
Derps voted today for control of the unicameral Senate amid uncertain times in Gentibus.
Saint Francis- SDN Amidst uncertainty across Gentibus with a growing far-right movement, election-meddling by foreign billionaires on the continent, a cost of living crisis, and two wars in East Lebatuck and Katras, South Derpingham rung in the new year with a general election. Prime Minister Katherine Powers' Social Democratic Party (SDP) sought re-election after the collapse of their coalition with the Left Alliance, Greens, and Social Liberals (itself a breakaway from the SDP).
The Second Powers Cabinet started strong with their pandemic-recovery packages and ambitious climate agenda. Powers' cabinet has successfully limited inflation to a respectable 2% amid global economic challenges, and has expanded access to social and affordable housing. Over the previous 3 and-a-half years, cracks in the coalition began to emerge. While her domestic agenda was broadly popular among the left and centre in the Senate, her foreign policy divided the coalition. The Red-Green-Bloc, traditionally a fairly cohesive alliance, saw cracks emerge early on. In 2021, Social Liberals, mainly disgruntled SDP and Forward members who split from their parties over what they saw as overly-restrictive immigration limits from the First Powers Cabinet, threatened to vote no-confidence after the SDP intended to turn away thousands of East Lebatuckan refugees.
The final straw proved to be the neutrality question. Amid the East Lebatuck War and Katras-Erabad Conflict, a growing number of Senators, including some cabinet ministers, have supported joining the Alliance for Mutual Defense (AMD) in fear of Blackacre attacking the Derpingham Peninsula. Critics argue this violates the Derpish Constitution, which mandates neutrality in foreign conflicts unless the Kingdom or its inhabitants have been attacked. The AMD operates under the principle "an attack on one is an attack on all." Critics in the Social Liberals, Left, and Greens argue joining the AMD would amount to a violation of the Constitution in the instance an ally is attacked. Some in the Left Alliance even argue that aid and upholding GU and WA sanctions is in violation. After Powers expressed openness towards joining the AMD, the Left proposed a vote of no confidence which toppled the government. PM Powers, interestingly, looked at this as a positive development: "now we have an opportunity to know definitively how our people feel about sanctions, aid, and the neutrality question," she said. In addition to voting for control the Senate, the Derpish people voted on several ballot questions regarding those issues.
Parties New and Old Emerge
Issues
In public opinion surveys, several key issues have been repeatedly highlighted. These issues and the Blocs' (and major parties') positions on them have been noted below.
Election Results
12 January 2025
All 501 seats in the Senate
251 seats needed for a majority
Turnout: 85% (-2%)

Social Democratic Party

Leader: Katherine Powers
Ideology: Social democracy, centre-left
Bloc1: Red-Green
Last election: 37%, 186 seats
Seats won: 142
Seat change: -44
Percentage2: 28%
Swing: -9%
Conservative Party

Leader: Charles Berg
Ideology: Conservatism, national conservatism, centre-right
Bloc1: Blue-Leaf
Last election: 12%, 60 seats
Seats won: 78
Seat change: +18
Percentage2: 16%
Swing: +4%
Derpish National Party

Leader: Erik Erikson
Ideology: Right-wing populism, nationalism, right to far-right
Bloc1: N/A
Last election: 6%, 31 seats
Seats won: 78
Seat change: +47
Percentage2: 16%
Swing: +10%
Forward

Leader: Lucille Highmark
Ideology: Social liberalism, centre to centre-left
Bloc1: Centre
Last election: 15%, 75 seats
Seats won: 53
Seat change: -22
Percentage2: 11%
Swing: -4%
Aspire for a Just People and Planet

Leader: Collective, Astrid Oliver, de facto
Ideology: Green politics, progressivism, centre-left to left wing
Bloc1: Red-Green
Last election: Did not stand
Seats won: 38
Seat change: +38
Percentage2: 8%
Swing: + 8%
Alliance of Independents, Moderates, Liberals, and Conservatives

Leader: Anderson James
Ideology: Liberal conservatism, conservative liberalism, centre to centre-right
Bloc1: Centre
Last election: 8%, 38 seats
Seats won: 37
Seat change: -1
Percentage2: 7%
Swing: -1%
Left Alliance

Leader: Nils May
Ideology: Democratic socialism, left-wing populism, left-wing
Bloc1: Red-Green
Last election: 8%, 40 seats
Seats won: 36
Seat change: -4
Percentage2: 7%
Swing: -1%
Popular Traditional Party

Leader: Alen Bell
Ideology: Messianist democracy, agrarianism, centre to centre-right
Bloc1: Blue-Leaf
Last election: 5%, 25 seats
Seats won: 33
Seat change: +8
Percentage2: 7%
Swing: +2%
Derpish Union Party

Leader: Falk Christessen
Ideology:Derpish unionism, centre
Bloc1: N/A
Last election: 1%, 1 seat
Seats won: 3
Seat change: +2
Percentage2: 1%
Swing: +<1%
Pirate Party

Leader: Gunnar Paulsen
Ideology: Pirate politics, left libertarianism, centre to centre-left
Bloc1: N/A
Last election: <1%, 0 Seats
Seats won: 2
Seat change: +2
Percentage2: 1%
Swing: +<1%
Speaker3
Leader: George Ferik
Ideology: N/A
Bloc: N/A
Last election: 1 Seat
Seats won: 1
Seat change: N/A
Percentage: N/A
Swing: N/A
Advisory Question 14
Shall the government have the authority to join international military defense alliances while maintaining its neutrality?
Yes - 55%
No - 45%
Advisory Question 24
Shall the Kingdom begin the process of assent into the Alliance for Mutual Defense?
Yes - 48%
No - 52%
Advisory Question 34
Shall the government be permitted to supply nonlethal military aid, and uphold sanctions agreed to by international bodies and law?
Yes - 68%
No - 32%
Aftermath
No party or bloc received a majority of seats in the Senate. With the outcome of a hung parliament, SDP Leader Katherine Powers has begun the process of attempting to form a governing coalition. After the disunity by the end of the previous Red-Green government, Powers indicated she would look towards the centre in attempting to form a government, or forming a grand coalition between left and right if necessary.
Other interesting developments include the rise of the Derpish National Party, which received their highest number of seats ever, earning the same number as the Conservatives and tying to become the second largest party. The SDP, despite remaining the largest party, lost the most seats. In fact, all parties in the previous government lost seats, as well as the parties in the centre, indicative of a rising right wing. The effects of this election are still to be seen.
Finally, on the results of the advisory questions: voters approved the ability of the government to join alliances, but rejected joining the AMD at this time. In addition, voters approved aid and sanctions in the global conflicts. While further research must be done to understand the outcomes (why do voters approve of alliances but not the AMD? Do they prefer the GU? How can these be interpreted?). Powers has committed to following the advice of the public on these matters. Updates will follow on government formation.
Update: Katherine Powers of the SDP, Charles Berg of the Conservatives, as well as Forward's Lucille Highmark and Alliance's Anderson James have entered talks to form a government. Sources tell SDN that issues the parties are discussing include housing construction, tax adjustments, and electoral reform. We have yet to see what these conversations will result in.