2020 Essexian general election

2020 Essexian general election
All 11 seats to the Imperial Parliament ; 6 seats are needed for a majority
	Rhino Alliance - Essexian Royalist/Liberal Socialist & Coop. ; Giraffe Concordat - Old Guard/Weeaboo/Union of Greens & Nationalists
First Minister of Essexia before election; Earl Jack; Old Guard (Giraffe Concordat)	Elected First Minister of Essexia ; Lord Jamie; Royalists (Rhino Alliance)

The 2020 Essexian general election took place on Sunday 1 March 2020 to Tuesday 3 March 2020, 8 months after the previous election. The election called 4 months early due to the events of the Raging Valentines, by the acting First Minister Lord Jamie, this lead to three by-elections that were scheduled to take place on the 16th February 2020 being cancelled. Following the decision to call the election Earl Jack was appointed First Minister. The election resulted in a one seat majority for the Rhino Alliance with Lord Jamie once-again becoming First Minister.

Background

The Black Weekend

Twenty days after the 2019 Essexian general election, the Black Weekend where a number of high profile traditional Royalists rebelled against Lord Jamie's newly elected government due to the belief that Lord Jamie's more liberal "New Royalism" was a threat to the traditional order of Essexia, and to the Emperor. This came into fruition with the signing of the "Joint Proclamation of Old Guards of Essexia"^[2] where several high profile members of the Royalist Party formally left the party creating a coalition of traditionalists that would later become the Old Guard Party. The following crisis lead to a declaration of martial law, with the military leadership being signatories of the joint declaration.

Old Guard Government

After a week martial law was ended with a new parliament being appointed by the Emperor where the newly founded Old Guard Party held the largest share of the seats. The Emperor's new parliament was accepted by all parties within the parliament including the former First Minister Lord Jamie, who reportedly was afraid of more times under martial law if there was significant opposition to it. With the Old Guard's Lord Commissar Jacob holding to the longest tenure as First Minister in modern Essexian history, as well as the only stable government without a majority.

The Grey Weekend

The Old Guard Government declared martial law due to what is suspected to be a staged succession attempted. Following the declaration the WaR Party was formed by most members of the Old Guard Party. The then Second Commissar Jack created the group to push the Old Guard Party to adopt radical positions such as: the sidelining parliament, with power instead going to miliraty leadership; and starting conflicts to forcefully expand Essexia. Due to this Lord Matthew left the Old Guard Party, instead supporting the newly formed Rhino Alliance. Emperor Terry rescinded the declaration, ending martial law where it was requested the the Rhino Alliance be allowed to form a government, which lead to Earl Finn once again becoming the First Minister.

The Raging Valentines

On Valentines Day 2020 two members of the Royalist Party left joining the Old Guard Party, granting the Old Guard Party holding a majority of seats on their own, but a coalition was also formed with the Weeaboo Rights' Party, forming the Giraffe Concordat with 7 seats. Due to multiple mistakes being made by the Giraffe Concordat when calling a confidence vote in the Rhino Ministry, the acting First Minister Second Jamie called an early general election in an attempt to prevent the Giraffe Concordat gaining power. However this was ultimately unsuccessful as Emperor Terry would appoint Jack to the First Minister-ship in the run-up to the election, it should be noted that the Emperor forbid Jack from changing the Interior Minister as the election process was already underway and the Interior Ministry overseas the elections.

Campaign

The 2020 election had the longest campaign period with it starting two weeks prior to the election, compared to the 2019 election where campaigning took place on the same day as the election.

Unlike last election the two main alliances where both campaigning on reform and expansion of democracy. The Giraffe Concordat came under significant criticism due to the alliance primarily consisting of the Old Guard Party, who were most well known as the party that was responsible for being created in opposition to the pro-democracy camp in the Royalist Party.

Foreign Policy

There was no real debate over foreign relations as there was a consensus that Lord Matthew was representing Essexia well and that, despite some criticism, there was no one who could really do a better job.

However, both parties did make promises to attempt to create a more in-depth foreign policy. With the Old Guard Party promising: more international cooperation; expanding the preexisting Essexiair to create an intermicronational airline alliance; and look into intermicronational cooperation with EAST.^[3] Whilst the Rhino Alliance promised: encouragement of intermicronational cooperation of non-governmental organisation; supporting the Virtual Dreamscape diplomatically; and siging treaty of mutual cooperation with every member of the Grand Unified Micronational.^[4]

Interior Policy

Interior policy was the main battle ground, with both of the major alliances attempting to prove they where the ones that would fix the system. While the minor minor parties stood on changing the system. The idea to merge some of the ministries, originally part of the Novox campaign,^[5] proved to be very popular among many within the major alliances with it making its way onto the Old Guard manifesto^[6] Novox also promised turning the Districts of Essexia into municpalities each with a Mayor or Commissionar.^[7] Overall the Giraffe Concordat focused on fixing loopholes and slimming down the bureaucracy within Essexia. Compared to the Rhino Alliance who planned to decrease the power of the "top jobs" spreading the power out to other cabinet positions, as well as increasing parliamentary sovereignty, reviewing the possibility of devolution of powers,^[8] and a referendum on Funtime Independence.^[9] The Giraffe Concordat would later state that they would support a Funtime referendum^{[citation needed]}.

Military

The military is where the two major alliances disagree the most, as the Rhino Alliance took the position that military's power within the nation needs to be limited and that greater reform and oversight is necessary so it is harder to abuse the currently standing rules on martial law, but still do state the need to have a strong military, specifically to combat A Farmer.^[10] However the Giraffe Concordat focus on building a strong military through having a more effective military and to decrease the military's burden on the micronation.^[11]

The Novox plan for the armed forces was the only one that pushed for a restructure of the military, as the military ranks were perceived not to have a proper system; and changing the military to the Millanian model of army structure.^[12]

Projections

Projections for the elections were debated, as those who were asked by outlets on their voting intention tended to state Giraffe however the more pro-giraffe "Sandon" population centre of Essexia was polled, and the outcome was expected to be decided by the turnout of the other populations of Essexia. The predictions came late, with the first predictions being made by the pro-Old Guard Weekly Reader as close as the 29th February.

Predictor		Rhino	Giraffe	Novox	Shrek	Gang Weed	Outcome
	Weekly Reader ^[13]	4-7	3-6	0-3	1-6	-	Likely Rhino Government
	The Essexian^[14]	5	4	0	1	1	Hung Parliament

Results

The Rhino Alliance won a one seat majority securing six of eleven seats in parliament, with either seats being divided up as four Liberal Socialist and Cooperative Party seats, and two Royalist Party of Essexia seats. The Rhino Alliance's victory was mainly due to the expansion of the electorate since the 2019 election with 99 more votes cast than the last election. Despite the loss the Giraffe Concordat lead the most successful second place finish in an Essexian election. The Giraffe's stratergy of focusing on the Sandon voting bloc worked far better than expected, however voter turnout outside the Sandon electorate was far higher than expected. If only the Sandon electorate voted the Giraffe concordat would have won a 2 seat majority. Protest parties did significantly better than the 2019 election, with the Shrek Super Party receiving 13 votes and gang weed receiving 6, with an overall 19 votes or 12.7%.

Summary

Seats by Alliance

↓
6	1	4
Rhino	Shrek	Giraffe

Seats by Party

↓
4	2	1	1	1	2
Liberal Socialist and Coop.	Royalist	Shrek	UG&N	Weeaboo	Old Guard

Popular vote

Rhino Alliance			52%
Giraffe Concordat			34%
Shrek Super Party			13%
gang weed			4%
Novox			1.3%

Seat Summary

Rhino Alliance			54.5%
Giraffe Concordat			36.4%
Shrek Super Party			9.1%

Aftermath

Once the election result had come in Lord Jacob encouraged his party to go back to their roots in the military stating that the party must not abandon the principals it was founded on.^[15] While it is unconfirmed this statement is believed to be as there was reportedly conflict between Lord Jacob and Lord Jack leading into the election, with Lord Jacob disapproving of the pro-democracy messaging^{[citation needed]}. Following the new parliamentarians being selected, Lord Jack resigned as leader of the Old Guard Party and the Giraffe Concodat appointing Princess Becky as leader.

Outgoing Lords

Continuing Lords

Incoming Lords

Notes & References

References

↑ Princess Becky and Prince James defected from the Royalists and were due to face a by-election, but due to early election it never took place.
↑ link to the proclaimation
↑ Old Guard Manifesto Page 4
↑ Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 9
↑ Novox manifesto Page 5
↑ Old Guard Manifesto Page 6
↑ Novox manifesto Page 5
↑ Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 5
↑ Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 11
↑ Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 7
↑ Old Guard Manifesto Page 5
↑ Novox manifesto Page 4
↑ Published in the 14th Edition of the Weekly Reader
↑ Was published after election due to a mistake in system
↑ Jacob's statement

[1] Princess Becky and Prince James defected from the Royalists and were due to face a by-election, but due to early election it never took place.

[2] to the proclaimation

[3] Old Guard Manifesto Page 4

[4] Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 9

[5] Novox manifesto Page 5

[6] Old Guard Manifesto Page 6

[7] Novox manifesto Page 5

[8] Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 5

[9] Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 11

[10] Rhino Alliance Joint Manifesto Page 7

[11] Old Guard Manifesto Page 5

[12] Novox manifesto Page 4

[13] Published in the 14th Edition of the Weekly Reader

[14] Was published after election due to a mistake in system

[15] Jacob's statement

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