Kalistani Major History

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The People's PressElectoral SubstitutionMachado forced to pull out of Presidential race following health concerns, Foster running for re-election
Kaliburg, Ananto
April 15th 4138


President Franklin will now, controversially, seek a third term

In a cruel twist of fate, Labour's Presidential nominee Oscar Machado has been forced to withdraw his candidacy with less than a month to go before the vote takes place. During an event in Kaliburg where he was speaking to supporters, it is believed Machado suffered cardiac arrest. Fortunately, a medical team was on hand and acted quickly to ensure the former diplomat survived. However, a spokesperson posted a message to his website the next morning confirming what many were beginning to suspect: he would not press on with his Presidential campaign. The incident is a cruel blow to Machado, who had been carefully planning the run for as long as three years only to stumble at the final hurdle.

Nonetheless, Labour leader Jean-Baptiste Fabian reassured the public that the party would still be fielding a candidate next month- incumbent President Franklin Foster. Foster announced he would fill the vacancy shortly after Machado's statement surfaced, saying he was 'deeply upset on behalf of a dear friend' but that he was now focused on the election. Foster had been a key supporter of Machado's campaign beforehand. The Labour Party's most prominent figures, including the two mentioned above, had been targeting a victory on the first ballot rather than increasing Labour's National Assembly seats; the view of the leadership being that they did not want to detract from the work that their allies in the PEP, RLF and Peoples Party were doing. This may prove more difficult due to the turbulent nature of the change.