2016 Etrurian federal election
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All 680 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and All 290 seats in the State Council | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 34,730,414 (78.40%) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections were held in the United Transestrurian Federation for both houses of the Senate of the Federation on the 10 August 2016. All 680 and 290 members of the Chamber of Representatives and State Council respectively, were elected under a single non-transferable vote system in multi-member electoral districts.
The election saw the established two parties of the incumbent Etrurian Federalist Party, under President Andrea Reali and the Etrurian Socialist Party, under Matteo Fernandio Paruta suffer their worst defeats in history. The Tribune Movement under Francesco Carcaterra won a landslide victory, securing a majority in both houses of the Senate, while the Citizens' Alliance under Gianluca Tozzo made strong gains. The Workers and Farmers Union, under Milan Vučković and the Etrurian Greens under Fernando De Micheli making some gains.
Francesco Carcaterra became President of Etruria the next day with a sizeable majority in both houses of the federal legislature. The result also marked the first time a far-right populist political party had been elected into government since the functionalist era.
Electoral process
Background
At the last election, the Etrurian Federalist Party was returned to power with slight losses to the Citizens' Alliance and Tribune Movement in wake of President Emiliano Reali's declaration that Etruria would hold a referendum on membership of the Euclean Community back in 2012. The Etrurian Socialist Party also lost seats to the Tribune Movement, indicating a long-held belief of declining support for the established parties.
The failure of the Reali government to hold the referendum swiftly after the election further compounded the decline in support, with many noting the pacing had given extra oxygen and space to those opposing the referendum. Between 2013 and 2016, the Reali administration was hit by a series of minor corruption and personal scandals, which further damaged support.
When the EC membership referendum which took place between June and July 2016, the poor organisation and bitter infighting within the pro-EC camp (led jointly by the Federalist and Socialist parties) and major corruption scandals consuming the Reali government, ultimately played a key role in the No-campaign's (led by the Tribune Movement) dramatic victory on July 6, when 55.34% of voters rejected membership. President Reali resigned on July 7, being succeeded by Vice President Andrea Salvini.
The defeat of EC membership also caused resignations in the Socialist Party and the collapse in support for both parties, while the victorious Tribune Movement, absorbed numerous right-wing and far-right minor parties and demanded a general election. Under immense pressure and growing unpopularity, President Salvini announced a snap election would be held on August 10. Throughout the campaign, Salvini's government was rocked by sudden resignations and arrests over the sprawling Meraviglia Scandal, while support for the Tribune Movement and progressive Citizens' Alliance was growing.
Timetable
15 July | President Andrea Salvini announced his intention to dissolve the Senate and hold an election for the 10 August. |
16 July | Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives Pierluigi Grasso and Speaker of the State Council Mlatko Stepanovic accepts the President's request. |
19 July | Formal dissolution of the Senate; start of campaign period. |
30 July | Last day members of the public could register to vote. |
31 July | Last day in which members of the public could apply for proxy voting or postal voting. |
1 August | Last day for candidates to file nomination papers. Last day in which overseas voters can register to vote. |
10 August | Polling day |
15 August | New Senate assembled |
Parties
Party | Ideology | Political position | Leader | 2015 result (Chamber) | 2015 result (State Council) | |
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Etrurian Federalist Party | Liberal conservatism, pro-eucleanism | Centre-right | Andrea Salvini | 366 / 680
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153 / 290
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Etrurian Socialist Party | Social democracy, pro-eucleanism | Centre-left | Matteo Fernandino Paruta | 226 / 680
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35 / 290
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Farmers and Workers Union | Agrarianism, soft eucloskepticism | Centre-left | Milan Vučković | 48 / 680
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80 / 290
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Citizens' Alliance | Liberalism, pro-eucleanism | Centre | Gianluca Tozzo | 22 / 680
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12 / 290
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Tribune Movement | Right-wing populism, Etrurian nationalism, eucloskepticism | Far-right | Francesco Carcaterra | 14 / 680
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10 / 290
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Etrurian Greens | Eco-socialism, pro-eucleanism | Left | Fernando De Micheli | 4 / 680
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0 / 290
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Campaign
Opinion polls
Exit poll
Since the 2004 general election, Etruria's federal elections have only permitted one exit poll to be broadcast to voters when polls officially close at 22.00pm. This exit poll is a calculated average of all exit polls produced by broadcasters, pollsters and newspapers and distributed to media outlets by the Federal Electoral Office.
The 2016 poll entered controversy after falling far-short of the actual Tribune victory, in that it predicted a hung-parliament.
Chamber of Representatives
Parties | Seats | Change | |
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Tribune Movement | 349 | 335 | |
Citizens' Alliance | 119 | 97 | |
Etrurian Federalist Party | 100 | 266 | |
Farmers and Workers Union | 50 | 2 | |
Etrurian Socialist Party | 52 | 174 | |
Etrurian Greens | 10 | 6 |