The Other Hereik

Hereik is not an old democracy, and although Enlightenment principles of liberty, equality, and justice have not yet found footing like in centuries-old democratic neighbor Leode, it provides no excuse for the declining situation of the forgotten east of our country. “Lack of experience”, “transitional period” and “slow growth” have all been popular terms thrown around by the urbanite URPH, rhetoric which has been accepted by the people of Hereik for two decades. But the statistics are damning: it's time for the population to demand real governance for our country and vote the ruling party out of the Amber Room. The Partysk Unendi Rejorisk ek Hereik (or United Rejorian Party of Hereik, URPH), has failed its mandate. It’s time for the people’s party.

Despite persistent promises of progress and prosperity for all, the URPH has spent much of its recent term fighting off looming corruption scandals rather than passing the economic legislation it had campaigned on. Unemployment in the west has fallen, yes, to a grim 6% (down from its high two years ago of 12% - a fact paraded around by party leaders like it was the second coming of the Hereik Economic Miracle). Yet the story is different for the east of the country, where unemployment has actually risen to 15.2%, according to a study by the Institute of Agricultural Studies. This economic malaise has translated to persistent feelings of abandonment by the URPH-loyal rural east. Now, it seems, the belabored farmers have finally registered their displeasure in early-election polling.

A recent preliminary poll conducted by the Hereik Gazette indicates that a staggering 68% of respondents in the eastern regions of the country feel alienated from the URPH. The poll further reported that an embarrassingly meager 18% said they would consider voting URPH in the coming election. This is a significant shift from just a few years ago when the party enjoyed strong support in these areas (Indeed, the URPH received as much as 80% of the votes in some eastern counties). This plummet in the polls spells ill for the flagging URPH. In fact, if the Union had gotten even 10% less votes from the Hereik breadbasket states, it is likely they would not have been able to acquire their absolute majority in the government. Why then, is Haryn Kryskl so ambivalent to the needs of his eastern base? The answer, as always, is money, power, and corruption

So, what has gone wrong? One of the primary issues facing rural eastern Hereik is the lack of access to basic services and infrastructure. Under Nuskian dominance, few citizens of Hereik had reliable access to water or power. While the capital and major cities have seen significant development and investment, such as the BGS internet line or HallEx highway lines, the eastern regions have been left behind by URPH. Decades of promises to improve roads, schools, and healthcare facilities have gone unfulfilled, (money, it seems, instead has been directed into filling the pockets of wealthy campaign donors), leaving residents feeling neglected and forgotten. Furthermore, the URPH's economic policies which were designed to assist the rural east have been almost universally discarded for urban-based renewal. The result: growing income disparity between the city and the countryside and halting population growth.

The URPH's failure to address environmental concerns in the rural east is another pressing issue. Farming communities in these regions have suffered the consequences of unchecked pollution and resource exploitation. When HallEX evicted 326 farmers off nearly a million acres of land to make way for pumps, the Party ignored calls for assistance and later passed a bill cutting taxes for “Hereik-based Resource Producers”. The party's inability to enforce regulations or provide adequate support for sustainable agriculture has further eroded trust and confidence in their ability to govern effectively. When HallEX pumps were found to be polluting the precious groundwater needed for agricultural irrigation, the URPH passed deregulations retroactively making the failures legal, in direct opposition with promises they made to clean Hereik in the 1995 election. In truth, the URPH is shaping up to be the dirtiest democratic government, both in physical pollution and governmental corruption, that Hereik has endured.

In addition to these challenges, the URPH's disconnect with the cultural and social values of the rural east has also contributed to its declining popularity. Many residents feel that their voices and traditions are ignored by the party, which often prioritizes the demands of urban elites. One example: immigrants. Immigration is not the economic prescription wanted by the people of east Hereik, and yet Kryskl passed a landmark bill opening the borders in 1997. Cheap immigrant labor is a factor which contributes to the rampant rates of unemployment in the East, which has caused wheat prices to decline and a record-high number of farmers to declare bankruptcy. The alienation of the rural eastern population from the URH should serve as a wake-up call for the party and the nation as a whole. Democracy thrives when all citizens are engaged and feel that their concerns are heard and addressed. The consequences of the anti-rural policies are already clear. In the Gazette poll, around 31% of respondents said they had lost trust in the Amber Room’s ability to address their crises.

The URPH has failed. It’s time to elect parties which can deliver on their promises for regional inclusivity, development, and empowerment if the country ever hopes to regain the trust of these marginalized communities.

It’s time for a comprehensive rural development program that includes infrastructure improvements, economic diversification, and support for environmentally sustainable practices.
The alienation of the rural eastern part of the country cannot be ignored any longer. Polling shows that the people of these regions are disillusioned and disheartened by the party's failure to deliver on its promises. There is a pressing risk that people who do not feel heard will turn away from democracy that is failing them for good. It is time for Hereik to recommit to its founding principles of equality and justice for all and to ensure that the benefits of democracy reach every corner of the nation.