JEDI HoloNet

After an impressive seven years in office, Chief of State Tania Felthark has announced her intention to retire from the Senate by the end of the year.

The decision comes as a surprise to her supporters (an overwhelming majority of the senate) who had anticipated the former Secretary of State and long serving Senator to serve at least one more term as head of the Galactic Alliance.

Felthark made her intentions clear in a public address this morning during an official GA and Commonwealth meeting in Theed, Naboo;

I have been privileged to oversee much progress within the alliance, not least our growing commitment to ending injustice, galaxy wide. It has been an honour to have participated in so many successful diplomatic talks with our Commonwealth brothers and sisters, who have forged themselves new paths ahead while retaining the same ideals we cherish so much in the alliance.

However, in recent months my health has not been what it once was, and I wish to pass the torch on to the next elected representative to continue the work of Chief of State so that the momentum of progress and change can be maintained for years to come.

Neither Falthark or her press office have elaborated on what these health concerns may be, but the Chief of State went on to indicate that a diplomatic election must take precedence over an ‘in-house’ promotion that would see the Deputy Chief of State inherit the post in the event of Falthark’s death or debilitation.

Sufficed to say, the Senate chambers will now be a seething hotbed of debate and confusion, but Falthark insists that until the election takes place, things will be very much “business as usual”.

-272.08 Spencer Colditch (Ed) // GHN