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Citizens!

Last month we saw a three-horse race, this month we are back to two horses. They are Betafoxcanter and Shoey George (horse puns intended).

The statements of the candidates can be found below
Betafoxtrot
Huey George

Their debate answers are below, with the order determined by first come first serve.

As always I hope the questions are useful and offer some insight into what is under the bonnet of the candidates. Enjoy.

The questions

Last month's format was well received albeit some citizens felt the article was very long. We have fewer candidates this time, which may help, and I have also asked fewer questions.

There are six questions to the debate; each candidate was first sent four (two the same, two bespoke to their candidacy). These were then followed up with a further two questions based on their responses.

For their answers below, I have italicised the questions, applied bold to their bespoke question, and underlined the follow up questions to highlight where they have been asked different things and to signpost what I hope are the most interesting Q&A’s.


Betafoxtrot

1. What key changes would define the next Presidential term if you were elected? Alternatively if you don't anticipate changes share your thoughts on why.

There is no part that wouldn’t be changed in my mind. Nothing isn’t in desperate need of updating and improving. I envision a ‘from the ground up’ approach to all aspects of government and I think doing so will make government more efficient. Also, we can do it more openly, transparently, and create space for more ideas and schemes to come to the table.


2. The Government has raised the topic of alliances with Congress over the past fortnight, do you have a specific view on alliances/any specific alliance that you would like to share?

Well it’s a difficult one, I know in the past I myself had approached nations for a neutral alliance with seemingly little interest. The two big shifts happening now are CODE's apparent decline and Asteria continuing to grow and dominate. It is likely Asteria will find itself in conflict with more alliances over the coming months due to this growth. The eUK will be in Asteria's sphere of influence if it isn't vigilant about its neutrality, if indeed neutrality remains a desirable option.

Most crucially the eUK needs a designated MoFA who is actually working to understand global events and help Congress and the public understand them too.

3. Your announcement article outlines several criticisms of the Government. It has been observed that this strikes a slightly less conciliatory tone that the last time you ran for President. What accounts for this shift in approach?

Huey has made it clear he has no ideas and, at least when he has actually engaged Congress about the state of the nation, just appears agitated that people are dissatisfied at how things are in the eUK. It is perfectly acceptable if people want to congratulate Huey on caretaking the country but we should not kid ourselves that there are not better ways, more than can be offered or fresh thought that can inject the country with some energy. As I stated in my announcement, this is Huey’s 45th medal he’s going for. That is to say for close to 4 years he has been the country president and the longer he has been in power the less he’s offering the country. He comes across as a man just trying to keep hold of power for the sake of it. If he had any real concern about the country then you’d expect him to be doing something visible and everything is back door, smoke and mirrors, and evasion.

You have to ask the question, if his desire was not to be our permanent CP then why at no point has he ever pulled anyone up as a potential successor? Or does he believe no one is as capable to do the job? Either way, I do not think that this is right.

4. How will you balance the needs of different player types when implementing your policies? Additionally, what actual actions will you take to fulfil the promise to be 'thorough and transparent'?

The balance is easy, we can maintain sufficient Training Wars and medal opportunities whilst also catering for people who don’t have a strong interest in that area or who are under-rewarded for participating. In order to bring balance all we need to do is allocate more resources towards the newer members of the country who actually need the support. To roll it into the second question, a large part of that is the needless red tape and bureaucracy put in place that only acts as a hurdle for new players. I will be making great use of the media module to ensure players know what support there is and how to get it as well as reports on the going ons elsewhere in the eWorld in order to make sure we also have an informed populace that is better able to voice their opinions.

5. You talk about pulling up potential successors - do would you approach this as CP? To what degree do you think it is the game itself rather than the Government stopping people advancing in politics?

I think that the responsibility for successors fully falls on the Government. The people who are here month after month do want to play the game and it’s down to the incumbent CP and cabinet to provide that opportunity and that’s not been done thus far. It is irresponsible to not get people experience in these positions as it will lead to a deficit in leadership down the line and it’s why I’ve ensured to approach active players with no previous experience in government a chance to assist so that they may be our future ministers and presidents.

6. You talk about people being better informed and a more transparent Government. What tangible actions will you take to achieve this/how will your approach be materially different from the current Governments?

I want to ensure we make full use of the media module. One thing I will implement is a cabinet secretary who will be charged with providing reports on the various government agencies from treasury info to schemes and articles produced by the Ministry of Home Affairs. I will also ensure the Minister of Foreign Affairs provides articles for news abroad so our citizens have a full view of what is happening abroad.

As for how this differs from the current administration, I think it speaks for itself. If you are to look at the past month there has been a stark absence of anything resembling information provided by any person with any affiliation to a position in government. This I want to change. I think my article on the current CODE/Asteria war goes to show how much interest there is in what goes on overseas and it was a complete missed opportunity for the government not to capitalise on this.


Huey George

1. What key changes would define the next Presidential term if you were elected? Alternatively if you don't anticipate changes share your thoughts on why.

In the upcoming Presidential term, my focus will be on embodying the vision for the long-term change that the eUK aspires to achieve. Our success hinges on three vital elements: individual prowess and achievement, collective agreement, and the steadfast support from a government committed to advancing our players. It is my hope that all members of the UK can rally behind these principles once more.

2. The Government has raised the topic of alliances with Congress over the past fortnight, do you have a specific view on alliances/any specific alliance that you would like to share?

I believe in representing the diverse perspectives of our nation, and as such, I welcome all views on the topic of alliances. Whether individuals advocate for joining an alliance, prefer maintaining independence, express concerns about the potential loss of neutrality or our ability to meet expected military contributions, or view alliance participation as an exciting next step for the UK—all these opinions are valid and deserving of consideration.

Drawing on my extensive experience and expertise gained from my tenure in government, I am confident in my ability to navigate and lead within an alliance structure to ensure it becomes an optimal experience for the UK. Alternatively, I am equally committed to continuing our proven neutral and considerate foreign strategy, which has been effective over the years. The key is to prioritise what serves the best interests and aspirations of our nation as a whole.

3. In the last Debate you shared your views on the Cabinet and the degree to which its members might role model standards of activity, civility, etc. After winning the election Cabinet posts were all replaced with an ambiguously defined committee - can you tell us about how Government has been ran over the past month and the thought processes behind it?

The decision to transition from individual Cabinet posts to a committee structure aimed to address concerns about perceived inactivity among officeholders. While successful in minimising such periods, it faced challenges in re-establishing stronger ministries and making the roles less daunting for citizens to undertake. Despite this shift in approach, the government continued to function in a manner consistent with my past experiences. Various players supported operations, but the primary accountability rested with me to ensure that critical responsibilities were not overlooked or neglected. This model has proven effective in maintaining continuity and accountability within the government structure.

4. Last month's debate also saw feedback that some answers were long and vague or nebulous. Do you feel this is a fair description of your communication style and do you have any ideas on how we can promote candid and meaningful conversations between the Government and the public?

I actively engage in candid conversations with members of the public, and I encourage anyone interested in discussing any topic to reach out and message me directly. If any of my answers appear long, vague, or nebulous, I invite readers to follow up with specific, targeted questions for further clarification. Open communication is essential, and I am committed to fostering meaningful conversations that address the concerns and interests of the public. \o/

5. You've mentioned the idea of collective agreement in your first answer. As Party President of WRP you have placed two congressmen in the top half of your congress list who, over the last six months, have repeatedly called for congress to be shut down. What might you say to people who might think your use of the term collective agreement is therefore insincere?

I would say it's not insincere. In my mind collective agreement is listening to all viewpoints including those with frustrations of some aspects of how our Congress currently operates. Our political freedom should be protected to express valid views without the fear repercussion. We need to express how we all feel to find a collectively agreeable common middle ground.

6. Your campaign article describes Transparent ministries before describing the Committee structure you've adopted, which you were questioned about above. The adoption of this style of Government was not announced by yourself and came out when some who it was later said wasn't a member pasted a PM fromn the group into the congress chat. What steps are you taking to make the committee more transparent after a shaky start?

All details will be publicly announced and released as soon as they are finalised (or near finalised). We will work as a team as collectively we will achieve more and be more resilient. I feel accountability needs to rest with the Country Presidency as we still need to encourage players to take on roles in government and it's the Country President which holds his cabinet accountable.


The Verdict

Betafoxtrot is this month’s ‘change candidate’ and makes a compelling case for the stagnative effects of having a continuity Government for years at a time. Huey has again emphasised getting our baseline of activities, right and emphasises long-termism as a way of managing change.

On the topic of Alliances it was interesting to note Betafoxtrot reiterating the need for an active Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate good decision making, whereas Huey describes what he calls an equal commitment both to being neutral and taking up a leadership role in an alliance, presumably in the event we were to join one. This is an interesting reflection of how each candidate sees the Government’s role in the wider alliance discussion.

Society and communication remains a feature of these debates and corresponding campaigns. Huey continues to emphasise his own philosophies on transparency and collective agreement but at the time of writing this has not intervened when players in his support base have called for people to leave the eUK if they don't like how it is ran, contradicting his statement on political freedom. Betafoxtrot appears to have identified the Presidency as an engine for setting a standard and tone for debate which again, appears in contrast to the incumbent.

This will be an interesting election to follow, with some big differences between the offerings of the two people running. Good luck to both candidates.

Happy voting,
Mr Woldy