2022 Parliamentary Election

404 seats - 203 for a majority

## Background

The 2022 Parliamentary Election was a snap election called by Callum Novechaevar in summer 2022 due to the instability of the government and that his party was unhappy being a part of coalition that included a centrist party. C&U's popularity had been dropping since the 2021 Parliamentary Election but Callum Novechaevar saw this as an opportunity to try and win back the public instead of facing a failure of an election in 2025. The election was considered a major gamble for C&U but was something that the party was willing to take and they were pushing hard for a successful campaign unlike P&D who were easily seen as the winner for this election. S&L was also another contender in this election which had gained major popularity and has been getting more popular since the 2017 Parliamentary Election. This allowed the party to take this election a lot more seriously and have a possibility of getting into government or even a coalition with P&D.

Concerning the war in Tedesu, another reason why the election was called was to fully address the situation in Tedesu. The government was considered "at the last straw" with the war due to nothing happening since 2009 and no peace deal in sight. C&U was one of the few parties left the wanted to keep Tedesu in the union and was refusing to give the state independence or representation in parliament. Parties such as NG, SOCS, LD and C&LB were open to allowing Tedesu to re-enter parliamentary election, give them special privileges as a state and allow them to hold their own state elections for the first time since their last election in 2008. C&U and AFS were the only two parties that refused to offer independence and were being scrutinized for that decision and were being pressured to change their opinions in this election and at least think about reintroducing them as a state that can vote in federal elections and hold their own elections. P&D, SGLR, P&A, S&L and WUS were the parties that supported the independence of Tedesu or at least supported a referendum on the independence of Tedesu.

The economy was another pressing issue in this election as in 2020 the economy started to fail after more than five years of economic success. 2020 saw a major rise and a concerning rise when the inflation rate in 2020 went to 4.2% up from 0.9% the previous year. This was considered a disaster and prices rose a decent amount leading to questions over the government's management of the economy. Conservatives and supporters of the party expressed that it was most likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and that was the leading reason why the economy was in shambles. 2021 would be a better year for the economy with a 3.5% inflation rate which seemed to show progress and contributed to C&U wining the 2021 Parliamentary Election (although with a minority of seats). Before the 1st of June 2022 (the date of the election/results) the inflation rate was at a whopping 6.9% which it hadn't been as high since 1991. The government were mostly blamed for this high rate of inflation due to the calming of the COVID-19 pandemic and cases and deaths falling.

## Campaign

### Economy, Tax & Inflation

As mention previously, the economy was in a desperate situation in 2022, the 2020s itself showing an average inflation rate of 4.85%. C&U assured voters that the economic downturn was because of the COVID-19 Pandemic and that in the next four years (if elected) they plan on fixing the economy and lowering taxes such as income tax and capital gains tax but increasing corporation tax. It is assumed that C&U took a slightly more left-wing spin on their economics in this election due to the rise of the left in the 2020s and the need to work with slightly more left-wing policies to remain in power. C&U also assured that after the Tedusian war they'd majorly decrease military spending and increase healthcare and social care spending to "ensure that money is allocated to the right sectors." P&D intended to keep the current tax rate calling it "sufficient" but they planned to increase corporation tax, sales tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax as well as introducing a climate change tax for households that are using coal, gas and oil based energy. P&D blamed C&U for ruining the economy saying that 2020 could've been blamed by the pandemic but that afterwards it was fully the responsibility of C&U. S&L as a new front runner and possible candidate for government suggested that the tax rate should be increased to allow the government's economy to run sufficiently and that all the tax rates suggested by P&D are to rise except from the creation of a Climate tax for households using coal, gas and oil based electricity. NG was a vocal supporter of increasing taxes including income tax, fuel tax, air tax, inheritance tax, alcoholic drinks tax, tobacco tax, sales tax, corporation tax as well as creating a green tax to contribute to improving green energy, slowly reducing reliance on fossil fuels and environmental funding. NG was among one of the few parties not to blame C&U for high inflation rates and instead blamed COVID-19 for "hard times and difficult decision" even though they were expected to due to being a more left-wing party than P&D.

### Tedesu

The independence of Tedesu was a pressing issue for voters as well as the failing economy and much of the public were tired and annoyed by the issue still presenting itself with S&L MP Mark Lanten saying "The war is over. It has been for a couple elections. The government cannot cling onto that state and they have decided to go, so they must." A recent Sheaman Polling poll showed that 28% of the public supported the independence of Tedesu but 62% agreed that the war should end and independence was inevitable. The poll showed that all though the public wished for the state to remain, they considered the war a waste of money and lives with well over half of the public calling for the end of the war and that independence was inevitable even if they did not support it. C&U decided to change their position on the war and agreed that they would put an end to the war immediately and consider a highly-autonomous Tedesu with the power to write their own constitution, have their own army and other powers but that they would remain a part of Sheaman. Parties such as NG, SOCS, LD, and C&LB all had similar opinions to C&U agreeing that they should re-enter parliamentary elections and b reestablished as a state with their own elections in place. Parties such as P&D, SGLR, P&A, S&L, and WUS all agreed that whether they liked it or not, Tedesu should get independence and the war should end promptly. P&Ds Luthando Kuran agreed that action should be taken immediately to secure independence for Tedesu and promptly end the war as to ensure peace in Sheaman to also a benefit to the economy.

### Environmental Issues

Environmental issues had become increasingly more of an issue each election as C&U had done little to combat the environmental crisis in Sheaman. NG proposed for a massive new green deal that would set out that by 2030 50% of all energy would be renewables & Nuclear energy. Nuclear energy was something that the National Greens stood against since the party was founded but this election they reversed their opinion remarking the incredibly safety and efficiency of nuclear energy and that only a disaster like Chernobyl would be catastrophic. NG proposed major funding in the green energy sector and nature sectors in the economy, planning to expand national parks, create new national parks and other environmental preservation plans. P&D as well as C&U also proposed minor green plans including nature preservation and increasing the use of green energy but nothing major was proposed by both parties leading to scrutiny from NG and the public.

### Election Reformation

A poll conducted on the 4th of April found that 56% of people believed that the government should reform elections with 66% of them believing that a system of proportional representation would be the best way to reform elections and voting. Both C&U and P&D both rejected the poll believing that proportional representation would only further divide politics and allow extreme parties to gain representation in parliament. Smaller parties such as S&L, SGLR, NG and LD all agreed with the poll with all the party's referencing that it would allow for further representation in parliament and reshape politics for the better.

## Results

P&D won the most seats, winning 150 seats which although not a majority (-53) it was still the most seats. Around 2 weeks before the election they were supposed to win around 166 seats and only winning 150 seats was not what the party was expecting. Luthando Kuran was not happy with the amount of seats won saying; "Although we fought hard for a majority in this election and even a small minority, we ended up with something less than expected but under a suitable coalition i believe that this government can prosper and deliver to the people what they want and need." Many media sites stated that the election was much worse for P&D than expected and that P&D were most likely upset by the fact that a coalition was the most likely option. Most websites agreed that any government under 175 seats was a major threat to governing and that P&D was in a bad situation. S&L would win 2nd place in the election with 76 seats with their leader Susan Monroe saying this; "Wow, after so much fighting this party hasn't had this many seats since the 1st 1960 Parliamentary Election that is what we call success." C&U won 74 which was a crushing defeat from their 155 seats the previous election, NG won 36 seats which is the second election the party has competed in. AFS won 20 seats which is the most seats the party has ever won, C&LB 15 seats, SOCS 13 seats, LD 8 seats, P&A 6 seats, SGLR 4 seats, and WUS 2 seats.

## Aftermath

The Elections results were concluded and P&D has expected a minority government so a month before the election happened they signed a deal with S&L that if they won a minority government then they'd agree to join a coalition with the party. The deal came into affect at 13:00 on the 1st of May 2022 with P&D being the head of the coalition and Luthando Kuran becoming Prime Minister alongside Susan Monroe who remained Deputy Prime Minister. The Coalition consisted of an equal split of cabinet members and even the Minister of Treasury became was an S&L MP which was quite unusual for a coalition partner that is not the head of the coalition to have both Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Treasury. The coalition was much more equal than most coalitions due to the amount of seats that S&L had gained which gave them a considerable amount of authority over P&D. The public seemed somewhat happy with the coalition but most left-wingers seemed deeply unhappy that after about 13 years of conservative rule they didn't even manage to win a majority for P&D. Some conservatives were even okay with the coalition due to P&D being much more moderate in this election and under a coalition with S&L.

The coalition consisted of 226 / 404 Seats in parliament which is considered a comfortable majority but the coalition would very quickly deteriorate in December 2022 not even a full year later and P&D would form a coalition with other parties which would also break down in April 2023 over the Transgender & Sex Bill as well as the Strike Bill leaving P&D in a minority coalition with one party left.