New elections + results

[u][b]22/08/2024[/b][/u]
The final run-off election results have been published, after being checked thoroughly. Here they are:
- Annalena Bruner (Green party): [b]43,59[/b]%
- Martin Cohen (Democratic Union): [b]35,9[/b] %
- Peter Brooke (Forwards!): [b]17,95[/b]%
- Others: [b]2,56[/b]%
Annalena Bruner thus wins the election and becomes president of Lorendia, after an amazing youth turnout, which propelled her to first place. The Green party's strong results in the parliamentary elections probably influenced her successful run. She nows has the right to start building a coalition, which will be difficult, given the number of political parties in Parliament. Negociations will start soon.


[u][b]14/08/2024[/b][/u]
The first results have come through. First of all, the parliamentary results (percentage and number of seats of out 420):
- Green party: 18,67% - [b]82 seats[/b]
- Democratic Union: 17,33% - [b]76 seats[/b]
- Forwards!: 16% - [b]70 seats[/b]
- CRP: 13,33% - [b]58 seats[/b]
- Communist: 10,67% - [b]47 seats[/b]
- National Union: 8% - [b]35 seats[/b]
- Technocrats for Progress: 6,67% - [b]29 seats[/b]
- Others: 5,33% - [b]23 seats[/b]
- North Lorendian Independence Party: 2,67% - [b]no seats[/b] (didn't reach the 5% hurdle)
- Lorendian National Front: 1,33% - [b]no seats[/b]
The Green party came out on top, creating a big surprise, thanks to a massive youth turnout. For the first time since its creation, the North Lorendian Independence Party has failed to have any seats in Parliament, after a last few scandal-full years and a lack of success during the last independence campaign.
[url=https://ibb.co/kxb2WHN]What Parliament looks like[/url]

Presidential election results:
- Peter Brooke (Forwards!):[b] 22,03% [/b]
- Martin Cohen (Democratic Union): [b]18,64%[/b]
- Annalena Bruner (Green party): [b]18,64%[/b]
- Elara Voss (Citizen's Reform Party): [b]8,47%[/b]
- Jordan Gallo (National Union): [b]6,78%[/b]
- Theresa Munoz (Communist): [b]6,78%[/b]
Peter Brooke and Martin Cohen were automatically qualified to the second round. Annalena Bruner, of the Green party, has the possibility to go through, having reached more than 17% of all votes. Yesterday evening, just half an hour after the results came through, Miss Bruner publicly declared that she would continue to the run-off election, claiming victory in the parliamentary elections to justify her ability to lead the country. This means there are [b]three candidates[/b] still running to be president. Voting will be held over [b]the next two days[/b], at the following link: [url=https://strawpoll.com/05ZdzW6OEn6]https://strawpoll.com/05ZdzW6OEn6[/url]. Anything can still happen.



[u][b]10/08/2024[/b][/u]
Here it is again: election season. Our president, Peter Brooke, has been in charge of the country for almost a year now, so it is time to vote for the president and Parliament again. Will the young leader be able to secure a second term in office? Or will he fail, and be replaced by another politician? 
Peter Brooke is running again, with his "Forwards !" party, using the positive narrative around his first term to campaign effectively. The main opposition party has fielded a new candidate from last year. The unlucky Giorgio Paolini left politics after his humiliating defeat, and his "Democratic Unity" party has chosen their treasurer, Martin Cohen to represent them. 

Here is a summary of the presidential candidates' and their parties' statements:
[spoiler=Peter Brooke, Forwards!] "Dear citizens of Lorendia, it has been a pleasure for me to help govern our wonderful country for the last year. I sincerely believe that I am the man for the job, and I would love to continue for another term as president. During the last year, our country's economy grew, reaching today an all-time high, but I have also sought to preserve civil rights and political freedom. The people are my main priority. You now have a high average income, and our system is more equal than ever. My fight to eradicate corruption has been a success, we are among the nations with the greatest integrity in the world. Finally, under my term as president, Lorendia has become a tolerant, inclusive and internationally popular country. I count on you to meet the right decision as you vote."[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Martin Cohen, Democratic Unity] "Fellow Lorendians, the Democratic Unity party is back, ready for change! Our agenda is simple: help the taxpayer's wallet. We intend to decrease taxes for the poorest, who suffer from the high taxation rates of our country. We are planning to lower energy taxes by investing in nuclear, solar and wind energy. VAT should absolutely be lowered, which will mean that we will have to lower government spending too. Things cannot go on as they are now, the average disposable income being so low. Vote Martin Cohen for a better life!" [/spoiler]

[spoiler=Annalena Bruner, Green Party] "Lorendia is entering a decisive moment, as is the whole world. Climate change cannot be denied any more, so the priority as a nation is to fight against it. The Green Party's agenda focuses on transitioning to green energies as quickly as possible (nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric), limiting all kinds of pollution and becoming a world leader in the fight against climate change, all this with the least possible negative consequences to you, fellow citizens. We also want to preserve our way of living, while making it sustainable. Vote Green for change!" [/spoiler]

[spoiler=Jordan Gallo, National Union] "My dear fellow citizens, as the new election cycle starts anew, I urge you to consider seriously what you are voting for... Do you really want our country to be run as it has been for the last year? Employment is at an all-time low (we are a disgrace in Valley of Peace), normal people's money is sucked from them by the vicious tax system, and we hardly have an army to speak of. Immigration is reaching a crisis point, our country is about to be overrun by foreigners. This is why, we the people, are ready to fight back. Vote for Jordan Gallo for more money in your wallet and for more safety! Change is imminent, the future lies in [b]your hands[/b]!" [/spoiler]

[spoiler=Theresa Munoz, Communist party] "Too long have the citizens of Lorendia been oppressed by the heartless forces of capitalism and the consumerist society! This is why we are promoting our manifesto. We want to give the power back to the people. Our first measures will be to nationalise important companies one by one, with the end goal of concentrating all the agriculture, industry, and services in the hands of a democratic state. There will be no more social classes, no more inequality, only brotherhood and equality. Vote Communist for a better future! "[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Elara Voss, Citizen's Reform Party] "Fellow citizens of Lorendia, our nation stands at a crossroads. For too long, politics as usual has failed to deliver the change we need. The Citizen's Reform Party is here to offer a new direction—one rooted in transparency, accountability, and real democratic reform. We believe that every Lorendian deserves a voice that truly counts, that's why we stand for direct democracy and decisions that really come from the people. We demand complete transparency from any government that will be formed, and if we are elected as government, we will be completely transparent in everything. Join us in creating a government that works for you—a government that puts citizens first." [/spoiler]


Several parties are not presenting a candidate for the presidential elections, but are seeking to be elected to Parliament:
- [b]North Lorendian Independence Party[/b]: seeks independence for the northern province of Lorendia, which mostly speaks Norvian and used to be brutally controlled by the Lorendian kings.
- [b]Technocrats for Progress[/b]: believes in the power of technology and expertise to solve societal issues. TfP advocates for evidence-based policy-making, investments in research and development, and the use of technology to improve governance.
- [b]Lorendian National Front[/b]: a small right-wing nationalist party that emphasizes national sovereignty, protectionism, and a strong military. LNF is skeptical of international alliances and advocates for policies that prioritize Lorendia's interests above all.

Votes for the presidential election can be cast [b]here: https://strawpoll.com/e6Z2A8VNJgN[/b] . You have three days to vote. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, there will be a run-off with the top two candidates, and any candidate with at least 17% of the vote who wishes to remain.
Votes for the parliamentary elections can be cast [b]here: https://strawpoll.com/LVyK28WJ6Z0 [/b]. The 420 seats are allocated by proportional representation, using the d'Hondt method, a party must reach at least 5% of all votes to obtain seats.

Vote well! We are excited to see the results...
The team from the [i] Rising Sun [/i], Lorendia's biggest newspaper