Valruzia

[Aethan]

Constituent elections announced; Military Junta to step down
October 5625

In yet another landmark development for Valruzia, the Military Junta that has governed the country since the overthrow of the Morawski regime has officially announced the scheduling of constituent elections for January 5626, four months from now. This move marks the first step in the country’s transition from military rule to definitive civilian governance, with the primary objective of electing a constituent parliament in charge of drafting a new Constitution and restoring democratic institutions and symbols.

Chief of the Defence Staff and de facto leader of the Junta, Marcel Szumski, made the announcement in a nationally televised address, confirming that the armed forces will relinquish control once the newly elected assembly is formed.

“Dear comrades, dear citizens of Valruzia.

Today, I appear before you to announce that only you, the people of Valruzia, have the power to shape the future of our country. And to do so, all of our adult citizens will have the opportunity to shape their future through free and fair elections”

Szumski declared. He went on to reassure the public opinion that the military has no intention of maintaining power beyond the transition period and emphasized that the armed forces would act as guarantors of stability during the electoral process, dissipating doubts and fears of yet another military dictatorship following the Morawski regime.

With the elections now officially on the horizon, political activity in Valruzia has intensified. The acting Minister for Internal Issues, Captain General Gustav Pradinski, previously announced three months ago that several parties have already registered within the Ministry, and most of them have already begun positioning themselves for the upcoming campaign.

According to recent polling data, six of this new political factions are expected to gain representation in the constituent assembly and therefore would be in charge of the drafting of the new Valruzian Constitution. These parties are the following: 

- Sovereign Valruzia (SW) – Described as a left-wing populist party which advocates for Valruzian nationalism, cultural conservatism, and state-controlled economics, although positioning themselves as socially liberal but opponents to the so-called "woke ideology".
- Communist Party of Valruzia (KPW) – The KPW is considered as a traditional communist party, pushing for a radical restructuring of the economy and state institutions following the Morawski dictatorship.
- National Renewal (ON) – A right-wing nationalist and considered now as aligned with Hosian democratic principles.
- Dignity and Progress (GiP) – A progressive, social democratic, and green party with focus on civil rights, mixed economy and environmental policies.
- Liberal Alliance (LS) – A center-right party promoting economic liberalism and a more center-right vision with the social field.
- National Salvation (NZ) – A nationalist and militarist faction that seeks to maintain strong state control and a conservative social order, described as the opposite of Sovereign Valruzia. 

Despite more than 50 parties officially now registered, the Ministry has refused to give way to some of them that attempted to promote the so-called "Morawskism" and other proponents of the previous dictatorships. These parties have been barred from running and this has provoked violent - albeit small - protests in some cities. 

These elections will be the first democratic process held in Valruzia since the authoritarian rule of Morawski led to the dissolution of previous legislative bodies, and the meeting place for these new Sejm is yet to be decided, as it is currently unknown whether the Sejm building would have finished its reconstruction by then.

Despite widespread optimism thorough the nation, some concerns persist over whether the military will truly step aside once the new government is formed. Some figures and international reporters are expressing skepticism and asking for an international monitoring of the elections to ensure a peaceful transfer of power and the start of the new democratic path for Valruzia. However, although the Military Junta has accepted that some international viewers are needed for the sake of transparency, they have rejected that Valruzia needs "any kind of monitoring as if this nation was a newborn". 

Some stronger fears remain among the population that remnants of the former regime may seek to disrupt the elections or rally behind hardline nationalist groups to retain power in spite of the Military Junta attempting their best to avoid such parties. The Junta has ensured that both the military and the police will be on the streets, but have called for the citizens "not to be afraid of them", as they will be "strictly forbidden to engage in any kind of political activity", will be the first to vote and citizens will be able to access a free phone line to report any misbehaviour that may affect the correct functioning of the elections.

With this announcement, a wave of reactions have gone all around Valruzia. In major urban centers, thousands of citizens have taken to the streets and social media to celebrate what many see as the beginning of a new democratic era. Despite this, skepticism remains among segments of the population with fears that the elections may merely serve to legitimize military influence under a civilian façade, a reason for which activist groups and some civil leaders have vowed to maintain pressure on the authorities to ensure that the transition remains genuine and that power is not concentrated in the hands of former military figures.

Furthermore, the Military Junta has made clear that they will remain as a collective "Head of State" until the following elections, as these elections will only serve as "Constituent" and therefore the previous system until the approval of the new Valruzian Constitution is still in place.

In a side note sent to all the political parties taken part in the elections, the Military Junta has also established the requirements that all parties need to fulfill in regards to their candidates, as to "represent the majority of the Valruzian population". This note includes the following:

-601 deputies will be elected.
-Each party must intercalate one female and one male candidate per position, meaning if the first candidate is a male, the second candidate must be a female and viceversa.
-Elections will be carried out in the five regions independently, but no regional governments will be elected. This will be up to the new Constitution to decide. Each region will therefore elect 120 deputies; one deputy will be elected in a single-district election in Nowogard.
-Out of the first 100 candidates in each party list, at least 10 must be between the 18-30 years old, and another 10 between "over 65" category.
-Out of the first 100 candidates in each party list, at least 10 must come from a non-college background and at least 10 must be non-law related.
-No members of the military or the police in duty are allowed to contest the elections.
-This laws are only to be applied for this constituent election.

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UPDATE: Following the announcement of the elections, the government of South Dovani contacted the Military Junta to offer the assistance of its first international observers. According to internal sources, the Szumski Junta has granted approval to the request, albeit these observers have been asked to meet privately with the Military Junta first to get a first-hand insight of the next steps. These elections might also mark the first time the recently created international organization OSCD (Organization for Stability and Cooperation in Democratization) prove its utility.