A Winner at Last: After Lengthy Debate and Votes, Zhuang is New Leader

In this reporter's memory, there has never been a more exciting and scintillating debate in our Parliament than that of last Friday. Each party's best stood confidently on the stage, defending their views with forceful locution and impressive articulation. Nasser Siadat, the candidate from MEAP, certainly made an rhetorical impact with the opening of his speech, calling for “unity, unity, unity, unity, unity.”

Yet, even with the disparate views of each nominee, the candidates remained civil and cordial. Robert Forsberg, representing the TP, had a self-effacing and genuinely affected manner which helped him become the runner-up for leader of Parliament: “I don't have to win, but I really want that whoever does win be appropriate for the job,” he stated. “I don't think I'd be perfect, but I do think that I would be suitable.” Becky Kim, from ChiPet, echoed Forsberg's sentiment but was slightly more driven in emphasizing that she was the prime candidate. “Everyone here is really suitable,” she said, “but I think I can do the best job, get the most compromises, and pass the most bills for everyone.”

This year's debates for leader of Parliament had a new twist: the addition of a 6th party candidate for the first time in 34 years. The representative from the single-man entity known as the World Party of Petronia made a bold stand, claiming that “peace” ought to be the primary goal for all Petronians. He certainly captured the audience's attention with his speechifying via emphatic gesticulation and marked refusal to sit while speaking.

In the end, however, only one person could come out on top--though not without three agonizingly close runoff votes. That candidate was Dexter Zhuang, a strong speaker with a lengthy background in leading parliamentary proceedings. Zhuang took a different tack than the rest of the candidates, stating that “the most important thing to talk about isn't the issues, but the way we run meetings, since that's the most important thing for running a parliament.” Zhuang's message must have resonated with the electors, as he stayed in the runoffs to become the final victor.

The 98th session of the Petronian Parliament will officially convene today, July 21st, at 2 PM.

- EMILY MOLINE