Drankli Panda

Drankli Panda greeting audiences at the Jaraken summit, 2058

President Panda

Mr Drankli

Drankles Panda

Zolt Panda (son)

Bear Panda (son)

Tyler Panda (uncle)

Fardin Party (1921-1941) / (1961-1981)

Tap Party (1951-) / (1991-)

**Drankli Panda** is the 13th and longest serving President of Ficko in its history. He served as President of Ficko from 1993 until 2022 (Mt), winning 5 elections during that time span. His Presidency officially ended as his Vice President Daniel Fat was sworn in shortly after he announced an ostensibly temporary leave from politics due to injuries sustained in an assassination attempt. He is also one of the oldest living spe humanoids in the KC, and the oldest spe humanoid to have ever been shot, as well as the oldest spepoid to have held any political office, and the oldest to have ever been so cool. He is often considered the greatest to ever do it.

Drankli was born in 1710 into the wealthy and notable Panda family, cousin of Tyler Panda (minority rights activist) and child of Nonzad Panda and Berethara Panda. At a young age, Drankli was engaged in many activities, mostly legal and academic studies, leading him to become a lawyer and later a university lecturer. Drankli was first a union representative and defence lawyer, defending union members from employers and eventually organising his own protest against cuts to workers' provisions. During this time, Drankli was a staunch supporter of Po Bjorban. He served as a legal defence in such famous cases as the trial of President and General Yove Kanib, known political activist and terrorist Malcolm Jodin, and gangster Leften Cerning, as well as Maggie Juncer, kingpin of a crime syndicate.

Drankli began his political career after much pressure from his family, peers, friends, colleagues (pretty much everyone) in 1947 as a democratic business overseer, overseeing and democratically running the Johnson Ltd. business, eventually becoming a Fickolean senator in 1949. Drankli served as the senator for both Khartoum Central and Metron (Ficko City). Under the administration of Graham Trampson, Drankli was appointed as a director on the Board of Directors for the Education Commission, which he served on until Trampson's death. He was later appointed to Chairman of the Board under Gordon Biggog for two years. In 1993, he ran for the President of Ficko against James Frymer and won over 60% of the vote. Since then, he has had one of the most consistently successful electoral records in Fickolean political history, with no election result falling below 50%, despite the 4 Party system, and with an approval rating never dipping below 70.5%. He has also served the longest of any president, 28 years, the second longest being 15 years (Mary Haveland, Kate Baniff, Po Bjorban).

## Personal Life

### North East Alifcan Revolution

When Drankli was aged 20, in 1730, the North East Alifcan Revolution broke out in the region of Catmap, primarily affecting Sobrim City, Ficko City and Blocka. The revolution resulted from the Great Fire of Sobrim City, as well as anxiety and greivances for the Governmet's authoritarian control and lack of oversight and support in this area. The result was that Sobrim City declared its independence, whilst Ficko City also declared seperate independence, and was bought by Marry in 1741. Sobrim City became an ally of Marry and of Ficko City, and began primarily trading through this region.

This would lead to the Alifcan invasion of Catmap and other areas of North Eastern Alifca, which would cause the war between Marry and the Alifcan Empire, and eventually, the 'War of Two Worlds' between the Apporrossian-Marry alliance and a union of Fickolean states.

The immediate effects, which affected the Panda family, however, were the relocation and expulsion of many of the City's elites to rural villages. The Pandas were one such family, and one of Drankli's cousins, Busani, was killed in the ensuing violence, as Drankli's family was arrested, put in vegetable trucks, and taken to find another home. Drankli's father managed to use connections outside of Sobrim City to find temporary housing, however he died in 1738. From 1730, for six months, the Panda family discretely travelled away from Sobrim City, homeless. Drankli's mother was murdered after refusing to give over her jewellery to a soldier transporting refugees out of Sobrim, in 1740. At this time, Drankli seperated from his family, stole a motorbike, and found refuge in a rice farm outside Namploon, around 3,000 miles from Catmap. He worked on the rice farm, doing manual labour and reading for a farmer named Canipp Masmen, who swore he would become King of Alifca one day, which Drankli rebuked at the time. He worked there for 7 years before travelling to Alifca City via merchant caravan on the back of a brahmadillo, a journey interspersed with flights on space cars and journeys on high speed trains, which took him around 2 years.

He paid for much of his travel and his food using family debts, promising pieces of art to others, and using charisma to convince merchants and traders to help him in his journey to end the War of Two Worlds. When Drankli managed to get to Raineton, he drafted a charter to end the War of Two Worlds by forcing Marry to adopt a constitution similar to that of Ficko's, whilst also retaining independence. As part of the deal, Ficko City would remain part of Marry. He then took the plan to the Raineton Congress of Judges subsidiary committee, which then took him, along with a number of other lawyers, to the Congress of Judges Palace in Alifca City to view the proposal. From then, he continued to draft the charter with a number of other individuals, including Abatti Khan and Lumo Sname, social activists, and then proceeded to act as one of the key negotiators and diplomats negotiating the end of the War of Two Worlds with Marry, who would have to offer the treaty as a compromise.

### Marriage

Aged 195, in the year 1905, Drankli met his future wife Drojo Pandon, with whom he began spending much of his time. At the time, Drojo had set up her own independent cookie company, Drojo's cookies, and had since returned to university to study advanced economics after corporate law.

Drankli and Drojo married in 1912 in Doloosioo, and honeymooned in Mascos and Ficko. Drojo decided to take Drankli's surname, given that Drankli's family had been one of prestige, associated with his brothers as well as Tyler Panda, and given its similarity. The two of them had three children; Que, Zolt and Bear Panda, after each one the both of them setting up a new charity in their name.

Drojo and Drankli also took up martial arts in their spare time, and learnt to become proficient in these skills. Drojo later recommended that Drankli should run with Jod Bluth as Vice President, and later after that recommended that he run for President himself.

## Tenth and Eleventh Fickolean Constitutional Amendments

In 1758 (Mt), Drankli was among a dozen lawyers who helped collectively draft the tenth and eleventh Fickolean Constitutional Amendments. intended to end the War of Two Worlds. They involved the grant that Fickolean moons had to be beholden to some inalienable laws of the constitution, but were exempt from others, or allowed to exercise discretion. Prior to this, in 1756 to 1758 (Mt), Drankli had been part of a one-hundred person negotiating team that had attempted to reach an agreement with the realm of Marry, which would declare formal allegiance to 'Fickolean values', as well as total independence from Apporross, in exchange for an end to war, and untaxed trade. Marry was also forced to give back Ficko City as one of their colonies, but given large reparations for doing so. The deal was intended to be amicable to both sides, fearing a prolonging of the war. At the time, though Marry had suffered serious losses to their own military, as well as to their orbital and ground defences and some of their cities, Apporross were seemingly prepared to fight the war 'for another 10 years'. As such, the Alifcan and Second Mackan Empires sought a negotiating response. Drankli was selected by the Council of Academics from a list of esteemed lawyers in property and tax law. Drankli's role has been described by historians as 'pivotal, but likely to be underappreciated if not for Drankli's later achievements'.

## Legal Career

### Defence Lawyer

Drankli's legal career began with his involvement in the negotiations to end the War of Two Worlds. Thereafter, noted for his charisma and studiousness, Drankli was offered a job working as a union representative. He became one of the most prolific barristers, speaking in courts on the maltreatment of his clients; mainly factory labourers and robotics engineers. At this time, Drankli also became politically involved, joining societies which discussed workers' rights and advocated for increased regulations on employers. The group, known as the Young Men's Liberal Society, also spoke of organising a strike.

## Directorship on the Educational Commission (1951-1953)

Drankli, who had converted to the Tap party following its surge in popularity in 1949, was a senator in Khartoum Central before being selected as a candidate for the Board of Directors in Graham Trampson's Education Commission by the selected Chairman, Al Ping, a strong believer in the interactionalist educational perspective (believing children should be taught to interact and thus learn, rather than taught what is known). Drankli was one of the first pioneers of the wholly interactionalist 'micro-society' educational model, which was merely a suggestion put forth by himself as well as fellow director Gagnus Marchme, which was rejected by the rest of the Board.

The reason for Al Ping's selection of Drankli is likely associated with his family background, based on Drankli's brothers' educational record, as well as Drankli's books on the 'Ideal Future'. Drankli's appointment was a controversial decision by Al Ping, however on many issues, Drankli aligned himself with other directors and used his charisma and persuasion (since he had been an experienced lawyer) as well as his legal knowledge to support peers in their quest to realise their own educational, political aims, thus boosting his own popularity.

On a number of occasions, Drankli met privately with the Secretary for Education, Jose Pigchester, and discussed privately matters of state, as well as philosophy and academia. The two forged a relationship which allowed Drankli to exert influence over matters elsewhere in education, such as division of funding. The two also remained in contact after the death of Graham Trampson, Jose later recommending Drankli for the position of Vice President, runnning mate of Jod Bluth, notable Tap religious leader (Jogoist).

In 1953, Drankli met President Graham Trampson, just one month before his death, alongside the other directors, to discuss plans for the new educational model to be put in place. The model was realised to some degree under Gordon Biggog, Trampson's successor and a Bandi, however at that point Drankli was no longer on the Board of Directors.

Drankli was removed from his position in the Board of Directors for the Education Commission, as is standard procedure, however most other directors remained present on the board.

### Plans

In 1992, Drankli had succumb to pressure from other senators, as well as the deputy leader of the Tap party herself, as well as his wife and family, to run as vice president on the same ticket as candidate Jod Bluth, Jogoist religious leader and politician hailed for his impeccable moral record. Originally, the two had set out polling highly as future leaders, (although they were not set to beat the incumbent President, James Frymer), but later, after allegations of Jod Bluth's sexual misconduct emerged, their polling ratings fell. The Tap Party hired Gogolix-man and Muss Tramp as investigators to investigate the claims and aid the police in order to determine a verdict before the campaign. The investigation found that Jod Bluth was innocent and that the accuser had actually been a shapeshifting alien who had intended to sabotage Jod Bluth's campaign by an anti-jogoist Empranilist named Stokely Buttchog. Buttchog as well as the alien shapeshifter, named A1 Juh, were both arrested, the former imprisoned, the latter acquitted. Jod Bluth was cleared of all charges and returned to his campaign, however Drankli announced his intentions to run as a lone candidate as a result of both the accusation and political differences that had come to light.

Upon hearing from a second hand source that Drankli intended to run as a lone candidate, Jod Bluth dropped out of the running. Drankli Panda was confirmed by the Tap party as the given candidate.

### Campaign

Drankli's campaign focused primarily on improving education and reversing deregulation which had "allowed economics in Ficko to spiral out of control of any known force, causing the start of an avalanche of economic downturn". Drankli stressed that "the only measurable option now is to take serious measures with serious consequences that can bring about the stability of the Fickolean economy once again."

Drankli won the primary's resoundingly, a number of candidates coming out in support of him after such elections.

Ultimately, towards the end of the electoral process, James Frymer announced that he did not intend to run for a third term, if he were to win the second, leading to the Drankli Campaign calling the President "feckless and non-commital, seeking power but a bail when it counts". Furthermore, there was a large public move against James Frymer, and after the Brewn candidate, Tedrick Piston, moved dramatically to the right in announcing a policy of foreign investment to resolve Ficko's economic crisis, the only reasonable alternative was for a left-wing candidate, swaying centrists towards Drankli. Drankli Panda then won the election by 60%, appointing Breshing Gos as his vice president, and opposition Tap candidates Randall Burd and Brea Shipley as ministers, as well as inviting Jod Bluth to be a religious representative and director of the Board for the Education Commission of the 14th President.

## First Term of Presidency (1993-1998)

### **1993** **Economic crisis**

In order to avert an economic crisis that had already begun as what the Ficko City Journal described as 'likely a precursor to a greater attack', Drankli appointed Secretary Amy Faschance to help set up the Central Mortgage Bank of Ficko, which then issued vast loans through the government to bankrupt businesses and banks. It also allowed other companies to buy up lost assets. Furthermore, the 'Second side' of the plan of restructuring was to nationalise numerous bankrupt companies and fund mergers and acquisitions which would allow them to continue to exist. In the case of 'HarriBank', a bank that had lost trillions in assets as a result of the 1993 financial crisis, the government nationalised the bank, organised a merger with Jumbo Banking, and maintained ownership of both assets and shares then used by the newly merged bank. Similar scenarios occurred with other banks and businesses.

### **Breaking up of monopolies**

At numerous points throughout his presidency, Drankli has been responsible for overseeing the Fickolean Commission for Anti-Monopolism, and implementing executive orders as well as senate or parliamentary orders to break up companies deemed as monopolies.

#### **TAXEN & co. (1993)**

Upon taking office, Drankli first adressed the problem of financial crashes and sought to increase government regulation and also introduce 'public bulwark' companies to control and regulate the market. Drankli ended up breaking up TAXEN & co, a shipping and merchant company which also used cheap manufacturing, as it had a monopoly over Fickolean buznatane, used to create the necessary plastics, as well as controlling all factories, some even unused, in the Central Port District of Macka Packa, and Dongas, according to Fickolean Special Enquiry into Anti-Monopolism, set up as a pre-cursor to the Fickolean Commission for Anti-Monopolism, which came into effect in 1998. Originally, anti-monopolist agencies had been nationally delegated, however Drankli centralised the system and took matters into the hands of the Planetary Government due to 'incompetence' as well as 'negligence', due to the fact it was felt that breaking up these monopolies would result in disinvestment and would lead eventually to financial collapse.

### **Warhammer-Nansive conflict (1994-1999)**

*See also: Warhammer-Nansive Conflict, 1990s (Mt)*

On the 125th, 1994, the Warhammi Federation began an invasion of Jaraken with no prior announcements. The Supreme Leader of Warhammer, John Done, had ordered the invasion to take place on the dark side of Jaraken (i.e where it was night time), so as to increase the element of suprise. Warhammer launched as many as 100,000 spaceships, deploying around 2,300,000 troops within the first month of attacking.

Drankli's response initially fell in line with his 'pacifist' appearance which denounced the weapons trading of his predecessor, as he rallied countries to cut off economic ties with Warhammer in the UP. His address to the UP was witnessed by Mascos, Biackaar, Snod-Lipton, and Demark, as well as many other nations. In it, he threatened trade sanctions and tariff sanctions on planets that did not cooperate with an intergalactic oil embargo of Warhammer. The oil embargo was accepted in most planets, however the Quidermin Union, which consisted on only Biackaar and Snod-Lipton at the time of negotiations, conducted talks with Ficko, exchanging greater quantities of oil for a lower price (in secret) in return for their cooperation in the oil embargo. After the oil embargo was accepted, on the 281st, 1994, Warhammer continued the invasion of Jaraken, taking over large swathes of land and using the tactic of 'rural sacrifice' where they would burn the crops of villagers, and take other villages hostage in exchange for their surrender. Many of these villagers were then transported to safely Warhammi controlled areas and put to work. These tactics were condemned by the international community, particularly Ficko. Drankli responded by deploying thousands of aid workers above and beyond the charities already engaged in the conflict.

On 296th, 1994, the Javel Republic fell apart and voted for the monarchy to be reinstated due to the history of great soldier and tacticians ruling as monarch, and due to the instability of the republic, which was loosing major oil fields and therefore becoming unable to deploy troops via military transport due to a lack of fuel. King Malmoo the First/ Second (he was the First of the 'new monarchy' however his father had previously been King), took the throne and position as 'head of state' and called for Fickolean military aid.

Drankli put his proposal to both the parliament and the Senate, both of which voted affirmatively for funding Jaraken's military and also supplying weapons to Jaraken, which took place from 344th 1994 onwards. The use of Fickolean Crab Tanks, Heavy and Medium Tanks, as well as 'i-drones', proved successful in slowing down the speed and success of the invasion, however it could not reclaim the oil fields. Thereafter, Drankli responded to a proposal in the senate to start bombing raids on Warhammi troops and vehicles by destroying Warhammi convoys travelling into Jaraken from Warhammer, and blockading supplies. He also authorised the use of Fickolean ground troops to retake land.

By 385th, 1997, Jaraken had successfully won the war and retaken the land taken by Warhammer. By 1999, forced from from both Warhammer and Ficko had completely left Jaraken, however Ficko's arms deals remained, and though arms trading decreased after this point, it was still 53% greater than it had been prior to the Warhammi invasion of Jaraken.

### **Oil Crisis, 1996**

In 1996, following the subsidies of vegetable oil to Biackaar and Snod-Lipton in exchange for interplanetary support in the oil embargo of Warhammer, as well as the subsidies made for Jaraken to help fuel their oil-based technology, Ficko was suffering from an oil defecit, and as such the price of oil, and therefore the price of plastic production and in turn, the price of plastics (which consisted of most goods) went up. To deal with this, Drankli began importing crude oil from Jaraken to replace the vegetable oil they had lost, whilst also funnelling money into agricultural growth schemes. The government gave out subsidies to oil-farmers to grow their oil fields, costing the government (sq)20trillion and requiring outstanding external loans. These loans were primarily from Apporross and Doloosioo.

## Election of 1998

Drankli was re-elected in 1998 by 61% of the vote, promising a long-term plan. Drankli suggested that he would 'act as though [he were] sure the Tap party would win the next five elections,' in making long term plans for infrastructure projects which could only succeed with a long line of Presidents willing to continue his vision. Drankli judged that the Fickolean population had shifted left and that, as long as this could be shown to be sustainable, and as long as Drankli remained a figurehead, Tap party politics would prevail for a long time. As well as this, Drankli firmly had the support of the senate, with a large Tap majority.

## Second Term (1998-2003)

### **The 10-year plan**

Drankli announced his plans for a number of infrastructure projects, as well as the sharp forced rise in the mechanisation of agriculture, a decision that triggered a growth in extra-planetary investment in Ficko from outside planets such as Mascos and Apporross. These projects would include the Yatou river bridge and tunnel in Indismelt, the Dhana Banking Complex which would centralise bank oversight and state banking operations, and the Riccard Threesister Extension at the Macka Packa Spaceport.

### **State Ventures**

In 1999 Drankli began the expansion of an existing organisation, 'state enterprise', that had invested in building companies and projects and sponsored the manufacture of goods beneficial to the healthcare and education systems. Drankli used the expansion of state ventures as a justification for a new tax plan that led to numerous companies rebasing in Apporross. These state ventures began to include, controversially, buying up property through the Central Mortgage Bank of Ficko, and buying art through state owned museums and art galleries. The Ficko City Arts Library and Macka Packa Art Gallery became organisations worth hundreds of billions of square within weeks, where they had previously been museums that were under-funded and under-staffed.

On 19th, 2000 (Mt), Drankli's parliament affirmed a bill he had proposed, to allow a direct relationship between the numerous art galleries and collection funds and the Central Mortgage Bank of Ficko, essentially allowing them unlimited funds in art auctions, so long as experts believed they would return a greater profit. At the historic Hypling New Arts Convention of 2000, thousands of artists exhibited their work, and in four seperate auctions over a week long period, affiliated organisations with the government and art galleries sponsored by the government bought up numerous modern and contemporary works and spent a total of [sq]13billion.

As well as this, Drankli set up the Fickolean Stock Investment Fund, which employed thousands of stock brokers and expanded the education of stock-market matters in universities in Ficko, and pouring trillions of square into investments outside Ficko. This venture took off after the economy stabilised in 2001.

## Election of 2003

Main article: *2043 Fickolean Presidential Election*

In 2003, Drankli was re-elected for his third term, done 3 times before, with a margin of 59%, one of the best in history. His electoral margin fell 2% from his last election, in 1998, most likely due to harsh criticism from Schoosh and Brewn opposition candidates Jacob Arkin and Grandad First in his massive escalation of the government deficit. All candidates promised they would reduce the government deficit, including Drankli Panda, who proposed that the infrastructure projects and investment injections he had spent public debt on were "sure to grow the economy and repay themselves." The Tap party also made all efforts to minimise the perceived impact of a large public debt, and instead focus on the economic growth that had occurred under Drankli's presidency.

## Third Term (2003-2008)

### Legal Service Reforms

In 2008 (Mt), Drankli continued his trajectory of reforming the legal system, based on revisions promised as early as 1998 (Mt), and touted as early at the 1980s (Mt) by Tap and Bandi senators. In addition to providing free legal services for any detained individuals, Drankli passed the 2048 Legal Equivalence Bill in the senate, which meant all legal expenditure by a plaintiff or defendant would be matched by their counterpart, the expenses covered by the government. Since then, there have been several revisions to this law which have made exceptions, or required legal parties to disclose documents of spending.

## Election of 2008

Main article: *2048 Fickolean Presidential Election*

The 2008 (Mt) election, 2048 (FT), was fought by the Tap party under the slogan "Keep 'em Comin'", and was criticised by opposition parties with slogans such as "Fourth time's a charm", indicating that he had not achieved his goals in his previous three terms. The issue of the length of Drankli's tenure was also brought up, with many opponents pointing out the lack of former Presidents to serve a fourth term, and the 'poor health' of the democracy that such a result indicated. With the lowest turnout since Fardinism, and polls indicating this would be the case, the Schoosh party, led by Robert Jenkin, attempted to rouse individuals to vote, and not regard Drankli as a 'shu-in'. Some have retroactively attributed the low turnout to assuredness that Drankli would win, for better or for worse. At the time, many regarded him as being a stable and positive President with work to be done. Some have countered this position by suggesting that Drankli's supporters would have been least active, in their assurance that he would win again.

The election also marked the creation of the 'Drankli Party', led by Darius Rankli. Their presence on the voting ballot caused mass confusion and a vastly inflated share of the vote, due to their name being that of the incumbent, and also their candidate's name (Rankli, D., sometimes D Rankli) being similar to Drankli Panda's. Many criticised the party as stealing votes from the Tap party, as disruptors, though they claimed to have a 'pro-Drankli agenda'. The 'voter fraud' and confusion that ensued was one of the reasons for the early election in 2010 (Mt).

## Fifth Term (2010-2013)

### The "Mendal Scandal"

On the 188th, 2012 (Mt), Drankli was accused by senior aide Maggie Mouther of embezzlement. She alleged that Drankli had 'borrowed' [sq]450million from public arts funding to purchase a painting on behalf of the Panda Arts Foundation. The painting in question was *Grand Voyage* by Herbacio Mendal, a family friend of the Panda's. An FSS investigation subsequently begun, with Schoosh candidate Muallis Barbriallen calling him a 'criminal' and a 'crook'.

Drankli subsequently publicly released his finances, which proved his innocence, after months of investigations, but caused controversy, as they showed an increase in Drankli's net worth, and numerous contributions to his personal finances since the beginning of his presidency. Barbriallen was again the most vocal critic, and spearheaded the creation of a senate committee, the Senate Committee of Drankli Financial Affairs, which Drankli Panda never actually attended in person, though his lawyers and accountant did. Once again, an investigation began, but was shortlived, with "obvious" evidence that the contributions were charitable donations to his foundation, aided by his position as President. The President vowed not to receive any financial contributions again based on his attendance to talks or events alone, and only hosted charity auctions thereafter, also commissioning an independent audit and partial acquisition of the Panda Foundation thereafter.

### Illness & Wachatti Fire

In 2012 Drankli was hospitalised for two weeks with a collapsed posterior brachiosaurus rex. His resulting injuries made him wheelchair bound for the following year.

Around the same time, a major forest fire raged across the Wachametti forest, clearing much wildlife, as well as indigenous communities. Many argued the national government, in the UEA, was not doing enough to stop the fire. The planetary government stepped in, and declared it a 'climate emergency'. Drankli dipped into currency reserves to pay for the rehousing, rehabilitation and re-sheltering of all wildlife and individuals affected. They did this partly to prevent a pending lawsuit against the Alifcan National Government.

### Demarki Civil War

From 2013 (Mt) onwards, tensions were mounting between the wizards and a number of separate rebel groups, and the Demarki government. The black-horse candidate in upcoming Demarki election, Bartholomue Romeg, began rising in popularity. During this time, as tensions with the wizard community rose, Drankli brokered a peace deal between Hangror and Demark. He refused to assist Demark in investigations into Hangror's potential funding of wizards and rebel forces, but ensured that a full-on invasion was averted. In late 2013, it looked as though Demark's government would be toppled by Romeg, whom Drankli had apparently met in 2012 (Mt), which surfaced at the time. Drankli made praising statements of Romeg, and 'unofficially endorsed' him during the 2014 Demarki election.

## Election of 2013

Main article: *2053 Fickolean Presidential Election*

On the 91st, 2013 (Mt), backed by the support of much of the senate, Schoosh Party candidate and prominent Drankli critic Muallis Barbriallen was able to call an election, off the back of allegations of financial corruption. Drankli's popularity was at an all-time low at this point, but before the election he recovered an immense amount of popularity due to his positions in the Demarki Civil War, as well as some domestic triumphs including the Wachatti forest fire. He won the 2013/2053 Presidential election with 65.4% of the vote, the highest share in a Four/Five Party System in Fickolean history.

## Sixth Term (2013-2018)

### Police Defunding

From 2012 (Mt), the number of violent crimes reported appeared to be trending upwards. An independent enquiry commissioned the previous year in the UEA had found that distrust in the police was the number one most frequently attributed cause. Clashes between police and gangs, as well as crimes involving police brutality in deprived areas was increasing. Police spokesperson Ungoalie Bathyates had said this was due to increased violent crime and a need for stricter policing.

In 2013 (Mt), the senate passed the "Police Relations Bill, 2053", which increased funding for police training, whilst also limiting police powers and their ability to use 'excessive force' . The bill prompted a rewrite of the police officers' code.

In 2015, the *Winnibob Shootout* occurred, during which a clash between two gangs (A 'Big Wees' and a 'Big Poos' gang) was broken up by police gunfire, resulting in 11 dead and 17 injured. The Winnibob Shootout roughly coincided with several other documented police brutality cases, as well as the arrest of Harry Bucknoldy, a police officer who had used his position to aid a serial killing spree over 6 years, during which he killed 24 people. All of this combined led to big civil upheaval over police brutality, and several major non-violent protests. Drankli called a public enquiry into the situation, which produced wrong-doing on behalf of certain officers, who were subsequently fired, and served with criminal records.

In late 2016, Drankli again addressed the issue by passing a parliamentary act to limit funding of the police, in particular police officers entitled to firearms. Millions of police officers went on strike the following week to protest the decision. Ultimately, the number of police jobs was reduced by 4%, and the number of 'active duty' police officers was reduced by almost 10%. The decision mostly limited the number of police robots, which police claimed was counterintuitive and irrelevant to the factors that prompted the changes. The act also reduced the number of employed days of most police officers, as well as the number of officers issued a firearm. The government claimed the majority of the changes were at the discretion of the various regional police forces in light of blanket funding reductions.

## Seventh Term (2018-2020)

### Halo-Sandwich Nuclear Incident

Main article: *Halo-Sandwich War, 2020 (Mt)*

Following a nuclear attack on the capital of Sandwich by Halo, who were allied with the terrorist group the 'Syndicalists', the Security Council of the United Planets at the time voted to establish a 'unitary universal task-force', comprised of several major powers including Marlcos, Evancya, Ficko, Crash and Apporross, Drankli ordered to rapid mobilisation of the Fickolean space-force to help establish a taskforce-led blockade on further troops entering the planet. Recon and special-forces-assisted squadrons helped root out the 'Syndicalists' who remained in Sandwich following their initial deployment, supporting the Sandwichian Wubist military presence.

The rapid success of the taskforce allowed for a troop recall less than a year later, in around 125th, 2021 (Mt). The success also boosted Drankli's support and is considered to have buffed out his success against other factors in the 2020 (Mt) election.

## Election of 2020

Main article: *2060 Fickolean Presidential Election*

Following the Senate Takeover Bill's passing, granting Senate the power to moderate and oversee the then on-going trade deal with Evancya. It's success guaranteed Senate intervention in other major foreign deals, at their discretion. Drankli called the election shortly after to affirm support for the President. This decision was met with both support and criticism. Some suggested that the act was the most democratic and called-for, but others suggested he would use an electoral victory to overhaul the senate vote, an undemocratic act.

The election triggered candidacy elections for all of the major parties; Bandi, Tap, Brewn, Schoosh and Fardin. The main points of contention were Evancya, the 'Universal Threat', and economic interventionism, which had recieved backlash after consistently increasing the deficit. Drankli promised to invest in investigating the Universal Threat, and promised to reach an 'amicable agreement' with Evancya for a trade convoy.

The ultimate result was the success of the Tap Party, winning a 55.4% majority. Baxter Knightwood, for the Schoosh party, won 22.1%, their highest electoral result since 1988 (Mt), with the election of James Frymer. Drankli gained the promised support of Romet Bandig's Bandi party on numerous issues related to economic intervention, but Bandig promised to 'withhold his influence' in matters that concerned economic protectionism.

## Eighth Term (2020-)

### Crash-Biackaar "Lunar" War

In the wake of tensions between Crash and Biackaar boiling over into war, Drankli promised support to the Crashian side, and refused to promise economic sanctions if Crash was to take the first offensive action. Due to a UP resolution that promised economic action against the first party to act, the first action of conflict took a rather long time to come about after the declaration of war. It was a Biackaarian offensive on Crashian trade ships.

Drankli's immediate support was to provide 'intelligence bolstering' to Crash, and mobilising trillions in loans to Crash with which they could buy new military equipment, primarily from Ficko itself, as well as through Doloosioo with Ficko as a middle-man. The measures increased inflation, but had immediate positive consequences for the economy. Military spending in Ficko was also increased through a series of votes in parliament approving new measures to up the bill, particularly military research.

Evancyan support for the Biackaarian side became a point of contention in the Evancya-Ficko trade deal and ultimately completely haulted negotiations. Drankli took a 'hard line' against direct military trade between the two planets, or any kind of support, though Evancyan involvement was suspected, and the presence of subcosmos spaceships was also suspected but never officially proven in the Quidermin-Anglon space area.

### The ATC-Evancyan standoff/Nuclear Crisis

Main article:

As early as the 30th, an Evancyan trade convoy suspected to be carrying nuclear weapons to Demark entered Anglonian space-space. It was later stopped by forces of the Anglonian Trade Committee, primarily on the orders of the governments of Drankli Panda and Josef Cloran. The trade convoy was ordered to submit for inspection, which it refused. The standoff lasted a number of days, and eventually ended with the Evancyans recalling the missiles and other missiles already within Demark after Evancyan Grand Chancellor Floyd Bolson regained control of his government following an attempted coup d'etat. Drankli was in direct contact with Bolson at points during the crisis, and insisted upon Evancyan retreat. One effect of the standoff that was beneficial to Evancya, however, was the Fickolean promise to end direct Fickolean intervention in the Doloosian political intervention, though this decision was reached in order to secure Doloosian support against Evancya.

### Minority Support

Drankli promised to support minority species and decrease wealth inequality, both as part of a massive domestic plan, and through bills such as the 'Loans and Pensions Bill', which supported small banks and businesses in loaning schemes for minority species. The bill was partially drafted by the Bandi and Brewn party candidates in negotiations with the administration.

### Senate Takeover Bill

See also: *Fickolean* *Senate Takeover Event*

The matter that caused an early election to be called was the result of the Senate Takeover Bill, which called into question confidence in the Presidency. The Takeover bill resulted from perceived mismanagement and delays in the Ficko-Evancya trade deal. The success of the bill and subsequent election led to the creation of a Senate Committee on the Evancyan Deal, capable of vetoing developments or suggestions in the negotiating room with Evancya. Nonetheless, the bill was never totally successful. The committee remained in place in further negotiations for a Second draft of the Ficko-Evancya deal.

### Thazanian Intervention

See also: *Thazanian Intervention (2022, Mt)*

In 2022 (Mt), Drankli agreed to join a coalition of several other planets, primarily Evancya and Mascos, in an 'intervention' conflict on Thaza, opposing the apocalyst terrorist/rebel group the Jirat Gao. Other belligerents in the coalition were Arancie, Apporross, Pareoux and the Commandery of Nine Provinces. The Fickolean, Apporrossian and Pareouxian strategies were all coaligned to begin with, involving a 'scorched earth' strategy of mass aerial and orbital bombing campaigns on suspected Jirat Gao outposts. The Fickolean strategy was later revised to more targeted strikes, including a targeted strike on the transformers of a power station in Jirat Gao territory, which crippled communications in the area, but arguably hindered the process of locating the individuals. Several urban raids were conducted, during which many Jirat Gao operatives were arrested or killed.

#### Controversy and criticism

Shortly after the Thazanian intervention began, its support was polled as very marginal in Ficko. The President was also marginally the most trusted authority to lead the intervention. Furthermore, the media produced largely favourable supports of sweeping success in Thaza, however, a series of events grew criticism within the Fickolean public against the war. Drankli's popularity and approval dropped significantly in the wake of reports about civilian casualties in Thaza, as well as casualties of belligerents under the age of 20. This caused Drankli to speak on the necessity of the war, and also to reform the strategy to one involving more arrests and fewer bombing campaigns. On roughly the 460th, 2022 (Mt), the 'Eckhart Report' was published, which concluded that the intervention had had little success in achieving its goals, and was unlikely to achieve its goals in the near future. It also produced several other criticisms of the intervention, particularly from a Fickolean perspective, its cost, its 'unwinability' and its potential to derail politics. The Eckhart Report caused calls for Drankli's resignation, which he did not do, instead 'doubling down' on Thaza.

#### Post-Eckhart

After Drankli resisted calls for his immediate resignation, he announced changes to the Thazanian intervention and made public the Fickolean military strategy. Tactics involved promising digital surveillance and ‘disruption’ whilst continuing bombardments. The Thazanian Intervention Senate Committee, created at the inception of the Fickolean involvement, also probed Drankli on matters pertaining to the war. Meanwhile, in Apporross, faith in the war was tested as no party gained a majority in the 2022 election and the NMP were forced into a coalition with the anti-war Republican party.

### Jake Lammarl Resignation

In mid 2022 (Mt), Jake Lammarl was accused of having a sexual affair with actress Sofia Talmen, unbeknowst to his wife. Though Lammarl denied allegations at first, he later resigned having been informed by the FSS of reports confirming that he had a sexual relationship with Talmen. Muchos Carl replaced Lammarl, and the move was seen as weakening the perceived stability of Drankli's cabinet.

### Mikhael Grondad Trial

On the 304th, 2022, economic chancellor Mikhael Grondad accidentally stepped on a beetle, leading to accusations of murder. Grondad was subsequently tried and found innocent, though the controversy helped compound ideas of instability in Drankli's cabinet, and also left the cabinet incomplete for a time during the 140 day trial.

### Assassination Attempt

In late 2022 (Mt), Robert Cloveland attempted to assassinate Drankli by shooting him with a laser handgun. His motives were allegedly that of apocalyst sympathies and protest against the Thazanian Intervention. Subsequently, a second gunman was arrested on conspiracy to murder. Though they were unsuccessful in killing him, Drankli sustained injuries his back muscles, spinal cord, and large intestine, which hospitalised him for several months. Cloveland was arrested, tried, and convicted of attempted murder, for which he received a 38 year sentence.

Little over a week later, Drankli officially stepped back from his position as President for a 1 year hiatus.