The South Seas Gazette

[Heliseum]

The Troubles of the New Cabinet

After the elections, @KrisKringle was elected Prime Minister of The South Pacific. His term began on August 1st, the day in which he announced his nominations for Minister of Defense (MoD) and Minister of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).

Kris Kringle’s nominee for Minister of Defence is @Heliseum, a prominent member of the South Pacific Special Forces (SPSF), who was recently promoted to the rank of lieutenant by the Admiralty. The same day of the announcement, Heliseum published his extensive campaign/objectives for the term. In his post, he covered several plans for the SPSF, taking into account its currently depressing situation, despite the surge of activity in NS military gameplay. We’ll now cover some of the important points of his agenda:

First, Heliseum talks about making the SPSF a much more visible part of the TSP community as part of a new recruitment agenda for the organization. For this, he has suggested the following measures:
- Restart and improve the processing of SPSF applications.
- Restart the publication of public reports.
- Recruit actively by telegram.
- Possibly change the application method overall.
- Hold regular small-scale events in the TSP Discord server.

Secondly, the MoD nominee writes about the importance of training in a military organization, mentioning that to have a more active officer corps, which the SPSF certainly needs, is not a simple process in which more officers or admirals can be simply appointed to the Wardroom. Heliseum seeks to reduce the time any SPSF member would spend as a Cadet, the minimum rank, awarded when anyone joins the organization, by starting training to Ensign immediately upon joining the SPSF, which he proclaims can be done just by showing up to update. This is not the case for officer-level training, which requires more time and effort. Some of the approaches when it comes to training in the SPSF that Heliseum plans to do are:
- Conducting a personnel audit, to check who can be coaxed back into service, as well as trained further or promoted.
- Rewriting the training guides.
- Taking a more proactive approach to training.
- Exploring the possibility of hosting wargames and simulated operations, on our own or with allies.

Thirdly, Heliseum talks about the SPSF’s Military Culture, where he mentions his sadness about the essentially dead level of activity in the SPSF channels on Discord. He defends that the SPSF should be an engaging community to be in, where people are recognized for their work, and where a sense of camaraderie and pride is present among the members of the organization. To this effect, he plans to:
- Bring back the ribbons for month-to-month healthy competitive recognition.
- Recognize any significant milestones of each SPSF member.
- Recognize SPSF members for service in notable operations.
- Start a project to chronicle the history of the SPSF to possibly engage newcomers with retired veterans.

Finally, the last paragraphs about Heliseum’s agenda are dedicated to the Tidal Force, which is the part of the SPSF which has been consistently neglected the most for a very long time. The Tidal Force, as a reservist force, could be useful at times. That’s why Heliseum has planned to:
- Conduct a personnel audit to reactivate the Tidal Force.
- Construct a Tidal Force detagging apparatus to give those who can’t make the update a chance to participate in clearing the detagging backlog.
- Leverage the Tidal Force as pilers for the wargames and simulations mentioned previously.
- Appoint a reliable Tidal Force Coordinator.

After the publication of MoD nominee Heliseum’s agenda, discussion started. There was conversation about the possible modification of the ranks in the Tidal Force, as well as possible prizes for reaching certain milestones in the SPSF. Some asked if Heliseum was planning to feed the SPSF Cat. Others asked the MoD nominee about his thoughts about current TSP laws about the SPSF: the Military Code. Heliseum expressed his mixed feelings about said current laws, pointing out several points of failure the Military Code presents, but he claimed that fixing these laws will not expedite a revival of the SPSF, as other actions are needed beforehand.

Moving on to KrisKringle’s second nomination: @lordnwahs as MoFA. This nomination is technically, not a nomination, as LordNwahs was already MoFA before KrisKringle’s term began. This led to discussion about the necessity of having to vote for LordNwahs to be MoFA during KrisKringle’s term. Some said that the vote wasn’t necessary, as technically there is no change in office holders. Chair of the Assembly @Welly initially agreed with such point, but due to a call for a vote on LordNwahs’ appointment, his (re)appointment as MoFA was also put to a vote, with the main intention of reconfirming the Assembly’s trust in the minister.

Soon enough, on August 6th, both of KrisKringle’s designated ministers were voted on by the Assembly. In order for each appointment to pass, they require a majority greater than 50%. However, in this case, both appointments managed to get an approval of 100%, with no Nay votes. 36 people voted in this Cabinet confirmation voting. With this, Heliseum is TSP’s new Minister of Defense, and LordNwahs will keep being TSP’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

So far, KrisKringle’s Cabinet consists of two ministers. Previous Coalitions had at least three or more ministers, so it’s clear that some ministers are missing. In his cabinet appointments thread on the TSP forums, Kringle announced his open call for applications for Minister of Culture (MoC) and Minister of Integration (MoI). On August 6th, he made a post about it in the office of the cabinet thread.

KrisKringle hasn’t nominated anyone yet for these positions, so if any TSP citizen is interested, the applications still seem to be open. Finding people to nominate as ministers has been a relatively consistent problem for a long time in TSP, at least it’s what it seems. This is a problem that can be solved if more of TSP’s members participated in its politics, but how many south pacificans would want to be part of TSP’s Government? For all that we know, though, is that everyone in TSP is invited to take part in it.

Written by: @Vrigny

[ExquisiteGentleman]

I have an idea for a new article, maybe interview more nations about their favorite ice cream! And maybe actually important stuff like how the WA has more repeals than actual ideas for improving NS countries.

[Vrigny]

TSSG Schedule: Week of 2025-08-18

Monday, August 18th:
- An interview of the recently elected PM @KrisKringle by @Heliseum.

Wednesday, August 20th:
- A message from your doctor about the delegate transition lasting for more than four hours weeks by @Griffindor.
- A piece on the GA Working Paper by @Erstavik.

Friday, August 22nd:
- A weekly puzzle by @Heliseum

[Vrigny]

An Interview with Newly-Elected PM Kris Kringle

@Heliseum

I like to start these things out with something kind of broad, so, how are you feeling after your first week in office?

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@KrisKringle

It’s definitely a challenge to step into executive work after so many years of judicial work but I’m taking things little by little. I mainly feel excited about things to come, particularly once we finish appointing the Cabinet.

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@Heliseum

This election season felt particularly dramatic to a lot of people. Do you have any lingering concerns about what it may mean for this term or future elections?

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@KrisKringle

I don’t have any existential concerns. I know campaigns can get heated but I have no reason to think that any issues cannot be resolved through our democratic process as long as we all approach them in good faith. It is true that there were spirited debates about the role of RON in our elections and more broadly there were debates about the relative merits of electing newcomers or more established figures, but at the end of the day I think it’s good that those debates were had and I want to think that the end result was a strengthening of our democratic values, with citizens seeing that we could debate and have disagreements yet still peacefully elect our government officials.

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@Heliseum

What inspired you to throw your hat into the ring and run for Prime Minister?

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@KrisKringle

There are mainly two reasons. First, after I had been nominated and consulted people the point was made that I was reasonably qualified and that I already had ideas on how the government should work, so I might as well run on a platform of doing the things I’d been proposing for so long. I knew that I cared a lot about the South Pacific and had ideas on how to make things better, so this seemed entirely sensible to me.
Second, I had been going through some stressful times at my real life work and this felt like something I could do for myself, that I could do because I enjoyed it and not because it was expected of me. I really enjoyed making my case before the region and trying to explain why I was the right fit for Prime Minister, so even if I had lost the election I feel this would’ve been the right call.

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@Heliseum

People know you largely as a longstanding member of the High Court, with which you just celebrated your eighth year of service. How do you feel your time in the court informs your term as PM?

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@KrisKringle

The work in the High Court is always collaborative by necessity and that same style is one that I want to keep as Prime Minister. I will often need to make final calls but within the realm of what’s possible I want to ensure that I involve ministers and (when they are appointed) deputy ministers in the decision making process so decisions are made as a Cabinet rather than imposed by me.

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@Heliseum

The last time you held high executive office was your term as Delegate in 2014. How different does leading the Coalition feel now from then?

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@KrisKringle

It’s definitely a bit of a daunting prospect. This time I ran directly for Prime Minister rather than working my way up as I did back in 2014, and back then everyone was either of my own generation or older whereas now I’m the oldest but also comparatively less experienced in current affairs. Still, I think the core skills remain the same and what matters is to form a capable team that can work together toward a common goal, which is what I intend to do.

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@Heliseum

Some people were concerned about your relative lack of involvement in the realms of foreign and military affairs. What is your strategy for taking on those parts of your duties?

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@KrisKringle

I intend to rely on the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence, as well as the FA Council and the Admiralty, so that I can have a breadth of opinions with which to consider any given situation.

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@Heliseum

A few days ago, you issued an open call for applicants interested in serving as Minister of Culture and Minister of Integration. Can you talk a little bit about that decision?

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@KrisKringle

Both culture and integration were central points of my campaign. I ran on bolstering the regional culture and having an integrated approach that complemented recruitment with a clear roadmap for how to get people to participate in regional affairs once they join. To that end, and following discussions with my predecessor and the Cabinet, I decided that the fairest approach would be to openly invite citizens to apply for both positions; that way I would not limit myself to people I knew already to the detriment of someone who may not have been on my radar and yet be highly skilled.

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@Heliseum

As a follow up to the last question, what qualities are you looking for in a potential Minister of Culture or Integration?

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@KrisKringle

I’m looking for someone who isn’t satisfied with the status quo, who can work with me to set an agenda, and who can assemble a team, however large or small, to deliver on that agenda. I outlined a vision in my campaign and I’d like to work with someone who shares that vision and who has the drive to deliver on it month after month.

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@Heliseum

Are there any priorities of the term that have come up since you took office, or didn’t make your campaign thread?

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@KrisKringle

I wouldn’t say anything critical has come up. We inherited an ongoing discussion on how we would address Commend Onderkelkia, which was a clear reminder that there is always work that arises even if you didn’t have it on the initial agenda, but we address them as they arise.

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@Heliseum

If you could send a message to the citizens of TSP or foreign powers that might be watching about what your term as PM means for the region, what would you say?

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@KrisKringle

I can’t promise that change will be immediate but I do promise that I’ll work as best I can to assemble a good team, set clear goals, and finish the term with a region that is well on its way to a healthier, stronger, more fun culture, worthy of our erstwhile title as “the party region”.

Written by: @Heliseum

[Vrigny]

General Assembly overhaul proposed in “General Assembly 2026: Working Paper”

2025 has been a turbulent year for the General Assembly. National Sovereigntists have gained ground, Separatist Peoples was stood down, and GenSec resigned. Adding to the uncertainty, NationStates M/A on July 24 released a working paper outlining sweeping changes to the GA. The proposals have drawn a mixed response.

The proposals

The Working Paper outlines six proposed changes to how the General Assembly functions.

• Proposal One would reset the General Assembly by archiving all existing resolutions. That would create a blank slate for rebuilding international law from the ground up.

• Proposal Two would simplify the rules for drafting and submitting proposals. NationStates M/A say the current ruleset is too complex and discourages new authors. Under the plan, the rules would be streamlined and enforced by the site’s moderation team, rather than by a player run GenSec.

• Proposal Three would establish a WA Secretariat, a group of elected members empowered to post voting recommendations directly on at-vote resolution pages, to make GA debates and context more accessible to all players. Elections would be held every six months, with the candidate receiving the most votes becoming the Secretary-General.

• Proposal Four aims to encourage more roleplay on the GA forum, though details of how that would be achieved remain under discussion.

• Proposal Five would replace the rigid category-based system for GA resolutions with bespoke statistical effects tailored to each proposal. A dedicated team would design these effects once a proposal reaches quorum, enabling more accurate, nuanced outcomes, such as enabling specific nation policies, and improving transparency through a new page showing recent stat changes from resolutions.

• Proposal Six would modernize the World Assembly user interface by making it easier to search, filter, and navigate resolutions, while better integrating in-game content with forum discussions and dispatches.

The timeline

NationStates M/A is seeking player feedback on the proposals through August and September. Internal discussions are expected to follow, with a final decision scheduled for November. If adopted, the changes would be rolled out between December and June.

Mixed reactions

The proposals have drawn mixed reactions. Proposals Five and Six have been broadly welcomed. Proposals One and Two, however, have stirred some of the strongest debate.

Proposal One would archive all existing resolutions, giving the General Assembly a blank slate. Critics say the move would erase 17 years of accumulated work, spanning different eras of NationStates history. Supporters, including NationStates M/A and several players, counter that with nearly 800 resolutions already in force, authors struggle to find new topics without contradicting earlier law.

Proposal Two seeks to simplify the rules for drafting and submitting proposals, a point of discussion in the GA community for years. Critics argue that simplification would undercut a key element of gameplay, the challenge of reconciling new resolutions with the vast body of law already in place. Some say the problem is not the rules themselves, but the sheer number of resolutions, which creates the appearance of complexity.

Another concern is enforcement. Under the proposal, moderators would take over the role previously held by GenSec, a community run group of volunteers that enforced the GA ruleset. Several players argue this would weaken the GA’s player driven character. The entire GenSec resigned in May after NationStates M/A stood down Separatist Peoples, one of its members. Since then, moderators have been enforcing and revising the ruleset. Proposal Two would make that arrangement permanent.

NationStates M/A have defended the change, arguing that the rules are too complex and that the duplication and contradiction rules require “encyclopedic knowledge” of hundreds of past resolutions. They say lowering the barrier would allow new authors to take part more easily in the GA.

OWL’s response

The Office of World Assembly Legislation (OWL) has not yet taken a position on the proposed changes. Instead, it plans to hold a public consultation with South Pacificans to gather opinions. That feedback will form the basis of OWL’s official stance, which will then be communicated to NationStates M/A.

OWL Director @Erstavik, who is also the author of this article, said he is personally broadly supportive of the changes, including Proposal One. He added, however, that he would prefer the rules remain enforced by a community driven GenSec rather than by the moderation team.

Written by: OWL Director @Erstavik

[Vrigny]

Three Weeks Too Long: An Outgoing Leader’s Plea

Let’s be honest. Delegate transitions are supposed to be smooth. Predictable. Efficient. A handshake. A nod. The office changes hands. Done.

But here we are. Three weeks in. And still. Nothing.

My successor, @ProfessorHenn, is working hard, of course. PMing. DMing. Telegramming. Crossing t’s. Dotting i’s. Gathering endorsements. But let’s call it what it is: this is about to start taking far too long. And yes, members of the region, I’m looking at you. You are the ones holding us hostage and in bondage. You are the ones dragging your feet. You are the ones keeping us all in suspended, uncomfortable anticipation.

Patience, I know, is a virtue. Careful deliberation is admirable. But three weeks? Three weeks of waiting. Watching, hoping, not knowing. This is not patience. This is torture.

To my successor: keep going. Keep hustling. Take bold steps. Be visible. Send unsolicited DMs, PMs, and Telegrams. Gather endorsements. Claim what’s yours… what the region gave you. But to the members of the region: stop teasing. Stop holding back. Give your endorsements to @ProfessorHenn. Push the button. Help finish this.

Because here’s the truth, and it’s going to make you squirm: transitions are not meant to last forever. And if this “moment” lasts longer than four hours, consult your doctor. But don’t worry — in our case, it’s only been over three weeks. Three agonizing, slow, frustrating, suspense-filled weeks. Long enough to drive anyone a little insane, I guess, at least until the fourth week begins… then we all will lose it!

So yes, take your time. Be thoughtful. Be thorough. Be strategic. But for heaven’s sake… finish already. End the anticipation. Complete the handover. Let us move on

Leadership, like life, and, yes, like those unforgettable commercials, works best when anticipation ends in satisfaction. And right now? The anticipation is cruel

Members of the region, I am on my knees pleading with you: act. Decide. End this drawn-out suspense. Because every day we wait, every day this handover drags on, it becomes more uncomfortable, more ridiculous, more… unbearable.

Do not make me wait any longer. Three weeks is more than enough. Help us finish.

Written by: Outgoing-Delegate @Griffindor

[Vrigny]

Conway’s Game of Mines

Two games are better than one! Here at Conway’s Game of Mines, we allow many generations of our mines to live within the confines of their fields. … Oh, you’re looking for a word? Well, numbers are letters, aren’t they?

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Written by: @Heliseum