Council Elections in Jonchastan

[Rasputin]

good to see another election in another country, so many democratic nations round here havent had a vote since time began

[joncha]

The following shows the seating arrangments in for the Jonchastan National Congress.

[Basus]

Wow cool stuff jon, wished i was a computer wizz

[joncha]

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

...

National Congress Stadium
One of the more striking buildings in Jonchabad is the National Congress Stadium. Built in 1972 by the Emir as world class facility for equestrian events, it was used by the Jonchabad Workers Council as a public organizing centre during the revolution, and has since served as Jonchastan's National Congress. On most days, hundreds of partisan citizens fill the galleries, eager to participate in the debates of the nation at the highest level, and in times of political crisis, it can be standing room only.

...

[joncha]

Originally posted by Basus
Wow cool stuff jon, wished i was a computer wizz

It's all trial and error, my friend. Sometimes it ends up looking great. Other times...

[Basus]

Well i'm lucky if i can find the on-switch I'm more the writing type. My girlfriend on the other hand is a computer wizz she has build our new website

[Mr. President]

Originally posted by Rasputin
good to see another election in another country, so many democratic nations round here havent had a vote since time began

I keep forgetting!

[Basus]

Basians don't care much for elections, the allways vote for te same persons/parties. Every four years we do have elections

[joncha]

Jonchastanis love a good election. That's why they have one every four weeks. [or about every 10 days, real time]

[Rasputin]

yes democracy is good ... even auldonnina holds regular elections...

[joncha]

Index of Jonchastani Political Parties

Communist Parties
Revolutionary Socialist Party [RSP]
This is the most dominant grouping in Jonchastani politics. They are seen as the standard-bearers for Jonchastan's Revolution, and have shaped Jonchastan's politics for over 30 years. Since the revolution, they have been in a majority position (or in coalition with smaller parties to form a majority) for all but three short periods,none of which lasted more than 4 months. They have thus set the tone for Jonchastan's egalitarian, ultra-democratic, socialist society.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (Autonomy Caucus) [RSP(AC)]
A major aspect of the RSP's intra-party democracy is the full rights it gives to organised tendencies (both for internal and "public" debates) and its refusal to ban factions. The Autonomy Caucus is a recent example of such a tendency. While they still consider themselves members of the RSP, they have split with the majority of the party of foreign affairs, most notably, they are opposed to Jonchastan's involvement in Azan and membership in the League of Armed Neutrality.

Revolutionary Socialist Party (Socialist-Feminist Caucus) [RSP(SFC)]
The Socialist-Feminist Caucus is one of the oldest groupings in the RSP, dating to even before the revolution. At one point in the mid-1980s, they actually constituted the majority of RSP Delegates. In recent years, they have felt that women's issues have been adequately addressed by the party, and have thus not stood as independent candidates. Two recent developments have changed that: the events in Azan have lead to a fear that "warmongering" will infect the party, and a massive influx of new immigrants and refugees has lead to the conclusion that the feminist ideals of the revolution must be stressed to the new population (especially since Jonchastan has no lengthy naturalization/immigration process - residence=citizenship).

Democratic Communist Party [DCP]
The Democratic Communists are the RSPs "natural" junior coalition partner. They are more statist in outlook than are the RSP, but still liberal enough to respect democratic process and (most) individual rights. They're always up for a good nationalisation, though.

Left-Wing Communist (and other infantile disorders) Party [LWC(OID)]
This is your basic ultra-left grouping. They like quoting dead communists.

Bacchinalian Socialist League [BSL]
The BSL believe that Socialism isn't useful unless you can enjoy it. Their purpose is find more ways for the people to enjoy the fruits of the revolution.

Chandler Island Socialist Party [CISP]
The CISP recently split from the Revolutionary Socialists along national lines. Their purpose was more tactical than ideological, as they still share the RSPs politics and consistently support them in the National Congress. Their formation was primarily a reaction to the growth of nationalist sentiment on Chandler Island, which is historically distinct from Jonchastan, and was briefly independent after the fall of the Emir.

Broad-Left Parties
Anarcho-Communist League [ACL]
The ACL is an anarchist organisation in the communist tradition. They support the forms of council democracy, but look to further liberalise individual rights. They also look on the higher bodies of Jonchastan's political system - the National Congress and Central Committee in particular - with a measure of distrust.

Jeongyeon City Left Alliance [JCLA]
Politics in Jeongyeon City are traditionally fractious and divisive. The Left Alliance is an attempt by the local socialists,anarchists and left social-democrats to keep the right from emerging out of the divided councils. As a result, its platform is necessarily broad and its positions tend to change depending on which delegates happen to get elected.

Anarchist Parties
Syndicalist Union [SU]
The Syndicalist Union focuses its efforts at the Council level, as well as in the numerous independent trade unions. They advocate the gradual dissolution of all governmental forms above the council level, with interactions between Councils entirely voluntary.

Anarchist Affinity Group [AAG]
While the SU is gradualist in its approach to abolishing government, the AAG wants it done now. Beyond that - and the basic tenets of anarchist thought - the individuals and small groups that make up the AAG don't agree on much.

Environmentalist Parties
Environmental Labour Alliance [ELA]
The Environmental Labour Alliance formed as a working class response to the broader environmentalist movement. While they push for greener technology and stricter environmental protections, they don't single out the loggers and oil workers for blame. On other political issues they are moderate socialists, and tend to support the RSP in the National Congress.

Green Party [GP]
The Greens have managed to hold fast to their pro-environment, vaguely liberal politics. This often sets them at odds with the Revolutionary Socialists, despite the RSPs generally pro-environmental stance. It has also kept the Green Party from rising above the 5% mark nationally.

Organisation for Sustainable Development [OSD]
The OSD is the right-wing fringe of the environmentalist movement. They often come off as a cover for a pro-business, counter-revolutionary agenda. A charge which, of course, they vigorously deny.

Social-Democratic Parties
Democratic Labour Party [DLP]
The DLP has a strong base in the trade union movement, where it has found a space for itself in promoting the sectional goals of various unions, often against the majority, in the Councils.

Moderate Centre Party [MCP]
As the name implies, they take the middle position in just about every debate. In Jonchastani terms, however, this often leaves too far to the right of public opinion.

Pro-Business Parties
Social-Liberals [SL]
The SLs walk a tight rope between supporting the social gains of the revolution, and fighting to overturn the economic gains.

Liberal Democratic Party [LDP]
The LDP failed to elect any delegates to this month's National Council, mainly because the bulk of their membership, supporters - and even delegates - jumped ship to join the fledgling CNEV. Like the new party, the LDP advocates a return to a capitalist economy through democratic means.

New Vancouver Tourism Association [NVTA]
This small, local party was founded solely for the purpose of attracting tourism dollars to New Vancouver. Links to Auldoninna's Havana Party have been alleged, but so far no convincing proof has surfaced.

Citizens for a New Economic Vision [CNEV]
The CNEV is a grab-bag of reactionaries, counter-revolutionaries, liberals and small business owners. It formed shortly before this month's Delegate Elections around a platform calling for a return to capitalism through the democratic reform of the Council system. While this has caused the bulk of the pro-business fringe to coalesce around them, they are unlikely to either gain enough support to put their plans into action, or be able to have much of an effect on the other parties in the National Congress.

Other Parties
Peace and Freedom Party [PFP]
The crisis in Azan has caused many changes to occur in Jonchastan's political landscape, not the least of which being the Peace and Freedom Party. The PFP is a staunchly anti-war, anti-foreign alliance party. Although it was formed in Port Chandler by Chandler Island nationalists opposed to a "Jonchabad war," it has found surprising support throughout Jonchastan.

Movement for a Free Azan [MFA]
This is the Jonchastan arm of the Azani political faction of the same name. While its core members are from the Azani emigre community, it has a strong enough level of Jonchastani political support to have gained a Central Committee position in the Latest National Congress.

Party Party [PP]
The Party Party differs from the Bacchinalian Socialist Party in that they don't wrap up their attempts at a good time in ideology. According to their literature, "Tories want to have fun too!"

Union of Chandler Islanders [UCI]
The UCI is the latest expression of nationalist sentiment among Chandler Islanders. Its formation was triggered as much from opposition to Jonchastan's involvement in Azan as by fears (quietly voiced, of course) that high levels of immigration might pose a thread to Chandler Island's distinct society and culture.

[joncha]

from the Jonchastan Press newswire

The Revolutionary Socialist Party suffered a further erosion of support in the latest round of Delegate elections in the Neighbourhood and Workplace Councils. The majority wing of the RSP fell just shy of holding on to its 3 Central Committee positions, and its Socialist-Feminist Caucus was unable to keep the CC position they won last month. Their coalition partners in the Democratic Communist Party retain their position on the CC, while the politically friendly Chandler Island Socialist Party also gained Central Committee representation. The RSP is expected to rely on the Movement for a Free Azan in order to continue its activist international policy.

The RSPs Autonomy Caucus also lost some support, but kept its spot on the Central Committee, as did the ACL and SU. A representative from the Peace and Freedom Party joins the Central Committee for the first time, as a reflection of the growing opposition to the National Congress’s increased military spending. They have announced their intention to use their CC position submit a proposal to the National Congress to adopt a call for a “Just Peace” in the FCL/Azan conflict, based on the principle of “No Annexations, No Indemnities.”

RSP          483     2
RSP(AC)      139     1
RSP(SFC)      52
DCP           67     1
LWC(OID)       6
BSL           18
CISP          66     1
ACL           88     1
JCLA          65
AAG           11
SU            91     1
GP             6     
ELA           45
DLP           71
MCP            5
SL             2
NVTA           2
CNEV          65
PFP          108     1
MFA          191     1
PP             2
UCI           29

Total       1612     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, 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

[joncha]

The new seating arrangements in the National Congress of Neighbourhood and Workplace Council Delegates.

[joncha]

from the Jonchastan Broadcasting Cooperative

The National Congress voted 1230-382 to recall and censure Ahmed Abu Mu'ammar, Jonchastan's ambassador to the United Nations, for "willfully undermining revolutionary democracy."

Abu Mu'ammar, who abstained on the UN motion on oil spill prevention, is the first person in over twenty years to face such a strong rebuke from the Councils. His sentence, handed down by the Standing Committee on Revolutionary Justice, is equally harsh, banning him from political office - at any level - for 10 years, and from participating in political activities - including membership in a political party and attending Council meetings and debates - for 30 months. Abu Mu'ammar was also expelled from the Revolutionary Socialist Party late yesterday. The Environmental Labour Alliance stated publicly that they would accept his membership after he finishes his sentence.

His abstention came after the National Congress changed its vote in favour of the UN motion to a vote against, in order to show solidarity with regional opinion. The move was hailed at the time by the Petroleum Industry and denounced by the ELA, the Greens and by the Autonomy Caucus of the RSP.

[joncha]

A postcard showing beautiful Yeppeo Beach.