View source for December 2021 Sotirian Democratic Union leadership election

[[Category:Sotirian Democratic Union]]{{Infobox election
| election_name      = December 2021 Sotirian Democratic Union leadership election
| country            =
| flag_image         =
| type               = presidential
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = March 2021 Sotirian Democratic Union leadership election
| previous_year      = March 2021
| next_election      = 
| next_year          = 
| votes_for_election =  
| needed_votes       = 
| election_date      = {{Start and end dates|2021|12|04|2021|12|22|df=y}}
| turnout            = 79.6%
| opinion_polls      = 
| 1blank             = First&nbsp;round
| 2blank             = {{wp|Instant-runoff voting|Final&nbsp;round}}

| image1             =[[File:Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP.jpg|160x160px]]
| candidate1         = '''[[Tristan Gardner]]'''
| colour1            = 
| 1data1             = '''31.7%'''
| 2data1             = '''60.4%'''

| image2             = [[File:Grant Shapps Official Cropped Housing.jpg|160x160px]] 
| candidate2         = [[Claus Ashford]]
| colour2            = 
| 1data2             = 23.5%
| 2data2             = 39.6%

| image3             = [[File:Official portrait of Johnny Mercer (cropped).jpg|160x160px]]
| candidate3         = [[Rob Walker]]
| colour3            = 
| 1data3             = 24.8%
| 2data3             = ''Eliminated''

| image4             = [[File:David gauke hi.jpg|center|160x160px]]
| candidate4         = [[Daniel Green]]
| colour4            = 
| 1data4             = 11.3%
| 2data4             = ''Eliminated''

| image5             = [[File:The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP (40762782782).jpg|160x160px]]
| candidate5         = [[Betty Traynor]]
| colour5            =
| 1data5             = 5.5%
| 2data5             = ''Eliminated''

| image6             = [[File:Official portrait of Nadhim Zahawi MP crop 2.jpg|160x160px]]
| candidate6         = [[Nassaar Harroun]]
| colour6            = 
| 1data6             = 3.2%
| 2data6             = ''Eliminated''

| title              = Leader
| before_election    = [[Reginald Wilton-Smyth]]
| after_election     = [[Tristan Gardner]]
}}
The '''December 2021 Sotirian Democratic Union leadership election''' was held between 2 and 22 December 2021 to elect the leader of the [[Sotirian Democratic Union]], after the resignation of incumbent leader [[Reginald Wilton-Smyth]] following the party's poor performance in the [[2021 Estmerish general election|2021 election]].

Despite being blamed for the results of the election, the party was unable to force Wilton-Smyth's resignation due to his victory in the [[March 2021 Sotirian Democratic Union leadership election|previous leadership election]], as SDU party rules prevent a leader being ousted if they were elected less than a year prior. His resignation was widely expected, however. He did not stand down until 20 November.

Nominations opened on 26 November. [[Claus Ashford]] announced his candidacy on 26 November, and was seen as an ally of Wilton-Smyth. he was followed by [[Rob Walker]] on 27 November, [[Daniel Green]] on 29 November, [[Tristan Gardner]] and [[Betty Traynor]] on 30 November and [[Nassaar Harroun]] on 1 December. Nominations closed on 1 December, with all six candidates securing the neccessary nominations.

Gardner and Ashford were the final round candidates. Gardner was elected leader on second and third preferences, with 57.4% of the vote after votes from Harroun, Traynor and Green had been transferred. He was declared party leader on 22 December.

==Background==
The defeat of the Sotirian Democrat-[[Reform Party|Reform]] coalition in 2021 was widely attributed to the leadership of Wilton-Smyth. Following party pressure to resign and allow "new blood" to lead the party, Wilton-Smyth stepped down on 20 November.

==Procedure==
[[Sotirian Democratic Union]] party rules dictate that a resigning leader has to have their resignation accepted by the organising committee, and the committee is responsible for organising a subsequent leadership election. The 'scope' of the contest, however, must be open (involving the membership) after a resignation, unlike the closed leadership election involving onthe parliamentary party which happened in March. In such an open contest, all members who are not in arrears are eligible to vote in the leadership election. Candidates had to secure the backing of eiter 10% (20 MPs) of the federal parliamentary party or 50 MPs from state parliamentary parties and be nominated between 26 November and 1 December.

Voting in the leadership election used {{wp|instant-runoff voting}}, meaning that electors could give a first and second preference to candidates. If no candidate secured a majority of the vote in the first round, then the lowest-scoring candidate is eliminated and their votes are re-distributed to their second preference. This continues until a candidate has a majority of the vote.

===Timetable===

Key dates in the leadership election are listed below:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="width: 50px;" |{{nowrap|20 November}}||[[Reginald Wilton Smyth]] steps down
|-
|{{nowrap|21 November}}||SDU organising commitee accepts resignation
|-
|{{nowrap|24 November}}||SDU organising commitee sets timetable
|-
|{{nowrap|26 November}}||Nominations open
|-
|{{nowrap|1 December}}||Nominations close
|-
|{{nowrap|4 December}}||Voting begins
|-
|{{nowrap|21 December}}||Voting ends
|-
|{{nowrap|22 December}}||Results announced
|-
|}
==Campaign==
==Candidates==
===Declared===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" style="width:150px;" | Candidate
! class="unsortable" | Most senior office
! Party faction
! Announced
! Campaign logo
|-
| [[File:Grant Shapps Official Cropped Housing.jpg|155x155px]]<br>'''[[Claus Ashford]]'''
| style="background:#2074BE" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Leader of the Chamber of Commons]]<br><small>(2019–2021)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#Constituencies|Dearldon and Hansey]] <small>(since 2012)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Minister for the Cabinet Office]] <small>(2017–2019)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Shadow Leader of the Chamber of Commons]] <small>(2021)</small>
}}
| {{n/a|''None'' <br /> <small>(Widely regarded as an ally of [[Reginald Wilton-Smyth]])</small>}}
| 26 November
| 
|-
| [[File:David gauke hi.jpg|center|155x155px]] '''[[Daniel Green]]'''
| style="background:#44B5BF" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Chief Whip]]<br><small>(2016–2021)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#List|Arvorne list]] <small>(since 2007)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Shadow Under-Secretary to the Treasury]] <small>(2011–2012)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Under-Secretary to the Treasury]] <small>(2012–2014)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Opposition Chief Whip]] <small>(2021)</small>
}}
| [[Sotirian Democratic Union#Factions|Grahamite]]
| 29 November
|
|-
| [[File:Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP.jpg|center|155x155px]] '''[[Tristan Gardner]]'''
| style="background:#44B5BF" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Local Government and the National Languages]]<br><small>(2016–2018)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#Constituencies|Perch East]] <small>(since 2008)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Minister for Flurian Communities]] <small>(2012–2016)</small>
}}
| [[Sotirian Democratic Union#Factions|Sotirian Democratic]]
|  30 November
| 
|-
| [[File:Official portrait of Johnny Mercer (cropped).jpg|155x155px]]<br>'''[[Rob Walker]]'''
| style="background:#44B5BF" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Minister for Universities]]<br><small>(2018–2019)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Estmere#Urbanisation|Mayor of Grimingham]] <small>(2013–2017)</small>
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#List|Midland list]] <small>(since 2018)</small>
}}
| [[Sotirian Democratic Union#Factions|Populist]]
| 27 November
|  
|-
| [[File:The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP (40762782782).jpg|155x155px]]<br>'''[[Betty Traynor]]'''
| style="background:#44B5BF" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Attorney General]]<br><small>(2019–2021)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#List|Midland list]] <small>(since 2016)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Vice Attorney General]] <small>(2018–2019)</small>
* [[Cabinet of Estmere|Shadow Attorney General]] <small>(2021)</small>
}}
| {{n/a|''None''}} 
| 30 November
| 
|-
| [[File:Official portrait of Nadhim Zahawi MP crop 2.jpg|155x155px]]<br>'''[[Nassaar Harroun]]'''
| style="background:#44B5BF" |
| [[Cabinet of Estmere|Chair of the National Economic Development Organisation]]<br><small>(2016–2020)</small>
{{Hidden|Other offices held|
* [[Parliament of Estmere|MP]] for [[Parliament of Estmere#List|Scitterland list]] <small>(since 2012)</small>
}}
| [[Sotirian Democratic Union#Factions|National Democratic]]
| 1 December
| 
|-
|}

===Declined===
*[[Andrew Anquetil]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for the Treasury]] from 2018 to 2021 (''endorsed Ashford'')
*[[Surya Sharma]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Local Government and the National Languages]] from 2018 to 2021 (''endorsed Gardner'')
*[[Jonathan Mortimer]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Health and Social Affairs]] from 2017 to 2021 (''endorsed Green'')
*[[John Talbot]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Defence]] from 2018 to 2021 (''endorsed Walker'')
*[[Brian Davison]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Transport]] from 2018 to 2021 (''endorsed Ashford'')
*[[Reece Hafocer]], [[Estmere#Constituent_entities|First Minister of Midland]] since 2016 (''endorsed Walker'')

==Endorsements==
===Claus Ashford===
*[[Andrew Anquetil]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for the Treasury]] from 2018 to 2021 
*[[Brian Davison]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Transport]] from 2018 to 2021
===Daniel Green===
*[[Jonathan Mortimer]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Health and Social Affairs]] from 2017 to 2021
===Tristan Gardner===
*[[Surya Sharma]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Local Government and the National Languages]] from 2018 to 2021
*[[John Gosselin]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Housing and Development]] from 2018 to 2021
*[[Anne Hewlett]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Culture, Sport and Media]] from 2019 to 2021
===Rob Walker===
*[[John Talbot]], [[Cabinet of Estmere|Secretary of State for Defence]] from 2018 to 2021
*[[Reece Hafocer]], [[Estmere#Constituent_entities|First Minister of Midland]] since 2016
===Betty Traynor===
*
===Nassaar Harroun===
*

==Results==


{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right"|
|-
! rowspan=2|Candidate
! colspan="2"|First round
! colspan="2"|Second round
! colspan="2"|Third round
! colspan="2"|Fourth round
! colspan="2"|Final round
|-
! style="width: 50px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
! style="width: 50px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
! style="width: 50px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
! style="width: 50px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
! style="width: 50px"|Votes
! style="width: 40px"|%
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" | '''[[Tristan Gardner]]'''
| '''0'''
| '''31.7'''
| '''0'''
| '''31.9'''
| '''0'''
| '''34.1'''
| '''0'''
| '''38.1'''
| '''0'''
| '''60.4'''
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" | [[Claus Ashford]]
| 0
| 23.5
| 0
| 24.2
| 0
| 26.0
| 0
| 31.3
| 0
| 39.6
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" | [[Rob Walker]]
| 0
| 24.8
| 0
| 25.1
| 0
| 26.2
| 0
| 30.6
|colspan="2" {{N/A|Eliminated}}
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" | [[Daniel Green]]
| 0
| 11.3
| 0
| 12.9
| 0
| 13.7
|colspan="4" {{N/A|Eliminated}}
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" |[[Betty Traynor]]
| 0
| 5.6
| 0
| 5.9
|colspan="6" {{N/A|Eliminated}}
|-
| style="width: 170px; text-align:left" | [[Nassaar Harroun]]
| 0
| 3.1
|colspan="8" {{N/A|Eliminated}}
|-
! style="text-align:right;" | Total
!align="right"| 0
!align="right"| 100.0
!align="right"| 0
!align="right"| 100.0
!align="right"| 0
!align="right"| 100.0
!align="right"| 0
!align="right"| 100.0
!align="right"| 0
!align="right"| 100.0
|}