2000 Notoshan general election

A **general election** was held in Notosha on 5 November 2000 to elect all members of the State Assembly. The date was officially selected by Supranational Council (SC) administrators working in Notosha in the aftermath of the Notosha War (1997–2000), and was intended to serve as the first general election within Notosha.

In the weeks preceding the election, the pro-independence New Notosha Party (PRRN) was widely expected to win, having led the polls throughout the entirety of the race. Other major parties were the Democratic People's Party (PPD) and the Lorbian People's Party (PPL), campaigning for Notoshan-Asbanian unionism and Notoshan-Lorbian unionism, respectively.

The election was ultimately won by the PRRN in a landslide, and party leader Zgur Xhanari was later sworn in as the inaugural prime minister of Notosha. The victory of the PRRN was interpreted as clear support for an independent Notoshan state. The PRRN ultimately formed a single-party majority government.

## Date

The date of the election was officially decided as 5 November 2000, announced by the Supranational Council (SC) on 29 August 2000. The date was determined by SC-appointed administrators of the SC-administrated Notosha, in order to organize the first general election in Notosha. Following the announcement of the date, SC-appointed administrators drafted a resolution that would mandate general elections be held every four years in Notosha, with flexibility to land up to two months before exactly four years after the preceding election, or two months after exactly four years after the preceding election.

Snap elections were allowed in the event of a vote of no confidence against the incumbent government, or at the request of the SC-appointed administrators, which would push the regularly scheduled general election back another four years.

## Electoral system

The electoral system at the time of the election used proportional representation and closed party list voting. Political parties created a list of candidates in each electoral constituency, or the constituencies in which they chose to stand, and voters cast a ballot for the list of their choice. Seats were then distributed proportionally using the d'Hondt method with a 3% electoral threshold.

Due to the closed-list system, voters could not alter the order of names that appeared on the list, meaning candidates placed in a higher position had a greater likelihood of being elected, and candidates at the bottom of the list were likely to not receive a seat. Additionally, each party must nominate a prime ministerial candidate, who would serve as prime minister should the party lead the government. Each party ultimately chose their party leader as its prime ministerial candidate, and this candidate was barred from appearing on a party list in any constituency, in order to develop a clear distinction between the legislative and executive branches of government.

### Constituencies

The 105 members of the State Assembly were elected in six multi-member electoral constituencies, directly corresponding with the districts of Notosha. Each district was assigned a number of seats in proportion to its share of the Notoshan population in the August 2000 census.

The six constituencies are Astina District, Bulvajë District, Çelisekë District, Durnaj District, Makës District, and Mamurshtë District.

### Eligibility

At the time of the election, legal permanent residents within the territory of Notosha who were aged 21 or older at the time of the election were eligible to stand for election. No citizenship requirements were implemented due to the demographics of Notosha at the time, with Notoshan citizenship not yet existing, and most residents holding citizenship to Lorbia, Asbania, or another nearby nation. Candidates were not required to reside in the constituency they were running for election in, but did have to reside within the territory of Notosha. Additionally, individuals with a criminal record, or those who have held political office in Lorbia or Asbania, were banned from standing for election.

All Notoshan permanent residents who were aged 18 or older on the day of the election were eligible to vote in the election, regardless of citizenship status. In the aftermath of the Notosha War (1997–2000), refugees who had left Notosha and not yet returned were also eligible to vote by-mail, as long as they could provide a valid address of their last Notoshan residence, dated to no earlier than 1997.

## Contesting parties

Following the announcement of the election, political parties began registering their candidacies. Three major parties emerged within the election, which had begun to be seen as a referendum on the future status of Notosha. The parties identified by the media as major candidates in the election are below:

Each of the three parties had few unified stances on general political issues, but instead differed in their vision for the future of Notosha. The New Notosha Party campaigned on behalf of Notoshan sovereignty and Notoshan independence from Lorbia, the Democratic People's Party campaigned on behalf of the unification of Notosha and Asbania, while the Lorbian People's Party campaigned on behalf of the dissolution of SC-administered Notosha and the full reabsorption of Notosha into Lorbia.

The New Notosha Party were seen as the frontrunners in the election, largely due to the leadership of Zgur Xhanari, a popular figure within Notosha and considered to be a war hero of the Notoshan War (1997–2000). The party had widespread appeal amongst Notosha Asbanians, particularly those from wealthier and urban communities. The Democratic People's Party saw most of its support coming from Notosha Asbanians from rural and poorer communities, many of whom tied their identities more to Asbania than to an independent Notoshan state. Meanwhile the Lorbian People's Party saw its support almost exclusively from Notosha Lorbians across the political spectrum.

## Aftermath

After the certification of election results, it emerged that the New Notosha Party (PRRN) had won in a landslide, and Zgur Xhanari declared victory. As the New Notosha Party won a majority in the State Assembly, Xhanari was expected to become the inaugural prime minister of Notosha, and the PRRN would form a single-party majority government. The inaugural members of the State Assembly were later sworn in on 14 November 2000, and Xhanari was later nominated by parliament to serve as prime minister on 16 November. He was sworn in by Geoffroy Lejardin, the administrator of Notosha, later that day. After being sworn in, Xhanari nominated his first cabinet.

While interpreting the election results, the media reported that the victory of the PRRN showcased clear support amongst the Notoshan people for an independent Notoshan state, with voters rejecting a union with Asbania or the reabsorption into Lorbia by large margins.