Background:
- Party guide from the last election
- Government “on the brink of collapse” – again
- The Snow fox lives to fight another day
- Græntfjall to head to the polls this summer as polls point to chaos
Table of contents
Party guide
Only parties with active representation in the Thing are included here; for minor parties, their own resources can be consulted for information on their leadership, such as the S-E-X Party’s helpful introduction to their leader ‘Mistress Victoría’ on a special section of their website entitled ‘Madam V’s Palace of Pain’, in which ‘pay piggies’ are invited to donate to campaign coffers, or the Neo-Marxist Workers’ Front’s hastily constructed bulletin announcing themselves after splitting from the New Socialist People’s Brigade, which carries some unfortunate typos having failed to find+replace the new party name from their last split from the Modern Communist Revolutionary Power.
Blue-Greens
Overview: The Blues and Greens were competing conservative movements who united in the 1990s; today they are treated as a singular party and have emerged as the dominant party of the past decade. Blues were royalists whose main issue was restoration of the monarchy, whereas Greens were national conservatives whose priorities were a return to the democratic Thing (Græntfjall’s national parliament) and reclamation of lost colonial holdings. Today’s concerns are more prosaic, mainly being seen as the party of the middle class.
Tentpoles: Center right, compassionate conservatism, liberal conservatism, conservative liberalism, neoconservatism, pro-business, traditionalism, monarchism, neocolonialism. In recent years the pro-business, socially liberal wing has been in the ascendancy, but the party has begun to drift to the right on social issues in response to the rising challenge of the NDF. The “Green” in the name refers to the national ideology, not to environmentalism; in fact, this is perhaps the least green party, funded by Big Oil and pushing climate change denial.
Leader: David Austmannsson. The ‘Snow Fox’ is the great survivor of Græntfjaller politics. No scandal seems to stick to him, whether it’s his wife receiving slush fund payments from an oil corporation to evidence of him trying to suppress a report on child cancer clusters. He has a military background (even here, the extent and nature of his military service has been a cause of scandal, with claims of falsely inflating his credentials and exaggerating his involvement) and was a successful businessman, first as a management consultant before starting his own private equity firm.
Current position: Current party of government with the largest representation in the Thing. Polling in 2nd place. Strongest in suburbs, towns, and rural communities; stronger in the East and South than West.
5 campaign promises:
- Pass a new defense bill representing the largest ever peacetime expansion of military spending.
- Deliver a big middle-class tax cut and commit to a freeze on sales, gas and alcohol taxes.
- Crack down on benefits fraud and antisocial behavior, with new job retraining programs.
- Pursue commercial development of the GANAX Cosmodrome and make Græntfjall a regional spacepower.
- Reduce unskilled immigration through a points-based system.
Left-slate
Overview: The Left-slate is a joint platform of several left-wing parties. The Big Three (Socialist Party of Græntfjall, Social Democratic Party, and Labor Party) joined with more than a dozen smaller parties and signed the Altendalur Convention, under the terms of which they would operate a joint list. Designed to prevent internecine splits fracturing the left vote, the Left-slate has held up remarkably well under the charismatic leadership of Zóphonías Juliusson, but their tenure in government was a frustrating failure and they endure regular bruising attacks from the heavily right-wing press.
Tentpoles: Center-left, social democracy, democratic socialism, labor rights, trade unionism, co-operative values, egalitarianism, green politics, feminism, civil liberties, human rights, gay rights, disability rights, racial tolerance, social justice, internationalism, pacificsm, anticolonialism, pro-immigration. The party as a whole has drifted to the center, despite some outspoken outliers. Increasingly invested in contemporary culture wars where they have taken a strong stance in favor of social justice issues. Despite their left wing status, the party prohibits ex-communists from membership, representing the bitter memories of Græntfjall’s communist past.
Leader: Zóphonías Juliusson. An urbane and cultured national hero, Juliusson is considered one of Græntfjall’s greatest contemporary writers. A playwright and essayist, he was imprisoned and tortured by the communist regime for his advocacy of civil liberties; yet, a man of genuine left-wing convictions, he’s well to the left of his party base on economic issues. Another in the ‘great survivor’ fashion, his tenure as Prime Minister was a disappointing failure but he was the man who opened Græntfjall to the world after years of isolation. Respected on all sides.
Current position: Current largest party of opposition, with the 2nd most seats in the Thing. Polling in 4th place, down from 3rd after suffering a big hit over ‘Bigotgate’. Strongest in cities and university towns; strongest in the West and the North.
5 campaign promises:
- Largest ever expansion of healthcare spending, creating a free-at-point-of-use national health system.
- Increase the top rate of taxation, repeal the corporate tax cuts and close loopholes, and introduce a FTT.
- Reverse all of the Blue-Green welfare cuts and restrictions and add a new inflation-adjusted COLA for pensioners.
- Remove all Græntfjaller military personnel from Montaña Verde and support a peaceful transition of power in Jabal Akhdar.
- Expand support for refugees and end the policy of detaining asylum seekers on offshore hulks.
National Democratic Front
Overview: The NDF have soared to prominence having been considered a maverick fringe just a decade ago. Once known for their signature – and highly unpopular – policy of republicanism, they have dropped their antipathy to the monarchy and instead moved to a populist, nativist, anti-immigration stance that has caught fire among Græntfjallers uncomfortable with the pace of change in a Queendom once frozen in time.
Tentpoles: Right-wing, national conservatism, social conservatism, nationalism, populism, nativism, anti-immigration, protectionism, neocolonialism, anti-Islam, pro-Catholic. They have leaned heavily into the modern culture wars on issues of race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, and immigration. Their campaign speeches are more likely to feature broadsides against “Cultural Marxism” and “postmodern political correctness” than detailed tax code breakdowns – and their supporters love them all the more for it. Some of their opponents have dubbed them fascists.
Leader: Sigjón Þjóðbjörnsson. Young and charismatic, a middle-class professional and openly gay; Þjóðbjörnsson defies many of the stereotypes one would expect of the leader of a populist revolution. A former advertising executive who became a campaigning lawyer on civil rights issues, he’s worked hard to lead the party to ditch its republican hangups and instead embrace a different kind of politics aimed, not at the monarchy, but at the establishment as a whole. Charming and personally engaging, but also a slick operator whose true motives are the subject of much speculation.
Current position: Minor party in the Thing. Polling in 1st place. Strongest in cities and towns, especially in working class neighborhoods that have seen high levels of immigration. Mainly a Northern party with little reach in the South.
5 campaign promises:
- Net zero immigration within five years, expulsion of all foreign criminals, and heightened border security measures.
- Repatriation tax holiday to encourage business who’ve offshored their operations to return. Tax cuts for low, middle and high earners.
- Crack down on elder abuse, build new quality retirement facilities, and invest in funding for geriatric health care.
- Scrap climate targets, withdraw from the climate treaty, and invest in oil and gas.
- Abolish hate crime laws and pass a strong free speech protection law.
Liberal-Conservative Alliance
Overview: The dominant right-wing party of the past, the Liberal-Conservatives have faded to minor party status, propping up the Blue-Green government in coalition. A merger between the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties in the 1990s, the Liberal-Conservative government oversaw the neoliberal shock therapy exit from communism. Mass privatizations and slashes to social services led to a backlash that booted them from office, and they’ve never been back as serious political contenders since.
Tentpoles: Right-wing, classical liberalism, market liberalism, libertarianism, neoliberalism, internationalism, liberal conserative, social liberal, pro-business, pro-immigration. They have remained ideologically committed to economic libertarianism in defiance of its lack of popularity with the electorate, and that’s seen them wither from default party of the right to also-ran. They’re also more socially liberal than their Blue-Green partners and bucked over anti-immigration policies.
Leader: Aríaðna Fjölvarsdóttir. The party’s first female leader has unfortunately presided over a historic slide in the polls. A corporate lawyer by training, Fjölvarsdóttir has a reputation as uncompromising and ideologically committed, which would be admirable qualities if her party were not so desperately in need of some compromise and ideological flexibility to get anywhere at all. She is considered the best speaker and wittiest raconteur of the crop of leaders, but her politics aren’t popular enough to make up for some quippy one-liners.
Current position: Minor government coalition partner. Polling in 5th place. Have fallen under the threshold (for electing any representative at all) in several polls. Strongest in towns and rural communities. Still very popular in the South.
5 campaign promises:
- Privatize the social wealth fund, pension system, and healthcare systems.
- Swingeing tax cuts. Establish a commission on moving to a UBI funded through a national sales tax.
- Relax planning laws to build 1 million new homes within ten years.
- Keep Græntfjall out of foreign wars. Pursue new free trade deals but stay out of entangling bureaucracies and alliances.
- Abolish most current gun laws and introduce a robust right of self-defense law.
Progressive Liberals
Overview: While the majority of the Liberal and Progressive Conservative parties merged into the Liberal-Conservative Alliance, a rump minority splintered off into the Progressive Liberals. At the time, that looked foolish: the Liberal-Conservatives were the dominant political party for a decade while the Progressive Liberals struggled to win any seats at all. Maybe they were playing the long con. In the last decade the positions have not quite reversed, but have seen the Progressive Liberals part of two governments while the LCA’s fortunes have dwindled.
Tentpoles: Centrism, radical centrism, neoliberalism, social liberalism, internationalism, feminism, LBG rights, environmentalism, futurism, pro-science. The Progressive Liberals’ status as the centrist party of record have seen them shift from the left – when they were coalition partners of the Left-slate – to the right – when they stayed on in government with the Blue-Greens – and back again. Their ideological fluidity has its detractors, being seen as sellouts and flip-floppers by those they’ve turned against, and untrustworthy allies by those they’ve turned towards.
Leader: Kaija Michaelsdóttir. Most famous in her role as Culture Minister for orchestrating Græntfjall’s Baptism of Fire football victory, Michaelsdóttir has served in a variety of government roles, most notably Foreign Minister, all while keeping a hold of the fragile coalition of her party. She is generally seen as personally on the right of her party, favoring neoliberal economics and resisting the drift to the left. Hailing from a working class background, she was a lawyer before entering politics.
Current position: 3rd largest party in the Thing. Polling in 3rd place. Frequently proving that 3rd is the worst place to finish in politics. Party base reluctant to enter coalition as a minor partner yet again. Strongest among the middle class, students and the young; stronger in the South and East than the West.
5 campaign promises:
- Huge new investment in “green homes, green jobs, green future”, reducing carbon emissions by 25% in a decade and 50% in two.
- Support modest tax cuts if offset by spending cuts. Establish a commission on the deficit.
- Legalize and tax most drugs, fund rehabilitation clinics and treatment centers, crack down on organized trafficking.
- Pass a financial reform law to liberalize banking laws while cutting down on fraud. Give the Central Bank independence.
- Enter the Common Rushmori Community and hold a referendum on World Assembly membership.
Other parties
Catholic Democrats (leader: Skeggi Jörvason)
Once a dominant political force, now relegated to also-rans. Too socially conservative to win center-left voters but too moderate to win right-wing voters. Facing electoral destruction.
New Energy Græntfjall! (leader: Dani Arhippasbur)
Split from the Progressive Liberals over the issue of trans rights. They have the only gender non-binary leader. Left-leaning liberals with climate change, social justice, and refugee rights as priorities.
Socialist Realm (leader: Peter Ásvarðursson)
Rump socialists who did not sign the Altendalur Convention. Generally libertarian socialists, frequently vote with the Left-slate despite decrying them in public.
Independents
The Communist Party has been banned. Some ex-communists run as “independents”, fooling no one, but being too small in number to do much harm.
PHORCED-ACRONIM system
Some of the events occurring during this election cycle will be randomly-generated based on scores of certain matches in the NS Sports subforum, using the PHORCED-ACRONIM system.
PHORCED-ACRONIM system results:
- The first major scandal of the campaign will involve Zóphonías Juliusson and a hot mic; the first major endorsement of the campaign will be of the Left-slate by a famous footballer.
Zóphonías Juliusson, leader of the Left-slate, wins the endorsement of NT winger Hanne Heikkisdóttir, but then ends up referring to anti-immigration voters as “ignorant bigots”, comments caught on camera when his aides fail to turn off his microphone. - The first big foreign policy issue of the election is going to occur in Montaña Verde* and involve some actual good news.
Græntfjall’s Development Transformation Fund aid program succeeds in rehabilitating the Verdean leatherback turtle. However, some parties want to cut this aid program. For the subplot involving Montaña Verde, see these stories: [1] [2] [3] [4]. - The first major domestic policy debate of the campaign will be sparked by a letter to a newspaper from a billionaire concerned with archaeological discoveries.
Kaalim Taaj Jensson, CEO of Vínland Mótorvirkar, writes the left-liberal paper Vestrænnblaðið urging inter-faith cooperation in the wake of the discovery of a millennium-old Viking boat showing evidence of cooperation and trade with Muslim cultures. - The first security alarm of the campaign occurs when a brick is thrown at a far-right politician.
An antifa activist throws a brick at Dynja Árgilsdóttir, leader of the NO2ISLAM minor party. - There’s bad news for David Austmannsson as a scandal breaks involving children.
Blue-Green David Austmannsson is caught up in a corruption scandal, not for the first time, when he is accused of threatening to intervene to suppress a report on a child cancer cluster linked to air pollution on behalf of a major oil company that have been huge donors to his party. - The campaign is heating up with big policy announcements. The Progressive Liberals are proposing a new tax on drugs (including alcohol and/or tobacco) while the Catholic Democrats are advocating for cutting taxes on inheritance.
The Progressive Liberals want to legalize and tax all drugs, as well as increasing taxes on alcohol and cigarettes to pay for drug rehabilitation and treatment. The right-wing press is outraged. The Catholic Democrats, increasingly a minor party of pensioners, want to abolish all inheritance tax. - It wouldn’t be an election without some questionable, controversial, or downright misleading numbers making the headlines. A bus has started driving around Háttmark, promising 350 million krónor will be spent on a national policing strategy by cutting spending on international trade promotion. Similarly, a direct mail flyer is promising to build 40 new statues of famous women and an attack ad charges an opposing party of wanting to build 40 new missile silos.
“Graphic design is my passion,” says Græntfjaller political operative. - The media play a big role in elections. Let’s do a deep dive interview with Kaija Michaelsdóttir where they offer up a big revelation: they’re getting married. Let’s also do an undercover investigation of Left-slate revealing troubling accusations of electoral fraud.
Kaija Michaelsdóttir is getting married, which given the conservative nature of Græntfjaller society should prove a boon with voters who care about that sort of thing. But that news is likely to be overshadowed by an ambush documentary from right-wing news channel Wolf News revealing ballot-stuffing and abuse of the postal vote system in a Left-slate campaign office in Sóllinen, a neighborhood whose council is already a byword for corruption and scandal. - “Events, dear girl, events,” is a famous Græntfjaller saying about politics. Time for a couple of major events to shake up the campaign. A natural event: an earthquake and a human-made event: terrorists win a court case against the government. Meanwhile there is good news, with the discovery of an amazing object in space and bad news, with the collapse of a pension fund.
The first leaders’ debate sees the parties square off on issues including fracking, deportation of terrorists who might face torture, funding for space travel, and support for collapsed company pensions. - Time for another big endorsement, this one for the Progressive Liberals from a group of ex-military officers. Earthquakes and terrorism and financial ruin!? This is all getting a bit serious. Let’s show the lighter side of politics with Zóphonías Juliusson taking a trip on a megayacht.
The endorsement comes from retired army officers, who like the Progressive Liberals’ plan for dealing with Græntfjall’s aging NBC weaponry infrastructure. But Kaija Michaelsdóttir is more concerned about seeing evidence of the Left-slate linking up with a potential big money donor. - You may have noticed a lot of splitters and splinters, and a lot of coalitions and alliances, among the ever-shifting kraken’s tentacles of Græntfjaller politics. Two parties have started to discuss working together: Left-slate and New Energy Græntfjall! while a splinter group has broken away from the Liberal-Conservatives. And let’s not forget the voters in all this. According to the latest poll voters say their biggest issue is health care while similar polling reveals voters to be surprisingly apathetic on the issue of gun control.
The election is beginning to swing to the Left-slate, who have benefited from the hot summer bringing attention to their big issue, health care. The Liberal-Conservatives, meanwhile are splintering, and their big issue, gun control, appears to be one the voters care little for, compounding their woes. - The stress of a long campaign is taking its toll on the leaders, with some strange comments: “I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion, and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.” which aides swiftly blame on heat stroke from the unseasonably hot weather. There’s embarrassment for another leader when they forget which football team they support a situation aides scramble to ameliorate by physically attacking the journalists trying to report on the incident.
David Austmannsson breaks down during the second debate and begins screeching about communists, torpedoing the Blue-Greens in the polls. His excuses fail to wash and his party seems destined for electoral oblivion. Sigjón Þjóðbjörnsson is rather less harmed after he roughs up a citizen journalist who accuses him of claiming to be a fan of both Gunzlach and their hated rivals Steinaux; his supporters probably think little less of him for the outburst. - With just a month to go before the election, there’s time for a couple of ‘
OctoberAugust surprises’, both at home with damaging accusations against Queen Júlíana that they promised favorable treatment to banks and corporations and abroad, in Jabal Akhdar thanks to release of hostages.
Accusations that Queen Júlíana promised to veto a banking regulation bill do not really stir up the race as no politician wants to criticize her. Making more of a splash is Zóphonías Juliusson, who succeeds in negotiating the release of hostages in Jabal Akhdar.
Ask an expert
The Græntfjaller news channel will be running a weekly election briefing show, with a panel of its correspondents ready to answer questions for those wishing to know more about the elections.
To ask an expert, fill out the following form:
Question type:Desired respondent:
- Background information (e.g. “What are the current animal cruelty laws in the Queendom?”, “What is the biggest industry in Altendalur?”)
- Party comparison (e.g. “Compare the policies of the parties on the issue of criminal justice reform”, “Which parties are pro-choice and which pro-life?”)
- Prediction (e.g. “What parties will do well in rural areas?”, “What would happen if Socialist Realm endorsed the Left-slate?”)
- Custom
Panellists will ignore frivolous or nonsensical questions.
- Entire panel: all the panellists will weigh in, or at least as many as are relevant.
- Specific panellist: choose the single panellist you want to hear from.
- Open: don’t specify a panellist, and GTV will task whomever they consider most suitable to respond.
What you may not do
- Declare war, launch a military strike, invade, or otherwise generally staggeringly overreact to an election in a far-off little ice realm.
- Claim to have sabotaged or interfered with the results.
- Introduce COVID or other such pandemics to the country.
Any such claims will be ignored. - Make OOC comments. Please contact me by TG or Discord DM for any OOC queries.