[colour=gold][u][h1][centre]Empire of Violette[/centre][/h1][/u][/colour]
[centre][img]https://i.imgur.com/fRiTWvK.png[/img][/centre]
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[colour=gold][centre][h2][i]Le Patriote[/i][/h2][/centre][/colour]
[centre][h3][u]Empire of Violette to Liberate the 'Prison of Nations'[/u][/h3][/centre]

Tyro-Redania, the tyrannical state to the Empire of Violette's south, has issued a declaration of war against the Republic of Itherae for the Itheraeans refusal to surrender to an ultimatum defying Itherae's sovereignty. In accordance with the Foreign Office's warnings immediately following the issuing of the ultimatum, the Tyro-Redanian Empire now finds itself in the unenviable position of a state of war with the greatest army on the planet: the proud patriots of the Veletian Gendarmerie. A general mobilization has been issued to all active and reserve elements of both the Gendarmerie and the mighty Marine Nationale, and the full force of the entire military of the Continent's greatest power now prepares to descend upon the dying Tyria. All those nations imprisoned under the Wolfram yoke shall soon be free at last, and a victory as glorious as any in our proud nation's long history will be entered into the annals of history, for our sons and daughters to look upon with adoration.

All young men of sound mind and body reading [i]Le Patriote[/i] are encouraged to refer to the recruitment banner so proudly displayed on the second page of this publication for the address of their nearest enrollment office. You too, and your friends and family, can be the ones to stomp the boot of Violette upon the neck of the last archaic feudal state of the Continent. Sign up today!

[centre][b]God save the Empress!
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[centre][h3][u]Salle du Assemblée Populaire, Confluence, Empire of Violette,[/u][/h3][/centre]
[centre][img]https://i.imgur.com/YfQCHzi.jpg[/img][/centre][centre][i]The seats of the People's Assembly sit bereft of Representatives after adjournment[/i][/centre]
The People's Assembly itself was not a new function of the Veletian state, but its expanded role in governance was relatively recent—and only very recently it flirted with total abolition. The original People's Assembly had been established even before the proclamation of the empire in Sandao, back when there was no Empire of Violette at all, but merely the Kingdom of Violette. Intended in those ancient days to serve as the voice of the newly entrenched bourgeoisie, advising the reigning King or Queen of that societal class' wishes, the People's Assembly would languish as a minor body with no true imperative function far into the future. It was only in the mid-1800's, in the early years of the reign of long-lived Emperor Frank XII, that the People's Assembly would be imbued with truer purpose.

Emperor Frank XII had been intent on bringing democracy to the Empire of Violette. A known reformer, his ascension had been somewhat controversial with hard-line conservatives, whom he had to combat stalwartly to expand the People's Assembly's role. Liberals and even republicans adored him, though, and his support among the rapidly expanded middle class centrists of Veletian society allowed him to maintain popularity and legislative inertia, even with the tepidness of the old and rich. With the gleeful assistance of those happy to change—rather than either replace or solidify—Violette's absolutist system, Frank XII issued dozens of gradual reforms over his years as head of state of the Empire, slowly expanding both the People's Assembly's electors and legislative function. By the end of his lengthy reign, all male citizens of Violette could vote for their district's representative in the Assembly, and many minor domestic issues were placed into the People's Assembly's jurisdiction. A stray dog that is fed will always want more the next day, however, and towards the latter part of his reign, Frank XII came under increasing pressure from republican elements to cede more and more authority to the Assembly. Refusing to concede exclusive authority over foreign affairs and military decisions, Frank's twilight years saw the [i]Bloc Républicain[/i] become the People's Assembly's largest faction, their influence over the poor and middling of Veletian society growing stronger as Emperor Frank's beard grew grayer. When he passed, and the conservative Empress Victoria ascended the throne, the People's Assembly became a victim of the Victorian Mutiny.

After crushing the resistance to her domain and sending every known republican who lived to the guillotine, the Empress Victoria was eager to do away with the People's Assembly entirely. The abdications to it made by her predecessor, even limited as they were, had in Victoria's mind allowed republicanism to take root, and she had after all only just cut it out—at great cost in lives. Before the newly secured Empress could have the assembly hall torn down, however, the most staunchly monarchist of the People's Assembly's factions, the abstentionist [i]Sujets[/i], spoke up. The Sujets had opposed Frank's reforms empowering the Assembly in the first place, and chose not to take up the seats they won in elections in protest of the presence of republicans in the hall. Empress Victoria heard the plea of the Sujets, and rather than abolish the People's Assembly, made a series of so-called "patriotic reforms" to the body. Any who held republican views were barred from becoming representatives, and the ten oldest members of the Assembly (nine of whom were traditionalist conservatives after the purges) would become the Assembly's 'curators'. If any six of them so wished, they could have any member of the People's Assembly thrown out for lack of commitment to the nation. Many areas previously under the People's Assembly's jurisdiction were returned to the monarch, including matters of grave macroeconomic import. Crucially, a constitution was written, signed by Victoria and all serving members of the People's Assembly, solidifying the existing division of power under Victoria and the ban on republicans and presence of the curators. No more would unpatriotic elements dwell in the halls of the assembly.