer cooperation could strengthen Valruzia's food security while reducing regional inequalities. "Rural issues are often treated as regional problems, but they are national in consequence" he stated.

Another key topic was the preparation for the 5710 Terran Olympics, which will be jointly hosted by Nowogard in Valusia, Szary Kamien in Kampania and Gryfitów in Gryfit. The Marshalls agreed on the need for a unified organizational structure to manage transport, accommodation, security and post-Olympic use of infrastructure, as announced last year. Milena Czarnowska of Gryfit emphasized that "the Olympics must not become isolated showcases. The infrastructure built for them has to serve citizens long after the closing ceremony".

While the tone of the conference was broadly cooperative according to insiders, political differences were still evident. Representatives from Sovereign Valruzia, Tyszka and Rudziński, underlined the importance of preserving regional autonomy whilst Marshalls from Forward Valruzia called for more fiscal discipline to avoid what they called "fiscal dumping" from other Voivodeships. Kozak, from his part, advocated against any attempt to "recentralize or share" Kampanian resources or devolved powers, in a not-so-veiled reference against Forward Valruzia's political manifest advocating for a more centralized Valruzia.

The conference concluded with a joint declaration committing to the creation of working groups on infrastructure, agriculture, culture and economy, as well as an agreement to hold the Conference of Marshalls on an annual basis, rotating between Voivodeships. Although largely procedural, analysts see the meeting as symbolically significant. Perhaps the most political movement out of this Conference has been the agreement between all the Marshalls to ask the government and the Sejm to initiate the necessary procedures to separate the regional elections from the national ones. Until now, elections for the Marshalls and regional parliaments have been held at the same time as elections for the Sejm, which, according to the Marshalls, "harms and contaminates voters' perceptions" by focusing on national issues and leaving regional issues and decisions aside. For this reason, the Marshalls are asking the Sejm to authorize a legislative change that would allow regional elections, both for parliaments and Marshalls, to be held in the middle of the Sejm's term, i.e., around two and a half years after national elections, as they believe this will give voters and the general public "a clearer view of the meaning of their vote".

"This Conference might seems as modest judging by its preliminary results, but it marks the first step towards the way to understand Valruzian regional politics" said political analyst Katarzyna Lewandowska.

[Aethan]

Kampanian government announces "Omnibus Decree" covering non-binary recognition, lowering retirement age, new university law and banning "unjustified" rent increases

Kozak government will use its supermajority in the regional chamber to pass the law; opposition criticizes movement as "electoralistic" and "non-negotiated"

January 5709

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The Kampanian regional government has unveiled what it has dubbed an "Omnibus Decree", a sweeping legislative package that bundles together a series of long-discussed reforms from different issues, ranging from civil rights to social policy, higher education to housing regulation. The decree, formally presented today by Marshal Szczepan Kozak and his cabinet, is expected to pass swiftly thanks to the governing Peoples Front of Kampania’s comfortable supermajority in the Regional Sejmik, the Voivodeship's legislature, where the party has 37 out of 71 seats.

According to the government, the omnibus approach is intended to "unlock stalled reforms and provide legal clarity in key areas before the end of the legislative term”. Critics, however, argue that the package brings together unrelated measures in order to minimize debate and accelerate approval ahead of the 5710 electoral cycle. "The FLK has had a whole legislature to make use of their majority in the Chamber to pass this laws, even separately. But now all of a sudden, they have a rush to pass them. And that's because they know they will lose their majority in this chamber the next legislature" said the leader of Forward Kampania, the regional branch of Forward Valruzia.

Civil status and gender recognition

One of the most politically sensitive elements of the decree is the legal recognition of non-binary gender identities in Kampania's regional administrative framework. If approved, regional documents, public registries and administrative procedures would include a non-binary option alongside male and female markers, and public institutions would be required to adapt forms and internal protocols accordingly.

The government framed the measure as an issue of dignity and administrative modernization rather than ideology, as well as a campaign promise by Marshall Kozak. "This is about recognizing realities that already exist and ensuring that public administration serves all citizens equally" said Justice and Administration Councillor Marta Kwiecień. When approved, Kampania will become the first and only Voivodeship in Valruzia to allow for this, which has raised questions about the state of these people in the rest of Valruzian Voivodeships.

Opposition parties, particularly Sovereign Valruzia, criticized the inclusion of the measure in an omnibus decree, arguing that such a change deserved a standalone debate and broader consultation, especially with the other regional governments, in order to prevent "a perfectly avoidable mess", as they feel like this measure is a way to "coerce" the rest of regional governments into approving similar laws.

Retirement age and social policy

The decree also includes a lowering of the regional retirement age for certain categories of workers, particularly those employed in physically demanding sectors such as agriculture, construction, and heavy industry. While pensions remain a national competence, Kampania has used its regional authority over supplementary benefits and early retirement schemes to justify the reform. Valruzia retirement age was already lowered by the government of Iwan Nowik in 5672, but the regional government wants to push further and the law instead will allow for people to retire once they have contributed for over 30 years, regardless of age

Government officials argue that the measure responds to demographic realities and labor market pressures in Kampania, where manual and industrial labor remains a significant part of the economy. “We live in a dynamic world, where there is no need to require people to work until they are too old and tired to enjoy their earned retirement. We have enough young people, we have enough workers to cover it all, increasing the dynamism of our economy while creating new jobs”. Business associations have expressed cautious concern about long-term costs, while trade unions have broadly welcomed the change, but the regional governments of Chynberg and Gryfit, both led by Forward Valruzia, have accused the Kampanian government of "disloyal competition" and have announced a constitutional challenge to be filed with the Supreme Court of Valruzia, arguing that this law "undermines the principle of interregional equality and distorts the national labor market by creating incentives for workforce migration based on asymmetric social benefits".

According to officials in Chynberg and Gryfit, allowing retirement after 30 years of contributions regardless of age could encourage workers in physically demanding sectors to relocate to Kampania in the final years of their careers in order to qualify for more favorable early retirement conditions. "Social policy cannot become a tool of regional competition" said a joint statement released by the two governments. "Such measures must be coordinated at the national level to preserve cohesion and legal certainty".

However, the Kampanian executive rejected the accusations, insisting that the reform remains fully within the region's constitutional competences. "We are not changing the national pension system, we are just supplementing it by using the regional instruments we have at hand" said Social Policy Councillor Tomasz Jurek. "If improving working-class welfare is considered unfair competition, then the real problem lies elsewhere, not within us".

New university law

Another major pillar of the decree is a new regional university law, which aims to expand institutional autonomy, reform governance structures and strengthen links between universities and regional development strategies. The reform includes new funding mechanisms tied to research output and regional needs, particularly in healthcare and environmental sciences and engineering.

Among its most striking provisions is a performance-based student stipend, a measure the government itself has called "pioneering within Valruzia". Under the new system, students who achieve a minimum grade point average of 8.5 out of 10 during the previous academic year would be entitled to receive a regular salary-like payment from the regional government for the following years. Officials stressed that the stipend is not conceived as a scholarship but as "remuneration for academic excellence" designed to allow high-performing students to study without having to rely on precarious work or family support.

Education Councillor Aleksandra Wrona argued that the measure seeks to address both inequality and brain drain. "We invest heavily in higher education, but we often force our best students to choose between academic excellence and the economic survival of their families. And that's unfair" she said. "This reform recognizes study as productive work and aims to retain talent within Kampania".

The law also introduces new funding mechanisms tied to research output and regional needs, particularly in fields such as agriculture, environmental sciences, engineering and healthcare. Through this, universities will be encouraged to cooperate more closely with local industries and public institutions, therefore aligning research agendas with regional development goals, and making the path easier for recent graduates to find a suitable job soon after finishing college. Student unions broadly praised the measure though some warned that access must remain transparent to avoid elitism.

Housing and rent controls

Perhaps the most immediately impactful measure for urban residents is the ban on "unjustified" rent increases, particularly in high-pressure areas such as Kampania's coastal cities and university towns. Under the decree, rent increases above a defined threshold would need to be justified by renovations, energy efficiency upgrades or demonstrable increases in maintenance costs.

Tenant organizations praised the move as "long overdue", but landlord associations warned that it could discourage investment and reduce rental supply. However, the government insists the policy is targeted and aimed at curbing speculative practices, and municipalities that do not wish to be included have an opt-out clause they can choose. However, the Kozak government has also warned that doing so would make these municipalities unable to qualify for the new regional funds being created to promote the construction of affordable housing, with more than 50,000 new houses projected to be built in the following years across the entire region.

Political reactions

Opposition leaders accused the Kozak government of using its supermajority to push through a politically convenient package without negotiation. “This is not serious lawmaking. It looks like a grab-bag of populist measures, quite close to vote-buying across all ages: pensioners, students, middle-class citizens...” said Forward Kampania spokesperson Paweł Romasz. However, the government rejects those claims. "We were elected with a clear mandate and agenda, and these policies were explicitly promised" Kozak said during the parliamentary debate. "We will not apologize for being granted a supermajority in this chamber to deliver results. We are doing exactly what we promised that we would do, and I don't see how that is "vote-grabbing" in any way, shape or form".

The Omnibus Decree is expected to bring echoes to the national Sejm, as the leadership of Forward Valruzia will ask the government of Judyta Kram, from the Communist Party of Valruzia, to act to prevent "unfair competition" against the "clearly unconstitutional proposals by the Kampanian government". However, the national government knows that their own survival depends on the votes of the FLK deputies in the Sejm, as without them the government loses its majority to pass any law in the national parliament.

Ahead of next year's election, opinion polls show the People's Front of Kampania is a clear frontrunner, and could even increase its majority in the Chamber.

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Other news:

• Government of Valruzia announces intention to talk with close partners, including Dundorf, Lodamun and Kalistan, to upgrade Valruzian Navy fleet
  
• Valruzia ratifies the Altéa Accords in Egelion, opening the door for closer cooperation with Trigunia/Nadiya, Egelion and neighboring Lodamun, along with its closer allies of Kalistan
  
• Valruzia to put its first national satellites in orbit by 5720: a step towards more autonomy
  

[Aethan]

Kram set to win a full mandate whilst monarchists fail to deliver

January 5710

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After a short legislative term caused by early elections following the referendum on the monarchy in Valruzia, citizens went to the polls today to elect a new parliament that will serve a full term. These are the headlines from election night, now that the vote count has been completed:

• Valruzian Monarchist Party collapses, unable to capitalize on increased votes and fulfill its main election promise
  
• Forward Valruzia once again becomes the most voted party with 21.7%, thanks to fragmentation on the left
  
• The KPW regains the top position among government members, which would allow Chancellor Judyta Kram to run as a candidate again
  
• The current KPW–SW–SPR government retains its absolute majority.
  
• Workers' Vanguard sinks below 1% in all Voivodeships and loses all representation
  
• The far-right Valruzian Alliance returns to the Sejm after several terms without representation
  
• The People's Front of Kampania continues to grow in support, exceeding 50% of the vote in the region and winning 51 representatives
  

Forward Valruzia: 21.67% (+7.38%), 131 seats (+43)

Communist Party of Valruzia: 20.70% (+2.62%), 126 seats (+15)

Sovereign Valruzia: 20.01% (+3.68%), 122 seats (+20)

Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party: 14.61% (+0.86%), 88 seats (+3)

People's Front of Kampania: 8.42% (+2.36%), 51 seats (+14)

Valruzian Monarchist Party: 7.43% (–17.09%), 45 seats (–106)

Valruzian Alliance: 6.27% (+4.17%), 38 seats (+38)

Following the announcement of the results, Chancellor Judyta Kram has called for the current government to "be repeated", as she says the citizens have delivered "a clear message".  Insiders tell us that many party officials are starting to see the People's Front of Kampania as a rival and liability, since they believe they are the main reason Forward Valruzia is becoming on top and "stopping the KPW from regaining Iwan Nowik levels of popularity", as the voting intention for the party in the region has collapsed at 10% levels.

On the right, Valruzian Alliance has celebrated their return to the Sejm, saying that people are "coming back to their senses" and tired of the "coward right" that has "failed to deliver anything at all despite many opportunities". 

It is widely expected that Chancellor Judyta Kram will soon start the negotiation round with its allies in Sovereign Valruzia and the Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party to revalidate the current coalition, so no lengthy government formation is expected. The upcoming government will have to deal, among other things, with the main event of the decade, the 5710 Terran Olympics, set just in a few months' time.

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Other news:

• The University of Nowogard rejects claims by South Dovani's Mali Thakanul that she has been approved for a degree at the University. "Everyone has to follow the same procedures regardless of their origin"
  
• Year of Terran Olympics: How is Valruzia preparing for such massive event?
  

[Aethan]

Let the 5710 Terran Olympics begin!

The most eagerly awaited sporting event kicks off with the parade of national delegations in the capital of Valruzia; the country is ready for the influx of millions of visitors.

June 5710

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After a long wait and years of preparation, Valruzia has officially welcomed millions of tourists, fans, and visitors accompanying their countries' delegations competing in these Olympics, or from other non-participating countries who simply come to enjoy Terra's sporting elite.

In Nowogard, the nation's capital, the atmosphere had been electric since the day before, with workers and security forces rushing around, checking every last detail to ensure that everything would go perfectly.

And finally, the big day arrived. The streets of Nowogard, decorated with the logo of these Olympics and the slogan "One Terra, One Spirit, One Game", were filled with lights, flashes, colors, and above all, the hustle and bustle of people traveling from one end of the city to the other, visiting venues, museums, facilities and historical sites, killing time until the time for the climax: the starting gun for these Terran Summer Olympics.

Even among locals, people were surprised by the large influx of visitors. The vast majority of hotels in Nowogard – but also in Szary Kamien and Gryfitów, the other two host cities – have hung up the "no vacancy" sign, and thanks to anti-inflation measures, accommodation prices have remained moderately affordable for the vast majority of visitors.

"The city is completely crowded" says Urszula Konizcky, 65. "It's been a long time since I've heard so many different languages at once!" says Józef Gluzc, a 34-years old hotel receptionist.

As the time draw close, and prior to the official start of the opening ceremony, each quarter of an hour drawing to the ceremony the skies of Nowogard lighted up with a drone spectacle showcasing the flag of each nation competing in the games: DING, Amudim; DING, Bianjie; DING, Dundorf; DING, Egelion; DING, Jelbe; DING, Kalistan; DING, Kundrati; DING, Luthori; DING, Mordusia; DING, Narikaton & Darnussia; DING, Trigunia; DING, Vanuku; DING, Xsampa; and finally, just fifteen minutes before the doors of the Nowogard Monumental Stadium opened: DING, the Valruzian flag over the night sky.

Józef Nowik, Mayor of Nowogard, had already announced that, in anticipation to what may happen, the frequency of underground services and buses would be doubled, and the measure proved to be necessary as thousands of people started to come in huge amounts to take the public services in order to reach the stadium in time.

As the ceremony started, the group ATOM—which will represent Valruzia at the upcoming FOMAT—was in charge of entertaining the audience during the first few minutes. After their performance, the flag parade began, with all participating athletes grouped by the country they represented marching toward the stadium, proudly carrying their national emblem. As they entered the main entrance to the stadium, spotlights projected the flag into the sky.

Following the parade, the stadium floor was transformed into a living tapestry of Valruzian heritage. Hundreds of local performers, dressed in the traditional attire of the five Valruzian Voivodeships executed a massive choreography that mixed the national ancestral folklore with contemporary electronic beats, bringing everyone to dance to the rhythm. The dancers' acrobatic leaps, synchronized with laser projections on the stadium turf, represented the flowing rivers of Valruzia, symbolizing the union of all peoples through sport "as if they were all water", while also symbolizing Valruzia's own union with the water element.

The atmosphere reached a fever pitch when a thousand-voice children's choir from Nowogard performed the "Hymn of Concord" while giant kinetic sculptures representing the native fauna of the Voivodeships – mountain goats, Konik horses, Valruzian bears and eagles, Valruzia mooses and buffalos – paraded around the track amidst cold pyrotechnic effects, all before making way for the official protocols.

As a grand finale, with all delegations now present in the stadium, the newly re-elected chancellor Judyta Kram gave the official welcome speech, celebrating "diversity" and "collaboration between peoples" in a "civic and sporting" manner.

To conclude the opening ceremony, paraplegic athlete Tomasz Kawic lit the Olympic flame at the top of the stadium by shooting a flaming arrow, which spectacularly ignited the cauldron and captured everyone's attention.

And just like that, the 5710 Terran Olympics Games are officially ON! This is the calendar for the Games:

• Week 1: Swimming, Fencing, Canoeing, Rowing, Gymnastics, Sport climbing, Triathlon, Judo and Taekwondo
  

• Week 2: Diving, Artistic & Marathon swimming, Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Cycling, Surfing
  

• Week 3: Waterpolo (finals), Badminton (finals), Table tennis, Basketball (finals), Football (finals), Handball, Volleyball, Beach volleyball, Field hockey (finals), Rugby sevens (finals), Tennis (finals), Weightlifting, Wrestling, Pentathlon
  

Tell us, which sports are you most eager to see?

[Aethan]

First week of the Games: Hosts on top, with Bianjie and Trigunia/Nadiya rounding the top 3

Sports: Swimming, Fencing, Canoeing, Rowing, Gymnastics, Sport climbing, Triathlon, Judo and Taekwondo

We are one week into the Terran Olympic Games, and of course, the first medals have been handed and awarded! With still two weeks to go, the Valruzian hosts come in first place with 20 golds, 16 silver and 14 bronzes; followed by the delegation from Bianjie with 12 golds and 14 silvers and the delegation from Trigunia/Nadiya with 12 golds and 2 silvers. Vanuku and Dundorf round up the top 5. But let's take a look and how the different delegations have done during this first week, that has been hosted along the three cities – Nowogard, Szary Kamien and Gryfitów – where the athletes have also found time to relax and pay a visit to museums, emblematic places and locals, and above all, take a lot of photographs!

1. Valruzia
The hosts couldn't have had a better start. The "host bonus" is in full sight, and the nation has shown its dominance in the combat sports of judo and taekwondo, winning 7 golds, 6 silvers and 6 bronzes across the 20 different categories. Apart from that, swimming has also been a nice touch for Valruzian swimmers, while Gymnastics, Canoeing and Rowing have not delivered the expected results, with multiple gold medalist in Seleyan and World cup canoe athlete Rafal Brodnicki becoming the sole gold medalist in the category. Gymnast Klementina Popiel, who was widely expected to aim for medal at the Parellel event, ended up in 4th position by mere hundredths of a whole point, thus leaving here disappointed. The Valruzian judo team was also left a bit disappointed, as they come into the Games as the big favorites to sweep the medals and ended up with only two golds. Their star judoka, Marek Wazliak, suffered a surprise defeat in the first round against Dundorf's Hermann König, who ended up winning gold in the category.

2. Bianjie
A very strong performance in swimming (with 9 gold medals and 8 silver medals solely in this sport) has propelled Bianjie to the second place this week, in addition to gold medals in Gymnastics and Fencing. We believe that the audience has already memorized the Bianjie national anthem, having heard it so many times when their swimmers have climbed onto the podium! 

3. Trigunia/Nadiya
Efficiency has been the name of the game for this delegation. While they haven't flooded every event, they have been lethal in the finals: out of their 14 total medals, a staggering 12 are gold. This dominance was most evident in Fencing, where their sabre team displayed surgical precision. The highlight of their week was undoubtedly gymnast Elara Vance, whose "perfect landing" on the vault for the "All" category became a viral sensation, securing her the gold and leaving the judges with almost nothing to deduct. Their anthem has become a familiar tune in the Nowogard arena that has hosted Gymnastics events, marking them as the masters of this sport. But they also reached new heights – literally. Its competitors swept the gold medal in 3 of the four categories of sport climbing.

4. Vanuku
Vanuku sits comfortably in fourth place with 25 medals, showing incredible depth across the board. They have dominated the tatami, with 4 of its 7 golds coming from martial arts, including a come-from-behind victory against the hosts in the final of Category 4 of Taekwondo.However, it wasn't all smooth sailing; one of their star triathletes, Juhn Baobaeve, suffered a mechanical failure with his bike while leading the pack and ending up running the final kilometer of the cycling leg alongside his bicycle just to finish the race, earning a well-deserved applause by the audience after reaching the finish line, albeit in last position.

5. Dundorf
Dundorf rounds out the top five, largely thanks to their high-level performance across the different sports. As mentioned, Hermann König became a national hero overnight by toppling the Valruzian favorite in Judo, but the success didn't stop there. In Canoeing sprint, the powerhouse Greta Weber secured a gold in the 1000m event, navigating the rapids with a ferocity that left her competitors seconds behind. The Dundorfian delegation has proven that they thrive under pressure, especially when playing the role of the "underdog" against the host nation. Swimming, judo, gymnastics and canoening have seen the golden stars from this nation.

6. Kalistan
Triathlon, Taekwondo, Rowing, Fencing and Swimming have given the Anantonese nation its first 5 gold medals, in presence of their monarch Empress Caroline II Ananto. Their standout athlete this week, Marcos Johnson, took home the gold in the Individual Sabre, dedicating his win to his grandfather, who passed away just a day before the event took place. There was a bittersweet moment in the Gymnastics floor exercise, where Kalistan’s top prospect slipped during a difficult tumbling pass; despite the fall, the athlete finished the routine to a standing ovation from the Nowogard crowd.

7. Egelion
Egelion has tied with Kalistan in number of medals during this first week, although one less gold and with the podium proved to be elusive for its athletes, as the country reached the top spot in number of 4th and 5th positions this week, barely missing the podium in no less than 9 times! Their Swimming team also provided to be one of the strongest, with two golds in women's categories and one of the week's most exciting moments, clinching a bronze medal in the women's100m backstroke by a fingertip– just 0.02 seconds ahead of Mordusia.

8. Kundrati
Kundrati’s delegation focused their energy this week on the tatami, and it paid off handsomely. They secured 1-2-1 medal score in Taekwondo and yet another gold in Judo out of its overall tally of of 4-5-6, winning the gold and two silvers in Taekwondo within fifteen minutes of each other, with these two silver medals proved decisive to keep the nation in the top 10 for the week.

9. Amudim
With a tie of 4 golds, 4 silvers and 4 bronzes, Amudim has brought a lot of passion to the combat sports venues, even if this did not translate into medals. Their Judo team engaged in some of the longest "Golden Score" periods of the week, showing a refusal to back down despite collecting only 1 gold in Judo Cat.5. Their week was also marked by a heartbreaking disqualification in Taekwondo for an accidental illegal strike. 

10. Jelbe
This first week, Jelbe has proved to be a strong nation to round up the top 10, with two impressive golds coming from Rowing women's singles and pairs. However, the most surprising event and one to be remembered for sure happened with its swimmer in the 400 medley men category, that ended up swimming all alone after all its other competitors had already finish and he still had two more laps to swim before finishing. Nevertheless, there are still two more weeks!

11. Luthori
Luthori may be lower in the standings, but they have captured the hearts of the locals in Nowogard. Their Rowing fours women, consisting of no less than... four sisters!, managed to secure the gold medal in a photo-finish against the Valruzian hosts that required almost five minutes of video review to confirm. They also saw success in Sport Climbing, where their lead climber managed to reach the highest point of the wall before the time ran out, securing a podium spot that many analysts hadn't predicted at the start of the week.

12. Mordusia
Mordusia’s first week was perhaps a story of "what could have been". They were incredibly close to the podium in several Swimming events, often finishing 4th or 5th, and out of its 12 medals collected this week, 9 have been bronzes. However, they found their redemption in Judo, Gymnastics and Canoeing, winning their 3 golds for the week as their heavyweights used their reach advantage to secure the nation’s winnings. Their athletes have been frequent visitors to the museums of Szary Kamien, with many posting on social media that the cultural experience has been just as rewarding as the competition itself.

13. Xsampa
The Xsampan delegation has won a single gold but has caressed glory many times, with as many as 7 silver medals to add to their tally for the week, including in Artistic gymnastics Parallel for men, where its gymnast Ngapoi Nawang Jigme scored just 0.002 below the eventual Egelian winner. Still, the team has earned a respectable 13 medals overall for this first week, and surely many more to come! 

14. Narikaton and Darnussia
The infamous last place for the week had to go for one nation, and this time it is Narikaton and Darnussia. Its only gold medal has come from Canoeing sprint 500m men, to add to the silver and bronze medals the nation won also in the Canoeing sport, a third of its total tally. Narikaton’s highlight was a surprise bronze in Gymnastics (Rhythmic), where their use of traditional Valruzian music in the routine charmed both the judges and the audience and earned a huge round of applaus. Now the nation will be looking toward the athletics events in the coming weeks to see if they can climb the ladder.

Final standings after week 1:

[Aethan]

Second week of the Games: Hosts and Bianjie remain on top with Vanuku overtaking Trigunia/Nadiya for the 3rd place 

Sports: Diving, Artistic & Marathon swimming, Archery, Athletics, Boxing, Cycling and Surfing

Medal standings after week 2

And just like that, another week has passed for the 5710 Terran Olympics. Valruzian hosts remain in first place with 25 golds, 24 silver and 29 bronzes; followed by the delegation from Bianjie with 18 golds, 20 silvers and 13 bronzes and the delegation from Vanuku, that has taken the 3rd place by overcoming Trigunia/Nadiya, which falls to the 4th place; and Dundorf remaining in a solid 5th. But let's take a look and how the different delegations have done during this second week, as the competition heats up and already more than 470 medals have been awarded! How have nations fared? Find out below!

1. Valruzia
The hosts remain on top of the ranking, but with a notable decrease in this week's golden medals. Out of the 71 events of last week, only 5 more golds were added to its total count. Enough to remain on top, but underperformance for the expectations. In artistic and marathon swimming, the Valruzian team nevertheless managed to get in the podium in all categories (Duet and Teams in artistic and men and women in Marathon). Perhaps the biggest disappointment was for Valruzian boxer Jacek Woswski, who came to the Games as the big favorite to win in the men's Heavy category but had to comfort himself with a bronze after losing to eventual winner from Mordusia. 

2. Bianjie
A huge boost for second-ranked team in the second week. The team reaped 3 golds and 2 silvers in Archery, becoming the underdogs in this modality. The Bianjian team also set a new Olympic record in the 4x100m relay Men after winning gold, sparking huge cheers from the many locals in the crowd. 

3. Vanuku
The Majatran nation has become the big surprise of this week, almost tripling the gold medals from last week events and doubling its total medal count, including 1 gold, 2 silvers and 2 bronzes in Archery and the two top positions in Javelin (for men and women) and an astonishing 6 gold medals, 2 silver and 2 bronzes across all 14 categories in Boxing. Despite same golden medals, its total count and these silver and bronzes have been enough to overcome last week's 3rd placers Trigunia/Nadiya for the overall podium. 

4. Trigunia/Nadiya
The now fourth-raking nation also more doubled its total medal count, but coming mostly as the result of a huge lap in silver and bronze medals. 6 silvers and 4 bronzes. From its six new golds, all of them came from women events, a huge boost for Trigunia's national pride. 

5. Dundorf
Another nation that has boosted incredibly its ranking, both in total medal count and in gold medals. Jörgen Strausser, its representative in Pole Vault, who had to overcome a knee injury just six months ago, surprised everyone by placing first with more than 20cm's difference from second-placed hosts, who were the early favorites in the category precisely due to the injury. Dundorf's cycling team also was a source of pride for the nation, with 2 golds and 2 silvers added to its medal tally. 

6. Amudim
Going up three positions in the ranking, Amudim. Despite a disqualification for its boxer in the Boxing Heavy category for failing to pass the pessage, the Amudim team compensated in both Cycling and Athletics, winning enough medals to pass above many nations previously on top of them.

7. Mordusia
The top climber of the week, Mordusia, went from 3 golds to 10, including a gold in the men's Surfing event that caught everyone completely off-guard, and the men's triple jump that was earned by a mere 0.01m against second-placed Bianjie, that needed a five-minute review and discussion by the Terran Olympic team. 

8. Kalistan
Four golds were not enough to keep the Seleyan team in the top-6. Despite that, the team complied with expectations and earned a gold in women's surfing by huge numbers against second-placed Amudim; and the women's marathon swimming as a surprise medal thanks to the excellent performance of its swimmer Miranda Esteban. Perhaps the most notable disappointment was its 5th-placed male surfing competitor, who had to deal with complicated situation at the sea and was not able to perform at his best.

9. Luthori
Another excellent performance by the women's side, with 4 of its 5 new golds coming from them (race cycling road, marathon, 400m and diving 3m springboard) and the only exception of men's light Boxing. A beautiful Olympic gesture came from the women's marathon, after the Dundorfian runner twisted her ankle and Martha Knowles, the Luthorian athlete, stopped for a brief moment to help her get up and continue the race to eventually come first.

10. Xsampa
From 1 to 7 gold medals, a golden climbing. When we talked with its Olympic federation president, they told us this was "completely unexpected", but that they hoped this trend continued for the following and last week. 2 golds in cycling and 1 in boxing complemented the other 3 gold medals.

11. Egelion
2 more golds, in diving and 100m women, were not enough to push the Egelian team further up. And underperformance for this week, the Egelian team expects to improve their ranking next week, after a fatal disaster week that was commented by reporters across the nation. 

12. Kundrati
Another nation dropping in the total medal ranking, also 2 gold medals added, in women's long jump setting a new Olympic record; and athletics 400m men. Along with Egelion, another team underperforming. But hey, this is the Olympics right? Some must win and some must lose, and the winner takes it all! Still, a lot of 5ths and 6ths coming their way. 

13. Narikaton and Darnussia
One single gold no more! Narikaton climbs up from the last spot thanks to its performance in high jump, triple jump, shot put and boxing. Still at the bottom of the table, but now winning track to try and perform better.

14. Jelbe
Sadly, there has to be a last-placeholder. And this week is Jelbe after failing to get any gold medals. Still, a good performance for the Majatran team in Boxing and in the silver medals ranking, but as we work it, gold medals count more! Let's hope for them to improve next week!

[Aethan]

Final week of the Games: Victory for Valruzian hosts with eleven nations over 10 gold medals! 

Sports: Waterpolo (finals), Badminton (finals), Table tennis, Basketball (finals), Football (finals), Handball, Volleyball, Beach volleyball, Field hockey (finals), Rugby sevens (finals), Tennis (finals), Weightlifting, Wrestling, Pentathlon

Final medal standings

In the blink of an eye, the 5710 Terran Olympics have come to an end, with a successful delivery for the locals, who have ended up with over 100 medals, evenly distributed among golds, silvers and bronzes. Bianjie and Vanuku have completed the top 3, with Dundorf barely missing it due to a lower number of silvers. Overall, 666 medals (222 golds, 222 silvers and 222 bronzes) have been awarded during this tournament. As the finals for many team sports have happened this last week, along with weightlifting, wrestling and pentathlon, let's find out the fate of each of the 14 participating nations!

1. Valruzia
5 golds and 5 silvers were won by the host just in Wrestling, Valruzia's top sport. Apart from that, the men's waterpolo team, the men's rugby team and Pawek Marziak in badminton men's singles and Tomasz Kawlok in Weightlifting completed the total number of golds earned by Valruzia this last week. Apart from that, notably two silvers, in both basketball categories, were a special gift for the hosts. The most celebrated gold came from Tobiasz Klének, disciple of Valruzian "Golden Boy" wrestler and current Marshall of Kampania Szczepan Kozak. His medal, along with the last-time medal won in waterpolo against the Luthorian team, pushed the hosts over the 100-medal tally.

2. Bianjie
As it has been during the whole Olympics, Bianjie has ended up as the second-placed nation with 25 golds, 24 silvers and 17 bronzes. With 7 golds won this last week, Bianjie surprised everyone when its top tennis player snatched the gold medals in a thrilling match against the Mordusian player, in a final that lasted over 5 hours and had everyone barely managed to be seated. Not only that, but its men's football team also managed to defeat Narikaton in the final by a 4-1 score that no one saw coming. Overall, the Bianjian team goes home with 66 medals and a huge list of new famous athletes to boast about.

3. Vanuku
Final third-placer Vanuku takes home 22 golds, 21 silvers and the same number of bronzes. Despite a low-level performance for this week with only 4 golds won – women's beach volleyball, women's rugby sevens, women's weightlifting cat. 5 and women's wrestling freestyle Cat.1 – the Vanukean team goes home proud of their representatives, as only two medals separated them from the second place in the total medal count. Its female football team, who already surprised everyone by defeating the hosts in the quarterfinals by a last-time goal, couldn't repeat the feat during the finals, but have still made a name of themselves already.

4. Trigunia/Nadiya
The top-Kerisian nation in the ranking, they could only add two more golds during this last week, in both in tennis (men's doubles and women's team), but thanks to its 5 silver medals – including women's waterpolo and men's volleyball, both lost to the Kalistani team – it was enough not to lose their 4th overall ranking. 

5. Dundorf
The other nation in the ranking with over 20 golds, Dundorf earned an impressive 7 new gold medals during this last week, including both of Badminton doubles and women's volleyball, and four further golds in Wrestling, becoming a powerhouse in the category just behind Valruzia. Its men's tennis team, both men and women, failed to fill up the expectations and had to conform themselves with both bronzes, buth with a total tally of 48 medals, the Dundorfian team is surely going to be received like heroes at home soil. 

6. Kalistan
Climbing up from 8th place, this week has been a delight for the Anantonese team, who was brought home 8 further gold medals, the second biggest number of golds for this week's sports. Its women's team in waterpolo team and table tennis, its badminton representative Clara Downhill, its men's volleyball team and its tennis player Monica Mascot earned their medals barely 30 minutes within each other, with further golds coming from wrestling, weightlifting and the well-celebrated pentathlon gold. Overall, with 17 golds and 39 total medals, the North-Seleyan team has defied expectations and become a name of their own, in the presence of their Empress, who has faithfully watched many of its national representatives. 

7. Mordusia
4 further gold medals, along with 6 silvers and bronzes, have kept Mordusia in 7th place. Its men's tennis team was the cherry on the cake after winning 3-2 to the Bianjian team. Despite the lowest number of silvers of all nations, its gold medal count heavily compensates for that. In the end, better gold than silver, right? 

8. Luthori
Its women's football team complied with what was expected for them, easily winning gold over second-placed Vanuku, with a 3-0 score. Its men's field hockey team also easily defeated Mordusia, as did its badminton mixed team against Narikaton. A golden week for Luthori, we would say, whose team goes home with 13 gold medals, 14 silvers and 14 bronzes too. 

9. Egelion
The Kerisian nation added 5 more golds, including both golds in women's singles and doubles table tennis. Its women's basketball team defeated the hosts in a suprising turn of the events, after trailing behind them the first three quarters but doing an excellent fourth quarter to set a 81-78 final score in the most nail-bitting match. Overall, Egelion takes home 11 gold medals 15 silvers (most notably tennis doubles) and 16 bronzes.

10. Kundrati
From 12th place to 10th, this week has brought Kundrati 5 more golds. Beach volleyball and table tennis, along with handball, have delivered great results for them, whilst its waterpolo team heavily underperformed after being eliminated in the first round. 36 total medals are going home to Kundrati, with 11 of them being gold.

11. Amudim
A single gold medal in women's weightlifting Cat. 4 during this fatidic week for Amudim. Still, its women's handball team, despite losing to Kundrati, did a excellent job until its last minute. The performance of previous weeks, however, has saved the nation, with a total tally of 36 medals and 11 golds already in their way back to Amudim. 

12. Xsampa
Despite a good start the first week, the past two weeks have not favored Xsampa, who has constantly gone down in the rankings, until this twelfth place at the end of the Games. 2 golds in Weightlifting and Table tennis have been the latest additions to its tally. A huge number of silvers, though, with 16, including 6 more obtained during this week after both second places in women's single and double tennis and women's beach volleyball. But as one of its top athletes put out: "We came here without any expectations, just expecting to have some fun, and we are now bringing home more than 10 gold medals, and almost 40 medals! Isn't that just amazing?" 

13. Narikaton and Darnussia
This week has been notably better for Narikaton and Darnussia after 4 further gold medals, 5 silvers and 2 bronzes, ostensibly better than last week's performance. The most spectacular performances came from both of its men's teams, in basketball and Handball, as its basketball team defeated the hosts in a 100-87 counter. Its women's field hockey team also did an excellent performance by defeating Kalistan, and now they all go home with a 13th position in the ranking, but more than 30 medals in their pocket. 

14. Jelbe
2 medals of each type. That's Jelbe's last week performance. Sadly not enough to get out of the last place, but 29 medals for them. Its women's doubles team and its athlete in the Wrestling Freestyle men's Category 2 are already becoming a sensation back home, and will surely now set the basis for further improvement in their sporting careers and Jelbe's overall sporting landscape.

And with that, we have a wrap in the 5710 Terran Olympic Games! 

[Aethan]

Iga Balcer will represent Valruzia at FOMAT XLIV after winning latest WALFEST edition

The Kampanian singer will fly the Valruzian flag to Bianjie after topping the jury and the televote with her song "Za każdym" ("Every time")

Following the iconic band ATOM's seventh place result in last FOMAT, rumors arose about the possibility of Valruzia retiring from the international singing competition due to a strike of bad results. However, TVW moved quickly and confirmed a new edition of WALFEST, Valruzia's televised annual singing contest whose winner is offered the possibility to represent the country at FOMAT. Despite TVW's reluctance to publicly deny or confirm its intention to take part in the upcoming FOMAT in Gemun, Bianjie, the public basis for all participants clearly stated that the winner would be offered the chance to represent the country "in international musical events", which was heavily interpreted as a veiled confirmation of Valruzia's participation in FOMAT. 

And as usual, 24 participants were selected, with three semifinals of 8 each and the top 4 of each advancing to a 12-participants final, all decided by a 50% jury and a 50% televote. Despite early doubts of well-known names taking the risk of participating in the contest following the strike of bad results, in the end the high popularity of WALFEST – an annual festival and concert that gathers thousands every year and that makes sold-outs for each single phase – seemed to overcome the worries, as names such as Tomasz KURK, J-ZAK, Agneta Powielska or Helena Zaza were among the final participants, and of course, early favorites. 

However, the final victory went for an underdog: newcomer Iga Balcer, a 26-year old Kampanian singer that just released her first album last year. With her song Za Kazdym (Every Time), she conquered the hearts of both the Valruzian regional juries and the general public, winning in each set of the finals, with only the Chynbergian juries ranking them below 1st position (merely a 3rd place).

"I still can't believe I have won WALFEST, to be honest" were her first words after being awarded the WALFEST Trophy. "And of course, I'd be more than honored to represent Valruzia in Bianjie. Let's do it!"

""Za Kazdym" talks about the fugacity of life, and the need to enjoy every instant because we don't know which one will be the last for any of us. Life is short, and we have to make the most out of it"

said Iga about her song. Despite just winning last night, the song is already making numbers in music platforms, with it reaching the number 1 in the Valruzian lists and being played in many radios across the nation, becoming an instant hit overnight.

Watch the live performance below!

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfpDBHIL...rt_radio=1]

[Aethan]

Sovereign Valruzia's grassroots unexpectedly dethrone Marzel Zagórski as leader and elevate radical candidate Dariusz Mech, who calls for the party to become "the State Party"

A close vote within the party reorients the political strategy to be followed from now on

June 5711

Dariusz Mech following his victory in the party primaries

---

The political foundations of Valruzia have shifted. What began as a contentious internal primary within Sovereign Valruzia has concluded with a political decapitation that few saw coming. Marzel Zagórski, the steady hand of the moderate establishment that came to power following the decision of the Communist Party of Valruzia and the Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party not to back former Chancellor Krystian Barela, has been ousted. In his wake stands Dariusz Mech, a charismatic firebrand whose victory has sent shockwaves through the entire nation.

Despite general elections still four years away, Mech has already stated that he is going to start working "from tomorrow on" following his surprise victory by a 0.5% margin.His published manifesto, a sprawling 400-page document titled "The Diamond State", outlines a future where Valruzia is no longer a collection of competing interests but a singular, unbreakable monolith.

The most controversial pillar of Mech’s platform is his calling for an eventual dissolution of traditional partisan politics. He argues that the "multi-party experiment" has left Valruzia vulnerable to foreign influence and internal decay. If Sovereign Valruzia wins the next elections, Mech intends to initiate a "National Integration Period", under which the party would transition into its goal to become indivisible with the State, becoming the "Party of the State" for the perception of the majority of Valruzians. By becoming the sole provider of housing, security and social progression, Mech aims to make opposition not illegal, but according to his own words, "irrelevant". 

Among his many proposals for his "Diamond Valruzia", Mech’s militarism is one of the top spots, with his "Fortress Valruzia" initiative being described as "the most ambitious engineering project in the nation’s history". The plan calls for the mandatory "bunkerization" of all border counties, including the construction of deep-mountain hangars for the air force and "hidden cities" capable of housing 30% of the civilian population indefinitely in the event of a total blockade, readapting the Agro–So initiative to fit within this project.

Apart from that, every bridge, tunnel and highway constructed under a prospective Mech administration would be "dual-use", featuring pre-installed demolition chambers and hidden gun emplacements. "Our roads should be veins for commerce in the morning and traps for invaders by night" Mech stated in a very recent town hall. A proposed 50-kilometer "Iron Belt" along the frontier, saturated with automated sensors, drone hives and reinforced bunkers, designed to make any ground invasion a mathematical impossibility, would also be implemented under his prospective administration, to "deter" any invader. But in a less militaristic sense, he has also called for a stark decrease in immigration to Valruzia, establishing cuotas for all and any nationality across Terra that wishes to "move and live in Valruzia", and placing a preference in skilled workers, but also designing a system to detect in where the nation has a lack of workers and open international calling when those positions cannot be filled with Valruzian workers. 

But militarism at the front is not the only point of Merch's platform to win over Valruzian hearts. He will launch a "hostile takeover" for the KPW and SPR voters in a move designed to outflank the traditional Left. He views social conservatism as an unnecessary friction that divides the Valruzian populace, as proven "once and again, election after election", where Valruzian voters have "continuously rejected the formation of any form of conservative government in Valruzia". Among his main ideas, he will end his perceived "religious tolerance", by implementing a heavier grip over "all and any form of religion in Valruzia", as he considers them a "burden to any national project in Valruzia, due to the huge numbers of irreligious citizens". His words have sounded the alarm among various religious associations in Valruzia, as despite latest national studies placing Irreligious levels at 62%, the nation has the highest amount of Yeudi diaspora in the whole Terra, with 13% of its population declaring themselves followers of such religion, and further 23% declaring themselves Hosians. "We will have to wait and see, but we will of course be ready to act" said Jakub Maron, leader of the Valruzian Foundation for Yeudi Rights. at the same time that he has criticized that the dissolution of the Yeudi-rights party Our Homeland has come "at the worst possible time".

But that's just one of the points. Mech also wants the State to recognize "all forms of family and identity, provided they are committed to the Valruzian national project". According to him, the "Kampanian model" passed by its Marshall Szczepan Kozak is a "good start", after the region recognized non-binarism as a valid gender identity in all valid documents. However, "surrogacy is strictly off the table".

In conversations with economic leaders, including the CEO of Valruzian telecommunications company ValTel, he has brought to the table the "Open Mind" initiative, which proposes state-subsidized high-speed universal internet at low costs, framing connectivity as a tool for national cohesion and not a luxury that some citizens may not be able to afford. "In the current era, it is important for everyone to remain in connection with not just its close area, but the world as a whole. We need to understand that in today's era, the Internet should not be a privilege but almost an inherent right". 

Mech also believes in what he calls a "Secular Modernism" style for new constructions and buildings, which he defines as a push for the creation and definition of a new Valruzian aesthetic, brutalist but green. This "Valruzian Brutalism" would be characterized by the use of raw, unyielding concrete softened by an aggressive integration of vertical forests and hydroponic terraces. In this new architectural paradigm, "old class symbols", such as ornate facades or private luxury gardens, would be strictly replaced by a uniform, modern citizen identity, as buildings would be designed with ensuring that the CEO of a company and one of his factory workers inhabit structures of identical aesthetic – and construction – quality. This new city model would become the physical manifestation of Mech's vision: interconnected and self-sufficient.

Rendering of one of Nowogard's new neighbourhoods (left) and new Valruzian building (right) following the proposals of the new "Valruzian brutalism" style

To fuel all this transformation, Mech’s economic policy is one of total intervention, ending decades of "mixed economy" ideology from Sovereign Valruzia that has left the KPW as the more radical wing in this field. Now, Mech argues that the market has failed to provide the two most basic human needs: economic security and housing shelter. For this reason, Mech’s most popular (and feared) proposal from his "Diamond Valruzia" proposal is the Universal Housing Decree, where he has unveiled plans to seize all corporate-owned residential real estate and place it under one "National Hearth trust", which will allow every Valruzian citizen to be guaranteed a high-quality apartment "as a birthright", removing the "parasitic burden of rent" from the working class. The choice of words, typically heard coming from the Communist Party of Valruzia, has raised alarm among some sectors of the populace, that precisely found refuge in Sovereign Valruzia's former platform of "mixed economy support" as a counterweight against the more radical policies of the communists, and that now find themselves void of this comfortable political alternative and in the need to search for a new one. 

But that's not the only economic proposal that has radically changed within Sovereign Valruzia. Merch has also stated that he believes labor to be "an inherent right as well", planning his labor laws to become "among the most protective in the world", including a mandatory 30-hour workweek across the main sectors – proving that the own work allows for it – but including a mandatory 5-hours per week training for all citizens to choose from military training, civic contribution or simply "sports performance". And as stated before, Merch's idea is to prioritize Valruzian workers and limit the arrival of new migrants from across Terra, by only allowing them in times of shortage and creating a specific website where citizens all around Terra would be able to check in real time the status and the job openings. 

Still, there is a red line that Merch has not crossed as of yet, and that is the quicksands of "Nationalization of key sectors". 

With all these proposals under his wing, Sovereign Valruzia has indeed transformed itself from its current – and now former – path during the last decades. For some in Valruzia, some of these proposals might be reminiscent of the Valruzian Unitary State, the Morawski dictatorship that ruled in Valruzia less than a century ago, but party officials have been quick to dismiss these criticism by drawing the "evident differences": "The primary distinction" according to the manifesto "is that this is not a State of coercion, but a State of absolute efficiency. While traditional dictatorships rely on the suppression of the individual, Mech’s "Diamond State" claims to empower the citizen through total social liberty and economic autonomy, arguing that a populace that is housed, protected and free in its private life will choose to support them not out of fear, but out of a rational realization that no better alternative exists"

However, despite these "evident differences" the political vacuum left by Zagórski's moderate wing is already being felt. Business leaders who once saw Sovereign Valruzia as a safe haven from the KPW's radicalism are now facing a leader who speaks of "seizing corporate assets" and "labor supremacy". Forward Valruzia, the leaders of the opposition and the main conservative party of Valruzia, has been fast to criticize Mech's proposals as "authoritarian" and "dictatorial", but internally, some senior figures recognize that this might benefit them in the long run, as citizens turn to the "moderate and sensible alternative". 

How this will affect the current government's composition is not yet known. Judyta Kram, the current Chancellor and leader of the Communist Party of Valruzia, has congratulated Dariusz Mech on his election, saying that she "looks forward to work with him for the betterment of Valruzia", but has rejected claims that the KPW is in any kind of danger. The now former leader of Sovereign Valruzia, Marzel Zagórski, is still the Deputy Chancellor of Valruzia, but it is not known whether Mech will ask for his resignation to replace him in government or will pull Sovereign Valruzia out of the government altogether. Whatever the decision, it is not expected in a long time, and Mech has assured that the current government majority, "would not face its downfall just because of him". 

On the streets, the election of Dariusz Mech has been proven controversial, with some fearing a new downward spiral towards another totalitarian regime less than a century after the old one and others sharing the emotion and illusion of a "radical change" that they felt was needed in Valruzia, coming from the party that "saved the nation from the fangs of a fascist dictatorship". Still, there are four years before the next elections, and many things can happen in that time.