CNS - Imperial Rheinland Rises

[Colony News Service]

	827 AS - Imperial Rheinland Rises
	827 AS - Cologne Falls to Hessian Invasion
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	827 AS - Plasmaball Hamburg Cup Cancelled by Conflict, Fans Riot
	827 AS - Nuremberg Internees Moved to New Berlin for Trial
	827 AS - Federalist Forces Vow to Fight to 'Restore Democracy'
	827 AS - Liberty Issues Sharp Warning on Status of Stuttgart Assets
	827 AS - Rheinland Plunges into Civil War

Imperial Rheinland Rises

NEW BERLIN - With the sector watching on in shock, it has become apparent that a military-backed coup has successfully toppled the previous Federal Government of Rheinland. Following weeks of open conflict in orbit and across Rheinland's planets, a new status quo has emerged from the gunsmoke and blood. While clashes between Imperial and Federal formations and militias remain commonplace, the capitol buildings on New Berlin, Hamburg and Stuttgart have all raised the Imperial banner. Earlier today, the admirals of the Rheinland Military formally recognised the legitimacy of the Imperial civilian government and reaffirmed their commitment to a renewed Rheinlandic state and democracy. While workplaces begin to reopen and a semblance of normalcy returns to the region's population centres, deep divisions remain apparent that are unlikely to be healed soon. Military and Police wrecks litter the trade lanes and orbital paths around Stuttgart, New Berlin and Frankfurt, providing stark testament to the ferocity of the ongoing fighting. The charred ruins of many of the Battleships Karlsruhe and Altenburg's support ships are emblematic of the deep fractures that split the Military once the Civil War began in earnest. Despite proclamations of victory, it is also clear that the fighting is far from over, with Frankfurt remaining a heavily contested system and access to Munich practically severed altogether. In its maiden speech, the Imperial Government announced its intention to "restore the pride and dignity of Rheinland" through a number of measures intended to tackle the House's endemic political and corporate corruption. Most controversial was the declaration that the titles of Empire and Emperor would be restored, with the restoration of the royal line of Empress Freidmann to the throne. The spokesman on New Berlin described the Emperor's role as a 'constitutional safeguard' to protect Rheinland's culture and way of life, and promised new elections once Federalist 'violent radicals' had been brought to justice. The revival of the Empire has drawn furious condemnation from the exiled Chancellor Neumann, who decried the move as a "treasonous" return to the "aristocratic oligarchy that caused the Popular Revolution". What the restoration of a Rheinlandic Empire will mean for neighbouring Houses also remains an open question. The Imperial Party had long campaigned on a populist platform of trade protectionism. This harkened back to the Old Empire's own policies, from which the party drew its name. This included strict prohibitions on foreign agricultural competition, and heavy restrictions on non-Rheinlandic corporations operating in New Berlin. While it is currently unclear to what extent the new government will enact these earlier promises, the Sirian financial markets have reacted with volatility to the uncertainty. Liberty has also issued a sharp warning cautioning against anticompetitive government interference in commercial affairs on Planet Stuttgart. Following the escape of the majority of the Federal government from New Berlin during the earliest days of the revolution, a powerful opposition has begun to coalesce in the Thuringia System. Operating from the fortress-world of Weimar, the Federal Government has reiterated that it still remains Rheinland's legitimate government, and will continue to fight against those it considers to be violent usurpers. The Imperial government has also confirmed that it considers the Federalists to be criminals to be brought to justice. It appears unlikely that there will be any peaceful resolution or reconciliation to the ongoing conflict. This ongoing diversion of resources from border security and policing has also resulted in an increase in pirate and terrorist activity across the region. Red Hessian forces have taken advantage of the chaos to evict the Bounty Hunter garrison of Cologne and seize the system for themselves. Confederal Gallic forces have already deployed to the system in response, and have advised that any Hessian forces approaching the newly completed Zurich jump gate will be fired upon. Rheinlandic officials have not yet commented on the Gallic incursion, but have blamed the Hessian's push on the Federal government's "underfunding" of security forces in the area.