Council Elections in Jonchastan

[joncha]

from the Jonchastan Press newswire:

The Jonchastani Neighbourhood and Workplace Councils held their monthly Delegate Elections this week, returning a majority of pro-Internationalist candidates to Jonchastan's National Congress.

The result is widely interpreted to mean that Jonchastan will formally enter the Apolyton Court, as well as take a more active roll in regional affairs.

The elections were dominated by the events in Frankychanland, and by the recent split in the majority Revolutionary Socialist Party into "Internationalist" and "Autonomy" factions. While no party received an outright majority in Congress for the first time in over four years, the RSP and its allies had enough Congressional support to take 5 of 9 Central Committee Positions.

The Automy Caucus of the RSP and their coalition partners gained 3 CC position, with the 9th spot going to the unlikely Green Party, which won only 7 of the 299 Delegate Elections, but had more support among the pro-business fringe than did the Environmental Labour Alliance, which stepped down from the Central Committee for the first time in 13 months.

RSP          101     3
RSP(AC)       52     1
DCP           28     1
LWC(OID)       4
SU            18     1
AAG            4
ELA           14
GP             7     1
OSD            1
ACL           25     1
DLP           31     1
MCP            4
SL             7
LDP            3
Ind            1

Total        299     9

RSP-Revolutionary Socialist Party, RSP(AC)-Revolutionary Socialist Party (Autonomy Caucus), DCP-Democratic Communist Party, LWC(OID)-Left-Wing Communist (and other infantile disorders) Party, SU-Syndicalist Union, AAG-Anarchist Affinity Group, ELA-Environmental Labour Alliance, GP-Green Party, OSD-Organisation for Sustainable Development, ACL-Anarcho-Communist League, DLP-Democratic Labour Party, MCP-Moderate Centre Party, SL-Social-Liberals, LDP-Liberal Democratic Party

[joncha]

from the Jonchastan Atlas for Students

[joncha]

Let's try that again, shall we?

[joncha]

Hehe, third time's a charm.

[Mr. President]

Following his habit of extending cordiality to election victors, President Jose Djordjevic of Karakas sent a message to the RSP congratulating them on their victory.

A spokesman from the President's office said that President Djordjevic expressed the desire for strong relations between Karakas and Jonchastan.

[Basus]

As High Chancellor of Basus on behalf of the people of Basus I would like to congratulate the RSP party with their victory

We would be honoured if the Central Committee or
at least some of their members would visit Basus to celebrate the relation of mutual friendship between our countries.

As a token of our goodwill we would like to found a exchange program for the students of our nations so the can be the messengers of friendship and understanding

Yours Faithfully,

Alexander van Eerden Biswijck, High Chancellor of Basus

[joncha]

The Jonchastan Committee for Correspondence would like to thank our regional neighbours for their messages of friendship and support.

We have been informed by the Education and Training Council that an exchange programme between Basus and Jonchastan is highly desired, and should be implementable within a few weeks.

Furthermore, as part of our nation's strong desire to strengthen our relations with Basus, the Central Committee has announced that two of its members, Anita Baath (GP) and Alexander Park (RSP), will be joining the Jonchastani delegation to the International Water Management Forum in Nijmegen.

[Twilemen]

Statement from Twilemen's Minister of Foreign Affairs:

"On behalf of the people of Twilemen, I would like to extend my congratulations to the RSP party of Jonchastan. I trust that our two contries will be able to mantain a strong relationship based on mutual friendship and a desire for peace."

[ceroomaster]

First Minister Cooper would like to congratulate the Jonchastani administraion on securing victory in the recent council elections.
Ceroo is pleased that the 'internationalist' sections of the party managed to win over the 'autonomists' and hope this will produce a long-lasting relationship between our peoples.

(However, behind the scenes it is believed that the First Minister is worried that the tide of socialism sweeping through the region may affect Ceroo, and play into the hands of the Democratic Socialist party in Ceroo's forthcoming election...)

[joncha]

Re: Council Elections in Jonchastan

from the Jonchastan Press newswire:

The latest Delegate Elections for Jonchastan's National Congress produced mixed results, with the Revolutionary Socialist Party recovering from its losses and the RSP's Autonomy Caucus split, despite and drop in support of 4 percentage points, solidifying itself as Jonchastan's second largest party.

Support for the RSP surged over 13% to 47.48%, while all other parties either remained level or shrank in support, except for the newly formed Peace and Freedom Party, which won 9 of Port Chandler's 52 delegate positions.

The result is seen as a vote of confidence in the Central Committee's handling thus far of the FCL/Azan crisis. The RSP increased its standing in the CC from 3 to 4 positions, and its allies in the Democratic Communist Party and Democratic Labour Party gained a position each. The RSPs Autonomy Caucus and their allies in the Syndicalist Union and Anarcho-Communist League held on to their 3 CC positions.

The most marked change from the last Congress is the Green Party's loss of CC status, leaving environmentalist parties without Central Committee representation for the first time in over 5 years.

RSP          312     4
RSP(AC)       86     1
DCP           45     1
LWC(OID)       6
ACL           54     1
AAG            6
SU            40     1
GP            15     
OSD            2
ELA           18
DLP           45     1
MCP            3
SL            10
LDP            6
PFP            9
Ind            0

Total        657     9

RSP-Revolutionary Socialist Party, RSP(AC)-Revolutionary Socialist Party (Autonomy Caucus), DCP-Democratic Communist Party, LWC(OID)-Left-Wing Communist (and other infantile disorders) Party, ACL-Anarcho-Communist League, AAG-Anarchist Affinity Group, SU-Syndicalist Union, GP-Green Party, OSD-Organisation for Sustainable Development, ELA-Environmental Labour Alliance, DLP-Democratic Labour Party, MCP-Moderate Centre Party, SL-Social-Liberals, LDP-Liberal Democratic Party, PFP-Peace and Freedom Party

[Rasputin]

President John Howard flew from Auldonina to greet the new congress establsihed in Jonchastan. He wished to establish closer links with the people he regarded as the wisest in the whole Azan affair.

He took with him his Trade minister Peter Abbott and his Tourism minister Simon Crean. Defence Minister Kim Beazley also traveled with the group but wasnt present at any official meetings.

[Paddy]

Yes yes, congratulations on your victory

The Kingdom of Emerald Cove

[joncha]

from the Lonely Planet guide to Apolynesia
5th edition, 1997

...

The southernmost island in the archipelago is Joncha, which along with tiny neighbouring Chandler Island (located on the other side of the oil-rich Jeongyeon Straight) makes up the People's Republic of Jonchastan.

Until the revolution that overthrew the Emir in 1975 (see Chapter 4, Political Developments), Jonchastan was primarily known for its long, sandy beaches, lush tropical forests, and corrupt politicians. Since then, however, the nation is primarily reknowned for its people's near fanatical devotion to Jonchastan's radically democratic institutions, the Neighbourhood and Workplace Councils (see inset, right) and their attendent committees, congresses, assemblies and commissions. In fact, it has been noted by more than one visitor to the Sunny Isle that politics is the leading pastime among Jonchastanis.

...

A Note on Council Democracy
The Governmental forms in Jonchastan seem at first glance to be overwhelmingly complex, leading many observers to the conclusion that the state is burdened by a heavy bureaucracy run solely by the byzantine manuevering of an army of apparatchiks. This is simply not the case. All government officials - from park rangers to court justices - are elected and accountable, and society in Jonchastan is run directly, from the ground up, through the Council system.

Cities and districts operate autonomously through the Councils, and only issues involving interactions between Councils, as well as those involving Jonchastan's interaction with the outside world, are dealt with by the higher levels of the Jonchastani state. Delegates to the National Congress are elected monthly in the various Councils, and remain accountable to them, as they are immediately recallable. Every month the National Congress, in turn, elects a nine-member Central Committee, which collectively serves as Jonchastan's chief executive and head-of-state.

...

[joncha]

A more detailed map, showing an interesting mix of national park land and proven oil reserves.

[joncha]

Re: Re: Council Elections in Jonchastan

from an editorial in the Jonchabad Daily Tribune

Although today's Delegate Elections were over-shadowed by events overseas, the results reflect more than just Jonchastani opinion of the Azan crisis.

To be sure, the strong showing made by the Peace and Freedom Party and, spectacularly, by the Movement for a Free Azan could not have happened in isolation from the growing conflict. The same is true of the continued divisions between the Internationalist and Autonomist wings of the RSP. However, to ignore the other political developments within the Councils would be a mistake.

Take, for example, the case of Chandler Island. National sentiment among Chandler Islanders has found it's expression not just in the nationalist Union of Chandler Islanders, but also in the successful split of the Chandler Island Socialist Party from the local Revolutionary Socialists.

Jeongyeon City's tumultuous Councils have given rise to several new political groupings, the most significant being the Left Alliance, a coalition of anarchists and socialists of various stripes, and the pro-business Citizens for a New Economic Vision.

Even the party most directly associated with the crisis in Azan - the Movement for a Free Azan - is the product of recent domestic developments. Jonchastan's recent demographic explosion is due in large part to the opening up of the borders to more immigrants and refugees. The Azani emigre population has been among the largest of Jonchastan's new ethnic communities, as well as most successful in getting their message heard. They would not now have a seat on the Central Committee were it otherwise.

RSP          411     3
RSP(AC)      131     1
RSP(SFC)      61     1
DCP           59     1
LWC(OID)       6
BSL           12
CISP          47
ACL           65     1
JCLA          37
AAG            6
SU            77     1
GP            12     
OSD            1
ELA           30
DLP           65
MCP            4
SL             4
NVTA           3
CNEV          31
PFP           21
MFA           95     1
PP             2
UCI           26
Ind            1

Total       1207     9

RSP-Revolutionary Socialist Party, RSP(AC)-Revolutionary Socialist Party (Autonomy Caucus), RSP (SFC)-Revolutionary Socialist Party (Socialist-Feminist Caucus), DCP-Democratic Communist Party, LWC(OID)-Left-Wing Communist (and other infantile disorders) Party, BSL-Bacchinalian Socialist League, CISL-Chandler Island Socialist Party, ACL-Anarcho-Communist League, JCLA-Jeongyeon City Left Alliance, AAG-Anarchist Affinity Group, SU-Syndicalist Union, GP-Green Party, OSD-Organisation for Sustainable Development, ELA-Environmental Labour Alliance, DLP-Democratic Labour Party, MCP-Moderate Centre Party, SL-Social-Liberals, NVTA-New Vancouver Tourism Association, CNEV-Citizens for a New Economic Vision, PFP-Peace and Freedom Party, MFA-Movement for a Free Azan, PP-Party Party, UCI-Union of Chandler Islanders