Baracãoan Election Day

Today, the Republic of Baracão will undergo its first complete set of simultaneous elections for the positions of President, Minister-General and the elected seats on the Council of State. Rico Noriega, who was appointed Electoral Commissioner, outlined his procedure whereby voters would register and be assigned a unique Voter Identification Number. Whilst these VINs had not yet been received by each citizen, it is expected that they will be sent out today and that the polls will remain open under each registered citizen has returned their ballot to the Commissioner.

In the Plaza in central Bandera, the candidates have been making speeches to crowds of citizens. The unusually-named Aliança Democrática Nacional, the powerful umbrella group comprising anti-Frente elements and nicknamed the "Evil Maniacal Bastard Party" by observers, released its programme which was taken to pieces by members of the Frente, most spectacularly Julio Sanchez de Frente, a member of the Partido Comunista Nacional that has proved his Marxist-Leninist theory by providing a deep analysis of the ADN. In reply to Sanchez's criticisms, Jose Barrio-Martinez merely offered the PSD's manifesto, which was similarly taken to pieces by Sanchez.

Council of State candidates have been making individual promies and election pledges. Thomas la Antonio, founder of the Nationalist Party, continued in his long-term attempts to subject diplomatic initiative to ochlocratic pressure, the reason that sparked his resignation from the Frente and subsequent tenure as a leading opponent of the government. He also told that he wanted to see the judiciary represented on the Council of State - something that has already been discussed and voted upon in the Assembly.

Diego de Almagro, the Frente's FNTMST candidate, promised to defend the diversity of the Republic through the protection of the minority. He emphatically stated that should the Frente loses its majority in the election, the Republic would soon see disaster.

Christo de Loutrado continued his intermicronational attempts to reform various states. In the tradition of his "New Hope" campaign in Cyberia, from which he was deported after posting pornographic material on the Cyberian fora, and his "New Democracy" movement that suffered at the Babkhan polls, failing to win a majority of votes, Loutrado appears to be supporting a "New Era" for Baracão. Included in his proposals was to have a system of elected governors, something which was widely acknowledged by Frente members to be a bad thing, being both unnecessary and bureaucratic.

The Frente's Partido Comunista Nacional released its manifesto, under the title "The People Are Sovereign", which included the point that the PCN "will aim to unite all those who fight for progress", with the group also declaring its support for the Frente Popular and a united front through which the progressive policies of the PCN could be carried out. The policy to create a "socialist state in which economic and political power are in the hands of the people" is likely to be implemented, with a PCN member expected to retain the Ministry of Economics and Finance under a future Frente-led government.

The Movimiento para la Cuarta República is standing candidates for the President and the Minister-General on behalf of the Frente Popular. Incumbent president, Alarico Veto Julia, and current Minister of the Exterior, Erasmo Jacqueras Carrar are running for the respective positions. In a statement released by the M4R, the President promised to reform the legislature and to create a system in which bills and amendments could bypass the Council of State, thereby decreasing bureaucracy and inefficiency. Carrar promised that his tenure as Minister-General would see inter-party co-operation, with Ministers being appointed on their merits rather than their affiliation.

It is not yet known when results will be published, but expect Tiegismo Hoy to bring you the news as it reaches our offices.