Debate but no Date

28/11/09--FIRST CITY/CHICAGO--In the final few hours before the 2009 Prime Ministerial election, the candidates have been winding up their campaigns and preparing for the vote. Neither Peery nor Lloyd-Davies have stated whether the polls commissioned by their parties suggest victory or defeat, but many analysts believe that a coalition government will be necessary for the correct functioning of democracy. 'It just makes good sense' said a senior analyst working for the Royal Family on Parliamentary and Democratic Affairs. 'Coalitions are usually weak, but I'm sure Lloyd-Davies will be able to weld together the various factions in order to help the country unite rather than divide on partisan lines'. said the analyst, who refused to reveal their identity for fear that his favoritism towards the Liberal Party would put his non-partisan position in jeopardy.

Candidates and citizens have also eagerly been waiting for the broadcast of the Prime Ministerial Debate, which official occurred Tuesday, but has not been released due to editing issues. It will be hoped that the debate will be released before the election, and the Electoral Commission has suggested that, in the spirit of fairness, the election may be delayed until after the broadcast to give citizens a chance to evaluate the candidates in an independent atmosphere. However, at this time, no broadcast date has been set and the elections are scheduled to proceed on time on 1st December.

Liberal Socialist Party declares candidate

09/11/09--CHICAGO--As campaigning for the Prime Ministerial election 2009 continues from the Liberal Party, a challenger has appeared in the Liberal Socialist Party headed by the newly immigrated Shawnteal Peery. The new party says it wishes to focus on furthering a socialist economic policy while pursuing a libertarian social stance. While the new party has sought to differentiate itself from Lloyd-Davies Liberal Party, its policies are in keeping with the mainstream status-quo politics of Kemetia.

When questioned by the Tribune about any concerns regarding the veracity of the election results, Peery seemed free of worry. 'The elections will be as fair as humanly possible' she stated, adding that His Sovereign Majesty's temporary online election solution to vote rigging was 'a wise one'. She is said to be honoured that her candidacy has been accepted, and will be working closely with current government officials regardless of the election results.

If elected, Ms. Peery will be the first female and black Kemetian to hold the post. 'I am delighted that I have been given the opportunity to make history in this way and hope that even if I do not win, that [my actions will] pave the way for more female government officials in Kemetia and encourage more women to strive for high government positions.' Historically, Kemetia has always had a very high number of female officials, with up to six women holding cabinet level positions at one time. If Peery does win this election, a glass ceiling will certainly have been shattered, opening the Prime Ministry to women as well as minorities.

One of the key issues of the upcoming election is electoral reform, and His Sovereign Majesty has commented that this is an 'election about elections.' With the Lloyd-Davies plan for an electoral college already on the table, the Liberal Socialists have yet to fully outline a rebuttal, but Ms. Peery has commented that she believes 'any measures that could be taken to make sure that every vote counts are necessary.' However, this seems a vague statement, and it is unclear as to how implementation would go ahead.

The Liberal Party Begins its 2009 Election Campaign

03/11/09--LONDON--Jolyon Lloyd-Davies, Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, today made a pubic speech to the Advisory Senate, the text of which follows hereafter:

People of Kemetia, it is my honour to address you as Prime Minister once more. I am speaking to formally announce my candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, and to outline some of the Liberal Party's key policies. I also hope to address the unfounded accusations which have been made regarding the legitimacy of previous elections, and of recent centralisation measures. In order to silence the reactionary agitators responsible for these untruths, I have taken every measure to ensure that the 2009 Prime Ministerial Elections will be the most transparent in our country's history. After intense discussion with His Sovereign Majesty King Adam, it has been agreed that voting will take place online, via Kemetia's Facebook page. This will allow greater security than previous mechanisms, as well as demonstrating my government's commitment to the role "new media" resources will play in our nation's future. Additionally, I am pleased to confirm that the Liberal Party will be making electoral reform a cornerstone of our 2009 campaign; should I be elected once more to the role of Prime Minister, I shall be introducing an "electoral college" system, which would allow for greater representation of our nation's diversity, without undermining the practicality of government. The Liberal Party are not autocrats - we believe firmly in a multipartisan approach to government, and are pround to work with those with other political beliefs. In this spirit, we have supported the appointment of Sir Nicho Kelly as Senior Advisor to His Sovereign Majesty on Economic Policy, and look forward to working with him in the future. Unlike our anti-secessionist adversaries, we remain truly committed to a democratic Kemetia.

As Prime Minister, it has been my great pleasure to assist in Kemetia's formation and expansion over these past years. However, we must not take our success for granted. If reelected, my government will continue to expand Kemetia's presence, especially in the digital sphere. I am particularly excited by the potential of the government's new web portal, which is clearly made vital by the geographically diverse nature of Kemetia. As divided as our nation may seem, we remain united by the revolutionary spirit which is our nation's greatest resource, and it would my great honour to carry this torch into the next decade, and the next phase in our great history.

The speech was greeted enthusiastically by government supporters, including Liberal Party's own publication, The Future. However, the Prime Minister's opponents have remained unconvinced. In an interview with The Kemetia Tribune, one senior opposition figure claimed that "Lloyd-Davies's speech rings hollow to those of us who've witnessed his autocratic style of government in recent years". It is understood by the Tribune that some opposition figures are considering standing for election as a coalition, in the hope of preventing another Liberal Party victory. The Tribune will continue to keep you updated with any further developments as they occur.

Campaigning Begins

01/11/09--FIRST CITY--Campaigning opened today in Kemetia for this year's Prime Ministerial elections which, despite the suspension of the constitution, will go ahead based on commonly established practices from the time of the Great Secession. Campaigning is set to run from November 1st to November 25th, with the election commencing on December 1st, from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm GMT.

So far, only one party has declared its candidate for the election, the Liberal Party of Prime Minister and Regent Jolyon Lloyd-Davies. While the campaigning process is still in the early stages, His Sovereign Majesty has expressed hopes that other parties would emerge to compete for the top position, the lack of which the King puts down to disenchantment due to the enormous sway the current Prime Minister has always held over the political system. 'People should not be afraid to run due to a perception of impossibility. Kemetia has always striven to operate by democratic principles, and this election is no exception,' said the King in a teleconference this evening.

However, many outspoken critics have voiced their concerns that the election would be marred by fraud and unconstitutionality, due the the constitutional suspension of the preceding months. His Sovereign Majesty has been heavily criticised in the past for being unpredictable with regard to election laws, with up to five differing pieces of electoral legislation being in effect at once, leading to confusion and accusations of deceit. His Sovereign Majesty has always disregarded these critics and urged them to produce 'solid, unconditional proof' when questioned on the subject in September.

In response to this, Lloyd-Davies has made one of his primary platforms electoral reform, and vows to introduce an 'electoral college' which would fairly represent all the provinces and peoples of the Kingdom, and allow for a simple and effective electoral system.

In order to register a party and candidate, prospectives are required to submit their party name, candidate for the Prime Ministry and a brief policy statement outlining their platform and goals to kemetiagov@gmail.com.