Resignation of Maggie Chan

  

Resignation of Maggie Chan

Chan in 2018
Date	20 January – 12 February 2024 (2024-01-20 – 2024-02-12)
Duration	23 days (full transition)
Venue	Von Holt Grand Hotel Porciúncula
Location	Porciúncula, Gold Coast
Cause	Occupational burnout, cancer diagnosis
Participants	Maggie Chan

This article is part of a series about Maggie Chan
Political positions Electoral history MP for West San Jose Leader of the Opposition and DRPS Election Campaign Endorsements Convention Shadow Cabinet Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sierra Premiership International visits Ministry Tenure and policies Economy Domestic Social policy Labor disputes Foreign policy Caribbean crisis Damascus airlift Operation Inherent Resolve Environment Resignation Appointments Ministry Ambassadors Federal judges Elections 2017 DRPS election General elections 2020 2021 2022

The resignation of Maggie Chan as the 36th prime minister of the Kingdom of Sierra was announced on January 20, 2024 at a press conference given by Chan following a political fundraising event at the Von Holt Grand Hotel Porciúncula. Chan, who had been office as prime minister since 2022, initially did not disclose her reason behind resignation. She announced that she would resign no later than February 2, 2024, before she revised her planned date of resignation to February 12, 2024 to allow more time for the transitionary period for her successor. On February 1, 2024, she disclosed her two primary reasons for leaving office: occupational burnout and a previously undisclosed but recent diagnosis of Stage II colorectal cancer.

Her announced resignation came at a time when her Democratic-Republican Party remained in a continued but tenuous alliance (Cornflower coalition) with the Royalist Party, which had been in place since the 2022 Sierran federal election, and the general political climate has experienced an uptick in heightened, polarized tension over the economy and social issues.

Her announcement has triggered a leadership election. The election was held on February 8 and ended with Cedric Harrison being elected the party's next leader and the next prime minister by extension, taking office on February 12 at the conclusion of the 2024 Democratic-Republican National Convention where Chan's resignation was formally completed. There has been calls for a potential general election as well in the event the Cornflower coalition dissolves.

Background

Maggie Chan became Leader of the Democratic-Republican Party on 16 October 2017 following a party leadership election held nearly a year after the 2016 Sierran federal election. Preston Bolivar had served as acting party leader following the assassination of prime minister Steven Hong on 12 August by Dylan Coulter. Chan won a highly contested race, most notably against long-time incumbent MP and party official Ruth Benson from San Francisco. As party leader, Chan would oversee mixed electoral results from the historic loss in 2020 to modest gains made in the 2018 Senate elections and 2021 federal election, later serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs under Susan Kwon between 2020 until 2022 when she resigned over verified interference in the 2021 elections by the United Commonwealth and Continental state actors. Her resignation triggered a government crisis and a snap election that ended in the first victory for the Democratic-Republican Party in a general election since 2013.

Chan became prime minister on 28 November 2022 following the election and formed a grand coalition with the Royalist Party and both of their respective allies, creating the first federal cornflower coalition government since the Third National Government of Christopher Rioux during the Great War and appointed Leader of the Royalist Party Kenneth O'Conner as deputy prime minister. As prime minister, Chan reversed several of Kwon's policies and governed in a bipartisan matter in an attempt to promote the idea of national unity at a time of political polarization in the country. Chan would be praised for her aggressive approach towards the United Commonwealth by approving the Economic Freedom and Trade Act proposed by Isabelle Huynh in 2022, denying recognition to the current Ba'athist government of Syria, recognizing Free Syria instead, and a successful evacuation of civilians and military personnel during the airlift from Damascus.

While Chan found success as prime minister, she also faced controversy and pushback within even with the opposition being exceptionally small within the 68th Parliament. Chan's domestic policy in regards to organized labor lead to controversy over the repeal of several Kwon-era policies and lead to labor-related disputes and protests nationwide. Further controversy emerged over her support for secularization of the Deseret even with the alliance with the Royalist Party that lead to a rightward shift in the Christian Democratic Party and a shift of many religious conservative voters to the CDP away from the Royalists, leading to internal conflict within the party and government. By late 2023, rumors and reports had emerged of Chan being reportedly "visibly tired" during and after cabinet meetings and she was increasingly drinking coffee and energy drinks due to fatigue. None of these reports received any official comment from Chan nor the government.

Despite the lack of comment from the government, rumors emerged and several media outlets began covering it with outlets such as the The Bunker Hill Journal theorizing that Chan would likely retire and theorized that Chan was suffering from mental health issues and would likely resign over it. Many had theorized that deputy prime minister O'Conner could possibly take over as acting prime minister, however O'Conner denied such claims and stated that any hypothetical resignation from Chan would see a Democratic-Republican successor as prime minster.

Reactions

Foreign

• Astoria: President Brendan Shepard honored Chan on Bubbler, releasing a statement saying "Astorian–Sierran relations remain among some of the best in the world and Chan's leadership is one of the main reasons behind it! While it saddens me to see you depart early, your leadership and successes are nonetheless remarkable and your strength undeniable. I wish you best luck and pray for a quick and speedy recovery from your health battles."
• Superior: President Isaac Dillon released a formal statement online where he congratulated Chan for her "unparalleled bravery" in opposing Kwon and taking the "correct and necessary approach" against the United Commonwealth. He wished her the best of luck in her cancer treatment. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Andrew Keyes also released a statement praising Chan for her leadership and commitment towards bipartisanship, referring to the relations between the two countries as unbreakable and praised Chan for maintaining that status.

Succession

Main article: 2024 Democratic-Republican Party of Sierra leadership election

Following the announcement of Chan's resignation, a leadership election was immediately organized to determine who would serve as her successor as Leader of the DRPS and prime minister due to the party's status as the governing party of the country. The election was held on February 8 and lasted only four weeks, the shortest of any party leadership election. The race had six candidates, however the frontrunners were Chief Whip Kimberly Lincoln from San Joaquin and K.S. Education Minister Cedric Harrison from the Inland Empire. On the date of the election, Harrison emerged victorious with 58% of the vote and was sworn in on February 12 during the Democratic-Republican National Convention.

See also

• Resignation of Daniel McComb