Kalistani Major History

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The People's Press
Fabian Speaks
Labour leader says Kalistan's existence is at risk following the election of a fascist government
Kaliburg, Ananto
April 24th, 4130


Former Premier Jean-Baptiste Fabian has been campaigning hard against the new government

Yesterday, Labour Party General Secretary Jean-Baptiste Fabian spoke to The People's Press about the vast array of threats Kalistan faces at home and abroad. Fabian, who served as Premier of the Republic under President Hans Persson, took over as Labour leader following the resignation of Sophia Conti. Labour endorsed the Social Democratic Party's Persson for re-election but they were the only party to do so, leading some commentators to blame the fragmentation of the left for the election of Randell Ross (best known for being the most inept individual ever to hold the Presidency). Fabian's interview is below.

(Hermenegildo Silva, reporter): Good evening, Mr General Secretary, it is a privilege to be sitting with you. Especially in such dark and worrying times, it is important that we are able to hear from prominent politicians. I wonder, then, whether you believe this could be the end of the left in Kalistan?

(Jean-Baptiste Fabian, Labour leader): Mr Silva, I was just about to thank you for your kind words before you came out with that nonsense! Needless to say, the left will never die in Kalistan. As long as there are decent human beings, which I believe there shall always be, the red flag will fly across our great nation. Nonetheless, we do face a serious assault from the populist, fascist rhetoric of the Kalistan Radical Front and their associates. It is fair to say that the results in January shocked everybody, not just in Kalistan but across Terra yet let's not overstate the margin of victory. Randell Ross received less than 30 million votes in a nation of nearly 100 million people! Clearly, the majority of the population do not support this man, his party or their agenda. My analysis is this: the KRF have a very committed and active voter base who consistently turn out to support them. In contrast, the left-wing parties and their supporters represent the status quo so many people believe that voting is unnecessary because the left has governed Kalistan for so long that to envisage any outcome except a leftist government is silly. I have heard this phenomenon referred to as 'hapathy' by some.

S: Okay, my apologies in that case. However, if Ross has so few supporters, how was he able to win the election?

F: An extremely vital question. Arguably, we have not presented the positive case for Ethical Socialism and the Dual Economy convincingly enough yet I think there is a deeper problem that runs through the left bloc parties. We tend to be unwilling to compromise. If you take a glance at the candidates for President you will see that the fascists did a much better job of embracing each other than we were able to. We need our Comrades in the SDP, the Environmentals, the People's Party and in the Liberation Fronts to put their differences aside. In the past, we in the Labour Party have often placed our own needs above those of the wider leftist cause. That was wrong and we have to make sure it does not happen again by uniting with one another to achieve our mutual goals.

S: With respect, this is good rhetoric but what does it mean in practice?

F: Chiefly, it means we must support one candidate for President. If all six of the parties I have referred to were to endorse one individual then I have no doubt they would be able to secure election as our President. That may mean that Mr Knapp from the PEP, or indeed Mr Persson from the SDP have to put their personal ambitions on hold but I know both of these men well and I understand they are men of great honour and principle. We have to recognise that we cannot win elections when we are divided, that should be undeniable at this point.

S: Do you believe that the candidate for President should be from the Labour Party, that seems to be what you are suggesting?

F: Indeed. We have, in the months since January, been constructing a plan to select a candidate with the input of all of our allies. Specifically, we will hold a primary election in which members of all six parties can vote for their preferred candidate, using a one-member, one-vote system. In the past, we have delayed our candidate selection- not this time. We want everybody to know who our guy or gal is. I won't be running myself but the election is open to any member of the Labour Party to submit themselves, provided they can collect the nomination of ten National or District Assembly Deputies. Nominations will close around June.

S: Well, this is certainly an interesting proposal. Regardless, it doesn't help prevent the damage done to our nation by the fascist government in the meantime?

F: True, very true Mr Silva. I do not believe it is hyperbole to say that the very existence of the Republic is being threatened. Luckily, the government has some divisions still. The Libertarian Party, while objectionable, are relatively liberal on social matters and that means that some of the most oppressive and poisonous legislation, like the withdrawal from the International Declaration of Human Rights, will not pass. I commend them on that, it is understandable that they performed signifcantly better than the two parties which support that bill.

S: On the subject of diplomacy, how will this result affect Kalistan's international standing?

F: Undoubtedly, it will take a hit. Uncertainty breed distrust and the current government is certainly embracing uncertainty. For now, I simply urge our allies- in Istalia, Hawu Mumenhes, Trigunia, Sekowo and elsewhere- we are doing everything in our power to support you. We live in dangerous times and it can be deeply troubling to observe such a vast change in position of a close friend. We have an extremely hard-working ambassador to the Security Council in Oscar Machado, which will hopefully reassure the Terran community that Kalistan is still a respectable nation. If and when, the left returns to power, our first course of action will be to rebuild the bridges that this government is already attempting to burn.

S: Lastly, it has been reported that you contacted the Saridanese government as one of your last duties as Premier, what was the nature of that communication?

F: My purpose was to establish the position of the incoming Presiding Elder. We spoke about the attempted reforms and on the crowning of Vanukean Prince Aldrkai as King of Saridan. Crucially, I informed him that Kalistan would not consider lifting the trade embargo that has so crippled his economy until slavery was made illegal. Unfortunately, I am no longer in a position to guarantee that is the case but I can certainly say that the position of the Labour Party is that the embargo would be lifted (though tariffs may remain) when slavery is criminalised, and not before.

S: Good luck Mr Fabian.

F: Heaven knows I will need it Mr Silva, thank you.