Liberal-Republican Party (Venadia)
| Liberal-Republican Party | |
|---|---|
| File:Lrpflag.jpg | |
| Native Name | Либерально-Республиканская Партия |
| Leader | Lazar Zhvikov |
| Founded | 16th of February, 1858 |
| Headquarters | Venagorod, Venadia |
| Membership | 1,826,500 |
| Ideology | Social-liberalism Republicanism |
| Political position | Centre-Right |
| Official colours | Green |
| Great Veche | 145 / 400
|
| Website | http://www.lrp.vda |
The Liberal-Republican Party (Venadian: Либерально-Республиканская Партия, transliterated: Liberalny-Respoblikanskaya Partiya) is one of the two dominant political parties in the Republic of Venadia, and is the oldest still existing political party in the country. In the modern day, the LRP is a centre-right liberal party, tracing their political ideology particularly from social-liberalism and national-liberalism.
History
The Liberal-Republican Party trace their linage to the Union of Constitutionalists, a Venadian political group active in the early 19th century, who were essential to the expansion of suffrage and the implementation of a liberal constitution in 1847. The LRP trace themselves from the more radical wing of the Constitutionalists, who split in 1858 into the Republican Party and the Constitutional-Democratic Party. The latter held sway during most of the 19th century, but following the implementation of universal suffrage in 1915 saw a great reduction, until it the CDP was formally abolished in 1932, making the LRP the sole successor to the Constitutionalists.
Policies
- Supports free market principles with some government oversight to prevent abuses and excesses.
- Supports mildly progressive taxation and sales taxes in order to fund government services.
- Supports a limited social security net, particularly government pensions and disability benefits.
- Supports the rights of minorities such as the LGBT community, ethnic minorities and women.
- Supports close diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries, particularly liberal democracies.
- Opposes military intervention abroad.
- Opposes federalization, but supports granting some degree of decentralization towards minority-majority regions.
- Supports a punitive penal system with only limited focus on rehabilitation.
Organization
The LRP is structured around local party cells as well as regional party cells, with the LRP having cells in all Venadian regions and almost all municipalities. The local and regional cells have a large amount of autonomy on local issues. A national conference is held annually to decide on overall party policies and elect the Liberal-Republican Party Board who serve as the party's decision-making body, while the Liberal-Republican Headquarters are responsible for the party's finances and membership. The Parliamentary Group consists of the Liberal-Republican deputies in the Great Veche and appoint a third of the Liberal-Republican Party Board.
Membership
As of 2016, the Liberal-Republican Party had a total of 1,826,500 fee-paying members, making it the second-largest party by members in Venadia. The LRP had a height of almost four million members in the mid-60s, but membership has since declined. The membership fee is 10 NSD annually.
Conferences
The primary meetings of the LRP are referred to as conferences, of which the largest is the National Conference held in February every year. Other conferences are largely regional in nature, some crossing several Venadian regions (such as the LRP Belavenadian Autumn Conference).
Party Factions
The LRP includes several internal factions, some of whom are formally organized while others merely informally.
Social-Republican Faction
The Social-Republican Faction is a formally organized faction within the LRP, and advocate keynesian economics and a greater degree of state intervention in the economy. The SRF is considered to be the left-wing of the LRP, and in addition to their economic aims also seek a greater degree of local and regional autonomy within Venadia, strong civil rights and a reduction in military spending.
Liberal Faction
The Liberal Faction is a formally organized faction within the LRP, and primarily advocate free market economics and free trade.
Conservative Faction
The Conservative Faction is an informal faction within the LRP, primarily concerned with social issues and advocate a less liberal policy towards groups such as the LGBT community and religious minorities.
Ultrarepublicans
The Ultrarepublicans is an informal faction within the LRP, and advocate a military interventionist attitude towards dictatorships and monarchies and the expansion of democratic rights within Venadia.