2026 Arcerion Federal Budget

The 2026 Arcerion Federal Budget was a budget and financial statement made by Minister of Finance the Right Honourable Rupert Johnston, Member of Parliament, on the 30th of October 2026. It was the Minister's second budget, the previous being the 2022 Arcerion Federal Budget. A significant amount of the budget leaked via the Kinnaird Financial Times in September, drawing widespread criticism from conservative factions within the Confederate Parliament of Arcerion. Response to the criticism, Johnston commented in the same newspaper weeks later that, "these spending measures are laying the foundation for the Arcerion economy of the 2030s."

Key Issues
The Kinnaird Financial Times outlined the seven key issues the budget was expected or had been reported to outline in September 2022: Other key issues that were less controversial included increased efforts to reduce foreign trade tariffs on wheat and agriculture products, and a new tractor subsidy for residents of Northlea Governorate.
 * Increased Tariffs on international trade from the former Varshan territories;
 * Increase in defense spending by 0.5%;
 * Additional funds for federally-funded emergency services;
 * Creation of a new capital gains tax;
 * Student loan forgiveness for certain economic demographics;
 * Restructuring of federal pensions;
 * Minimum wage increases.

Changes Announced
The 2026 Budget increased a significant amount of tariffs on goods coming from Varshan. Despite protests due to unfair trade policies in the wake of the Final War of the Deluge, the Finance Ministry saw this as an opportunity to increase existing sanctions and generate revenue for Arcerion. The budget also increased funds for the purchase of a new fleet of helicopters and maintenance contracts for the Royal Arcerion Fire Service.

Increased capital gains taxes caused a significant uproar from conservative and financial sectors, however newspapers openly lambasted these organizations for failing to embody the spirit of Arco Determinism and the collectivist settler ethos to protect their communities by not giving back for essential services. At the Kinnaird Capitalist Conference the year prior, corporate investors and bankers had made their positions clear, that "..we do not wish to be seen as the 1% by our communities, and we are actively working with the government to create a more fair and equitable tax bracket that respects free enterprise while giving back to the essential services that uphold our great nation."

Minimum wage increased also were enacted to assist with fighting a raising cost of living and inflation.

Response
Minister Johnston was openly condemned by many financial papers for the 'communist' tendencies as they viewed the capital gains tax as a redistribution of wealth. However, at press conferences following the bill's signing, and the bill was demonstrated to allow for continued competition and free market policies.

The budget increase also was considered to be hawkish, as increased defense sending to accommodate for the vast amount of fuel, munitions, and support that was required by the Armed Forces of Arcerion that had fought in the Final War of the Deluge was considered to be of dubious relation to the national security interests of Arcerion seeing as Varshan had been defeated.

Overall, increased foreign tariffs were not a major campaigned issue, as they were seen as targeting 'unfriendly nations,' and the emphasis for the Foreign office to pursue more favourable agricultural commitments for reduced export tariffs, as well as tractor stipends for working-class far families polled extremely well for the Prime Minister's Office.