3022 Stability Party leadership election

The **3022 Stability Party of Wiltshire leadership election** is an anticipated contest which is expected to be held in the summer of 3022 to select a new leader of the Stability Party to contest the Next scheduled Wiltshire general election. Incumbent founding leader Mitchell A. Crawley announced his planned retirement on 11 June 3022, with a leadership contest scheduled for July.

The contest unofficially started in May when the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jack Wilson, announced his bid to succeed Crawley. Later, Newton Mayor Peter Broadcliffe confirmed he would also be seeking the nomination.

The morning following the announcement, the Work and Pensions Minister, Mario Giordano, declared his bid for the leadership.

## Background

Mitchell Crawley founded the Stability Party of Wiltshire in 3020 as a protest against the established political structures which had delivered the Labour/Socialist government led by then Prime Minister Mark Edwin. Edwin's government was famously uncoordinated and unstable, resulting in many fears that Wiltshire would return to the instability of the 3019 Wiltshire Political Crisis. Crawley, a political academic from Minevgrad, believed the best and most appropriate way to avoid further economic and social upheaval would be the establishment of a new political party that can appeal to everyday workers, like Labour, while maintaining "stable and sensible" policies for Wiltshire's recovery. With that party, Crawley could support leaders who reduced the risk of economic instability, especially in areas of corporate relations.

Immediately upon formation, the Stability Party entered government supporting the premiership of Sonya Inyo. This calculated move was based on the strong thought that if Inyo's Liberal Conservative government was unable to operate effectively, the risk of a return to left-wing policies would become significantly more like. Throughout the Inyo era, Stability was close to the leadership and Crawley became a close advisor to the then Prime Minister.

Following Inyo's resignation from the Liberal Conservative Party and their subsequent civil war, Crawley positioned Stability to become the party's natural successor as Wiltshire's primary centre-right political party. Absorbing liberals and conservatives alike, the Stability Party grew massively in popularity. In September 3021, Crawley led the Stability Party to victory against the incumbent Labour government. Crawley became Prime Minister.

Crawley's tenure as Prime Minister was, characteristically, stable. His early premiership saw Wiltshirian victory in the Rockfield War, as well as the formal and complete incorporation of Lorikeet and Rockfield into the Wiltshire Republic (now the Fifth Republic). With a strong position and a majority, Crawley set out his agenda for a balanced budget and debt elimination by March 3022.

Winning a second term in January 3022, Crawley's agenda was delayed due to the onset of the 3022 VIPER/C.E. viruses epidemic. Crawley's government is credited with effective vaccine rollouts, as well as investing significantly in the AVIS/Pembroke Vaccine.

Critics of Crawley's government cite the reduced funds for public services and their agenda for privatization and corporate takeovers of government services to reduce public expenditure as reasons why his government has not been positive. However, the Wiltshirian people continually return Stability national opinion poll victories.

Speculation as to Crawley's future came when, in 3022, he announced the significant decline in his health following infection with the VIPER/C.E. viruses. In June, he confirmed his decision to retire at the end of his second term, making him the longest serving Prime Minister of the post-independence era and the longest serving since Frank Eddington (3016-19).

## First round

Vote of the Stability Party Assembly Caucus (25 June)
 Jack L. Wilson
 Abigail Went

## Candidates

Candidates who have thus far declared their intention to run
* Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (3020-present)
* Boris Malden (Minister of Defence)
* Glenn Callaghan (former LibCon Leader)
* Peter Broadcliffe (former candidate and Mayor of Newton)
* Helen Richards (former Mayor of Arches)
 Mario Giordano
* Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (3021-present)
* Luke Ford, Minister for Housing and Utilities
* Peter Panuelo, Mayor of Lorikeet
* Edward Krushner (Health Minister)
* Gerald Stevenson (Under-Minister for Defence)
* Abigail Went (First Minister of State)
* Amelio Portrez (Foreign Minister)

## Suspended or eliminated candidates

 Phil Segal
* Deputy Leader of the Stability Party (September 3020 until present)
* Home Minister (November 3022 until June 3022)
* Deputy Prime Minister of Wiltshire (September 3020 until October 3020; September 3021 until November 3021)
* Minister for Trade (October 3020 until August 3021)
 Abigail Went
* First Minister of State (3022-present)
* Minister for the Cabinet Office (3022-present)
* Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (3018-3019; 3020-present)
* Endorsed Mario Giordano