2000 Ostric regional election

2000 Ostric regional election

19 March 2000
All 15 seats in the Dorada 8 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Jón Burgstaller Arne Gotti Waléry Plank Party Social Democratic Radical Liberal People's Leader since 1 March 1995 20 January 1990 20 August 1997 Last election 5 seats, 30.49% 3 seats, 17.57% 4 seats, 26.36% Seats won 7 3 3 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 5,287 2,774 2,464 Percentage 39.47% 20.71% 18.39 Swing 8.98pp 3.14pp 7.97pp   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   SÒ Leader Konrad Roth Léch Kneller Marek Szréber Party National Consolidation Coalition Ostric Leader since 2 September 1998 17 December 1998 27 August 1994 Last election 1 seat, 10.97% Did not exist 2 seats, 11.38% Seats won 1 1 0 Seat change 1 2 Popular vote 1,202 1,094 575 Percentage 8.97% 8.17% 4.29% Swing 2.00pp 8.17pp 7.09pp
Minister-Chairman before election Jón Burgstaller Social Democratic Radical Minister-Chairman Jón Burgstaller Social Democratic Radical

The 5th Ostric regional election occurred on 19 March 2000. The governing Social Democratic Radical Party of Jón Burgstaller not only retained its lead, but increased its vote substantially, the first time a senior Ostric governing party increased its vote share. After the election, a centrist grand coalition between the SRPO and the Ostric Liberal Party was formed.

Background

The 1996 snap election saw the formation of a left-wing grand coalition between the unionist Social Democratic Radical Party and the separatist Ostric People's Party, in both the first "cross-sectarian" government and first grand coalition.

The government presiding over a vast expansion of the Ostric welfare system and a time of economic growth after the recession of the early 1990s. However, many supporters of the People's Party felt betrayal over agreeing to joining in government without negotiating a referendum on independence, seeing the party consistently drop in polls in favour of the newly established Ostric Coalition, founded by fishing magnate Léch Kneller.

Electoral system

The electorate elects all fifteen members of the Dorada using single non-transferable vote in one island-wide multi-member constituency.

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Radical Party	5,287	39.47	7	+2
	Ostric Liberal Party	2,774	20.71	3	0
	Ostric People's Party	2,464	18.39	3	–1
	National Consolidation Party	1,202	8.97	1	0
	Ostric Coalition	1,094	8.17	1	New
	Ostric Party	575	4.29	0	–2
Total		13,396	100	15	0
Registered voters/turnout		16,528	81.05	–	–

Popular vote SRPO   39.47% OLP   20.71% ÒSL   18.39% NKP   8.97% KÒ   8.17% SÒ   4.29%

Seats SRPO   46.67% OLP   20.00% ÒSL   20.00% NKP   6.67% KÒ   6.67%

Reactions

The SRPO dominated the election, polling the highest in its history at that point. Minister-Chairman Burgstaller announced after the results released that he was open to various negotiations from both the People's Party and the Liberal Party. With dropping to third place and facing a new challenger in the separatist camp, People's Party leader Waléry Plank announced his resignation on election night, and the party stated it would go in opposition. After this, a agreement was signed between the SRPO and the Liberal Party to form government together, eased by the turn of the OLP and its leader Arne Gotti to the left during the campaign.

Weranic media focused heavily on the populist Ostric Coalition and its entry into the Dorada, passing in votes the more established Ostric Party in the process, who failed to re-enter the legislature. Papers often considered the Coalition a rival against the People's Party for nationalist votes, and a possibly thorn in the side of the new government.