The Changing of the Guard
General Summary
This article covers the period of 2580 to present.
2580 - Instability and Reformation
2580 - The 2580 Republic Election finishes with the Social Democratic Party the largest party. After month long coalition talks, Alana Largo is elected President of the Republic and forms a coalition with the Isolationists, Republican Centrist Party and Vishnu Elpis but leaves out Gurava. The new administration inherits a huge budget crisis and Treasury Secretary Sharlto Sorenson (RCP) is forced to reach out for additional loans to prop up the Republic's government. The 2580-2584 budget includes over 45 billion adjusted dollars in new loans. Alexander Ashpool, the former Margrave of Eden and Secretary of Intelligence is killed in a shuttle crash on Sanctuary. There is an escalating wave of gang related violence across the Republic, as sheriff's are killed on St Lawrence and police officers killed on Avalon, as well as gang violence on Nova Terra and Whitworth. Admiral Sovitorr succeeds Admiral Darius Bolt as Chief of Staff of the Republic military, becoming the first Indirian to hold the post. 2581 - The CCN powers meet on New Berlin to discuss a potential extension to the existing treaty in 2585, which will allow the Gannid Commonwealth to join in. Foreign Secretary Hayley Rush (SDP) and Ambassador Reiner Grumman (GUR) are a key part of the talks. The "Camp Inchon" Crisis continues to escalate as seperatist militias on the planet grow in strength. Attorney General Gabriel Fayn (ISO) sends Federal agents to the planet to observe but leaves action in the hands of the Governor. 2582 - The Dhau Empire begins to agitate over reports of piracy and raiding by the Grey Striders trip of Vodhyna. The Terran Republic denies the charges and both sides begin to deploy ships to the mutual border. The Republic's General Assembly votes to empower the Constitutional Convention, which will begin preliminary talks in 2582 on Earth in the city of Capetown. Representatives of all the major political party's as well as each world arrive for the marathon talks, which are not expected to end until 2585. 2583 - Former Ashenmark worlds Leander and Vesper are admitted to the Republic but Sanctuary is denied entry into the Republic. There's another wave of gang violence and the Dept of Justice deploys additional Federal agents to attempt to reduce the impact of the crime-wave across the Republic. AEA release their hotly awaited Curator-Tech which proves to be a huge boon for the corporations revenues. 2584 - The border crisis at Vodhyna ends without shots fired but tensions between the Terran Republic and the Dhau Empire have been escalated. The New Berlin conference is hailed as s a success, as several draft agreements were reached that are set to take effective 2485. Whilst some intricate negotiations remain, initial agreements around a 20% of GDP military budget commitment and the Terran repayment of 10% of Tazzyn debt per 5 years have been broadly accepted. Some political commentators highlighted the immense strain these conditions will place on the already overburdened Terran economy. The preliminary talks in Capetown appear to have set out some expectations for the constitutional convention but there is a wide degree of variance and sharp differnces of opinion, including those over the purpose and intention of the Republic. Seperatist sentiment continues to grow across the Republic and the threat of the Republic breaking up or civil war continues to loom. 2585 -Governor Pierce Moreland (RCP) agrees to take part in a summit with the leaders of Camp Inchon On st Lawrence in an attempt to end the crisis on the planet. Treasury Secretary Sharlto Sorenson (RCP) audit into Charno-Corp is greeted with intense resistance fromt he Hansa and the Secretary comes under intense pressure to resign. He later resigns after a press story breaks linking his family to political corruption. There's more violent crime across the Republic, with several high profile assassinations of Yakuza leaders on Eden. Former Ambassador Reiner Grumman is arrested by the Republic police under charges of espionage. 2586 - March 15th - There is an attempted coup as Lord Aurelian Sondeheim is alleged to have orchestrated a plan within the Republic Navy to seize power on Dhaka. This is narrowly thwarted after a conspirator turns evidence in to the Attorney General. Admiral Isabella Sondeheim is arrested after a tense stand off and the Republic government is forced to go into hiding to avoid the coup. Secretary of Defence Colburn Keane (VE) is also arrested as a part of the counter-coup, with dozens of other military officers apparently arrested too. The shockwaves of the coup are felt everywhere as the markets take a huge hit in confidence and seperatist sentinment futher increases. Meanwhile the Dhua Empire successfully pressure the Gannid Commonwealth to "postpone" their membership to the CCN alliance after the Republic is unable to match force with them. 2587 - Various seperatist leaders meet on St Lawrence at the Fort Perry summit. They agree to form the Seperatist Worlds Alliance (SWA) and release a list of demands to the Republic, which include the right for them to dismiss Federal military from their planet. They state that unless these demands are met, these planets will secede from the Republic. President Largo concludes a visit to the Tranoan Empire which is designed to try and thaw the relationship between the two powers. Lord Aurelian Sondeheim refuses to be taken into custody by the Republic's police and there is a stand-off on Tyr. Justice Dept officials confirm they cannot serve the warrant if Lord Sondeheim is unwilling to cooperate. Outbreaks of a deadly virus, designated SNO111, referred to as the "Snow Plague" are reported on Mars, Avalon, Nova Terra, Al Ahily, Earth and Fort Kurzon. With 50% excess mortality, quarantines qre quickly put into place to try and limit the spread of the virus. 2588 - The "Snow-Plague" is contained on the original worlds of its outbreak. The death toll is reported to be around sixteen million so far. The Republic's Senate votes to rescind the offer of a world for the Jikari to settle. The Jikari Migrant fleet, already at the planet, claim the world was given to them in good faith. There is increasing aggression on the Salborian / Rorn border as the Salborian Free-State begins to make territorial demands against the Rorn Republic. This is seen as a clear indication of the weakness of the CCN alliance at the current time. 2589 - The Republic's contentious budget process is finally resolved after years of negotations. Treasury Secretary Thadeus Smythe (RCP) is hailed for his revolutionary approach but many critics are deeply unhappy with the sale of HARP and Stargate technology, believing that the Terrans are selling off "thier legacy". President Largo's term begins to wind down and she confirms that she will not seek another term. This is under the background of multiple worlds now openly talking of seccession. The constitutional convention in Capetown concludes with a suggested constitution. It's agreed by the attendees and political power brokers that further drafts are needed. There are question marks over whether or not there will be time to make these changes work as the Republic appears to be coming apart at its seams. 2590 - The contentious and complex 2590 election sees Ravenheart emerge as the largest single party, with Senator Tarco Tumnas (RHC) seen as the front-runner. However, during the coalition talks, the Isolationist Party refuses to back a "non-human" president and in the end, Governor Mina Carrero (ONX) of Avalon is elected President. The next stage in the constitutional convention begins, with the drafting of a new constitution. Talks begin in Varetta, as represenatives of various powerful interest groups talk and debate the finer points of the constitution. A precarious balancing act between the desires of the SWA worlds and the more "Federalist" elements begins. Isaac Tancredo, a convicted co-conspirator in the "Sondeheiem coup" is murdered in prison. There is a mining disaster in Fort Kurzon, with the RES "Montezuma" lost with all hands. 2591 - The Dhau Empire continues to agitate over the border world of Vodhyna. The Republic deploys a task force to the planet, prompting a Dhau response and things continue to escalate. The convention on Varetta ends and moves to its next stage. However, SWA representatives are not happy with the draft as it stands, feeling that it creates a "strong Federal state". Their objections are heard ahead of the critical vote in the legislature. 2592 - The Dhau Empire continue to escalate the border crisis on Vodhyna and begin border incursions. The Terran Republic appeals successfully for Tazzyn intervention and the Tazzyn deploy a small task force to the Terran border. When the Dhau respond by carrying out a weapons test of their "Devastator" weapons, it prompts a Straetek intervenion and the Dhau are forced to back down, ending the crisis. President Carrero and her administration are hailed for standing up to the Dhau Empire. The Salborian Free-State continue to escalate a border crisis with the Rorn Republic over worlds that they believe belong to them. The Terran Republic is expected to intervene but trades with the Salborians and is put in a difficult posistion. The new Constitution is voted on and passes both chambers, meaning it will replace the existing constitution when ratified by the member worlds of the Republic, a process that will begin in early 2595. Many SWA worlds bitterly complain about the level of "Federal overreach" and some Federalists predict that the likes of Gaia will leave the Republic, which some suggest would be a good thing. 2593 - The Republic successfully defuses the border situation between the Salborians and the Rorn by threatening the Salborians with a trade embargo if they do not back off. The Salborian Free State reluctantly backs down but the relationship between the two powers is damaged in the process. President Carrero (ONX) enjoys a huge level of personal popularity, thanks to the recent foreign policy victories and a succesful response to the growing crime wave in the Republic. The administration begins the long process of attempting to restart the Galactic Council, which is expected to take many years to resolve. The Tazzyn Empire appear reluctant to restart the organisation and the Tranoans will not allow the Dhau to be part of a council. 2594 - Republic worlds begin the process of ratifiying the new constitution. Most political pundits predict that some SWA worlds will not be able to tolerate some elements of the new constitution and that the Republic will likely be, at least in part, divided by the new constitution. Some politicians begin to question whether the current administration has a mandate if a new constitution is agreed and begin to call for "a new election in 2595" under the new constitution. Meanwhile, a panel of emminent judges and legal experts are called on to create the first "draft ballot" for the new Supreme Court. Seven judges will be chosen by "sortition" to comprise the first Supreme Court. They will serve a twenty year term. 2595 -
Report Date
15 Oct 2023
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