BE IT ENACTED yadda yadda yadda that, in conformity with international best practice, El Lexhatx B.14.7 shall be amended to read as follows:

Quote14.7. If, after any iteration, there are two or more candidates with the fewest ballots assigned to them, the candidate with the fewest first preferences assigned to him shall be eliminated.

14.7.1. If these candidates all have the same number of first preferences assigned to them, then B.14.7 and this paragraph shall be applied to each preceding count until one candidate is excluded.

    14.7.2. If no such distinction can be made between these candidates under the above 2 paragraphs, the remaining iterations shall be conducted under multiple scenarios. Each scenario shall eliminate one of the tied candidates.

        14.7.2.1 If the different scenarios described by B.14.7.2 result in the same winner of the election overall, the winning candidate shall become the Senator.
        14.7.2.2 If the different scenarios described by B.14.7.2. result in different winners of the election overall, the result will be considered a tie between the winners of the different scenarios and will be resolved in accordance with the Organic Law.

When we went into this election, we assumed that the TNC would campaign on their generally competent administration of the Government over the last term; while the Free Democrats would campaign on defending the Organic Law from partisan power grabs.

What we've found strange and disturbing about the latest TNC campaign email is that they apparently don't agree with us that what they've actually done over the last term is creditable enough - that they (or should I say - the person who writes their campaign email) feel the need to make stuff up. Or at least, take credit for others' achievements.

To wit:

Free Democrats did that, dude. Or rather - the FreeDem led government did that, with myself and @Mic'haglh Autófil doing the heavy lifting. But much worse than that is the number of Talossans who haven't even received these ID cards! The previous government also had problems with the mailout, of course. But doing a victory lap when you haven't finished the race yet is unseemly.

As to this one:



I suppose "partial credit". The social media is good. But if by "working website" you mean talossa.com, again, the previous Free Dems government did that. And if you mean talossan.com, the TNC government actively lost that one!

It's like the author of that "pupil-dilating" campaign email just can't stop himself making stuff up, even when he doesn't need to. It's quite obvious that the author wasn't the TNC Seneschal candidate, who is - as far as I can tell - an honourable and honest person who really wants to cut down the partisan nonsense in this country. Sadly, Bråneu still has to answer to what his party colleagues do in his name.

I just wanted to close by noting something:

QuoteHere at the TNC, we stay positive and focus on just doing fun stuff.  So we're not going to be attacking our opponents.  Instead, we're offering more ideas and more energy and more fun.  Don't go back to another five years of Free Democrats in power -- honour us with more time to keep working for you.

First reaction: lol, lmao.
Second reaction:

In the last election the Free Democrats argued that the "Infoteca" project would be of marginal value since whatever numbers it came up with would be (a) essentially irrelevant to the real health of Talossa, and (b) too easy to "cheat" with for political benefit. And the TNC have just proven we were right about the second part, at least, to wit:

Quote from: Baron Alexandreu Davinescu on September 12, 2023, 09:22:25 AMUnder the Talossan National Congress, when your government tells you that immigration has positively erupted, you don't need to wonder if that's true, or spend an hour doing research to try to figure it out.  You can just look at the public data and see the good news!

Note that these are Immigration Applications, not actual new citizens. As the Free Democrats pointed out in a Terpelaziun. It's just too easy to speak miéida da toro.

Nonetheless, please answer the poll!

The title pretty much says it all. I wonder whether the new TNC leader - or the TNC Seneschal-designate - would like to meet a representative of the Free Democrats of Talossa to discuss possible futures for Talossa's monarchy.

In previous elections, the TNC have earned a reputation for simply refusing to debate, as if they thought other parties were beneath their notice - or as if the members of other party were contemptible, corrupt, wicked or criminal. Dare I say, pouring vitriol on their opponents. I wonder if this will change under the new leadership.

Estimats Democrätsen Livereschti:

I am sorry to bear bad tidings, in that our good friend, the Senator from Cézembre Ián Tamorán, has let me know by email that he will not be standing for re-election. He has promised to post a longer message to Wittenberg giving more details at his earliest convenience.

Given that, I would like to propose to this convention that the Free Democrats support the independent candidacy of Glüc da Dhi for Senator for Cézembre. Questions? Comments?

In response to the "Republican Platform" announced by Eðo Grischün, I would like to announce an alternative Moderate Platform for the Free Democrats in the 59th Cosa Election.

For Party President: Miestră Schivă
For Party Secretary: Antaglhă Xhenerös Somelieir

Manifesto:

The Free Democrats of Talossa put "freedom and democracy" first. In this election, putting democracy first means defending Talossa's Organic Law, specifically its provisions against the Cosa majority and elected Government overreaching their authority.

The Talossan National Congress majority government in the last Cosa have been distressingly dismissive of opposition or criticism. Contradicting their own calls for "open government" in the last election, in this Cosa, the TNC have centralized decision-making to within members of their own party – cutting out members of the Royal Civil Service who are not members of their political project.

This has led to such expensive missteps as paying for a new domain name registrar without checking first about whether it was possible to transfer the domain names. This could have been avoided by talking to the non-partisan Secretary of State who is our main contact with our domain name registrar. And it was made worse by the Seneschal dismissively responding to public criticism of the process.

Worse than this, though, is the Government's actions in breaking down the checks and balances in our Organic Law. Only the TNC's lack of a majority in the Senäts – and the solidarity of the Free Democrat Senators –has prevented some distressing power grabs.

For example, the bill RZ12 would have enabled the Government to install a political nominee as "Deputy Secretary of State". The leaders of the Government been openly hostile to the current Secretary of State, making unfounded accusations of political bias or incompetence, and generally making his life difficult. This bill would have ended the political independence of the Chancery – creating a future nightmare of Government interference in running elections – and created a terrible precedent for the Royal Civil Service as a whole.

The Free Democrat majority in the Senäts also helped defeat RZ23, a bill which would have made it much easier for Senators and MCs to lose their seats – thereby making it nearly impossible to keep an opposition presence in the Ziu. The TNC have shown a pattern of trying to enact 'work-arounds' to constitutional checks and balances, or to political opposition or even public criticism.

Most disturbing is the idea that the TNC keep floating, of allowing the King to choose his own successor. If this King is allowed to choose his successor, the most obvious candidate will be the person he chose as Regent, when he absented himself from Talossa for a term – that is, the current Distáin.

Free Democrats have regularly criticized the way in which the TNC and the King support each other and give each other mutual favours. If the King is allowed to make a TNC leader his successor, then – given the King's power of legislative veto – this will "unlevel" the playing field of Talossan democracy, giving the TNC a built-in advantage. The democratic reforms of the post-Reunision era – such as a truly independent Royal Civil Service, and the increased weight of the democratic parts of the Government against the monarchy – will be under serious threat.

Be warned! This Cosa, the TNC reintroduced several bills which had been defeated in the previous Cosa (like RZ12 mentioned above, and an attempt to abolish the right of sanctuary). If they get a majority in either House of the Ziu in this election, it seems likely that they will just reintroduce those bills – as well as the King's right to choose (a TNC member as) his successor. And if they get a majority in both houses, this time their persistence will pay off.

A vote for a TNC double-majority is a vote to tip the scales of Talossan democracy to the ruling party acting in close alliance with the King. It is a vote for political interference with the Chancery; a vote for only members of the TNC to get a say in decision-making; and most seriously, a vote for "Crown Prince Alexandreu". A vote for the Free Democrats (or other opposition parties or independents) in the Cosa, in Florencia, in Maricopa and in Cézembre is the only way to preserve the balance of Talossan democracy.

Within the last week, the leadership of the Free Democrats of Talossa received a request from a party member for an urgent debate on the party's platform and leadership in the run-up to the 59th Cosa election.

The FreeDems leadership have decided by majority vote, under Article 9 of the Party Constitution, to accede to this request. Given the impending election, this Extraordinary Convention will be held as quickly as possible, from September 1 to September 8 - i.e. starting tomorrow Talossan time.

The FreeDems leadership have also decided, unusually, that this Convention will be held entirely open to public observation, on the FreeDems board on Wittenberg.

Anyone wishing to join Talossa's strongest challengers to the incumbent government are encouraged to inform @the Party Secretary or myself ASAP.

Defend the OrgLaw! Defend checks and balances on the Cosa majority!

- NO to the King nominating his own successor (i.e. a TNC leader)!
- NO to political interference in the Chancery (i.e. a Government-imposed "deputy SoS")!

Checks and balances mean nothing if all the major offices of the state are openly held or controlled by the Cosa majority.

Quote from: Carlüs Éovart Vilaçafat on July 27, 2023, 08:07:14 AM

Quote from: Miestră Schivă, UrN on July 27, 2023, 01:08:13 AMSadly there are no "private enterprise" newspapers functioning, but the Government-issued monthly La C'hronica fills the gap: https://talossa.com/lchronica/

(Incidentally, attention Minister of STUFF: LC doesn't appear to have been posted on the National Website since March?!)

I was not aware, thank you for bringing this to my attention!

You weren't aware? Can I ask who's responsible for maintaining the website on a day-to-day basis? I.e., since it's a MinSTUFF responsibility, who was delegated to upload La C'hronica?

While I'm at it - the Twitter feed on the front page doesn't seem to be working, though our Twitter account is going fine. (Sorry, I'll be deep in the cold cold ground before I call it X.)

Estimat Túischac'h, my question is for the Minister of Technology.

Given that:

• el Lexhtax D.2.8.4.1. states:
  

  Quote2.8.4.1 The Ziu hereby authorizes the annual and ongoing expenditure of 60 louis by the Burgermeister of Internal Revenue for the specific and sole purpose of paying for the annual domain name registration of talossa.com and for associated webhosting services as selected by the Seneschal or their designated representative. All payments made under direction of this authority should be reported as according to normal procedure by the Burgermeister.

• and that el Lexhatx D.2.9.2 states:
  
  

  QuoteThe Government shall own the domain name talossa.com, and may purchase and maintain any other Talossa-related domain names as they see fit, following normal budgetary procedures. These domain names and their associated webhosting shall be administered by the Ministry of Technology

• and that el Lexhatx D.2.9.3 states:
  
  

  QuoteThere shall exist within the Ministry of Technology an officer to be known as The Talossan Web Registrant who shall act as the domain name registrant for the domains stated in D.2.9.2. and any other government operated domains as required. The Talossan Web Registrant shall be appointed and dismissed by the Minister of Technology. The Talossan Web Registrant shall inform the government of any payments due or made towards domain registration and hosting of any government operated websites and domains and shall be reimbursed for any payments made as soon as is practicably possible and in accordance with all law relating to the governmental budget.

• and that on March 9 of this year, the Minister of Technology named himself as the new Talossan Web Registrant, replacing the previous incumbent, the Secretary of State;
• and that on April 29 of this year, the Minister of Technology announced, among other things, that the domain name talossan.com would be preserved by the Government;
• and that on July 3 this year, registration for talossan.com was allowed to lapse, after a month or two of erratic functioning;
• and that the currently-due bill for the continued registration of talossa.com arrived a few days ago with the former TWR, rather than his replacement;
• and given that, on July 13 this year, the Minister of Technology opened a support ticket with DoRoyal enquiring about the grace period on the lapse of domain names, indicating that he was fully aware that there were some issues with domain names;

My questions to the Minister of Technology are as follows:

• Was the Government aware that the domain name talossan.com would lapse on July 3; and if so, why was it not renewed?
• Was the Government aware that the bill for the domain name talossa.com was coming due?
• Why were the responsibilities of Talossan Web Registrant under El Lex D.2.9.3. not practically transferred - that is, why has the current TWR (the Minister of Technology) not been registered with DoRoyal Servers as our contact person/registrar of domain names, so that the former incumbent is still receiving the bills? We note that a previous change of TWR - from Istefan Perþonest to the SoS - was performed with very little drama last year.
• Why was the Seneschal so rude and evasive when this question was raised in public forums, and how does this square with the current Government's championing of "open government"?

Estimat Túischac'h, I rise to deliver a Terpelaziun to the Minister of Immigration, as authorised by El Lexhatx H.2

Noting the following segment in the current La C'hronica:

QuoteDuring Gün XLIV we received 18 (the NEW second highest in recorded Talossan history!) immigration applications from:

    Muslim Nabi
    Michael H Glyn
    Ralph Dean VanLoton Jr.
    Abhishek Kaul
    Jason Allan Clark
    Joseph P Specht Jr
    Elder Nathaniel Ndukwe
    Kathy H. Armstrong
    George Edward Sandler
    Safwaan Sharief
    Daniel Ferreira da Silva
    Petro Storozhuk
    Huynh Thi Mong Trinh
    Paul Eugene Fegan
    Alex Huynh
    Dana Prakoso Eka Saputra
    Samantha Stewart
    Ahmad Mufid Marhaen

  Unfortunately we did not welcome any new citaxhiéns this month.

...is the Government taking responsibility for why prospective citizens are signing up to check out Talossa under their watch, and just saying "no thanks"?

Two issues that I want the Ziu to consider consequent to my experience as Public Defender in this case:

- should we have more explicit instruction on how to conduct "trials in absentia", i.e. on how to preserve the rights of the accused?

- should we explicitly introduce a plea of nolo contendere - or, in other words, a plea of "I do not admit guilt but I'm not going to offer a defence"? I still think that's the only ethical thing for a Public Defender to do when the State's case is overwhelming

And a broader issue based on the original case:

- whether the offence of "abuse of trust" should be codified into Talossan law, with whatever alterations might be necessary given Talossa's different situation from England and Wales; and whether, more widely, a nation where full political rights are available at age 14 would benefit from an "age of consent".

I was talking to s:reu Tafial the other day and I realised the absolute generation gap between us when he told me he'd never seen a "Teach Yourself" (self-study) language book. Before Duolingo and its idiot cousins, that's how we ancient wanna-be polyglots used to fool ourselves into thinking we were learning new languages. :D

Anyway, now we're keen to try to create something similar for ár glheþ. This is actually something which I tried to do back during the National Schism; but when I posted my first trial dialogues, Sir Tomás popped into tell me I'd got the language all wrong, and I was so ashamed I stopped. Anyway, here they are for historical purposes (note ancient 1990s-era orthography):

QuoteEnsegñetz-Së Talossán, Capitél Viêns: Cunfavelaziuns
Ián: Azul! Va nôminâ, c'è Ián. ¿És la voastra?
Juliâ: Azul! Eu sînt Juliâ. Eś qi estetz-voi?
Tomás:  Eu sînt Tomás.
Ián: Méirçi. À revidarë!
Juliâ: À revidarë.

Ián: Eu sînt citaxhiên del Regipäts Talossán. ¿Daduve vetz?
Juliâ: Eu véu dàl Repúblicâ Talossán.
Ián: Tomás, ¿estez-voi Talossán?
Tomás: Non, eu non sînt Talossán. Voi embù estetz Talossáes, ¿oi?
Juliâ és Ián: Üc, noi embù sînt Talossáes.

Carlostâ: Escusetz-me, siôridâ!
Juliâ: ¿Üc...?
Carlostâ: ¿Parletz-voi Talossán!
Juliâ: Üc. Eu parleu Talossán és Angleascâ.
Carlostâ: Grült! Voi parletz ocså Tschec, ¿oi?
Juliâ: Non, va c'hupâ. Eu non parleu Tschec.

Nôminâs dels Glheþen

Talossán; Svensc'heu; Tütsch; Tschec; Francál
Ôirësch; Norvexhán; Talián; Angleascâ; Castetxán


Ensegñhistà: Bunâ ziuâ, siôridâ Juliâ.
Juliâ: Bunâ ziuâ, estimat ensegñhistà. ¿Com'estetz-Voi?
Ensegñhistà: Ben, méirçi. És voi?
Juliâ: Tréi ben, méirçi.
Ensegñistà : Voi vidarhéu crái! À revidarë!
Juliâ : À revidarë, estimat ensegñistà.

Come si zïa în Talossán?

Can I sneak this in for your approval to get on the Fourth Clark?

https://wittenberg.talossa.com/index.php?topic=2436.0

WHEREAS there is now a vacancy on the Uppermost Cort;

AND WHEREAS throughout most of Talossan history, the Uppermost Cort was set at 3 members;

AND WHEREAS that tradition was broken at the time the old Magistrate's Cort was folded into the CpI;

AND WHEREAS we now have a chance to restore this tradition;

AND WHEREAS the effect of this bill will be to confirm the CpI at its current size of one Senior Judge and two Puisne Judges, as foreseen in OrgLaw VIII.3;

AND WHEREAS under the provisions of OrgLaw VIII.3, this resizing will have to be approved by a 2/3 majority of the Cosa, and then approved by the same margin again in the next Cosa;

BE IT ENACTED by the King, Cosa and Senäts of Talossa in Ziu assembled that El Lexhatx G.1.1 is deleted.

The Free Democrats of Talossa, the official Opposition in the Ziu, are pleased to announce on Reunision Day the impending launch of our official publication, RENAIXENÇĂ.

RENAIXENÇĂ will be a platform for three major types of content:

• Long-form articles analysing development in Talossan politics and statecraft.
• Historical articles and interviews shedding light on Talossan personalities and issues in their historical context.
• Dank memes.

The Free Democrat leadership will take editorial responsibility and also publish unsigned articles reflecting "the party line".

Stay tuned for more launch info. Also, here's a dank meme to get you going.

WHEREAS El Lexhatx H.2.6, dealing with Terpelaziuns, reads as follows:

Quote2.6. The Minister must answer the question in the same thread or its equivalent as the original question and the questioner may ask a reasonable number of supplementary questions (as determined by the presiding officer), in which the provisions of H.2.[r 14] apply, with the seven days starting from the date each supplementary question is asked. [709]

AND WHEREAS it may actually be beneficial to full and frank debate in the Ziu to allow other members to "chime in" with supplemental questions in a single thread;

AND WHEREAS this is the practice in other Parliamentary systems, with the condition that the original questioner gets "first go";

THEREFORE El Lexhatx H.2.6. to be amended as follows:

Quote2.6. The Minister must answer the question in the same thread or its equivalent as the original question and the questioner may ask a reasonable number of supplementary questions (as determined by the presiding officer), in which the provisions of H.2.[r 14] apply, with the seven days starting from the date each supplementary question is asked. [709]

2.6.1. If the questioner does not ask a supplementary question within 24 hours, or waives their right to ask a supplementary question, any other Member of the Ziu may raise a supplementary question on the original topic, under the same conditions. The Túischac'h shall be the sole judge of "on topic".

Estimat Túischac'h, I rise to deliver a Terpelaziun to the Minister of Technology, as authorized by El Lexhatx H.2., in regards to his recent announcement re: the website talossa.com. I would have preferred this to ask this as a Supplemental to the recent TERP by my party colleague Üc Tärfa MC, but the Túischac'h has confirmed that we can't do that.

My questions:

1. Given that talossan.com has always been a privately owned and operated website, albeit using a domain name owned by the Kingdom, how is the Ministry in a position to "delegate the administration of the website and server of Talossan.com"? How can the Government delegate something it never owned?

2. What advice did the Minister of Culture, responsible for oversight of language issues, give to the Minister of Technology before making this decision?

3. The Government is aware that the information contained on talossan.com is outdated, incorrect and misleading. We know the Government is aware because the Ladintsch Naziunal / convenor of SIGN has explained this in detail on the national Discord and elsewhere, in conversations involving the Distáin.

Given this, and given the Minister's reply to point 6 of cxhn. Tärfa's recent Terpelaziun: what reason does the Minister have for continuing to allow use of this domain name by s:reu Ventrutx, a less active citizen who is not actually a Talossan-langauge speaker, rather than handing the domain name over to el Bureu del Glheþ, or SIGN, to set up an accurate website?

4. If the Government is determined to keep talossan.com in the private hands of cxhn. Ventrutx with the Distain acting as his de facto webmaster - which would be keeping with the current Government's seeming determination to have everything under the personal control of their leaders and their political allies, rather than accountable to legislative oversight - I therefore amplify the question raised by cxhn. Tafial MC:

QuoteWhat can or will the Minister do to ensure that the contents of the website are factual and useful for learners and scholars, living up to the tagline that he gave it in the Delegation of Website administration notice?

===

I thank the Minister in response for his answer. I understand that he "likes to stay away from the Ziu", but unfortunately being politically responsible for decisions is the fundamental part of a Cabinet Minister's job, and I would suggest that if he doesn't like being hassled with Terps, he could take up a purely administrative role and pass the Ministerial portfolio on.

Estimat Túischac'h, I rise to deliver a Terpelaziun to the Minister of Defence.

1. Does the Minister recall the TNC opposition in the previous Cosa absolutely hammering the Government of the time about not having "done anything" with the Royal Zuavs?

2. Given the above, does the Minister have a long list of all the things that the new Government has done to make the Zuavs active as a primary goal to share with the Ziu?

3. Given that he's doing everything else, is Brenéir Tzaracomprada also known as "Miss Rabbit" going to be named Captain of the Zuavs as well?

Estimat Túischac'h, I rise to deliver a Terpelaziun to the Seneschál, the Immigration Minister, the Deputy Minister of Culture, the Deputy Minister of Stuff, the Scribe of Abbavilla and the incoming BHAID administrator, as authorised by El Lexhatx H.2.

1. Is the Seneschál familiar with the British children's cartoon, "Peppa Pig"?

2. Is the Seneschál familiar with the running joke that in Peppa Pig's town, every single job - from firefighter to supermarket clerk to veterinary nurse - is done by a single character, Miss Rabbit?

(If the answer to the preceding questions happens to be "No", I here introduce video evidence.)

3. Given that - with his impending appointment to the position of BHAID coordinator - the Senator from Florencia now figures on The Seneschál's List of state appointments in no fewer than six places - is the Senator from Florencia now Talossa's "Miss Rabbit"?

4. Leaving aside amusing name-calling for a second, is the Seneschál not thoroughly embarrassed that - having continuously attacked the Secretary of State in the previous Cosa for taking on too many jobs, he is now doing the same thing, at double speed?

5. Can the Seneschal also comment on whether any effort was made to find literally anyone else to be BHAID Administrator?

6. Is it healthy for democracy for Talossa for two "Ministers of Everything" to concentrate all functions of the State in their own hands?

EDITED TO ADD: I just noticed that the Seneschal is also going to be Talossa's delegate to MicroCon. This is getting out of hand.