Valruzia

[Aethan]

Meet the five choices for President in 5712!

After the regional rounds, we have the five hopeful candidates to replace Urszula Pawlik as President of Valruzia

July 5712

Gawel Sandów (Kampania), Aniela Just (Chynberg), Kamil Syrek (Gryfit), Wiara Krysiak (Ruzia) and Teodor Flak (Valusia) are the final elections from each Voivodeship to compete for the Presidency

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The Voivodeships have spoken, and after the last round of voting, Valruzia finally has its five candidates from which to choose their new President to replace the late Urszula Pawlik, whose State funeral a few months ago was attended by many international leaders and who the Empress of Kalistan, a close friend of her since she was a child, called "a beautiful person" and "a wonderful, brilliant and caring human being". No wonder, the new President will have huge shoes to fill after a President that lasted for 25 years and despite her conservatism, managed to rally all Valruzians behind her figure, and they all know that. 

So who are this five hopeful candidates now?

• Aniela Just – Chynberg 
  

The region of late President Pawlik has again nominated a woman for the Presidency. Aniela Just, 46, is a local landlady who owns more than 20 farms across the Voivodeship. Often citing Mrs. Pawlik as one of her inspirations, she has been a local councillor for the Pulanowiec county since 5695, and resigned just to contest the elections. Running to keep "the legacy of Urszula Pawlik alive", she has campaigned on a conservative and agrarian platform, but some political analysts have deemed her "too radical" to stand a chance. "While Mrs. Pawlik was a conservative, she was also a charismatic and tendering figure. Mrs. Just has all those conservatives views – and even further right – but lacks the closeness of our late President, and she will have a hard time winning over the most progressive regions such as Ruzia and Kampania" says political analyst Krystof Lech.

• Kamil Syrek – Gryfit
  

The oldest of the five nominations, Kamil Syrek (65) is a former professor of politics from the University of Gryfitów, and a survivor of Hurricane Pavlo in 5676, after being trapped for almost 48 hours in his car. After having taught for more than 30 years, he retired in 5705 and pursued a quiet life in the Gryfitian countryside. However, he decided to run because "a Valruzian must serve its country when called", and he felt like he received the call to replace President Pawlik. Those close to him and former students describe him as a quiet but energetic man, with a head full of ideas but a serene temper, who has dedicated his entire life to educate future generations of Valruzians. His main problem? His age. At 65, he would be 80 by the end of his mandate, an issue that might push some voters away.

• Gawel Sandów – Kampania 
  

Hailing from the Kampanian Voivodeship, Gawel Sandów (36) has already an extensive curriculum to back him. Born in a family of steel workers, he was the first of his family to attend university, as he graduated in the University of Szary Kamien with honors after studying Law and Political Science. Fluent in five languages apart from his native Valruzian – Luthorian, Istalian, Dundorfian, Egelian and Yingdalan – he is described as having been a "prodigy child". After having worked as labor lawyer for a while, he dedicated part of his time for charity works to help the "more vulnerable". Eloquent with words, he has never hidden his affiliation to the People's Party of Kampania, but some may know him better as one of the members that brought Valruzia its gold medal in Rugby Sevens in the past 5710 Terran Olympics. He is the only candidate to have been chosen in the first round of the regional election without the need of a run-off after securing 54% of the votes in the first round against all his rivals.

• Wiara Krysiak – Ruzia 
  

At 34, she's the youngest candidate of this election. If her surname rings a bell in your head, you are probably right. She's the grandchild of former far-right leader Roksana Krysiak ,who commanded Valruzian Alliance between 5660 and 5680. However, she has repeatedly distanced from her relative, often criticizing her in public, and it is no secret from her social profiles that she is a staunch progressist, having served in the Ruzian Sejm between 5705 and 5710 as a member of the Socialdemocratic–Agrarian Party. As she puts it up, "our families do not define us, it is our choices that do the charm". She has often hailed the figure of President Pawlik, but believes that Valruzia needs a "more progressist point of view" in its leadership, especially in international relations. A doctor by profession, during her tenure in the Ruzian Sejm she managed to pass the "Krysiak Law", which made vaccination for many well-known curable diseases mandatory for children, a controversial law that will surely be brought up in the upcoming debates.

• Teodor Flak – Valusia 
  

The last – but not least – member of our list is Teodor Flak, 42, a banker from Valusia. An odd choice for a considered progressive voivodeship, he defeated his rival in the regional run-off by a 0.06% margin (50.03% vs. 49.97%) among accusations of corruption and "vote-buying" in the more rural areas. Despite no prior political experience, he was chosen as the head of the Valusian Economic Fund program by Sovereign Valruzia, but has denied "any political affiliation". He wants to represent a "united Valruzia" and has often criticized former President Pawlik for her "too close relations with other nations", as he believes that Valruzia must walk "the path towards more isolationism and nationalism". According to political analysts, his victory was a surprise and, surrounded by shadows of doubt, he is not expected to make gains at national level. 

For this election, the Sejm has made a reform in the law and Valruzians abroad – the largest groups living in Baltusia, Endralon, Likatonia and Lodamun – will be able to cast their vote to for Presidential elections, a privilege that has been denied for legislative elections from now on. Elections are scheduled to be in "not more than 60 days after the last candidate is chosen by the Voivodeships' population", which means they will happen in September at latest.

With the five final candidates already chosen, tell us: who are you supporting/voting for? We wait to hear back from you!