Post

Keyraht wrote:

Foreign Institutions

For the second time in its history, Keyrahtis have cast their ballots. This time, suffrage was extended to all literate males. There were some exceptions to this, however. Any women employed or previously in the Royal Palace, if literate, were also permitted vote. This includes the few remaining, now elderly women who served as concubines under King Raia III. It also includes Noble Lady Airan. In total, four women were granted the privilege to vote in Keyraht. Votes were weighed. The most powerful vote belonged to male bureaucrats within the inner circle of the Royal Palace. The least powerful vote belonged to those who were women or literate farmers.

The election was held in a climate of growing interest in the ideals of republicanism. Owing to some foreign influence, more and more of the Keyrahti urban elite found themselves calling for the abolition of the monarchy. Clubs promoting republicanism sprouted up, mostly on the northernmost island of Wo'aru. The most radical of these was the Kanatamanu in Pahoang. However, in such a conservative and isolated country, monarchist sentiments are still heavily entrenched within the population. There were a number of candidates advocating for a constitutional, or at least reformed, monarchy. Many of the republicans who are not as radical found themselves supporting these candidates.

Owing to the special nature of the region, elections did not occur in the Harakuri Protectorate.

Results

Royalists - 14 seats
Reformists - 7 seats
Republicans - 7 seats

Liam D'Erable diligently writes home about the results, in pompous words he describes this as a "victory" for liberty, he states "it exemplifies how the flames of liberty can not be cooled even by the forgive me Simon D'Eau, water of an islander aristocracy." He describes how reformists should be considered "allies" of the revolution at least for the time being, mentioning how even in their glorious republic moderates exist causing only "minimal" trouble as a clear reference to the PPP. It's clear, by the loaded language, this letter is for public viewing . Still it should not be assumed to not contain incredibly useful information, it describes the specifics of the voting system in excruciating detail, a report on all the public information available of the representatives elected, a report on the economic state of Keyraht from his view, and on the functioning of any republican club he has details of.

In Keyraht itself he begins working slightly more covertly, with the republicans not necessarily doing the best he recognizes that he can not count on such a regime to defend him if the reactionaries attempt to fight the fires of hope with... more literal fire. He even goes so far as to moderate his rhetoric, though he still speaks about the need of the expansion of republicanism he moderates the most radical elements of the Payesian constitution to convert it into something of a moderately conservative representative republic, or even constitutional monarchy in front of some crowds. Still, pragmatic concerns have not gone out the window, as much as Pays D'Espoir is a republic, it is also a state. Therefor, Pays D'Espoir needs to look out for it's own safety. Thus, in a much more secrective letter without pomp, he requests the right to meet with the strongest states able to confront Payesian influence in the region, Zhenkwezima and Judaist frankia in order to confront what he has dubbed the "Keyrahti Question". He writes significantly less hopefully in this letter describing it as "the boiling point most likely to cause a war which our young republic is simply not prepared to face yet" still he exemplifies that his love of republicanism is not all show describing how the only conclusion he sees to this crisis is either these older states occupying Keyraht wholly, granting a moral victory to republicanism, or that some form of constitutional government arises in Keyraht. The Triumvirate quickly approves of his request, putting political infighting aside in order to ensure the republic's interests are maintained. He thus seeks to schedule a meeting with first the Frankian embassy in Keyraht.