The Mercury

[afleitch]

The Mercury

PRESSES ROLL AS NEW ERA OF FREE MEDIA DAWNS

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Coalitions begin to take shape: Prabhusanjil and Denoix to lead new party blocs

Opinion polling puts Left Bloc ahead

OB (Out of the Blue) Polling suggests the Left are in a commanding lead in nationwide polls. However regional strengths could see closer races in parts of the country. The Social Democrats and the Conservatives stake their claims as largest parties of their respective blocs.

Sample size: 500 voters, 2 donkeys and a chicken

Social Democrat 23.5%
Conservatives 21.0%
Labour 16.5%
Progressive Conservatives 12.0%
Radicals 9.5%
Social Credit 6.5%
Social Liberal 6.0%
Greens 5.0%

Left Bloc 57.5
Right Bloc 42.5

[Hashemite]

I'd be interested in a breakdown of support for each party by linguistic group. Possible?

[War on Want]

Go Labour!! Will we have Regional Polls soon?

[The Man From G.O.P.]

I am happy that the results of this poll show strong support for my Conservative Party, despite the apparent indicators that the country wants a turn to the left. I have no doubt once our platform is launched on a truly nationwide basis many more citizens will see the vision of Conservative policies.


x W.H. Tudor

[afleitch]

Out of the Blue Polling has only polled nationwide. The results of the opinion poll prior to this was of course - Dear Leader - 100.5% (due to a rounding error) so methods still have some way to go.

[afleitch]

The lights are on...

It's been months since one-sided debate echoed throughout this chamber, the hall of the old dictatorship, yet still the cleaners sweep and dust and replace the flowers. 'They were the Dear..I should say our last leaders favourite. I don't care much for lillies but I've not been told to change them' said one. Parliament House is ready for democracy to re-enter after it's long eviction but our revolutionary leaders do not seem in a hurry to move back in. Patrick D'Arcy, curator of the Parliamentary Hall of Records showed me some items of historic value; the old Speakers robes, mothballed and starched but still on display, the old Royal Mace from colonial times (saved from destruction and until his downfall, kept in the presidents office) various papers and portraits. It is a new display, here to remind the public of the modern and thriving democracy that once existed on this little island.

Tours of the chamber are a suprise hit but most of those who visit leave dissatisfied; 'I'd rather watch from the public gallery. It's not my business walking across the floor of the house' said visitor William MacPherson. 'When will parliament re-convene?'

[afleitch]

The Mercury

WHO GOVERNS ANTILLIA?

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Right Bloc slams 'democrats' in Left Bloc over next government

Green Party to remain as functioning pary within Left Bloc

Division risks splitting consensus amongst Antillia's 'founding fathers' today as Right Bloc leader M. Denoix denounced members within the Left Bloc who talked of forming a Left led government before, yet unscheduled national elections. At present the leaders of PRD, ACP and PC, the three parties that currently make up the Right Bloc have stated they will not take their seats in parliament in an exclusively Left government without national elections. M. Denoix has proposed a government of 'national unity' comprising both blocs. His counterpart, Mr Prabhusanjil, leader of the Left Bloc while stating that he is of two minds, noted that his bloc has 'strength of numbers' to overide M. Denoix's suggestion, which has been given support from within the Left Bloc by Mr Robert Hill (SDP)

We spoke to M. Denoix shortly after his attendance at the mens gymastics tryouts for the newly de-politicised Antillian Olympic team for next summers games in Barcelona

So edito...I mean M. Denoix, what has led you to this unexpected outburst?

The Left Bloc has recently spent considerable time carving out potential cabinet positions and some members of the Left Bloc have got a little ahead of themselves. There is no option of them forming a government without an electoral mandate even if they do have the largest membership. Every voter was a member of the last leaders party by law but it did not give him a genuine mandate to govern. I do have concerns over Mr Prabhusanjil's handling of the matter. As bloc leader to suggest that 'strength of numbers' is justification for overiding a proposal is scarily reminiscent of the sort of politics we have just left behind. If such 'strength' is given mandate by the electorate, with the election of the Left Bloc to govern, then we will naturally yield to it and allow them to govern with ourselves in opposition. For now however this is not an option.

Are you looking forward to the Olympics?

Yes, I have word that anti-doping measures will be in place in time for Barcelona. The steriod fuelled advantage we formerly had with thankfully be gone but we are still in contention to pick up medals next year. Today I have seen not only men's gymnastics but also mens swimming, mens diving, mens wrestling and some womens track and field because it over-ran. I can say we have athletes to be proud of.

In related news, the Greens have chosen to remain as an independent party operating within the Left Bloc despite internal bloc pressure for the Greens to 'dissolve.'