Atlasian Public Acts - Publication of the Game Engine

[It’s so Joever]

I have a military, I have an air force, I have a navy, the South technically has had an active deployment since February.

The only reason the three musketeers did not want to simulate this is because they cannot fathom or comprehend any of this. Like, they are professionals at writing, negative and nasty stories. I am shocked they haven't done that recently.

Hey now, we can suck sometimes but three musketeers? That’s like the worst chocolate bar there is! No peanuts like snickers, not even caramel like Milky Way (which also is meh tier) Anyways before the vote we took (which was not unanimous but funny you don’t bring that up) I did a checking of your inventory and call bulls**t on your Air Force and navy claims. You never made any official purchases, sure bills were passed that could make them theoretically possible, but there was never any agreement reached to buy X number of items. If you did them go link them but otherwise you wrote legislation that at best gave you the ability to buy them, without any actual record of transaction. As far as I’m concerned y’all only have what is in the Southern and state national guards which is a good amount tbf, but no bulls**t on your airforce and navy. And production of those takes months so don’t link to a bill you passed in December at earliest saying you were going to start funding production.

[It’s so Joever]

Anyways I did put thought and research into a possible war and I was more than ready to simulate it. But YT, you would literally be playing a game of defensive with practically zero navy and a minimal airforce. Sure you would have an impressive number of men…but lol that won’t be enough to win barring you sucking up to China like a little b**ch (which is a valid move tbf) AND incompetence by the north (which tbf i would say is about a 70% chance)

[It’s so Joever]

Just wondering- is the decision of canon that the military orders YT et al are posting are themselves not canon, or just that they don't happen canonically because he has no military? Even a fairly small force should be simulable I think.

The former. The South does have a military force.

[It’s so Joever]

DOMESTIC

LGBT FLAG BAN SPLITS MICHIGAN TOWN IN TWO
July 11, 2023
By Weatherboy

HAMTRAMCK, MICHIGAN -
In 2021, Hamtramck became the first town to elect a muslim-majority city council and mayor. Some celebrated, saying that it was a symbol of the diversity of the area. Now, the city council and mayor have approved a resolution to ban the display of the pride flag, among others, which has acted as a lightning rod for massive protests within the town. Mayor Farouk Aamir drew comparisons to the national Embassy Neutrality Act, and stated the protests were led by “outside agitators” who operated like “a form of militia against the people of Hamtramck”.

Wildfires blazing across Fremont, including Hawaii, Kansas, and California
By Forumlurker

Denver, Colorado
The Fremont region is in turmoil as not one, not two, but three distinct massive wildfires have devastated Colorado, California, and Hawaii respectively. Although firefighters and volunteers from across the country rallied to fight the wildfires in Colorado, continuous drought conditions have seriously hindered the impacts of these efforts. Although the original community where the fire was suspected to have started from (with locals claiming it was a firework that triggered it) has burned out, the fires have spread rapidly, hitting the communities of Hartman, Holly, and even crossing the Kansas border, threatening the town of Coolidge. Meanwhile, two new distinct fires have emerged. The first is a fire which has emerged in the Mojave National Preserve and has rapidly become the biggest fire by land area of the three. Luckily, few settlements have been impacted due to the extremely sparse population, but containment efforts still are ongoing. FInally, a wildfire in Maui blazed the historic town of Lahaina, prompting large scale evacuations and the possible destruction of a treasured town on the island. The total death toll from these three fires is 59, with 55 being from the Lahaina fire, and 4 from the Colorado fire. While alarming, many experts have praised the responses of Colorado and California, noting that prompt evacuations likely saved countless lives.


Hollywood on strike!
By Forumlurker

Los Angeles, California
After a narrow vote passed, the SAG-AFTRA union which boasts numerous high profile actors in its ranks has gone on strike for the first time since 1980. Starting on July 14th and still ongoing, the entertainment world has been put at a screeching halt. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has sought to find a quick resolution between the union and the studios, but with neither side budging, an agreement has not been reached. Insiders believe that the studios are holding out in the hopes of the union solidarity falling apart, while the unions continue to press their original demands. Although so far, the entertainment world is arguably at a high since Covid-19 with the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, many in the industry predict the impact will be felt by consumers in the fall if a resolution is not reached.

Flooding across Vermont
By Forumlurker

Montpelier, Vermont
As the Western half of the country has collectively gone into flames, the Northeast, especially the state of Vermont, has had the opposite problem in recent weeks. Heavy rainfall triggered massive flash floods in several parts of the state, causing at least one death and over fifteen injuries so far. The capital city, Montpelier, had to be evacuated as the streets swelled with water. The weather station at Burlington recorded the highest amount of rainfall per day in history, even topping the rainfall caused by Hurricane Irene which also hit the region. With communities across Vermont, Northern New York, and New Hampshire having been affected, locals fear that they will be forgotten due to the extensive media coverage of the wildfires further out.
“I care about the fires in Colorado, my cousin is out there right now and we miss him dearly. But our farm is gone, everything we have was damaged. I just hope Nyman is listening to everyone.”-local resident Molly Wainwright.


Inflation spike after May/June turmoil:
By Forumlurker

Nyman, Atlasia
Although many have since moved on from the political turmoil of the past few months caused by the Southern Secessionary Crisis, the Atlasian economy has not returned back to normal. The spike in unemployment has not reverted, leaving the Atlasian unemployment rate now at 5.3%. Even worse, inflation, which previously had been going down from record highs, has surged up to 6.9% and experts believe such growth will continue in spite of anti-inflationary measures taken to reduce the worst of the effects. Finally, consumer confidence continues to remain at levels not seen since 2008, with some rumoring of an upcoming recession. The one area of growth is the manufacturing sector, ironically enough, with the white collar tech sector and the service sector seeing heavy losses.

INTERNATIONAL


UGANDA PASSES SWEEPING ANTI-LGBT+ LEGISLATION, ACTIVISTS URGE SANCTIONS
August 4, 2023
By Weatherboy


KAMPALA, UGANDA,
 After much delay due to quorum not being met in Uganda’s Parliament, the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, enforcing life sentences for homosexuality, has passed, drawing international outcry. This comes after 2 previous bills, including a notorious one in 2014, were stuck down on procedural grounds and vetoed by the President, respectively. The vote, which was barely over quorum, was nearly unanimous as opposition mostly boycotted the vote on the bill, causing the final vote to be 348 for, 1 against, and 208 absent.
Already, activists in Atlasia and Europe have urged sanctions on Uganda for the act, including potentially removing them from the African Free Trade Agreement recently passed under President Tack. More conservative groups urge leniency however, especially those concerned about foreign policy moves, saying that any extreme action could pull Uganda into China’s sphere of influence. Some far right fringe groups have even praised the law, in particular the God’s Word Coalition, led by one Frederick Todd, is calling for a similar one to be implemented in Atlasia.
The European Union, meanwhile, is considering sanctions on Uganda as well, although efforts have been blocked for the moment by Hungary as well as some legislators from Poland. So far, 5 nations have sanctioned Uganda until the bill is repealed: Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway. Efforts are ongoing in Italy, France, Ireland, and the UK.

Swedish ambassadors expelled amidst rising tensions
By Forumlurker and Joseph Cao

Baghdad, Iraq
After a protest in Stockholm by Swedish citizens which involved the burning of a Koran, the Swedish embassy in Baghdad was stormed by hundreds of protestors and set ablaze. Although the Iraqi government condemned the attack on the embassy and arrested over 20 suspects, the government also threatened to completely sever diplomatic ties with Sweden and expelled the Swedish ambassador along with halting several Swedish operations within the country. Several other countries with strongly Muslim populations, including Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, and the United Arab Emirates, have made similar threats, though as of this writing none have expelled their respective Swedish ambassadors.

The Swedish government has criticized these actions and strongly condemned the attack on their embassy, with support from other Western countries. The stoking of tensions in Iraq and across the Muslim world is hardly a new story, but a trend that some fear may be accelerating in the post-Covid era due to the
cost of living crisis worldwide.

Spanish elections end with no government formation, likely new elections:
By Forumlurker

Madrid, Spain
The race for control of Spain’s parliament ended inconclusively, with PSOE retaining an extremely narrow plurality of seats. After extremely difficult negotiations and rumors of a potential secession crisis in the making (largely spread by VOX affiliates) Pedro Sanchez has managed to form a broad coalition of his own PSOE, Sumar, and several regionalist parties who gained notable leverage and concessions in the next government. Although technically a victory for Sanchez who was expected to lose completely, PP leader Feijoo has lambasted Sanchez for “placing the needs of fringe secessionists above the Spanish people” A sentiment which may well further serve to polarize the issue of separatism in a country which is more divided than it has been in decades.


Results:

PSOE 124
PC 118
VOX 47
SUMAR 32
ERC 7
JUNTS 7
BILDU 6
EAJ 5
Other 3





Coup in Niger
By Forumlurker

Niamey, Niger
After successful coups against Pro-Western governments in Mali and in Burkina Faso, many observers wondered whether another Sahel nation would be “the next domino”. Earlier this month, that question was answered with gunfire in Niamey, the capital city of the landlocked West African nation of Niger. The Democratically elected government was overthrown by the military, leading many to question the future of the country and the broader region in global politics. French president, Le Pen, who has previously been attacked for being sympathetic to Russia, shocked the world by declaring the coup “a travesty” and promising swift retaliation. Although links to Russia are not established, there is speculation of Wagner involvement in the orchestration of the coup and within the new government. ECOWAS in talks with France has considered military intervention, although few think such a situation is likely. No matter what, the coup symbolizes yet another point in a continuing proxy conflict over the West African Sahel between France and Russia.

Kabul Falls
By Forumlurker

Kabul, Afghanistan
After nearly two years of vicious combat, hundreds of thousands of refugees flooding neighboring Pakistan, and a near humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan’s largest city, the capital of Afghanistan and one of the last holdouts of the Atlasian-supported Afghani government has surrendered. Although some remaining bits of the country remain under contention, including the infamous Panjshir Valley, Taliban control over Afghanistan has largely solidified, with cities falling one by one in the past few months with a sudden yet predictable collapse in the weary Afghan military ranks. President Ashraf Ghani, who shocked the World with his surprising bravery and “Churchillian resolve” was captured attempting to flee the city by Taliban special units and now is under detainment for an indefinite period of time. What this will mean for the country is uncertain, especially for the millions of Afghan women who saw massive improvements in their personal rights under the previous government. With the Taliban in charge, those rights likely will be stripped, possibly reverting the country back to where it was over twenty years ago, and prompting the question of whether the countless lives and resources invested into the war was even worth it in the first place.



Protests in Kenya
By Forumlurker

Nairobi, Kenya
Despite running a populist campaign themed on prioritizing Kenya’s needy, President Ruto now faces escalating protests from his own supporters. What originally started off as a wave of protests surrounding the results of the 2022 election which saw Ruto gain power in the first place has since morphed into a broad movement to express dissatisfaction with current conditions, more specifically the cost of living crisis in Kenya. This crisis was exacerbated with Ruto’s decision to cut subsidies for petrol and food, and a more recent decision to increase taxes on petrol. These policies may have indeed helped reduce serious deficits the Kenyan government faced, but certainly have made life far more difficult for the average Kenyan citizen today

[It’s so Joever]

Team vote was unanimous

[It’s so Joever]

Yes the writers are also on strike.

[It’s so Joever]

Confirming vote

[It’s so Joever]

Confirming the vote.

[It’s so Joever]

Vote confirmed

[It’s so Joever]

Atlasian Public Acts - Early February 2024 Edition

"CITY TO PRINCE: DROP DEAD", DIRECT RULE DECREES CAUSE CHAOS IN SOUTH

By The GM Team

ATLANTA, GA - Following decrees that enforce direct rule over the city, the former mayor (or still current mayor depending who you ask) has made multiple statements, with signed support of 14 of the 16 members of the city council and a majority of Lieutenant or higher ranking officers in the Atlanta PD, saying that Prince Saint's "tyrannical and illegitimate decrees would not be recognized". Already protests have broken out in Atlanta, mostly against the Prince's actions. Signs have been seen saying everything from "stop the tyranny" to "misogynists f**k off" to "where's Sherman when you need him?" Despite expectations, the protests have been mostly peaceful, possibly in part due to Atlanta PD officers often joining the protests. Only scattered reports of looting have been made, although one protest became a brawl when meeting another, smaller group that was protesting in favor of the Prince's decision.

The situation in Atlanta has led to many other cities becoming flooded with mass protests, with
Birmingham, Miami, Mobile, Charleston, Greenville SC, Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond,
Baltimore, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Memphis all seeing major protests.

Nyman has seen a massive ongoing protest at the National Mall, with the intent of "making sure the Senate can't do business without hearing our pleas". Attendance there is estimated at a steady 300,000 during the day, and tens of thousands going so far as to stay all night too. Peaks of attendance have reached over 500,000. Similarly a protest has sprung up outside of the Southern Capitol in Nashville, with tens of thousands protesting daily. This has been the one that has been cracked down upon the most, with at least 15 arrests due to defacing the Tennessee Map Plaza, or in one case, inciting violence by bringing a guillotine to the protest with an effigy of Prince Saint placed in it.

The place where tensions are reaching a true boiling point, however, is Southeastern Kentucky.
Shortly after the decrees were issued, county executives in Harlan, Letcher, Bell, Leslie, Perry, Knott, Pike, Clay, and Knox counties issued a joint statement, saying that if the Southern government does not "back away from their extreme, anti-liberty authoritarianism", that they would secede. Included in the statement were several polls with statements that the "people of Southeastern Kentucky have had enough". Polls taken in the past month have shown that a small majority (from 55 to 60%) of residents favored separating from the south, including over 80% of women. A poll from Gallup taken of 754 residents over the past 2 days has shown that number jump, with 66% in favor of secession from the south, 28% opposed, and 6% unsure, with a 4.4% MoE. Experts have been skeptical that such a secessionist state would be sustainable without outside aid, but the fact that the area is still considering it nonetheless shows how much damage the decrees have caused .

Weekend At Spiral’s?

By Joseph Cao

As the quietest presidential race in living memory gets underway, President Spiral has not signaled whether he intends to run for a third term. If he did, the electoral outlook would be much better for him than the last time a two-term president attempted the same feat, as residents of the town where the former president in question resides are quick to note.

But there is a more immediate problem that President Spiral, or else his successor, will have to face – the hollowing out of the Cabinet.

Registrar General thumb21 resigned last week, citing personal reasons and apologizing for his recent difficulties with the job. He joins former Attorney General Mr. X, who deregistered late last year and thus opened up a vacancy for his position; in the meantime Deputy AG John Dule has been representing the administration in a slew of cases currently being heard by the Supreme Court. Both vacancies remain unfilled as of this writing. Though Secretary of State razze remains in office, a number of private and public requests for clarification on foreign policy – including in the Senate, of which he is a member – have gone unanswered, and it is possible that a replacement for his position may be under consideration.

The composition of the Cabinet, or lack thereof, will impact the presidential race in other ways. Vice President Cathcon has also had some activity issues (with the 119th Senate's legislative business delayed by over a week after he left a PPT vote open); he may retire regardless of whether Spiral runs again, which would necessitate a fresh VP pick. SoIA Sirius is already running for president and if she is successful she will have an extra Cabinet vacancy to deal with: her own.

At press time, the Department of Federal Elections appears to be functioning as usual. When contacted for comment on the remarkable state of normalcy prevailing in his department, the Secretary replied 'What the [inks] is happening?' and paused briefly before letting out a hollow laugh.


Update approved 3-0.

Confirmed

[It’s so Joever]

The 1970’s called, they want their economy back:
By Forumlurker
NYMAN, ATLASIA - Building upon already existing stagflationary trends (increasing inflation and
unemployment) the Atlasian economy has continued to suffer post-Covid and Southern crisis,
with the inflation rate continuing to remain stubbornly high at 7.2% (a very slight decrease from
December) and unemployment having surged into the double digits, being 10.4% as of this
February. The trend of the Southern and Fremont regions being the most impacted continues to
hold although even in the least impacted parts of Atlasia, the unemployment rate has surged
and an increasing number of civilians are estimated to be living in poverty. A “Northwards
migration” effect has been taking place with over 100,000 Southerners having left the region to
Lincoln and Fremont alone, and a reported surge in illegal crossings from Atlasia to Canada.
Consumer confidence has now dropped to levels below their worst in 2008, and a general
sense of pessimism is being felt among investors, with the DOW having dropped to below
30,000 for the first time since late 2021.

Migrant Crisis Solved?
By Forumlurker
SAN DIEGO, ATLASIA - After over a year of continuous domestic instability and a now tanking
economy, border apprehensions in 2023 decreased by over 33% compared to 2022. This
downward trend has continued into 2024, with the month of January having the least
apprehensions since the Covid-era. After many concerns over a surge in migrants in 2021 and
2022, it appears that Atlasian politicians have managed to solve the seemingly impossible.
Several critical policy analysts have pointed out this is likely due to worsening domestic living
conditions in Atlasia removing the incentive to make the perilous journey, however, the numbers themselves can not be disputed.

Houston, we’ve got a problem:
By Forumlurker
HOUSTON, ATLASIA - Although the vast majority of urban Southern counties and municipalities
have been poorly enforcing or outright ignoring recent Southern legislation, causing the NYT
yesterday to have called the South “A collection of fiefdoms”, one city has remained true to the
Southern textual law and has been strictly enforcing the recent bills passed. However, tensions
hit a boiling point when a yard sale in the Sunnyside neighborhood resulted in the arrest of
resident James Madison (no relation to the Fourth US president). The sale involved a stack of
coat hangers which were sold for five dollars. However, the purchaser was an undercover cop
who promptly arrested the family’s sole provider. Being a valued member of the community, the
neighborhood began to erupt into protest, with those across the city taking up the cause far
beyond the streets of Sunnyside. The Houston mayor responded with force, resulting in a brutal
crackdown resulting in multiple fatalities. THis did not deescalate the situation in the city,
prompting further protests and a riot which resulted in the Houston Town Hall to be broken into
(although was quickly protected) The city of Houston has now requested assistance from both
the Texas State Guard, and the Southern Prince in dealing with this situation.

The Gila Monster
By Forumlurker
GLOBE, ATLASIA - It is an idyllic wild western town surrounded by mountains and desert for as
far as the eye can see. It is also a town which is home to a group that wants to end that western
association. A political group which had been identified by the FBI as early as 2022 has surged
in membership recently. Although the exact ideology of the group is vague with even
anonymous members giving different accounts, a general support for right wing politics and
recently, a support for Arizona to become a part of the South seem to be common unifiers. The
group gained local notoriety when one of its members was caught in the planning of a school
shooting a day before the act was supposed to take place. Of course, the group denied
responsibility and promised “improved admission screening practices”. However with the group
rising and the relatively anti-Fremontian and anti-government rhetoric espoused by the leader,
Curtis Gadsen (note:not his actual surname but one he gave himself), there is concern among Arizona residents that this group could go rogue.

Atlant-Out:
By Forumlurker
ATLANTA, ATLASIA - In response to a series of measures taken by the Southern Government
to reign in county officials who had previously committed to defying Southern law, the mayor of
Atlanta in coordination with Fulton County and Dekalb County officials have called upon their
civilians to “prepare themselves for tyranny”. The mayor has announced a public emergency
and has called upon civilians to stockpile food, water, and munitions in case of “suppression”.
State and Regional armed forces have also been requested to leave, a request which has
obviously been denied thus far. Unverified sources also claim that the Atlanta police are being
given new training. Although the political situation is tense, life goes on in Atlanta, with few
civilians even noticing much of a difference, mostly passively supporting the mayor. However,
time will tell whether the situation escalates beyond a war of words.


INTERNATIONAL


Pop, The Magic Dragon:
By Forumlurker
BEIJING, CHINA - Although many global news networks have been largely covering the
continued instability in Atlasia, the World’s second largest economy is also experiencing one of
its worst periods in modern history. Although unemployment statistics have recently not been
updated (a development which in itself has spooked investors) experts believe that the urban
unemployment rate may now stand at 7.6 percent. While nowhere near as high as many other
sizable economies at this point in time, the trends are concerning for policymakers with Beijing
announcing new fiscal stimulus measures last week in an attempt to prop up sagging demand.
In addition, both imports and exports have net declined this past quarter causing panic to
spread. To put matters into perspective, the Hang Seng Index currently stands at approximately
12,500, less than half of what it was just two years ago and even lower than the worst of the
2008 recession. Economic anxieties have begun to take center stage on Chinese social media
platforms such as Weibo despite heavy censorship on the platform. How this will impact Xi’s
desire to see China replace Atlasia as hegemon of the World is unknown, with a former
secretary of state who desires to remain anonymous equating the current situation to “Two idiots
seeing who can shoot themselves in the foot the hardest.”


MBS calls BS:
By Forumlurker
RIYADH-SAUDI ARABIA - Following a piece of legislation from the South which would
effectively bar the construction of minarets in a law similar to what Switzerland has, Saudi leader
Bin Salman threatened Nyman with a decline in oil output which would cause oil prices to surge.
Many analysts believe this may be an excuse to punish a government which has already been
relatively unfriendly with Riyadh in recent years over issues such as Yemen. Leaked reports
from Riyadh have suggested that MBS has been growing increasingly frustrated with the
Atlasian government and has begun to consider a shift towards other potential powers such as
Russia and China. The Israeli-Palestinian skirmishes which have angered the Arab World likely
also put pressure on the Saudi government to at least take symbolic action against Israel and
her allies such as Atlasia.

Oui want out! The rise of AdiEU:
By Forumlurker
PARIS, FRANCE - Following a series of emergency meetings regarding the struggling euro and
a surge in migrants (unlike Atlasia, illicit immigration remains a serious issue for the EU) French
president Le Pen announced “phase one” of a plan to see France transition out of the European
Union and the Eurozone over the next ten years. The announcement of this plan further
devastated the already weak Euro and shook international markets from London to Tokyo.
Meanwhile, the situation on the ground in France remains starkly divided. In the cosmopolitan
city of Paris, protests against Le Pen have already been taking place against the hasty plans to
exit the EU. One protest even saw a life sized doll of Le Pen executed with a makeshift
guillotine. On the other hand, opinion in many rural parts of France seems to be just as strong,
with numerous social media posts of French farmers burning EU flags and the rural commune of
Athies officially declaring itself as independent from the multinational union. Although Brexit has
received a mixed reception at best, Le Pen assuaged critics at a press conference noting
fundamental differences between the French exit strategy and the British one (or lack of one)
and the contexts. Whether these reassurances will stand the test of time remains to be seen,
and whether the EU could survive a French exit is equally in question.


Timber goes the Cedar Tree:
By Forumlurker
BEIRUT, LEBANON - Following a disastrous couple of years, many Lebanese civilians and
officials alike had hoped for better news in 2024. Unfortunately, as has so often been the case
recently in Lebanon, all hopes have sunk about as much as the Lebanese GDP. Following a
complete breakdown in parliament over a religious freedom bill, the Lebanese parliament
dissolved once again in late January. However, this was not an ordinary story of political
infighting that happens in Western countries all the time as well and is considered an officially
recognized national pastime of Belgium. Rather, Hezbollah declared new “electoral security
measures” in regions it controls in southern Lebanon, resulting in massive protests in Tyre that
ended in violence (although no reported casualties) However, this was not the end of the fun in
the multicultural Mediterranean nation. The Lebanese Armed Forces attempted a military
operation under Joseph Aoun on February 5th in an attempt to “stabilize an escalating country”
This attempt at stabilization had the predictable effect of destabilizing the entire country, with
Hezbollah and aligned groups declaring the “coup government” illegitimate, and urging civilians
to fight back. In beirut where most of the operation took place, several Hezbollah MPs were
arrested for treason by the armed forces, resulting in Hezbollah to retaliate by doing the same
with political rivals in southern Lebanon and Lebanese military forces. At this point, parliament
has dissolved completely and the chance of fighting between the LAF and Hezbollah seems a
real possibility for the first time in years, bringing an end to the uneasy peace the country had
worked so hard to obtain decades ago.

Portuguese Election ends in Deadlock
By Weatherboy
LISBON, PORTUGAL - After the previous Socialist Party (PS) government fell due to a
corruption scandal, Portuguese citizens headed to the polls earlier this month, looking to elect a
new government. In the end, however, the results left no clear government likely, as the
centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) fell well short of a majority, having to rely on the far-right
CHEGA (CH) to govern. Meanwhile minor parties had mixed results, with the classical liberal
Liberal Initiative (IL) and progressive, pro-EU, green, liberal socialist FREE (L) parties making
gains, while left-wing to far-left Left Bloc (BE) and Unitary Democratic Coalition (CDU) stagnated
or lost seats. The environmentalist People, Animals, Nature (PAN) narrowly held their seat, and
in an odd twist, the minor right-wing party National Democratic Alternative (ADN) gained a seat,
with AD making accusations that the similar party names/abbreviations led to voter confusion
and lost seats for the AD. AD: 77 seats (+/- 0) PS: 75 seats (-44) CH: 53 seats (+41) IL: 10
seats (+2) L: 5 seats (+4) BE: 4 seats (-1) CDU: 4 seats (-2) PAN: 1 seat (+/- 0) ADN: 1 seat
(+1) While an agreement seemed to be made, the vote on José Pedro Aguiar-Branco to
become speaker failed as CH didn't vote in favor, with CH leader Andre Ventura claiming the AD
never contacted him despite saying otherwise in previous statements. The confusion has led to
most experts predicting a new set of elections if CH and AD were unable to come to an
agreement. In the end, after hours of intense talks, the PS agreed to support Aguiar-Branco for
speaker on the condition that a PS member would be speaker starting in 2026. Despite the
successful speaker election, it's not likely that the government, being nearly 40 seats short of a
majority, holds on for long, with most predictions stating another election will come this year or
next year.

Let Sleeping Dragons Lai
By JosephCao
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Vice-president Lai Ching-te ascended to Taiwan’s top job in elections held
for the presidency and Legislative Yuan of Taiwan in January, producing an unprecedented third
consecutive presidential term for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party helmed by Lai’s
superior, Tsai Ing-wen. The party also performed well in the legislative elections, holding its
majority and likely allowing Lai to inherit his predecessor’s ample legislative latitude.
2024 Taiwanese presidential election
Lai Ching-te / Hsiao Bi-khim (DPP): 55.39%
Ko Wen-je / Wu Hsin-ying (TPP): 22.71%
Chu Li-luan / Hou Yu-ih (KMT): 21.90%
More than anything else, this result has been interpreted on the international stage as a victory
for Tsai and another black eye for Xi Jinping and the People’s Republic of China. Tsai’s
leadership during the PRC blockade of Taiwan in 2021 and ability to mobilize domestic and
international support alike for her defense of the island is thought to have resonated strongly
with voters, repeating a dynamic from her 2020 reelection in which the PRC crushing of dissent
in Hong Kong boosted her and her party’s ratings against their China-friendly opponents. Thus
voters have largely viewed the recent election as a referendum on Tsai’s leadership, as Lai and
his running mate Hsiao Bi-khim were both key drivers of the government’s response to the
blockade (Hsiao, the then-Taiwanese representative to Atlasia, notably led the diplomatic push
for the Taiwan airlift and saw her domestic and international profile greatly raised as a result).

[It’s so Joever]

3-0 unanimous vote in favor of passing