Patron League
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Patron League | |
---|---|
Luzelese name | Liga Patrona |
Esmeiran name | Liga Patrona |
Vicisan name | Liga Patrona |
Tosuton name | Lliga Patrona |
Abbreviation | LP |
Chairperson | Isilda Cerqueira |
General Secretary | Selena Caprichoso |
Deputy Leaders | Paulo Sérgio Lima António De Armas |
Founders | Selena Caprichoso Paulo Sérgio Lima António De Armas and others |
Founded | 20 December 2013 |
Headquarters | Precea, Luzela |
Newspaper | Mídia Popular |
Student wing | Students of the Patron League Front |
Youth wing | Youth of the Patron League Front |
Women's wing | Women of the Patron League Front |
Membership (2021) | 1,675,401 |
Ideology | Right-wing populism Eucloscepticism Paretian nationalism National conservatism |
Political position | Center-right to Far-right |
Euclean Affiliation | Movement for A New Democratic Euclea |
Colors | Orange |
Slogan | "Seja de serviço, não servido para." "Be of service, not served for." |
Câmara da Assembleia | 54 / 120
|
Câmara do Congresso | 164 / 360
|
Regional Presidencies | 3 / 4
|
Regional Legislatures | 154 / 435
|
Euclean Parliament | 29 / 65
|
Election symbol | |
Party flag | |
The Patron League (Luzelese: Liga Patrona ; Esmeiran: Liga Patrona; Vicisan: Liga Patrona; Tosuton: Lliga Patrona), or the LP is a right-wing populist political party in Paretia. It was founded in 2013 by populists who defected from the Conservative Union and other right-wing parties. It's goal is to form a populist, euclosceptic, and anti-globalist party as the Conservative Union is lead by mostly Pro-EC members and messaging. Since the 1990's the UC began to move towards the center in order to attract more voters from both sides, originally being softly Eucloskeptic until the 90's, the UC had become very Euclo-friendly and is more moderate than ever. Many of the more populist, anti-EC members felt left out of the party's leadership and began to leave in the late 2000's. Many parties were formed as a result, these included the Paretian Consolidation Party, the Paretian Independence Party, and the Movement of the New Right, all of which failed to win any seats in elections.
In 2011, Conservative Union politician and mayor of the rural city of Lacunas, Selena Caprichoso, would leave the party. Another popular member of the Câmara da Assembleia, Paulo Sérgio Lima, would leave the party. They would join former Catholics for Liberty member António De Armas in the formation of a new party, and asked the leaders of other new populist parties to merge. In October 2013 they would meet in Burgo Coroa to discuss the new party, which was then under the name New Right Alliance. The meeting became well known as UC leaders and others criticized it. In December they would finalize the new Patron League, with the goal of taking down the older conservative parties and become the new right-wing of Paretia, with Selena Caprichoso at the helm. The Party took notice of the new Etrurian Tribune Movement which had recently gained seats in an election and would emulate a message similar to theirs but with their own Paretian twist.
Caprichoso would begin to speak of anti-EC and anti-immigration policies and held rallies for the 2014 election. Their presence saw a deepening in the populist-moderate divide in the Conservative Union. In the 2014 election they would place 6th and win 13 seats in the Câmara do Congresso and 5 seats in the Câmara da Assembleia, as well as over 150 municipal leadership positions. A deal was needed to be made in order for a government to form, so the League would join the government coalition and compromise some things to do so. They would continue to grow in the 2017 election and place 4th and win 32 seats in the Câmara do Congresso and 11 seats in the Câmara da Assembleia. They became a major member of the government coalition lead by the Conservative Union. They would become a major wild card in important votes as they would sometimes go against the UC on some things. 2020 election, they saw enormous turnout and ended up in 3rd, winning 66 seats in the lower house and 18 in the upper house. A new populist party, the Alternative Party, would win big as well and become a new ally to the League. This election would lead to the ousting of UC Premier Vasco Gonçalves in order to form a new government. In a deal between the Alternative Party, Conservative Union, and Patron League, they would agree to appoint populist independent Isilda Cerqueira as Premier and have Paulo Sérgio Lima as one of the deputy premiers, and divided the cabinet on coalition party size.
During Cerqueira's first year as Premier the LP was very supportive of her, but was weary of helping the UC in passing bills. Many roadblocks stock the UC from going forward, or the LP, due to their differences of the Euclean Community. Cerqueira, had a massive bias towards the LP and Alt Party and began to lean towards them on various issues. Cerqueira sparked outrage from the moderates when she defended Etruria and the Tribune Movement in their "LGBT free zones" in various Etrurian states. After this, the LP and Cerqueira distanced themselves from the UC, and when the UC attempted to pass a previously agreed upon tax cut bill, it failed to pass due to the LP and Alt Parties claiming it "was too lenient on the elites", as it had high tax cuts for the upper class. Caprichoso, Lima, Pacau, and Cerqueira began meeting on "dealing with the issue of the coalition".
In June 2021, Premier Isilda Cerqueira would join the Patron League after months of disagreement with coalition members, and a snap election would be called for August 4th. Cerqueira and Caprichoso would split the power of the LP between the two, Cerqueira became Chairwoman of the Patron League, with Caprichoso becoming General Secretary. The election initially saw the Social Democrats in the lead but scandals surrounding an attempt to ban the LP from the ballot saw massive distrust in the system and a rise of the LP in polls in July. The LP and Alt Party would win enough seats in the election to form a new government, under Cerqueira, named O Povo, Caprichoso and Pacau became Co-Deputy Premiers. Becoming the first far-right populist government since the functionalist state.
History
Before foundation (2005-2013)
Before the Patron League, the populist right was a mostly part of a powerful wing of the Conservative Union, the central right-wing party in Paretia. Other parties has populist factions such as the Catholics for Liberty and regional parties. The party was originally founded on eucloscepticism, however during the 1990s it saw massive decline in popularity against the Social Democrats, the party slowly would begin to move towards the center in order to survive. The party would win control in the 2002 Paretian election, new members would enter the government, including Selena Caprichoso, becoming mayor of Lacuna, who in 2004 would become the leading member of the UC's euclosceptic faction. In the 2009 Paretian election the party would lose to the SD, and reacted by moving towards becoming essentially a pro-EC party. In 2011 Selena Caprichoso would leave the party, as well as Paulo Sérgio Lima and António De Armas.
Foundation
Throughout 2012 Caprichoso, Lima, De Armas, and others began to work on forming a new party. However little success occurred, and many populist UC and CpL members continued to stay in their parties. In January 2013 the UC announced a new platform, rejecting hard-eucloscepticism and the far-right, it also began to accept more trade internationalism. This lead to enough momentum for more members to leave the party. In October 2013 Caprichoso would invite the defectors to a meeting to discuss creation of a new right-wing party in Burgo Coroa.
The meeting would lead to an increase of media attention to the movement, even Premier Vasco Gonçalves criticized the meeting. The meeting called the new party the Nova Aliança de Direita (New Right Alliance), and further meetings continued. And on the 20th of December 2013 they announced their party, the Liga Patrona (Patron League), a party with the goal of united the euclosceptic and populist right of Paretia. The party took much inspiration from the Tribune Movement founded in Etruria in 2012. That day the party voted on having Selena Caprichoso as it's leader and began to campaign for the 2014 elections.
2014 Elections
The party began campaigning for the election, which was crucial for the party's future. In 2014 the party would create its first platform calling for strong immigration policies, and was outspokenly anti-EC. The party was criticized by the media heavily during it's first year of existence, this would lead into a harsh relationship with the press. One particular occurrence was when the newspaper Momento claimed the party had close roots with the Paretian neo-functionalists. The party would eventually adopt the mindset that the media has been "destroyed and turned into puppets" for the elites.
The party began to hold rallies particularly in Luzela, the party would start to hold rallies in places like Burgo Coroa, Esodos, Vallenoche, Encerosa, and Herança. The elections would be held in July 2014, and would see the Patron League win 3.61% of the vote, coming in 6th place. The party would win 13 in the Câmara do Congresso and 5 seats in the Câmara da Assembleia. The party was the largest first election victory since the SD in the 1981 elections.
Party growth and 2017 elections (2015-2019)
The Patron League established itself in the Senado da Paretia as a supporting party of the governing coalition, however it's presence saw a growing divide between remaining populist and euclosceptic UC members and the rest of the party. Caprichoso became the party's leading member in the Câmara do Congresso and Lima in the Câmara da Assembleia. The party began to be increasingly a wildcard in voting, despite being right-wing, the party sided multiple times with the left-wing opposition on issues such as trade and infrastructure.
In 2015 the party held a convention in Lacuna, this would be it's largest rally and it sought to expand it's popularity. Selena Caprichoso criticized the Gonçalves government many times. In June 2015 when Premier Gonçalves signed trade deals with both Shangea and many EC nations she called him "a weak imbecile who will do what his masters in Kesselbourg and his masters in Rongzhuo ask him, we the people of Paretia deserve better." The party began to rev up it's populist rhetoric at this time, coining the term "Os Sanguessugas"(The bloodsuckers), to describe the Paretian elite, which they claim is trying to rob the Paretian people.
In 2016 the LP endorsed the Tribune Movement in Etruria led by Francesco Carcaterra in their no vote campaign in their country's 2016 EC membership referendum, and the following 2016 Etrurian general election. The massive victory by the Tribunes was called "inspirational to what we wish to accomplish here" by LP member Rafa Peixoto. It is considered by experts that the events in Etruria helped motivate LP voters in the coming elections.
The 2017 elections saw the expansion of the LP into regions outside of Luzela, the LP would win 8.88% of the vote in this election and won 32 seats in the Câmara do Congresso and 10 seats in the Câmara da Assembleia, seeing even more growth than the previous election along with massive turnout. The election saw another populist euclosceptic party rise into the government, the Alternative Party lead by Horácio Pacau became close allies with the LP after the 2017 election, despite having more centrist views. The LP and Alt Party would both join the government coalition and Paulo Sérgio Lima became the Minister of Culture. The party had a large sway in government, and saw continuous disagreement with other coalition members, including the UC, LdP, and CpL. The last term of Gonçalves saw a little more progress with the LP on some issues such as policing and immigration.
In 2017 Paulo Sérgio Lima would run for President of the Euclean Community representing the MNDE, but fail to win, however it lead to a growth in the party's popularity with populists in other EC nations. In 2018 and 2019 many UC members began to leave to the Patron League or become Independent, including Isilda Cerqueira. This would begin to set the stage for the 2020 elections.
2020 Elections and success
The Conservative Union began to distance itself from the far-right heavily from 2019 into 2020. This would lead to many UC members switching to the Patron League or becoming independent in 2020. The 2020 elections saw massive growth for the party as much of the right wing was dissatisfied with the government of Vasco Gonçalves. The opposition Social Democrats had begun to grow in support as well, seeing the division in the right-wing as an opportunity. The election took placed on the 1 August 2020. The LP gained 34 seats in the Congresso and 8 in the Assembleia, nearly equaling the size of the now shrunk UC. This lead to an issue for Gonçalves and the UC. The LP and Alt Party threatened to leave the coalition and have the SD take over if they did not have a new Premier to be a dealmaker for the new parties. The LP originally called for Demétrio Rego, a prominant member of the Alternative Party become Independent and be Premier, he declined. They then chose Independent right-wing populist Isilda Cerqueira, she accepted and the UC had no choice but to have Gonçalves resign. Paulo Sérgio Lima would be made Deputy Premier and António De Armas Labor Minister. Cerqueira became Premier on August 11th, 2020.
Coalition Government of Isilda Cerqueira (2020-2021)
Disagreements with the coalition
Controversies
2021 Snap elections
The 2021 snap elections were called when Premier Isilda Cerqueira, who was very close with the LP and disappointed with the other right-wing parties of her coalition, joined the LP in June 2021. This led to the Liberals of Paretia and Conservative Union leaving the coalition and dissolving the legislatures, Cerqueira then called on King Erasmo to initiate a snap election, which he did. Cerqueira and Caprichoso would then change the way the LP is organized, making Cerqueira the Chairwoman of the party and Caprichoso the General Secretary, they became together co-leaders of the party.
Campaigning began for the snap election with the Social Democrats in the lead, and the LP in second, taking nearly all of the support from the moderate right-wing parties with them. Their party would eventually start to lead in polls in July after the 2021 Trovão elections scandal, which saw massive decline in trust in the government and a rise in the populist rhetoric of the party. The polls showed continuous fall of the centrist and moderate parties and a rise in the far-left and the far-right.
The election would be held on August 4th. The initial exit polls showed that the LP and their ally the Alterntive Party would have an extremely tight majority, making it difficult to govern. However as the night went many areas that were predicted to vote for the SD in eastern Luzela switched to the LP, giving them a larger majority than what was expected. Cerqueira would be reinstated as Premier of Paretia again, this time leading a new government made up of right-wing populists, under the new alliance O Povo. The LP has called their victory a "rebellion" against the Euclean Community, as Paretia became a hard-euclosceptic member of the EC.
O Povo Government(2021-)
The Cerqueira II government would switch around the new cabinet with LP and Alt members joining it, while keeping some of the members who already are in the Cabinet since 2020. Selena Caprichoso and Horácio Pacau would become the new Deputy Premiers, and Paulo Sérgio Lima would return to being Minister of Culture. António De Armas would switch from being Minister of Labour to Minister of Foreign Affairs. The first bill passed by the new legislature would be the Buy Euclea Iniative, which was a economic protectionist initiative created by Social Democrats in Caldia and Gaullica to promote Euclean-made steel over steel from Coius, it passed nearly unanimously with support from the SD and SPIT as well, and small resistance from the greatly weakened center. The Patron League would soon after increase protectionist tariffs on many nations, especially Shangea and Zorasan and also create the "Iniciativa Compre Caseiro"(Buy Home Initiative) to promote Paretian made products over foreign imports.
The Patron League would make Solarian Catholic Sotirianity the official of Paretia, which had been secular for over 70 years since the functionalist government fell. This was followed by many changes that expanded religious influence in the government and in public schools, including the creation of mandatory prayer at government meetings and public school classrooms. The LP also would remove many regulations on the highly controversial sport of bullfighting, a cultural symbol and Paretia's national sport.
Ideology and platform
The Patron league's ideology is considered right-wing by most. Although it has some positions considered left-wing. It has a strong nationalist, traditionalist, and anti-EC mindset at the core of it's ideology. It's social policies include law and order, anti-political correctness, and traditionalist values. The party does support various left-wing positions on welfare and taxing the rich. It's platform's core position is populism, it's ideology is indulged in populist phrasing and rhetoric. Notably it's anti-elite mindset, who are referred to as "As Comparsas" (The cronies), "Os sanguessugas" (The bloodsuckers), and "Os inimigo do povo" (The enemy of the people). It uses messaging saying that they are for the people, and that their base of supporters are known as "A revolta" (The uprising).
Paretian nationalism
Economy
Taxation
Infrastructure
Paretia first economics
The Patron League has called themselves economically protectionist and isolationist, supporting tariffs and subsidizing Paretian industry. They are very much against foreign involvement in Paretia's economy. Supporting tariffs and subsidizing Paretian industry first, calling it "Paretia primeiro" (Paretia first) economics.
The first bill passed by the Patron League was the Buy Euclean Steel Initiative, a proposal made by social democrat leaders in Caldia and Gaullica. It was passed with much support from both sides of the political spectrum, except for the center and greens. The initiative incentivized companies to buy steel made in Euclea, rather than steel made in other places like Coius. The LP saw the proposal as a unique time where the left and far-right agreed on a major bill. Some considered that the Patron reasons for supporting the bill were more enshrined with xenophobia against Shangea, and not supporting Paretian steel workers. Premier Cerqueira claimed that Shangean steel was "dangerous" and "weak", causing outrage from free trade advocates in Paretia.
In August 2021 he Patron League also created "Iniciativa Comprar Caseiro" (Buy Homemade Initiative), a campaign with the goal to incentivize Paretians to buy locally grown foods, clothes, medicine, materials, and vehicles. The goal was the subsidize Paretian business and help Paretian industries faced with foreign competition, especially farmers.
In 2021 Premier Isilda Cerqueira announced a rise in tariffs against many countries, mostly in Coius and the Asterias. The largest targets were Shangea and Zorasan, who Cerqueira has called "unfair and dangerous trade partners to Euclea".
Foreign policy
Eucloscepticism
Immigration
Social Policy
Education
LGBT+
Women's rights
Family
Sotirianity
The party considers Sotirianity, more particularly, Solarian Catholicism, as the national religion of Paretia, and is integral to the nation's culture.
In August 2021 after it's instatement as government, the party passed a law stated that Solarian Catholic Sotirianity will become the official religion of Paretia. The country had previously been officially secular since the fall of Functionalist Paretia and the creation of the Republic of Paretia. The party followed by creating "minority faiths" to be recognized on a lower level, to ease controversy. After the Patron League began passing laws that greatly increased the relationship between church and state, such as enforcing prayer at schools and government meetings, allowing clergy to work in education, and added mandatory religious scripture classes to school curriculums. In 2021 the Patron government of Vicisa passed a law that allowed teachers to refuse to teach evolution theory due to faith.
Law and Order
Corruption reform
In August 2021 the O Povo government announced a new branch to be added to the Paretian Civil Guard, called the Corruption Investigations Service, that is specialized in investigation and arresting government officials doing illegal actions. The first tasks of the force was to investigate the 2021 Trovão elections scandal, particular the Trovão High Court and Trovão elections commission. The branch was created by Public Security Minister Terezinha Roque, alongside Justice Minister Dinis Paulo Algarves and Government Affairs Minister Amancio Batista. The leading officer of the force was assigned to Lieutenant Colonel Túlio Borges, a high ranking officer in the Paretian Federal Law Enforcement. Some opposition parties expressed concerns that the branch is used to entrench the Patron League's power in the government and get rid of opposition.
Controversies
Paretian far-right
Support of conspiracy theories
Racism, xenophobia, and homophobia
Organization
Members
Election Results
Congresso
Election | Cǎmara do Congresso | Rank | Government | Leader(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Seats won | +/− | ||||
2014 | 194,241 | 3.61% | 13 / 360
|
13 | #6 | Government support | Selena Caprichoso |
2017 | 2,078,140 | 8.88% | 32 / 360
|
19 | #4 | Coalition government | Selena Caprichoso |
2020 | 4,282,653 | 18.30% | 66 / 360
|
34 | #3 | Coalition government | Selena Caprichoso |
2021 | 11,737,885 | 45.55% | 164 / 360
|
98 | #1 | Government | Isilda Cerqueira & Selena Caprichoso |
Assembleia
Election | Câmara da Assembleia | Rank | Government | Leader(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Seats won | +/− | ||||
2014 | WIP | WIP | 5 / 120
|
5 | #6 | Government support | Selena Caprichoso |
2017 | WIP | WIP | 10 / 120
|
5 | #5 | Coalition government | Selena Caprichoso |
2020 | WIP | WIP | 18 / 120
|
8 | #3 | Coalition government | Selena Caprichoso |
2021 | 10,574,096 | 45.55% | 54 / 120
|
36 | #1 | Government | Isilda Cerqueira & Selena Caprichoso |