Gold Flame
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Gold Flame Gyldflam | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President | Freidrik Aleksaanderssun |
| Founded | January 31, 1903 |
| Preceded by | Progress Party |
| Ideology | Conservative liberalism Economic liberalism Pro-Eucleanism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| International affiliation | Euclean Liberal Party |
| Folksmot | 25 / 150
|
| Province Presidents | 1 / 8
|
| Euclean Parliament | 4 / 22
|
Gold Flame (Azmaran: Gyldflam), sometimes referred to as the Azmaran Liberal Party (Azmaran: Azmaariś Friihederpartii), is a conservative-liberal political party in Azmara. It was formed in 1903 as an evolution of liberal nationalist Progress Party, which was struggling at the loss of its urban working class base to the growing socialist movement.
The party traditionally forms a key part of the Azmaran centre-right bloc alongside the Centre Party, and advocates for an economically liberal and pro-business platform. Despite its centre-right orientation, the party has sometimes formed broad liberal governments alongside The Radicals and the former Azmaran Democrats and notably between 2002 and 2005 formed a grand coalition with the Workers' Party, the party's traditional centre-left rival. It has produced four Thingspeakers: Eryk Aansgaarssun, Aarne Leifssun, Jon Jorśsun and Sofija Freidriksdohter.
It is currently the second-largest political party in the Folksmot after the Workers' Party, having won 30 seats and 19% of the vote at the 2020 election. A pro-Euclean party, its four members of the Euclean Parliament currently sit as members of the Euclean Liberal Party.
History
Ideology and electorate
Ideology
In the official Gold Flame party constitution, it declares itself to be "a liberal party of the centre" based on "economic and social freedom". Academics and the media, however, have disputed the party's self-described centrist positioning, with an almost unanimous consensus existing that the party is a centre-right political outfit, with sources variously describing the party as conservative-liberal, market-liberal, liberal-conservative and classical liberal.
One defining feature of the party since its conception is support for the free market, with the party advocating for a deregulated private sector through the privatisation of state-owned companies, lower taxes and a more flexible labour market. However, the party has traditionally accepted the need for a limited welfare state and a role for trade unions in society, with the party pledging its support for Azmara's universal healthcare system and tripartite negotiations, albeit advocating for greater internal competition in the former and a reduced role in economic policy for the latter. Other commitments the party traditionally makes are for a meritocratic education system, the breaking up of corporate monopolies and increased spending for law and order and defence.
The party also emphasises cultural liberalism and civil liberties, with the party having supported the legalisation of same-sex marriage and abortion and a significant faction advocating for the decriminalisation of soft drugs and prostitution. On foreign affairs it is supportive of Euclean integration, being strongly in favour of freedom of movement throughout the Euclean Community and being a strong supporter of the ECDTO, yet some have noted the party to be critical of Euclean federalism, wishing to retain the independence of the various member states within the EC.
An ideological divide within the party has been noted between centrist and more right-wing factions, with many pointing to the contrast between the party under the premiership of Jon Jorsśun and the party under the premiership of Sofija Freidriksdohter as an example of this. Under the 2011-2014 Jorśsun government, the party moved to the right, especially on immigration and crime, advocating for a curtailment of non-EC immigration and a tough on crime policy while seeking support from the right-wing populist People's Party, with Jorśsun being described by many as a "national liberal". However, under the 2014-2017 Freidriksdohter government, the party changed course to a more centrist policy, with Freidriksdohter criticising the views of her predecessor on many occasions and emphasising a socially liberal policy on transgender rights and a regime of subsidising and supporting small businesses in emerging sectors such as information technology.
Electorate
The party's support has traditionally come from the middle class, with many managerial and professional white-collar workers supporting the party, alongside many business owners. The party's support is concentrated in urban areas, with over 70% of the party's voters coming from the central Bojnersteden conurbation in 2020, with its best performance province-wise being in Groonbank, while performing worst in the more rural and deprived coastal provinces of Nordberg, Haadland and Hytklif.
The party also maintains a rather heterogenous support base in terms of age, yet its best support comes from those between 35 and 45 and its lowest coming from those over 65.