Imaguan Party of Democrats: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox political party
{{Infobox political party
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The '''Democratic Party''' ({{wp|Italian language|Etrurian}}: ''Partito Democratico d'Imagua'') was a political party in [[Imagua and the Assimas]]. Established in 1945 when the [[Liberal Party (Imagua)|Liberal Party]] renamed itself to the Democratic Party in order to affiliate itself with the [[Democratic Party (Sainte-Chloé)|Democratic Party]] in the [[United Provinces (Kylaris)|United Provinces]], the party would exist until its merger with the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]] in 1979.
The '''Democratic Party''' ({{wp|Italian language|Etrurian}}: ''Partito Democratico d'Imagua'') was a political party in [[Imagua and the Assimas]]. Established in 1945 when the [[Liberal Party (Imagua)|Liberal Party]] renamed itself to the Democratic Party in order to affiliate itself with the [[Democratic Party (Sainte-Chloé)|Democratic Party]] in the [[United Provinces (Kylaris)|United Provinces]], the party would exist until its merger with the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]] in 1979.


Its zenith was under the leadership of [[Rupert Cox]] from 1968 to 1980, when in the 1976 general elections, the Imaguan Party of Democrats were able to take one seat in the [[Lesser House of Imagua|Lesser House]], and won a by-election in 1978 which increased their presence to two members of Parliament. Due to the creation of the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]] in 1978, the Democratic Party voted to merge with the National Labour Party the following year in order to avoid splitting the opposition.
Its zenith was under the leadership of [[Rupert Cox]] from 1968 to 1980, when in the 1976 general elections, the Imaguan Party of Democrats were able to take one seat in the [[House of Commons of Imagua|House of Commons]], and won a by-election in 1978 which increased their presence to two members of Parliament. Due to the creation of the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]] in 1978, the Democratic Party voted to merge with the National Labour Party the following year in order to avoid splitting the opposition.


==History==
==History==
===Establishment and early years===
[[File:George_Chambers_(cropped).jpg|250px|thumb|left|[[Rupert Cox]], 1976]]
Following the merger of the [[Democratic Party of Imagua|Democratic Party]] with the [[Democratic Labour Party of Imagua|Labour Party]] to create the [[Democratic Labour Party of Imagua]], a faction of members opposed to the merger, led by former party leader [[Abraham Halfacre]], held an "extraordinary" party conference to establish the Imaguan Party of Democrats on 7 January, 1948.
In 1945, the Liberal Party, under the leadership of [[Abraham Halfacre]], renamed itself to the Democratic Party, and affiiated itsef with [[Pierre Voloix]]'s [[Democratic Party (Sainte-Chloé)|Democratic Party]]. All Liberal MPs in the parliaments of Imagua and the United Provinces became Democratic MPs.


There, he invited "all true Democrats" to rally under a continuing Democratic Party, with nine of the eleven Democratic senators joining the continuing party.  
However, as relations between Imagua and the United Provinces deteriorated, tensions grew within the Democratic Party, with many within the party, led by [[Herschel Ahern]], seeking to merge the party with the [[Labour Party (Imagua)|Labour Party]], while Ahern sought to preserve the party as a centrist force, and as the "voice of Imagua" within the union. In 1947, the Democratic Party split in two, with Ahern's faction voting to merge with the Labour Party to create the [[Democratic Labour Party (Imagua)|Democratic Labour Party]]. However, Halfacre remained the de-jure leader of the Democratic Party, maintaining the loyalty of five legislative councillors and himself.


However, when the party tried to register with [[Elections Imagua]] under the Democratic name, the application was rejected as the name would confuse voters. This forced Halfacre to call the party the Imaguan Party of Democrats.
In the 1948 elections, the Democratic Party lost its remaining seats in the House of Commons, despite finishing second in many Cuanstad seats. After losing the 1952 elections, Halfacre resigned as party leader, and was succeeded by [[Reginald Wheeler]], who was the first [[Bahio-Imaguan people|Bahio-Imaguan]] to lead an Imaguan political party. Howver, following a poor result in 1956, Wheeler was succeeded by [[Enoch Saunders]] as leader.


As well, due to the short time between the merger and the 1948 general election, Halfacre had a hard time finding candidates to run for office. However, he managed to field twenty-two candidates before the writ was dropped.
In 1961, [[Otto Newman]] was expelled from the Democratic Labour caucus, and affiliated himself with the Democratic Party, making him the first Democratic MP since 1948. Due to his prominence within the party, Newman took over the party leadership in 1963, and would lead the party into the 1964 election. However, after losing his seat, Newman was succeeded by [[Rupert Cox]], who would reorient the party to be a "conservative alternative" to the [[Sotirian Democratic Party (Imagua)|Sotirian Democrats]], who were associated with the "racist system" that existed on Imagua.


While Halfacre ran a vigorous campaign, and managed to finish second in much of the constituencies in [[Cuanstad]], the lack of a national presence hampered the party's success. Nonetheless, Halfacre spent the next four years building up a IPD presence across [[Imagua and the Assimas|country]], vowing to run in "every constituency" by the next general election in 1952. He also nominated [[Gilberto Rotolo]] to be their presidential candidate.
The party would improve their results in 1968 and 1972, but still failed to secure a seat in the House of Commons. However, in 1973, former DLP MP [[Clelia Pavon]] joined the Democratic Party, and in 1976, the Democratic Party elected its first MP since 1948 when Rupert Cox won election to his own seat, and two years later, a by-election saw [[Ted Branson]] elected for the Democratic Party.


This paid off when in 1952, the Imaguan Party of Democrats fielded a full slate of candidates and received more votes than in 1948, although not enough to win any seats, let alone win the presidency. Disappointed, Halfacre resigned, and a leadership race saw [[Reginald Wheeler]] win, making him the first [[Bahio-Imaguan]] to lead a political party besides the [[Bahio-Imaguan Party]].
However, in 1978, [[Travis Marshall]] and four other DLP MPs crossed the floor and formed the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]]. Not wanting to split the opposition, and due to widespread support for the National Labour Party threatening the Democratic Party, the two parties merged in 1979.
 
Under Wheeler's leadership, the IPD became firmly centre-right, as it sought to position itself as a centrist alternative between the centre-left DLP and the right-wing [[Sotirian Democratic Party (Imagua)|Sotirian Democrats]].
 
However, his ethnic background helped reduce support for the party, while his decision to nominate [[Tamara Ferrandino]] to be the party's presidential candidate, greatly harmed his prospects of election. Thus, in 1956, the IPD were only able to field sixty-eight candidates, as two constituency associations (Saint Fiacre's and Sullivan West) refused to participate in protest of Wheeler's leadership. The 1956 election saw substantially fewer votes for the IPD than in 1952.
 
With this loss, Wheeler resigned, and was succeeded by [[Enoch Saunders]]. Saunders sought to heal the rift within the Imaguan Party of Democrats, and to rebuild its strength so that it may return to the [[Lesser House of Imagua|Lesser House]] of [[Parliament of Imagua and the Assimas|Parliament]].
 
By the 1960 general election, Saunders was able to field a full slate of candidates, and increased his vote share from the 1956 election, although no MPs were elected. Their presidential candidate, [[Luke Johnson]], fared poorly.
 
However, the Imaguan Party of Democrats gained representation in Parliament when in 1961, DLP MP [[Otto Newman]] was expelled from the DLP, forcing him to sit as an independent. He quickly affiliated himself with the Imaguan Party of Democrats, and quickly increased his strength within the party, by virtue of him being the sole representative of the IPD in the Lesser House. This led to Newman becoming party leader.
 
In the 1964 election, Newman ran for the Premiership, while [[Rodolfo Osso]] ran for the Presidency. Newman lost his seat, with no IPD MPs being elected. In the aftermath, Newman resigned as leader of the IPD, and was succeeded by Osso.
 
As the first Etrurian leader of the party, Rodolfo Osso spent much of the time trying to increase his party's popularity on the [[Assimas Islands]], as he believed that the party would appeal to the Etrurian community better than either the DLP or the Sotirian Democrats.
 
This alienated many on the [[Imagua (island)|island of Imagua]], with the result that Osso led the party to its worst showing since 1956, while only fielding sixty-nine candidates.
 
===Leadership of Rupert Cox and zenith===
[[File:Jo_Grimond.jpg|150px|thumb|right|Rupert Cox, 1970]]
After the devastating defeat in 1968, the Imaguan Party of Democrats forced [[Rodolfo Osso]] to resign as party leader. At the leadership convention, they nominated [[Rupert Cox]] to lead the party.
 
Under Cox's leadership, he sought to restore the party's reputation, as two decades of being shut out of the Lesser House, with the exception of Otto Newman, had made the Imaguan Party of Democrats a "fringe party." Thus, he instituted policies to recruit new members from across the country, to align the party with centre-right values, and to attempt to establish a toehold on the Lesser House.
 
Thus, over the next few years, Cox and the IPD contested by-elections, and established a "full slate" of constituency associations. By the 1971 leadership convention, Cox was confirmed to be the presidential nominee, while [[Erico D'Antonio]] was to run for the premiership.
 
The 1972 general election saw the IPD make huge gains compared to 1968, as they fielded a full slate of candidates, and ran a "vigorous campaign." At certain points, it seemed likely that the IPD would gain one or two seats in the [[Lesser House of Imagua|Lesser House]], which at that point became urgent, as only a single IPD senator, 74-year old [[Boyd Morrissey]] remained in the [[Senate of Imagua and the Assimas|Senate]].
 
However, when the results came in, the Imaguan Party of Democrats gained no seats. Despite this, the Imaguan Party of Democrats received its second member of Parliament when following disagreements with [[Democratic Labour Party of Imagua|Democratic Labour Party]] leader [[Pietro Muro]] in 1973, [[Clelia Pavon]] joined the Imaguan Party of Democrats. Her presence became more critical when in 1974, Morrissey died, leaving her as the sole representative of the Imaguan Party of Democrats in either chamber of Parliament.
 
During this period, Rupert Cox continued to build up the party's profile: at the 1975 leadership convention, Clelia Pavon was nominated to be the [[President of Imagua and the Assimas|presidential nominee]] for the Imaguan Party of Democrats, while Cox was to run for the premiership.
 
The 1976 general election campaign was an important watershed moment for the Imaguan Party of Democrats, as during this campaign, Rupert Cox was a serious challenger to the DLP and the [[Sotirian Democratic Party (Imagua)|SDP]], with many polls from that estimating that many Imaguans were ready to vote for the Imaguan Party of Democrats.
 
When the 1976 election results came in, Cox won his own seat. However, the high number of votes for the IPD allowed the Democratic Labour Party to keep a {{wp|majority government}}, as they won 47 seats.
 
Cox would be joined by [[Ted Branson]] in 1978, when he was elected to succeed deceased DLP MP [[Aaron Grant]]. During this period, the IPD was seen as a more moderate party than either the DLP or the Sotirian Democrats.
 
However, at the 1979 leadership convention, it was decided that in order to help give the [[National Labour Party (Imagua)|National Labour Party]] "viability" in the coming election, it was decided to merge the Imaguan Party of Democrats with the National Labour Party.  


==Political positions==
==Political positions==
The Imaguan Party of Democrats was a {{wp|centre-right politics|centre-right}} political party, based on the traditional ideals of {{wp|classical liberalism}}.
The Imaguan Party of Democrats was a {{wp|centre-right politics|centre-right}} political party, based on the traditional ideals of {{wp|classical liberalism}}. However, from the late 1960s onward, the Democratic Party became a more {{wp|conservative party}} as it sought the votes of Bahio-Imaguans who were aligned with the Sotirian Democrats, but "detested the racist policies that they had espoused."


==Election results==
==Election results==
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|rowspan=2|[[Abraham Halfacre]]
|rowspan=2|[[Abraham Halfacre]]
|22/66
|22/66
|{{Composition bar|0|66|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|66|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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| 1952
| 1952
|63/63
|63/63
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|[[Reginald Wheeler]]
|[[Reginald Wheeler]]
|61/63
|61/63
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|[[Enoch Saunders]]
|[[Enoch Saunders]]
|63/63
|63/63
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|63|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|[[Otto Newman]]
|[[Otto Newman]]
|65/65
|65/65
|{{Composition bar|0|65|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|65|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|[[Rodolfo Osso]]
|[[Rodolfo Osso]]
|64/65
|64/65
|{{Composition bar|0|65|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|65|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|[[Erico D'Antonio]]
|[[Erico D'Antonio]]
|67/67
|67/67
|{{Composition bar|0|67|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|0|67|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{nochange}}
|{{nochange}}
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Extra-parliamentary opposition
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|rowspan=2|[[Rupert Cox]]
|rowspan=2|[[Rupert Cox]]
|67/67
|67/67
|{{Composition bar|1|67|hex=#EF759D}}
|{{Composition bar|1|67|hex=#e9a735}}
|{{increase}} 1
|{{increase}} 1
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Third party
|style="background:#FFDDDD; color:black"|Third party

Revision as of 01:26, 19 May 2023

Democratic Party

Partito Democratico
Founded1 July, 1945
Dissolved11 July, 1979
Split fromDemocratic Party of Imagua
Merged intoNational Labour Party
HeadquartersCuanstad, Imagua and the Assimas
IdeologyLibertarianisml
Political positionCentre to Centre-right
Colors  Gold
Legislative Council
0 / 60
House of Commons
0 / 70

The Democratic Party (Etrurian: Partito Democratico d'Imagua) was a political party in Imagua and the Assimas. Established in 1945 when the Liberal Party renamed itself to the Democratic Party in order to affiliate itself with the Democratic Party in the United Provinces, the party would exist until its merger with the National Labour Party in 1979.

Its zenith was under the leadership of Rupert Cox from 1968 to 1980, when in the 1976 general elections, the Imaguan Party of Democrats were able to take one seat in the House of Commons, and won a by-election in 1978 which increased their presence to two members of Parliament. Due to the creation of the National Labour Party in 1978, the Democratic Party voted to merge with the National Labour Party the following year in order to avoid splitting the opposition.

History

Rupert Cox, 1976

In 1945, the Liberal Party, under the leadership of Abraham Halfacre, renamed itself to the Democratic Party, and affiiated itsef with Pierre Voloix's Democratic Party. All Liberal MPs in the parliaments of Imagua and the United Provinces became Democratic MPs.

However, as relations between Imagua and the United Provinces deteriorated, tensions grew within the Democratic Party, with many within the party, led by Herschel Ahern, seeking to merge the party with the Labour Party, while Ahern sought to preserve the party as a centrist force, and as the "voice of Imagua" within the union. In 1947, the Democratic Party split in two, with Ahern's faction voting to merge with the Labour Party to create the Democratic Labour Party. However, Halfacre remained the de-jure leader of the Democratic Party, maintaining the loyalty of five legislative councillors and himself.

In the 1948 elections, the Democratic Party lost its remaining seats in the House of Commons, despite finishing second in many Cuanstad seats. After losing the 1952 elections, Halfacre resigned as party leader, and was succeeded by Reginald Wheeler, who was the first Bahio-Imaguan to lead an Imaguan political party. Howver, following a poor result in 1956, Wheeler was succeeded by Enoch Saunders as leader.

In 1961, Otto Newman was expelled from the Democratic Labour caucus, and affiliated himself with the Democratic Party, making him the first Democratic MP since 1948. Due to his prominence within the party, Newman took over the party leadership in 1963, and would lead the party into the 1964 election. However, after losing his seat, Newman was succeeded by Rupert Cox, who would reorient the party to be a "conservative alternative" to the Sotirian Democrats, who were associated with the "racist system" that existed on Imagua.

The party would improve their results in 1968 and 1972, but still failed to secure a seat in the House of Commons. However, in 1973, former DLP MP Clelia Pavon joined the Democratic Party, and in 1976, the Democratic Party elected its first MP since 1948 when Rupert Cox won election to his own seat, and two years later, a by-election saw Ted Branson elected for the Democratic Party.

However, in 1978, Travis Marshall and four other DLP MPs crossed the floor and formed the National Labour Party. Not wanting to split the opposition, and due to widespread support for the National Labour Party threatening the Democratic Party, the two parties merged in 1979.

Political positions

The Imaguan Party of Democrats was a centre-right political party, based on the traditional ideals of classical liberalism. However, from the late 1960s onward, the Democratic Party became a more conservative party as it sought the votes of Bahio-Imaguans who were aligned with the Sotirian Democrats, but "detested the racist policies that they had espoused."

Election results

Election Leader Candidates Seats +/- Position
1948 Abraham Halfacre 22/66
0 / 66
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1952 63/63
0 / 63
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1956 Reginald Wheeler 61/63
0 / 63
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1960 Enoch Saunders 63/63
0 / 63
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1964 Otto Newman 65/65
0 / 65
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1968 Rodolfo Osso 64/65
0 / 65
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1972 Erico D'Antonio 67/67
0 / 67
 Steady Extra-parliamentary opposition
1976 Rupert Cox 67/67
1 / 67
 Increase 1 Third party
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