After banishing her sister to the moon, what political problems arose for NMM after doing so?

Whether domestically or abroad, what hardships did she face during the transition to being the sole leader of Equestria?

There were bound to be dissenters, but any pony powerful enough to vanquish Celestia would inspire respect. It's doubtful the populace would have revolted. Perhaps one or two isolated imprisonment or assassination attempts would have cropped up, but NMM would have had advance knowledge given her dream magic.

She probably would have found it necessary to institute a re-education program to acclimate her subjects to eternal darkness. She wants them to be happy after all. This could be accomplished via bat pony tutors, mentors and counselors, distributed among the towns and cities.

See? Employment, learning, and security, just like that! Really, this should be the mane timeline. Crazy Twilight and her shenanigans are terribly disruptive.

5232563

Really, this should be the mane timeline. Crazy Twilight and her shenanigans are terribly disruptive

Exactly.

What about the diplomatic relations that Celestia may have had before her banishment? Any foreign diplomats who may have owed her a favor or two, what does NMM do with them?

Well, I'd say the less moral among them would be glad to have their debt nullified. Maybe that's how she would spin it for the rest too. "You owed a debt to my disgraceful sister? No matter! Ally yourselves with me, and all will be forgiven."

5232784 She wouldn't hold them to it, just so she can have a hold over them in times of need?

5233256

That's one way to look at it. Or at least so they won't be as inclined to see her as a usurper and attack her. If I were a noble who owed Celestia a debt of loyalty because she paid off a loan I had (or something like that), I might feel relieved if NMM waived it, and respect her as a truly benevolent ruler.

I don't know. There are all kinds of ways it could go, I guess.

5233619 I'm just curious about all the potential politics that might have happened during the transition from Celestia to Nightmare Moon as ruler of Equestria.

I don't imagine it's as simple as just changing who's sitting on the throne, government leadership doesn't work like that at all. What are the relations between NMM and the allies Celestia made before her banishment? What about any potential enemies, how do they now view Equestria with it's new ruler?

Were there diplomats who held Celestia in high regard, diplomats that NMM has to win over to her side now? Domestically, are there major officials she has to win over as well? Any regional governors, or potential parliamentary representatives to convince that her rule is a legitimate one?

With all this in consideration, does it mean that bureaucracy is NMM's biggest challenge as the new monarch of Equestria?

Preventing hunger would be the first priority. Enough starvation can cause serious political unrest. Once the ponies knew they would not get starved to death, a mix of intimidation and ruling well , rather like Putin in real life, would ensure stability.