Difference between revisions of "Political Parties in Jonquiere-Tadoussac"

Revision as of 23:15, 13 March 2006

Political parties in Jonquiere-Tadoussac have gone through three distinct phases: the Pre-1900 phase, the Pre-Civil War phase, and the Post-Civil War or 3rd phase. Each was marked by its own unique characteristics: the Pre-1900s saw loose coalitions, the Pre-Civil War saw the emergence of a few strong parties in the National Assembly, and the 3rd phase resulted in the fragmentation of existing parties into a multitude of minor, single-issue parties.

Note that at no time did royal elections become a part of party policy; they were more a contest between great families than between parties. Most monarchs, especially before 1950, belonged to the Aristocratique faction and then the Parti Royaliste.

Pre-1900 Phase

The first elections after the 1837 Fusion Accords saw local, independent candidates coming to the National Assembly and having no idea how to organize themselves. Once the first few months of debates wrapped up, most representatives had formed an alliance with several others. These began to consolidate into larger factions, which would form a loose coalition on the debate.

There were three main factions, to which 80 per cent of the representatives belonged:

• Démocratiques: These men (as they were all men at the time) represented the extention of the franchise for both National Assembly elections and Popular Assembly plebicites, as well as increasing the power of the National Assembly and opposing any "regressive" policies created by the king.

• Conservateurs: This faction stood for strong religion, the status quo, and the eradication of those indigenous peoples remaining on the eastern and western fringes of the country. They also demanded fiscal prudence from the King.

• Aristocratiques: A group of wealthy, privilaged men, this faction supported economic development. Apart from this, they stood unequivically in favour of the right of the King to govern absolutely, and supported any royal measures that were disputed in the National Assembly.

Pre-Civil War Parties

As the twentieth century approached and the range of candidates increased across the country, candidates began to create concrete organizations to stand for specific principles. Their membership in these organs would represent their views to the people in an easily digestible package. As more candidates registered with these organizations, they began to take on a life of their own, and became the modern political party. Three emerged as particularly powerful in the early days, and these came to control the system by 1920:

• Parti Démocratique: The PD stood for social democratic issues, and was largely an offshoot of the old Démocratique faction. The party supported the creation of the welfare state, and the battling of unemployment through progressive social programs. They were instrumental in having the voting age lowered from 21 to 16 in 1945, and in instituting a public healthcare system and welfare scheme in 1960. It was the PD that began negotiations with the International Democratic Union for full membership status, and it continued to push for more regional integration throughout its policies.

• Parti Jontadain: The evolution of the Conservateur faction, the PJ stood against PD pushes for social programs and the welfare state. The PJ supported industry and strong economic growth through the elimination of "unnecessary" regulations and taxes. The uniformity of provincial governments was a PJ initiative taken up by Kings Julien III and Henri VIII in the 1930s. The party also supported the creation of Arvida as a royal territory and Île Québec as a colony by King Pierre II in 1969. The PJ was a strong supporter of economic integration with the IDU, but opposed political integration into the region.

• Parti Royaliste: An Aristocratique party brought down to the people, the PR fought for Royal rights and Jontadain independence. Though weak electorally, the PR had support from many former monarchs and viceroys, and therefore enjoyed disproportionate influence with the monarch. The PR was unwavering in its support of the monarch except where the monarch was trying to bring the state further into international organizations. The party did not support either UN membership or IDU membership.

Civil War Factions

Although these were not political parties as such, these organizations were largely offshoots of the previous party system. There were four main factions in the civil war:

• Armée communiste de Jonquiere-Tadoussac: A new phenomenon, the ACJT were the instigators of the Civil War. Created in 1975 to protest the perceived injustices of the rule of Queen Nathalie III, they waited 30 years for the political instability to launch an attack. When the chance came with the failures of the 2005 elections, they attempted to seize power, sparking six months of fighting.

• Démocratiques: Backed by the supporters of the Parti Démocratique, this faction emerged as an early frontrunner in the war. Their victory was virtually assured after their success at the Battle of Jonquiere in October 2005. The faction also had the support of the Baranxtuan forces that had occupied the province of Chicoutimi.

• Jontadains pour un pays puissant: The JUPP was created from the Parti Jontadain, and was the first independent faction to engage the ACJT. Unfortunately, they were unable to gain support from the Jontadain military, as they had hoped, and their base was smaller than that of the Démocratiques faction. The JUPP was into a freefall by the end of the war, and was limited to several holdings in northern Alma, Arvida, and the south of the Îles Royales (now Îles Jontadains).

• Royalistes: A reactionary faction, the Royalistes sought to install Martin I on the throne, whom they claim had won the 2005 elections. While they began with considerable strength, their stronghold in northern Tadoussac and southern Jonquière was beset on all sides, and by the end of the Battle of Jonquière they were largely out of the picture. They finished the war holding only slightly more than the military city of Acadière.

3rd Phase (Current) Parties

The end of the Civil War created a new, unique situation for Jonquiere-Tadoussac: the support base for two of the three original parties had been decimated through the war, and the Démocratiques had gained so much power that they split into two successor parties. The resulting power vacuum left by the fall of the old party system, as well as the promise of more democratic influences added by the elimination of the monarch caused a proliferation of smaller parties, many seeking only a single issue. Where before the party system had been black and white (and royal blue), there were now unending shades of gray competing for dominance.

Major Parties

Action Démocratique Jontadain

The Action Démocratique Jontadain is the smaller fragment of the Démocratique faction. It is currently the second largest party in the Consular Council, behind the SDJT.

The symbol of the AJT is the scales of justice, which are meant to illustrate the party's dedication to social justice and to international balance (through the increase of Jontadain influence).

The ADJ is made up of centre-left democrats, who aim to restore Jonquiere-Tadoussac's prominence on the regional and world stages after the Civil War. They see two paths to this: stronger central government, and concentrated membership in key international councils. The major issues on their plaform are:

• Reduce the number of international organizations of which Jonquiere-Tadoussac is a member, but increase the strength of Jontadain representation on those organizations that are retained. Turn Jonquiere-Tadoussac into a regional and international example for recovery after internal strife.
• Continue the decentralization of powers from the federal government to the provinces.
• Introduce federal powers of reservation on provincial legislation.
• Annex further territory to the north and east of Jonquiere-Tadoussac, and increase the number of overseas and island territories.

Parti Socialiste démocratique de Jonquiere-Tadoussac

The largest party in the Consular Council and the source of the current High Consul, Katryne Roland, the SDJT is the larger part of the Civil War Démocratique faction. They were the driving force behind the current government structure of the country.

The symbol of the SDJT is the anchor, which, along with being one of the national symbols of Jonquiere-Tadoussac (forming a combined "jt"), also shows the party's commitment to stability through the maintenance of the current system.

The SDJT is made up of left-leaning democrats, who aim to continue the evolution of the current system. Regional autonomy is a strong point for the party, as is self-determination for the Eeyo'Uch peoples of Côte-Saint-Jean, Roberçal, and Translaurent. Their platform features:

• Increased number of shared-cost programs with the provinces, and more provincially delivered programs.
• Transfer of more areas of jurisdition into the sole hands of the provinces.
• The creation of an Eeyo'Uch council, and eventual self-determination for this group.
• Improved relations with other countries, in the International Democratic Union and beyond.
• Improved representation for Jontadain viewpoints in the United Nations.

Parti jontadain

The third party in the Consular Council, and the token offshoot of the old Parti Jontadain, the PJ support the autonomy that has been pursued by the SDPJ. However, they do not feel that it has been taken far enough, and aim to extend it. The first stages of the PJ platform would see many powers devolved to cities, then to the individual as appropriate.

The PJ use a stylized map of Jonquiere-Tadoussac for their logo, which includes the Îles Jontadains and Île Québec. This is symbolic of their desire to reintegrate the current devolved areas, so that the PJ can extend the benefits of libertarianism to their people.

The Parti Jontadain's new ideology is libertarianism, through which they hope to extend the basic autonomy granted by the system down to the meanest citizen. This forms the core of their entire platform:

• Smaller government.
• Tax cuts on everything.
• Privatization of industry and deregulation of existing services.
• Trade liberalization.
• Border liberalization.
• Reintegration of Arvida and Île Québec as full provinces.
• Harmonization of provincial political systems.

Vive le roi et la reine

Formed from the tattered remnants of the Royaliste faction, the VRR seeks to restore the monarchy in Jonquiere-Tadoussac. While they form a minority of elected seats, they have the ear of much of the population, especially among older voters.

The symbol of the VRR is the royal beaver of the Constitutional Monarchy imposed on a blue-white-blue tricolour. The beaver was the old royal sigil, while blue and white are the colours of the Martin family, from which Jean-Marc Martin was supposed to be elected in the 2005 election.

Apart from its support for the monarchy, the VRR supports a return to the old provincial system, which would have the provinces as highly centralized subunits under an absolute king. The readjustment would integrate some provinces while removing the status from others. The platform includes:

• Reinstatement of the monarchical system, with King Martin III as the first new monarch.
• Extention of the monarch's term to five years.
• Recentralization of power in the hands of the monarch/federal government.
• Reintegration of Arvida and Île Québec as royal territories.
• Amalgamation of Translaurent and Côte-Saint-Jean.
• Reclassification of Roberçal and Îles Jontadains as royal territories.
• Reopening of the Îles Jontadains as an oversized military base.

Minor Parties

Parti Conservateur Économique

Created by the more fiscally minded members of the pre-Civil War Parti jontadain, the PCÉ supports strong financial and industrial growth above the libertarianism promoted by the PJ.

The PCÉ symbol is a stylized "C" within a circle of the colours of the Jontadain flag.

The platform of the PCÉ is slanted towards industry and commerce. Among the more prominent items: tax cuts for the wealthy and for business, incentive programs for business relocation to Jonquiere-Tadoussac, relaxed labour laws and deregulation, and greater provincial centralization on economic matters.

Action communiste du Jonquiere-Tadoussac

The legitimate arm of the Armée communiste du Jonquiere-Tadoussac, the ACJT appeared after the Civil War, as the supporters of the defeated Armée rallied to make the most of the political vacuum existing in the new system. Though currently a fringe party, they are beginning to take some support away from the SDJT.

The flag of the ACJT is the same as the battle flag of the Armée, and features the yellow star of communism in the centre of a Jontadain flag where the IDU blue has been replaced with the red of communism.

The ACJT stands for social welfare in the extreme. Though they have softened their stance on the nationalization of industry, they seek to create a system where the meanest person can easily rise to whatever position they wish. The ACJT platform features: nationalization of all power, transportation, and security industries, increased industrial taxes with decreased personal taxes, increased tariffs, reintroduction of direct democracy.

Current Standings in the National Assembly

The current party seats by constituencies are as follows:

The current party seats by list are as follows: