History of Urcea (1955-present): Difference between revisions

The end of hostilities in [[Sarpedon]] and elsewhere lead almost immediately to a bitter rivalry between [[Urcea]] and [[Caphiria]] due to lasting enmity but also unresolved issues from the war that the [[League of Nations]] could not or would not resolve. From the perspective of [[Caphiria]], the creation of Valcenia and its addition to the [[Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association]] was considered the "crown jewel" of [[Levantine Creep]], and consequently policymakers in [[Venceia]] believed it must redouble its efforts - rather than reduce them - to undermine the influence of [[Urcea]] everywhere. For Urcean policymakers, the occupation of [[Veltorina]] was unacceptable despite the fact they had agreed to it, and [[Caphiria]]'s continuing suppression of [[Catholic Church|Levantine Catholics]] was viewed as intolerable. Additionally, Urcea's role in the war had lead to it adopting a position of the "guarantor of [[Sarpedon]]'s liberties", a worldview that directly contrasted with Caphiria's intentions to grow its own influence. Consequently, various posturing and other geopolitical efforts between the two powers would begin immediately, beginning the decades long [[Occidental Cold War]] that would dominate Urcean foreign policy for the next several generations. Politically, the National Democratic Party continued its majority in the [[Concilium Daoni]] in the [[1955]] election. John Donnula was elected [[Procurator]] and [[Chancellor and Temporary President]], a role he would retain for more than a decade.

King Patrick IV unexpectedly took ill in December of 1966 and composed his last will and testament. The King showed signs of improvement throughout much of January due to rapid advances in medical technology, but his condition was determined to be terminal by 20 January 1967 and he entered rapid decline soon after. On 1 February 1967, following a decade and a half of rule, King Patrick IV died. His 62-year old brother, Caelian II, ascended to the throne. His first act was a public release of Patrick's will, which released to the public the details of the [[Great Schism of 1615#Urlazio%20Synod|Urlazio Synod]], including incontrovertible evidence that the National Democratic Party had organized the collapse of the Synod. By the end of February, John Donnula, leader of the National Democratic Party, admitted his responsibility and resigned both positions. The [[Government of Urcea]] was thrown into chaos; the National Democratic Party majority in the [[Concilium Daoni]] collapsed, and the remaining "mainline" conference had to rely on votes from the [[Julian Party (Urcea)|Julian Party]] to continue a governing majority under the leadership of Thorpe Aedansson. King Caelian II controversially decided to appoint the leader of the [[Julian Party (Urcea)|Julian Party]], Petrio Amphár - considered to be a "neutral party" as a third party - as [[Procurator]] for the remaining term, an appointment Aedansson was forced to accept in order to retain the working majority in the [[Concilium Daoni]]. Far from serving as a "lame duck", Amphár and Aedansson embarked on an aggressive policy platform in order to retain control of the government and in order to move on from the fallout of the Synod Affair. Consequently, on 1 April 1967, Amphár received a semi-permanent appropriation for a military campaign in [[Alshar]]. On 15 April, Amphár announced it would join its [[Levantia and Odoneru Treaty Association]] partner [[Burgundie]] in combating militants in [[Alshar]], beginning Urcea's inclusion in [[Operation Kipling]] which would last nearly a decade.

On 1 January 1971, the [[National Pact (Urcea)|National Pact]] took office under the leadership of Felix Finnean, forming the first National Pact government since the end of the [[Second Great War]]. The first priority of the new government was opening a full investigation of the Synod Affair, particularly investigating whether or not senior members of the National Democratic Party had broken the law in coordinating the downfall of the Synod with [[Caphiria]]. The public initially supported the investigation, but members of the [[Julian Party (Urcea)|Julian Party]] successfully stalled and dragged out proceedings, reducing public interest as the Affair withdrew from public attention. The investigation had produced no clear results by [[1974]] and it was withdrawn, angering the party's base who believed the Affair to be among the darkest marks in the history of the [[Government of Urcea]]. The National Pact government had many priorities besides the Affair, primary of which was a withdrawal from [[Operation Kipling]]. Previous agreements with [[Burgundie]] were made within the context of the [[Levantine Union]], preventing an immediate unilateral withdrawal. Negotiations began in February [[1972]] and concluded in August 1974, and it was agreed that Urcean forces would withdraw from the operation on 1 July 1976. The agreement was unpopular with the Urcean public who sought an immediate withdrawal. Public opinion turned decisively against the government's handling of the intervention when the June Offensive of the [[Operation Kipling#Kantoto-Shanjin%20War|Kantoto-Shanjin War]] in June 1975 left more than three hundred members of the [[Royal and Imperial Army (Urcea)|Royal and Imperial Army]] dead and a hundred captured. Aside from its two priority items, the National Pact's government was faced with a mild economic recession that began in June [[1973]] and lasted until September 1973. Though a small recession, the recovery was sluggish and the economy did not return to full health until [[1977]]. The combination of poor economic conditions, ineffective responses to the issues it was elected on combined with a slew of minor scandals that plagued the [[Concilium Purpaidá]], resulting in an electoral defeat for the National Pact in the 1975 election. Thorpe Aedansson and the National Democratic Party returned to power, though with a minuscule majority in the [[Concilium Daoni]]. Aedansson defeated Finnean 48%-45% in election for [[Procurator]].