Chapter 66, Safety First

The tax policy was still only a proposal, and the extent to which it could be implemented would ultimately depend on the actual situation. Aside from the stakeholders, the majority of people were indifferent.

However, the integration of the colonies and the homeland was a different matter. As soon as the Vienna Government released a hint of it, it quickly sparked a heated public debate.

Supporters and opponents tore at each other in the newspapers every day, even hot topics like the Prusso-Russian War, the negotiations with the United States, and the Russian navy being bullied by pirates were pushed aside.

No single opinion dominated public discourse; the battle between supporters and opponents was evenly matched. This reassured Franz, as it seemed that the likelihood of integration passing in the Imperial Parliament was quite high.

As the Emperor, while he had the power to forcibly push through a decision, Franz had never done so.