Saber

Saber is a Dogger politician, former Prime Minister, former leader of the Liberal Party, former Senator, Member of the National Assembly of Doggerland, and Legal Councillors. He has also served in numerous ministerial posts, being one of the longest serving government ministers in Dogger politics. He previously served as the Mayor of Leestrom between 2008 to 2020. He was the second Liberal Prime Minister after Triangle, and was the Leader of the Opposition. He later founded the Grand National Caucus and became a member of the Action Alliance PAC. As part of his projects for retirement from LP leadership he created the The National Beholder with several journalists. Saber remains a key adviser to the Liberal Party and was titled 'Emeritus Liberal' by his successor Baal Moss. Saber is also responsible for having created the United Health System, and prior to the first Civic-Progressive government much of Doggerland's welfare state.

Although he presided over divisive periods in Dogger political history, his legacy has had an overall positive outlook by both Dogger politicians and society. His prominence in restructuring Doggerland's cabinet to be more efficient and clear has been praised, while his role in creating a Pardonite method of handling cabinet has become a standard for subsequent Prime Ministers. Saber's record as a legislator is also highly praised with most bills passing with large majorities, having set up the functionalities of governance, legislation, policing, and welfare. Despite his short tenure as Prime Minister, Saber is often considered one of the best Prime Ministers of Doggerland, and consistently held high approval ratings.

Early life
Saber was born in 1964 in Port Nandels, Brun-Nord to a Korean-English agnostic liberal family. His ancestry dates back to protestant Spanish immigrants in 1500 hence his surname, however, he is only referred to by his first name Saber. He also has part Dutch ancestry. His Korean heritage begins in 1901 when in order to flee Japanese colonialism in Korea his ancestors fled across Asia to Europe and eventually settled in Doggerland.

His family had a strong tradition of working in agriculture with his father briefly working in agriculture in the family cabbage farm. However, his father moved to Port Nandels in the 1930s to become an author, it was there his father met his mother who was working in the civil service. This led to Saber frequently visiting the family farm in the Bergplet municipality in Brun-Nord and gained moderate knowledge of agricultural affairs. Growing up, however, Saber would have a higher interest in intellectual discussion and literature being inspired by his father's profession.

Saber showed early proficiency in debate and politics, famously winning debate competitions in sides which many expected he would lose. He would also gain a reputation for a boisterous attitude during debates proving himself as a skilled orator. He also voraciously studied and read history writing several papers that were recommended for commendation. Though not excelling in grades Saber was considered an intellectual by many of his teachers. He graduated high school in 1982 and attended the University of Carabou obtaining an LLB degree and graduating in 1986. It was during his tenure at university that he met his wife and married her after they both graduated.

Prosecutorial career
After obtaining an LLB degree Saber began working as a prosecutor in Nandels Port first being tasked with assisting on cases involving splinter groups of the Brink crime family. In initial months he simply assisted more senior prosecutors, but gradually his efficiency in organising evidence and developing arguments to obtain convictions led to him being made lead prosecutor on many cases.

Brink crime family

In 1987 Saber was assigned as a lead prosecutor during a coordinated effort to take down multiple splinter groups and low ranking members of the Brink crime family. His team was ruthlessly gaining convictions against lieutenants and distributors of narcotics. He would later join a multi-pronged effort with police to sever communication between various groups under control of the Brink crime family disrupting their efforts.

Between 1988 and 1990, his efforts continued against the Brinks to ensure that its decline continued aggressively pursuing splinters and low-level groups. When journalists asked him what his task officially was he said "we tidy up the surroundings so the main group can focus on the big guys". In 1990 Saber was the target of an assassination attempt by a Brink soldier, however, the assassin's gun jammed and Saber punched the assassin in the face.

Dråbenfjord murders

In 1991, he was assigned to assist in investigating the murder of 3 persons in Dråbenfjord and successfully caught the suspect with local police. When asked as to why he was assigned to such a remote case he explained that it was because he fell out of favour of senior officials after being a consistent voice for prosecutorial reform. He also explained that the experience of investigating was his most hellish experience as he was only able to sleep 4 hours a day to go over evidence and profiles, but his success in catching the suspect made it worth it. The trial itself would also go in Saber's favour winning a conviction.

Anti-corruption efforts

In 1992, Saber was tasked with investigating government officials as part of a wide-ranging anti-corruption efforts to clean up remnants of the corruption resulted from Brink activities. His team would join in investigating and arresting 31 corrupt government officials. The coordinated effort as a whole led to more than a hundred corrupt government officials being arrested. These efforts were considered to have played a key role in the decline of the Brink crime family.

Human rights lawyer
In 1992 Saber became a lawyer he worked across not just Doggerland but Europe to help fight for social justice and defend those who couldn't afford counsel. He focused mainly on defending the disenfranchised but at times joined counsel for several businesses which he said was necessary to bolster his finances. A famous case was when he successfully acquitted a police officer who used his firearm to disable a suspect to protect his partner, and another case when he won a sexual harassment conviction for a client who was a victim. He later advocated for labour rights and advocated for anti-corruption measures.

Early political career
In 2001, he once again retired from his profession to pursue a career in politics by first working in various councils and government institutions. He also frequently joined in protests for workers' rights and rallies to fight against legal injustices.

In 2002, he worked primarily in Leestrom. He was invited in 2004 by the central government to help run a panel for legal reforms across the country. He first decided not to join any political party but was closely affiliated with the Liberal Party due to his personal ideologies. His first experience in being elected was when he became a member of the Leestrom city council in 2006 during a by-election, however, he was still an independent although he would caucus with the Liberal Party. His victory in the by-election was considered a major upset as he was a relative newcomer to the city compared to his opponent, however, his oratory skills and reputation made him win by a narrow margin.

First term
Saber retired from his seat in 2008 to run for mayor of Leestrom in the 2008 Leestrom mayoral election, and after being endorsed by the Liberal Party and several independents he won by a narrow 51.41% in the runoff. The election was tense and controversial as Thomas Lloyd the incumbent was popular and was seen as more native to the city, but Saber still ran an expert campaign of portraying himself as a more competent figure and outperformed Lloyd in debates. He also noticeably utilised populist tactics rallying voters to turn against a left-wing mayoral administration.

His tenure as mayor was marked with popularity as he improved and increased access to public transport and made the welfare programme more comprehensive for the elderly and youth. Another signature policy was the construction of public housing to curb rising real estate prices. This project was credited with avoiding a potential real estate crisis averting unaffordable prices. Leestrom's debt was also eliminated after major changes to the city's fiscal planning was made. Soon after, in 2011 he undertook a massive redevelopment project across each areas of the city.

In 2010, Saber oversaw what was a continued reorganisation of the city's welfare, expanding it but also keeping costs low by prematurely investing in human development. He ensured mandatory accident insurance for construction workers, and initiated a support programme for postpartum care for mothers and fathers.

One of his greatest projects in his first term was the "Leestrom City Sharing Project" which involved the expanding of Leestrom's infrastructure and technological knowledge to develop other areas. This involved helping invest in agricultural technology in surrounding farms to boost the inflow of agricultural products into Leestrom. Saber subsequently developed close relations with other agrarian groups in the region. He also helped in the creation of agricultural cooperatives across Zuibete. This shared development also ensured that human development also improved in both the city and vcinity across the city.

Another key policy of his first term as mayor was improving security and safety in the city. He did this by ordering an increase in installation of more streetlights and ordering a renovation of public facilities.

Second term
In 2012 he ran again and won with an increased majority of 55.11%, however, the Liberals in the city council lost their majority which marked decreased cooperation and productivity. The loss was credited to how although Saber himself was a famous mayor, the city's residents were still yet to fully transition to being liberal voters resulting in close races. He still remained popular implementing a youth dividend where budget surpluses would be used as dividends for students aged 18 to 22 between 2012-2014. Leestrom Cultural District was also established in 2015 creating a shopping street, department stores, coffeehouses, and restaurants. The district was designated a no-smoking zone in early 2016, and remains a consistently high source of revenue for the city and a tourist attraction for the both Doggers and foreigners. This project was credited with being a major boost in Leestrom's tourism. His second term also saw him working closely with local trade unions, working together to draft workplace safety guidelines and negotiating regulations on both businesses and unions.

His most major project, however, was considered the entire restructuring of the public transport system in Leestrom. He created the local Leestrom Transportation Board and oversaw the replacement of old buses with new ones and retrofitting the local trams. He also initiated the partial privatisation of public transport in the city and modelled the city's public transportation after Singapore only maintaining privatisation if efficiency was proven. During this restructuring disability discrimination was also eliminated with every means public transport being required to have disability access. Following on from this his administration ensured every crosswalk and path was made disability friendly in a massive programme to retrofit the city.

He also presided over the first pride parade in 9 years in Leestrom (Leestrom is LGBT-friendly but due to its smaller size rarely held pride parades). Saber declared that the city should be LGBT-friendly city and said that no matter an individual's orientation they should be welcome.

In his last year of 2016 just prior to the election Saber's administration made school uniforms free for all Leestrom's students.

Third term
In 2016, he was reelected with 56.12% for his last term with the Liberal Party regaining the majority in the city. His last term saw him establishing Leestrom City Hospital and reducing the rate of poverty. His final policies involved funding projects to make the buses in Leestrom fully electric or hybrid. Congestion pricing was also introduced after public transport in the city was given a A- rating. He garnered controversy when he frequently ignored the needs of both left-wing and right-wing protesters never uttering a mention of having attention towards their issues.

A controversial event was when he banned ultra-conservative christian groups from advertising on Leestrom's buses which compared homosexuality to an illness and promoted conversion therapy. The group accused Saber of infringing on freedom of speech, to which Saber simply stated "if I don't want you advertising on our buses how the heck is it infringing on freedom of speech? I don't want to receive money to spread lies".

On 19 October 2017, Saber visited Sadiq Khan in London to discuss increased partnership after taking a notably much more economically liberal stance. He also visited several cities across South Korea and Japan hoping to increase the number of sister cities.

A major boost in popularity came during his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Leestrom. His early action of implementing social distancing rules, mask mandates, and rapidly acquiring test kits led to the city having a relatively low rate of infection compared to the rest of Doggerland and Europe.

By the time he left he had an approval rating of 61%, while his highest was 65% and lowest being 43%. In 2021, Saber was named the city's best mayor in a legacy poll.

Ministerial posts held by Saber Pardón

 * Shadow Chancellor of the Treasury
 * Minister of Justice (1)
 * Prime Minister
 * Minister of Health
 * Minister for Interior & Safety
 * Minister for Justice (2)

Joining the Liberal Party
In 2021, Saber joined the Liberal Party after realising his position as a centrist liberal and gained an interest in national politics. He helped draft the social and justice mandates for the Liberal Party manifesto earning a 4th place spot on the party list for the 2021 January election. Saber was subsequently appointed the Shadow Chancellor of the Treasury.

February election
After again drafting the social and justice policy, and newly the Home policy, Saber was once again placed 4th on the list and reelected. He chose not to become a minister due to personal reasons.

2021 February Senate election
On 23 February, Saber announced his official candidacy for the 8th Senate district, subsequently announcing his change to becoming a candidate in the 5th district. He later moved to Abester. He lost the election by one vote to Robert La Follette.

2021 March Liberal Party Deputy Leadership election
After Triangle's death and InsertUsernameHere's resignation, Saber ran for deputy leader handily winning.

Leader of the Liberal Party
Saber assumed the leadership of the Liberal Party after InsertUsernameHere resigned, and subsequently became the official leader after winning with 7 votes against Baveland's 1.

In April 2021, Saber announced his tour across select countries in Europe and Asia to expand his knowledge of foreign policy as his new position as shadow foreign minister. This meant that although he will remain the official leader, Baveland would become the interim leader on any occasion of Saber's absence. In reality the tour was a lore reasoning when in real life Saber had IB exams so he would be more busy than usual.

On 23 July, Saber announced his planned resignation as leader of the Liberal Party, citing primarily that he's the longest serving leader of a party at 5 months and that he personally believed that someone new taking the LP into a newer direction would be better. He stated that he would remain active in politics after his resignation. He would later cite personal reasons for playing a part in his decision as he personally felt that he was exhausted in his tenure due to the seemingly endless stream of hatred and vitriol hurled at him for being the liberal leader. Individuals like MapDude and Baal Moss, however, would praise his tenure as leader for practising a careful balancing act as the party in the centre.

Minister of Justice
After the April 2021 elections Saber was appointed the Minister of Justice after entering a broad coalition. He was tasked with bringing forth charges to Beady for his electoral misconduct.

Tenure in cabinet
After lengthy negotiations Saber was appointed Prime Minister with an investiture of 67 to 65 after the May election. He would be ousted after the June election but would regularly return to serve in government as a minister or an adviser.

First term
Saber's premiership has been marked with legislative productivity but also increased hostility and partisanship within Dogger politics. Signature policies included Doggerstat, his personal creation of the DNACF, and establishing a Prime Minister's Question by means of his own bill. His government collapsed after the IDP withdrew from the government leading to a snap election in June, meaning that his government couldn't pass a budget nor pass all of the bills that were in line during his premiership. However, his tenure was marked with high approval with 63.02% approval ratings and despite heightened partisanship his efforts were still acknowledged by some members of the Assembly across the political spectrum.



Spell in opposition
After the Liberal Party suffered losses and a new government was formed under Trashman he openly stated his hopes for a peaceful transition and stated he will continue his efforts in opposition. He was subsequently named the leader of the opposition after forming an opposition coalition.

Hexagon Government
After the July 2021 Doggerland legislative elections Saber joined the Hexagon Government and became Deputy Prime Minister. He was interim Prime Minister after Trashman vacated office and served in the position until Avery Wagers was elected the new LWP leader. As Minister of Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Saber continued his policy of supporting farmers and rural communities, launching the Rural Health Plan.

MapDude government
Saber was once again sidelined by the National Assembly, after MapDude was selected instead of him by then President Rune Tien-Liong. He was appointed Minister of Health, and conducted his tasks with aplomb. He managed the COVID-19 pandemic, initially loosening restrictions but due to a surge reintroduced some. The United Health System was also established during his tenure as Minister of Health and he took charge of the organisation setting up schemes for organ donation, charity, and created Public Health Preparedness Clinics. He also set up the CADC, Doggerland's first agency for disease control.

White Heat government
Saber remained in charge of the UHS despite being a member of the opposition, and due to his efficiency in his role he retained his position. During the extreme flooding that occurred in Doggerland, Saber joined healthcare and disaster relief workers to directly coordinate efforts. Later, due to overwork and stress he fainted, though he rapidly recovered.

Civic-Progressive government
Saber was appointed Minister for Interior & Safety after the Civ-Prog government was sworn in. His first policy was to update the United Health System Act, and Autonomous Police Act to transfer control directly to the ministries. He also set up a criterion-based immigration system, organised the ranks of Doggerland's police, and set up the organisation of the police. He also carried out a crackdown on organised crime across the country, and set up terror threat levels.

Coalition for Hope
Saber was appointed Minister for Justice in the Coalition for Hope, but remained less active than his previous tenure, later resigning due to his inactivity. He did, however, stay in cabinet as an adviser.

Right-wing government
Saber was appointed an adviser to the incumbent right-wing government, but remains largely uninvolved in its activities. His most signature piece of legislation was to constitutionally reform the presidency and cabinet formation. The bill passed with 73 votes in favour and 2 against, but the Senate voted it down.

First attempt
Saber ran against Avery Wagers on a platform of reconciliation and a promise of a more neutral presidency, but lost by a substantial margin against incumbent President Wagers. His loss was credited to Venator's endorsement of other left-wing candidates out of spite against the Liberal Party.

Second attempt
Saber's second to become president was successful, with him winning 51.09% of the vote against his closest rival Cali. He ran on a similar platform as his first run.

Ideology
Saber identifies as a liberal, having a range of stances that can be described both as social and conservative liberalism. He has consistently supported market economics, low tax rates, and maintaining a strong social safety net. He has rarely described his political position fully, and has shown himself to rarely be beholden to the doctrines of a single ideology, with liberalism mostly being his approach to society and economy as a whole. Position-wise, Saber has transitioned from leaning left to leaning right, but currently sits just shy of being centre-right. Saber does maintain a centrist approach throughout his political career, and for his major bills has frequently sought cosponsors from a wide range of MNAs and Senators.

On the other hand, Saber's ideology is largely pragmatic and technocratic, though his technocratic approach differs from most other technocrats. Saber's pragmatism stems from how he usually prioritises party and national advancement instead of personal gain. It is his opinion that ideology rarely survives policy making, so he personally feels governance always requires a strong sense of pragmatism. Saber's technocratic style also differs from most technocrats by how he didn't appoint ministers via their record, but rather their eagerness for a portfolio, with his expectation being that they fulfil a role.

Recently, Saber did adopt a more communitarian stance on society, but is still favourable to some individualist policy.

Economy
Saber supports a free market, and is inclined towards a balanced budget, though at times he is supportive of minor deficits. He is in favour of tax cuts for all classes, and frequently held economically liberal stances. Despite this, he is in support of tax credits for poverty relief and single-payer healthcare, voting consistently in favour of such. It's his belief that economic policy should always seek to balance the needs of both businesses and workers, with him being relatively supportive of unions but being opposed to businesses being run by workers. He is also supportive of pragmatic intervention in markets, but is opposed to what he deems excessive intervention.

Europe and immigration
Saber is staunchly pro-European and is a longtime supporter of Doggerland's membership of the EU. He was initially a soft Eurosceptic but gradually came to support European integration. He is in favour of reforming aspects of the EU, such as its lack of transparency, and legal incoherences.

Saber is also a multiculturalist, though he does believe immigrants need to assimilate broadly into Dogger culture. His view is that it's okay for an immigrant to practise traditions of their country of origin, but they must be able to communicate and understand the customs of the nation.

Social issues
Saber remains socially progressive. He staunchly supports same-sex marriage, and has voted in favour of transgender rights. He does maintain a relatively conservative stance on drugs, only supporting the legalisation and decriminalisation of marijuana. He's also tough on crime, believing in a consequentialist approach to laws.

Monarchy
Saber is neutral on the monarchy, though he does lean in favour of maintaining it due to what he deems would be a waste of time to abolish the institution.

Presidency
Saber is supportive of a more impartial presidency and has expressed concerns over the increased partiality the presidency experienced. He has also criticised politicians for running with false promises and overblowing the importance of the presidency. He was initially in favour of stronger powers but later changed his opinion due to what he deemed were a large number of loopholes and concerns over partiality.

Unionism and devolution
Saber opposed devolution and calls for increasing northern autonomy, believing that the previous state of decentralisation was enough for Doggerland. However, he's remained largely removed from the issue.

Legal philosophy
Saber is a legal positivist and is a strong believer in David Hume's philosophies.

Family
Saber is married with 2 sons. He is an only child. He met his wife in 1990 when he was still working as a prosecutor and later married her in 1991. His wife still works as a civil servant. His eldest son runs a cafe in Nandels Port, while his youngest son works as a police officer.

Saber frequently visits his family in Port Nandels, but struggled to do so during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Residence
Saber owns three houses, one in Leestrom, Nandels Port, and Abester, originally residing in Leestrom after moving back from his Senate campaign. After he became Prime Minister, Saber moved to Nandels Port. His home in Abester is a small townhome apartment which he rents out, while he resides primarily in Leestrom and Nandels Port due to his work and family.

Language proficiency
Saber speaks British English and Korean.

Relationship with other politicians
Saber like everyone in the server famously clashed with those of opposing views having fierce debate on frequent occasion, particularly with the Communist Party and Doggerland Left. However, like everyone else he has cordial or friendly relations with most other members outside of the political discussion. He has frequently worked with other MNAs and Senator when legislating like most others.

He notably has a close friendships with Apples Clarke, Rune Tien-Liong, and Priston Michael. He was also a close friend of Baveland Moss before Moss's death due to a heart attack.

Honours
On 8 August, 2021, Saber was awarded with the Doggerland Medal of Honor for "his tremendous work within the Liberal Party and hardworking commitment for national betterment".

Redevelopments and 2011 fight
In March 2011, Saber attended a local fair but got into a fight with protestors who were dissatisfied with certain redevelopment projects. His projects were credited with increasing the city's economy with the majority of the public supporting it but it required the relocation of certain residences. Most of the inhabitants of the residences received compensation and left, however, a few remained in protest of the redevelopment and it also happened to be in the most left-wing district of the city with many accusing him of having a personal agenda.

Although the accusations are unconfirmed with Saber vehemently denying it, it led to him being assaulted by protestors in the 2011 Leestrom City Fair which led to him getting a broken arm. A major source of controversy was what he said during the fight when he repeatedly told his guards to call the police and arrest the protesters. He was also criticised for his usage of offensive language.

Clashes and arguments in Leestrom City Council
Saber during his tenure as mayor had no shortage of clashes with other members of the city council when being questioned even between him and members of the Liberal Party. His responses often had criticism for harsh answers and quickness to shoot down questions.

Lack of filter
During his tenure as mayor Saber was famous for rarely having a filter when making statements, notably never having a speechwriter. He was consistently harsh towards left-wing members of the city council and criticised anti-capitalist movements in the city. A notable event was in a 2013 interview when he was asked if there were flaws in his approach to economic development and he replied with "of course but what would you have me do, go full commie and ruin this city?". He was also equally harsh to far-right protesters saying he doesn't have time to work with "crazies". He would frequently be criticised, and he would respond in a speech in 2017 by saying "anyone can accuse me of anything, but I will never be afraid to speak my mind".

Allegations of affair
In the 2016 election controversy over Saber having an affair resurfaced after an actress by the name of Annelies Lempers confirmed the rumours which surfaced in 2010. Saber categorically denied the allegations and asked for evidence with his stance being backed up by his party. Saber openly threatened to press charges for libel but backed off after his staff reportedly advised him not to in order to let the issue die down. Although most voters supported Saber, many found Lempers' interview convincing.

The scandal came to a head in 2018 when Lempers claimed that he had a "big mole" on his back and a frustrated Saber officially pressed chargers for libel with his body being examined by doctors with reporters present to confirm the absence of such a mark. He won the case and asked for there to be no more "useless and stupid debate". Though the case was settled and the settlement was secret it was rumoured that Lempers paid more than a hundred thousand euros in damages.

Legislative history
Saber is the author of the following legislation:
 * Credits for Poverty Elimination Act


 * Counter Malign CCP Act


 * National Bureau of Investigation Act


 * Prime Minister’s Questions Act


 * Assembly Rules & Procedures Act


 * Fixed-term & Government Act


 * Senate Reestablishment Act (passed in constitutional referendum)


 * Doggerland Prosecutions Act


 * National Provident Fund Act


 * United Health System Act

Saber has co sponsored the following legislation:
 * Hydrogen Transport Creation Act
 * July Constitution
 * Infrastructure and Jobs Act
 * Revision of the REST Act