Atticus Moreau

Atticus Justin Moreau
34th President of Zamastan
Incumbent
Assumed office September 22nd, 2020
Preceded by	Foley Sakzi
24th Alutia Governor (Zamastan)
In office September 22nd, 2006 – September 22nd, 2016
Personal details
Born	October 25, 1971 (age 49) Alutia, Alutia (Province), Zamastan
Citizenship	Zamastanian
Nationality	Zamastanian
Political party	Bloc Mayotte (BMZ)
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Spouse	Sophie Moreau

Atticus Justin Moreau is a Zamastanian politician who is currently serving as the 34th President of Zamastan, winning the 2020 Zamastan presidential election following Foley Sakzi's announcement that he would not seek reelection to a second term. Before the presidency, he served as the Governor of the Province of Alutia, a seat he held from 2006 until his resignation in 2016. He is a member of the Bloc Mayotte (BMZ) and helms considerable influence in the Independence Bloc parties.

Born in Alutia, Moreau attended Brebeunne College and graduated in 1994, and then attended and graduated from the University of Tregueux in 1998. He has a bachelor of arts degree in literature and a bachelor of education degree. After graduating, he worked as a teacher in Alenchon City, Alenchon. As Governor of Alutia, major provincial government initiatives he undertook during his first term included legalizing recreational marijuana through the Alutia Cannabis Act, attempting provincial legislature appointment reform by establishing the Advisory Board for Provincial Appointments, and establishing a massive tax cut for middle class and small business families.

While praised for his economic policies and counter-terrorism policy as President, his term was marked with much criticism and controversy following the Bettencourt Protests, Berisgate, the secession of Mayotte, Aunistria, and Alutia, the Tarijar Strait Crisis, and his handling of the civil war in Syraranto.

Early Life, Education, and Family

Atticus Moreau was born on October 25, 1971 in Alutia to Aaron and Arnette Moreau. Aaron, a second-generation immigrant from Drambenburg, and Arnette, a second-generation immigrant from Avergnon, both came from families that had fled to Zamastan during the World War, albiet from opposing sides. At age four, Atticus' family moved to Saint Bellevue, Alutia. Moreau attended Brebeunne College and graduated in 1994, and then attended and graduated from the University of Tregueux in 1998. He has a bachelor of arts degree in literature and a bachelor of education degree. After graduating, he worked as a teacher in Alenchon City, Alenchon.

Political Career

Then-Governor Moreau delivering a speech on a doorstep in Alutia's Little Drambenburg in 2013

Bloc Mayotte, Alutia Center

Moreau was the president of the Bloc Mayotte's riding association in Alutia Center from 1997 to 2003 and was an unsuccessful Bloc Mayotte candidate in the 1998 provincial election, losing to parliamentary cabinet minister Pierre Dettigrew in the city of Papineau. He has been a long-time advocate for strengthening measures requiring the predominance of the French language in Alutia, as well as for Alutian independence.

Governorship of Alutia (2006-16)

In 2006, he won the provincial election for governor, becoming the highest ranking separatist politician in Zamastan. In 2011, he unsuccesfully launched a referendum to declare independence for Alutia province, but it was soundly defeated by a wide popular vote margin. In the weeks following the failure of the referendum, a number of riding executive members quit the party to protest Moreau's leadership and a number of individuals who had been considering running for the party in the next election removed themselves from consideration. On August 12, 2011, the party's parliamentary caucus was reduced to 3 MPs after House Leader Jean-François Pauline quit the party to sit as an Independent MP. Pauline accused Moreau of "pushing a unidimensional, intransigent agenda that lacks rigour has put an end to the credibility established by (former leaders) Gilles Ducieeke, a leader who merits great respect." On August 25, 2011, André Derallavance, who had lost to Moreau in the leadership vote also resigned, reducing the Bloc to two MPs. Derallavance told a press conference, in regards to Moreau: "His vision and orientation for the Bloc are diametrically opposed to mine. Mr. Moreau says he can unite the party; for me it’s not the case."

In November of 2012, legislation to legalize cannabis for recreational use was passed by the Alutian House of Commons. It passed second reading on March 22, 2013. On June 18, 2013, the provincial legislature passed the bill with most, but not all, of the House of Commons' amendments. Governor Moreau announced the next day that recreational use of cannabis would no longer violate provincial criminal law as of October 17, 2013, effectively legalizing it for both recreational and medicinal use. On the first day of legalization, the Government of Alutia announced that it intended to grant pardons to Alutians convicted of simple cannabis possession charges.

2020 Campaign for President

Atticus Moreau and Governor Thounan Bouchard of Alutia at a campaign rally in Alenchon on July 11th, 2020.

On October 27th, 2019, Moreau announced his intention to run for President of Zamastan, joining the 2020 Zamastan presidential election. In the first Presidential debate on June 27th, 2020, Moreau rose prominently in the polls with his defence of his separatist and independence ideological voting record by saying that he was very devoted to his community and his province, and at the time was passionate about increasing autonomy for provinces, concluding by saying;

“As president, I will sponsor greater autonomy for provinces, strip federal guidelines that restrict civil and provincial freedoms, but I will never sign away a province’s attempt to leave the republic as president.”

Following the second debate on July 23rd, Moreau soared to the top of polls for the six declared candidates . Moreau pressed supporters and undecided voters to adopt his new progressive platforms, which included softening of gun control legislation (which he provided would mainly include stronger background checks to replace the current ban on assault weapons), further reproductive rights (including a call to end Zamastan’s third-trimester abortion ban), the federal legalization of marijuana, and a more lenient immigrant acceptance program. Moreau also called for stripping economic protection restrictions in order to allow for more oil drilling and fracking, as well as for corporations to have more access to foreign contracts. He also called for tax breaks for middle class families and small businesses.

The cover of Tarin's election issue magazine released on August 31st, 2020, featuring Atticus Moreau, Sabine Armitage, and Cain Blackwater.

The third and final Presidential debate took place on August 22nd, one month before the election. This time, the only candidates in attendance were Armitage, Moreau, Blackwater, and Wolffe, with Gunn and Lultquist having fallen far behind in the polls. Among the most pressing issues in the debate was the quickly unraveling civil war in Syraranto and the Jurrania Shore Oil Spill, drawing debate into how Zamastan should respond to the government of President of Syraranto Kyriakos Tasoulas beyond sanctions as well as environmental regulation and overwatch. Both of the events being discussed were quickly becoming the blackstains on President Sakzi's administration, since the sanctions at this point were largely being considered inneffective and the response to the oil spill were delayed due to poor management. In addition, the resignation of Larious Maxwell from his position of Speaker of the Chamber following dozens of sexual misconduct allegations prompted the question of ethics amongst candidates and their respective parties. Moreau came out on top once again, saying that although he believed President Sakzi and Secretary of State Avi Tremblan were trying their best to quell the situation in Syraranto, they had so far failed and the situation would not be under control by the time Sakzi left office. He then promised that although he would not commit to ground forces in the region, he was not opposed to backing rebel forces through supplies, aid, or even air superiority. Armitage committed that she would send ground troops if elected, a comment which is believed to have contributed greatly to her loss.

As the debates finalized and polling began to ramp up, Moreau was widely seen as the candidate most likely to win. However, on September 12th, President Sakzi decided to endorse Armitage for President, stoking fears in Moreau's campaign that this high profile endorsement of his opponent would cause his campaign to falter greatly. September 22nd saw election day, as voter turnout spiked to a 10-year high. Moreau managed to win nearly the entirity of the Eastern bloc of the country, including the entirity of his home province of Alutia. He also managed to win key districts in historically conservative and liberal provinces, which secured his victory in the race. Ultimately, Moreau won 139 district votes as opposed to Armitage, who finished second with 108. Cain Blackwater, who came in third, managed 80 votes.

The election result map of the 2020 election.

Presidency

Domestic Affairs

Cabinet confirmations

Moreau and the first three confirmations of his cabinet, Secretary of State Jessiah Vallotis, Secretary of the Treasury Mara Orlandi, and Secretary of Defense Camille Boffrand were confirmed by newly elected Speaker of the Chamber Natasha Chastain on September 23rd, 2020, at Congressional Hall in Tofino, Zian. Attending the innauguration were 3 of the 4 living former-Presidents Foley Sakzi, Zacharias Castovia, and Quinn Werner (Anya Bishop refused the invitation to attend). The four Presidents, for the first time in Zamastanian history, met together in the Zian Presidential Mansion to discuss policy, world events, and general fellowship between the former leaders.

Economy

Moreau intends to halve child poverty in Zamastan within a decade. In October 2020, Moreau announced the start of his government's flagship Families Package. Among its provisions, the package gradually increased paid parental leave to 26 weeks and paid Z$60-a-week to low and middle-income families with young children. In 2021, the government began the roll-out of a school lunches programme to assist in reducing child poverty numbers. Other efforts to reduce poverty have included an increase to main welfare benefits, expanding free doctor's visits, providing free menstrual hygiene products in schools and adding to state housing stock. Economically, Moreau's government has implemented steady increases to the country's minimum wage and introduced the Provincial Growth Fund to invest in rural infrastructure projects.

Secession Movements

On October 29th, 2020, the pro-secessionist Bettencourt Protests erupted across Mayotte and Aunistria as the independence parties such as Bloc Mayotte and the Separatist Alliance Party seized on the opportunity of Moreau's presidency to further their cause for independence. Moreau, who during the presidential campaign had promised not to endorse secession, prompted the governors of each province (Thomas Braitwhite, MA; Moses Ezekan, AN; Stephanie Mortez, AL) to hold their own referendums. This move, although popular in the provinces seeking independence, caused widespread outrage across the rest of the country. On December 4th, Mayotte overwhelmingly voted to secede from the republic, followed on December 6th by Alutia and Aunistria. Congressional Hall attempted to block their referendums, declaring them unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court of Zamastan intervened in Bettencourt v. Government of Zamastan and ruled in favor of the provinces in a 7-2 vote on December 12th, with Chief Justice Roosevelt Dunn citing "provincial rights and priviledge" as the reason for upholding the referendums.

The provinces, now headed for fully autonomous governments, remained Zamastanian dependencies for the remainder of the year. On January 1st, 2021, the three provinces formally became independent forming three new nations of Mayotte, Auraine, and Alutiana. The secession of the three provinces was widely regarded as Moreau's greatest failure in office, as Zamastan had never ceded territory in its entire existance, and the economy stagnated due to the separation of major metropolitan areas such as Blythe, Alutia, and Aucklandia.

Scandals

Berisgate

On October 27th, 2020, a Jade Tribune report revealed that then-Governor Moreau had paid a total of Z$5,460 in taxes over his entire ten years as Governor of Alutia from 2006 to 2016. According to the report, which obtained tax records for President Moreau and his political allies over two decades - President Moreau paid little to no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years. It added that the president was personally responsible for more than Z$300k in loans, which would come due in the next four years. It did not suggest President Moreau received any previously unknown income from Drambenburg or Zamastanian based companies, though it said that the president had earned some money from foreign sources, and records revealed "chronic losses and years of tax avoidance".

Speaker Natasha Chastain attacked Moreau publically, saying "this president appears to have over Z$300,000 in debt. To whom? Companies? Different countries? What is the leverage they have?" she asked, adding: "So for me, this is a national security question. The fact that you could have a sitting president who owes hundreds of thousands of dollars that he's personally guaranteed to lenders, and we don't know who these lenders are." Chastain also suggested that President Moreau may be indebted to the CEO's of big lender companies and even the Kaiser of Drambenburg, Peter XXI Wettin, whom Moreau has praised in the past.

The president accused the media of bringing up his taxes and "other nonsense with illegally obtained information & only bad intent" in a personal blog post, specifically citing the Tofino Times and the Jade Tribune of invasive journalism. He said he had "paid many hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes" but received tax credits as well. Responding to the accusations of losses, President Moreau added he had "very little debt" compared to the value of his assets.

President Moreau faced legal challenges prior to the presidency for refusing to share documents concerning his fortune and business. He was the first president since President Cassious Castovia in the 1980s not to make his tax returns public, though this is not required by law. The scandal, which became known as Berisgate after the tax firm Baris and Montpillier which Moreau utilized, drew comparison to the Delavian Bribery Scandal in which President Zacharias Castovia resigned over implications due to gifts he recieved while visiting a private island of a business associate, Tauren Delavian.

Foreign Affairs

Syraranto

In one of his first acts as President, Moreau met with Western Euronia Defense Alliance leaders in private on September 25th in Vongane, Quetana, for his first foreign trip to discuss possible intervention covertly to support the rebels, trying to avoid the overt risk of drawing an expanded conflict into Syraranto while also stopping any possible humanitarian disaster from evolving out of control. President Callum MacTavish of Ruskayn had urged Moreau to assemble routine relief supply missions to Syraranto to be airdropped into heavily affected rebel areas. Moreau and Secretary Vallotis arranged a meeting with North Icadanian Chancellor Gianni Roussilis and Vuswistani President Panagiotakis Nicolalis to use their airspace to fly sorties into Syraranto. From September 30th to October 6th, Zamastanian crews aboard Vuswistani planes flew over Syraranto from North Icadania and dropped over 400,000 tons of supplies; mostly food and medical, into Western Syraranto.

On October 10th, Defense Secretary Camille Boffrand was the target of a Kyriakos Tasoulas-sponsored assassination attempt while traveling in Vilanja, East Chanchajilla, leading to Moreau and his administration agreeing to station the 2nd Fleet to the Sotoa Sea as a warning to the Tasoulas regime and Great Epsilonian forces.

Tarijar Strait Crisis and Tervali Islands

On November 25th, 2020, Albarine was at the center of the Tarijar Strait Crisis, which arose after Drambenburg was granted access to build military bases in Buckingla and Zalluabed. Against the move, which Albarine saw as an affront to the safety of international shipping in the waterway (which was required for Drambenburgian naval warships to traverse to Buckingla), Albarine condemned all three nations with the backing of Emmiria. Zalluabed, in response, closed their embassy and consulate in Albarine and sent a naval detachment to the outskirts of Albarine territorial waters as a show of force. Zamastan, historically against Drambenburgian foreign endeavors and militarization, condemned the escalating tensions, but Moreau was criticized for taking nearly 5 days to make an official statement, in which time multiple freighter ships were seized by the Royal Zalluabed Navy.

A month following the initial incident, a Drambenburgian fighter jet was shot down over the Emmiria Sea under mysterious circumstances. Drambenburg once again plunged the region into crisis by sending a massive 200,000-man deployment to Leonrau, Qolaysia, at the requests of the country's military officials but against the requests of President Abiel Kennard, who called the manuever a "coup". Nearly every member in the Coalition of Crown Albatross, including Drambenburg-ally Beleroskov, Yuan, and the organizations of WEDA and CAMDA, denounced Drambenburg.

On January 12th, 2021, Prime Minister Benjamin Warren of Alecburgh and their military threatened Saint Croix and Bens, putting extreme tension on the 2021 Tregueux Leaders Summit which took place one day later. During the Summit, the government of the Tervali Islands was overthrown in a coup, causing even more diplomatic chaos.

Terrorism

Additionally at the September 25th WEDA conference, Moreau and the allied leaders discussed the ongoing threats from the terrorist group Al-Fijar, which days before the 2020 election had bombed Air Andaluni Flight 553, killing 178 people, and attempted to blow up a Durnstaal plane and a popular tourist spot in Viitaniemi, Caspia. Moreau instructed Zamastanian Intelligence Service director Kirk Faulkman to investigate and hunt down any suspected terrorists in as much secrecy as possible, working in tandem with the Central Intelligence Bureau of Durnstaal. On September 29th, Al-Fijar leader Mukhtar Babu Ubair was killed in an airstrike by a Z-14 Osprey in Haruya, Jaginistan. On October 4th, 2020, Isaam al-Koroma detonated a suicide car bomb at a popular shopping intersection in Kingston Neigborhood, Tofino, killing 13 people and injuring hundreds in the blast and subsequent building collapses as retaliation for the killing of Babu Ubair.

Yuan

Atticus Moreau and Xi Jingyi meet on April 1st in Shanghan, Yuan for the Xiannen Forum for Ausiana Annual Conference 2021

Upon assuming office, Moreau secured the release of Cairo Gough and several journalists following a prolonged detention by Yuan. Many saw this as a sign of better relations to come, but during Moreau's administration, tensions with Yuan increased dramatically on a diplomatic level while economic ties continued to strengthen regardless. The State Department of Zamastan labeled oppression and intervention in Pangchu and Dasmistan by Yuan as destructive, as well as labeling their detention camps of Pangchu Muslim minorities as "blatent human rights abuses". Yuan's foreign ministry sanctioned the chair and vice-chair of the Zamastanian government’s Advisory Commission on International Religious Freedom (ZCIRF), Matt Reiner and Valorie Besaja.

On April 1st, 2021, Atticus Moreau met with Yuaneze President Xi Jingyi in Shanghan, Yuan. Moreau expressed that the visit to Yuan reminded him of the history of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relationship facilitated by his predecessors. Speaking highly of the significant achievements Yuan has made for the past decades, he stated that he was "glad to see the continued development of its relations with Yuan in various areas including economy, trade, people-to-people and cultural exchanges." Moreau then sent shockwaves through the international community by leaving the conference and traveling to Pangchu, where he met with Prime Minister Mao Hanying. Moreau left several members of his delegation in Xiannen to continue attending the summit, including Secretary of State Jessiah Vallotis and Secretary of Commerce Remi Loup. "I can commit the resources of Zamastan to the Pangchu cause effectively today," Moreau said while in Pangchu, with Prime Minister Mao at his side in Shingzhan. "Yuan likes to bully. I'm not afraid to say that, and other countries shouldn't be afraid to say that either."

The Yuaneze government released a statement upon Moreau's unannounced departure from the Xiannen Summit, stating "we are severely disappointed in Mr. Moreau's conduct and his blatant disregard for formality in this conference, which is meant to show unity amongst countries despite differences. This is a major blow to the diplomatic relations of Yuan and Zamastan, and there will certainly be reprecussions."

Moreau repeatedly denounced the Global Economic Cooperation Initiative, Yuan's international infrastructure investment program which Moreau called an "attempt to take over influence in vulnurable countries." Moreau stated that the GECI was attempting to counter the Coalition Trade Organization and other regional organizations like the Trans Adula Free Commerce Agreement.

West Chanchajilla

See also: 2021 Chanchajilla War

In 2021, in response to dozens of arrests of West Chanchajillan diplomats abroad, Frederick Armbar initiated a series of terrorist attacks in East Chanchajilla, including an attack in Meguén that killed 76 people and an attack in Vilanja that killed 21. On February 23rd, the West Chanchajillan military launched a series of missile attacks across the Northwestern provinces in the cities of Turania, Nortagate, and Vilanja that killed 542 people and injured thousands. President Boer put the nation's military on high alert and undertook retaliatory airstrikes. The airstrikes soon progressed into a ground offensive, with East Chanchajillan forces advancing beyond the border and capturing the city of Omi within days.

Zamastan, who had intercepted and shot down dozens of West Chanchajillan missiles on February 23rd, resolved to help Eastern forces by conducting airstrikes on March 1st, a campaign which would last for the remainder of the conflict. Eastern officials stated on numerous occasions that the inclusion of Zamastanian air superiority resulted directly to the speed at which Eastern forces advanced throughout the country. Despite being stalled after capturing Omi, Eastern forces managed to break the resistance and force the Western forces into a strategic retreat to the capital of Ivora. On March 16th, the cities of Vicalvi, Anamosori, and Treviso were captured, as was the nuclear facility in Treviso. The fall of these cities, in addition to the capture of Accadia two days later, meant the capital of Ivora was surrounded completely.

On March 22nd, 2021, Parabocan forces joined the conflict following a treaty signed between President Garr'n Cardoza and President Boer. The offensive now targeted Ivora, with the intention to capture the city, locate and capture Frederick Armbar, and overthrow the government and military rule. On March 24th, Presidents Boer, Cardoza, and Atticus Moreau met in Vilanja to discuss establishing a new tri-national run interim government following the inevitable capture of the city. However, fighting lasted longer and became more brutal than anticipated in Ivora, with the seige lasting over a month. Armbar was killed on April 9th in a firefight, and Ivora fell on April 17th. On May 1st, major combat operations ended and became relegated to peacekeeping and moderating pockets of resistance.

The war resulted in the end of the tyrannical socialist rule in West Chanchajilla, with Frederick Armbar and his loyalists being pushed out of political power. The East Chanchajillan, Parabocan, Zamastanian, and Janapan governments helped organize a national referendum for a new National Assembly on August 4th, 2021, the first free elections that West Chanchajilla had ever experienced.