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The 2021 Estmerish general election was held on 27 May 2021. It was a snap election, called for by Prime Minister Reginald Wilton-Smyth on 14 April with the intention of providing clarity following the gambled pensions scandal. All 600 Members of Parliament in the Chamber of Commons were elected. Official results were released on 29 May.
Following 2018, the next election was not scheduled until 2022. Reginald Wilton-Smyth made the call for a snap election on 14 April, and Parliament voted in favour on 15 April. Campaigning unofficially began with the start of purdah on 18 April, but the campaign officially began with the dissolution of Parliament on 25 April. Pensions, social security and housing were considered major issues in the campaign, with foreign and social policy also taking prominence in response to LGBT-free zones in Etruria. Age and opinion of leaders were considered to impact voting intention in the campaign. The campaign was also notable for the prominent role that foreign leaders played in the campaign, with Pink Wave leaders endorsing and campaigning for Halivar and her party, possibly to capitalise on her momentum for their own electoral tests, in what has been described as the federalisation of EC politics.
The opposition Social Democratic and Co-operative Party emerged from the election as the largest party, and Zoe Halivar announced her intention to form a minority government with support from smaller progressive parties. The results were the best for the SDCP since the 1973 election, and the worst for the Reform Party since its foundation in 1980, and saw leader Esther Bennett lose her constituency seat. The governing Sotirian Democratic Union fell back, but retained a sizable vote share and attempted to form a government. The Greens saw a rise in their vote share, challenging Reform for third-largest party. Three new parties, Vox Estmere, future.es and the SCCA, won seats in Parliament for the first time.
Voter turnout in the election was 72.85%, up 2.4% since the last election, and the highest for a national election since 1999. The SDCP was seen to have reversed long-term trends by supplanting Reform as the major centre-left party, doing so by broadening its appeal and winning voters in suburban areas with a focus on social liberalism and competence.
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