Conservative Party (Tarasovka)

The Conservative Party (Russian: Консервативная Партия) is the leading force in Taraskovyan politics, currently holding by itself simple majorities in both Houses of the Grand Ducal Parliament. It is part of the Loyalist Coalition with the Democratic Conservative Party.

History

The Conservative Party was born after the merger of the two major political parties that existed under the Grand Duke Mikhail I. These parties were the “Kshas-Keinarekh” of High Duke Il’liar Tal-Nash, a group that stood for the preservation of ancestral Taraskath values in face of various modernizations introduced by Mikhail I, and the Loyalist Party of Duke Anatoly Orlov that supported the Grand Duke’s desire to modernize the country. The two parties often led a fierce battle in the Council of Duchy, the consultative legislative body created on the initiative of the Crown Archduke.

Stances

The Conservative Party is seen as largely moderate in a bit all important issues, attracting voters from a wide array of political views.

National and Cultural Politics

• Secularism: the Conservative Party tends towards a secular state, even if it insists of an important cooperation between the Taraskovyan State and Taraskovya’s two ancestral churches, the Vigvar Patriarchate and the Church of the Seven Deities.
• Multi-culturalism: the complex fabric of Taraskovya’s population, especially in light of the colonial expansionism led by the Grand Duchy, is recognized as an asset.
• Taraskovyan Nationalism: The Conservative Party actually promotes an ideology called Taraskovyan Nationalism, under which all Taraskovyan citizens are seen as a single entity facing numerous challenges posed by the outside world and, thus, has to show a united and decisive front to prove its superiority.

Economic Issues

• Free Market: the Conservative Party is largely capitalist. However, several limitations apply:
  • Necessary Government Intervention: the State has the obligation to intervene whenever the economy goes bad to rectify the situation and ensure the prosperity of the Taraskovyan People.
  • Reasonable Welfare: in accordance with the politics of Taraskovyan Nationalism, no Taraskovyan citizen must suffer while his compatriots live in luxury. As such, a reasonable welfare is to be provided by the State in order to ensure collective prosperity.

• Limited Free Trade: whilst not denying the benefits of Free Trade, the Conservatives insist that key Taraskovyan industries are to be protected from foreign competition to ensure the viability and prosperity of Taraskovya. As such, the Grand Duchy has always reserved rights to protect its industries when concluding free trade agreements with other countries.

Foreign Policy

• Collective Security Alliances: cautious approach and entry into an alliance only if it serves Taraskovyan interests. A bilateral approach to collective defence is encouraged. Relations with Der Angst, the oldest Taraskovyan allies, are deemed as vitally important.
• Sisgardian Protectionism: Taraskovya sees any unwanted foreign intervention into Sisgardia as an aggression against itself, liable to be responded with the full specter of the Taraskovyan National Defence Forces. This policy is, in fact, an old Taraskovyan policy which has been in place even before the Federal Period.
• International Law: Taraskovya shall only respect the limitations imposed by treaties it has chosen to ratify. As is, international law has no supremacy over Grand Ducal law.