3rd Emergency Election of the Republic of Breheim
With the split of the Syndicalist Coalition from the ruling Socialist Worker's Party, the existing SWP-Communist coalition no longer holds a majority in parliament. Despite attempts by Nils Magnussen's government to get the People's Socialists on board, any hope of a continuation of the government fell when the Communist Party withdrew their support for the Magnussen government. After a month of hung parliament, the High Court of Breheim declared the parliament dissolved, as per the constitution, and that new elections were to be held.
With the near-century long dominance of the united Socialist Worker's Party greatly diminished, political activity and discussion have reached levels not seen since the seventies as the diverse political parties of Breheim intend to make gains. A total of twenty-five political parties managed to get enough signatures to contest the emergency election, although only ten parties have any chance of actually getting into the parliament. The Syndicalist Coalition and the People's Party of Vestøy are the only of the 'major' parties who are new to this election, although the PPV is an old and established party who only recently decided to contest elections independently.
The economy is the primary issue of this election, as the trade unions have gone into a general strike following the Magnussen Government's controversial decision to open all government monopolies to private competition, as well as the reform of the tax system that ended up putting more of the burden on the poor than previously. The strike is affecting broad stratas of the population, and rifts have been seen in the normally pro-Labour breheimian politician on the nature of this strike. Additionally, the five-year-long Breheimian recession and the relatively poor purchasing power of Breheimian citizens have also been on the agenda.
The eugenics programme has also come under increasing fire from the opposition, with international condemnation playing a part. For the last century, the Breheimian government have sterilized the mentally handicapped, mages and (historically) groups such as the Runit. By broad groups of the population, this is considered a grave human rights abuse, while others still adhere to the argument of racial hygiene and improving the genetic stock of the Breheimian population.
Increased autonomy of for the isle of Vestøy (1/3 of the Breheimian population), and even secession, have increasingly come under focus as well. The national government based in Storvik (although, on paper the Vestøyian city of Bjørnborg is a 'second' capital, this has little real influence) is stated by many Vestøyians to not truly reflect the problems and culture of Vestøy. That Vestøyians get little coverage in terms of culture, such as movies, as well as the neglible showing of the Vestøy Dialect on national television, have in particular been used as arguments by autonomists and secessionists. While support for outright secession is low in Vestøy, support for increased autonomy is certainly on the rise.
Immigration has been a controversial topic in Breheim for the last few decades, as well as wether immigrants should be integrated or assimilated. The bulk of Breheim's immigrants come frome the countries of Cossackia and Cuivre, and the former in particular are very much associated with organized crime. While Breheim has a quota-based immigration scheme, some demand stricter restrictions on who are allowed to move to the country while others welcome new cultures and ideas to the country.
Finally, bureaucracy and taxation have also become an important issue as many Breheimians are tired of the excessive licencing and regulatory system of the Breheimian state. Wish for some kind of reform is growing, while others are nervous about the prospect of changing something that has worked for sixty-odd-years.
The Parties Contesting
Socialist Worker's Party
An old and established party, the SWP was formed as a coalition of all workers in 1891, internally it has historically been diverse, with members ranging from communists to syndicalists to democratic socialists to social-democrats. Social-Democrats have historically been the dominant faction, barring the syndicalist Grim Trane's government 2005-2013.
Ideology: Socialism, Big-Tent
Internal Factions: Social-Democrats, Eurocommunists, Marxists
Economy: Maintain the current level of reforms, give incentives to the striking workers to return to work.
Eugenics Programme: Continue as-is.
Vestøy: Refuse any attempt to decentralize the Breheimian Republic.
Immigration: Maintain the current quota based system, and focus on integration rather than assimilation.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain a progressive taxation system, and look into ways of making the licencing system sleeker.
United People's Party
While formed in 1926, the UPP was formed as a merger of the Conservative and Liberal Party, making it the oldest political force still in existance in Breheim. The United People's Party is generally considered right-wing in Breheim, while many of their actual policies would be centrist or even centre-left in many countries.
Ideology: Liberal-Conservatism
Economy: Increase restrictions on the ability of trade unions to go to strike (especially political strikes), and remove privileges the trade unions have today. Reduce tariffs in order to attempt to make Breheim no longer a blacklisted country for foreign investments on par with countries with a hammer and sickle on their flags. Gradually privatise state-assets within manufacturing.
Eugenics Programme: Continue as-is.
Vestøy: Open for increased autonomy of Vestøy, the North and Aflheim.
Immigration: Reduce annual quotas, and focus on assimilation rather than integration.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Abolish tariffs, but maintain other taxes as-is. Reduce the number of licences and government regulations of enterprises.
The Free Liberals
Formed in the tumultous seventies, the Free Liberals have only recently risen to prominence in Breheimian politics. They are a loose coalition of various forms of liberals, ranging from social-liberals to libertarians, and have their strength in the urban centres of the country, especially among the youth.
Ideology: Liberalism
Internal factions: Ordoliberalism, Social-Liberalism, Libertarianism, Green Liberalism
Economy: Illegalise political strikes and increase opportunities for non-unionized workers, as well as legal protection of private property against union vandalism. Instate wide-spread privatisations of the state-run manufacturing, retail and telecommunications sectors.
Eugenics Programme: Abolish.
Vestøy: Decide by plebiscite in Vestøy.
Immigration: Loosen immigration restrictions and open up for increased refugees from tyrannical countries.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Institute a flat tax and sales tax in order. Greatly reduce bureaucracy.
Communist Party of Breheim
The Communist Party of Breheim split from the SWP in 1923, inspired by the establishment of the USSR. While initially an orthodox stalinist party, the Communists have moderated themselves following 1956. They defend Breheimian traditions, the family unit, ancient Breheimian religions and the working classes, and describe themselves as a patriotic and proletarian party of the 21st century.
Stated Ideology: Communism, Marxism-Leninism
Practical Ideology: Left-wing Nationalism, Social-Conservatism, Socialism
Economy: Support the workers in their demands, increase the level of worker's say in state-run enterprise. Abolish taxation on small- and medium enterprise.
Eugenics Programme: Abolish.
Vestøy: Refuse any attempt to decentralize the Breheimian Republic.
Immigration: Restrict immigration further, especially from Cossackia, and focus more on assimilation.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Reform the tax system in order to put less of the burden on the poor.
Syndicalist Coalition
Formed in 2013, the SC is the youngest party contesting the election. The SC formed as a split from the SWP, when the SWP allegedly 'betrayed the people' when they removed state-monopolies in favour of state-enterprises with private competition. The Syndicalist Coalition is led by Ragnar Hansen, the chief foreman of the Breheimian Worker's Confederation (the largest trade union confederation in the country), and draw most of their backing from trade unionists.
Ideology: Syndicalism, Socialism
Economy: Nationalize all the things.
Eugenics Programme: Continue as-is.
Vestøy: No official position.
Immigration: Abolish immigration.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Replace the bureaucracy with elected posts, and greatly simplify breheimian regulations and law.
Patriots of Breheim
Considered 'neofascist' by detractors, the Patriots of Breheim were formed in 1961 by former members of the nazi party, and retained a neonazi stance until 1998 when Ulf Sjøfarer was elected party leader. Under Sjøfarer's leadership, the Patriots rebranded themselves as a nationalist, populist and democratic group and have shed themselves of fascist imagery and policies.
Ideology: National-Conservatism, Nationalism, Right-wing Populism
Economy: Restrict the ability to strike to 'when it is needed', increase tariffs to protect Breheimian workers. Improve opportunities for self-employed and small-businessmen.
Eugenics Programme: Continue as-is.
Vestøy: Refuse any attempt to decentralize the Breheimian Republic.
Immigration: End immigrations, give economical incentives for the 'non-Native' population to return home.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain a progressive taxation system.
People's Socialist Party
The People's Socialist Party was formed alongside the Free Liberals, and remains the voice of the liberal left in Breheim.
Ideology: Popular Socialism
Internal Factions: Democratic Socialists, Market Socialists, Libertarian Socialists
Economy: Give tax incentives in order to increase the amount of cooperatives in the economy, and cooperativise the majority of current state enterprises.
Eugenics Programme: Abolish.
Vestøy: Give Vestøy more autonomy, as long as they comply with the constitution and the human rights.
Immigration: Increase quotas, and accept more refugees from tyrannies.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain a progressive taxation system, and look into ways of making the licencing system sleeker.
[b}Party of Farmers and Fishermen[/b]
The PFF have historically played a minor role in Breheim, and with the shrinking of the rural population have seen their electorate be reduced every year.
Ideology: Agrarianism, Decentralization, Localism, Patriotism
Economy: Restrict the ability to strike and abolish trade union privileges, increase agricultural subsidies.
Eugenics Programme: Continue as-is.
Vestøy: Give all areas more individual say, and delegate more power to the Fylker and Kommuner than the national government.
Immigration: Reduce annual quotas and abolish the refugee system entirely. Deport immigrants who commit serious offenses, as well as their families.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain the current system.
People's Party of Vestøy
The People's Party of Vestøy were formed in 1928, but this is the first election they contest. The PPV existed as an internal group of the United People's Party until 1979, when they formally broke ties with the mother party in other to follow their own line. They have endorsed individual politicians from the UPP, TFL and PFF when those have aligned themselves with the PPV, and have sometimes acted as kingmakers in this role.
Ideology: National-Liberalism, Christian Democracy, Secessionism
Economy: Restrict political strikes, reduce tariffs.
Eugenics Programme: Decide by plebiscite.
Vestøy: FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! (secession, but autonomy if impossible)
Immigration: Restrict immigration further to 'nordic lutherans'.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain a progressive taxation system, but to a lesser extent that today, and cut red tape with the fervour of a thousand pissed off truck drivers.
Runit Party
The Runit Party seeks to represent the Runit minority in Breheim, an indigenous population that currently consist of 0.7-0.9% of the total population. They have historically aligned themselves with the Communists and the PFF, and have only contested national elections two other times in the past. Their primary goal is increased autonomy for the northern runit fylker, as well as increased power to the Runit Parliament.
Ideology: Runit Autonomy, Socialism, Agrarianism, Left-wing Nationalism
Economy: More monies to the north.
Eugenics Programme: Abolish.
Vestøy: No position.
Immigration: No position.
Bureaucracy and Taxation: Retain a progressive taxation system.
