Several key Coalition cabinet ministers including the Prime Minister descended on Emajic on Sunday afternoon as part of an effort by the party to reset its campaign for the presidency. With election day now just six days away, senior government sources have been worried by the party’s perceived missteps. Stepping in to try and build momentum ahead of the weekend, Prime Minister Asta Dahn gave a rousing speech where she said “the future is ours to choose and that starts this time next week by electing Katrina Fischer the first female president of Polasciana and as the first Coalition head of state since 2007.” Joined by other colleagues, the rally is one of the biggest seen in a presidential campaign – with no less than 10 government and Coalition figures speaking throughout the afternoon.
But close aides to Ms Fischer claimed Ms Dahn, who led the Coalition to a majority in last years legislative elections, was ‘only hoping her star turn at the rally would stop her being blamed if the party polled badly next weekend’. Speaking off the record a source said “The Prime Minister has been nonexistent in this campaign and is turning up now to try and look like a white knight when things have appeared difficult. If we force the Unionists into a run-off, it won’t be because of the Prime Minister, it will be in spite of her lacklustre support for Katrina. It is the Governor’s hard work which will have paid off, not the Prime Ministers’ five minutes of fame.”
Party elders are still buoyant that Fischer can qualify for a run-off vote and prevent the Unionist candidate, Federal Council Leader Ivan Tattar, from gaining a majority in the first round to be held on Sunday. “The party has never performed that badly in a national election – it would be a real disaster if we were to not come second. I can’t see it happening. There were many who claimed that would happen in 2007 and in 2015 – but it didn’t. I think it is being overcooked by those with another agenda” said one party spokesperson. Others in the hall for the rally however were less hopeful and said the return to briefings and attacks had damaged the party’s standing in the country. Many also fear that mistakes by Coalition ministers – including the Foreign Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister – may have been fatal in propelling the party’s Nationalist challengers into a much more commanding position ahead of next weeks vote. Trying to enter the final week of the campaign with momentum, senior party figures attempted to motivate party activists and campaigners. “We can’t take our eye off the ball – we have to go out there for the next week and make the loudest, strongest case that we can. Now is not the time to give up – now is the time to fight for what we believe in” said Chimsk representative Evgeny Almarav – in one of the most surprising speeches of the event. Some have even suggested Mr Almarav may be called up to serve in the government following his speech which was praised by commentators and party supporters as ‘fresh’ and ‘convincing’.
Fischer is expected to use the rally to launch a final week of campaigning across the country – with the party attempting to shore up its voting base in her home state of Béspura, but also key voting states such as Yevcimir and Chimsk. The Unionists have been campaigning hard in both northern states hoping to extend their lead. The effect of the Nationalist vote in some northern states has also concerned both parties – who have tried to target different areas to ensure that the Nationalists did not have a clean-sweep of any key voting districts. Dahn will also undertake a state tour over the next week alongside other members of the cabinet.
