{"data":{"id":17593,"title":"Empire Report: Final Five Imperator Candidates","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/spectrum-dispatch\/17593-Empire-Report-Final-Five-Imperator-Candidates","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/17593","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/17593","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"News Update","images":[{"id":3014,"name":"EmpireReportLogo.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/922o8log1il1tr\/source\/EmpireReportLogo.jpg","alt":"","size":307443,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2015-02-17T23:08:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/3014","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/3014\/similar"},{"id":26463,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/weozjmuuh3hwh\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":843046,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2019-09-19T15:49:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463\/similar"},{"id":27892,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/w3o9r4zgppm77\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":900916,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-09-06T14:48:40+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892\/similar"}],"images_count":8,"translations":{"en_EN":"ALAN: Welcome to Empire Report. I\u2019m Alan Nuevo and with me, as always, is Beck Russum. Tonight we begin with the story that\u2019s on everybody\u2019s mind.\n\nBECK: That\u2019s right. The UEE is now one step closer to determining who will be the next Imperator. Following a long and occasionally contentious campaign, including a two week voting period marred by accusations of voter intimidation against Tevarin Citizens, the Imperial Election Bureau officially revealed the results of the Secondary Vote during a ceremony from the department\u2019s headquarters in Moscow just a few hours ago.\nALAN: That\u2019s right. The Imperial Election Bureau has finally finished collecting and verifying votes from across the Empire. The five candidates receiving the most support and moving onto the Final Vote are Independent Laylani Addison, Universalist Titus Costigan, Centralist Paul LeSalle, Transitionalist Mira Ngo, and Universalist Illyana Sharrad.\n\nBECK: Imperial Election Bureau commissioner Tyrone Salonen led the ceremony by announcing that this year was the highest Secondary Vote turnout in the Empire\u2019s history. He went on to credit the diverse field of ten candidates for this response, by engaging voters on an unprecedented level.\nALAN: Notably absent from the proceedings was current Imperator Kelos Costigan. A spokesperson claimed that pressing legislative matters kept the Imperator from attending the ceremony personally, though he did comm each candidate to express his congratulations. Some have speculated that Imperator Costigan\u2019s absence might have more to do with wanting to avoid any appearance of bias towards a particular candidate. If true, the Imperator will have to continue walking that tightrope as the two candidates with personal ties to him were among the top five vote getters.\n\nBECK: This includes his son Titus Costigan, whose campaign as a Universalist centered on his business acumen. The self-professed \u201cOutsider\u2019s Insider\u201d convinced Citizens that his success in the private sector, alongside exclusive insight into his father\u2019s administration, uniquely positions him to successfully manage the Empire\u2019s massive bureaucracy.\nALAN: Like his father, candidate Costigan was able to walk a political tightrope by convincing voters that his policies will improve the Empire\u2019s economy while not directly criticizing his father\u2019s initiatives. Darl Arakawa, Titus\u2019 campaign manager, recently told Empire Report\u2019s Victoria Hutchins that threading that needle was key to not losing Universalist voters, who overwhelmingly approve of the Imperator Costigan\u2019s stewardship of the Empire.\n\nBECK: Titus\u2019 relationship with his father, the Universalist party, and its voters may be the most important dynamic during the Final Vote. With two Universalists left in the race, Titus will need to keep as many loyal party voters in his camp if he wants to win.\nALAN: It\u2019s quite the unusual situation, Beck. Particularly since the Universalists have made their preference clear by throwing their support behind the other candidate connected to Imperator Costigan, current high-secretary, Illyana Sharrad.\n\nBECK: Absolutely. Historically, a sitting Imperator would enthusiastically endorse their party\u2019s preferred candidate, but Imperator Costigan has yet to do so. High-Secretary Sharrad and Universalist party chair Aadi Svensson even met with Imperator Costigan prior to the Secondary Vote to pressure him into publicly endorsing Sharrad. Apparently, the meeting became so contentious that it soured the working relationship between the Imperator and his High-Secretary.\nALAN: Making matters worse between the two Universalist campaigns were a series of attack ads specifically targeting High-Secretary Sharrad that hit the spectrum just before the Secondary Vote. Titus\u2019 campaign has denied any involvement with the ads and stated that candidates should succeed based on merit, not mudslinging.\n\nBECK: Sources indicate that this explanation did little to satisfy the Sharrad campaign. With both candidates now in the final five, party allegiances appear to have melted away. Only time will tell how nasty it will get between the two campaigns.\nALAN: For now, Sharrad has continued to focus on her long list of accomplishments as high-secretary. Her record paints her as a skilled and admired administrator who has overseen trillions in infrastructure improvements across the Empire. If elected, she\u2019s pledged to fast track vital infrastructure projects in each system, which has received widespread support from public sector unions across the Empire.\n\nBECK: Despite her sterling reputation and prominent name recognition, the attacks on Sharrad apparently took their toll, as she lost several key parts of the usual Universalist voting block to Titus. A nightmare scenario for the Universalist party, who have fielded two qualified and popular candidates that now seem to be at war with each other. Unless one finds a way to stand out, the two might split the party vote and deny either a chance at claiming the Imperatorship.\nALAN: It\u2019ll be interesting to see how these two candidates pivot to attract voters from both inside and outside the party.\n\nBECK: Or see what kind of effect it will have if Imperator Costigan steps in and endorses one of them.\nALAN: Meanwhile, Centralist candidate Paul LeSalle might be in the best position to take advantage of the divided Universalist ticket. A lifelong politician and former head of the Centralist Party, LeSalle has decades of experience in public service and on the campaign trail.\n\nBECK: LeSalle appealed directly to undecided Universalist voters during his celebration speech after reaching the Final Vote. From his campaign headquarters in Goss, LeSalle pitched himself as the only candidate that could deliver what both Sharrad and Titus promised: extensive governmental experience and a pro-business agenda.\nALAN: With the Centralist Party firmly behind him, LeSalle also seems intent on appealing to independent and Universalist voters. He highlighted his plan to lower taxes, encourage civic engagement by making military service mandatory to receive some social programs, and add revisions to the Fair Chance Act that could potentially open up areas in protected planets for resource extraction.\n\nBECK: LeSalle appears intent on positioning himself as the elder statesmen of the group and has managed to avoid much of the mudslinging so far. Still, some observers believe it to be a tactical decision by the other campaigns to save their attacks on LeSalle until the final round.\nALAN: LeSalle, who comes from a wealthy family in Cassel, swore off their help in his youth when building the hauling conglomerate that would be his self-made claim to fame. His past came up in the news early in his political career when several of his earliest investors were discovered to be in prison for their association with outlaw organizations, which caused the provenance of their capital to be called into question.\n\nBECK: When the scandal first broke over a decade ago, LeSalle disappeared from the public spotlight for a few years until returning to run the Centralist Party. Whenever questioned on the topic, LeSalle consistently maintained his innocence and pointed to public records that show the crimes committed by his former business partners occurred years after their association.\nALAN: Still the scandal could harm LeSalle, who has positioned his candidacy as being tough on crime. Many believe that his political opponents will be pleased that LeSalle beat out the other top Centralist candidate Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Advocacy Emma Thorne, as it\u2019ll be much easier to undermine LeSalle\u2019s anti-crime position than Thorne\u2019s thanks to these early business connections.\n\nBECK: While LeSalle has moved to the middle to attract voters, Terra Senator Mira Ngo sees her selection for the Final Vote as a sign that voters are finally ready to embrace her progressive plan for the Empire. In her acceptance of the Final Vote nomination, the Transitionalist candidate promised supporters that she would not dilute her vision to appeal to more centrist voters during the final election cycle.\nALAN: Senator Ngo backed up this promise by releasing a highly detailed policy proposal about how she would move the UEE capital from Earth to Terra. A campaign spokesperson said more information about candidate Ngo\u2019s proposed policies will be released over the coming months because the Empire deserves to know exactly what she would do if elected.\n\nBECK: Citizens in Terra celebrated the news at a massive, raucous rally organized by the campaign. Many within the crowd now believe the UEE may only be months away from moving its political center to the system. A massive undertaking the likes of which we\u2019ve never seen.\nALAN: Have you seen a copy of the proposal Senator Ngo released on moving the capital?\n\nBECK: Not yet. You?\nALAN: Victoria Hutchins is reading it now so she can share specifics on a future show. If she drinks a case of CRUZ Pulse, she should be done reading sometime next week. Many think Ngo has been sitting on this plan since she first got into politics. The campaign has put an incredible amount of thought and detail into it.\n\nBECK: Opponents of this measure have seized on the proposal as well. In particular, they cite an overly aggressive timeline for the move that would relocate several government departments to the Terra system immediately upon her inauguration.\nALAN: Rumors swirled of a divide within the Ngo campaign over whether or not it was prudent to even release this policy paper. Advisor Winnie Attah even left the campaign after arguing that it would turn her into a single issue candidate instead of allowing Ngo\u2019s broader, progressive vision of the Empire to be discussed. Only time will tell if Ngo\u2019s plan to get specific will help or hurt her campaign.\n\nBECK: The surprising final candidate to crack the top five was Laylani Addison, an Independent who focused her campaign around improving education and increasing resources for cutting-edge scientific endeavors. Her support for Synthworld and publicly subsidized universities drew attention and criticism, but nothing like her proposal to loosen restrictions on AI research. The topic became a lightning rod for the campaign that apparently helped catapult her away from the pack.\nALAN: While the Ngo campaign held extensive internal debates over how to handle moving the capital from Earth to Terra, some within the Addison campaign claim they were caught off guard by the candidate\u2019s full-throated endorsement of increased AI research. Several scientific advisors say they were not consulted about the position or didn\u2019t have any idea that the candidate would come out so strongly in favor of loosened regulations.\n\nBECK: When asked for specifics, the campaign consistently failed to provide any. That left some to wonder if the Addison campaign truly had a specific policy regarding AI in mind or was merely looking for a position that would garner attention.\nALAN: Addison\u2019s rise to the final five was undoubtedly aided by her eloquent debate performances that received widespread acclaim. She remained calm, composed, and in control throughout the debates, reassuring voters that she could stand up for herself while not resorting to negative tactics used by other candidates. In a clip that was widely shared across spectrum, Addison spun a vicious, condescending attack by Human First candidate Calvin Derry into a touching personal treatise about why it was important for Humans to embrace alien influences and ideas.\n\nBECK: That really was a powerful moment.\nALAN: I agree, very memorable and moving. We need to take a quick break, but there\u2019s a lot more election coverage once we return.\n\nBECK: We\u2019ll check in on the campaigns that didn\u2019t make the cut, and even speak with Antwan Lillard, who ran on a platform of disbanding the UEE. Though he may have failed to make the final five, Lillard promises to continue the fight. We\u2019ll find out exactly what he has planned, next.\nALAN: That, plus the latest sataball scores from Colt Legrande, when Empire Report returns.","de_DE":"ALAN: Willkommen zum Empire-Bericht. Ich bin Alan Nuevo und bei mir, wie immer, ist Beck Russum. Heute Abend beginnen wir mit der Geschichte, die uns allen durch den Kopf geht.\n\nBECK: Das ist richtig. Die UEE ist nun einen Schritt n\u00e4her daran, den n\u00e4chsten Imperator zu bestimmen. Nach einem langen und gelegentlich umstrittenen Wahlkampf, einschlie\u00dflich einer zweiw\u00f6chigen Wahlperiode, die durch den Vorwurf der Einsch\u00fcchterung von W\u00e4hlern gegen Tevarin-B\u00fcrger beeintr\u00e4chtigt wurde, gab das kaiserliche Wahlb\u00fcro vor wenigen Stunden w\u00e4hrend einer Zeremonie im Hauptquartier der Abteilung in Moskau offiziell die Ergebnisse der Zweitwahl bekannt.\nALAN: Das ist richtig. Das kaiserliche Wahlb\u00fcro ist endlich damit fertig, Stimmen aus dem ganzen Reich zu sammeln und zu verifizieren. Die f\u00fcnf Kandidaten, die die meiste Unterst\u00fctzung erhalten und in die Schlussabstimmung gehen, sind die Unabh\u00e4ngige Laylani Addison, der Universalist Titus Costigan, der Zentralist Paul LeSalle, die \u00dcbergangskandidatin Mira Ngo und die Universalistin Illyana Sharrad.\n\nBECK: Der Beauftragte des Imperial Election Bureau, Tyrone Salonen, leitete die Zeremonie mit der Ank\u00fcndigung, dass dieses Jahr die h\u00f6chste Wahlbeteiligung bei den Zweitstimmen in der Geschichte des Imperiums war. Er f\u00fchrte weiter aus, dass diese Reaktion dem vielf\u00e4ltigen Feld von zehn Kandidaten zu verdanken sei, indem er die W\u00e4hler auf einem noch nie dagewesenen Niveau ansprach.\nALAN: Bemerkenswert war die Abwesenheit des derzeitigen Imperators Kelos Costigan. Ein Sprecher behauptete, dass dringende gesetzgeberische Angelegenheiten den Imperator davon abhielten, pers\u00f6nlich an der Zeremonie teilzunehmen, obwohl er jedem Kandidaten seine Gl\u00fcckw\u00fcnsche \u00fcbermittelte. Einige haben spekuliert, dass die Abwesenheit des Imperators Costigan eher damit zu tun haben k\u00f6nnte, dass man den Anschein einer Voreingenommenheit gegen\u00fcber einem bestimmten Kandidaten vermeiden wollte. Wenn dem so ist, muss der Imperator diese Gratwanderung weitergehen, da die beiden Kandidaten mit pers\u00f6nlichen Beziehungen zu ihm unter den ersten f\u00fcnf Stimmengewinnern waren.\n\nBECK: Dazu geh\u00f6rt auch sein Sohn Titus Costigan, bei dessen Kampagne als Universalist sein Gesch\u00e4ftssinn im Mittelpunkt stand. Der selbsternannte \"Outsider's Insider\" \u00fcberzeugte die B\u00fcrger davon, dass sein Erfolg in der Privatwirtschaft, neben dem exklusiven Einblick in die Verwaltung seines Vaters, ihn einzigartig positioniert, um die massive B\u00fcrokratie des Imperiums erfolgreich zu managen.\nALAN: Wie sein Vater konnte der Kandidat Costigan einen politischen Drahtseilakt vollf\u00fchren, indem er die W\u00e4hler davon \u00fcberzeugte, dass seine Politik die Wirtschaft des Imperiums verbessern wird, ohne die Initiativen seines Vaters direkt zu kritisieren. Darl Arakawa, Titus' Wahlkampfmanager, sagte k\u00fcrzlich gegen\u00fcber Victoria Hutchins vom Empire Report, dass das Einf\u00e4deln dieser Nadel der Schl\u00fcssel dazu sei, die W\u00e4hler der Universalisten nicht zu verlieren, die mit \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigender Mehrheit die F\u00fchrung des Imperators Costigan durch das Imperium guthei\u00dfen.\n\nBECK: Titus' Beziehung zu seinem Vater, der Universalisten-Partei, und ihren W\u00e4hlern k\u00f6nnte die wichtigste Dynamik w\u00e4hrend der Schlussabstimmung sein. Da noch zwei Universalisten im Rennen sind, wird Titus so viele loyale Parteiw\u00e4hler in seinem Lager behalten m\u00fcssen, wenn er gewinnen will.\nALAN: Das ist eine recht ungew\u00f6hnliche Situation, Beck. Zumal die Universalisten ihre Pr\u00e4ferenz deutlich gemacht haben, indem sie ihre Unterst\u00fctzung hinter den anderen Kandidaten geworfen haben, der mit Imperator Costigan, der derzeitigen Generalsekret\u00e4rin Illyana Sharrad, in Verbindung steht.\n\nBECK: Auf jeden Fall. Historisch gesehen w\u00fcrde ein amtierender Imperator den bevorzugten Kandidaten seiner Partei enthusiastisch unterst\u00fctzen, aber Imperator Costigan hat dies noch nicht getan. Der Hohe Sekret\u00e4r Sharrad und der Vorsitzende der Universalisten-Partei, Aadi Svensson, trafen sich sogar vor der Zweitstimme mit Imperator Costigan, um ihn unter Druck zu setzen, Sharrad \u00f6ffentlich zu unterst\u00fctzen. Offenbar wurde das Treffen so umstritten, dass es die Arbeitsbeziehung zwischen dem Imperator und seinem Hohen Sekret\u00e4r belastete.\nALAN: Verschlimmert wurde die Situation zwischen den beiden Kampagnen der Universalisten durch eine Reihe von Angriffsanzeigen, die sich speziell gegen den Hohen Sekret\u00e4r Sharrad richteten und kurz vor der Zweitstimme auf das Spektrum trafen. Titus' Kampagne hat jegliche Beteiligung an den Anzeigen dementiert und erkl\u00e4rt, dass Kandidaten aufgrund ihrer Verdienste und nicht aufgrund von Schlammschlachten erfolgreich sein sollten.\n\nBECK: Aus Quellen geht hervor, dass diese Erkl\u00e4rung wenig zur Befriedigung der Sharrad-Kampagne beigetragen hat. Da beide Kandidaten nun unter den letzten f\u00fcnf sind, scheinen die Parteibindungen geschmolzen zu sein. Nur die Zeit wird zeigen, wie unangenehm es zwischen den beiden Kampagnen wird.\nALAN: Im Moment konzentriert sich Sharrad weiterhin auf ihre lange Liste von Errungenschaften als Hohe Sekret\u00e4rin. Ihre Bilanz zeichnet sie als f\u00e4hige und bewunderte Verwalterin aus, die Billionen von Infrastrukturverbesserungen im ganzen Reich beaufsichtigt hat. Falls sie gew\u00e4hlt wird, hat sie sich verpflichtet, wichtige Infrastrukturprojekte in jedem System zu beschleunigen, was von den Gewerkschaften des \u00f6ffentlichen Sektors im ganzen Reich breite Unterst\u00fctzung erhalten hat.\n\nBECK: Trotz ihres hervorragenden Rufs und ihres prominenten Bekanntheitsgrades forderten die Angriffe auf Sharrad offenbar ihren Tribut, da sie mehrere wichtige Teile des \u00fcblichen Wahlblocks der Universalisten an Titus verlor. Ein Albtraumszenario f\u00fcr die Partei der Universalisten, die zwei qualifizierte und popul\u00e4re Kandidaten aufgestellt haben, die sich nun im Krieg miteinander zu befinden scheinen. Wenn nicht einer einen Weg findet, sich hervorzutun, k\u00f6nnten die beiden die Parteistimme spalten und beiden die Chance nehmen, die Kaiserw\u00fcrde f\u00fcr sich zu beanspruchen.\nALAN: Es wird interessant sein zu sehen, wie diese beiden Kandidaten sich drehen, um W\u00e4hler innerhalb und au\u00dferhalb der Partei anzuziehen.\n\nBECK: Oder sehen Sie, welche Wirkung es haben wird, wenn Imperator Costigan einspringt und einen von ihnen unterst\u00fctzt.\nALAN: In der Zwischenzeit k\u00f6nnte der zentralistische Kandidat Paul LeSalle in der besten Position sein, um die geteilte Universalisten-Liste auszunutzen. Als lebenslanger Politiker und ehemaliger Chef der zentralistischen Partei verf\u00fcgt LeSalle \u00fcber jahrzehntelange Erfahrung im \u00f6ffentlichen Dienst und auf der Wahlkampftour.\n\nBECK: LeSalle appellierte w\u00e4hrend seiner Festrede nach Erreichen der Schlussabstimmung direkt an die unentschlossenen W\u00e4hler der Universalisten. Von seiner Wahlkampfzentrale in Goss aus stellte sich LeSalle als einziger Kandidat vor, der das halten konnte, was sowohl Sharrad als auch Titus versprachen: umfassende Regierungserfahrung und eine wirtschaftsfreundliche Agenda.\nALAN: Mit der zentralistischen Partei fest hinter sich, scheint LeSalle auch darauf bedacht zu sein, unabh\u00e4ngige und universalistische W\u00e4hler anzusprechen. Er hob seinen Plan hervor, die Steuern zu senken, das b\u00fcrgerliche Engagement zu f\u00f6rdern, indem er den Milit\u00e4rdienst zur Pflicht macht, um einige Sozialprogramme zu erhalten, und den Fair Chance Act zu revidieren, der m\u00f6glicherweise Gebiete auf gesch\u00fctzten Planeten f\u00fcr den Abbau von Ressourcen \u00f6ffnen k\u00f6nnte.\n\nBECK: LeSalle scheint darauf bedacht zu sein, sich als die \u00e4lteren Staatsm\u00e4nner der Gruppe zu positionieren und hat es bisher geschafft, einen Gro\u00dfteil der Schlammschlacht zu vermeiden. Dennoch glauben einige Beobachter, dass es sich um eine taktische Entscheidung der anderen Kampagnen handelt, ihre Angriffe auf LeSalle bis zur Endrunde aufzusparen.\nALAN: LeSalle, der aus einer wohlhabenden Familie in Cassel stammt, schwor in seiner Jugend deren Hilfe ab, als er in seiner Jugend das Fuhrkonglomerat aufbaute, das sein selbst ernannter Ruhmesanspruch sein sollte. Seine Vergangenheit tauchte schon fr\u00fch in seiner politischen Karriere in den Nachrichten auf, als mehrere seiner fr\u00fchesten Investoren wegen ihrer Verbindung zu gesetzlosen Organisationen im Gef\u00e4ngnis sa\u00dfen, wodurch die Herkunft ihres Kapitals in Frage gestellt wurde.\n\nBECK: Als der Skandal vor \u00fcber einem Jahrzehnt zum ersten Mal aufflammte, verschwand LeSalle f\u00fcr einige Jahre aus dem \u00f6ffentlichen Rampenlicht, bis er zur\u00fcckkehrte, um die Zentralistische Partei zu f\u00fchren. Wann immer er zu diesem Thema befragt wurde, beteuerte LeSalle konsequent seine Unschuld und verwies auf \u00f6ffentliche Aufzeichnungen, aus denen hervorgeht, dass die von seinen ehemaligen Gesch\u00e4ftspartnern begangenen Verbrechen erst Jahre nach ihrer Verbindung begangen wurden.\nALAN: Dennoch k\u00f6nnte der Skandal LeSalle schaden, der seine Kandidatur als hart gegen die Kriminalit\u00e4t positioniert hat. Viele glauben, dass seine politischen Gegner froh sein werden, dass LeSalle die andere Spitzenkandidatin der Zentralisten, die stellvertretende stellvertretende Direktorin (DAD) der Anwaltschaft, Emma Thorne, geschlagen hat, da es dank dieser fr\u00fchen Gesch\u00e4ftsbeziehungen viel einfacher sein wird, LeSalles Position in der Verbrechensbek\u00e4mpfung zu untergraben als Thornes.\n\nBECK: W\u00e4hrend LeSalle in die Mitte ger\u00fcckt ist, um W\u00e4hler anzuziehen, sieht Terra-Senatorin Mira Ngo ihre Wahl f\u00fcr die Schlussabstimmung als ein Zeichen daf\u00fcr, dass die W\u00e4hler endlich bereit sind, ihren progressiven Plan f\u00fcr das Imperium anzunehmen. Bei der Annahme der Nominierung f\u00fcr die Schlussabstimmung versprach die Kandidatin der \u00dcbergangsregierung ihren Anh\u00e4ngern, dass sie ihre Vision nicht verw\u00e4ssern werde, um im letzten Wahlzyklus mehr W\u00e4hler aus der Mitte anzusprechen.\nALAN: Senatorin Ngo unterst\u00fctzte dieses Versprechen durch die Ver\u00f6ffentlichung eines sehr detaillierten politischen Vorschlags, wie sie die Hauptstadt der Vereinigten Arabischen Emirate von der Erde nach Terra verlegen w\u00fcrde. Ein Wahlkampfsprecher sagte, dass in den kommenden Monaten weitere Informationen \u00fcber die von Kandidatin Ngo vorgeschlagene Politik ver\u00f6ffentlicht werden, weil das Imperium es verdient, genau zu wissen, was sie im Falle ihrer Wahl tun w\u00fcrde.\n\nBECK: Die B\u00fcrger in Terra feierten die Nachricht bei einer gro\u00dfen, lautstarken Kundgebung, die von der Kampagne organisiert wurde. Viele in der Menge glauben nun, dass die UEE nur noch Monate davon entfernt sein k\u00f6nnte, ihr politisches Zentrum in das System zu verlegen. Ein gewaltiges Unterfangen, wie wir es noch nie gesehen haben.\nALAN: Haben Sie eine Kopie des Vorschlags von Senator Ngo zur Verlegung der Hauptstadt gesehen?\n\nBECK: Noch nicht. Und Sie?\nALAN: Victoria Hutchins liest es gerade, damit sie die Einzelheiten einer zuk\u00fcnftigen Sendung mitteilen kann. Wenn sie eine Kiste CRUZ Pulse trinkt, sollte sie mit dem Lesen irgendwann n\u00e4chste Woche fertig sein. Viele denken, dass Ngo auf diesem Plan sitzt, seit sie in die Politik gegangen ist. Die Kampagne hat eine unglaubliche Menge an Gedanken und Details in diesen Plan gesteckt.\n\nBECK: Auch die Gegner dieser Ma\u00dfnahme haben den Vorschlag aufgegriffen. Insbesondere f\u00fchren sie einen zu aggressiven Zeitplan f\u00fcr den Umzug an, durch den mehrere Regierungsabteilungen unmittelbar nach ihrer Amtseinf\u00fchrung in das Terra-System verlegt werden sollen.\nALAN: Es kursierten Ger\u00fcchte \u00fcber eine Spaltung innerhalb der Ngo-Kampagne dar\u00fcber, ob es klug war, dieses Grundsatzpapier \u00fcberhaupt zu ver\u00f6ffentlichen. Die Beraterin Winnie Attah verlie\u00df die Kampagne sogar, nachdem sie argumentiert hatte, dass sie dadurch zu einer Einzelkandidatin w\u00fcrde, anstatt zuzulassen, dass Ngos breitere, progressive Vision des Imperiums diskutiert wird. Nur die Zeit wird zeigen, ob Ngos Plan, konkret zu werden, ihrer Kampagne helfen oder schaden wird.\n\nBECK: Die \u00fcberraschende letzte Kandidatin, die die Top F\u00fcnf knacken konnte, war Laylani Addison, eine Unabh\u00e4ngige, die ihre Kampagne auf die Verbesserung der Bildung und die Aufstockung der Ressourcen f\u00fcr wissenschaftliche Spitzenleistungen konzentrierte. Ihre Unterst\u00fctzung f\u00fcr Synthworld und \u00f6ffentlich subventionierte Universit\u00e4ten erregte Aufmerksamkeit und Kritik, aber nichts im Vergleich zu ihrem Vorschlag, die Beschr\u00e4nkungen f\u00fcr die KI-Forschung zu lockern. Das Thema wurde f\u00fcr die Kampagne zum Blitzableiter, der offenbar dazu beitrug, sie aus dem Rudel zu katapultieren.\nALAN: W\u00e4hrend die Ngo-Kampagne umfangreiche interne Debatten dar\u00fcber f\u00fchrte, wie man mit der Verlagerung der Hauptstadt von der Erde nach Terra umgehen sollte, behaupten einige innerhalb der Addison-Kampagne, sie seien von der vollmundigen Bef\u00fcrwortung einer verst\u00e4rkten KI-Forschung durch den Kandidaten \u00fcberrascht worden. Mehrere wissenschaftliche Berater sagen, sie seien nicht zu der Position konsultiert worden oder h\u00e4tten keine Ahnung gehabt, dass der Kandidat sich so nachdr\u00fccklich f\u00fcr eine Lockerung der Vorschriften aussprechen w\u00fcrde.\n\nBECK: Wenn nach Einzelheiten gefragt wurde, hat die Kampagne durchweg keine geliefert. Das lie\u00df einige sich fragen, ob die Addison-Kampagne wirklich eine bestimmte KI-Politik im Sinn hatte oder ob sie lediglich nach einer Position suchte, die Aufmerksamkeit erregen w\u00fcrde.\nALAN: Addisons Aufstieg in die Runde der letzten F\u00fcnf wurde zweifellos durch ihre eloquenten und weithin gefeierten Debatten unterst\u00fctzt. Sie blieb w\u00e4hrend der gesamten Debatten ruhig, gelassen und beherrscht und versicherte den W\u00e4hlern, dass sie f\u00fcr sich selbst einstehen konnte, ohne auf negative Taktiken anderer Kandidaten zur\u00fcckzugreifen. In einem Clip, der \u00fcber das gesamte Spektrum verbreitet wurde, verarbeitete Addison eine b\u00f6sartige, herablassende Attacke des Human First-Kandidaten Calvin Derry zu einer ber\u00fchrenden pers\u00f6nlichen Abhandlung dar\u00fcber, warum es f\u00fcr die Menschen wichtig ist, sich fremde Einfl\u00fcsse und Ideen zu eigen zu machen.\n\nBECK: Das war wirklich ein starker Moment.\nALAN: Das sehe ich auch so, sehr einpr\u00e4gsam und bewegend. Wir m\u00fcssen eine kurze Pause einlegen, aber nach unserer R\u00fcckkehr gibt es viel mehr Wahlberichterstattung.\n\nBECK: Wir werden uns die Kampagnen anschauen, die es nicht geschafft haben, und sogar mit Antwan Lillard sprechen, der auf der Plattform der Aufl\u00f6sung der UEE lief. Auch wenn er es vielleicht nicht in die Runde der letzten f\u00fcnf geschafft hat, verspricht Lillard, den Kampf fortzusetzen. Wir werden als n\u00e4chstes herausfinden, was genau er geplant hat.\nALAN: Das, plus die neuesten Sataballergebnisse von Colt Legrande, wenn der Empire Report zur\u00fcckkehrt.","zh_CN":"ALAN: Welcome to Empire Report. I\u2019m Alan Nuevo and with me, as always, is Beck Russum. Tonight we begin with the story that\u2019s on everybody\u2019s mind.\n\nBECK: That\u2019s right. The UEE is now one step closer to determining who will be the next Imperator. Following a long and occasionally contentious campaign, including a two week voting period marred by accusations of voter intimidation against Tevarin Citizens, the Imperial Election Bureau officially revealed the results of the Secondary Vote during a ceremony from the department\u2019s headquarters in Moscow just a few hours ago.\nALAN: That\u2019s right. The Imperial Election Bureau has finally finished collecting and verifying votes from across the Empire. The five candidates receiving the most support and moving onto the Final Vote are Independent Laylani Addison, Universalist Titus Costigan, Centralist Paul LeSalle, Transitionalist Mira Ngo, and Universalist Illyana Sharrad.\n\nBECK: Imperial Election Bureau commissioner Tyrone Salonen led the ceremony by announcing that this year was the highest Secondary Vote turnout in the Empire\u2019s history. He went on to credit the diverse field of ten candidates for this response, by engaging voters on an unprecedented level.\nALAN: Notably absent from the proceedings was current Imperator Kelos Costigan. A spokesperson claimed that pressing legislative matters kept the Imperator from attending the ceremony personally, though he did comm each candidate to express his congratulations. Some have speculated that Imperator Costigan\u2019s absence might have more to do with wanting to avoid any appearance of bias towards a particular candidate. If true, the Imperator will have to continue walking that tightrope as the two candidates with personal ties to him were among the top five vote getters.\n\nBECK: This includes his son Titus Costigan, whose campaign as a Universalist centered on his business acumen. The self-professed \u201cOutsider\u2019s Insider\u201d convinced Citizens that his success in the private sector, alongside exclusive insight into his father\u2019s administration, uniquely positions him to successfully manage the Empire\u2019s massive bureaucracy.\nALAN: Like his father, candidate Costigan was able to walk a political tightrope by convincing voters that his policies will improve the Empire\u2019s economy while not directly criticizing his father\u2019s initiatives. Darl Arakawa, Titus\u2019 campaign manager, recently told Empire Report\u2019s Victoria Hutchins that threading that needle was key to not losing Universalist voters, who overwhelmingly approve of the Imperator Costigan\u2019s stewardship of the Empire.\n\nBECK: Titus\u2019 relationship with his father, the Universalist party, and its voters may be the most important dynamic during the Final Vote. With two Universalists left in the race, Titus will need to keep as many loyal party voters in his camp if he wants to win.\nALAN: It\u2019s quite the unusual situation, Beck. Particularly since the Universalists have made their preference clear by throwing their support behind the other candidate connected to Imperator Costigan, current high-secretary, Illyana Sharrad.\n\nBECK: Absolutely. Historically, a sitting Imperator would enthusiastically endorse their party\u2019s preferred candidate, but Imperator Costigan has yet to do so. High-Secretary Sharrad and Universalist party chair Aadi Svensson even met with Imperator Costigan prior to the Secondary Vote to pressure him into publicly endorsing Sharrad. Apparently, the meeting became so contentious that it soured the working relationship between the Imperator and his High-Secretary.\nALAN: Making matters worse between the two Universalist campaigns were a series of attack ads specifically targeting High-Secretary Sharrad that hit the spectrum just before the Secondary Vote. Titus\u2019 campaign has denied any involvement with the ads and stated that candidates should succeed based on merit, not mudslinging.\n\nBECK: Sources indicate that this explanation did little to satisfy the Sharrad campaign. With both candidates now in the final five, party allegiances appear to have melted away. Only time will tell how nasty it will get between the two campaigns.\nALAN: For now, Sharrad has continued to focus on her long list of accomplishments as high-secretary. Her record paints her as a skilled and admired administrator who has overseen trillions in infrastructure improvements across the Empire. If elected, she\u2019s pledged to fast track vital infrastructure projects in each system, which has received widespread support from public sector unions across the Empire.\n\nBECK: Despite her sterling reputation and prominent name recognition, the attacks on Sharrad apparently took their toll, as she lost several key parts of the usual Universalist voting block to Titus. A nightmare scenario for the Universalist party, who have fielded two qualified and popular candidates that now seem to be at war with each other. Unless one finds a way to stand out, the two might split the party vote and deny either a chance at claiming the Imperatorship.\nALAN: It\u2019ll be interesting to see how these two candidates pivot to attract voters from both inside and outside the party.\n\nBECK: Or see what kind of effect it will have if Imperator Costigan steps in and endorses one of them.\nALAN: Meanwhile, Centralist candidate Paul LeSalle might be in the best position to take advantage of the divided Universalist ticket. A lifelong politician and former head of the Centralist Party, LeSalle has decades of experience in public service and on the campaign trail.\n\nBECK: LeSalle appealed directly to undecided Universalist voters during his celebration speech after reaching the Final Vote. From his campaign headquarters in Goss, LeSalle pitched himself as the only candidate that could deliver what both Sharrad and Titus promised: extensive governmental experience and a pro-business agenda.\nALAN: With the Centralist Party firmly behind him, LeSalle also seems intent on appealing to independent and Universalist voters. He highlighted his plan to lower taxes, encourage civic engagement by making military service mandatory to receive some social programs, and add revisions to the Fair Chance Act that could potentially open up areas in protected planets for resource extraction.\n\nBECK: LeSalle appears intent on positioning himself as the elder statesmen of the group and has managed to avoid much of the mudslinging so far. Still, some observers believe it to be a tactical decision by the other campaigns to save their attacks on LeSalle until the final round.\nALAN: LeSalle, who comes from a wealthy family in Cassel, swore off their help in his youth when building the hauling conglomerate that would be his self-made claim to fame. His past came up in the news early in his political career when several of his earliest investors were discovered to be in prison for their association with outlaw organizations, which caused the provenance of their capital to be called into question.\n\nBECK: When the scandal first broke over a decade ago, LeSalle disappeared from the public spotlight for a few years until returning to run the Centralist Party. Whenever questioned on the topic, LeSalle consistently maintained his innocence and pointed to public records that show the crimes committed by his former business partners occurred years after their association.\nALAN: Still the scandal could harm LeSalle, who has positioned his candidacy as being tough on crime. Many believe that his political opponents will be pleased that LeSalle beat out the other top Centralist candidate Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Advocacy Emma Thorne, as it\u2019ll be much easier to undermine LeSalle\u2019s anti-crime position than Thorne\u2019s thanks to these early business connections.\n\nBECK: While LeSalle has moved to the middle to attract voters, Terra Senator Mira Ngo sees her selection for the Final Vote as a sign that voters are finally ready to embrace her progressive plan for the Empire. In her acceptance of the Final Vote nomination, the Transitionalist candidate promised supporters that she would not dilute her vision to appeal to more centrist voters during the final election cycle.\nALAN: Senator Ngo backed up this promise by releasing a highly detailed policy proposal about how she would move the UEE capital from Earth to Terra. A campaign spokesperson said more information about candidate Ngo\u2019s proposed policies will be released over the coming months because the Empire deserves to know exactly what she would do if elected.\n\nBECK: Citizens in Terra celebrated the news at a massive, raucous rally organized by the campaign. Many within the crowd now believe the UEE may only be months away from moving its political center to the system. A massive undertaking the likes of which we\u2019ve never seen.\nALAN: Have you seen a copy of the proposal Senator Ngo released on moving the capital?\n\nBECK: Not yet. You?\nALAN: Victoria Hutchins is reading it now so she can share specifics on a future show. If she drinks a case of CRUZ Pulse, she should be done reading sometime next week. Many think Ngo has been sitting on this plan since she first got into politics. The campaign has put an incredible amount of thought and detail into it.\n\nBECK: Opponents of this measure have seized on the proposal as well. In particular, they cite an overly aggressive timeline for the move that would relocate several government departments to the Terra system immediately upon her inauguration.\nALAN: Rumors swirled of a divide within the Ngo campaign over whether or not it was prudent to even release this policy paper. Advisor Winnie Attah even left the campaign after arguing that it would turn her into a single issue candidate instead of allowing Ngo\u2019s broader, progressive vision of the Empire to be discussed. Only time will tell if Ngo\u2019s plan to get specific will help or hurt her campaign.\n\nBECK: The surprising final candidate to crack the top five was Laylani Addison, an Independent who focused her campaign around improving education and increasing resources for cutting-edge scientific endeavors. Her support for Synthworld and publicly subsidized universities drew attention and criticism, but nothing like her proposal to loosen restrictions on AI research. The topic became a lightning rod for the campaign that apparently helped catapult her away from the pack.\nALAN: While the Ngo campaign held extensive internal debates over how to handle moving the capital from Earth to Terra, some within the Addison campaign claim they were caught off guard by the candidate\u2019s full-throated endorsement of increased AI research. Several scientific advisors say they were not consulted about the position or didn\u2019t have any idea that the candidate would come out so strongly in favor of loosened regulations.\n\nBECK: When asked for specifics, the campaign consistently failed to provide any. That left some to wonder if the Addison campaign truly had a specific policy regarding AI in mind or was merely looking for a position that would garner attention.\nALAN: Addison\u2019s rise to the final five was undoubtedly aided by her eloquent debate performances that received widespread acclaim. She remained calm, composed, and in control throughout the debates, reassuring voters that she could stand up for herself while not resorting to negative tactics used by other candidates. In a clip that was widely shared across spectrum, Addison spun a vicious, condescending attack by Human First candidate Calvin Derry into a touching personal treatise about why it was important for Humans to embrace alien influences and ideas.\n\nBECK: That really was a powerful moment.\nALAN: I agree, very memorable and moving. We need to take a quick break, but there\u2019s a lot more election coverage once we return.\n\nBECK: We\u2019ll check in on the campaigns that didn\u2019t make the cut, and even speak with Antwan Lillard, who ran on a platform of disbanding the UEE. Though he may have failed to make the final five, Lillard promises to continue the fight. We\u2019ll find out exactly what he has planned, next.\nALAN: That, plus the latest sataball scores from Colt Legrande, when Empire Report returns."},"links_count":0,"comment_count":43,"created_at":"2020-05-13T03:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"5 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 21:11:22","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":17592,"next_id":17594}}