Davintharian Prime Minister Eva Stewart Gives First Winter Address of First Term

"Thank you all, thank you" began a smiling Eva Stewart, sporting a white sweater and blue jacket as she took the center podium, while the chamber applauded her and President Matthew Henderson shook her hand.

The Winter Address is a tradition in parliament, and dates back to 1698, when the Presidents of the first Davintharian Republic would address the assembled legislators and lay out his plans for the nation. 4 years ago, in 1920, Eva Stewart was the first woman in the entire time from then until now to take the honor of delivering the speech. Though this year many questions surrounded her speech - specifically as the nation faces it's greatest foreign affairs crisis in the form of the ongoing dispute with Hygessivini, as well as press allegations that the Prime Minister does not enjoy confidence in her Foreign Secretary, the leader of the Socialists Nathaniel Swan, one of her coalition partners.

The Prime Minister set out a progressive social agenda, which included providing free childcare services in every town and village in the nation for low income families by 1925, phasing out the last coal plants in the state of Rowe by the same year, and taking the final steps towards completely nationalizing Davintharian Railways, the national train operator, a policy move which her and the Socialists have been advocating for since her first term in office, though have failed to act on due to disagreements with the Green Party, the Prime Minister's other coalition partner.

"We must provide a more socially equitable Davintharia" proclaimed Stewart to the cheering audience and legislators. "We must provide the foundations for a stable and socially responsible community."

Some legislators were not sold on the measures, especially the Greens, who expressed dismay at the nationalization of the railway.

"The government should ensure the company uses completely electric railways before nationalizing the system, making the private sector pay for the environmental crisis they created, not the taxpayer." said Michelle Barnes, a Green MP for the Upper Davintharian Midlands. "people in my state don't want higher taxes to pay for a private sector mistake."

The Prime Minister then moved on to her foreign agenda, where policy hawks were looking for any sign of change on the Hygessivini front. To that end, they got what they wanted.

"We must say, once and for all, that we do not tolerate intolerance." Stewart said to a frozen chamber. "We must follow the suggestions of the Foreign Secretary, and follow our Arganorhan allies in introducing sanctions against Hygessivini to stand up for the rights of others across the world. Lets send a signal!"

The chamber, once in silent shock that the Prime Minister had changed her policy she had stood by for months, broke into applause. Most of all the Socialists, who had been advocating for sanctions or months.

She went on further to speak of the dangers of climate change, and her government's aim to make the nation carbon neutral by 1945, though many in the Greens called on her to take more drastic action, by pledging to move the date to 1935, something that Stewart in several interviews has refused to commit to.

Finally, she thanked the chamber, and called on work from not only the government, but the opposition and the non-aligned parties to craft multi partisan and fair policy for the nation.

"I think she made a clear cut case her new administration will be standing for social rights and international cooperation and justice" said Member of Parliament Keagen Royce of Hamilton. "I don't think anyone can say she is hiding from the issues now."

Socialist Party leader Nathaniel Swan also had praise for his boss.

"I am happy the Prime Minister headed my advice, and the advice of my staff, and agreed to move ahead on sanctions against Hygessivini." said Swan in the hallway. "We need to move on this as fast as possible as a government and show the world that Davintharia is a world leader and a team player."

Though not as kind words came from Savannah Harvard, the Green Party leader.

"Look" says Harvard "I think it was a good speech and a fine blueprint for the year ahead. I wish there were some more environmental policies in the speech, but just because they were not there does not mean the government will ignore climate. We must address it, we will address it."

Overall, Prime Minister Stewart claimed she thought the night went well.

"I want to clarify, my policy remains clear." she says "It has always been clear in each election I have ran in, each year I have been Prime Minister. I govern on the same principles: fairness, social justice, environmentalism, and a globalist foreign policy. If someone felt my speech did not speak to one of those issues enough, rest assured we will stay the course, we will persevere, and we will create policy for a better Davintharia than the one we inherited.