Social Democratic Party (Gylias)
Social Democratic Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing to Centre-left |
| National affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
| Colours | Light red |
| Website | |
| http://www.sdp.gls/ | |
The Social Democratic Party (French reformed: Parti social-démocrate), abbreviated SDP (PSD), is a Gylian political party, part of the Progressive Alliance bloc.
Established in 1888, it is one of Gylias' oldest left-wing parties. It has been among the standard-bearers for Gylian social democracy, playing a significant role in the Gylian ascendancy and a central one in the Popular Progressive Front that governed Alscia.
History
The Social Democratic Party was founded in 1888, consolidating previously independent leftist currents as well as formerly leftist factions of the National Liberal Party and National Unity Party as their big tent slowly gave way to displacement by new left forces.
It participated in two Xevdenite coalition governments led by Raţiáş Keýmer (1890–1897) and Gezy Nemáz (1900–1902). It was banned during the royal dictatorship imposed in 1902, driving it underground for a period. After the Cacerta-Xevden War, it moved its headquarters to Alscia.
As part of the Popular Progressive Front, it was one of the major leftist parties together with the Socialist Party, both representing the interests of workers. It was more broadly reformist, somewhat closer to the well-off members of the labour movement than the radical syndicalists.
Despite liberals' image of undisputed dominance, strong internal competition occurred within the FPP, with the leftists gradually gaining ground at the expense of the liberals due to Alscia's radicalisation.
In the Free Territories, the SDP gained something of a big tent nature as other left currents joined it, particularly to better coordinate in the General Council. These currents would later leave during the de-factionalisation triggered by the Law on Electoral Representation of 1960.
After the 1958 federal election, it formed an alignment with the Democratic Communist Party and Socialist Party, the latter a coalition partner in the former FPP, which became the Progressive Alliance. In the Darnan Cyras government, it was mainly represented by defense minister Ann Harman and sports minister Lilja Kjellberg.
This gave the SDP an unexpected image as the "war heroine party", as both Lilja and Ann were famed for their exploits in the Liberation War and members of Veterans for a Just Peace. Lilja was particularly enthusiastic about promoting an image of "Fighting Social Democracy" (Social-démocratie combattante), in an effort to give the party a distinctive image to match its coalition partners.
The loss of expected successor Aliska Géza before the 1976 federal election threw the PA into disarray, and it tied the Revolutionary Rally for first place. Participating in a coalition with the RR was a highly controversial topic, and during the wretched decade the SDP leaned strongly "oppositionist". It joined Filomena Pinheiro's grand coalition cabinet after the Ossorian war crisis of 1986.
During the 1990s, the SDP took an ambiguous stance towards Mathilde Vieira's "plural coalition" — formally outside it, but with two cabinet members from the PA.
Ideology
The SDP represents the social democratic formation of the PA, whose platform emphasises cooperativism, universal social security, and state-driven development.
The party is notable for its strong association with veterans' issues and aristerokratia.
Symbols
The SDP uses a light shade of red as its official colour, and the rose in a fist as its electoral symbol.
