01-09-2024, 05:09 AM
Blue Meeting Room, Senate Hall, Geminus
“You can’t be serious.”
Chancellor Stendē took off her glasses and wiped them on her sleeve, glancing at the three Senators sitting across from her. “You are seriously suggesting dropping the whole Moderate Right Party from the coalition when we are going into an election where we are facing losses. What could go wrong?” She pointedly glanced towards two of her own coalition partners, ignoring the non-inscrit on her right. “I’d be lying if you were the first people to bring this idea up, but no one else would even consider it two months out from the election. How would this be remotely a good idea?”
Senator Markus Karlivič, a shorter, gray-haired Green from Jurmala, watched the Chancellor with a stony expression. “Well, we need a strong showing. Our base has become stagnant after years and years of your and Lanćaster’s leadership. They're turned off by year after year of the same leadership, and even more hesitant after your more recent concessions to the right.”
“I wouldn't call respecting the opinion of our coalition partners concessions, necessarily. You make it sound like they're holding us hostage.” Stendē quipped with a raised eyebrow. “Besides, what would you propose as an alternative? If we leave the ModRights behind, the Centrists would get nervous, and we’d have defections. We'd sign away whatever majority we'd have left. And besides, it's not like we can ally with the Progressives any time soon. You should know that more than anyone, Markus, given how many new wave farmers you have in your district. You'd lose your seat in a flash.” She turned to Senator Aleks Dumart, a ModLeft from Krastalen Province. “And it's not like you're in a much better position, Senator Dumart. The Krastalen 6th is pretty evenly divided between left and right, and you're in the hot seat on the border. Do you want to incense the moderate right in your Kōrtair?”
Dumart, a timid freshman Senator, glanced downwards at the table. “No, not particularly. But I also don't want them taking credit for my work, nor do I want to isolate my voters so that the Progressives can poach my seat. I'm just defending my interests, Kurena.”
“Defending your interests usually doesn't entail risking your own governing majority. And you'd be facing pushes from both the left and the right going into this election anyways. Ruining our chances of governing again will not change that.” With that admonishment, she looked at the final Senator at the table. “I wish that I was surprised that you were here, but you've always had a unique political strategy, to say the least. You're claiming to represent the Coalition when you have barely aligned yourself with us?”
Alān Jōvile, an independent member of the Merēta Pirate Party, gave his Chancellor a small smirk. “I'm not here to represent anyone but myself. I just wanted to give you a little bit of advice. Besides, you know I'm running for mayor back home, so you can trust that I am coming here honestly.” His grin gave the impression that he would have his feet up on the table if it didn't ruffle his well-tailored halar. “Do you really want to stand by and let your ‘coalition partners’ give boons to big businesses at the expense of every independent business venture in Eiria?”
“I don't think that that is what they are trying to do, Jōvile. And besides, do you really want to be promoting such drastic changes to patent law as our economy is beginning to stagnate?”
“Tell me, Chancellor, when would be a convenient time? I seem to recall us having multiple conversations about copyright over the past two years, and you always brushed me off. But that is beside the point. If I can't get what the country needs now,” His eyes drifted to the other two Senators,“...then I at least will stop the bleeding.’
The Chancellor pursed her lips, but maintained an adequately diplomatic facade. “I am sorry if you feel like your issues are not being heard. But that is no excuse to risk handing the keys of the Manor over to someone who will undo all of the progress that we've made.” She stood, addressing all three Senators. “I'm sorry, Kurenei. I have a cabinet meeting that I can't miss.”
As she left, her Solar Guard contingent followed, leaving the three men alone.
“You can’t be serious.”
Chancellor Stendē took off her glasses and wiped them on her sleeve, glancing at the three Senators sitting across from her. “You are seriously suggesting dropping the whole Moderate Right Party from the coalition when we are going into an election where we are facing losses. What could go wrong?” She pointedly glanced towards two of her own coalition partners, ignoring the non-inscrit on her right. “I’d be lying if you were the first people to bring this idea up, but no one else would even consider it two months out from the election. How would this be remotely a good idea?”
Senator Markus Karlivič, a shorter, gray-haired Green from Jurmala, watched the Chancellor with a stony expression. “Well, we need a strong showing. Our base has become stagnant after years and years of your and Lanćaster’s leadership. They're turned off by year after year of the same leadership, and even more hesitant after your more recent concessions to the right.”
“I wouldn't call respecting the opinion of our coalition partners concessions, necessarily. You make it sound like they're holding us hostage.” Stendē quipped with a raised eyebrow. “Besides, what would you propose as an alternative? If we leave the ModRights behind, the Centrists would get nervous, and we’d have defections. We'd sign away whatever majority we'd have left. And besides, it's not like we can ally with the Progressives any time soon. You should know that more than anyone, Markus, given how many new wave farmers you have in your district. You'd lose your seat in a flash.” She turned to Senator Aleks Dumart, a ModLeft from Krastalen Province. “And it's not like you're in a much better position, Senator Dumart. The Krastalen 6th is pretty evenly divided between left and right, and you're in the hot seat on the border. Do you want to incense the moderate right in your Kōrtair?”
Dumart, a timid freshman Senator, glanced downwards at the table. “No, not particularly. But I also don't want them taking credit for my work, nor do I want to isolate my voters so that the Progressives can poach my seat. I'm just defending my interests, Kurena.”
“Defending your interests usually doesn't entail risking your own governing majority. And you'd be facing pushes from both the left and the right going into this election anyways. Ruining our chances of governing again will not change that.” With that admonishment, she looked at the final Senator at the table. “I wish that I was surprised that you were here, but you've always had a unique political strategy, to say the least. You're claiming to represent the Coalition when you have barely aligned yourself with us?”
Alān Jōvile, an independent member of the Merēta Pirate Party, gave his Chancellor a small smirk. “I'm not here to represent anyone but myself. I just wanted to give you a little bit of advice. Besides, you know I'm running for mayor back home, so you can trust that I am coming here honestly.” His grin gave the impression that he would have his feet up on the table if it didn't ruffle his well-tailored halar. “Do you really want to stand by and let your ‘coalition partners’ give boons to big businesses at the expense of every independent business venture in Eiria?”
“I don't think that that is what they are trying to do, Jōvile. And besides, do you really want to be promoting such drastic changes to patent law as our economy is beginning to stagnate?”
“Tell me, Chancellor, when would be a convenient time? I seem to recall us having multiple conversations about copyright over the past two years, and you always brushed me off. But that is beside the point. If I can't get what the country needs now,” His eyes drifted to the other two Senators,“...then I at least will stop the bleeding.’
The Chancellor pursed her lips, but maintained an adequately diplomatic facade. “I am sorry if you feel like your issues are not being heard. But that is no excuse to risk handing the keys of the Manor over to someone who will undo all of the progress that we've made.” She stood, addressing all three Senators. “I'm sorry, Kurenei. I have a cabinet meeting that I can't miss.”
As she left, her Solar Guard contingent followed, leaving the three men alone.
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