“It’s a matter of when, not if we’re back on the land.”
That’s the defiant promise from Daniel Jackson, a 21-year-old Australian who, in true Gen Z fashion, has completely bypassed the traditional housing market.
Instead of buying a house, he founded his own country and declared himself its President.
The audacious young leader has carved out a sovereign state from a forgotten corner of Eastern Europe, becoming the world’s youngest political leader.
While his new nation, Verdis, might not yet boast skyscrapers, it proudly flies a national flag, offers a signature dish, and champions a bold, digital-first vision, as Jackson issues a rallying cry for a new generation to help build his dream.
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Jackson’s journey into nation-building began when he was just 14.
Born in Australia, he attended Waverley Christian College in Melbourne before moving overseas.
It was during this time that he and his friends stumbled across a peculiar sliver of unclaimed forest – which is only accessibly by boat – and decided to claim it with the Free Republic of Verdis formally establish in 2019.
Daniel Jackson holding the flag of Verdis on the land he has claimed. At just 21-year-old, he’s the world’s youngest leader.
The 50.2ha patch of terra nullius – unclaimed land – along the Danube River, nestled between Croatia and Serbia – now has Jackson at its helm.
It’s now also the second smallest country in the world after Vatican City.
As for Jackon’s youth, it places him well ahead of Iceland’s Kristrún Frostadóttir, who became prime minister at 36 in 2024, and stands in stark contrast to figures like Donald Trump, who at 79 became the oldest US president ever inaugurated.
“Our goal is to establish a state with a lot of humanitarian values, a neutral state that can act as a middle man,” Jackson revealed to UK-based news company Metro.
“Even though we are a very, very small country, there’s a big impact that we believe we can have on the world.”
People can apply for citizenship to the Free Republic of Verdis.
Despite this grand vision, Jackson now finds himself in exile.
Croatian forces swept into Verdis in October 2023, forcibly expelling its nascent citizenry.
The land had remained unclaimed due to a lingering border dispute following the Croatian War of Independence, a historical quirk Jackson and his fellow Verdisians argue makes it rightfully theirs under international law.
Croatia’s foreign ministry, however, dismisses his occupation as ‘provocative actions without any basis in law’, citing their obligation to guard the EU’s Schengen Area border.
Jackson insists Verdis has always sought to reassure Croatia of its peaceful intentions, however, the small nation isn’t the only player in this peculiar geopolitical game.
It sits close to Liberland, another self-proclaimed state founded on similar principles of minimal governance and freedom.
Verdis is only accessible by boat.
Crypto billionaire Justin Sun even serves as Liberland’s prime minister, symbolising the utopian dream of building the ‘freest nation on earth’.
Jackson acknowledges the parallels but stresses Verdis’s distinct values and humanitarian focus.
Despite the ongoing geopolitical headaches, momentum for Verdis is undeniably building. With 400 registered residents and a staggering 1,400 e-residents, demand is so robust 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, crowd-funding, and its innovative e-residency program.
But Jackson’s vision extends far beyond mere statehood.
He hopes to foster reconciliation between ethnic Serbs and Croats, who surprisingly form the majority of Verdis’s citizens.
Vedinians flying the flag in the river.
His blueprint is to transform the 124-acre patch into a haven for global entrepreneurs, facilitating digital business registration akin to Estonia’s renowned system.
“We are accepting citizens (but) we’re quite selective,” Jackson shared with followers on Facebook.
“There’s many ways that people around the world can become citizens, such as just being involved, working at our offices… we have a digital program called e-residency.
“Basically, once you’ve been an e-resident for 11 months, you can get fast-tracked towards getting Verdisian citizenship and getting a Verdisian passport.”
He stresses that all applicants must pass rigorous background checks to ensure they have no criminal history and possess “something to contribute (to) building this new state.”
Jackson and his dedicated team have already meticulously crafted basic laws, designed a vibrant national flag, and even concocted a national dish: ‘Verdiflet’ – a hearty mix of potatoes, Eastern European sausages, and salami.
President Jackson often shares updates via social media.
Meanwhile, previous attempts to settle the land have been met with arrests and deportations by Croatian authorities, but Jackson remains unbowed.
“The idea of it not working isn’t something that we consider because that’s not our end goal,” he declared with unwavering conviction.
“In our eyes, we’ve already established this country. We might be operating in exile, but we still consider ourselves a country.”
New citizens are invited to participate in constructing an energy self-sustaining community, gaining invaluable insights into off-grid living and potential job opportunities in burgeoning Verdisian industries.
However, those contemplating this extraordinary leap must be aware that they will be solely responsible for their own health provisions and will not receive state support if injured. Tourism is on the horizon, planned once sufficient development progress has been made, promising a future where this tiny, ambitious nation opens its doors to the world.
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