Coalition of Progressive Socialists (Lihnidos)
Coalition of Progressive Socialists Συνασπισμός Προοδευτικών Σοσιαλιστών | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Christos Mikelakos |
| Chairperson | Rena Elia |
| Founder | Filippos Rodas |
| Founded | 10 January 1965 |
| Headquarters | 100 Abdioch Street, Arcadia, Lihnidos |
| Student wing | Socialist Students |
| Youth wing | Young Socialists |
| Membership (2018) |  102,472 |
| Ideology | Democratic socialism Social democracy Left-wing populism Progressivism |
| Colors | Red |
| National Assembly | 19 / 350
|
| Provincial councils | 2 / 140
|
| Provincial governments | 0 / 20
|
| Local governments | 3,009 / 34,547
|
The Coalition of Progressive Socialists (Hellenic: Συνασπισμός Προοδευτικών Σοσιαλιστών), also known as the CPS or the Socialists, is a center-left to far-left political party in Lihnidos. The CPS is one of four minor political parties in Lihnidos and the third largest party in the National Assembly. The party was formed in 1965 as a response to the Democratic Coalition's moderation on policy following its rebranding from the Labor Union Party. Since its creation, the CPS's strategy has primarily been to campaign against the Democratic Coalition with the intent to draw left-wing voters discontent with the DC's moderate stance on several issues to the CPS.
The Coalition of Progressive Socialists has never held a majority in the National Assembly and has never held more than nineteen seats. The party was a member of a government coalition with the Democratic Coalition from 1998 to 2002 when the Democratic Coalition failed to secure a majority and form a government following the 1998 general election. In 2002 the Democratic Coalition secured a majority and the coalition did not continue. The 2018 general election resulted in the Socialists gaining two seats, bringing their total seat count to nineteen, the most seats the party has ever secured.
History
Founding
The Coalition of Progressive Socialists was officially founded on 10 January 1965. Discussions regarding the formation of a socialist party had been underway since the early 1900s following the rebranding of the Labor Union Party into the Democratic Coalition. Legal and bureaucratic hurdles prevented any serious attempt to form a party until the early 1960s when Filippos Rodas along with two others disaffected with the Democratic Coalition's moderation on policy began the process with the National Board of Elections. Filippos Rodas, the grandson of Petros Rodas who had been expelled from the Democratic Coalition in 1897 by the DC leadership, had been a longtime critic of the Democratic Coalition despite officially being a member and the National Assembly Deputy for Serres's fourteenth constituency. Democratic Coalition leadership, aware of the ongoing attempts to form a new party, refused to allow Rodas to run for reelection to his seat as a member of the Democratic Coalition in 1962 and expelled him from the party. He subsequently lost reelection when running as an independent.
As Rodas and his allies began to near approval for the creation of their socialist party, Democratic Coalition leaders, seeing the creation of the party as a threat, lobbied the National Board of Elections to bar the party's creation and reconsider its previous decisions with regards to the party's approval. Democratic leadership made appeals to the public and private appeals to the executive branch, often using fearmongering tactics, and reportedly going so far as to cite the August Revolution in Liothidia as a reason for the party's banning when in discussions with Emperor Athanasios II. Despite the Democratic Coalition government's strong opposition to the party's creation, the independent National Board of Elections approved the creation of the party in December of 1964 and the official founding date was a month later.
Ideology
The Coalition of Progressive Socialists is a left-wing political party. After its formation, the original party platform promised the nationalization of industry. Nationalization of industry was first proposed by the Labor Union Party but was done away with after the party was reformed into the Democratic Coalition. Successive Labor Union governments resulted in the nationalization of little over a fourth of Lihnidosi industry. Between 1900 and 1965 when the CPS was founded, the amount of industry under public ownership decreased significantly. The inclusion of the nationalization of industry in the party platform helped the party succeed in drawing voters from the Democratic Coalition who were discontent with the party's moderation.
Over time the nationalization of industry played a less central role in party policy. The party left wording in party platforms until 2002 that supported some nationalization of industry, however the party had been moving away from support of nationalization since 1990. The party began to campaign on the support of some private industry that was heavily regulated by the government. Along with continued support of government intervention the party continued to support the redistribution of wealth through high taxes on the wealthy. The creation of a welfare state that provided quality public services was a core goal of the party, as was increased rights for workers and social freedoms.
Within the last two decades the party has shifted away from radical socialist policies and has adopted democratic socialist ideals. The shift has caused a rift in the party as the democratic socialists who now largely control the party have been attempting to push out radicals within the party. Incumbent Deputies in the National Assembly have continued to be permitted to run for reelection and have regularly won their races. Newly selected candidates for office are often supporters of democratic socialism rather than individuals who hold more radical socialist beliefs.
Organization
Structure
The Coalition of Progressive Socialists is comprised of the national party, provincewide chapters, and local chapters. The national party is led by the National Executive Committee, which makes decisions on the party's direction, policy, funding, campaigning, and all other major issues. The National Executive Committee is a fifteen seat committee comprised of members selected by local and provincewide chapters. Provincewide chapters currently exist in eight provinces where there are adequate numbers of local chapters. Local chapters are given the most authority when it comes to campaigning and selecting candidates, while provincewide chapters are given a secondary role.
Membership
Membership in the Coalition of Progressive Socialists rose quickly after its creation. The early members of the party were primarily older voters who were disaffected with the Democratic Coalition, which was the only left-wing party until the creation of the CPS. After the initial spike, membership slowly fell over the course of several decades. This was driven by the death of older members of the party and the party's difficulty in recruiting younger members. As the party began to modify its platform, younger voters were drawn towards the party and membership began to gradually increase. The party is now the third largest in Lihnidos, and driven primarily by younger voters.
The party maintains an annual membership fee of X20. The party offers a lower fee of X15 for members who are under the age of 30, retired, or not employed full-time. The annual fee is lowered to X12 for students.
Candidates
The party often chooses to only run candidates in competitive races. Due to the small number of candidates run by the party, candidate selection is done directly by the National Executive Committee. Candidate selection typically begins by the Committee announcing its intent to run a candidate in an election. If there is a local CPS chapter in the area a candidate is being sought to run in, the Committee will allow the chapter to gather a list of possible candidates that the Committee should select from. If there is no local chapter, the party will accept candidate applications. Candidate applications are then narrowed down to no more than five by Committee staff, with the Committee members then selecting a candidate. Candidates for provincial elections are also managed by the Committee, as provincewide chapters are only present in eight of twenty provinces. Provincewide chapters are given an opportunity to give input on candidates for provincial elections, however candidate selection is still often started at the local-level chapters.
Funding
Funding for the Coalition of Progressive Socialists primarily comes from labor unions and left-wing activist groups. Party leadership has publicly stated that it will not accept funding from large corporations. The party's work with labor unions and activist groups results in many small donations from individuals and groups that are sympathetic to the party's policies and grateful for its support of activism. The total income of the party in 2018 was X1.1 million with expenditures of approximately X900,000.
Electoral campaigns and results
Campaigns are managed by the National Executive Committee. The Committee will often delegate responsibilities to local chapters. Local chapters are generally well organized due to regularly participating in political activism. The local chapters will have oversight on general campaign decisions in conjunction with a candidate and a candidate's campaign. Any major decisions are often made by the National Executive Committee. Funding is distributed by the Committee to candidates in need of financial assistance or who are running in tight races, however candidates often rely on contributions by supporters.
National Assembly
The following table shows the electoral performance of the Coalition of Progressive Socialists in general elections since the party's creation in 1965.
| National Assembly of Lihnidos | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Election | Leader | Seats won | +/− | Rank | Government | Notes | ||
| 1966 | Filippos Rodas | 4 / 300
|
4
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1970 | Filippos Rodas | 3 / 300
|
 1
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1974 | Filippos Rodas | 3 / 300
|
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1978 | Filippos Rodas | 5 / 300
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1982 | Iasonas Kakos | 6 / 300
|
1
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1986 | Iasonas Kakos | 4 / 300
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1990 | Iasonas Kakos | 11 / 350
|
7
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1994 | Stelios Vlachos | 12 / 350
|
1
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 1998 | Kiriaki Perri | 14 / 350
|
2
|
#3 | Government | |||
| 2002 | Kiriaki Perri | 11 / 350
|
3
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 2006 | Christos Mikelakos | 13 / 350
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 2010 | Christos Mikelakos | 15 / 350
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 2014 | Christos Mikelakos | 17 / 350
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||
| 2018 | Christos Mikelakos | 19 / 350
|
2
|
#3 | Opposition | |||