Chapter 376: Resignation
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Integrating Europe was extremely difficult for both Britain and France.
After the financial crisis, the EU had been torn apart. Even Britain had left the union. Would they be returning at this point in time? Would the UK feel embarra.s.sed?
There were 26 countries in the EU. Now, was it possible to let so many countries unify their standpoints, eliminate their internal differences and unite as one voice?
If Britain and France could comply and choose to remain undivided, it was difficult for the EU to not be given a veto with its strength as a whole.
As for Russia and India, the population of these two countries was surely enough, but their combined GDP was not even 8 trillion M-dollars. The mix would still be more than 12 trillion M-dollars away from achieving 20 trillion.
To establish a “voting league,” at least the countries with global GDP rankings from the twentieth to the 120th place would have to be brought together to acquire a veto. That would mean co-opting more than a hundred countries. Most certainly, if they allied with j.a.pan, Gorea, Husiky, Brazil and a few other middle powers and further bring in some 20 smaller countries, a veto could also be formed. Similar to another form of the European Union.
But everybody’s business is n.o.body’s business. Large groups could never accomplish big things. Even if two groups a.s.sembled for a veto, internal disagreements would still rise to take the wheel sooner or later and overwhelm the coalition’s overall interests.
In addition, countries with veto power would have to pay contributions to the Earth Federation equivalent to 1% of the country’s GDP while ordinary members would only have to pay 0.5%. This wasn’t a small amount of money, it was double the cost!
Therefore, countries that wanted to join the voting league would have to consider it clearly. Was it necessary to pay twice as much to enjoy the one-vote veto?
Needless to say, it was too difficult to reach a consensus with more than 30 countries. If one of the countries was bribed by a big country and became a turncoat, the alliance wouldn’t have to even think of accomplis.h.i.+ng anything big together. In short, there would be indefinite amounts of lethal points.
Britain, France, Russia, and India had, of course, spotted the hidden “scheme” lurking within.
Even so, the four countries still agreed on the solution in the end and joined the Earth Federation. Over the past few months, they’d been “biting the bullet.” Once the comprehensive sanctions dawned upon them, it would be too much for them to bear. It would be better for them to quit while they were ahead.
So, all countries and regions on Earth were included in the inst.i.tution known as the Earth Federation. A new federal era had arrived.
The year 20X1 was even named “Federal First Year.”
In June of 20X2, which was June of Federal Second Year, Lanfelord stepped down and retired from the position as the President of the M nation.
Out of his eight years in office, he had accomplished countless things that other presidents couldn’t. He’d led the M nation out of the debt crisis, reducing the debt of more than 28 trillion to 15 trillion. He’d completed medical reforms that reduced civilian medical fees by at least 70%. He’d realized a comprehensive ban on guns, collecting more than 300 million guns and reducing gun violence by 99%. He’d essentially eliminated drug crimes and forged a drug-free nation. He’d solved the refugee problem by transferring 5 million people to the Desert Free City. In the last year of his term, he’d initiated the establishment of the Earth Federation, leading earth into a brand-new era.
It would be incredible for an ordinary president to accomplish only one of these many noteworthy events during their term. They would be deserving of all praise and admiration. Lanfelord had nailed all of them within a short period of eight years! This was not within the ability of ordinary men. Even the term genius would seem inadequate. He was literally a “mortal G.o.d.”
He had an exalted reputation and more than 95% of public approval ratings. There were even people who had launched pet.i.tions seeking to amend the const.i.tution. They wished for an extension of the presidential term that would allow Lanfelord to stay in office for another few years. The number of pet.i.tioners had exceeded 50 million.
Netizens on the internet sang his praises.
Honestly speaking, to have a president like President Lanfelord is a one in a thousand years’ occurrence.
I dare to make a 100% bet that the next president in office, no matter who he might be, will not be able to accomplish even 1% of what Lanfelord did.
I once fiercely opposed Lanfelord. But now, I am supporting him enthusiastically because everything he does is for us.
Please stay for another eight years Mr. Lanfelord, I need you to continue to lead us.
I wish he could prolong his term indefinitely, staying in office for maybe another 10 or 20 years. I will feel relieved as long as he is the one in power.
I used to believe in the ballot. Now, I only believe in Lanfelord.
However, Lanfelord left the stage of power without any resentment. He could easily amend the const.i.tution and choose to stay for another two terms, but he didn’t.
“Even saints make mistakes,” he said. “And I am no saint. I wish to leave when people have the best memories of me instead of stepping down amidst upbraid and anger. This is the perfect curtain call I’ve always longed for.”
This discourse was so moving that even the two new candidates reverently stated, “We want to be a president like Lanfelord. If he considers re-election, we will be willing to give up the election and vote for him.”
Lanfelord had become a benchmark, but one that could only be admired and not surpa.s.sable.
One day, a few months after Lanfelord resigned, he suddenly disappeared without a trace and was nowhere to be found across the entire M nation. It triggered a field of panic. But even after digging three meters underground and issuing a global “search notice,” there was still no sign of him. Many M’s wept in agony. Where had the president they respected and admired gone to?
Years pa.s.sed, but the M’s feelings towards Lanfelord showed no sign of fading. On the contrary, the feelings intensified due to nostalgia.
Some companies in Hollywood seized this opportunity and launched a series of film and television works such as “The a.s.sa.s.sination of Lanfelord” and “Lanfelord Must Die” which revolved around the 1,587 a.s.sa.s.sination attempts that Lanfelord had experienced. The storylines showed how Lanfelord had fought with the a.s.sa.s.sins and how he’d escaped from death again and again.
After these works were launched, almost all their ratings exploded as they dominated over countless box office outlets. The franchises even became a super intellectual property, branching out into many other works. While some of them had bizarre contents that were not at all logical, they were still very well greeted on the market.
Many killers who partic.i.p.ated in Lanfelord’s a.s.sa.s.sination attempts had written memoirs like, “I Killed Lanfelord,””Firing at Lanfelord” and “The 1,888th Way to Kill Lanfelord,” vividly telling stories about the a.s.sa.s.sination attempts from their personal perspectives. Such books were actually selling quite well and had thus given birth to numerous best-selling authors. Some of their works were even adapted into films and television series.
It could be said that Lanfelord had become a legend, a popular cultural phenomenon and a hero and a saint in the minds of many. Even his disappearance had left behind ample s.p.a.ce for people to let their imaginations and admiration run wild.
“I am perhaps only one of two in this world who know about the brutal reality,” Chen Jin said as he shook his head.
He longed for a complete and honest life, but the truth would be better kept lying rotten beneath his heart.