Whitehouse Gives Post-Election Speech

In what can easily be described as the most uncertain and contentious coalition-building period in decades, the outgoing Deputy Imperial Chancellor of Falleentium, after many days of exhaustive back-room politicking with both prospective coalition partners and factions within his own party, made a public address about the election results, the state of negotiations, and what the future holds for the Popular Republican Movement.
Originally posted by Sheldon Whitehouse:
Thank you. Thank you all so very much. Your support has been limitless, and because of you, the Popular Republican Movement comes out of this election with more votes than any other federal political party. Words cannot begin to describe how humbled and grateful I am that the plurality of voters in Falleentium trusted me, above twelve other candidates, to steady the ship in the trying times ahead. 
And trying times these shall be for the incoming government. Our foreign policy will require the most careful execution perhaps in all of history to face the unprecedented challenges of this post-war world. Our economic policy will need an expertful combination of responsibility, protection, and growth to face off the economic consequences of the war. And our social policy needs to reaffirm the great Falleen democracy, at a time when those who seek to undermine it will be holding seats in the Chamber of Deputies.
But despite our historic result, I must speak only the truth: as things stand, it does not appear that I will be leading this incoming government. I have spoken with Ruth Davidson; I have spoken with John Waters. I did this not only because I wanted to keep my options open, but also because if only for a short time I thought it possible to reunite the coalition of 571 - a common sense and effective government that brought together reasonable people from both sides of the spectrum to do what was right for the country. But, you all probably know because Mz. Davidson has let the cat out of the bag, that UKIP was not as interested in working with me as I was in working with them. Evidently, Mz. Davidson is more interested in repeating the mistakes of Nicolas Sarkozy and throwing her lot in with the far-right. Our old friends in the Democratic Labour Party were more receptive, and they will be serving alongside us. And, of course, the story just broke, that a deal with ULC that could have given us a governing coalition ultimately fell through.
So, that being the case, I am expecting to serve as the leader of His Imperial Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition, rather than Imperial Chancellor. That said, I can only promise what is within my means: I will be providing a spirited and strong opposition that will hold our government accountable for its actions, introduce our own legislative agenda as an alternative to the government, and coordinate efforts to block the government's legislation when that legislation runs counter to what is in Falleentium's best interests. 
We will also hold the so-called moderates - James Brokenshire, Ruth Davidson, and Truman Nash - accountable to the extreme right-wing agenda of their new friends in the Chamber of Deputies: the Libertarian Alliance of Falleentium, which wants to dismantle all welfare; the United Falleen Imperial Democrats, who want to suppress the will of the Hastigan and Veld people by force if necessary; and the NFO, whose every single policy position is so abhorrent that Brokenshire and Davidson should have denounced them and publicly rejected their support long ago.
And, to settle any speculation before it begins: if, as all indications show, I am not appointed the next Imperial Chancellor, I will not be standing for the Popular Republican nomination for Chancellor in 586. It has been deeply rewarding leading this party from the time when it had 5% of the vote all the way up to when it had 20% of the vote just now. But by 586, it will have been eleven years since I'd taken control of the party. I think it's been a successful run, and I'm proud of the part I played in the outgoing government. But for the future, I think we will need a new leader to keep the movement strong. And that is all I will say as things stand. Thank you again.
Category:The Imperial Constitution