National Consolidation Party

National Consolidation Party Nationale Konsolidierungspartei
Leader	Otto von Hößlin
Deputy Leader	Jörg Bullmann
Founder	Konstantin Vogel
Founded	13th May 1954
Merger of	KP, NLP, KSP
Headquarters	17 Jorganberg Road, Westbrucken, Werania
Youth wing	New Generation Forum
Membership	101,463
Ideology	Conservatism National conservatism Liberal conservatism Social conservatism Sotirian democracy Economic liberalism Economic nationalism Soft-Euclescepticism
Political position	Centre-right to right-wing
Euclean Parliament group	ACDE
Colors	Orange, blue
Volkstag	244 / 545
Herrstag	77 / 349
Landtags/Seimas	265 / 1,151
Euclean Parliament	27 / 122
Political parties

The National Consolidation Party (Weranian: Nationale Konsolidierungspartei) commonly abbreviated to the NKP is a conservative political party in Werania. It is currently the largest party in the country.

Formed in 1954 as a merger of anti-socialist political parties with the intention to represent the right-wing of the political spectrum, the NKP under Konstantin Vogel firmly established itself as the main party operating within an asymmetric two-party system with the NKP competing with a range of left-wing opposition parties. The NKP served in government from its foundation in 1954 to 1963 when under Adolf Stahl it lost government to a coalition of the left-wing opposition. It returned to government in 1970 when it would rule for nine years under three different Chancellors - Sigmar Welskopf-Henrich, Johannes Zollitsch and Albrecht Spaemann.

In 1979 after economic difficulties the NKP would enter opposition for a 20 year period as it became the rival of the governing party, the Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania. During this period in opposition the NKP would become incredibly divided between its traditional Sotirian democratic faction and a new right faction focused more on right-wing populism and economic liberalism. In 1999 the NKP under moderate leader Rasa Šalaševičiūtė led the NKP to a victory against the SRPO. Šalaševičiūtė implemented conservative fiscal policies, privatising industry and reinvesting it into supporting tech startups. Dealing with economic collapse in 2005 Šalaševičiūtė implemented austerity policies avoiding a bailout from the Euclean Community. In 2007 she led the NKP to a coalition government where Šalaševičiūtė supported Euclean integration and greater fiscal liberalisation. Resigning in 2009, her successor Dietrich Wittmann was unable to gain re-election placing it back into opposition.

In 2015 Otto von Hößlin became NKP leader. He has under the influence of deputy leader Jörg Bullmann moved the party to the populist right, supporting economic nationalism, social conservatism and soft-Euclescepticism. In 2019 the party became the largest in the Volkstag and is expected to form the next government of Werania.

The NKP is a member of the Alliance of Conservatives and Democrats in Euclea. A centre-right party, the NKP is seen as more socially conservative and economically interventionist than other parties within the ACDE.

History

Formation

The NKP was founded as a merger of the Conservative Party (KP), National Liberal Party (NLP) and the Catholic Social Party in 1957 by KSP Chairman and Chancellor Konstantin Vogel. The three parties - representing monarchist conservatism, classical liberalism and Sotirian democracy respectively - had represented mainstream right-wing politics in Werania having all been at some point dominant in Weranian politics since the country's unification in 1842. Between 1937 to 1950 (alongside the Weranic Farmers' Bloc and later the Weranic Reich Party) the three parties governed the country as part of the National Bloc. The bloc during the 1940's became increasingly authoritarian as a result of colonial wars that saw a destabilisation of the state culminating in the failed Colonels putsch and the break up of the National Bloc. The 1950 election saw the KP and NLP collapse as the KSP formed the Tripartite coalition with the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Werania (SPO) and the Weranic Section of the Workers' International (OSAI).

Konstantin Vogel founded the NKP in 1957 and served as Chancellor from 1955 to 1963.

The Tripartite government commanded large majorities in the 1950 and 1953 elections implementing several progressive reforms as well as leading Werania into the Euclean Community. However the government suffered from internal tensions due to the alliance of urban socialists with rural conservative Catholics. In 1955 Konstantin Vogel - an outspoken critic of the tripartite government - became KSP leader. Legislation to increase trade union influence in the economy gave the KSP pretext to end the coalition leading to a vote of no confidence in the government that passed. The subsequent election saw the parties of the old National Bloc (KSP, KP and NLP) secure a majority leading to Vogel to become Chancellor.

Vogel's KSP-KP-NLP government implemented moderate policies, creating a social market economy based on the doctrine of Catholic social teachings. The new government followed a mostly Keynesian economics with an active fiscal and monetary policy ensuring there was low unemployment, moderate inflation, an expansion of the welfare state, the maintenance of the nationalised natural monopolies from the Tripartite government and income redistribution through public works projects. Nevertheless the government did still pursue some traditional conservative policies such as privatising state-owned breweries.

In the runup to the 1959 there were concerns of OSAI becoming the largest party and possibly forming a government with the SPO. Amongst the three coalition parties there was a feeling that the decline in both monarchist conservatism and classical liberalism meant the three parties increasingly came to resemble each other supporting Weranic nationalism, free-market economics and Catholic social values. As such in 1957 Vogel alongside KP and NLP leaders Walther Ritter von Dittmann and Gottfried von Litzmann announced the creation of the National Consolidation Party which would be a "big-tent" party representative of right-wing politics in Werania. The NKP subsequently formed a close relationship with the Solarian Catholic church and Catholic trade unions in order to boost its outreach to the electorate gathering supporters from all economic and social backgrounds.

Early years

The NKP in its first election in 1959 scored a decisive victory getting 302 of 586 seats enabling it to govern with a majority. Like the preceding National Bloc the NKP benefited from divisions in the left with the OSAI, SPO and Radical Party often competing for votes. As well as that parties to the right of the NKP such as the ORP and OBb were seen as being far-right in character meaning that the NKP was able to present itself as the only credible non-socialist political force in the country.

Adolf Stahl (right) and Sigmar Welskopf-Henrich (left) both served short terms as Chancellor.

The party's big-tent nature meant it primarily promoted centre-right policies with former KSP parliamentarians becoming the dominant tendency. Nevertheless the party still exhibited ideological diversity particularly on the issue of the Euclean Community, ranging from pro-EC federalists to proponents of souverainism. Vogel, a moderate pro-Eucleanist, focused on sound economic management through a promotion of private enterprise and competition between Euclean nations.

In 1963 Vogel announced his retirement from politics preceding elections that year after developing early signs of lung cancer. His successor was Adolf Stahl who shared much of his centre-right positions declaring the party stood against the "revolutionary radicalism" of the OSAI and SPO. In the 1963 election the NKP secured another majority government with 309 seats. However whilst the 1960's were marked by economic prosperity there were shifts in social attitudes with the rise of second-wave feminism, the new left and immigration from former Euclean colonies. The NKP was largely unresponsive to these social changes shifting to a gradual loss of support.

Prior to the 1966 election economic growth stalled leading to Stahl to cut public expenditure, leading to the NKP to dip in popularity. As such in 1966 the NKP lost its majority in the Reichstag getting only 252 seats, albeit remaining the largest party by a large margin (the second ranked party, the OSAI, gained only 179 seats). Although the NKP could've formed a majority government with the SPO party leaders refused this possibility with NKP Finance Minister Sigmar Welskopf-Henrich declaring that the NKP "doesn't do coalitions". As such a left-wing cabinet was formed of the OSAI, SPO and Radical Party (RP) with SPO leader Rudolf Wiefelspütz becoming Chancellor and the NKP entering opposition. Stahl resigned as NKP leader in 1967 and was replaced by Welskopf-Henrich.

The party was widely seen to be weak in opposition but benefited from divisions within the Wiefelspütz government. At the 1970 election the NKP under Welskopf-Henrich secured a majority of 314 seats despite Welskopf-Henrich's wooden personality. Welskopf-Henrich continued moderately progressive social reforms whilst co-currently implementing budget cuts and reducing some of the welfare programmes started by the previous government, in line with policies pursued by previous NKP governments.

Welskopf-Henrich was Chancellor during the 1972 student protests which started due to the government's controversial control over university curriculum's. The protests eventually became a broader movement for social justice and economic equality with the Amalgamated Federation of Trade Unions holding a wildcat general strike over the government's control over the upper echelons of the trade union movement. The country briefly came to an economic standstill with the government fearing revolution; as a result Welskopf-Henrich resigned as Chancellor whilst calling a snap election. His successor was Johannes Zollitsch, a charismatic but controversial minister accused of indulging in right-wing populism. Calling on the "silent majority to vote against socialism" Zollitsch led the NKP to a narrow victory in the 1972 election which saw losses for all establishment parties to newcomers such as the League for Democratic Socialists and the Modern Centre Party (PMZ).

Johannes Zollitsch served as NKP leader and Chancellor from 1972-1977, leading the NKP to its greatest electoral success in 1975.

Despite his bullish rhetoric Zollitsch was credited with creating a dialogue with trade unions and student groups following the protests. A charismatic politician known for his straight-talking style Zollitsch was seen as representative of the NKP's core rural base being socially conservative whilst populist on economic issues and nationalist in foreign affairs, being critical of Euclofederalism. Zollitsch modernised the party's electoral apparatus, using television extensively crafting an image of himself as a modern leader who focused on long term development.

As Chancellor Zollitsch attempted to oversee large infrastructure projects, most ambitiously aiming to oversee a shift in energy production from fossil fuels to nuclear energy. However under his Chancellorship the economy started to slow down due to stagflation and a decline in Werania's steel industry, which had driven the Weranian economy since the 1860's. Zollitsch's government responded with implementing more comprehensive incomes policy and cutting public service wages, leading to tensions between the NKP and its traditional trade union partner, the Confederation of Catholic Labour. The poor economic situation meant the plans to move to nuclear energy were dropped.

Nevertheless in 1975 Zollitsch led the NKP to its greatest electoral victory with 52% of the vote and 325 seats, an effort largely seen as down to Zollitsch's personal popularity. However several factors would lead to the NKP to enter a decline over the 1975-79 term. Zollitsch's divisive political style led to several voters to desert the NKP whilst the emergence of centrist forces such as the PMZ would present an attractive alternative to what was seen as an increasingly right-wing NKP. Most damaging was the merger of the SPO and the RP into the Social Democratic Radical Party of Werania (SRPO) in 1977 which emerged as the first big tent centre-left party in the country's history.

In 1976 due to a balance of payments crisis Zollitsch was forced to devalue the Reichsmark - whilst economically sound the move led to widespread public dissatisfaction resulting in Zollitsch to resign in 1977, being succeeded by the Foreign Minister Albrecht Spaemann.

Following the defeat of the NKP in 1979 Albrecht Spaemann would be the last NKP Chancellor in 20 years.

Spaemann continued the policies of Zollitsch but was forced to cut public spending to deal with the recession, most notably slashing agricultural subsidies. As well as this Spaemann was seen as uncharismatic and confrontational to trade unions, leading to more frequent strikes and economic disruption during the late 1970's. The emergence of SRPO leader Ludolf Ostermann saw the NKP increasingly regarded as a party of old men out of touch with younger voters. In the 1979 election the NKP remained the largest party with 186 seats whilst the SRPO overtook the OSAI for the first time as the second largest party, with the two parties together getting the best result ever for the Weranic left since the popular front took power in 1915. As a result of the NKP losing its majority Ostermann formed a left-wing coalition between the SRPO and the OSAI with Spaemann resigning as NKP leader in 1980.

Wilderness years

The failure of Stellingwerf to deal with the economic crisis caused many younger members of the party to start to challenged the ideological orthodoxy of the party with Sotirian democracy, agrarian populism and pork-barrel politics becoming increasingly unpopular. Neoliberal and monetarist thought became dominant in party think tanks such as the Centre of Economic Policy although the government was dominated by centristsDue to the poor results in the 1975 election and increasing pressure from economic liberals in the party, in 1977 Stellingwerf was forced to resign being replaced by Economy Minister Ludolf Attema.

Following the appointment of Attema as leader, the NKP would start to radically move from the old consensus driven, centrist Sotirian democracy to move in a more populist, free market direction. Attema and his supporters believed the old system of nationalisation, strong labour unions, heavy regulation, high taxes, and a generous welfare state was leading to Ruttland's economic malaise, recommending instead a programme of privatisation, deregulation and a reduction of trade union power.

The Attema government upon coming to office implemented a strict programme of monetarism in order to reduce Ruttland's record inflation as well as the sale of several state-owned enterprises such as the Air Ruttland, the Ruttish Investment and Savings Bank, Ruttish Telephones and Telecommunications, National Express, Ruttish Gas, Northern Medical, Ruttish Shipbuilders, Ruttish Coal, National Grid, Ruttish Water and most contentiously Ruttish Steel. The widespread privatisation programme resulted in the sale of $3 billion worth of state-owned businesses with the government using that money to invest in new infrastructure and provide venture capital for new companies.

The economic reforms resulted in economic growth but widening inequality, unemployment and opposition from trade unions. As a result Attema passed legislation that limited the power of trade unions in 1986 resulting in the Confederation of Catholic Labour to distance itself from the party.

Maximilian Frommel, Horst von Ingenohl and Edmund Blaurock led the NKP in opposition from 1980 to 1996.

Attema led the NKP to a majority government in the 1979 and 1983 elections with the NKP's traditional support base largely being protected from the most damaging effects of the new economic reforms. However the rapid economic reform performed by what was a traditionally cautious, conservative party, increasing precedence given to big business over the traditional support base of farmer's, workers' and small business owners and accusations of corruption that long dogged the party resulted in the NKP to lose its majority for the first time in its history in the 1987 election. After a fortnight of negotiations the NKP formed a coalition government with the liberal Party for Freedom and Progress (PFP) who agreed on a common programme on further economic reform, tax cuts and pro-Euclean integration. The PFP also successfully pushed for a reduction in the electoral threshold from 10% to 4%.

In 1989 after 12 years in office Attema's internal opponents believed the premier to be a liability to the party and were concerned regarding the pace of economic reform, especially proposals to reform the healthcare system to a more private model. As such in an internal party vote the NKP voted to remove Attema from office and replace him with a party traditionalist, Wydtsje Yntema. Yntema retained the coalition government with the PFP but endeavoured to take the government in a more conservative direction being more skeptical of EC integration and wanting to reassert the old corporatist, consensus model of politics. Despite this in 1993 Yntema passed through a capital gains tax cut that set off a massive housing boom in line with the government's reform strategy.

Rasa Šalaševičiūtė - the NKP's first female and Ruttish leader - was both the longest serving party leader and NKP Chancellor winning three electoral victories from 1999 to her resignation in 2009.

Yntema led the NKP to victory in the 1991 election maintaining the coalition with the PFP, but the NKP saw a loss of seats and the beginning of the unravelling in its electoral coalition. In 1992 after the government passed a bill limiting the right to strike the Confederation of Catholic Labour officially broke its remaining ties with the NKP and switched its support to the opposition Cooperative Party (KÖP). As well as this the opposition had begun to unite behind the Cooperative leader Loadewyk Damstra who forged an electoral alliance with the centre-right Modern Centre Party. Damstra was a charismatic leader who abandoned the traditional socialism of the KÖP instead promoting third way politics. As well as this, the NKP's political machine - which had been adept at acting as a locus for matching interest group money and votes with bureaucratic power and expertise - was beginning to fade as society became less pillarised and the party's rank corruption became less tolerated by voters.

During the 1991-1995 term the NKP suffered factional infighting and more frequent accusations of sleaze which had built up over decades. Yntema himself was personally accused of corruption surrounding the selloff of private companies to NKP business partners. In the leadup to the 1995 elections for the first time the NKP lagged in the opinion polls behind the KÖP. Despite a well funded campaign warning of the threat to stability a KÖP-MS government would bring the 1995 election saw the NKP score its worst result ever, getting only 33.96% of the vote and 74 seats - despite still being the largest party in the Folkskrammer the KÖP's 71 seats meant it was able to form a coalition government with the MS. As a result after 55 years in government the NKP went into opposition as a KÖP-MS coalition government under Damstra took power.

Following the electoral defeat of 1995 the NKP struggled to adjust to their new role in opposition. Party leader Yntema faced a strong challenge from party rival Uif Bloemsma in 1997 in a leadership election which saw Yntema only narrowly re-elected as party leader. The NKP's formerly dominant role meant it has traditionally relied on large patronage networks within its internal party structure to appease its constituents - with the lack of capital being in opposition entailed the NKP lost these patronage networks and as such haemorrhaged further support. Despite this in the lead up to the 1999 election the NKP led in some polls, leading to some to interpret that the NKP had regained its support.

Dietrich Wittmann led the party as Chancellor from 2009 to 2011

A strong campaign by the KÖP and MS however saw NKP support evaporate resulting in the party to get its worst result in its history, losing 7 seats and coming second to the KÖP, becoming the second largest party in the legislature for the first time in its history. Discontent with Yntema's leadership continued as polls showed the NKP's support dwindling to 25%. However Yntema was in 2000 able to sustain another leadership challenge from Bloemsma, who was seen as more unpopular and controversial than Yntema. However younger MP's in the party began to agitate more against Yntema and in 2002 were able to oust him from the party leadership, with Eilkje Koopmans - who had never held a cabinet post - being appointed the party's first female leader.

Modern history

Koopmans rise to the leadership saw the NKP's support surge in the polls against the incumbent KÖP-MS government. At the 2003 election however the NKP lost seats and votes - despite this it still remained the largest party and was subsequently able to form a coalition government with the PFP and green conservative Ecological Action party.

The NKP-PFP-EA government immediately implemented a programme of tax cuts and a raise in public expenditure in response to healthy economic growth. The government also lessened the social liberalism of the KÖP-MS government tightening drug laws and implementing tough new laws regarding immigration, with the system being transformed into a skills based points system for non-EC migrants.

In the initial years of Koopmans government the NKP benefited from good polling and the weak state of the opposition, being on course to win another term. However in 2005 at the start of the global financial crisis Ruttland's economy entered the worst recession in its history with the collapse of the Ruttish Investment and Savings Bank and the bursting of the housing market bubble resulting in sales and property values collapsing. As a result of the recession the government in 2005 announced a 2 year unlimited guarantee of all debt for 4 leading banks, with the debts totalling €440 billion at the start of the guarantee. To ensure it could take on such debts, the government announced severe cuts to education, healthcare, defence, welfare and pensions as well as reversing income tax cuts and beginning to run a deficit. These measures were unpopular with the NKP's support collapsing and anti-austerity protests being held around the country. The economic situation worsened as the government refused to apply for a bailout from the EC.

Following poor results in the 2014 Euclean election Wilhelm von Merkatz was ousted as NKP leader being replaced by Günter Schaefer.

The 2007 election saw the NKP get the worst result for a governing party ever in Ruttland, losing 13 seats and getting only 24.84% of the vote, the first time the party had gone under the symbolic 30% mark. The PFP only barely retained seats in parliament whilst the EA lost all its seats. As a result Koopmans announced her resignation as NKP leader with former Home Affairs Minister Ultsje Van Der Heide (considered the highest ranking NKP politician not associated with the fiscal crisis) being appointed leader.

Van Der Heide called for the NKP to be a party of the "progressive centre-right" and as party leader criticised the bailout renegotiation sponsored by the Wijngaarden government, calling it a "deal that prolongs the economic hardship of ordinary Ruttish people" and called for a deal that better suited economic conditions. During the 2007-2011 parliament the NKP were largely seen as lacking in dynamism with the party's poll results staying consistent at around 25% of the electorate. Despite four years of austerity the incumbent MS-KÖP government was re-elected in 2011 with the NKP once again losing seats and votes.

Otto von Hößlin led the NKP to electoral victory in 2019.

Following the 2011 defeat Van Der Heide resigned. A leadership contest emerged between former Industry Minister Elbrich Lautenbach and the hearkommissar of the Noardken county Hannes Smeding. Smeding, seen as a unity candidate due to the strong support he courted from rural areas and his centrist political views, was elected leader. Smeding attempted to move the party in embracing its classical agrarian populism but concentrated power amongst his colleagues from his time in Noardken, leading to much of the party to actively agitate against his leadership, especially the party's reformist wing. As well as this Smeding was seen to be lacking in principles, making a policy u-turn from supporting to opposing the government's proposed surveillance laws. As a result the NKP's support declined in the polls further and in 2015 saw its worst result with 23.06% of the vote, making it the ninth consecutive election in which the NKP lost seats.

As a result of the election Smeding was challenged for the leadership by Lautenbach who was elected by a large margin. Lautenbach's leadership has seen a shift to right-wing populist rhetoric calling for a more Euclesceptic foreign policy opposing greater Euclean integration, a referendum on the Eucluo and ending freedom of movement in the community. Lautenbach has also began to focus more on cultural issues criticising minority religions in Ruttland such as Salam and Atudaism as "inherently violent" and has called for a reduction in immigration. Whilst Lautenbach has been perceived as a controversial and polarising figure in Ruttish politics under his leadership the NKP has risen dramatically in the polls.

Ideology

The National Consolidation Party is seen as a catch-all party identifying as a "broad church party of society". The NKP was formed to represent the predominantly rural Catholic community and as such adopted policies in spirit with Sotirian democratic and agrarian philosophy. Over time it has developed into a centre-right conservative party. T NKP tends to be more conservative in social matters and interventionist in economic matters then the majority of centre-right parties in the ACDE. The NKP is a strong proponent of subsidiarity.

On economic matters, the NKP is strongly influenced by ordoliberalism, being the main party responsible for the creation of Werania's social market economy. Since the 1980's the NKP has promoted neoliberal economic policies such as privatisation and deregulation. Generally the NKP's economic policies have been described as populist due to their support of high agricultural subsidies, low taxes and generous social spending.

On social policy, the NKP has been traditionally seen as conservative opposing legalised euthanasia, supporting greater restrictions on abortion, favouring tight immigration laws and supporting nationalist policies. However, the NKP has generally been pragmatic in certain areas promising in the 2015 election not to amend the current laws surrounding abortion.

On foreign policy the NKP for much of its history has been moderately Euclesceptic party, with their position being described as supporting souverainisme. The NKP currently support reforming the Euclean Community to be more focused on economic rather than political integration. They strongly support increasing defence spending.

Leaders

No.	Name (Born–Died)	Portrait	Term in Office		Notes
1	Konstantin Vogel (1898-1980)		13 May 1957	16 March 1963	Served as Chancellor from 1957-1963.
2	Adolf Stahl (1910-2002)		16 March 1963	27 July 1967	Served as Chancellor from 1963-1967.
3	Sigmar Welskopf-Henrich (1902-1986)		27 July 1967	7 May 1972	Served as Chancellor from 1970-1972.
4	Johannes Zollitsch (1914-1988)		7 May 1972	14 March 1977	Served as Chancellor from 1972-1977.
5	Albrecht Spaemann (1924-2007)		14 March 1977	30 March 1980	Served as Chancellor from 1977-1980.
6	Maximilian Frommel (1931-2016)		30 March 1980	18 September 1983	First NKP leader not to become Chancellor.
7	Horst von Ingenohl (1932-1990)		18 September 1983	4 May 1987
-	Markus Müller (1940-2018)		4 May 1987	17 September 1987	Interim leader
8	Edmund Blaurock (1934-2003)		17 September 1987	24 May 1996
9	Rasa Šalaševičiūtė (1954-)		24 May 1996	12 July 2009	Served as Chancellor from 1999-2009
10	Dietrich Wittmann (1946-)		12 July 2009	24 November 2011	Served as Chancellor from 2009-2011
11	Wilhelm von Merkatz (1954-)		24 November 2011	15 June 2014	The only leader never to lead the party in a general election.
12	Günter Schaefer (1956-)		15 June 2014	3 August 2015
13	Otto von Hößlin (1952-)		3 August 2015	Incumbent	Serving as Chancellor 2019-present.