Ferrando Alba
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Ferrando Alba is currently the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden to the The Federation of Ambrose-Douglas. He was assigned to the post of His Majesty’s Representative to Ambrose-Douglas on May 24, 2007.
Background
Alba was born in the district of Quartelo di Trabbajetto, city of Vilònorda, province of Norden, to Pierro and Riccarda Alba. He is the second of three children.
Alba was educated in the Nord-Brutlandese public school systems. He graduated from high school in 1958 and did not go to college. He worked instead in the city’s factories.
Politics
He became part of the Worker’s Union, and plunged into the activities of the Communist Party of Brutland and Norden. He officially became a member in 1967.
Alba ran for the Vilònorda city council in 1978 as the Communist candidate, and won in a five-way race. He held that position until 1986, when he stepped down in favor of fellow Communist Tornessa di Carmolli (now a federal MP representing the same district). He ran for the Norden House of Commons, and won, representing the western part of the working district of Quartelo di Trabbajetto. In the House of Commons, he became known for denouncing the monarchy as a “useless, obsolete carcass of our feudal past that must be demolished” in a speech widely criticized not only in Norden but also in Brutland.
He sat in the House of Commons until 1996, when he ran, and won, a seat in the Norden Senate. There, he was known for espousing the Communist agenda in the Legislature, albeit winning rarely.
The Communist Party nominated him to run for governor of Norden as part of the combined Communist-Green ticket in 2004. He finished third of the field of four.
Alba announced his retirement from politics after his defeat. He instead took the test for diplomats in 2005 and passed (he scored high). He was accepted to the diplomatic corps.
Assignments
Ambrose-Douglas
When the United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden opened an embassy in Ambrose-Douglas, the Nord-Brutlandese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Finisterretto d’Alfare Ellena, FAE) nominated Alba as ambassador. Alba’s nomination encountered some opposition in the House of Lords, the first time a nomination for ambassador launched a debate in the Upper House. Lord Simon Licato of Brutland questioned the ability of Alba to represent the country, saying, “We are familiar with his politics. And honestly, I think it can be an obstacle to his representation of the kingdom and its interests.” Some of the peers sided with Licato. Lord Pierro Porscale, duke of Trascara, said, “I think it’s ironic… Mr. Alba would technically be representing the monarchy he had denounced.”
However, Alba was not without defenders. Foreign Affairs Minister Bricco di Sint’Brullizio (himself a Nordener and born in the same area) said, “I think it’d be a loss for Brutland and Norden if we vote Mr. Alba down. Certainly withdrawing his nomination is not in the works. Prime Minister Cortanella had expressed her full support for Mr. Alba’s nomination.”
Support for Alba’s nomination was uncertain as many of the Lords did not express their view on the matter. In the debate on May 25, many still appeared undecided. When asked whether he supports the Alba nomination, Prince Bryce, Duke of Brugnatella, said, “I dunno. As a member of the monarchy, his old speech would certainly have some weight in the nomination process. But I don’t see that as an obstacle for performing his duties as our country’s ambassador to Ambrose-Douglas.” Some Nordener members of the House of Lords became Alba’s staunchest defenders. Said Lord Giorgio Reti, of the Social Democrats and an elected member of the House of Lords, “Why, what’s with that silly remark anyway? His politics cannot be equated to his capability to serve.”
Still, Alba’s nomination seemed to be hanging on the balance in the Popular Party- and noble-dominated House of Lords. This was despite the fact that it was a Popular Party government that nominated Alba. Both PP members and noble members of the House of Lords appeared on both sides of the debate.
In a vote on May 26, Alba was voted down 13-11 by the House of Lords. Sentiments ranged from opposition to support. Lord Carla Massería, Countess of Mestagno, who voted for Alba’s ambassadorship, summed up many of the Lords’ sentiment: “Everyone has a point here. Mr. Alba’s politics, or anybody else’s for that matter, may or may not affect his capability to serve. It’s up to him whether he would let it. But I’d say we give him a chance.”
Foreign Minister di Sint’Brullizio renominated Alba will full support of the entire PP cabinet. Even the two PP federal MPs sitting in the House of Lords, Chester Corbett of Marchòcchiese Sorda and Martha Gasperi of Troia, were instructed to vote for Alba. (They already did in the first round.)
The House of Lords rejected Alba again in the second vote on May 28, but a revote was proposed by Queen Regent Charlotte II, presider of the House of Lords and personally in favor of Alba’s nomination. In that afternoon, three peers switched their votes to vote for Alba: Lords Kyle Polster, Governor of Timberland; Sabrina Montascoli, Baroness of Trazio; and Damiana Fiore, a PP elected member of the House of Lords from Norden.
That afternoon, Alba spoke before the House of Lords and said that “Although I stand by my politics, I would not let it be in the way of me representing the interests of Brutland and Norden in Ambrose-Douglas. I would like to thank all of the peers for giving me this opportunity. I will assure you that you won’t be disappointed.”
After Alba’s reassurance of the peers, the Duke of Trascara, who originally opposed Alba’s nomination, proposed a symbolic vote for Alba’s nomination. That symbolic vote passed unanimously.
