Bonitaña is a region of lowlands to the east of the Doggerlands. Located between the Almere mountains and the Eastern Sea, Bonitaña was a major centre of population from the first migrations to the Doggerlands before its whole scale destruction during the Doggerland War. During its reconstruction, the region was subsumed by the Balancín Kingdoms, with the city of Southern Bonitaña being established as a home for many of the surviving Bonitañans.
History
Settlement
The region was first inhabited during the Age of Ash, when the human race was regrouping from the meteor impact. It was first settled in the 2600s by traders and settlers from the Madrilene Hope, alongside those that eventually settled Balancía. The Bonitañan culture grew distinctively from the Balancín, who were influenced more by the culture of the sea and the coast. Both spoke Spanish, with the Bonitañan Spanish dialect eventually growing to dominate Spanish speakers in the Doggerlands. In 2640, the Kingdom of the Rock was established as independent from the Madrilene Empire. The three Bonitañan settlements (Bonitaña, Loba, and José Élite) remained loyal to the Imperial order for the first four decades of Balancín independence, but were entirely cut off from the Madrilene Empire, as the Rock was its primary port.
Bonitaña (which at the time referred to the settlement, rather than the region as a whole) quickly became the largest of the three settlements. It urbanised, much like Balancía, around the central region of the lowlands. The colonial governments strongly encouraged this growth and urbanisation, resulting in many policies which were seen to be pro-corporate. As a result, a number of large corporations found their historic roots in the town, which quickly became a city, which quickly consumed the other two settlements into a single colony.
Act of Union
The Act of Union was signed by King Carlos Murcia in 2688, which brought Bonitaña into the domain of the Balancín Crown. It also served as the de facto declaration of independence from the struggling Madrilene Empire, which had since long given up any hope of reclaiming the Rock, and soon abandoned all interest in further colonisation of the Doggerlands. The Act of Union was signed in the aftermath of the Mountain War (2685), in which the Murcian King Carlos I rode out with his army to confront the increasing raids from the Almere Mountains. The tribes that inhabited the mountains had been raiding the outer farming villages of the Balancín realm for decades, though they had never grown to be enough of a nuisance for any of the ocean-focused Murcians to turn their attention inland. This changed, however, when a particularly ambitious tribe came down into the lowlands and attacked Bonitaña itself. Getting as far inland as the Bailey (the inner region of the city centre), the Asvlucht clan laid siege to the centre of government itself.
Unable to provide a sufficient defence, an emissary of the Bonitañan colonial government named Don Álvaro de Mendoza y Ríos arrived at the Iberian Palace to request King Carlos's assistance. The King agreed, calling the banners on his subjects for the first time since the War of Balancín Secession. The armies marched to Bonitañan to retake it for the colonists, routing the Asvlucht as far back as the Almere Valley. The Balancín victory was a major expansion of authority for the Balancín Crown. At the time, it was the only major authority in that region with the means and resources to raise an army of that size, and cemented Balancía as the most powerful force in the south and eastern Doggerlands for the next two-and-a-half centuries. The Mountain War provided Balancía with its first foothold in the Homeland region, which it would later totally subjugate, and made Bonitaña politically and militarily reliant on the Rock.
The Act of Union was signed with special protections for Bonitaña, including its free trade laws and approach to urbanisation, which was distinct from the flawed and unplanned development of urban Balancía. Additionally, the Act of Union is one of the constitutional cornerstones which promoted Bonitañan Spanish as the dominant dialect in the region. Bonitaña would remain under the authority of the Balancín Crown for the next two-and-a-half centuries, making up a core element of its urban population. Many Balancín institutions were renamed to reflect the incorporation of the entire Spanish-descended population of the Doggerlands, including the name 'the Iberian Throne' being adopted to reflect unity.
Pax Martellian
The House of Martell originated in Bonitaña. It became the royal house in 2703 with the accession of Carlos II to the Iberian Throne. Carlos II's father, Lord Enrique Martell, had married Princess Elisa Murcia (Carlos Murcia's eldest daughter and heir). The marriage was solidified as a method of uniting the Bonitañan and Balancín sides of the realm. The idea was that Elisa would become Queen, with Enrique becoming co-monarch and King. Enrique died before this could materialise, with Elisa ascending the throne alone as Elisa I. She later remarried, but her son by Enrique, Carlos, remained Duke of Talaga and heir to the Iberian Throne. His accession in 2703 was the first time in which a Bonitañan would sit the Iberian Throne. From him, all later Balancín monarchs would descend from the Martells of Bonitaña.
Throughout the rest of the 2700s, as more and more groups of humans emerged in the wake of the meteor, the House of Martell grew in power at the head of the now Balancín and Bonitañan Crown. Carlos II was succeeded by his son, Carlos III, who was then succeeded by Felipe II, the Sun King. The reign of the Sun King brought the christianisation of Bonitaña, as well as further growth in the Martells' power over the Doggerlands. By the end of Felipe II's reign in 2793, there was no power able to match that of the Martellian empire, which had since expanded into Almere, as far west as Malm, and as far north as to border with the Menthian Principality. Throughout this entire period, which became known as the Pax Martellian, Bonitaña was at the heart of the realm, with many wondering how a further century of Bonitañan advancement would impact the balance between Bonitaña and Balancía.
Balancín Decline
The 29th century was far less favourable to the Balancín monarchy. For the first quarter of the century, the Pax Martellian continued strong, with the succession of Maximilian I in 2805. His reign was a peaceful and prosperous one. The reign of his father had helped rebuilt relations between the Iberian Throne and the Madrilene Empire, resulting in a dramatic increase in trade from the continent. This trade helped found ports along the northern sections of the Eastern Sea, eventually founding the trading ports of Zaandam (largely thanks to a large influx of Dutch traders from the continent). San Benito was founded shortly thereafter. Many began predicting a second Pax Martellian century, where the Iberian Throne would come to dominant the entirety of the Doggerlands. This, however, did not come to pass.
In 2821, Maximilian I's annus horribilis occurred, in which he was attacked during the Banquet Day revolution. The revolution ended the century-long subjugation of the Almere Valley and saw Rens McDowell installed as the republican revolutionary leader of Almere. Later in the same year, Maximilian and his daughters died of a mysterious illness that burned through the royal household. The Iberian Throne was inherited by Maximilian's young son, Juan. Juan's reign was dominated by the regency of his mother, Elisa Pius, whose mismanagement of the realm led to significant economic and geopolitical decline.
Throughout the years of Elisa Pius's mad rule, especially after the death of King Juan and Elisa's self-coronation as Elisa II, many in Bonitaña began to suggest independence from the Iberian Throne. The Bonitañan House of Martell had been deposed by the Balancín House of Pius, and her mismanagement was beginning to impact the Bonitañan centre of core economic activity. Some in Bonitaña began to call for an uprising and a Martellian restoration, with others abandoning the idea of monarchy as a stable form of government.
Pontifex Ivanov II authorised a crusade to depose Elisa Pius in 2840, which saw the Martellian Antonio Edmundo II installed as the new King. During the crusade, Bonitaña was a significant base of support for Antonio Edmundo. However, by this point, the damage had been done. Balancía's place in the Doggerlands was diminished and, while Antonio Edumundo spent his almost 20-year reign attempting to rebuild Pax Martellia, his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Matters were not helped by the significant debts incurred against the Iberian Throne during the reign of the House of Pius, and the additional debts incurred by the crusaders during the Martellian restoration. Bonitaña's economy recovered quickly, in part due to the growth of Zaandam and tourism in the Bulge area, but this was increasingly isolated from the Balancín economy, thanks in part to Bonitañan efforts to avoid a repeat of the Pius revolution. Antonio Edmundo's death in 2859 was a muted affair, as the Crown was keen to avoid incurring new debts. He was succeeded by his playboy son, Carlos V, who brought the realm further into bankruptcy with his profligacy. His successor, Alfonso II, was a very religious man, who didn't help matters as he indulged the clergy in matters of expense.
Reign & death of Isabel Martell
The reign of Queen Isabel brought the first monarchist era of Bonitaña to an end. Her support of democratic self-governance resulted in the growing anti-monarchist sentiments on Bonitaña to flourish, eventually leading to them winning elections in the state. The Bonitañan republican movement was distinct from the wider Balancín anti-establishment movement, for it was one of the political right. As the Balancín republicans turned to the Radical governments of left-wing socialists Marco Winn and Maximiliano Martinez, the Bonitañan republicans formed into the conservative United Bonitañan Party, led by Argyle Rego.
The United Bonitañan Party repeatedly won parliamentary victories in Bonitaña and Zaandam, though not enough to secure power in the wider Balancín context. They often flipped between supporting Winn and Martinez, for their republican stances, and supporting the Earl of Win de la Ross's Rook government for its conservatism. Eventually, Rego petitioned the Queen for autonomy for Bonitaña, which was granted in July 2939 after an additional victory for the UBP. The new system, as set up at the San Benito conference, would have the United Kingdom of Bonitaña and Zaandam established with Isabel as its Queen. Isabel would also rule as Queen of the reduced Balancía, appointing a royal commissioner to conduct her authority in one of her realms when she was in the other. Rego initially agreed to this set up, preferring the economic advantages of autonomy, and became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. However, his eyes were set for full republican independence.
Queen Isabel died in 2941, two years after the agreement at San Benito. Prime Minister Rego considered this to be a significant opportunity. Isabel was immensely popular, even among his own population. While she lived, a republican Bonitaña seemed unlikely. Rego celebrated her life, mourning her, attending her funeral, and committing to a full honour of her legacy within Bonitaña. A number of streets and locations were renamed in her honour, including Queen's Street, the Queen's Station, and Isabel province (renamed from Belenada province).
However, before the coronation of her successor, Felipe III, Rego objected to the continuation of the monarchy in Bonitaña. Queen Isabel had married Madrilene nobleman, and thus the royal house ceased to be the House of Martell upon the accession of Felipe III (it became the House of Caliban). In the eyes of many Bonitañans, this ended the royal house's claim to be a Bonitañan one. Rego capitalised on this, using it as a wedge to divide Bonitaña from the Iberian Throne. This succeeded when the United Bonitañan Party-controlled parliament voted to abolish the monarchy.
Felipe was crowned as king in July 2941 while refusing to acknowledge the now-republican Bonitaña. However, the San Benito agreement had separated the governments, removing the Balancín government's ability to intervene to protect the monarchy in Bonitaña. Furthermore, the conservative government of the Earl of Basque refused to go above and beyond to preserve Felipe's claim to be King of Bonitaña due to Balancía's continued economic issues, which had not subsided since the late 29th century. As such, the flame of Bonitaña's monarchy ended. Argyle Rego became the first President of Bonitaña.
Wolf Era
Argyle Rego remained President of Bonitaña throughout the 2940s and into the 2950s. He attempted to rebuild a political dialogue with Balancía. However, the resentful King Felipe III resisted these efforts. This, in the eyes of Rego, was not a significant loss. During this period, many corporations had been rising in strength and economic power. With the return of the United Federation of Planets, and the continued decline of Balancín influence over the Doggerlands, there was never a better opportunity to diversify Bonitaña's economy.
President Rego had become a financial stakeholder in the Wolf Corporation, which focused on weapons manufacturing, becoming the country's largest private militia by 2955. The position of the United Bonitañan Party was that the work of government should be minimal, fostering great economic prosperity, and that corporations can facilitate military activity and security. This was a popular position at the time, with nearby states like Sentosa engaging in similar agreements with Chisel Enterprises. In 2959, 21 years after first taking power in Bonitaña, President Rego died. His United Bonitañan Party quickly nominated a successor, Joseph A. Wolf Sr., the chairman and CEO of the Wolf Corporation.
The nomination of Wolf scared many. The Wolf Corporation had come to dominate many of the government's traditional areas of operation (security, military, etc). Many worried that the election of Wolf would be a concession of the rest of government to the Wolf Corporation - a valid concern. As a result, Wolf failed to win the election to succeed Rego. This was the first election in Bonitañan history in which the Social Democratic Party (SPD) won, albeit narrowly. Tomás Frey was elected the second President of Bonitaña in 2960.
Frey's SPD government was mostly ineffective, especially with regards to issues of security. As per the contracts signed by Rego's administration, much of the work of the military and security had been outsourced to the Wolf Corporation and, as such, Frey was extremely limited in his achieving his agenda. Diaries discovered after his death revealed that Wolf had used his corporate position to undermine the success of the Frey administration, which is what played out in reality. The Wolf Corporation resisted many of Frey's political directives, and Wolf himself restricted many elements of corporate business in order to artificially deflate Bonitañan economic growth. Meanwhile, he was ramping up the process of migrating many Wolf employees into Bonitaña, increasing the strain on the government's resources, and thus damaging the effectiveness of public services. By 2964, Frey had become unpopular, was perceived as ineffective, and faced a rematch against Wolf himself.
The 2964 Bonitañan presidential election was one of the most divisive campaigns in the Doggerland's political history. It saw the brief rise of a monarchist movement to restore Felipe III as King, but ultimately devolved into a two-horse race between President Frey and Joseph A. Wolf Sr. The election was perceived by contemporaries as a battle for the soul of the country. Frey and his defenders were, however, outmatched. Over the previous four years, thousands of Wolf employees had migrated to Bonitaña and gained the right to vote. Additionally, the failures of his government were still front of mind to many, leading to the result which changed Bonitañan history. Joseph A. Wolf Sr. was elected the third President of Bonitaña as a member of the Corporate Party, in coalition with the larger United Bonitañan Party.
The first Wolf administration got to work on transforming the government of Bonitaña into a public branch of the Wolf Corporation. He sold off many state assets, eventually purchasing them at discounted rates as CEO of the Wolf Corporation. His administration did promote a significant housing and education programmes, While contemporaries praised Wolf on his reformist agenda, many historians have looked sceptically at this move, with the consensus becoming that the 'progressive' elements were attempts to tax-fund a better workforce for his corporate endeavours. As the Wolf Corporation grew into the 2970s, so did Bonitaña's economy. Unlike Balancía to the south, Bonitaña resisted merging with the United Federation of Planets. During the Federation / CE war, Bonitaña was a side-line ally of Chisel Enterprises, supporting them with financial cover during the difficult early years of the war.
Joseph A. Wolf Sr. ruled as President of Bonitaña and CEO of the Wolf Corporation until 3000, when he resigned as CEO. He retained his position as President but handed his corporate authority to his son, Joe Wolf Jr.
As CEO, Joe Wolf Jr. continued many of his father's corporate policies. However, by the turn of the 30th century, the Wolf Corporation's hegemony over the economy of Bonitaña was beginning to fracture. The Cataclysm and the subsequent fall of the United Federation of Planets brought with it significant opportunity for competition. In this period, Mechadyne had been established in Malm and was quickly competing for the market that the Wolf Corporation had grown to dominate.
To the south in Balancía, the socialists took the fall of the Federation as an opportunity to establish a socialist republic. The news of a progressive, socialist government nearby was a tempting thought to many Bonitañans who had endured a half-century of single-party corporate rule. With Mechadyne poaching employees and socialists poaching activists, the United Bonitañan-Corporate coalition was in trouble.
While Joseph A. Wolf Sr. remained President of Bonitaña after handing over his title of CEO in 3000, he did announce his intention to retire as President in the 3004 presidential election. He endorsed his son, Wolf Corporation CEO Joe Wolf Jr., who became the nominee of both the United Bonitañan Party and the Corporate Party. Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party nominated progressive firebrand Clara Jimena Solís Navarro. Navarro was seen by many as the left's best opportunity to take power given the changing national climate, and so was endorsed by every other political party in Bonitaña. While Wolf attempted to use their media and corporate hegemony to buy the election, the winds for change were too strong. Mechadyne did not mandate their employees vote in any particular way (unlike the Wolf Corporation), which helped Navarro garner enough votes to win the election. Clara Jimena Solís Novarro was sworn in as the fourth President of Bonitaña, the first female president, ending the Wolf Era of Bonitañan politics and ushering in a new era of Liberalisation and Tarkinism.
Liberalisation and Tarkinism
President Clara Navarro served three terms in office, with her government often being heralded as one of reform, liberalisation, and tarkinism. She opened up the country from the one-party corporate rule that had been in place since the 60s, allowing a dramatic increase in economic output, corporate diversity, and international free trade. On Bonitaña's borders was now a socialist republic in Balancía and a liberal democracy in the newly-created Wiltshire and, as such, Navarro saw a significant opportunity to adapt the country to be more like the progressive, modern, and diverse countries that had begun to populate the Doggerlands. Navarro served as President from 3004 until 3016, in which Bonitaña grew considerably economically to become a powerhouse in the Doggerlands. The growth in Bonitaña became a key dividing line between Conservatives and Socialists in Wiltshire: how much should they try to replicate Bonitaña's success? As it turned out, the corporate oppression of the Wolf Era had been a huge constraint.
During this era, Bonitaña's progressivism extended to its border policies as well. The Navarro administration was openly Tarkinist, and thus supported the migration of non-Terrans into the city, as well as other corporate employees. They recognised the Corporate Passport, as proposed by BlackCon Labs Corporation, and thus the country became a magnet for diverse, productive workers. This contrasted significantly to the anti-Tarkinist government in Balancía, which was working to drive more and more people into Bonitaña.
Another major policy advancement of the Navarro administration was the establishment of the Bonitana Security Forces, which ultimately replaced the Wolf Corporation's dominance as a paramilitary group. The BSF would become one of the most lasting parts of Navarro's legacy, impacting the Doggerlands for the next decade. President Navarro appointed former general Heinrich Totenkopf to be the head of the BSF.
In 3015, President Clara Navarro announced that she would retire as President at the upcoming election, declaring that she had no intention on becoming another Joseph Wolf Sr.
3016 presidential election
The 3016 Bonitañan presidential election was a hugely consequential election, much like the 2964 election (which saw the rise of the Wolf Era). President Navarro was retiring and the election of her successor seemed to be an extremely divisive question. In order to contextualise this election, it is important to note that Bonitaña's economic expansion was not only popular with the ruling Social Democrats. While Navarro was very popular, the promotion of Bonitañan dominance over the region was seen as a major victory for Bonitañan nationalism. This sparked a movement, known as the Greater Bonitaña movement, promoted by Mandato del Horizonte, which demanded more land to be annexed into Bonitaña for even further economic growth and domination.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) nominated Mark De Vries as their candidate. De Vries was a key member of the Navarro administration, focusing on social policies and the progressive agenda. He was popular and seen as the frontrunner to succeed Navarro. De Vries also came from a wealthy political dynasty, which helped promote his campaign in terms of resources.
The United Bonitañan Party (UBP) had long since abandoned their coalition with the Corporate Party (which had been rebranded as the Falangist Party of Bonitaña). Their attempt to rebrand as a standard, liberal conservative party was one that had started in the years after Navarro's first victory. Ultimately, they decided not to renominate Joe Wolf Jr., despite him seeking the nomination of the UBP. In the end, they nominated Antonio P. Tiger - a progressive, corporate reformer. Tiger was a non-Terran and, with the alien population of Bonitaña high after 12-years of Tarkinist policies, this served to benefit his candidacy.
Joe Wolf Jr. sought the nomination of the United Bonitañan Party, believing the Falangist Party to have gone too far to the political extremes. When this was denied, Wolf decided to form his own National Democratic Party (NDP) to stand in the election. Standing on a vastly different platform than he had in 3004, Wolf promoted many of the progressive policies of his father's administration (particularly on education and housing, which had put Bonitaña at the top of the Doggerlands in these categories). Additionally, he campaigned on a one-term promise, stating that he would make way for a new generation, describing himself as a "bridge candidate".
There were major debates across Bonitaña. However, most opinion polls, as covered by the WBC, suggested that Mark De Vries was leading. The event that changed De Vries's trajectory to the presidency was the announcement that President Clara Navarro would not endorse anybody. While she said that she didn't support Wolf or Tiger, she also didn't endorse De Vries either. This was significant, as Navarro held significant sway in her own right, and the distancing from De Vries was seen as an indictment on De Vries's candidacy. In the aftermath of Navarro's announcement, Antonio Tiger and Joe Wolf Jr. made a political pact. The Wolf-Tiger pact outlined a deal in which the lower-polling candidate would drop out and endorse the other ahead of election day, in an attempt to deny De Vries a popular vote victory. Three days before polling day, Antonio Tiger trailed Joe Wolf Jr. by 2.5%, and thus dropped out of the race and endorsed Joe Wolf Jr.
The Tiger endorsement, plus De Vries's lack of an endorsement from Navarro, was enough to put Joe Wolf Jr. over the top. He was elected the fifth President of Bonitaña, being sworn in, like his father, as both President and CEO of the Wolf Corporation. His presidency, however, would not get as far as that of his father's. For starters, the corporate landscape was much more diverse than it was in 2964 before the return of the Federation. Additionally, the focus of the United Bonitañan Party and the New Democratic Party was now fully committed to this idea of Greater Bonitaña and Mandato del Horizonte - Mandate of the Horizon.
Greater Bonitaña
The second Wolf administration found itself facing a number of difficult fronts. Firstly, the impending 3017 Corporate Depression was soon to put a significant strain on the Bonitañan economy, including the bankruptcy of the Wolf Corporation itself. And secondly, the political ramifications of the Greater Bonitaña doctrine were certainly taking their toll.
First SRAV-Bonitañan War (3016)
President Joe Wolf Jr. set his sights on the Bonitenland, a small strip of land between Bonitaña and Arstotzka. The land, which had been controlled by Bonitaña during its days under the Iberian Throne, had since been taken by the Socialist Republic of the Almere Valley (SRAV). In order to deliver on the Greater Bonitaña doctrine, President Wolf organised a swift invasion of the SRAV, launching the first Almere-Bonitañan conflict since Banquet Day.
The conflict was a political, economic, and military disaster. Despite an early advantage which saw Bonitañan forces extend into the Almere Valley, this was lost due to the geographic advantage of the SRAV forces. The mountains proved to be a difficult terrain for the Bonitañans. President Wolf may have been operating off 27th century notions that traditional forces could take the Almere mountains. However, at the time weaponry such as laser weaponry and artilleries were significantly limited or non-existent. The SRAV quickly routed the Bonitañans out of the Almere Valley.
President Wolf's credibility took a dramatic hit after the failed invasion, with many in the Bonitañan population worried about the economic fall out of a continued failed campaign against the SRAV. Many began to argue for expansionism into Balancía. However, its defence pact with the Republic of Wiltshire, and Wiltshire's alliance with Lancastria, Lorikeet, and Marino, would have spiralled. As such, President Wolf faced a choice between two options: give up on Greater Bonitaña, or commit to further conflict.
Second SRAV-Bonitañan War (3017)
President Joe Wolf Jr., less than 12-months after his first failed inquest into the SRAV, attempted to take the Bonitenland once again. This time with the military equipment sourced by Chisel Enterprises and back up from Mechadyne and his own Wolf Corporation, President Wolf was confident that a second attempt would yield better results.
Four days into the conflict, as Bonitañan forces once again marched into the Almere Valley, the Byfair industrial sector collapsed, sending shockwaves through the regional economy that bolstered Bonitaña's military industrial complex. The event was the first domino to fall in the Corporate Depression, which quickly spiralled out of control. The Bank of Doggerland and the Wiltshire Maritime Trading Union (WMTU) both collapsed overnight. As the Corporate Depression began, the shockwaves were unrooting the foundations of many corporations. Mechadyne quickly retracted its commitment of military support to the Bonitañan war effort, and Chisel Enterprises also halted additional arms being sent to the region. Within a week, the bankruptcy of the Wolf Corporation had become an inevitability.
The SRAV pounced at the opportunity. As Almere, with the support of the SRAV allies and Gorath, encircled the remaining Bonitaña Army, a total slaughter ensued. Unable to flee across the Almere mountains or escape the valley, the vast majority of the military forces committed to the conflict by President Joe Wolf were annihilated. It was a second major defeat for Bonitaña, and specifically for President Joe Wolf Jr., whose credibility had all but evaporated.
The aftermath of the second SRAV-Bonitañan War is closely tied up with the early days of the Corporate Depression. Quickly after the bankruptcy of the Wolf Corporation had been finalised, Joe Wolf Jr. resigned as President of Bonitaña. It had become clear that he no longer commanded the support of the United Bonitañan Party, which he needed to avoid impeachment over the repeated strategic disasters that he had overseen. His Vice President, Antonio P. Tiger, succeeded him as the sixth President of Bonitaña.
Tiger's inauguration was another turning point for Bonitaña, which was seen to be growing increasingly militaristic. Tiger further promoted Heinrich Totenkopf, which turned Bonitaña into a police state as the Bonitaña Security Forces became a cornerstone of everyday life in the city. As the Corporate Depression continued, Bonitaña's lust for economic prosperity was quickly replaced with a fervent nationalism and suspicion of their neighbours (both within and without the country itself).
The two conflicts into the Almere Valley also had the side effect of unifying the anti-Bonitañan nations, which formed the Almere Socialist Republic shortly thereafter. Despite a quick war over Arstotzkan secession, the destruction of the Bonitañan military during the second SRAV-Bonitañan war meant that the new President Tiger was a mere spectator, despite pledging support to the Arstotzkan secessionists. The entire conflict, and the entire geopolitical situation, was tarnished by the wounds of the ongoing Corporate Depression.
Later depression & rebound
The later depression saw something of a rebound for Bonitaña. Due to being withdrawn from the Arstotzkan secession crisis, Bonitaña was able to regroup and rebound some strength, meanwhile the new Almere Socialist Republic (ASR) was already caught up in an internal civil war. The bankruptcy of many corporations were impacting Bonitaña, but none as much as the effect of the total banking collapse on the ASR, which was finding itself caught up in many older debts. The cause of this indebtedness has been attributed to the ASR's reluctance to embrace the diverse corporate environment of the 3010s. While this sheltered them in some senses (as public services were not halted by the Depression), it made them more reliant on the financing required to maintain such services themselves. Regardless, Bonitaña appeared to be entering 3018 on an upward trajectory, with many praising President Tiger and Heinrich Totenkopf for their efforts.