Innovation Party (Rainier)
| Innovation Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Damian Foot |
| Founded | 11th October 2017 |
| Preceded by | Social Credit Party |
| Headquarters |
17 Potters Lane Victoria |
| Youth wing | Youth for an Innovative Rainier |
| Ideology |
Economic liberalism Liberal Conservatism Conservative liberalism Agrarianism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| Official colours | Purple |
| House of Councillors |
1 / 133 |
| House of Senators |
8 / 78 |
| American Parliament |
1 / 14 |
The Innovation Party is a centre-right political party in Rainier. It is the successor of the Social Credit Party being more socially and economically liberal than its predecessor albeit retaining its agrarian roots. The Innovation is currently the smallest party in the House of Councillors with a single seat.
The Innovation Party supports neoliberalism and decentralisation, purporting to stand up for the interests small businesses, farmers' and entrepreneurs. Whilst the most right-wing party on economic issues in the House of Councillors Innovation is more centre-right on social issues.
History
The Innovation Party is the direct successor of the Social Credit Party which was formed in 2013. The Social Credit Party (Socreds) was formed in 1930 as the national arm of the Rainian social credit movement, which had a strong following in Alberta, Idaho and British Columbia. The Socreds in Rainier established themselves as the most powerful Socred movement on the planet, being the continual third party in Rainian politics and having long stints in power in Idaho, Alberta and British Columbia.
During the 1950's the Socreds dropped many of their theories on monetary reform and and became a centre-right conservative party with strong rural roots. The 1980's saw further ideological revisions as the Socred's became a solely agrarian party supporting liberal economics, conservative social policy, decentralisation and protectionism.
The Socreds served in government at various points in history. In 2013 they entered a centre-right coalition government with the National Union Party. The government became deeply unpopular after launching an austerity programme in 2014 with many Socred rural voters gravitating towards the Reform party. An attempt to shift to the right in the 2017 election was successful as the Socreds failed to pass the 4% electoral threshold leaving one MP, Damian Foot, in the House of Councillors. Foot was elected leader of the party in August 2017 following the defeat.
At the 2017 Socred party conference delegates voted to approve of Foot's suggestion to rename the party the Innovation party as part of a broader measure to rebrand the party in a clean break from the coalition years. Foot stated the new party would represent the centre ground in Rainian politics whilst standing up for rural Rainier.