The election for British Minister for Magic approached at a flobberworm’s pace before speeding down upon us with the polls opening at 7am this morning to close at midnight. By tomorrow morning we will have a new British Minister for Magic, though if it is Matthew Soo or Nigel Stormcrow is for the people to decide.
The tight race has left many political pundits within The Daily Prophet at a loss to determine who is further ahead in the opinion polls with many citing the future of the British Wizarding World at a crucial juncture that will be decided on this overcast day.
If you are like many amongst us, struggling to decide who to vote for, The Daily Prophet has broken down the most recent debates to help you better understand the candidates and what they stand for.
The Goblin Recession
Soo:
Diplomacy and communication were the buzzwords thrown around at the debate in regards to how the Ministry should handle the problem of the Goblin rebellion. Soo feels that Goblin and Wizarding Kind should work together to settle their differences and that in these trying times, force should be used by law enforcement and not desperate citizens
Stormcrow:
Echoing the sentiments of his competition, Nigel Stormcrow urged the public to move forward with the goblins rather than against them, however he also stated very clearly that the suffering of Wizarding Kind, because of the goblins, should be remedied “by any means.”
The Economy
Stormcrow:
There appears to be a vast difference of opinion in regards to the economy, Stormcrow has made his stance abundantly clear that he believes in putting “galleons in the pocket of the people, and not just big businesses.” The money stolen by the rebel Goblins should be found at all costs and restored to the public with a sense of urgency.
Soo:
Despite Stormcrow arguing that Soo does not care about the little people in the British Wizardingkind Community, Soo countered this explaining that in supporting big businesses he would look to trickle down economics to ensure the public have money. By supporting businesses, both big and small, they can expand and grow and make the economy strong and stable again by protecting the people.
Werewolves
Soo:
The werewolf portion of the debate was the most vague as it appears neither candidate wished to firmly set their stance however Soo stated he wished to revamp the Werewolf Registration Act to “protect both sides.”
Stormcrow:
With an equally vague stance, Stormcrow stated that work must be done to solidify the protections afforded with the Werewolf Registration Act.
Hogwarts
Soo:
Hogwarts has always been a thorn in the side of The Ministry of Magic, however Soo declared he wished to repair the bonds between Ministry and School and to make a clearer rapport between the two. He also stated that Hogwarts should not continue to be an ‘independent state’ and should be overseen by the Ministry.
Stormcrow:
With a more laissez faire approach, Stormcrow felt that the Ministry should oversee which teachers were employed by the school to ensure that a standard is kept, and then “leave them be”.
From the Public Questions
Soo:
It’s my plan to continue the work that is already going on in terms of minting our own currency. It isn’t a perfect solution, however it is the one we have. However, ideally, I would much rather work with goblinkind to push forward. It was the small minority what were responsible for our loss, not the majority as my opponent would have you believe. In the meantime, I believe a system is needed to be in place once more, bartering and the trade of goods and services have served us well in the past, has it not?
As for the other countries, I have already spoken to my share of foreign countries, Romania, Canada, Switzerland, Russia, and have worked out agreements to work together in forging a bright path for all of us into the future and building strong relationships. To those who would continue to oppose us, I would remind them that the leadership responsible no longer stands at the head and would request we be given a chance to builf new, stronger relationships.
Of course. We all remember the events in the past where the guiding hand of the Ministry instead became a choking one. It will be important to work with the Headmistress and the Hogwarts board to create a system of checks and balances. What I would primarily be proposing is a more regular review of the curriculum and the performance of Professors, we have had more than our fair share of failed OWLs and NEWTs in recent years. As well as an agreement regarding the safety of the students. We have had these before and they worked well, however as agreements have expired, tensions have only grown more. I am not petitioning for constant presence, rather cooperation and… accountability.
You must understand, when I say ‘citizens’, I mean our werewolf citizens as well. I do not mean to remove their protection, rather the opposite. I would see them more protected. Safe werewolves means safety for the community as a whole. I would see the werewolf protection services better funded and work with our inflicted citizens to better see to their needs. Unfortunately, wolfsbane is an incredibly expensive and difficult potion, one that quite a large amount is needed to have any effect. Even outside of the economic crisis, this wouldn’t be possible, however, we can work with employees to make their full moons more comfortable.
Stormcrow:
As hopeful as I had once been that minting our own currency would be a viable solution, it has now been months and it seems that the effort is simply stuck in the mud. We cannot continue on like this and action needs to be taken. However I must be clear that I do not support aggression toward goblins. The Wizengamot has ruled that goblins are still citizens and subject to Ministry law, and therefore the specific individual goblins responsible must be brought to justice. Mr Soo is incorrect in stating that I believe it is a majority of gobilns responsible. The use of goblin gold was built on a diplomatic agreement, and under the agreement it is still the right of Wizardkind to use said gold. It must be returned or there can be no further diplomacy.
Regarding our economics, I am in the unique position of holding an amicable relationship with MACUSA, and Germany, France, and Spain have already contacted me personally with their support as well. As you pointed out Ms Doharis, members of the international community hold us responsible for their woes, however taking a strong stance to resolve this crisis quickly has assuaged some of their fears. I believe if we can get our economy under control again, it will go a long way toward mending foreign relations, and providing opportunities for forging new ties.
To Ms Novelli’s question, unfortunately as Mr Soo stated, there is no way to provide wolfsbane in that amount. I do not believe the Werewolf Registration Act is lacking, however I believe there is room for improving how the Ministry is upholding the act. Werewolf protections are currently a very small portion of the Ministry budget and it is not out of the question to increase that budget to allow for better full moon facilities, supplies, and personnel.
