Iberian News 1910

[miketr]

Iberian Navy to Malta

The Battleships Pelayo & Cid Campeador along with a number of Large Torpedo Boats have rebased from Cadez to the Hapsburg Naval Base.  In addition it is expected that when the new large armored cruisers Francisco Pizarro and Vasco Núñez de Balboa enter service later in the year that they will join the other ships.  Many had expected the armored cruisers to go to the Philippines to join the two armored cruisers of the Henrique o Navegador class already there.  The four armored cruisers have powerful turbine driven engines and equipped with a total of thirty six 250mm guns in twin turrets.  Most observes expected the navy to put the four ships together to create a powerful and fast squadron.  The change in plans and the movement of the various ships to Malta has many wondering.

Foreign Investment Act Passes Imperial Parliament

Restrictions on foreign ownership of large corporations within the Empire have been lifted.  This will allow foreign companies to setup business without needing special permits or need to partner with an Iberian company.  Changes two the tax code will allow foreign companies to take profits out of the empire without penalties.  In addition there is a clear statement in the law that private property owned by foreign persons or companies has that same property rights as domestic persons and companies.
A number of Columbian Companies have already moved to take advantage of the new situation.  Investment in Brazil is expected create a boom in the territories economy over the next year.

OOC The deal is for every IC built on Iberian territory that is not up to max IC to Pop limit will get the builder $1.2 a half.  Iberia can nationalize the IC at any time but has to pay full value, $75 per nationalized or bought out IC.

[miketr]

Cadez Iberia
Cruisers to Puerto Rico

Following reports of piracy in the Caribbean and requests for naval protection to cruisers have been dispatched.  The newly refit HIIMS Baboon and HIIMS Gorillla are to set sail for Puerto Rico and begin an anti-piracy patrol at and near the Iberian island.

[miketr]

1910 Election Primer

Parties of the Left

Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses, PTC: A hard left party of Brazil with strong communist overtones.  Also the most successful of the hard left parties is attempting to spread out across Iberia

Partido Socialista Obrero Iberia, PSOI: One of the oldest parties from the old Kingdom of Spain.  Founded in 1879 as the Partido Socialista Obrero Español.  Third largest political party in last election attempting to build on that and draw to it the less extreme members of banned hard left wing parties.

Partido Comunista de Ibéria, PCI: An umbrella for the various communist organizations that wants a communist state across all of Iberia.  Expected to be banned at next election and instead will focus on attempting to organize strikes to disrupt the election instead.

Center Parties

Unión de Centro Democrático, UCD: One of the major parties from the previous election will work on attempting to grow across the Empire.  Platform is of moderation attempting to balance left and right factions and ideology.  As a result the parties platform is somewhat nebulous.

Confederación de Cristiano Autónomas, CCA: Former Confederación de Derechas Autónomas, CDA A middle to conservative party with close ties to the Catholic Church; rallies often have cleric in prominent roles.  Largest political party from the 1907 election and is looking to build on that victory and broaden its appeal across the Empire and as such has moved slightly to the center.  The Demócratas Cristianos a Philippines regional party has agreed to merge with the CDA and this is expected to make a strong challenge for control of the regional parliament.  The Partido Social Cristão a regional catholic party of Brazil has also agreed to merge with the CDA.  Platform propaganda is 5 more years in Christ's name. <NEW>

Parties of the Right

Partido Ibéria, PI: Former Partido Carlista, party is attempting to move beyond a pro cartlist identity into a more nationalist and right wing party.

Partido Nacional-Sindicalista, PNS: A merger of the MNS and PP.  Platform is anti communist to the point of violently so.  In Portugal the MNS had a private militia that is a police auxiliary, setup work camps after last election to hold unreconstructed communists and work them to death.  PP had less strongly organized militia, more a collection of land owner strongmen.  While will be on ballet across Iberia focus will be on Brazil and Portugal to win both those regional parliaments.  PNS militias wear blue uniforms, march in well drilled formations, including other martial displays and have arm bands with the Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of Portugal.  Should be noted party is not anti Iberia it just has a strong Portugues identity.  <NEW>

Other Parties

Partido Autónomas, PA: An umbrella organization for the various regional autonomy and anti federal power parties and organizations. <NEW>

Partido de Pilipinas Autónomas, PPA: A splinter party from the NPP.  Platform is independence for the Philippines and members walked out when the merger into the PA was announced.  Faces' being banned if doesn't agree to tone down rhetoric.  <NEW> 

Unió Democràtica de Castilla y León, UDCyL: A right wing party regional party focused on the Spanish Successor kingdom that was created following the civil war.  While rabidly anti communist and pro church it is also if not anti Monarchist anti Carlist.  Supporters of the pragmatic succession tradition for the Spanish / Iberian crown.  The party's goal is to take control of Spanish regional parliament. 

Defunct Parties

Herri Batasuna, HB: A very small regional party of the Basque area.  Defunct merged into PA.

Nacionalista Party de Pilipinas, NPP: A regional party of the Philippines. Defunct merged into PA

Demócratas Cristianos, DC: Catholic party of the Philippines.  Defunct merged into CDA.
 
Movimento Nacional-Sindicalista, MNS: A right wing regional party of Portugal, defunct merged into PNS.

Partido Progressista, PP: A conservative alliance of Brazils landed oligarchs, defunct merged into PNS.

Partido Social Cristão, PSC: A centrist Christian regional party of Brazil, defunct merged into CCA.

Partido Socialista Revolucionário, PSR: A radical communist party; defunct merged into PCI.

OOC if anyone is going to meddle in the Iberian Election let me know how and we will see what happens.  Election results and news in a few days.

[The Rock Doctor]

I will keep that in mind...

[Borys]

OOC
Lovely peace of work!
Habsburg sympathies are well known :), but meddleing is out of the question.
The AFL will take in any commies fleeing the tender mercies of the Legiao Viriato.
Borys

[The Rock Doctor]

Belem, Brazil

"There's a gentleman who wishes to see you about setting up an account", the secretary announced.

"Send him in", Sidonio Lopes said, rising out of his seat.

The gentlemen entered moments later, a middle-aged, well-dressed fellow.  The secretary closed the door as the two men shook hands.  "Good morning", Lopes greeted him.  "Please, take a seat.  My name is Sidonio,  and I am the manager of this branch of the Royal Bank of Brasil.  How can I help you?"

"I have a bit of business to conduct", Artur Moriera replied, setting his briefcase on one side of Lopes' desk.  "I am a Gran Colombian rubber producer upriver, but some of my business takes me downriver into Brasil - so it would be useful to set up an account."

"Very good - we can attend to that", Lopes confirmed.  "Let me just give you a form and a pen and we can get started."

"Excellent", Moriera replied, accepting the two items.  He began to fill out his personal information, and asked casually, "So how is the election campaign going?  I've heard a little news up in Manaus about it."

"It's lively as usual", Lopes replied.

"Lot of folks upriver are hoping to avoid a PTC victory - it'd be kinda bad for business."

"I agree", Lopes noted.  "I myself am sufficiently concerned that I've been working on behalf of the local PNS candidate."

"Good decision", Moriera stated.  "Campaigning?"

"No, no.  Not my forte.  I've been managing his campaign account."

Moriera opened the briefcase, and reached inside.  "I was hoping you would say that", he remarked, lifting out what looked like the inside panelling of the briefcase.  He spun the briefcase around to give Lopes a view of its interior.  "Would this be of use to the PNS campaign?"

"Once deposited, yes, it would", Lopes agreed.

Rio de Janiero, Brazil

"The workers of Bogota wish to aid their brothers and sisters in their struggle against the capitalist machine", the Colombian murmured.  Under the table between he and the Brazilian, he extended his left arm, from which dangled a small satchel.

"Their gift is greatly appreciated, and will further the cause of social equality", replied the city foreman of the Partido Socialista Obrero Espanol, reaching under the table.

He found that the Colombian was not quite ready to release his own grip on the bag.  "The workers of Bogota did express their desire that you take the struggle to all parts of the city."

"The PTC is strong in the south and west; we planned to avoid them, and concentrate on our strongest candidates in the city centre and the north", the foreman noted.

"And leave half the people of the city with no choice but the PTC?  Those fools don't understand even half of the great Manifesto!  Their stupidity drives the masses toward the weak-kneed UCD.  No, you must contest the entire city!"

The foreman looked skeptical.  "We'd risk splitting the socialist vote."

"Nonsense!", the Colombian replied with passion.  "Who would vote for the PTC when they have the option of a dedicated PSOE candidate?  The PTC is letting the capitalists of Gran Colombia subvert this land!  They must be stopped, or you will suffer as we do!  Please, I insist:  contest the entire city, or you are squandering the meager earnings we have clawed and scratched for!"

The PSOE foreman pursed his lips, meeting the Colombian's stare.  "Very well, brother.  I would not want your sacrifice to be in vain."

"Thank you", the Colombian, an agent of the Ministry of Miscellaneous Affairs, said as he released his hold on the satchel of cash.

[miketr]

........Canarias..Brazil..Philippines..Portugal...Puerto Rico..Spain......National Total   
PTC.....0.........8.......1............1..........0............4..........14
PSOI....0.........4.......3............1..........0............8..........16
PCI.....B.........B.......B............B..........B............B..........BANNED
UCD.....0.........4.......0............0..........0............5..........9
CCA.....1.........12......2............2..........2............10.........29
PI......0.........4.......3............1..........0............8..........16
PNS.....0.........8.......1............7..........0............2..........18
PA......0.........0.......4............0..........0............1..........5
PPA.....B.........B.......B............B..........B............B..........BANNED
UDCyL...0.........0.......0............0..........0............2..........2


Seats in Parliment
Prov T..1.........40......14...........12.........2............40.0.......108
   


Party...Seats.Provincial Parliments major party
CCA.....29....Canarias, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Spain
PNS.....18....Portugal
PI......16....
PSOI....16....
PTC.....14....
UCD.....9.....
PA......5.....Philippines
UDCyL...2.....
PCI.....BANNED
PPA.....BANNED


Election commentary to follow

[miketr]

With the polls closed and the votes counted a number of trends are clear following the 2nd national election of the Iberian Empire.

Political integration is occurring across old national lines but it is painful and slow.  While the number of parties running for office has greatly dropped from the 1907 election there is still a great deal of overlap among the major political parties. 

This competition of like minded parties was most clearly shown in the elections in Brazil and Spain.  A pre-election agreement between the Partido Socialista Obrero Iberia and Partido dos Trabalhadores e dos Camponeses to limit direct competition between the two broke down.  Soon afterwards a number minor scandals involving members of the PTC played out in the papers in Brazil, damaging the party's anti-corruption credentials in the eyes of the public.  Senior members of the PTC blamed the PSOI for the smear campaign targeting their party.  The result was the PTC loosing its status as the largest party in the Brazilian provincial parliament.  When the PSOI decided to tightly compete in Brazil the PTC followed suit in Spain and a public campaign of claiming the PSOI isn't liberal and is in fact the tools of the factory owners and wealthy was the result.  Resulting in many extreme members of the hard left to rally to the PTC and took enough votes away from the PSOI to give the Confederación de Cristiano Autónomas in Spain.  Since the election the verbal battles between the leadership of the PTC and PSOI has only intensified, each blaming the other for the problems.  This combined with the continued banning of the Partido Comunista de Ibéria will see the parties of the left playing only a minor role in Iberian politics for some time.

While the fratricide battle between the PTC and PSOI played out on the front pages of the Empires major news powers another story was hidden in the back pages.  That story being the growth of the right wing Partido Nacional-Sindicalista with its virtual private army.  A large number of complaints have been received, especially in Portugal, of stuffed ballet boxes, discarded ballets and political intimidation.  In Portugal the provincial police, with its PNS auxiliaries responded to the banning of the communists by conducting pre-dawn raids on Election Day arresting thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of known or suspected communists.   The PTC and PSOI have both complained about the arrests.  The PNS responds that they lost a seat in Portugal's regional parliament even if they are still large enough not to need a partner.  A number of papers have suggested that the only reason the PNS lost seats was because of the presence of Imperial election inspectors preventing even worse cheating by the PNS.

The clear winner of the election is the Confederación de Cristiano Autónomas with 27% of the vote and nearly 60% more than the next largest party the PNS at 17%.  The amalgamation of the various Christian and Church backed political organizations has created a very power movement in Iberian politics.  This power is especially true with the CCA as the major political party in 4 of 6 provincial parliaments.  It is expected that CCA will attempt to form a center right coalition in the Imperial Parliament.  It's rumored that the PNS price for joining a coalition government is the ministry of Internal Affairs and for the CCA to form a coalition in Brazil's parliament and to agree to allow the PNS members to join the provincial police as auxiliaries as they are in Portugal.  Naturally the CCA leadership is hesitant to agree to such terms and instead will seek support from the Partido Ibéria and Unión de Centro Democrático which will give the CCA led coalition 50% of the Imperial parliament.  It is expected that of the two other parties, Partido Autónomas and Unió Democràtica de Castilla y León that the UDCyL will join giving the 50% + 1 majority the government needs to function.

[The Rock Doctor]

This combined with the continued banning of the Partido Comunista de Ibéria will see the parties of the left playing only a minor role in Iberian politics for some time.

Oh dear.  How unfortunate.

A large number of complaints have been received, especially in Portugal, of stuffed ballet boxes, discarded ballets and political intimidation.  In Portugal the provincial police, with its PNS auxiliaries responded to the banning of the communists by conducting pre-dawn raids on Election Day arresting thousands or perhaps tens of thousands of known or suspected communists.

Portuguese democracy is thriving, obviously.

Good write-up, Mike.  It'll be interesting to see how Iberian politics evolves as a result of the election.

[miketr]

Portuguese democracy is thriving, obviously.

Portugal is a Political Machine setup on a national scale combined with brute force hatred of the communists or anything of the left really.  You could also call them a type of  fascists movement but its not a perfect fit.  In any rate as long as the PNS limits itself to making life hell for communists the center and other right parties really don't care all that much.  Long term this might be a mistake for them but will have to see...

Michael

[Borys]

The Habsburgs are pleased to see that the Peoples of the Iberian Empire have stayed true to Christianity and Royalism.

[Sachmle]

As Catholics, YEAH!!  :) Iberian Christianity. As a Representative Democracy, BOO!!!  >:( Iberain Royalty

[Korpen]

Sad, but not suprised, to see retarding papist influence in iberian politics.

[miketr]

Sad, but not suprised, to see retarding papist influence in iberian politics.

Is it all that shocking that a party based upon church, country and king would do very well?  Especially with the Liberial parties at war with each other and the right also fractured?