National Democratic Party

**Formerly:**

* Autocracy
* Militarism
* Richmondism

The **National Democratic Party** formerly the **National Federalist Party**, was a Southambian national conservative political party founded on Endings 6, 81;2E by pro-Zacharias Richmond Loyalists. The Party was apart of the PND/PDP, a national conservative coalition formed with the People's Democratic Party, a Holney regionalist party. The Party was known as the *National Federalist Party* until 87;2E, when it rebranded itself as the *National Democratic Party*. Formerly an autocratic party, it began to deradicalise in 87;2E and gradually became more moderate.

In 97;2E, it was no longer considered a far-right political party, instead only being a right-wing party. However, because of it's past affiliations with Loyalists and Insurrectionists, the party has become extremely unpopular in Left-wing provinces, with many protesting for it's prohibition and permanent dissolution. In the 101;2E Southambian Magistracy Election, the PND/PDP fielded the moderate Philibert Laframboise to contest against 17th Magistrate of Southambia, Leonard Godsforth. Despite fielding a moderate candidate, the PND/PDP failed to gain from the 96;2E election, instead losing support. However, because of Laframboise's leadership during the 101;2E election, the party gained 8 seats from the National Union Coalition.

Currently, the Party controls 5 provincial legislatures, and 8 provincial governorships. It has 24 seats in the National Council, and is currently the senior-opposition party. The party does not operate in Holney, and instead operates in all 20 other provinces. Currently, it maintains a government in Kirmouthia, where the pro-PND/PDP political group, the Merchants Union, was the senior-party in a ruling coalition.

## Background

The party's ideological and founding roots can be traced back to the Nationalist Party, and the earlier Loyalists groups. Earlier loyalist groups pledged loyalty to Richard Nickson who was Magistrate of Southambia. Several founding members of the PND were members of the Nationalist Party, and earlier Loyalist groups.

### 1st Civil War Loyalist ties

The most significant Loyalist group prior to the First Southambian Civil War was the National Salvation Group, a pro-monarchy Loyalist group. The GSN had ties with several of the more minor Loyalist groups in the war. The GSN also had ties to Zacharias Richmond, who was prior to the civil war, a political leader in one of Holney's regional Loyalist groups.

## History

### Founding

The Party was founded on Endings 6, 81;2E by the name of **National Federalist Party**. Despite the name, the Party was founded as an anti-federalist and pro-unitarian political party believing that Provincial autonomy was one of the causes of the first Civil War. The the PNF was founded by members in support of Zacharias Richmond, 2 weeks after the 7 Day Coup.

Prior to the founding of the party, and the 7 Day Coup, Richmond had won the 81;2E Southambian Magistracy Election, however then-Magistrate Volodymyr Puotiin claimed that because Conservative Loyalists occupied large chunks of Southambia in the Civil War, that voters were intimidated to vote for Richmond, or face harassment, or even death by Loyalist hands. Members of the Loyalists claimed that the election was fair, but because of the political instability of Southambia and Puotiin's administration, voters voted for Richmond, whose Loyalist groups were keeping occupied areas stable, and whose leadership and administration was itself stable.

Ultimately, following the election, Puotiin attempted to invalidate the election results citing voter intimidation, however Puotiin would be couped by Loyalist forces Ending Earth 25, 81;2E, following a 7 day long siege of the National Capitol building. Following the coup, Richmond would assume office, marking the earliest start of a Magistrate's term. Ultimately, the Superior Court of Southambia ruled that despite the coup and that an early ending of a term was unconstitutional and illegal, the election of Zacharias Richmond itself was legitimate

### Zacharias Richmond's Magistracy

#### Final weeks of 81;2E

##### Vasarites

The most significant dealing that took place between Richmond's Cabinet and the Vasarites was the deal in 81;2E establishing the Stotford Autonomous Region under the control of the Vasarites, the establishment of the Stotford National Guard, and the ending of the First Southambian Civil War. A deal considered popular by those who wanted the war to end, but a deal considered unpopular by Stotford and Southambian nationalists alike. However in private, both the Vasarite and Richmond governments were glad that the deal met the goals of both sides. As of 97;2E, the deal between the PNF and the Vasarties still stand as any attempt to repeal or amend the deal by both sides have been met with harsh backlash.

#### 82;2E

##### Southambian National Guard

On Beginnings 31, 82;E, as part of the Loyalist seizure of power in Southambia, Richmond and the PNF supported the establishment of the Southambian National Guard, a component of the Southambian Armed Forces designed to serve as the police force of the PNF.

##### Attempted assassination of Zacharias Richmond

*Main Article: Attempted assassination of Zacharias Richmond*

Zacharias Richmond, Tabrad Governor Hervé Beaulieu, Holney Governor Édouard Vidal, and Stapton President Sigguatr Selkollrsson were all in attendance at a rally hosted by Richmond. Panfilo De Chiaro, a Socialist activist, armed with a Godsforth Dragoon Revolver shot towards Zacharias Richmond intending for Richmond to be killed by the first shot. However, the shot missed and injured Hervé Beaulieu, the Socialist governor of Tabrad. The other targets of assassination for De Chiaro were Vidal and Sigguatr, who both were supportive of the PNF and Richmond's government. Following the injury of Beaulieu, De Chiaro fired several more shots towards the 3 intended targets, but only injuries were incurred from the attack. Ultimately, the assassination attempt failed and De Chiaro was captured by attending National Guard members.

#### Coalition with the People's Democratic Party

The PNF entered into a coalition with the PDP in late 83;2E following a meeting between Zacharias Richmond, and Holney Governor Édouard Vidal. Both parties came to agreement of a political coalition wherein the PDP would only stand in Holney, and the PNF would stand in the remaining provinces, citing Provincial interests of the PDP. The Coalition's first legislative election in 84;2E saw the coalition earning 48 of the 107 seats, the PNF gained 32 seats and the PDP gained 16 seats.

#### 86;2E Elections

##### Magistracy Election

Zacharias Richmond stood for reelection in the 86;2E Magistracy Election. Ultimately, he lost reelection to Leonard Godsforth, who was the leader of the National Union Coalition, an anti-Loyalist big-tent political coalition. Richmond won 112,421 votes against Godsforth's 124,441 votes. Ultimately Richmond only won 40.55% of the total vote, and Godsforth only won 44.89% of the total vote.

##### National Council Election

Similarly to Richmond's defeat in the 86;2E Magistracy Election, in the 86;2E National Council Election, the coalition lost it's minority government winning only 38 of 107 seats. Individually, the PNF only won 25 seats, and the PDP won 13 seats.

#### Post-Richmond deradicalisation

Following the end of Richmond's term as Magistrate, the PNF as apart of the PNF/PDP coalition began to go through deradicalisation. This included the changing of the name from the "National Federalist Party" to the "National Democratic Party", and the logo changing as well. Furthermore, the party began a small-scale purge on members who were affiliated with Loyalist groups. Alongside the deradicalisation plan, the Party abandoned several policies related to supporting Unitarianism, Loyalism, and Autocracy.

#### The Answer

The first major obstacle to the PND was The Answer, a neo-Loyalist which originated from the dissolution of the Southambian National Guard by Leonard Godsforth. The Answer considered the PND as an enemy as a result of the 86;2E Magistracy Election, wherein the Party refused to dispute the election results of Godsforth's victory over Richmond. However, the Answer also denounced Richmond and his ideologies known as Richmondism, citing that Richmond himself is responsible for not disputing the electoral results and that the PND is also to blame for not pushing it directly.

#### 91;2E Elections

##### Magistracy Election

In the 91;2E Southambian Magistracy Election, the PND/PDP coalition fielded Édouard Vidal, Governor of Holney, and the Deputy Magistrate of Southambia Candidate in the 86;2E election. Vidal promised conservative liberalization and the government's opposition to Loyalist ideologies and groups. Furthermore, Vidal supported the PND/PDP's agenda for the 91;2E election which included rolling back parts of Leonard Godsforth's economic and education agenda calling it "A radical step in putting the control of the people's money into the hands of an authoritarian government.". The PND/PDP also promised extending the post-civil war stimuli to those provinces who were cut, or ripped out from the National Union Coalition's government. Ultimately, Vidal only won 117,974 votes and 35.7% of the total against Godsforth's 166,458 votes and 50.39% of the total vote.

##### National Council Election

In the 91;2E Southambian Council Election, the PND/PDP was seeing it's first national election since the start of deradicalisation. The PND had seen an increase of 1 seat, whereas the PDP had seen a decease of 2 seats.

#### Affiliation with the Confederation Agreement

Upon it's establishment, the Confederation Agreement received tons of support from local politicians who were members of the PND. As such, the PND was permitted to participate in the Confederation's elections. It was also the only political party permitted, thus winning all seats. However, within the Confederation were two groups: the Resolution Movement, who wanted to stay apart of Southambia, but were keen on gaining autonomy similar to that of Stotford, and the Sovereignty Movement, an ultra-nationalist regionalist group who wanted the Confederation's secession from Southambia.

In the election, the Resolution Movement gained the majority, however, not long after the 96;2E Southambian Magistracy Election, the Sovereignty Movement under the leadership of Audun Holmgavtsson couped the Resolution Movement. Audun banned all opposition groups including the Resolution Movement, and on Endings 23, 96;2E, a state of war was declared in Southambia as the Confederation had declared it's independence. Because of the PND's affiliation with the Confederation, several protests and riots broke out across Southambia calling for the dissolution and banning of the PND with several protesters calling the PND "Traitors to the Southambian people, and treasonous scum who should not be trusted in having a say in our govenrment!".

Several individuals and groups had petitioned the Superior Court of Southambia on banning the PND, but ultimately, after several petitions were signed, the Court prohibited further cases from being petitioned and ruled against those that were heard stating "The PND had participated in the Confederation before Audun's rise to power. The PND are not to blame for it's own members who were not representatives of a local, provincial, or the national government. Likewise, the PND has also, in response to the breakout of the war, revoked the memberships of those who are apart of the Confederation's government.".

#### 96;2E Elections

##### Magistracy Election

In the 96;2E Southambian Magistracy Election, the PND/PDP fielded Édouard Vidal yet again. Similarly to the 91;2E election, the PND/PDP had continued it's deradicalisation, and completely banned loyalist policies from being adopted on agenda. Ultimately, Vidal had only won 110,389 votes and 32.32% of the total vote to Godsforth's 183,138 votes and 53.62% of the total vote.

##### National Council Election

In the 96;2E Southambian Council Election, the PND/PDP continued to see a loss of seats. However, while the PND lost seats, the PDP gained seats. Overall, the PND saw a decrease from 26 to 16 seats, and the PDP saw an increase from 11 to 17 seats with a total loss of of 4 seats.

### Denouncement of the Confederation Agreement & Civil War

Following the outbreak of the Second Southambian Civil War, the PND immediately pulled it's support and involvement from the Confederation Agreement, and denounced the government of the Confederation for treasonous activities. However, despite the attempts to denounce the Confederation Agreement, the damage had already been done, and protests and riots calling for the banning and dissolution of the PND for affiliating with the Confederation Agreement in the first place broke out. These protests continued on for 3 months following the outbreak of the civil war, however they have since died down and the occasional small organized protests are spotted in Tabrad, and Holney.

### 101;2E Elections

#### Magistracy Election

*Main Article: 101;2E Southambian Magistracy Election*

A

#### National Council Election

*Main Article: 101;2E Southambian Council Election*

B

### Merger with the PDP

On Beginnings 2, 106;2E, the PND agreed to a merger with the People's Democratic Party to form the United Democratic Party.

## Political Profile

The party's ideology has been described as nationalist, right-wing and traditionalist. Since it's foundation, the party has deradicalised and adapted to the political climate.

## Election Results

### Magistracy

 91;2E | Vincent Azaïs | Deputy Magistrate | 117,974
 96;2E | N/A

## Notes

1. ↑ Luari: *Parti National Démocratique*
2. ↑ Luari: *Parti National Fédéraliste*, Astellian: *Partido Nacional Democrático*, Slovan: *Національно-демократична партія*