Gillibrand Speaks on Jalb Referendum

POLITICO | In a floor-address to the Chamber of Deputies, LabDem Deputy Leader and Spokesperson on Constitutional Affairs -- Kirsten Gilliibrand -- has spoken on the issues regarding the announcement of the Electoral Commission pertaining to the West Veld Referendum. 
Originally posted by Kirsten Gillibrand:
Mr. Speaker, I take the floor today to speak to my honourable peers on a development which has gone surprisingly under the radar of public scrutiny. I speak of the announcement made by the Electoral Commission on the details pertaining to the question which is to be put on the ballot for the Jalb Referendum in Western Veldunium. 
In their announcement, the Board of Directors stated that the official referendum question would be the following, and I quote:
"Should the area of Western Veldunium remain part of the Falleen Empire when Veldunium leaves the Falleen Empire?"
Mr. Speaker, there are two major issues with this announcement. These issues can be put into two separate categories, the first one being an issue of bias, and the second one being an issue of legality.
The wording of the question, although subtle, has unreasonable standards and implications which completely sidestep the intentions of the Western Veldunium Self Determination Act of 577AER. The first article of the bill, Mr. Speaker, states that: "A referendum shall be held in Western Veldunium to ascertain the desires of that region to be annexed and subsumed into the state of Jalbetrer." It's not about whether Veldunium seeks to leave the Empire or not, Mr. Speaker, as the question produced by the Electoral Commission seems to imply. The Act which put the Jalb Referendum into law EXPLICITLY states the intention of the act, which is to give the Jalb people the decision on whether they wish to become part of the State of Jalbetre. 
Considering we now know that the Chancellor is seeking to pursue a very damaging and weak approach to the negotiations, one which would dent the integrity of the Union by handing a cosy Straits-style dominion status to the two departing states on a silver platter, it is hard to ignore the correlation between that approach and the implications of such wording for the eventual outcome of the Jalb Referendum results. By explicitly stating that the referendum decision is reliant on "when Veldunium leaves the Falleen Empire?", the Electoral Commission has opened the door for the popular will of the Jalb people to be disregarded by arguing that if Veldunium remains within the Empire, such as is the case with Dominions, that Western Veldunium would simply have to remain as a part of Veldunium.
The second issue with this announcement, Mr. Speaker, is a far simpler one and one which requires no further debate. Article 3 of the Western Veldunium Self Determination Act of 577AER clearly states, and I quote:
"The wording of the referendum question shall be as follows: "Should the Jalb areas within Veldunium be subsumed into Jalbetrer, with all ties to The Royal State of Veldunium and the Kingdom of Darpar-Veldunium being broken?" with the options "Yes" or "No"."
The Act itself, Mr. Speaker, specified word-for-word what the question of the referendum should be. It is appalling to see this Government look the other way when an institution clearly acts outside the realm of legality, but considering it works conveniently well with the apparent goals of this administration, it's hard to blame them for it, Mr. Speaker. 
Labour Democrats call upon all parties in parliament, and perhaps more importantly, the current administration -- to pressure the Electoral Commission to act according to the letter of the law. We also call upon the shutting down of any referendum without the proper questioning as specified by the Western Veldunium Self Determination Act, would the Electoral Commission decide to ignore this call. Labour Democrats are prepared to pursue legal action against the Electoral Commission if the aforementioned mistake is not corrected with due haste. 
I yield, Mr. Speaker.
Category:The Imperial Constitution