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Just days into the new congressional term, 6 congressman have already resigned - 4 of them from the Austrian Conservative Party, which had surged from obscurity into the top 5 two days before voting occurred. Four of the six additionally have moved from Austria already - all to countries within PEACE GC: Hungary, Brazil, Thailand, and Indonesia. Two remain in Austria, though both have left their political party.

This news will be especially frustrating for the candidates who lost out narrowly to these new arrivals - and to those who were in the ÖVP, a party which was in the top 5 until being displaced by the Conservative Party. None of the candidates who remained in the ÖVP, and didn't quickly change parties, were able to run in the election.

But not every congressman has resigned for the same reason. Auzzie Southland was elected as a wildcard candidate from the Rott Weiss Rott Party, and explained his reasoning. "I left so that I could participate in battle. Every day that passes without battle costs a citizen [experience], and the opportunity to grow into a stronger player. I had gone at least two days without battle, and I could no longer wait [for war games to start that Austria was in]."

While he concedes its not Austria's fault that the war games have been delayed, he offers no apologies to the people who missed out of a spot. "If anything, I feel that I prevented another member of the Austrian Conservative Party from taking a spot." He also offered advice to the Rott Weiss Rott Party in the future. "More members from the Rot Weiss Rot party should run in lesser populated regions. This will prevent regional voting cannibalization amongst party candidates because only so many can be elected from the same region," he said.

But the loss of mobility as a congressman is well known - and should be a reason not to run for congress if mobility it desired, not to resign from congress after being elected. It also raises the issue of whether the best question to ask candidate is whether they intend to actually serve out their term, as opposed to whether they intend to donate money.

Reasoning aside, the congress looks dramatically different from the way it was after being freshly elected. The Illumnus Austria Party remains at 10 seats, and the Austrian Progressive Party has grown to 9 seats, having gained one. The Rott Weiss Rott Party, which was once Austria's sole party, has fallen further from 8 seats to 6. The People's Socialist Party remains at 5, but most dramatic of all is the Austrian Conservative Party. Tied with the Illumnus Austria Party with 10 seats after the election, it has fallen to a mere 2 seats in the short time since. This leaves 2 congressman without a party. The Austrian Independent will follow this story as it unfolds.