We have a proper fix for this and a related issue with overlapping conflict zones being tested for another update hopefully later this week. However that will be too late to affect this week's cycle so in this instance we'll set the expansion to succeed.
Michael
I just arrived at Whitelaw station in Sokn, having recognised that currently Opposition is higher than Expansion and spotting an opportunity to cause serious problems for another Power... only to discover that this bug means there are no Violent Protests and thus neither I, undermining, nor the Utopians can do anything here.
Not gonna lie, I'm disappointed that I came all the way here (several jumps, plus station is 86K plus out from jump point), only to discover that due to this bug this system is going to be handed to Utopia as a walkover - especially since Opposition was higher than Expansion.
However, I think we're all grateful that something is in the works to prevent this happening again; so that in future all of us can actually do something to affect these outcomes, because right now every single faction who wants to do something either way here currently cannot.