Franco-Iberia (CivBE)

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Franco-Iberia
Franco-Iberia
Leader	Élodie
Capital	Le Coeur
Specialty	Gain a free Virtue for every 10 Virtues earned normally through Culture

The Franco-Iberia is a civilization in the world of Beyond Earth.

As opposed to many of the other factions, the Franco-Iberians rest on a symbiotic relation between both science and culture. They are led by the esteemed Élodie.

Civilopedia entry

End of the Union

Europe was spared the most direct effects of the Great Mistake, but was scarcely prepared for the scale of the human crisis that followed. Mass migrations in Asia spilled over into Europe, and the old European Union struggled with how best to respond to the refugee crisis. Eastern nations wanted to address the refugee situation first; Western and Mediterranean nations wanted quick actions to guard against rising sea levels. Eventually the European Parliament found itself unable to control the actions of the member states or unify the confederation around a common course of action, and the "European dream" fell apart.

A New Union

While the old EU was no more, the individual nations still saw merit in maintaining close alliances, especially where there were shared priorities and shared crises. Spain and France were two of the first countries to form a political union, and Franco-Iberia was born a short 18 months after the formal dissolution of the EU. Both countries' ruling coalitions shared a common vision of widespread social reform in the wake of the Great Mistake, innovative urban engineering projects whose designs could be used in new urban planning, and ecological engineering to restore the biosphere. This "techno-green" ideology would spread through Europe later, but the Franco-Iberian model is the oldest and arguably the most successful.

Expansion

Since then, Franco-Iberia has extended across the Mediterranean ("The Romans are back" is a common joke) and extended into North Africa. The Mediterranean Sea has turned from a threat to the greatest natural resource at Franco-Iberia's disposal, and the unification with North Africa brought Franco-Iberia a dynamic population and access to mineral resources.

Gilded Age

But perhaps the most striking aspect of Franco-Iberia was its focus on culture. Not only did the Union seek to preserve its past great works of art, but funded initiatives to encourage new generations of artists and authors to not only explore new art forms, but explicitly to continue the Renaissance and Enlightenment traditions. The Directorate-General for Education and Culture was aggressive in promoting and exporting European cultural works – especially through the media – to the rest of the world. For Franco-Iberians, their shared cultural history and the cultural infusion from North Africa has become a source of unifying pride. With such initiatives and stability, it is unsurprising that others sought to join Franco-Iberia in the face of a confusing and threatening world. Trésors de l'esprit is the byword; a citizen's riches should be carried in her mind and shared, not hidden away in a bank.

Live Well, Leave Well

With its progressive attitudes, high standard of living, and thriving culture, Franco-Iberia has been a beacon for immigration. Highly-educated immigrants have flocked into its borders, not only to work in cultural fields, but on the massive infrastructure projects, such as Seventh Republic Paris and the Andalusian Solar Field Energy Project. The twin capitals of Paris and Madrid gleam with new buildings. The restored Rome is a pilgrimage hub and world museum. Algiers' new port bustles day and night with a new class of low-energy cargo ships. Tunis is a shimmering resort city to the world, whose nightclubs and cafes thrum with the sound of a new generation of musicians. With such advantages, Franco-Iberia was a leading member in the race for off-world colonies. Colonial governors were appointed after a vetting process by the Union’s new colonial administration, and admonished to conduct themselves in the best traditions of civilization and morality no matter the circumstances. After all, the guardians of Western Civilization could hardly do less.

List of city names

• Le Coeur (capital)
• Prospérité
• Aintza
• Fidèle
• Gran Éxito
• Beraht
• Amparo
• Bouclier
• Honorée
• Mirabelle
• Senén
• Valienta
• Filoteu
• Kenza
• Igoa
• Espérance
• Kemena
• Pacifique