Prime Minister Josephine Alvarez has been photographed near the Kerlian border engaged in a kiss with Councillor Jennifer Hale of Kerlile. The picture, taken by a member of the paparazzi for gossip magazine Bewildered Butterfly, shows the pair – who are still legally married – kissing while border guards from both Lauchenoiria and Kerlile look on. The image was taken yesterday evening; the first day Jennifer Hale is free from constraints on her movement placed on her following the Second Lauchenoirian Civil War.
Alvarez and Hale were legally married in 2010, while Hale went by the name Sonja Viratnen after fleeing Kerlile at the age of seventeen at the tail end of the Kerlian Civil War. After the revelation that Sonja was really Jennifer Hale, heir to a seat on the Council of Kerlile, their marriage has been tested in the courts of numerous jurisdictions. Neither of the couple filed for divorce at any point, leading to rumours that they were still together in secret – rumours that now appear to be true.
Also pictured were Amelia Hale, Jennifer’s four-year-old daughter; Finlay Hale, her cousin who became the first male to represent Kerlile abroad; and Emma Woodward, a known trusted aide to Jennifer in Council of Kerlile matters. It is unknown whether all four intend to move to Lauchenoiria; or indeed whether any of them plan for this to be a permanent settlement. When contacted about whether or not Jennifer Hale was attempting to move back to Lauchenoiria; Alvarez’s office directed reporters from the Lauchenoirian Guardian to the immigration department, who stated that “our policy is to refrain from comment on individual immigration cases”.
The image has provoked mixed reactions across Lauchenoiria, with Paul Doberman of Lauchenoiria First posting online “THIS IS PROOF THAT ALVAREZ IS IN THE POKCET [sic] OF KERLILE!!!!!!” Several other politicians and individuals have expressed scepticism about Alvarez’s ability to lead the country while engaged in a romantic relationship with a Kerlian Councillor. However, there have also been messages of support, with one internet user posting “Finally! The post-war happy ending we’ve all been waiting for! <3” – a post which quickly went viral, with the majority of comments agreeing.
As for what this means for the future, both for the couple and the country, as Lauchenoiria continues to recover from the civil war and make strides towards a truly democratic future with an open economy remains to be seen. In the meantime, the majority of people appear to be supportive of the couple, and optimism for the future remains high in both Kerlile and Lauchenoiria.
