Premier Ofdensen Addresses The Empire"Today we start our journey together, one which will see Rokkenjima reclaim her rightful place in Mundus, and bring her the vindication she is so justly due." After forming a coalition government with the Green Party Charles Foster Ofdensen addressed the People of Rokkenjima. His remarks are as follows:
"My fellow countrymen,
I wished to thank you for the trust and faith you have placed in both myself and the Centre Party to right the course which our glorious Empire finds itself upon. Years ago I served as Vicegerent to Empress Saisei, I served in many positions but I always did so in the hopes that I could be a faithful, dutiful servant to you, the Rokkenjiman People. I have traveled throughout Mundus and, let me tell you, there is not one nation which compares to ours; none so excellent, none so wonderful, our beloved Rokkenjima truly is without peers. Whilst some may try to imitate us, as our neighbours to the west, and others seek to undermine us at every turn, such as our northwestern neighbours, they equally stand in the shadow of Pyrettania. They cannot ever hope to compare to what our Empire is, what our People have accomplished, so they seek to emulate us or throw dirt at us, hoping to drag us down so that we're just as unremarkable as they are. Whilst the Crown has become ignorant to these slights against our nation and our name, I have been keeping receipts and can promise you today that the current state of circumstances will stand not one day longer.
The Centre Party, working with our Green partners, have a most ambitious agenda which will serve as a much overdue reminder for such foreigners that this level of disrespect does not come without consequence. While I have my disagreements with the Crown the idea of a foreigner coming to
our Courts to seek prosecution against the Sovereign is most laughable and insulting; the gall of Cassiopeia is truly beyond compare. Our record in the fields of forwarding a clean environment for the whole of Mundus is well known, as is our contributions to a more sustainable future. My Government will be exploring all possible actions we can take in response to these slights, to hold Cassiopeia fully accountable, and I will report to you once we have a plan of action before us.
We must also ensure that, domestically, we are ensuring that future generations are well prepared to be productive members of Rokkenjiman society. I will be enacting a new, Rokkenjima-first educational program which will showcase the highlights of Rokkenjiman history, the progressive steps our nation has taken which have shaped Mundus for the better, and ensure that only those educators who ensure that Rokkenjiman students are enriched through patriotic courses are credited to teach in our schools. The age of an apologist Rokkenjima is behind us, and it is prudent that we start by ensuring that our children know there is never, under any circumstances, any reason why any Rokkenjiman should apologise to a foreigner. Many of them should in fact be thanking us, from the shores of the Illumic to the shores of Albion and beyond, for without a determined Rokkenjima many of them would be living in the chains of servitude today.
We must also ensure that Rokkenjiman allies are on the same page as us, that they truly share our values, and support a world view which is based on the international laws and norms we worked so hard to effect. We must see that the MCUR, not the Abrahamic Declaration, perseveres as the guarantor of rights. We must see that nuclear security is gained through MAEA, and that those who operate outside of its scope are isolated and brought to task for their reckless actions. We must see that the CTO has an effective successor, that the trend of regionalism and alliances such as the CNN aren't left to set the tone for the international order. We must support sovereignty over a Morelander scheme for global domination, and must counter Morelander attempts to exert their influence where it is not desired or needed.
We need to look inward as well, as in the absence of a democratically elected leader we now see an Achkaerinese foreigner in charge of our foreign policy. I held the position of Vicegerent before, and to grant such a position to a foreign national was an irresponsible dereliction of duty by the Saisei Empress. My Government will represent an effective check on the influence of Valtheim in Pyrettania; together, you and I, we will see that Rokkenjiman policy is enacted because it benefits Rokkenjimans, not because it pleases the likes of Emperor Peter and Crown Princess Serenity. Today, with your vote, we began a partnership that will see all these issues settled, once and for all. Together we have declared a new independence day, and a day where not one Rokkenjiman need apologize for being Rokkenjiman. We are the city on the hill, we are the force that inspires hope in hearts across Mundus, and I'm here to tell you that you don't need to apologize for that; I say embrace it, embrace your excellence,
our excellence, and let's show the world around us the path to peace, tranquility and a better Mundus for all without worrying about offending foreigners who don't know any better."
The Growth of the Centre Party is a Danger to Rokkenjiman Democracy, Even Lacking a Majority
An opinión article by George von Stein
The country of Rokkenjima is a fair one in both political and social freedoms. It enjoys freedom of speech, belief, religion and ideology, as well as the right to pick who one is ruled by. However, writes George von Stein, the growth of Ofdensen’s Centre party is a threat to all those Rokkenjiman values.
To first look at why the Centre Party is a threat we must look first at its leader, Charles Ofdensen. Duke of Pyrettania, Lord High Steward, Secretary General of the CTO, Viceregent and more, Ofdensen maintains an impressive CV. However, it all came down for him when he was convicted for his role in the Andean genocide, and though he was later cleared of his convictions (an issue of great contention among some circle), his insider reputation (that is, his reputation among the internal government of Rokkenjima) never quite recovered. It made any chance of him holding a respectable position in the Rokkenjiman state impossible, unless he could force his way into government. Thus he set his sights on the Centre Party.
The Centre Party was, pre-Ofdensen, mild and inoffensive. Arguing for fiscal responsibility and reasonable management of state and economy, the Centre Party was, as the name describes it, in the centre of politics. Ofdensen changed all of that. His entrance into the party and eventual seizure of it sparked a hitherto unseen change in the partie’s politics. It went from a reasonable, centrist party, with the offensiveness of a wet piece of tissue to what it is now: a right-wing populist party, bent on subverting the democratic process of Rokkenjima.
But what does that actually mean? It is easy to throw buzzwords around, to call Ofdensen a fascist, a communist or a reactionary, but what is he really? The most accurate thing to call him would be a simple populist. Ofdensen has no political ideology himself. He will say whatever will get him elected, and what he believes will get him elected is divisive and controversial takes on all aspects of Rokkenjiman society, from immigration to fiscal policy to government to foreign relations. If there’s a controversial take on Rokkenjiman politics, Ofdensen has likely voiced it. And this is exactly what makes him so dangerous. Ofdensen is a talented speaker, his relatively rapid return to power after his conviction is a testament to that. Every time he opens his mouth, he makes unreasonable ideas seem practical, obvious and simple. He mainstreams fringe ideas, pushing Rokkenjima dangerously close to the right.
But, some of my critics will inevitably cry out, how on Earth can he be a danger, he didn’t even manage to win a majority! And whilst that may be true, he managed to form a government. Now the people are looking to him to deliver his promises of a national revival to Rokkenjima, and if he fails to deliver he will be booted out of power once again. Ofdensen is no fool, he realises that. This is his do or die moment. And as the old saying goes, a cornered snake is when it is the most dangerous. If he fails to achieve his policies, and he feels the noose of public opinion tighten around his neck on the gallows of democracy, he will no doubt consider a coup, revolution or otherwise seizure of power to secure his dominance in Rokkenjiman society. Whilst it is doubtful whether Ofdensen will follow this consideration, the fact the possibility exists shows the danger of putting such a man in power. A Ofdensen government is a better concept than it is an actual practical solution to the nation’s problems, he needed this term to consolidate power legally, and as he failed to gain a majority government, any attempts to pull this off will fail. Ofdensen will not win reelection. He will realise this once the polls shift as the Rokkenjiman people wake up to the very real possibility that he wasn’t all he hyped himself up to be.
In addition to all the domestic implications of Ofdensen’s control, there are also the foreign implications. Ofdensen, simply put, establishes a bad precedent. Populist opportunistic war criminals forming or taking control of radical parties who are not afraid to sprout insurrectionist and reactionary rhetoric is not something the free nations of the world want to see popping up. This issue is impounded by the fact that, to put it bluntly, Rokkenjima is a hegemon. Where Rokkenjima goes, the world often follows not too long after. If Rokkenjima, a classic source of stability for the Mundus, were to fall to Ofdensen, the floodgates would be opened. It would be like knocking out a supporting wall and watching the roof cave in.
However, my critics may cry again, you fear monger and cry and weep about this threat you’ve outlined, yet sit in your armchair, proposing no solution. So I shall address these concerns. The Rokkenjiman political system is one of fine checks and balances, moderated by the stabilising and deradicalising influence of the Anselmos. In there, in faith to the system established by our ancestors, lies the path out. The Imperial Family, seeing any risk of power grabs or the subversion of democracy must take action to remove him, legally. And that includes dissolving the diet and calling new elections if it becomes necessary to save Rokkenjiman democracy. A radical move, sure, but one that may have to be taken in radical times.
This article was written by the GeoPolitik Research Group on the request of the Rokkenjima Broadcasting Corporation and may not represent their views.