Revolutionary period of Empherias: Difference between revisions

![[File:Empherias.png|100px]]

|Prior to 15 May 2416

The general election in 2415 resulted in a massive improvement for the Socialists. The successive governments, U-turns, and unpopular candidates in Watford and Webber, saw the popularity of the populists falling significantly. Elizabeth Rose had led the Socialists for 17 years and was a well known public figure and popular amidst the left-wing of the Populist party. Successful campaigns saw the Socialists win 328 seats in the election, an increase of 81 seats, and the first majority government since the revolution. The Populists lost 77 seats, down to 171 seats total. Elizabeth Rose ordered the relinquishment of the old flag of Empherias on 15 May 2416, and introduced the standard one used today. Alongside this, official naval jacks, armed forces flags, and government standards were created in the Official Flag Act 2416 passing 531{{En dash}}69 through parliament.

On 14 June 2416, the old Rijkse James VII, who had fled to the Hveden Federation, died in his sleep following several strokes months prior. The Hveden government allowed for his body to return to Empherias, where he was buried in a private ceremony attended by the Rijkdottir and the Prime Minister on 28 June 2416. The eldest daughter of Abigail I, Princess Maria, announced her engagement to Mrs Emmelie Lockhart. She was the daughter of the former Viscount of Rommes. This was the first same-sex marriage within the royal family for at least 100 years, and required lobbying from the royal family for the government to pass a law to re-legalise same sex marriage. The Same-Sex Marriage Act 2416 passed through the parliament 510{{En dash}}67, with 23 abstaining, a monumental achievement for queer rights in Empherias. The royal wedding took place on 2 October 2416.

=== Economic recession due to the Great War ===

{{See also|The Great War}}

Due to the Great War waging on worldwide, the economy of Empherias began to suffer due to disruptions to global trade and resources. The Chancellor of the Exchequer Ludwig Reimes was appointed dual Chief Adviser of Economic Management and Elizabeth Rose shifted towards general economic stability rather than policies won in the 2415 general election, although it was believed that it was important to implement all that were possible. The recession was not as major as expected however. Exports decreased in general, but Empherias was relatively self-sufficient and was still stable despite some set backs. Their main issue was debt borrowed from other sovereign states during their reconstruction period of the Populist government, and many members of parliament blamed the populists for 'reckless spending'.

Elizabeth Rose had mandates for infrastructure investment which she also believed would go far in investing into the country and increasing the country's GDP. The system of rail networks was somewhat reformed and many road maintenance and railway lines were nationalised, while many major networks stayed private, at an increased tax. The Fair Ticket and Fares Act 2416 passed through parliament in December by 308{{En dash}}170, with hundreds of abstentions. This bill limited the amount that railway providers could charge for railway lines, and also added a programme to receive government subsidies if they did not receive enough money.

==== The Rose Project ====

{{Main|The Rose Project}}

Building on the two planned, but then cancelled, infrastructure projects of the previous governments: the ''Felix D'laminet Decade Roadmap Plan (2407-2417)'' and the ''Watford Five Year Plan (2413-2418)'', the Prime Minister announced the Rose Project. The plan consisted of three stages, with the first one bringing up the country to the 2420 general election. This would lay down the beginning of infrastructure projects. Stage two would take place until 2423, with stage three going until 2427 assuming a victory in the 2425 general election. With Socialist and Populist votes, they could use a sizable majority to pass major reforms.

Between 2417 and 2420, universities were planned to be built in major Empheri cities. Ten was planned, but two were built: The Royal University of Georgina in 2421, and the Royal University of Zerwynn in 2422. seven were scrapped due to funding issues and time restraints, with another cancelled due to conflicting blueprints and flaws in construction, which wasted approximately $375,000,000. Foreign students were to be welcomed and treated equally socially and financially, although this did exclude other species. Schools were to prioritise learning for higher subjects such as science, engineering, and maths. Subsidies were set up to allow for building and maintaining schools. For 2417, this figure was approximately $1.5 billion but steadily decreased. In general, education budgets increased by 3.67x from before the project to after, maintaining this level until 2420, when it began increasing again due to standard inflationary increases. To pay for these endeavours, defence spending saw a 50% reduction in it's budget. But it was thought education reforms were necessary to increase the educated workforce in the country. Of Defence, the government wanted a more laid back approach. Alongside the lower budget, more was spent on research and development and the purchases of foreign licences, technologies, and vessels.

New transport links regarding railway and road infrastructure would continue. Bridges built over rivers to connect towns, particularly across the Ewynn, were planned. Two more large scale railway bridges across the Ewynn were planned, with one beginning construction in 2418, and ending in 2423. The so-called Disaster Bridge was destroyed in 2423 due to general instability in its foundations, and trouble it caused to traffic. It was destroyed with multiple explosives on the foundations and as such, wreckage is still regularly pulled up today. This cost the government billions without a return. All Ewynn crossings were cancelled due to the project's issues. However, bridges across other minor rivers were a success and built. New train stations, stops, and renovations to existing ones took place costing nearly $1 billion per year, but saw the construction of 127 new stations, and renovations of hundreds more in 2418 alone. Despite railways being the main element to Empherias travel, research into newer ways to travel, especially in smaller cities and city centres, began. Some towns, such as Mertens, trialled tramlines. Bicycles were also encouraged in some cities, one of which was a borough of Rommes which implemented $6 million worth of cycle roads.

==== Dissolution of the Populist party ====

Following Robert Webber's resignation as leader of the party soon after his election loss in late 2415, questions were being asked about the party's future. In general, they agreed a lot with the Socialists but were also a broad house of ideas across the political spectrum. Recent leaders like Watford and Webber had been more moderate, but also more disliked without any personality or likeability. Any battle to win votes on the left would almost definitely result in a Socialist victory. However, the daughter of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Alice Rettels came to power as a beacon of hope within the left of the party and she was elected leader in early 2416. However, she had private discussions almost immediately with the Prime Minister, and she supported nearly all Socialist measures in parliament. The whipping system within the power ceased with the resignation and sacking of all remaining chief and regular whips in March 2416. This left all populist MPs with their own decision on votes, and no leadership. More meetings continued throughout the rest of the year. Alice Rettels formally dissolved the party on 21 December 2417, with all MPs becoming independents. By 2419, every former Populist MP had joined a new major political party {{En dash}} the majority of which went to the Socialists.

Former leader Alice Rettels took up a highly coveted role within the Socialist government as a chief adviser. Henry Alark was appointed back to the Minister of Defence position. Edward Broedesmore was to be made the Chief Finance Adviser. Other politicians such as Charlotte Regel, John Saxon, and Edward Monktet joined too. Peter Aard was perhaps the most famous Populist MP who joined the Conservative party.

==== 2418 Palakkinen border crisis ====

{{Main|2418 Palakkinen Border Crisis}}

A conflict began in April 2418 when the Palakkine army marched a thousand troops into Hveden territory to occupy and annex mountainous land. Due to a military alliance with Hvede, the Empheri government was required to help and thus raised its army for the first time since the revolution. Henry Alark, the Defence minister, pulled 10,000 reserve troops into active duty on 21 April, and then another 14,000 on 22 April, and fortified the eastern border with Palakkinen, with clusters of troops at major crossing points. By 25 April, 3,000 professional Palakkine troops were on the border against Empherias. On 26 April, the E.R.S Abigail main battleship sailed up the Ewynn river alongside two destroyers to start a naval blockade of all trade to Palakkinen. Consideration of the bombardment of Palakkinen's capital took place, but no orders were given. By June, Palakkinen had fortified their western border with another 13,000 troops. Although Rose had acted by emergency decree in April, the parliament officially passed the Active Duty Act 2417 on 16 May 2418 with a vote of 595{{En dash}}5, the biggest landslide in history. During a cabinet meeting in June, Alark discussed the possibility of pulling all 70,000 troops into active duty and forming 14 divisions of 5,000 troops across the border.

Ahitereira-Koresa brokered a deal with Hvede an Empherias to embargo and blockade Palakkinen formally. The three also signed a non-aggression pact and regional defence pact. This treaty was signed by emergency order on 5 June 2418, and formally ratified in the parliament on 18 June 2418 with a vote of 563{{En dash}}37. By 20 June, Palakkinen had bolstered the army on its western border to 18,000 troops. However, Elizabeth Rose ordered Alark not to consider any more Empheri build-up until at least 8 July. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Liza Veys met her counterparts in Ahitereira-Koresa, and Hvede, as well as the Palakkine triumvirate, to discuss peace terms on 15 July 2418. They drafted the Treaty of Kyrene. Empherias signed through a parliament vote on 20 August 2418, passing 567{{En dash}}33. The treaty dropped embargoes and signed non aggression pacts. The second treaty of Tyrs saw economic pacts discussed between the countries which passed through a parliament vote on 18 September 2418 passing 347{{En dash}}228. Alark withdrew the troops in September and moved them into reserve duty again.