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General elections will be held in Gapolania to elect the President and 155 members of the Senate. The elections are scheduled to take place on August 22nd 2021.
Background
The previous general election, on August 2017, saw voters elect Mosè Maggiacomo from the Justice and Restoration coalition for a second term, with the candidate gathering 53.17% of all votes in the first round, over twice as much as his rival, Namal Emenchà. Maggiacomo's presidency has been generally viewed as "good" or "very good" in polls conducted between 2017 and 2021, although after the involvement of the ruling coalition in the Arucian diplomatic scandal the approval ratings fell to a record low in the history of Maggiacomo's presidency, reaching 30%.
The government was also criticized for not fulfilling the promises it gave during the 2017 elections - commonly listed issues were: increasing gender inequality and gender pay gap, difficulties in access to education in villages and towns below 100'000 inhabitants, high risk of uneployment for citizens aged 18-30 and deteriorating quality of the environment.
A report published in February 2021 described the world democracy as "worsening", highlighting rise of authoritarianism globally and regionally, including Gapolania. Among the biggest concerns were centralization of power and corruption, as well as an increase of media cenzorship.
On 15th May 2021, one of the main parties in the government, Blue Hibiscus, announced it left the coalition and will run independently in the upcoming elections. A third largest force in the Senate, Blue Hibiscus is one of the oldest parties in the nation continuously represented in the Senate, formed after the Hibiscus Revolution. On 10th June 2021, the party's leader, Marcelo Segantù, officially presented a new political alliance, Movement for Change.
With Mosè Maggiacomo's second term coming to and end, he isn't eligible to candidate another time. On 22nd May 2021, the ruling coalition run an internal contest, which saw Clemente Nacci, the Minister of Transportation, win with 63,5% of the vote. Only 37 years old, he is currently the youngest person in Gapolania to run for the presidential office.
Electoral system
The president of Gapolania is elected using a two-round system, with a candidate required to receive more than 50% of all the votes in order to win. If no candidates receive more than a half of the votes, a runoff takes place between the top two. The president is limited to two terms, consecutive or not. Any citizen of country at least 18 years old on they day of the elections can cast a vote.
There are a total of 155 seats of the Senate, elected via 12 governorates of Gapolania and a capital domain, Nassea. The number of seats are distributed in relation to the population of the administrative unit. Seats were allocated using the Boeri method of proportional representation. There is no legal threshold, although there is a rule that the first seat can never be a remainder seat, which means that there is an effective threshold of 100% divided by the total number of seats (with 155 seats to allocate, it is currently 0.65%). There's a gender quota of 40%, meaning that 62 seats need to be filled by women. Despite several tries, ethnic minorities, such as the Chanuche, are not affected by quotas - as of 2021, the Chanuche, representing nearly 10% of the total population, have only 6 seats (4% of the total seats) in the Senate.
Presidential candidates and coalitions
Thirteen candidates successfully gathered 100'000 signatures and registered their candidacy before the limit date of 22 June 2021.
| Presidential candidate (political party) |
Vice-presidential candidate (political party) |
Coalition | Coalition parties | Ideology | Prior political office | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Clemente Necci PSdG |
 Alessandro Bagliari MN |
 Justice and Restoration |
|
Minister of Transportation (since 2016) | |||
| Justice and Restoration (Giustizia e Restaurazione) coalition was formed in 2011 as an aftermath of the journalists' investigation uncovering several scandals involving the corruption of the left-wing ruling party and the president Andrè Bellini. The political alliance stormed its first elections in 2013, receiving a total of over 52% of all the votes and forming a majority in the Senate - the first ever right-wing government since the Marco Furiginioni's presidency backed by the Supportist Party. Clemente Necci was chosen as the presidential candidate following the vote conducted on 22nd May. Currently finishing his term as the Minister of Transportation, he is a graduate of the University of Nassea with a degree in Administration. The youngest candidate to participate in the elections, Necci's political views are described as "conservative, often on the edge of neo-functionalism. | |||||||
.jpg) Marcelo Segantù BLU |
 Enrico Lucini AB |
 Movement for Change |
|
Senator (since 2013) | |||
| Movement for Change (Movimento per il Cambiamento) is a new political alliance, created after the Blue Hibiscus party withdrew from the government coalition. Involving several centre-right and centre parties, its' primary goal is to simulate the original Blue Hibiscus movement, formed during the events of the Asterian Spring, which consolidated many parties to oppose the radical right government. On 10th June 2021 it was announced that the Blue Hibiscus leader, Marcelo Segantù, will be the coalition's presidential candidate - an experienced politician serving as a Senator since 2013 (with previous presence in Astia's regional councial from 2005), Segantù's proposed policies include citizens' evaluation of the government's budget and spendings, free public media and financial and infrastructural support for the working class. | |||||||
_(cropped).png) Elisa Perranazu LIB |
 Laura Totèn-Alvinacci Independent |
 Civic Union |
|
Senator (since 2017) | |||
| The Civic Union (Unione Civica) is a coalition of Gapolanese liberal and libertarian parties which saw its emergence in 2013, gaining support from left-of-centre groups that distrusted the socialist parties after the scandals. The alliance is highly voted on in the largest cities of the west coast and in Nassea, however it fails to gain support in the smaller towns and in the villages. Elisa Perranazu, the coalition's leader since its creation, was announced as its presidential candidate on 15th May 2021 - Perranazu previously participated in the 2017 general elections, where she finished second, with 17,33% of all the votes (a difference of over 35 p.p. to Mosè Maggiacomo, who won in the first round). A Senator and urban activist, Perranazu aims for a "free, liberal society where citizens are equal to each other". | |||||||
 Battista Bernardi OR |
 Enrico Nanwì CH |
 New Left |
|
none (lawyer) | |||
| The New Left (Nuova Sinistra) developed after the dissolution of the Socialist Front of Gapolania, a left-wing coalition that ruled the government from 2001 to 2013 and was heavily criticized after an investigation which proved the party's connection to organized crime groups and money laundering. After changes in the coalition's leadership in late 2012, the Socialist Front of Gapolania received only 7.34% of all the votes in 2013 general elections and, in 2014, the alliance collapsed completely. A new formation, the New Left, was formed in 2015, with careful selection of its members and leaders - since June 2018, it's led by Battista Bernardi, a feminist and a lawyer specializing in helping abuse victims. Bernardi's ideology focuses on helping minorities, gender equality, and increasing access to education and public healthcare. | |||||||
.jpg) Awkan Oënki WAL |
 Lanchò Pichun CH |
 Wallmapuwene |
|
Mayor of Chauante (2008-2018) | |||
| Wallmapuwene is a Chanuche minority party reaching back 1980s, when it consolidated far-left and radical groups political parties and paramilitary groups that sought to fight against repressions of the ethnic minorities. Even though the coalition aligns itself with the left-wing, it refused to join any other major faction and only merged with the Civic Union before the general elections in 2017. In January 2021, the coalition's leader, Awkan Oënki, announced they will run in the 2021 elections from a distinct list with Oënki as the presidential candidate. The group has some following in the governorates of Appalasta and Misano-Alessandrou, where the indigenous population constitutes for over 20% of the total population, yet it fails to gain support in other parts of the country. | |||||||
 Giacomo Naùri FNZ |
.jpg) Sebastian Cavastri FNZ |
 National Front |
|
none (economist) | |||
| The National Front (Fronte Nazionale) is a far-right political alliance that emerged in 1986 as an answer to severe discrimination of right-wing political groups. The coalition used the anti-socialist narrative during the 2013 and 2017 elections but failed to receive enough votes, losing to more liberal Justice and Restoration. On March 2021 the alliance announced they will run in the upcoming elections with Giacomo Naùri as their candidate - an economist from Zeta, strong opponent of abortion, same-sex marriage and a welfare state and believes in individuality, strong, industrialized economy and militarization. | |||||||
 Gennaro Di Donato Independent |
_(cropped).jpg) Anna Valmeri AS |
 Socialist Alternative |
|
Senator (2009-2013) | |||
| The Socialist Alternative (Alternativa Socialista) is a socialist coalition created in 2014 after the dissolution of the Socialist Front of Gapolania and structural changes within the left-wing parties in the nation. The party focuses on supporting the rural population and pushes for a land reform, claiming the agricultural workers are the victim of the global market and foreign investments in Gapolania. The party has yet to enter the Senate, having failed to reach the legislature in 2017 elections. On 18th May 2021 Gennaro Di Donato, a former member of the Socialist Front of Gapolania, was announced as the presidential candidate. Having grown up on a farm, he's described as "someone who understands both the urban and the rural Gapolania and can effectively meet needs of both". | |||||||
 Eloisa Femia LVC |
 Aurelio Mancini LVC |
 Your Home |
|
none (urban activist) | |||
| Your Home (La Vostra Casa) is a minor political coalition that encompasses two liberal parties. On April 17th, the group's leader, Eloisa Femia announced her candidacy in the 2021 elections. An urban activist, Femia believes that Gapolania should take more "Western" approach to the politics, stating that the political factions in the country "waste so much time fighting each other they do nothing to help Gapolania reach the rest of the world". The party has low support, found mostly in the larger cities, such as Nassea or Astia. | |||||||
.jpg) Basilio Marotta NOI |
.jpg) Ettore Dubèc NOI |
 Noi! |
|
Councilman in Belcasera (2006-2014) | |||
| Noi! is a single centre-left party created in 2002 that strives for a "moderately liberal society". Its support comes mostly from small towns and land owners. Basiolio Marotta was announced as the presidential candidate on 12th March - a former member of the Belcasera regional council, his views are focused around equaling the chances of the less-affluent population and helping farmers and entrepreneurs. | |||||||
 Vincent Gunsà MR |
.png) Giuseppe Mer-Avita SGIL |
 Revolutionary March |
none (sociologist) | ||||
| Revolutionary March (Marcia Rivoluzionaria) is a radical left-wing organization that formed during the 1970s and started as a paramilitary group. Banned in 1973 by the junta, its ban was lifted following the Hibiscus Revolution and it became active as a political faction. Led by Vincent Gunsà, who was announced as a presidential candidate for the 2021 elections, the coalition believes that "only a revolution can change Gapolania" and claims that the socialist parties in the country "do more harm than good". Among Gunsà's ideology is a firm belief in introducing council communism in the nation and a total reconstruction of the economic and political system. With a relatively small support, the party attracts mostly radical individuals, though it noted a surge of support in the 2017 elections within the students and people aged 18-25 with secondary education, when it gained 9 seats in the regional councils. | |||||||
.jpg) Siyqen Achuni APA |
 Camilo Sani Independent |
 Interior |
|
none (entrepreneur) | |||
| Interior (Il Interno) is a minor party that evolved from the Autonomy for Appalasta movement, which strives for more rights for the ethnic minorities and migrant populations. Among other policies are environmentalism, an active fight for preserving the natural heritage of places like the Semara valley or San Nicomede island. The party actively protests against mining and logging in the country's interior - its biggest success is a bill to prevent logging in Bochèta commune, which passed in 2018 after mass demonstrations. On 2nd June 2021 Siyqen Achuni, an indigenous activist and a business-owner, was announced as the presidential candidate. | |||||||
.jpg) Marco Fellegrini Independent |
.jpg) Sebastian Pinandù NuCo |
 Together |
|
Councilman in Nassea (2006-2018) | |||
| Together (Insieme) party is a minor political movement that focuses on developing "united, conservative society" through a free-market economy. The coalition emphasizes the importance of the ethics and religion in the nation, often referring to the political activity of a historical Pantheonisti movement. Formed in 1996, it has failed to reach the Senate or the regional councils on all occasions, with most of its support coming from the smaller towns in the west. On 10th April it was announced that Marco Fellegrini, a former councilman in Nassea, will run as a candidate for the president. | |||||||
 Antonio Dovale Independent |
.png) Natalia Chìm Independent |
 Gapolania+ |
|
Senator (1997-2005) | |||
| Gapolania+ dates back to 1993. Initially a platform focused to help better the situation of the pensioners in the country, it quickly evolved to a group advocating for inclusiveness, focusing on helping the elderly and people with disabilities. On 19th March 2021 the movement announced they will put forward a candidate for the president in the upcoming elections for the first time, choosing Antonio Dovale, former Senator. Dovale, previously a member of the Blue Hibiscus, supports the development of the welfare state in Gapolania and notions for increased spending on education, healthcare and infrastructure development, which, as he claims, "is accessible only for a small part of the population, both physically and legally". | |||||||
Campaign
The campaign started officially on 22nd July 2021 [1], a month before the elections - in the Gapolanese law, the official campaign can lost no more than 30 days, even though several candidates started their personal campaigns as early as in May. Several major themes appeared in candidates' campaigns and the analysts noted an increased use of the negative campaigning, especially between the major factions: Justice and Restoration, Movement for Change and the New Left.
Clemente Necci started his campaign in his home city of Camia. His slogan, "Vivo orgoglioso, vivo meglio" (Live proud, live better), relied on nationalist values and successful economic development of the country under GeR's rule. With over 120 meetings planned and 36 cities scheduled to visit, he's one of the busiest candidates. In the TV interview conducted on 4th August by RTG1 (Radiotelevisione Gapolania) he stated that "Gapolania is on a right path and can soon become a regional power. I thank the citizens of my country for supporting us in these last 8 years and I hope they will give us another chance".
Segantù's campaign was focused on the criticism of the government. On 2nd August, Segantù stated that "for too long we've been fooled by Justice and Restoration and for helping them bring this country to the edge of authoritarianism I am sorry. But it's time for change and it's time to say no again to dictatorship".
Perranazu is the busiest of the candidates, with 40 cities to visit and 155 planned meetings. Her campaign focuses on the large cities, especially in the east, where the Civic Union failed to attract voters in 2017, though she plans on to visit several sites in the interior, where her political opponent, Battista Bernardi, starts. The New Left unofficially launched their campaign after the [2] , when the government was found selling military ships to Chistovodia. Their anti-right narration was then fueled after the campaign started, with Bernardi planning to reach crucial communes where the support of the left-wing parties has been historically high and can be restored.
Other candidates chose to campaign locally and regionally. Both Oënki and Achuni focus their resources on the governorates of Appalasta, Misano-Allesandrou and Vaì, where the indigenous population is high, though Oënki also plans to visit cities in the north, traditionally aligned with the left-wing. Eloisa Femia, candidate of Your Home, is the only candidate planning to reach San Nicomede island.
Issues
Several issues were identified as crucial to Gapolania in 2021 and the upcoming years, with many candidates addressing them during their campaigns.
- Chistovodian destroyer incident: On 15 February 2021[2] a battleship produced in state-owned facility in Nassea was spotted on its way to Chistovadia. It turned out that the current government still carries out a deal with Chistovodia to provide several military naval vessels, despite the country being ruled by a socialist party, which GeR strongly condemned in their 2013 campaign. This met with mixed responses, as many parties accused the government of supporting the Chistovodian militarization of the Arucian Sea and contributing to the instability of the region. The incident has been used by opposition parties during the campaign.
- Inflation and unemployment: as of 2021, both the inflation rate and unemployment reached the highest levels since 2013 (inflation) and 2005 (unemployment). Especially the latter one became a key issue in the Gapolanese politics[3], as many people lost access to jobs due to fiscal changes and reduction of job places in agriculture (large plantations and farms merging or taken over by the state, which could not sustain as many employees as before) and industry (copper and gold mines shutting down and no alternative source of income for former miners). Since 2016, the informal sector has also seen a boost, often seen as the only opportunity for the rural population.
- Indigenous rights: According to a report presented by the Institute of the Sociology of the University of Nassea, the situation of the indigenous population in Gapolania has worsened during the 2016-2021 period. The study claims that the average salary of the indigenous population of the Chanuche has risen during this time by 5.4%, while the white and mixed population's wages have increases by 10.1% and 9.7%, respectively. The report also brings attention to the Dabu people situation - one of the lesser ethnic groups in Gapolania, the average salary of the Dabu has decreased by 1.3%. The rights of the indigenous people are an important topic of the campaign, with two presidential candidates being of Chanuche descent and additional 3 vice-presidential candidates having Chanuche ancestors, a number never matched in previous elections.
- San Nicomede island: a small island on the Eastern Arucian sea, nearly 75% of its area belongs to the San Nicomede National Park, one of the most important places in the country due to its high biodiversity. The island's small population has traditionally lived as fishers and fruit harvesters, yet after the current coalition won the elections, it became a target of industrialization[4]. According to a notion proposed in early 2020 by members of the Supportist Party, the island, currently indebted, can transform to a major seafood processing site and a minor naval logistics centre. The bill to allow the construction of the crab processing factory and creation of additional large-scale fishing sites has sparked controversy in the country, with many politicians accusing the government of "blindly destroying the environment". Due to the protests taking place in winter and spring on the island and in the capital, the works have been temporarily stopped, though Clemente Necci stated in the interview that he "intends to finish the job and let the island finally recover from deep financial crisis". While the island appears in the presidential campaign of several candidates, it's usually used within the context of the environmental issues in Gapolania. Since 1950, there were over 70 environmental conflicts in the country, with less than half of them solved. Due to the island's distance from the continent, it was visited by one candidate only, Eloisa Femia[5], who stated she "will do everything to stop this barbaric initiative from actually taking place".
Endorsements
Numerous organizations, newspapers and individuals decided to endorse certain party, coalition or candidates. The analysts note that the "upcoming elections might be the hardest ever for Gapolania", as some people and media are indecisive and hesitant to put forward an endorsement. Below is the list of publicly announced support on behalf of parties and candidates in the 2021 election.
Media
National newspapers
| Newspaper | Endorsement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gapolania Everyday | Movement for Change | ||
| Giornale.gp | Justice and Restoration | ||
| Il Sentiero | New Left | Advised its readers to vote against the current ruling coalition. | |
| La Stampa | Justice and Restoration | Promoted Clemente Necci as "the only candidate with a real experience and knowledge of what the country needs" | |
| La Verita | New Left | ||
| The Hummingbird | New Left | Also supported Civic Union and Socialist Alternative's campaigns. | |
National political magazines
| Newspaper | Endorsement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inside: Political | New Left | Left-wing political magazine | |
| Panorama | Justice and Restoration | Right-wing political magazine | |
| Undici | New Left | Left-wing political magazine | |
Local newspapers
| Newspaper | Endorsement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corriere di Belcasera | Justice and Restoration}} | Daily newspaper covering the communes of Trapanto, Fièrro and Attributo. | |
| GazZeta | New Left | Daily newspaper covering the state of Nerio, heavily focused on the city of Zeta. | |
| Giornale di Appalasta | Interior | Daily newspaper covering the city of Duclea and its surroundings. | |
| L'Unione Semara | Justice and Restoration | Daily newspaper covering the cities on the west coast: Astia, Città di Leonardo and Conchiporto and their suburbs. | |
| Messagero | Civic Union | Daily newspaper covering the governorate of Ellorio. | |
| Nassea Today | Civic Union | Daily news magazine covering the capital city of Nassea. | |
| Staccato | New Left | Weekly magazine covering Nassea and the surrounding cities and towns. | |
| Zugun | Wallmapuwene}} | Weekly Chanuche-language newspaper covering the states of Appalasta and Misano-Alessandrou. | |
Foreign newspapers
Opinion polls
Controversies and issues
References
- ↑ "Race for the presidential seat: who will gain the most from the recent political shuffles?". La Verita. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Hit and sunk: Gapolanese destroyer spotted on its way to Chistovodia". La Verita. 15 February 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ↑ "@Nuova Sinistra Gapolania". Chirper. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ↑ "The Fight for Crabs". Il Sentiero. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
- ↑ "@E. Femia". Chirper. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.