Gen Z Aussie skips the housing market and declares itself president of the new country – realestate.com.au

“It’s a matter of when, not if, we’ll be back on land.”

That’s the provocative promise of Daniel Jackson, a 21-year-old Australian who, in true Gen Z fashion, has bypassed the traditional housing market entirely.

Instead of buying a house, he founded his own country and declared himself president.

The daring young leader has built a sovereign state from a forgotten corner of Eastern Europe, becoming the world’s youngest political leader.

While his new nation, Verdimay not yet have skyscrapers, but it proudly flies a national flag, offers a signature dish and champions a bold, digital-first vision, as Jackson issues a rallying cry to a new generation to help realize his dream.

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Jackson’s journey to nation building began when he was just 14.

He was born in Australia and attended Waverley Christian College in Melbourne before moving abroad.

It was during this time that he and his friends came across a peculiar patch of unclaimed forest – only accessible by boat – and decided to claim it with the Free Republic of Verdis, which was formally established in 2019.

The 50.2 hectare tract of terra nullius – unclaimed land – along the Danube River, located between Croatia and Serbia – now has Jackson at the helm.

It is now also the second smallest country in the world, after Vatican City.

As for Jackon’s youth, it puts him well ahead of Iceland’s Kristrún Frostadóttir, who became prime minister in 2024 at the age of 36, and stands in stark contrast to the likes of Donald Trump, who at the age of 79 became the oldest US president ever.

“Our goal is to establish a state with many humanitarian values, a neutral state that can act as an intermediary,” says Jackson revealed to British news company Metro.

“Even though we are a very, very small country, there is a big impact that we think we can have on the world.”

People can apply for citizenship from the Free Republic of Verdis.

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Despite this grand vision, Jackson now finds himself in exile.

Croatian forces invaded Verdis in October 2023 and forcibly expelled the rising civilians.

The land remained unclaimed due to a lingering border dispute following the Croatian War of Independence, a historical quirk that Jackson and his fellow Verdisians argue rightfully belongs to them under international law.

However, the Croatian Foreign Ministry dismissed its occupation as “provocative actions without any legal basis”, citing their obligation to guard the border of the EU’s Schengen area.

Jackson insists Verdis has always tried to reassure Croatia of his peaceful intentions, but the small country is not the only player in this peculiar geopolitical game.

It is close to Liberland, another self-proclaimed state based on similar principles of minimal governance and freedom.

Verdis can only be reached by boat.

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Crypto billionaire Justin Sun is even Prime Minister of Liberland and symbolizes the utopian dream of building the ‘freest nation on earth’.

Jackson acknowledges the parallels, but emphasizes Verdis’ distinctive values ​​and humanitarian focus.

Despite the ongoing geopolitical problems, momentum for Verdis is undeniably increasing. With 400 registered residents and as many as 1,400 e-residents, demand is so high that Jackson has opened a second office in Belgrade, Serbia.

In just three months, Verdis has impressively raised $220,000 through a combination of investors, crowdfunding and its innovative e-residency program.

But Jackson’s vision extends far beyond mere statehood.

He hopes to promote reconciliation between ethnic Serbs and Croats, who surprisingly make up the majority of Verdis’ citizens.

Vedinians flying the flag in the river.

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His blueprint is to transform the 124-hectare area into a haven for global entrepreneurs, facilitating digital business registration similar to Estonia’s famed system.

“We accept civilians (but) we’re pretty selective,” Jackson said shared with followers on Facebook.

“There are many ways that people around the world can become citizens, like just being involved, working in our offices… we have a digital program called e-residency.

“In principle, once you have been an e-resident for eleven months, you can quickly move towards obtaining Verdisian citizenship and obtaining a Verdisian passport.”

He emphasizes that all applicants must undergo strict background checks to ensure they have no criminal history and “possess anything that can contribute to building this new state.”

Jackson and his dedicated team have already painstakingly drafted basic laws, designed a vibrant national flag and even created a national dish: ‘Verdiflet’ – a savory mix of potatoes, Eastern European sausages and salami.

President Jackson regularly shares updates via social media.

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Meanwhile, previous attempts to settle the country have been met with arrests and deportations by Croatian authorities, but Jackson remains unyielding.

“The idea that it won’t work is not something we consider because that is not our end goal,” he stated with unwavering conviction.

“In our eyes, we have already established this country. We may be operating in exile, but we still consider ourselves a country.”

New citizens are invited to participate in building an energy self-sufficient community, gaining valuable insights into life off the grid and potential employment opportunities in the fast-growing Verdisian industries.

However, those considering this extraordinary leap should be aware that they will be solely responsible for their own health care facilities and will receive no state assistance if they are injured. Tourism lies ahead, planned once sufficient development progress has been made, promising a future where this small, ambitious country opens its doors to the world.