1st Liberal Government of Ostrinia: 1857 - 1865

The 1st Liberal Government was the first government of an independent Ostrinia that lasted between the 14th of April 1857 to the 26th of September 1865. The government was led by Johann Stein throughout the 8 years and the government faced three elections and won two. They won the 1857 election with a large majority and the 1860 election with an even larger majority but suffered a terrible defeat in the 1865 election, forcing them out of government.
== History & Policies ==
=== Opium Crackdown ===
Stein's government was troubled with the rise of opium usage in Ostrinia. The opium trade began in Ostrinia around the late 18th century and spread throughout the country in the early 19th century without much opposition from the governors of Ostrinia. Opium mostly effected the poor, those who weren't working, or those who lived on a small wage, and Stein was opposed to the large opium usage among the lower class.
Stein called for the passing of the Opium Restriction bill 1858 that aimed to outlaw opium. This, however, did not fully receive the support of most Liberal representatives and thus was struck down. Stein pushed for the crackdown of opium usage in his 1860 campaign, and due to most voters not being lower class his ideals were highly accepted by voters. Stein pushed again for a new bill by the same name in 1860 that would instead push for police to stop the spread of opium dens and crack down on opium usage in public. The bill received just enough support to be passed through the chamber and was passed in 1861 as the Opium Restriction Act 1861.
=== Railway Program ===
Stein was a firm believer in constructing a large rail network across the country, believing that it would benefit everybody. Stein passed the Railroad Expansion Act in 1859 that subsidised many railway projects in the country. Stein's government invested money into five different companies that began construction in 1860 and most of them finished by 1863. Stein was criticized for spending so much money on a railway system that initially did not bring in a lot of traffic. Stein reaffirmed that "railroads are the future" at the opening of the final railroad in February 1864
=== 1863 Recession ===
Around March 1863, the country fell into an economic recession that hit the country quite hard. The Liberal government was blamed for failing to combat the effects of the recession and public opinion of the government turned sour very quickly. From what seemed like a possible third term for the Liberals, it was destroyed by their lack of response in the 1863 recession. The Liberals lost some seats in the final two years of the government that hurt the public image of the party and set their campaign back.
=== Slavery & the Slave Trade ===
The Liberal Government, led by Johann Stein generally supported the idea of slavery, and due to black people not having the right to vote it made their position very popular. The key difference between the Liberal Party's policy and the People's Party's policy on slavery was that Stein was willing to end the slave trade if his party agreed with the motion. Slavery and the slave trade was relegalised under the Constitution of Ostrinia that was signed in 1857 and attracted somewhat positive opinion from white voters. The American Civil War prompted a large shift in many Liberal politician's views on the slave trade and some on the entirety of slavery itself. This prompted the Slave Trade Act 1862 to be signed into law, ending the practise of importing slaves abroad, ending the slave trade in the country.
=== 1860 General Election ===
The 1860 Ostrinian General Election was considered a safe election for the Liberals due to their successful first term. The election was called early due to disagreement on implementing anti-opium policy. The leader of the opposition, Charles K. McKean, criticized the Liberals for cracking down on opium because the Liberals were meant to be the party of freedom and liberty, asserting that cracking down on drug use wasn't liberal of them. McKean, promised to put a full ban on opium usage if elected and to toughen up on drug usage in the country. Stein asserted that McKean would "create an anti-drug" country where not even alcohol is allowed, asking voters to reconsider voting for the People's Party.
Stein's Liberal Party ended up winning the election and gaining an extra three seats. Stein claimed that it was a "mandate to crackdown on opium" and congratulated McKean's attempt to win the election, which McKean responded with a congratulations as well.
=== 1865 General Election ===
After the recession in 1863, the idea of a reelection for the Liberals became unlikely. The public blamed the Liberals for failing to combat the recession and some even blamed them for it. The Liberals ending the slave trade also attracted mixed opinions from mostly white voters. Some were generally in favour of the ban but others were opposed and only created a further split in votes for each side. During the election campaign, Head Treasurer, Elmer Hatton, was shot twice by a supporter of the People's Party. Hatton died at the scene and the man who shot him, James Rupert, was sentenced to death a week later. Stein blamed the People's Party for inciting the shooting and blamed them for radicalising their voters. This, instead, received backlash from voters who were upset that Stein didn't even reference his sorriness for Hatton's death.
The results of the election saw the Liberal Party lose 31 seats, going from 56 to 27. The People's Party won 17 more seats, going from 31 to 48 and the new National Party won 12 seats. The election marked the end of the Liberal Party's dominance in politics and welcomed in a new People's - National coalition government.