Progressive Party of Faru
Progressive Party of Faru | |
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| Name | Progressive Party of Faru |
| Abbreviation | PPF |
| Founder | John McHale |
| Founded | December 4, 2024 |
| Split from | Liberal-Conservative Party |
| Membership | 14 |
| Ideology |
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| Political Position | Center-Left |
| Colors | Orange |
| Senate Seats | 4 / 7 |
| Eastern Regional Assembly Seats | 2 / 5 |
The Progressive Party of Faru is a political party founded by John McHale on November 23, 2024. It forms one side of a three-way schism that occurred in the Liberal-Conservative Party, along with the New Conservative Party and the Democratic Mandate Party. It promotes liberalism, progressivism, republicanism, and social market economics.
History
Origins
The Progressive movement of Faru traces it's origins to several places. The United Party and Reform Party could be argued as an obvious precursor, owing to it's leadership by John McHale and social liberal slant. However, it's most direct predecessor would be McHale's New Liberal Caucus of the Liberal-Conservative Party, which included several people (Dan Tilabyss and Velik iz Dunska mainly) who'd become figures within the Progressive Party later on.
McHale had always been an odd man out in the Liberal-Conservative Party. The departure of the most senior Liberal, Velik iz Dunska, from Faru for an extended vacation, together with the limited abilities of a Caucus to campaign on it's own, meant that McHale's faction would always be limited. McHale would ultimately bide his time, faithfully serving conservative Premiers Maon Vukusti and Andrej Sobczyk as Foreign Minister and later Censor.
The inciting incident for it's foundation would occur on November 19, 1926. Following a hearing about the case Republic v. Aesel Blanch, Chief Justice Loga Dukakis announced that the Censorate would be suing former Minister of the Interior over embezzlement in what became known as the Central Intelligence Bonus Scandal (Bonusgate). During this event, Premier Sobczyk would give chase to Fleischer followed by what appeared to some as a lynch mob before relenting. It would be this blatant hot-headedness by the LCP leader that would cause McHale to resign from the Liberal-Conservative Party.
Founding
The Progressive Party of Faru would be announced by McHale on November 22. Initial party growth was slow; Dan Tilabyss, then serving as both Senator and Party President of the LCP, would choose to remain with them for the time being. Ironically enough, it would be Arno Fleischer, a man partially responsible for McHale's departure from the LCP, who would put in the legwork to grow the party initially, mainly in the east. With his help, the party would gain membership of former independent Senator Connor McHitch and Markarth businessman and Peter Stuyvesant, as well as poaching Tilabyss from the LCP. Stuyvesant would ultimately be the first Progressive elected to the Senate of Faru, taking over Blanch's seat following it's conviction for attempted murder.
Party membership would tally 9 when the first Party Congress was held on December 4, 1927. During this Congress, the Party by-laws were introduced, and the party's first platform was introduced. John McHale would be elected Chair of the party, while Dan Tilabyss and Sarah Hart-Ward were elected Vice Chairs. It was during this convention that Velik iz Dunska, fresh off a strong performance in the Southern Regional Election, would also join the party. The initial platform emphasized constitutional and economic reform, although later subjects were left relatively vague due to the convention taking almost 3 hours to complete. Nonetheless, the party would have it's platform and leadership just in time for the 1927 Southern Senate Elections.
1927 Elections
The final election under the old stagger system would take place between December 6th and 8th 1927 to elect 4 of the 7 Senators who would compose the 10th Senate of Faru. Initially, it was unclear how well the Progressives would do; their full slate had only become clear on the last day, with Dunska running in Urbis, Hart-Ward in the South-Southwest, both Tilabyss and McHitch running in Zallisburg, and Fleischer running in South Markarth. Projections ranged from a full sweep to only 1 seat, and while it was clear they'd be the largest party owing to the complete collapse of the LCP, it was unclear how easy it would be for them to govern. It was even floated that they might have to work with the LCP's most direct successor, the New Conservative Party (NCP), in an ironic twist not lost on many party members.
The results that were released on the 8th were stunning. The Tilabyss and McHitch would total 9 votes in Zallisburg, while NCP candidate Alexei Popovic laid an egg with 0 votes. In District 1, Hart-Ward would tie Horizon Alliance (HA) candidate Saibmi Joiker with 5 votes each, and Joiker would ultimately concede the race before the need for a runoff. In South Markarth, Fleischer would come in a close 3rd while HA candidate and leader Hershel Leitner and NCP write-in Robert Byrd tied for first. The most shocking result would be in Urbis however. Despite missing out on several key PPF members being able to vote due to the Residency Act, after mail ins were counted, Dunska would win the seat over NCP incumbent and sitting Premier Andrej Sobczyk by a margin of 6 to 5.
In the end, the PPF would secure 3 of the 4 contested seats, bringing their total up to 4 and allowing them to govern alone for the duration of the 10th Senate.