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Prime Minister's Questions [24.05.17]

#11

Anna thoroughfully approved of the intent of the answer, even if she was somehow uncomfortable with the uproar and slightly bombastic nature of the reply. She did not hold it against the Prime Minister, who had good reason to feel passionate about the subject, and she most certainly didn't reveal any approval or disapproval through her gestures or facial expression. Her job was to preside over the session, not to take sides.

Next on the list was a considerablt young and recent addition to the House, an Environmentalist by the name of Alexandros Argryis. She knew a few things about him, most importantly how strongly he felt about environmental policies, something unsurprising, given his party membership. She called his name, and sat back, eager to hear the question.

#12

Selene's Ekklesia

Alexandros Argryis was a newcomer. From Constantinople, he had recently won elections there, earning a seat in his country's legislature. He had gone to the Ekklesia a few times, but it was the first time he stood as an MP. Despite usually being the eminence of confidence, he was sometimes shy and nervous in very important situations. And this was one of those times.

Then, he thought to himself "Remember why you're here. For Constantinople, and the environment". He shook his nerves off, albeit with a luckily unnoticable gulp. Standing up and looking at his notes, he knew what he was going to ask to this rookie, only that the questioner was a young MP, and the questioned was an aging Prime Minister.

"Thank you, Speaker. I believe that the environment is critical for not only Selene's survival, but the world's as well. As such area of discussion greatly concerns me, I would like to ask the Prime Minister a crucial question in my eyes. Is it paramount and essential for your government to prioritize environmental policy and renewable energy, or are these urgent and important topics a minor issue in the next time period that consists your tenure?"

#13

"An excellent question, Mr, uh, Argyris, I believe it is? Congratulations on your election, as well, but as for your question, this new government will not forget the commitment to the environment and renewable energy resources that our parties have made for the past 60 years. Pending the appointment of an Environmental Minister, we shall discuss the continued investment in alternative energy resources to coal and oil, and we hope to continue the long standing tradition that the Environmentalists have given us in reference to the environment. Where we might diverge is nuclear power, but that is a discussion for a different time."

#14

Anna nodded as the Prime Minister answered the question, not in agreement, rather as acknowledgement that he was answering, and that it was her time to call the next name. She read the name off the list, and there was little doubt in her mind about the topic of the next question.

"Yannis Xydakis."

A man no older than 50, Yannis Xydakis was slightly overweight, though not enough that it one would think his health was at risk. His mind, however, was one of the sharpest in the House of Commons. As she had once said, prior to her election as Speaker, Anna thought it was a shame that Xydakis lent his considerable intellect to the Internet Freedom Party, yet that was reality. He stood, adjusted his glasses, and then he asked the same question he asked every new Prime Minister, on their first PMQ.

"I would like to start by congratulating the Prime Minister on his election, and wishing him the best in this new chapter. We might stand on opposite sides of the aisle, but we all share the same loyalty towards Selene." A short pause, then he continued. "As mandated by the Fair Internet Access Act, the periodic revision of net neutrality regulations is due in July. Can the Prime Minister assure the public that net neutrality will be preserved, and that he will make it a priority for his government to work with the Internet Freedom Party to permanently codify such rules in an updated Fair Access Act?

#15

"To the honourable gentleman, this government does not plan to roll back net neutrality in the slightest aspect, as it is, of course, a cornerstone of the internet. There is no intent to deviate from the course that has been laid out from the previous government, one of the few bright spots left after the former Prime Minister's resignation."

#16

Speaker Anna Polydoras tipically had little discretion for the first part of Prime Minister's Questions. It was customary that each party get at least one question, and each party typically decided who would ask their question, according to their own internal rules. Technically she could pick anyone, but she would've been voted out of office the same session if she broke the tradition and called on anyone other than whoever was on the list.

That happened after each party had their chance to speak. There were still members who wanted to ask their own questions, and she was allowed to handpick whoever caught her attention, whoever hadn't had a chance to ask a question before, whoever seemed like they might ask an interesting question. In short, she could pick whoever she wanted. There were many possibilities, several eager members who had stood as each question as asked, to get her attention. There were two in particular, whom she had selected. One was a young first-term member of Selenids United, a rising start of his party, and the other was a third-term member of the Traditionalists, someone who sometimes struggled to play as part of a team, but always asked interesting and relevant questions.

"Michalis Kotzias."

At 27, Kotzias was the second youngest member of the House of Commons, yet he was definitely one of the most promising from his class. He was still in the backbenches, which was to be expected for a first-term member, but he had made quite a few friends, including the then-Interior Minister. He was well positioned, and was likely to have some frontbench position in the future. Whether that lasted, and led to higher status, that was difficult to say. He definitely looked the part, with a light grey suit and a soft purple tie. Unlike some of his colleagues, he wasn't holding a paper. With his hands behind his back, he spoke.

"Recently the Sartorian Space Councillor held a series of meetings with our own space authorities. Sartoria is one of our closest allies, both generally and specifically in the realm of space exploration. Will the Prime Minister agree with me that we must increase cooperation with our spacefaring allies, and that the scientific, technological and economic benefits of space exploration are significant enough to warrant the increased investment?"

#17

The Prime Minister chuckled a little when he heard the name of the next interrogator for his first PMQ. It wasn't often that he so vividly memorised the name of a first term ME, or remember so fondly his first experience, at a meeting for the joint space programme two years ago. Vangelis was the Interior Minister at the time and had to attend, given the domestic effects of the programme, and Michalis attended due to his own sharp interest in the programme and all things space related.

Space exploration wasn't something anyone wanted to publicly call into question, after all, it wasn't exactly a priority for any administration and mostly exists for the publicity regardless of the real and massive economic benefits, but the two Members of the Ekklesia were still invested in the programme as a real force for change. Vangelis didn't know Michalis personally and couldn't spare enough time for it, but his own reason for believing space was the future was searing enough for most and incredibly central for him personally. He thought back to the deciding moment that he would focus on space much more than his fellow MEs would.

During the last war with Kalos, in the late 50s and early 60s, one of the soldiers that the Prime Minister worked with was a drafted physics student just out of college. The student was hesitant to fight, as any one would when they are drafted against their secret hopes, and Vangelis wasn't easy with him either as the direct commanding officer. Battles were fought and casualties were taken, but the student and future PM were mostly unharmed throughout, with Vangelis intently listening to the science that his inferior had been studying before the war started and the student learning of the ways to be the best soldier possible until the damned war was over.

However, the Battle over Kalosia was where they would speak for the last time, as the student had died by a grenade that would have killed his entire squadron, commanding officer included. Vangelis saw him die in a bloody explosion, at the hands of a foe so incredibly fierce in their fighting that the body could not have had a shot at being recovered until after the battle, and indeed the campaign, was over. The memory was seared into his mind and never made him lose sight of the beauty of science introduced to him by that student of physics, and led to him supporting an expanded space program continuously since he took office decades ago.

Bringing himself back to the present from both of these extended flashbacks, the Prime Minister stood up and began to give his response to the ME from Byzantium.

"To the honourable friend from Byzantium, this government, and indeed, this Prime Minister, has every plan to continue and expand the joint space programme with our allies in the Artemian Union and additional cooperation outside of it in the realm of peaceful space exploration and climate research. Not only should we focus on space with a greater zeal than our predecessors for its economic and scientific benefits, we must do it for the prestige of being able to rise above the politics of this planet and exploring the places never touched by humans before in the grand search for a power greater than us and a planet to hold the future of the species. This government will put forth a resolution in the coming days to advance this goal, in addition to the official appointment of a new Space Minister. We will not back down from this."

#18

It had taken the Prime Minister his fair share of time to answer the question. It hadn't been that hard, so Anna assume he was either affected by age or, a more comforting answer, he had simply got distracted by some memory. She looked around the hall and located the member whom she would call. Already in her second term, Elena Tsironis was a staunch Traditionalist in the economic and foreign policy sense, favouring a tough treatment of Kalos and greater incentives for business, though she was less favourable toward the party line when it came to social issues; she was more libertarian in that sense, and her selective voting record had earned her some rivals, though also several friends, who respected her adherence to her own values.

"Elena Tsironis."

She rose, facing the Prime Minister, and spoke.

"May I first congratulate the Prime Minister on his election, and wish him the best for however long he holds this office." Taking a few seconds, she then continued. "While themes with United and Environmentalist majorities have enjoyed many fiscal benefits and appropriations from past government, that has not been the case for themes with Traditionalist majorities. Will the Prime Minister ensure that all themes, even those that have not voted for his party, will receive their fair share of funding, so that they too can enjoy modern infrastructure?"

#19

"To my honourable friend, I find it slightly insulting that any thought of this government prioritising a theme over another due to political motivation is a possibility in this government. I am not here to play favourites, I am here to serve the people of Selene as Prime Minister and my constituents in Kalosia as an ME. This will not exist in this government, I can assure you that." Vangelis took another breath and sat down. He was primarily a public administrator, not a politician, and so questions like that, designed as a trap, angered him. There was no other desire for him then to serve the people of his constituency and all Selenids, but as Prime Minster, he'd have to face this every Wednesday for Prime Minister's Questions. He sighed again.

#20

Traditionalists and Pirates were already standing and heckling, while Uniteds, Liberals and Environmentalists were responding with shows of support for the Prime Minister. Some banter was usual during PMQ, Anna knew as much, and that was part of the sessions' charms, but that final question, and its response, had obviously struck a cord for both sides. She stood and tried to restore some semblance of order.

"Order!" She sighed internally, when her instruction was mostly ignored. It would be one of those. She signalled for all microphones except hers to be turned off, and continued. "Order! Order!"

Eventually people got the hint, and started sitting down. All things considered, the disorder had only lasted for a few seconds, so it wasn't that bad. But order had to be maintained, and a failure to do so was an invitation for more disorder next time.

"I thank the House for its dedicated participate in this session, an important exercise in its sovereign prerogatives, and the Prime Minister, for his attendance today. I wish him the best in his term, and hope we shall have further chances to hold him to account. There being no further business on the agenda, and should there be no objections, I declare this meeting adjouned."




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