Social Democratic Party (Caldia)
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Social Democratic Party Páirtí Sóisialach Daonlathach | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Stiofán Mac Suibhne |
| Secretary-General | Aingealag Ní Bhraonáin |
| Founded | 1912 |
| Headquarters | Síocháin Building Spálgleann, Caldia |
| Youth wing | Young Social Democrats |
| Membership (2015) | 65,612 |
| Ideology | Social democracy Democratic socialism |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | Progressive International |
| Euclean Parliament group | Socialist Alternative for Euclea |
| Euclean party | Socialist Alternative for Euclea |
| Colours | Red |
| Tionól | 218 / 399
|
| Euclean Parliament | 9 / 20
|
| County councils | 199 / 506
|
The Social Democratic Party (Ghaillish: Páirtí Sóisialach Daonlathach; PSD), usually referred to as just the Social Democrats (Daonlathaigh Shóisialta) is a social-democratic political party in Caldia. The party is the largest in Caldia's parliament with 218 seats. Founded in 1912, the party is the second oldest active political party. The PSD has a close relationship with the Caldish Trade Union Confederation, the largest in the country.
Alongside its main rival, the Liberty Party, the PSD has been one of two parties to form a government since the 1930s. The first Social Democratic government was formed in 1935. As of 2020, there have been eight PSD taoiseachs.
Traditionally, the party is committed to social democratic ideals. It supports a strong welfare state, public ownership, and a social market economy. Starting in the 1980s, the party began to support economic liberalism. This was abandoned in the 2000s and the party continued to advocate for a strong governmental role in economic and social policy.
The current party leader since 2017 is Stiofán Mac Suibhne, who has served as Taoiseach of Caldia since 2019. He led the party to its first electoral victory since 1997 in the 2019 snap election.It sends 9 MEPs to the Euclean Parliament. It is a member of the Socialist Alternative for Euclea and cooperates closely with other social-democratic political parties in Euclea.
History
Origins
The PSD was originally founded in 1912 by the leaders of the Caldish Trade Union Confederation as the group's political wing. Historically, the party boasts strong ties to organized labor and the nation's unions. It was established following a split within the Caldish Section of the Workers' International between the trade unionists and the councilists.
Post-Occupation
The Social Democrats overtook the Caldish Democrats after the rise of the Liberty Party in 1937. The party's first Taoiseach Seamus Macaulay took power in 1952. Under Taoiseach Máire Ní Néill, the Social Democrats established an expansive welfare state. The reforms were very costly and were targeted by Taoiseach Flowers, who moved to totally abolish the system. Taoiseach Niamh Nic Uilliam, who was elected after Flowers, rebuilt the Caldish welfare state to be smaller and more efficient. She also launched a massive overhaul of the education system, raising it to global prominence.
Under Taoiseach Nic Uilliam the party began to pursue Third Way policies in order to offer what Nic Uilliam called a "humane alternative" to the neoliberalism of the Flowers Era. As a result, the party saw massive internal discontent and eventually the more left-wing faction of the party split off to form the Industrial Labour Party.
21st century
The Social Democrats suffered a landslide defeat in the 2002 Comhthionól election and Nic Uilliam was taken out in a leadership coup. Since then, the party has begun to abandon its neoliberal platform and moved farther left. It has not formed a government since 2002 and faced its fourth consecutive defeat in the 2017 general election. The party saw a rough campaign under Darragh Ballíck, who began feuding with the unions over his electoral alliance with the Greens.
Ideology and voter support
The PSD is a centre-left social democratic party. It is leading party on the Caldish political left and has been described as a big tent party for the left. Its elected officials range from those who espouseThird Way to democratic socialism. This has been reflected in the party's leaders and policy platforms.
The party maintains a close relationship with trade unions and has advanced union interests since its founding. It supports a welfare state and has opposed cuts to spending on social programs. The PSD has increased spending on such programs while leading governments.
Many of the party's supporters are active members of the workforce and are affiliated with trade unions. Much of the party's support base is urban.
Electoral History
Comhthionól Náisiúnta
| Election year | Votes | % | # of overall seats won | +/- | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 1,396,420 | 26.55 (#2) | 124 / 399
|
 55
|
in opposition to Liberty government |
| 1987 | 1,669,804 | 31.14 (#2) | 148 / 399
|
 24
|
in opposition to Liberty government |
| 1992 | 2,311,083 | 42.36 (#1) | 221 / 399
|
73
|
in government with a majority |
| 1997 | 1,822,054 | 32.03 (#1) | 173 / 399
|
48
|
in government as senior coalition partner with Greens |
| 2002 | 1,200,281 | 20.60 (#2) | 102 / 399
|
71
|
in opposition to Liberty government |
| 2007 | 1,539,822 | 23.69 (#2) | 124 / 399
|
22
|
in opposition to Liberty-Centre government |
| 2012 | 1,510,076 | 22.21 (#2) | 129 / 399
|
5
|
in opposition to Liberty-Centre minority government |
| 2017 | 1,365,627 | 20.23 (#2) | 117 / 399
|
12
|
in opposition to Liberty-Centre-DG government |
| 2019 | 3,140,869 | 48.80 (#1) | 218 / 399
|
101
|
in government with a majority |
Euclean Parliament
| Election year | Votes | % | # of overall seats won | +/- | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,057,892 | 22% (#2) | 5 / 20
|
1
|
in government with a majority |
| 2019 | 1,936,818 | 39.04 (#1) | 9 / 20
|
4
|
in government with a majority |
Leaders
- Fionntán Mac an Oighre (April 1912 - June 1932)
- Tomás Mag Fhearadhaigh (June 1932 - June 1942)
- Colmán Mac Carthaigh (June 1942 - June 1947)
- Seamus Macaulay (June 1947 - June 1957)
- Máire Ní Néill (June 1957 - May 1972)
- Ruairí Mac Ailín (May 1972 - September 1975)
- Mícheál Ó Muilleoir (September 1975 - June 1982)
- Fíona Nic Chonsaidín (June 1982 - 1987)
- Niamh Nic Uilliamn (June 1987 - August 2001)
- Séamus Ó Faoláin (August 2001 - June 2002)
- Fionnbharr Mac Seáin (June 2002 - June 2007)
- Mícheál Ó Domhnaill (June 2007 - June 2012)
- Darragh Ballíck (June 2012 - June 2017)
- Stiofán Mac Suibhne (July 2017 - Present)
Social Democratic Taoiseachs
- Tomás Mag Fhearadhaigh (March 1935 - June 1937)
- Seamus Macaulay (June 1952 - June 1957)
- Máire Ní Néill (June 1962 -June 1972)
- Rory Mac Ailín (June 1972 - March 1975)
- Mícheál Ó Muilleoir (June 1977 - June 1982)
- Niamh Nic Uilliam (June 1992 - March 2002)
- Séamus Ó Faoláin (March 2002 - June 2002)
- Stiofán Mac Suibhne (February 2019 - Present)
| Tionól (399 seats) |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euclean Parliament (20 of 779 seats) |
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