HNS 2025 Prime Ministerial Debate

Bob Köskinen (Moderator) - “Hello my fellow Hubdovans and welcome to the 2025 Prime Ministerial Debate! We will be debating a couple of issues that are plaguing our nation right now to see what each of the candidates has plans for these problems if they are elected into office. I’m pretty sure you know these people by now, but here they are! We have Otso Erkkilä - the incumbent that is part of the Hubdova1st party, Emelie Salo - the relatively new Greens party member, and Kristofer Heikkinen - the more experienced candidate that's part of the People’s Social Party.”

“We will be covering the following topics in today’s debate: Climate Change and Social Issues. Each candidate will be given a set amount of time to speak about the topic, then the mic will be switched to the next candidate. After all three candidates have spoken, they will have the chance to debate it between themselves. Now, enough of my talk, let's bring up our first topic of discussion: Climate Change.”

Otso, you may begin your speech on this topic.

Otso Erkkilä - “Thank you Mr. Köskinen. I think while I was in office, I did a superb job at combating the climate crisis here in Hubdova. But quite frankly, I don’t believe the climate crisis is Hubdova’s problem. We only emit only about 5% of Telrova’s carbon after all. Other nations emit lots more carbon than we do and they don’t seem to care about the environment at all. It is just a huge waste of money that does no good for Hubdova. That is all from me.”

Bob Köskinen - “Thank you Osto. Okay, now to Miss. Salo.”

Emelie Salo - Thanks, Bob! As a new member of the Greens party, I have to extend my thanks to my fellow party members for getting me to this place in Hubdovan politics. Now, to my plans regarding the pressing issue of climate change. We should be putting this at the front of Hubdovan politics, this is the future of Hubdova and the entire world. If we do nothing, the temperatures will rise, the ice caps in the Arctic and the Antartic will melt, sea levels will rise, and our cities along the coasts will flood and perish. From the amazing nightlife of La Ardu, to the parliament houses of Arcadia, to the stunning beaches of Nesmour, it’ll all be gone if we don’t do anything now. I shall implement plans to shut down the harmful Riverforce Industries coal mines in the Nicoshire Mountains and replace them with environmentally friendly geothermal plants. I also will unveil a plan to ease out fossil-fuel-powered vehicles by 2035, ten years from now. That is all from me at the moment. Back to you, Bob!

Bob Köskinen - Thanks Emelie! Now to Mr. Heikkinen.

Kristofer Heikknen - It is a pleasure, Bob. Now, many of you have probably seen me around since I've been in Hubdovan politics for quite a while now. I’m taking a similar stance on what Miss. Salo said about climate change that it is our most pressing issue at the moment and we need to focus the majority of our time and resources on defeating it. Now, I’m going to set a more achievable goal on phasing out fossil fuel-powered vehicles which would be 2045, twenty years from now. To make up for this long amount of time, the phasing out won’t be for just cars or trucks, it will be for everything: cars, trucks, factories, planes, trains, anything that uses fossil fuels to operate. I will also start building clean energy-producing plants like a massive, offshore wind farm to power towns and cities off the coast of Aväthäe. It will cost quite a bit, but it is worth it if it means saving our country in the future. That is all.

Bob Köskinen - Thank you Kristofer for your speech. Now, for the debating on what we just talked about: Climate change. The one rule here is the candidates cannot interrupt each other when the other is speaking. This rule is to be referred to as “Rule #1”. We also need to stay on topic. Otso, you may begin.

Otso Erkkilä - Thank you Bob. To start, I’d like to defend my statement by saying that climate change is not Hubdova’s problem, it's the few Telrovan countries that are just making treaties among themselves, leaving everyone else out to fend for themselves. Name me one country, just one, that has offered to help in the climate crisis.

Kristofer Heikkinen - That's correct, no one has come forward to help us fend off the climate crisis, but that doesn’t mean we should just forget about it. That means we need to take our place in the international community and set an example for other nations to follow. To be more inclusive. To make it less like a popularity contest and more like a grouping to further development in Telrova, not just in combating climate change, but also in social development and helping poorer nations get on the right track.

Emelie Salo - Yeah, I agree with Kristofer on this one.

Osto Erkkilä - Yeah, but why does it have to be us though. We are nowhere close to being the strongest nation on Telrova, why don’t one of them set an example since they have more influence.

Kristofer Heikkinen - Just because we aren't one of the strongest doesn’t mean it won’t work. Sometimes what is needed is only a small force to set the ball rolling. We shall take the opportunity to present ourselves as a valuable asset in the international community.

Bob Köskinen - Can we get the conversation back on the focus of climate change, please? Let's talk about plans to combat climate change, or lack thereof, now.

Otso Erkkilä - Yeah, no, I don’t have any plans on shutting down all the “non-eco-friendly” plants and getting rid of jobs and crippling the Hubdovan economy, I’m not up for that.

Emelie Salo - It won’t cripple the economy if you do it right. If you get rid of the coal and natural gas industry jobs, then you must open up jobs in other sectors such as geothermal, solar, wind, etc. It’ll also get the workers out of those dangerous coal mines and save their lungs from “Black Lung Disease” which is caused by the inhaling of coal dust down in those mines. They’ll also make more money working as engineers and servicemen for the new clean energy solutions than they do working in the mines.

Kristofer Heikkinen: I think Emelie has the right idea here, I agree. Quite logical.

Otso Erkkilä - Yeah, but you’ll have to educate the former-miners in the ways of engineering and all that. That takes a while. It won’t come instantly you know.

Emelie Salo - I see your point, but, you see, I have a plan. As we educate these miners, we will build the clean energy plants for them to work in so we can do two things at once, kill two birds with one stone, as they say.

Otso Erkkilä - Yeah, but where are we going to get our energy when we’re building these fancy new power plants and educating these workers. They’ll be too busy to create energy from coal and go to university at the same time.

Emelie Salo - Good point, we’ll just have to import energy from neighbouring countries for the time being.

Otso Erkkilä - And that right there is why this is a bad idea. For one, you’re just making it up on the spot, and two, it’ll make us rely on our neighbours and be susceptible to control since they may threaten to turn off the power if we don’t meet their demands.

Kristofer Heikkinen - Hey, I got an idea, what if we just turn on the old nuclear power plants that are just sittin’ around? They aren’t doing anything useful. Just use them while we’re building the new eco-friendly power solutions and educating the miners.

Otso Erkkilä - No! Why the hell would we do that?! Those things are very dangerous by themselves, glossing over the fact that they are, like, thirty years old. They have a high chance of a meltdown. That's the last thing we need at the moment.

Emelie Salo - It pains me to say, I have to agree with Mr. Erkkilä with this. These plants are just so old, you don’t know what would happen.

Kristofer Heikkinen - So, essentially, what you’re saying is that you don’t trust Hubdovan engineering? That does not seem like the person who should be running for Prime Minister if I’m gonna be honest.

Emelie Salo - It's not that we don’t trust Hubdovan engineering, it's just too much of a risk to turn those back on. Hubdovan engineering or not, it just can’t be trusted.

Kristofer Heikkinen - Alrighty then, suit yourself. We’ll let the voters decide for themselves.

Bob Köskinen - Okay then, that seems like that’s going to be the end of that. That would mean that we will move on to the next topic of discussion: Social Issues. This will include topics on the social wellbeing of the common Hubdovan citizen and the economy. We’ll go in the opposite order than we did last time, so we’ll start with Kristofer Heikkinen. You may begin.

Kristofer Heikkinen - Thank you Bob. Since the economy itself is running quite smoothly at the moment, I have no plans at the moment for changing the economic situation, unless it crashes. Now, I have planned the biggest welfare plan that has ever been proposed by the government. In this plan, all Hubdovan families, no matter what race, that have a salary below ⳩30,000 will be given the opportunity for major welfare bonuses. These will include free government housing, a government-provided mobile communication device, two basic meals per day, and many more. Now, as a heads up, these services are going to be very basic. They will not be anywhere close to the quality to the ones found in stores, but it’ll be better than nothin’. Also, I plan on creating a UBI programme, a national healthcare programme, and many similar things. Other than that, that’s all I have to say.

Bob Köskinen - Thank you Mr. Heikkinen. Emelie, your turn to discuss.

Emelie Salo - Thanks, Bob! I don’t plan on doing anything with the current economy since it’s already running well. I plan on increasing pensions to employees and giving elderly folks more welfare and support because of all the great things they did for our nation in the past decades. Other than that I have nothing else planned. Back to you Sir Bob!

Bob Köskinen - Please, don’t call me that, but thank you for your speech. Mr. Errkilä, you may start on yours.

Otso Errkilä - Thank you Mr. Köskinen. As an incumbent Prime Minister, I feel like the welfare, economy, and other social issues are already the best they need to be. I’ve already perfected them to best suit the people of Hubdova. I have nothing else to add because I'm not going to change anything. I’m done.

Bob Köskinen - Okay then Otso, thank you. Now, for the debating. As with last time, We are to follow “Rule #1” and stay on the topic of social issues. Let’s begin.

Otso Errkilä - I’ll start. First off, I’d just like to ask, Kristofer, what the f**k do you think you are doing?!

Emelie Salo - Woah, okay there, jeez, harsh.

Bob Köskinen - Otso, do not insult the other candidates, do it again and you’ll be removed from the debate.

Otso Errkilä - Okay, sorry. But to continue, Kristofer, you’ll ruin the entire economy and we’ll be in lots of heavy debt if you do this. Also, the more welfare you just “give out”, the fewer people will spend on things such as insurance and private healthcare. The idea of the free market will just cease to exist and Hubdova will fall into chaos.

Kristofer Heikkinen - As I said before, this is not a welfare plan for everyone, this is just for people who have an annual income ⳩30,000 or less. I’m pretty sure that that won’t be enough to single-handedly take down the entire Hubdovan economy, as you claim, since most people earn more than ⳩30,000.

Otso Errkilä - Yeah, but what about the UBI and the international healthcare programme? That in conjunction with your insane welfare plan should be enough to bring down the economy.

Kristofer Heikkinen - I think you’re just underestimating the Hubdovan economy.

Otso Errkilä - Yeah, sure I am, whatever…

Bob Köskinen - Okay then, I guess we’re done then, that was quick. With that ends this debate! Thank you for watching HNS and I hope you enjoyed the programme or at least learned something. I wish you all well in the upcoming election and good night.