Anton Rayne

His Excellency and Grace Anton Rayne OWS, OSB, RVC
President Anton Rayne, 1954
4th President of Sordland
In office 1954–2003
Vice President	Petr Vectern Franc Rayne
Preceded by	Ewald Alphonso
Succeeded by	Franc Rayne
1st Renus of Sordism
In office 1958–2003
Preceded by	Office Established
Succeeded by	Franc Rayne
Personal details
Born	7th September 1908 Deyr, Sordland
Died	7th September 2003 (aged 95) Holsord, Sordland
Resting place	Rayne Mausoleum, Holsord
Political party	Sordist Union (1958-2003)
Other political affiliations	USP (1930-1958)
Spouse	Monica Rayne (m.1932)
Alma mater	Holsord State University
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Anton Rayne (7th September 1908 - 7th September 2003) was a Sordish politician. He would be elected President of Sordland in 1953 succeeding Ewald Alphonso. Raynes time on office would over see the state of emergency of 1953- present following the assassination of Benerad Ciras. In 1957 Rayne would over see the nations victory in the 2nd Rumian-Sordish war. The popularity of Rayne would allow his reelection and the dissolution of the Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Sordland following the uncovering of a Malyveist plot to over thrown Rayne. After the forceful dissolution of CPS, Rayne would declare the Sordish State with himself as its Remus, a role he would hold until his death on 2003.

Born into an impoverished family in Deyr, Anton experienced much hardship in the rural pastures of Bergia. Rayne would soon enough make way to Holsord State University, namely practicing law. He would recieve lectures from persons such as Deivid Wisci, excelling in them through often commended hard work. This period of his life would also be defined by the erupting Sordish Civil War which left the future president swinging between the left and right forces present at the time. Deciding on neutrality, Rayne's life at this point would be marked with his marriage to Monica Rayne, as well as friendship with long time ally Petr Vectern. With the victory of Tarquin Soll, Rayne joined the United Sordland Party and pursued a political career within it. He would become the youngest ever member of assembly, and soon enough was the preferred candidate for the post of Minister of Justice and Law. This was cut short however, with the rise of Ewald Alphonso. Ewald's controversial presidency would be marked with extensive reform projects which would soon result in the Sordish recession, and the ascent of Anton Rayne to the post of president four years later.

Initially rising on promise of reform, Rayne would soon however be faced with two harsh crises of his presidency. First, the murder of Bernard Circas on his inauguration, and second the constitutional reform committee demanded by both parties. The result was the proclamation of a State of Emergency, authorized by Chief Justice Orso Hawker. All left-wing movements were banned, and the President decided to lean fully to the right, permitting the operations of the Young Sords and of the National Front. The early period of Rayne's presidency would be marked with an intensified struggle against the Bluddish Freedom Front, as well as left-wing politicians such as Denis Stahler. He would however eventually come into clashes with his old guard supporters for siding too much with the left on very specific issues such as women's rights, leading to a trial based on the complaints of Frens Ricter on the state of emergency. The complaints were thrown out, and the Emergency continued, likely due to the President's mass threatening of the court with the SSP and Young Sords.

Rayne's presidency would eventually come into direct conflict with Rumburg, leading a coalition of minor states (Wehlen and Agnolia) against the Kingdom. The war would last for a year, and would be marked by over 1,100,000 civilian casualties, but would be won by the Sordish-led alliance. The 'Treaty of Estord' outlined territorial reparations to Agnolia, Wehlen and Sordland respectively. It also included economic reparations as well as demilitarization of the entire Rumburgian border. With the victory in the war, Rayne's re-election was essentially ensured, and it would be proven so at the 1958 elections. The combination of an economic recovery, war victory and political suppression led to the populace overwhelmingly being in favor of Rayne, at least when compared to previous administrations and the weakened opposition. Following his victory, Rayne staged the Red Explosion and the Malenyevist plot to overthrow the Republic. He suspended the assembly, as well as arresting the entirety of the 'Old Guard' and other opposing factions within the state. Following this, Rayne unleashed an extensive purge of the country, resulting in some 40,000 extrajudicial executions, soon enough followed by him being proclaimed Renus of Sordism, and President for Life of the Sordish Republic. This was then followed by swift interventions in both Agnolia and Wehlen, where satellite governments were established on the principle of 'Non-Sordish Sordism.

Afterwards, Rayne ruled as the unquestioned hegemon of Merkopa, having the world's fourth largest and most powerful military, third largest economy and a very high standard of living. Rayne's Sordist regime traded political freedom for economic prosperity and general wellbeing of the people. Women's rights improved dramatically, at the cost of ethnic and minority rights. Violent crime was virtually eradicated through the implementation of a massive surveillance network, where the Sordish Intelligence Directorate and the Secret State Police had files on almost every single Sord. The population boomed to over eighty million by the 1970s, and continued to do so throughout his reign. Education, Welfare and other spheres of public life were thoroughly reformed, ensuring compliance to the Sordist reign but efficiency and progress. Rayne also distanced Sordism from purely Sordish nationalism, but to loyalty to his 'Purple Revolution' which sought progress at any moment, while keeping in touch with culture, tradition and family values. Naturally this contradicted heavily with Rayne's policy of equal rights between all sexes, minorities and otherwise. This led to the Crisis of Laws where Rayne's perpetual safeguarding of minorities came into conflict with his national unity laws. Rayne ruled in favor of the minorities, editing laws as needed to preserve 'national unity' but in so, include Bluds, Agno-Sords, Rummo-Sords and others.

By the 1990s, Rayne was effectively becoming senile however, but was legally untouchable. In hopes of preserving his lifetime of work, Rayne handed more and more power to his son, Franc Rayne, eventually naming him vice president of the Republic. Petr Vectern the longtime ally was made Renus-Secund in turn, ensuring that Vectern would be there to if nothing else guide Franc while his father was slipping further and further into old age. Rayne's last appearance was in 2003, on the 6th of September's midnight to celebrate his 95th birthday. Just hours later, he suffered a fatal stroke and passed away. Rayne's funeral was one of the most attended in history, and would be a source of much fervor amongst neo-Sordists. His regime would be inherited by Franc Rayne, who rules to today.