Farmers' Alliance
Farmers' Alliance Bønderforbundet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | ᛒ |
| Founded | 1945 |
| Split from | Agrarian Party |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre |
| Colours | Teal |
The Farmers' Alliance (Delkoran: Bønderforbundet) is a centrist political party in Delkora, active in Norvia. It split from the Agrarian Party in 1946 and has remained a notably successful state-level political party since.
History
The impetus for the party was the participation of the Agrarian Party in Veidnar Albendor's coalition government, whose economic policies were seen as damaging to farmers. The conflict caused the Norvia branch to disaffiliate itself from the federal party in protest, and instead merge with the state Democratic Farmers' Party, forming the Farmers' Alliance.
The party's first leader was Alice Mariarsdóttir, who had a defining impact on its character and politics. She served as First Minister of Norvia from 1946 to 1958, leading a minority government backed by National Labor and the Liberals. Ideologically a moderate with paternalistic conservative tendencies, Alice placed the Farmers' Alliance on a centrist course, passing a series of progressive and social democratic reforms with a particular focus on agriculture. After her term ended, she was appointed by Mette Elvensar as head of the Federal Forestry Office from 1959 to 1967.
During the New Kingdom era and long period of factional battles among Conservatives, the Farmers' Alliance became one of Norvia's largest parties, the main competitor for the National Labor–Liberal alliance in state elections. When it was in office, it generally opted to form minority governments seeking outside support from diverse parties, including the Liberals, Moderates, and Greens. The Liberals' contemporary geolibertarian evolution contributed to good relations between the parties.
The Farmers' Alliance experienced relative displacement from the 1980s on, as the emergence of the New Conservatives faction marked a turnaround in Conservatives' fortunes. However, the Farmers' Alliance refused to outright join a coalition government with the Conservatives in Norvia, wary of sharing the fate of the Agrarians they had broken from; instead, they occasionally provided outside support for minority governments headed by New Conservatives.
Ideology
The Farmers' Alliance is a centrist party that derives from Delkora's agrarian tradition. It is committed to support of small businesses, rural issues, and decentralisation. It is opposed to both socialism and economic liberalisation, and strongly supportive of agricultural cooperatives.
The party is protectionist, and has historically been restrictionist towards the Common Sphere. Owing to its origins, it has a strong rivalry with the federal Agrarian Party, which it accuses of abandoning farmers and becoming a "right-wing appendage" of the Conservatives.