Liberal Democratic Party of Superior
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP; German: Liberaldemokratische Partei), commonly referred to as the Liberal Democrats or LibDems, and branded as Superior LDP is a center-left political party in the Kingdom of Superior. Founded by Stephen Miller and Hans Grüne in 1867, the Liberal Democratic Party is the oldest active political party in Superior, and is one of the oldest political parties in Anglo-America. It has been described as the "natural ruling party" by political observers due to its significance in Superian political history, and also because a majority of the presidents of Superior adhere to the Liberal Democrats. From 2015 to 2022, the Liberal Democrats were in a governing coalition with the Farmer Labor and Green parties.
| Liberal Democratic Party Liberaldemokratische Partei | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Quentin Bradshaw (NH) |
| Chairperson | Penelope Whitmer (UP) |
| Founder |
Stephen Miller Hans Grüne |
| Deputy Leader | Elizabeth Whitmer (LN) |
| Founded | January 2, 1867 |
| Headquarters | Constitution Square, Saint Anthony, Superior |
| Student wing | Student Liberal Democrats |
| Youth wing | Young Liberal Democrats |
| LGBT wing | LGBT+ Liberal Democrats |
| Women's wing | National Coalition of Liberal Democratic Women |
| Overseas wing | Overseas Liberal Democrats |
| Membership |
 3.1 million |
| Ideology |
Majority: • Liberalism • Social liberalism • American unionism • Liberal democracy Factions: • Centrism • Neoliberalism • Left-wing populism • Progressivism • Liberal socialism |
| Political position |
 Center to Center-left (Includes left-wing factions) |
| National affiliation | Progressive Bloc |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| American affiliation | Liberal Democrats of America |
| Official colors | Red |
| High Council |
15 / 42 |
| House of Delegates |
78 / 262 |
| Governorships |
6 / 18 |
| American Parliament |
12 / 43 |
| Election symbol | |
.svg) | |
|
Politics of Superior · Political parties · Elections | |
The Liberal Democrats have been generally described as the centrist or center left party on the Superian political spectrum, being in-between of the United Conservative Party, which is the nation's leading center-right to right wing political party, and the Farmer Labor Party, which is the nation's leading left wing political party. Since it's foundation, the Liberal Democrats have adhered to the idelogies of social liberalism and limited progressivism, with a majority of current members identifying with either one of those ideologies. On economic issues, the Liberal Democrats the continuation of welfare programs, support continuing the Public Health Program while opposing all private alternatives and attempts at privatization and abolition, and implementing environmentally friendly economic protections. On social issues, the Liberal Democrats supports LGBTQ+ rights, easy access to abortion, the partial legalization of marijuana and euthanasia, promotion of multiculturalism and bilingualism, and stricter gun control laws. On foreign policy, the Liberal Democrats support continued membership in the Conference of American States, continued commitment to peacekeeping missions conducted by the League of Nations, and the normalization of relations with the United Commonwealth, though the modern day members of the party are split on the latter.
Since 2003, the Liberal Democrats' chief political rival has been the United Conservative Party, who succeeded the Liberal Democrats' historical rival, the Conservative Party. Since 2015 to 2022, the Liberal Democrats lead the Parliament of Superior in a coalition government with the Farmer Labor and Green parties during the presidency of Jennifer Granholm, the LDP leader from 2011 to 2021, as part of an electoral alliance known as the Progressive Bloc of Superior. The LDP would win a majority in the 2015 federal election, but suffer electoral losses in both 2019 and 2020 over numerous controversies and scandals surrounding Granholm and her policies, but they remained in government regardless. The LDP would return to the opposition after losing in 2022 along with the Progressive Bloc. As of 2022, the Liberal Democratic Party holds 78 seats in the House of Delegates out of 262 and 15 out of 42 in the High Council, the second largest of both chambers. It also holds six state governorships out of 18 and 12 out of 36 seats in Superior's delegation to the American Parliament. In the Conference of American States, the LDP is affiliated with the Liberal Democrats of America and is one of its largest member parties.
History
Foundation
Reconstruction era
Early 20th century
Great War Coalition
Andreas von Sturnbach was elected president of Superior in 1927 with the Liberal Democrats remaining in the opposition, but having made enough gains to pose as a significant barrier towards the Conservative Party's anti-labor agenda and was strengthened through their cooperation with the newly emerging Farmer Labor Party that rose to prominence following the demise of the National Republican Party. Despite opposition to Sturnbach's labor policies, the LDP cooperated with him in regards to seeking reforms to the military, the latter of which had been suffering from a stagnant and largely outdated command structure that was left with at best limited change since the Contingency War. When the Great War broke out in 1932, the LDP approved the declaration of war against the United Commonwealth and returned to government that same year with the creation of the National Coalition Government, the wartime national unity government of Superior under Sturnbach.
Several Liberal Democrats held cabinet positions within Sturnbach's government such as Johnathan Greulich as Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Thomas Bloch as Secretary of Electricity, and Stephen Coolidge as Secretary of Commerce, Labor, and Transportation. The wartime government allowed the Liberal Democrats to influence public policy for the first time since 1917 and were able to garner a strong following through their cooperation with Sturnbach along with crafting policies to aid with the reconstruction of Superior after the war and with aiding beleaguered citizens fleeing from occupied territories.
Cold War politics
Following the end of the Great War, the wartime government had continued to function in the form of the Sturnbach caretaker government that succeeded the National Coalition Government after it was dissolved in 1939 following calls for a general elections to take place, however Sturnbach kept Liberal Democrats in his government as a sign of support for national unity in the face of post-war reconstruction and preventing ideological divisions from emerging in the damaged nation. Sturnbach himself would not run for re-election due to age and the position of the presidency was left open. The ensuing 1939 general election saw Floyd B. Olsen of the Farmer Labor Party be elected president who formed a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats and allowed them to remain in power. Under Olsen, Greulich, Bloc, and Coolidge joined his government along with Farmer Laborites and retained their previous potions with Bloch and Coolidge aiding in the Olsen Reconstruction Project to aid in the national reconstruction of Superior from the damages and destruction inflicted upon it during the Great War with Greulich managing to acquire foreign investment from Sierra and Astoria to aid in reconstruction efforts.
Liberal Decade
Opposition (2003–2011)
Granholm era (2011–2021)
Opposition (2022–present)
Ideology and platform
The ideology of the Liberal Democratic Party has evolved over the years due to the shifting nature of the country's politics. During its early years, the party adhered towards classical liberalism supporting a limit on the size of the federal government, promotion of federalism, and promotion of economic liberalism, but the growth of the Superian labor movement would see a shift in this during the early 20th century. By the 1940s, the LDP would endorse the labor movement and would support workers' rights and a strong progressive faction would emerge in the party which remains present to this day and classical liberalism would be represented only by moderate factions in the party.
In the modern era, the Liberal Democratic Party is dedicated to preserving the country's liberal democratic and federal government and seeks to expand workers' and LGBT rights, push for greater social equality, support for American unionism, and involvement in international peacekeeping missions and organizations. Since the 2000s, the LDP has a party constitution laying out the party's platform, policy goals, ideology and general vision for the country and includes the following:
- Support and expanding the rights of demographic minorities.
- Expanding the rights for all LGBT citizens in Superior.
- Expanding voting rights and accessibility.
- Ensuring greater access to healthcare and lower costs.
- Support Superian involvement in the League of Nations and peacekeeping missions.
- Support Superian involvement and membership in the Conference of American States.
- Support reproductive rights for Superian women and their healthcare.
- Seek an equal and proper justice system in Superior.
- Support restrictive gun laws to prevent shootings and gun violence.
Organization
The Liberal Democratic Party is governed by the National Executive Committee which serves as the party's main governing body and is lead by a chairperson, currently held by Penelope Whitmer as of 2019. The Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party is the overall leader of the party and has major powers in regards to the party's officials and leaders including appointing the chair for the Liberal National Committee, though such a nominee must be approved by the committee itself. Both the chair and party leader can appoint members to the committee and other party organizations and bodies as well. Other major bodies within the Liberal Democratic Party includes the House Liberal Democratic Caucus, the party's main body in the House of Delegates, and the Liberal Democratic Council Conference, the party's body in the High Council.
Leadership
The Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party is the party's highest ranking member and overall leader of the LDP. They oversee the party's functions and activities, help organize events and party functions, and serves to lead the party in government, in parliament, and in the opposition depending on the party's standing. The Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party is directly elected in a party leadership election organized by the NEC and sworn in at the Liberal Democratic National Convention where the party platform is crafted and released to the public. Party leaders serve an undetermined number of years, usually at their pleasure or if removed from parliament. Leadership elections in terms of their structure are similar to primary elections held in countries like Astoria and the Antilles, having many similarities to presidential primaries held in both countries.
State parties
Like all political parties in Superior, the Liberal Democratic Party has affiliated parties in all 16 states. Each state party has its own committee comprising of directly elected members along with ex officio officials elected to represent major party constituencies. The committee oversees the party's day-to-day activities on the state level, coordinates with local and federal affiliates and other party organizations, and organizes the party for elections on the state and federal level. State parties ensure LDP activities within their own jurisdiction and aid with national election campaigns and events through organizing within their respective states and fundraising. Each state party has its own leader who is elected by the party committee to serve for an undetermined amount of time.
Membership
Political positions
Economic policy
- Increase the funding for welfare programs
- Support and increase funding for the Public Health Program, oppose any attempts at abolition or privatization.
- Improve and expand the PHP to incentivize usage of the program over private alternatives.
- Raise taxes on the upper class in order to support the lower class.
- Increase the gasoline tax in order to promote a healthy environment.
- Maintain current environmental protections and penalties.
Social policy
- Promote and normalize the LGBTQ+ community in Superior
- End racial injustice and prejudice through hate crime legislation.
- Support affirmative action.
- Support stricter gun control measures and banning personal assault weapons.
- Partially legalizing marijuana.
- Support granting citizenship to undocumented immigrants.
Foreign policy
- Improve relations with the United Commonwealth.
- Support and expand the Conference of American States
- Maintaining Superior's commitments to the League of Nations and peacekeeping.
- Maintaining Superior's relationship with Sierra.
- Support Manchuria in the Sino–Manchurian conflict against China.
- Support Manchu membership in the Indo-Pacific Treaty Organization.
- Support CAS and NATO support to Syria in the Syrian Civil War.