Kalistan

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Orthodoxo: The Journal of Orthodox Institutionalism
Editorial- The Chancellor Must Not Undermine the Empress
Kaliburg, Grand Duchy of Ananto
July 6, 5723


Her Imperial Majesty is allegedly growing exhausted with Chancellor's Shenanigans

Editor's Note
While Kalistan is technically not supposed to have factions, so called Nationalists, represented by Chancellor of the Empire Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn, have their own journal. But for years, the Orthodox point of view has not been represented in Government or in the press. Orthodox opinions have been relabeled "Moderate" by the Nationalists, but the only reason the Orthodox position, which takes a more internationalist, Brethrenist, cooperative and dare we say, sane view of the world--along the lines of both the Empire's founder and such notable monarchs as Empress Nicolette the Great, and we believe, Her Imperial Majesty as well--is labeled "moderate" is because the Nationalist position is so extreme. Which is why we launched this new journal, to compete in the contest of ideas and ideology within this Empire. It is our hope that those who are more sympathetic to the Orthodox position, which is the classic position of the Institutional Party of Kalistan, find hope in the words of our journal and comradery amongst other readers, that they organize for power and rejoin our National Assembly to fully represent true Institutionalism in this Empire. Thank you for reading Orthodoxo.

Editorial- The Chancellor must not undermine the Empress
There are a lot of very poorly kept secrets concerning our Chancellor of the Empire, Lady Melanie Alvarez-McLinn. But we do not have to engage in lurid tabloid press to announce that the least secret thing about our Chancellor is her penchant for getting the Empress into trouble with our international partners. Earlier this year, she positively sandblasted our regional partners, completely humiliating them in our press because she felt it was necessary to announce Her Imperial Majesty's offer to discuss climate destruction with others couched in her abject dislike for other nations.

Shot after shot after shot after embarrassing shot was landed in her floor speech without answer before she finally got around to announcing that none of what she just said was going to happen at all, but that the Empress intended to call an international conference to discuss the issue of climate destruction caused by oil usage. In effect, she torpedoed the proposal in its cradle. The Empress, reportedly furious at her loud mouthed Head of Government, has since formally postponed any offers for a conference indefinitely, knowing nobody will attend now if she did call for one, and has moved on to other things which her Chancellor cannot sabotage for her.

Not only did the Chancellor belittle our regional partners in our press, but she deliberately undermined Her Imperial Majesty's program. The Empress has held her fire toward her Chancellor in public, but reports of private conversations between these two are not looking good for the Chancellor. The upcoming elections in January are already showing softening for the Nationalist position in the National Assembly, and several independents, including more than 30 candidates who openly align with a moderate position have narrowed their gaps with the nationalist, Alvarez-aligned incumbent opponents to single digits, while people are also taking another serious look at socialists in every one of Kalistan's free cities.

This latest stunt has merely confirmed that the Chancellor is setting herself up as public enemy. While her dislike and disagreement with Her Imperial Majesty is no secret at all, another non-secret is the Chancellor's association with the previous Defense Minister, who was dismissed under suspicious circumstances and allowed to retire early rather than return to active duty in the Navy. (The Defense Minister was replaced by a Institutionalist Partisan from Militia Artillery, and is known to be fiercely loyal, on a personal level, to the Empress, a selection which sends a very strong signal.) New reporting is coming out regarding why the former Defense Minister was sacked, and then the entire rest of the cabinet followed suit shortly afterwards: Apparently an invasion plan of a neighboring state was discovered half enacted. The report did not say which one it was, but we can only surmise that it was likely Athosia, knowing Lady Alvarez-McLinn's position on that Duchy.

The Chancellor herself was implicated in the plot, but she survived the sacking of the other ministers. The tradition is that the Chancellor serves until the Empress dismisses them. They do not face re-election any more, so they cannot be removed by a revolt among the voters. The Chancellor is the Empress' active hand in the National Assembly, and under normal circumstances, the hand does what the mind tells it to--It certainly does not plot to drag the mind into war. But the Chancellor has shown that she will comply, but not bow to Her Imperial Majesty. The Chancellor clearly believes that she has some sort of independent power base that allows her some autonomy in policy making, and this Empress has been more than willing to give her as much latitude as the Chancellor cares to take.

The Chancellor inherited her position after the collapse of the Anantonese Empire as nationalists, who were angry over the surrender of the Empire, revolted at the polls and elected a Nationalist super majority who felt emboldened to dictate to the Empress who the Chancellor would be. The Moderate Chancellor who preceded Lady Alvarez-McLinn had been killed in a car crash, and the Nationalist majority would not vote on any one other than Alvarez, who they saw as carrying on the legacy of the nationalist Lady Erika Donahue. The difference between Lady Donahue and Lady Alvarez is that Lady Donahue was intensely loyal to the Royal Family, famously sacrificing much of her personal life in their service, while it is well known that Lady Alvarez openly dislikes the Empress, blames her for the loss of Gaduridos, and has been pushing her for years in private to just go take it back, despite them having a new King and a functioning government after all these years.

This latest attack seemed calculated to put the target on our neighbors, perhaps to set the stage for military operations, perhaps to goad them into attacking so we could be justified in fighting back. If this was approved of by Her Imperial Majesty, it shows bad judgement on her part, but Her Imperial Majesty is, shall we say, known for her considered judgement in all matters. If this tactic was not endorsed of by Her Imperial Majesty, one could make the case that it borders on treason because it seeks to create conflict where no conflict existed before. But Lady Alvarez did what she did almost daring Her Imperial Majesty to sack her, and so far, the Empress has not taken any steps against the Chancellor.

It seems that our only option is at the ballot box: In January, our next general election will occur, but before that, in August of this year, the Institutional Party will hold its Conventions where it will select nominees for the upcoming elections. That being the case, Orthodox institutionalists across the Empire are currently acting within their various civil society organziations to secure nomination to the convention. If the majority of the delegation at the Convention are moderates, socialists and orthodox Institutionalists of all stripes it is possible that we could gain control of the Party's programme and move it to more of a traditional, less bellicose direction. An orthodox majority in the convention will also deny the Chancellor complete control of the nomination process and prevent her from disqualifying delegates who do not agree with her policies.

Kalistanis do not have a lot of opportunities for democracy in our nation outside of our free cities. But this is one instance where the voice of true Institutionalism can ring loud and clear. Those who oppose the Chancellor's power play in the National Assembly, those who wish to see a new direction for the nation, we have to organize and work for that new direction. Or else our alternative is the Chancellor continuing to drag our Empire kicking and screaming toward a conflict that nobody else seems to want. Least of all Her Imperial Majesty, who is still, last time we checked, the single most powerful monarch on the face of the planet. Even if her Chancellor does spend all of her time engaged in questionable personal activities and flaunting the spirit of Imperial fiat.

@Orthodoxo