3021 Liberal Conservative Leadership Election

The **3021 Liberal Conservative Party Leadership Election** was called in December 3020 when incumbent Leader Sonya Inyo announced that she would resign as Leader of the Liberal Conservatives to seek the presidency of Wiltshire in the 3021 election. Inyo, who had led the party since June 3020, had been in government since September 3020 under the Liberal Conservative/Stability coalition. One of the biggest dividing points of the election was whether or not this coalition should continue into the future.

Originally scheduled for January, the contest was delayed due to the outbreak of war against the New Corporate Republic. In late April, it was announced that the contest would take place on 1 May. Following the election, Health Minister Glenn Callaghan was elected Leader of the Liberal Conservative Party on the third ballot, defeating former Prime Minister David Loynd.

## Background

The October 3020 election resulted in a landslide victory for the Liberal Conservative Party and, since the election, Prime Minister Inyo has seen historic and record-breaking popularity. This position put her in a prime position to succeed incumbent President Gaius Selan, who announced in November 3020 that he would not seek a second term as President of the Republic.

While some Liberal Conservatives did try to seek the office, many worried that they would not have the national popularity to beat Kurt Antonov, the front-runner in the election. On 10 December, Inyo announced she would seek the presidency.

## Process

Candidates faced successive ballots of the Liberal Conservative Party Assembly caucus, with the last place candidate in each round being eliminated until a single candidate controls a majority of the votes cast. Successive votes of the party room took place on the single day, 1 May.

## Candidates

Leader of the Conservative Party (January 3015 until January 3016)

## Suspended candidates

Deputy Leader of the Liberal Conservative Party (February 3020 until November 3020)
Foreign Minister (September 3020 until October 3020)
Utilities Minister (since October 3020

## Candidate positions

### **Luke Ford (suspended)**

* Increase power of the DUOD / promote DUOD military creation
* Increased powers to local government (devolution)
* Introduce a new Immigration Act to grant citizenship to EFR refugees
* End LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **M Fitzgerald**

* Promote the resumption of Wiltshire's membership of the IDO
* Continue Wiltshire's DUOD membership "as is"
* Secure the border with increased powers to immigration forces
* Take greater action against NCR aggression
* No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **Marisa Wilder (suspended)**

* Introduce new Education Act to "revolutionize" public education
* Introduce a second Conservation Act and fulfil election promise to build bio-diversity sanctuary in Minevgrad
* Promote the construction of the Wiltshire Harbor, including the construction of canals in Newton to allow for greater commercial shipping - reduction in military base at Eddington Point
* General reduction in military spending in favour of public works projects
* No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **Brian Turner**

* End unsanctioned immigration, introduce "green card" system
* Make "Wiltshire Day" a national public holiday
* Continue the building up of Wiltshirian military forces
* Withdraw Wiltshire from the DUOD and campaign against "new Novanite organizations"
* Lower the minimum wage
* Continue LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **Glenn Callaghan**

* Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
* Eliminate Wiltshire's budget deficit "as soon as humanly possible"
* Promote the construction of the Wiltshire Harbor, including the construction of canals in Newton to allow for greater commercial shipping without reduction in military base at Eddington Point
* Campaign for unification with Rockfield
* Make "Wiltshire Day" a national public holiday
* Continue Kenny Rushmore's Education reforms
* No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **Aaron Ashford (suspended)**

* Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
* Increase taxes on the richest Wiltshirians to pay for public work programmes
* Maintain the nationalized status of Wiltshire Trams
* Campaign for the re-nationalization of Wiltshire Oil
* Block the privatization of education
* Campaign for fewer immigration controls
* End LibCon/Stability Coalition

### **Iman De'Ath (suspended)**

* Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
* Create Wiltshirian water and gas corporations
* Maintain the nationalized status of Wiltshire Trams
* End LibCon/Stability Coalition

## Nominations

Nominations are a generally informal signal of support and, in the case of this election, took place five months before the contest actually took place. The nominations were a clear sign to certain candidates (Wilder and Ford) that they did not have the support required to win. However, it proved to be a slightly meaningless process as the election was delayed.