Miria Seranoda

Dr. Miria Seranoda
Pantolara of the Fostana
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 September 2020
3rd Premier of the Caropsyne Pontanore
In office 31 July 2000 – 14 November 2010
Preceded by	Haldric Maldian
Succeeded by	Alza Permentanna
Administrator-General of Euvodora
In office 21 April 1997 – 30 July 2000
Foreign Minister
In office 5 April 1993 – 14 May 1996
Preceded by	Fostana Rule
Succeeded by	Garel Thormond
Member of the Pontiana
In office 5 April 1993 – 14 May 1996
Constituency	Fornænda Sulis
Personal details
Born	(1952-02-24) February 24, 1952 Fornænda
Nationality	Caropsyne
Political party	New Left Independent (Former) Moderate (Former)
Spouse	Larmas
Children	1 daughter
Residence(s)	Polmona, Euvodora
Education	PhD International Relations
Alma mater	Imperial University Fornænda
Profession	Politician, Diplomat, Political Scientist

Miria Seranoda (born: 24 February 1952) was the 3rd Premier (Pontissiana) of the Caropsyne Pontanore, the first woman to ever hold the office, and the first independent candidate to have won a Pontanore Election in over a century. Prior to being Premier, she served as Foreign Minister and Administrator-General of Euvodora. Today, Seranoda a member (Pantolara) of the Fostana. She is well-regarded internationally and is considered one of the most important politicians in modern Caropsyne history.

Early Years and Personal Life

Miria Seranoda was born on 24 February 1952 into a middle class Fornænda family. She was the daughter of an acclaimed psychiatrist, Dr. Jalmand Seranoda. Miria excelled in school, receiving a first honors from her local Fostitio. Seranoda would go onto attend the Imperial University of Fornænda (now known as the University of the Pontanore) to obtain a doctorate in international relations and obtained her degree in 1976. Among the lecturers Miria had as a student was the well-regarded Economics Professor Gethman Tormian who was impressed with her abilities that he encouraged her to enter politics.

Taking Tormian's advice, she quickly dived into the political arena and made herself known as a staunch critic of the Fostana's austere, autocratic, and reactionary policies. Seranoda would make speeches throughout the country and participate in numerous pro-democracy protests during the late seventies. She would be responsible for leading the 1979 Fornænda Protest where she would meet her future husband Larmas for the first time. Her anti-Fostana opinions would cause her to receive many threats from the Fostana itself and Seranoda was certain that the Damosca was observing her actions from afar. In 1981, Miria and Larmas would marry and gained a daughter a year later.

At the start of 1990, Fostana rule began to collapse due to a number of controveries involving improper member conduct and damaaging and reactionary social policies they had placed upon the country. The Communist Party, led by Chairman Meltham Hermalas, unleashed a nationwide uprising in 1991 to overthrow the upper chamber and introduce a marxist state in its place. Seranoda and her husband participated in the 200,000 person gathering in the center of Fornænda and were able to avoid arrest - or worse - when the Damosca was deployed to bring an end to the uprising.

Pro-democracy protests broke out in Ariatra in 1992 in which she too participated in and even address the hundreds of thousands who crowded the city center. The Fostana commanded the military to break up the crowds but refused to carry out their orders and instead joined the protest. Seranoda would become well known for climbing ontop of one of the tanks and thanking the military commanders for standing up for justice and freedom. With no alternatives, the Fostana led by Chair Roth, gave into the demands of the crowd. He declared that the Pontiana would be reopened and elections would be held in April 1993.

Seranoda registered as a member of Phodric Dormond's new Moderate Party and was a Pontiana candidate for Fornænda's Sulis district. Due to her immense name recogition and the reputation her family had in the district, she easily swept aside her competitors and took her seat in the chamber on 5 April 1993.

Political Career

Member of the Pontiana

Premier Dormond appointed Seranoda to his cabinet as Foreign Minister. Miria and Phodric had a good working relationship for the first year and a half, marked by the historic signing of the 1994 Treaty of Taerisz which would normalized relations between the Pontanore and the neighboring Republic of Ardalia. Seranoda had been instrumental in achieving that diplomatic victory for the Government. She would also engage with numerous other nations including Corsimenia, Zorrazo, Curiastan, Loslakia (and her allies), Leonstein, and Trodenheim. Despite her efforts at building up relations around the world, her efforts were being actively being fought against at home.

By late 1994, she grew increasingly uneasy with policy decisions made by Phodric Dormond and Haldric Maldian, both the Defense and Interior Minister. This started with major investments in the armed forces and national police forces, triple the amounts the Fostana had spent during their unilateral control of the State. They argued that such build-up was critical to the defense of the Pontanore and to properly project its strength on the world stage. She actively called out such actions as working counter to her efforts to improve global relations. This was only made worse as Dormond implemented aggressive policies that were antgonistic against countries whose foreign policy disagreed with that of the Pontanore's, especially towards Curiastan whom both men believed was a direct threat to long-term influence in developing countries.

Over the next year, there were several bombings, assassinations, and poisonings that were suspected to have been carried out by the Damosca on the orders of Dormond. Seranoda's relationship with the Premier continued to decline and both she and Maldian by this point had become sworn enemies. As these events occurred, Miria's thinking began to show her that the dramatic shift in foreign policy was not entirely of Dormond's but rather influenced by the intelligence service itself. She would take this time to make use of every resource at her disposal to confirm her suspicions. Everything would come to a head the following year.

In March 1996, the entire Pontanore was brought to a complete standstill due to the Great Oil Crisis. By the this time, the Damosca was very aware of her attempts at finding out who was responsible for the events that occurred over 1995 abroad and whom was involved in developing Dormond's foreign policies. Fearing for her own safety, she and her family fled across the border to Ardalia into self-imposed political exile (taking with her what evidence she had obtained). From Hran, she broadcasted a fiercely critical television speech in which she claimed the Premier was responsible for organizing the ongoing oil crisis that had befallen the country and accused him of being ruled by the intelligence service into pursing a violent and bloody foreign policy. She covertly had an ally present a dossier to the Pontiana's Executive Committee listing notable terrorist acts for which she claimed Dormond was responsible for orchestrating.

Dormond resigned shortly afterwards saying that he had lost the confidence of the Caropsyne people. His closest political ally, Haldric Maldian succeeded him after a snap election. Maldian took no time in formally dismissing Seranoda from her position as Foreign Minister and appointed Garel Thormond in her place. Seranoda, now no longer a member of the Pontiana and a target of the Damosca, chose to remain in Ardalia - even though it would break out into civil war months later. Miria would stay in political isolation for the next year. Coinciding with Curian dictator Andart Sadner's rise to power in 1997, the Pontanore under Maldian increased its aggression towards the Bloc. Under instructions from Sadner, Curian Intelligence formented a plot to kidnap Seranoda from her hiding place in Ardalia because she possessed information to implicated their involvement in the Oil Crisis and a wider conspiracy surrounding Operation Greensloth.

The Damosca - under General Pholomir Zarmal learned of the plan. Maldian hated the former Foreign Minister but he decided that he could not risk the political damage they'd have if the Curians got to her first. Damosca agents, led by Zarmal himself, snuck into Ardalia in the thick of the civil war and got to her mere minutes before their rivals. She was taken by helicopter to a waiting boat off the island of Adento. As they approached the vessel, Zarmal told her that the Premier was willing to 'forgive' her previous statements and would appoint her as Administrator-General of Euvodora and in exchange, she would cease any further public criticism of him or his Government's policies. Recognizing the power and resources that she would possess by running the Pontanore's fastest-growing and increasingly most important state, she accepted. Although she would maintain 'solidarity' with Maldian in public, that did not stop her from privately criticizing and indirectly attacking the Government in private.

Administrator-General of Euvodora

Seranoda took up her position as Administrator-General of Euvodora in April 1997 and on her first day gave a sweeping speech before the Poliana, Euvodora's legislature, in which she laid out an aggressive agenda of social reform and public works. Although she and Maldian had to come to an 'understanding,' she knew that the Premier was keeping a very close eye on her and would not hestitate to send the Damosca after her if he so desired. At the end of her first week, she gathered the senior leadership including Secretary Ludomir Zepaldo to begin carrying out her vision for the state - and would lay the foundations for her eventual Premiership.

Unlike most Pontanore States, Euvodora's economic power had long been recognized as critical to the long-term stability of the country by the Fostana. Professor Gethman Tormian, their Economics Advisor (who then continued on as Economics Minister under subsequent Premiers) had also realized that it was important to give it more leeway than what was set forth in the Pontanore General Economic Program (created by the professor himself). The council had identified Polmona and its surrounding environs as a 'special economic area.' Within mere years, dozens upon dozens of industrial complexes were built and numerous multinational corporations, including Carops Oil (Zilmo Caropso) and many international financial institutions, would occupy the city. Seranoda would use a portion of the revenues generated to finance her agenda.

Polmona's population had been swelling since the mid-1980's and by 1995 had surpassed the entire population of the Chenterno Pontanoresca. Seranoda would undertake Polmona's Fifth Urbanization consiting of over two-hundred thousand new state-owned housing units. This created six new neighborhoods served by an array of robust public services, schools, and community centers. Polmona's growth in population over the years had mired traffic. As part of her public works program, Seranoda order the construction of three new metro lines - all of which had been in development under Dormond's Government. Premier Maldian and Seranoda were able to come to an arrangement on their financing. She would also increase funding to both the city's and state's public transport system. She wouldn't be able to see the completion of the first line until four years into her Premiership.

Her public works program was not confined to the capital. Similar urbanization efforts were developed for Euvodora's three other major cities: Zaramela, Fantonaré, and Urdino. Seranoda would oversee a groundbreaking ceremony in 1999 that kicked off the construction of a high-speed railway network between the four. A dozen new rail lines were also called for to ensure connectivity to the state's smaller cities and towns. To help Euvodora ween off fossil fuels, she proclaimed that her state would be the first to be completely powered by solar and other renewable energy by 2020.

Miria was a proponent of the collectivization of agriculture, a policy undertaken by the Fostana when they directly ruled the state. However, she believed that it had to occur everywhere, even in Carops and on the island of Casona, where many farms were owned by the dying aristocracy and the weakened Church. Caropsyne collectivization was undertaken different than in neighboring Loslakia where individuals were tied to their farms, the Pontanore did not have such conditions except that food produced on the land could not be sold abroad without an established contract between countries. Euvodora's soil was considered by the Agricultural Directorate to be some of the greatest in all of the Pontanore. Seranoda invested heavily in technologies that would boost harvest yields and improve worker productivity. She also increased pay for farmers and ensured that any surplus was duly compensated. In 1998, Euvodora experienced the highest output of grains in over two decades. To further take credit for the success, the State of Carops' own harvest was lower due to an early frost killing much of the northern crop, Seranoda jumped on the event and transferred a considerable amount of the surplus back to the home state, earning her the respect of numerous members of the Pontiana.

Guided by Miria, the Poliana would pass sweeping social policies that would earn Euvodora the title as the stronghold of Caropsyne Liberalism. The state would become the first to recognize and allow same-sex marriages in the Pontanore and the only to legalize the use of cannabis. Legislation was enacted that instituted pay equity between men and women. Worker rights and state-controlled welfare programs were expanded. Euvodora would pass a strict campaign finance law that prohibited foreign and big business entities from contributing to anyone running for office either in the Pontiana or the state Poliana. A series of anti-discrimination laws were also passed. Serious environmental regulations and protections were implemented to curtail pollution from factories and manufacturing facilities.

Her time as Administrator-General was largely peaceful except for the 1997 Jaj Revolution which occurred the neighboring state of Chonoré. Premier Maldian reacted with overwhelming military force to crush the independence movement before it could spread across the continent. Seranoda declared a state of emergency across Euvodora and assisted in the Government in evacuating hundreds of thousands of Caropsynes from the conflict area.

In public, Seranoda largely maintained a cooperative posturing with Maldian and his Government, but in private, she continued her efforts to expose the link between the Damosca and the Government. Though she did not have control over the Casmara based in Polmona, Miria had a good working relationship with some high-ranking officers and agents who were willing to covertly assist her in collecting evidence to help verify her suspicions. Their work was instrumental in bringing about the end of Maldian's Government.

At the start of 2000, Premier Maldian would issue a proclaimation recognizing Seranoda's work as Administrator-General. Many individuals both at home and abroad would begin labeling her state as the Second Carops. This would be the last time the Premier and Seranoda would have a 'friendly' encounter. Over the course of her administration, Miria would form a close friendship with Health Minister Alza Permentanna. Seranoda would also establish a political alliance with Defense Minister Goriath Moscana, facilitated by the former. This new trifecta would form the core of a growing movement to dissolve Maldian's government.

End of the Maldian Government

Together with Permentanna and Moscana, the three would secretly meet with the Chair of the Fostana, Rolmand Roth in early April 2000. At this meeting she presented the group with the damning evidence that officers within the Casmara who were loyal to her, her own spies and informants, and she herself were able to obtain. The information within confirmed all of their suspicions concerning the level of influence the Damosca had over government policy. The dossier included their complicity in carrying out nefarious actions in Jajiland, Curiastan, and elsewhere. With the individuals aligned, they would use the next two and a half months to quietly build up their support and increase the pressure placed upon the government.

Everything was ready just after the start of July. On the afternoon of 3 July 2000, the Fostana abandoned their proceedings mid-session and marched upon the Pontiana Palace, effectively invading the lower chamber. They took with them the working scroll of the Articles of States of the Caropsyne Pontanore from their chamber which would prevent them from functioning and it wouldn't enable the Pontiana to be seated. This event sparked the Caropsyne Constitutional Crisis.

Seranoda and Permentanna let the Fostana into the Palace upon their arrival. She joined the Chair of the Fostana and his fellow officers in approaching the Premier's office. The group would engage in a heated argument with Maldian. It would not be known what was said until the Fostana announced its demands that evening: simply that Maldian resign and elections called with all due haste.

The matter was taken up by the Pontiana Executive Committee the following morning who heard Seranoda's evidence showing enormous links between the Dormondist political grouping and military and Damosca figures and the later's high level of influence over government policy. The committee would debate for the next four days on how to proceed until they passed a resolution on the morning of 7 July that would remove Maldian from power. It was at that point when the Damosca (aware of what was transpiring) decided to take matters into their own hands to keep the Premier in power.

Led by Zarmal, the Damosca stormed the Pontiana and attacked members of both the Pontiana and the Fostana. He ordered them to find and kill Seranoda. Although they found her, she was saved by the Fostana's Chair, escaping with minor injuries. After three hours, it was clear to the Damosca that they had failed in their effort to overthrow the legislative chambers and prevent Maldian's ouster. Their leader and many agents of the intelligence service fled while others were arrested or killed by arriving Casmara officers. Premier Maldian committed suicide in the aftermath of the attack.

The Snap Election of 2000

Caropsyne democracy had survived. The Pontiana Executive Committee reconvened and called for elections. A civil administration was formed to govern the Pontanore for three weeks until the poll could be carried out. The date selected would be 30 July 2000. News of the decision spread like wildfire and by nightfall, candidates including Seranoda, announced their intention to run.

Unlike most candidates who were running with the support of a political party, Miria had decided she would run as an independent, a feat not undertaken in over a century. She centered her campaign on a an anti-corruption and anti-Dormondist platform. On the campaign trail she vowed to voters that she would restore liberalism and and civil society to the Pontanore, whilst also stating her desire to dissolve the Damosca. She already significant support from left-wing intellectual elites and a majority of those identifying themselves as working class. Her popularity only grew when Alza Permentanna and Goriath Moscana stated their support for her bid. They both renounced their Moderate Party memberships and joined the 'New Left' Movement. This signaled to many Moderates to switch over to Seranoda's camp.

Her main opponent was Olimand Kossroth. He had proclaimed the leader of the Moderate party following Maldian's suicide. His platform continued the same policies as the previous Premiers. At campaign stops, he criticized her as being hypocritical for her previous support of both the Dormond and Maldian governments, before becoming opportunistic in undermining them so as to seize power for herself. There were some voters who were still supportive of his platform but the dramatic events of the Siege of the Pontiana did not help. Kossroth had served as Culture Minister under Dormond and Education Minister under the previous Premier - neither of which exposed him enough to run the Pontanore. Olimand's lack of knowledge in foreign policy or executive administration was noticable in their three-hour long debate during the final week of the campaign.

Seranoda beat Kossroth overwhelming at the polls on 30 July, giving her the Premiership and a clear majority to govern without the need for a coalition. The Moderates would be the second-largest party with only 15% of the vote. This poll would define a political realignment which persists to this day.

Premiership

• Dissolution of the Damosca and elevation of Casmara and Sadriana
• Purging of Dormondists in the Government
• Establishment of the Cadriana
• Caropsyne-Curian War and the Overthrow of Andart Sadner, Occupation
• Ongoing diplomatic tensions with Latagon
• Political battles with Secretary Cattanna -> over Pontanore Airways, and wage battle with the Amalgamated Unions of Public Service Workers over proposed limits to pay increases within pharmacies.