United Democratic Party
United Democratic Party United Democratic ⠀ UDP | |
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| Abbreviation | UDP |
| Founded | January 2018 |
| Headquarters | Interabruck, the Fenock City, Addersonheath |
| Ideology | Liberalism Mild conservatism |
| Political position | Centre |
| National affiliation |  Princia |
| Colors | Azure White |
| National government | House of Ministers: 42 / 124 House of Lordministers: 9 / 35 Economic Commissariat: 2 / 29
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| Sub-national governments | Stonne Governate: 6 / 9 Parvusmountian Government: 14 / 24 Brikkad auton. gov't: 0 / 3 Devergate auton. gov't: 0 / 4 Warterby auton. gov't: 0 / 4 Dashgamo auton. gov't: 0 / 3
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| Offices | Governor-generals: 0 / 5 First ministers: 2 / 2 Premiers: 0 / 4
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The United Democratic Party, shortened to the UDP and from 6 September 2021 to 22 April 2024 known as the United Democratic & Liberal Party, is a centrist political party and one of the big four parties permitted by the prince to stand for election in the Princian Commonwealth. The UDP is a big-tent (although largely centrist) party and the first ever party to be founded following the creation of Princia's first government, but often swings marginally between the left and right wings. The UDP's main defining feature is its liberalism, as was shown upon the passing into law of the 2021 De-Prohibition Act, which legalised all drugs for over 18s and cannabis for over 16s as well as lowering the legal drinking age and voting age to 15. For most of its existence, the UDP has been centre-right, but following the Great Princian Leftist Swing (Jan 2019-Jan 2020), the UDP has slowly shifted left after each election defeat and now inhabits the centre to centre-left portion of the political compass while still retaining members identifying as centre-right. The UDP is mostly seen as the "steady as she goes" party, opposing most change if it is not deemed as necessary.
When in government, the UDP follows radical policies of liberalisation - legalising all drugs and abolishing most forms of regulation (while still in support of Princia's state-owned economy); and centralisation - abolishing many autonomous governments and councils such as the council areas of Southopearce and reducing most province's governments to a single governor-general. The UDP believes in the independent will of the people & the reduction of restrictions upon it and that the central government of the nation best represents the people when its power is not diluted by bureaucracy in delegation to autonomous geographical regions. The UDP is responsible for both the conversion of Princia from a confederation of countries to a now extensively-centralised unitary state and the de-regulation of the state-owned economy to respond better to consumer trends rather than government regulation.