Kalistani Major History

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New Empress Signals Change at first Advisory Committee Meeting
"We aim to revitalize Kalistani Society" says new Monarch
Kaliburg, Ananto
March 17 5198


Empress Elizabeth I sees chance for new beginning

The new Empress met with her Advisory Council today for the first time since her Accession to the Throne of the Empire. In her opening admonition to the Government, she called for "new Ideas" and expressed her desire to revitalize the Culture of Kalistan. "Over my tenure as Empress, we have largely focused on holding the line and maintaining the legitimacy of the Crown. But this has also contributed to a sense of stagnation in our once vibrant and important society. This is something I would like to see changed."

The Empress announced a set of initiatives to encourage investment in arts and sciences, technological and financial innovation, and increased trade and commerce with the world. "Kalistani schools used to be welcoming to great thinkers from around the globe. Our stages used to host the greatest musical and artistic talent from Seleya and beyond. And we used to open our doors to immigration to constantly keep our social order in constant renewal and growth. These last four decades have been an age of inward focus, of survival rather than thriving, and of rising suspicion of the outside world. We have first prioritized stability and regularity and then we have grown complacent, and then we have raised a generation of people who have a smaller world vision for Kalistan and the world than previous ones. I would like to see that reversed."

The Empress' speech was greeted politely by Institutionalist Ministers, who themselves are new to their positions. The loudest supporter of the Empresses proposals in the meeting was the Premier, Gina Fernandez, the 36 year old Party organizer from Yoshimi, who was promoted by the Party to Leader just last year after the last set of retirements finally saw the end of the founding generation in the Assembly. "I share the Empress' vision," said the Premier. "Institutionalism has never meant freezing Kalistan in time, nor should it. We now have the chance to make a change, and we look forward to maintaining the full confidence of the Empress."

Other older members of the National Government seemed more circumspect. "We shall see," said incoming Finance Minister Nadine Vera. "It will be up to the Premier and the Empress to work together to put some meat on the bones of these broad proposals. And additionally, we should make it clear that while our Sovereign reigns, we govern. We want to try to maintain a strict strict boundary between the offices of the Executive and the Legislature."

The Empress currently enjoys a positive favorability rating of 61% as most Kalistani citizens report sympathy for the Empress and also general allegiance to the Crown. If the Empress' policies can find some daylight in the Assembly, it is expected that she will remain popular during her tenure as Empress, and will leave the Crown in better shape than she obtained it.