Social Democratic Party of Baltusia

The Baltusian Democratic Party, or the Democrats, are a liberal, pro-democracy party in the Republica Baltusia.

The Democrats are one of the oldest active parties in Baltusia.

The Baltusian Democratic Party currently has 42 seats in the 300 seat Senate. The party also controls 7 of the 12 cabinet positions, as well as the coveted position of Deputy Praetor.

Provincially the party holds zero governorships.

There have been five elected Democratic Praetors and two un-elected Democratic Praetors.

History
The Baltusian Democratic Party was originally founded in 2180 as the Liberalism Party. Although it didn’t contest in a federal election until 2184, the party’s historical founder was Neleh Charlton, niece of Praetor Taya Charlton. Charlton, a graduate student at the University of Baltusia in Athosia experimented with this new party. When her uncle found out about the newly registered party, she was forced to leave it. Liberal Libertarian Senator, Mattias Josiah Clemens had heard about the new party and after having just been defeated in a leadership contest again the incumbent Praetor, Clemens left the party and became the first official leader of the party.

After Clemens resigned, his son Jaxon took the reigns of the party. During his 14 year leadership period, he led four impeachment trials against the embattled Praetor. When Taya Charlton resigned, Jaxon Clemens considered it a huge victory for the nation.

For twenty years, the party was in a slump, however, in 2220, Toffy Hanford became leader. He led the party to new directions and became one of the most successful leaders in Baltusian history.

From 2242 through 2290, the party again collapsed. Ursula Baker became leader and then became the first Liberal Praetor. She was elected by 0.46% over the Liberal Libertarian incumbent Atreide M'Bokma. The party’s fortunes changed once again when Baker opted out of a second term and was assassinated. It wouldn’t be until another 84 years that a Liberal was elected Praetor.

Sofia Taylor later became leader and came close to becoming Praetor; however, she was ultimately unsuccessful. In 2333, Ros Kurita changed the party’s name from the Liberalism Party to the modern Liberal Party. After Kurita changed the party’s name, she defeated Praetor Juanita Pierini in her first bid for the Senate.

In 2374, Olympia Collins was elected Praetor. She defeated the Baltusian Pantian Alliance candidate by 18.26% on the second round. However, just seven months later, Collins was ousted in a motion of no-confidence.

For 49 years, the Liberal Party was the most powerful party in Baltusia. During those years, the nation elected Marie-Ségolène Bayrou as Praetor a record breaking six times. Her victories were as close as 0.58% to 18.83%.

Following Bayrou’s resignation in 2445, the Liberal Party became increasingly unpopular. Over the course of 22 years, the party went through seven different leaders. Barry Goldvogel was elected Praetor in 2471 in one of the nation’s biggest landslides.

Goldvogel’s government fell in 2475 and his successor, Jerilyn Boasso-Kneale, was widely seen as a failure. Her replacement was Xenophilius GrandPré.

When Xeno GrandPré resigned in 2481, his wife Crystaline took the reigns of the leadership. Her first act was to rename the party and remold the party's image. The party was then known as the Purple Democratic Alliance.

GrandPré was removed as leader in 2486 after a long battle with the caucus. The new leader, Troia Gladwyn, changed the party’s name back to the Liberal Party of Baltusia.

Gladwyn resigned after her son’s murder. Hanna Gry Ashbaugh became leader in 2493 at the age of five. She became the nation’s youngest leader. Marie-Ségolène Dominique Bayrou was elected leader at the age of 13, however, she ascended to the Praetorship at the age of three.

In 2499, Tendaji Kofi Olympio replaced Hanna Gry Ashbaugh as leader of the Liberal Party. His leadership is considered to have been one of the most successful in Baltusian history because of his connection with his constituents.

In 2504, the Liberal Coalition was shattered. Menzies Judge than became the first Liberal Praetor since 2471.

When Judge resigned in 2507, Walt Isenhower replaced him for 3 years. Isenhower resigned in 2510 after health problems. Oliver Frederick was elected leader of the party in 2510 at a leadership election.

In 2521, Party Leader Harold Ashbourne changed the name of the party to the Baltusian Democratic Party.

Liberal Party National Committee
See Also:

Liberal Executive Committee 2499 - 2510

Liberal Executive Committee 2510 - 2516

Liberal Executive Committee 2516 - 2523

Leaders of the Baltusian Democratic Party
This is a complete list of leaders of the Baltusian Democratic Party.

Leaders of the Libertarian-Left Party

 * Neleh Charlton

Leaders of the Liberalism Party

 * Mattias Josiah Clemens
 * Jaxon Everett Clemens
 * Clarisse du Monte
 * Ben Clemens
 * Toffy Hanford
 * Bridgette Prod Wexler
 * Cyril Dickinson
 * Ursula Baker
 * Hollis Braxton
 * Sofia Taylor
 * Phyllis Estherhouse

Leaders of the Liberal Party of Baltusia

 * Ros Kurita
 * Olympia Collins
 * Toni Marisol Nardi
 * Timothée Trépanier
 * Marie-Ségolène Bayrou
 * Patrick Clemens
 * Simon Cyprian
 * Cristopher Goff
 * Dennys Lloyd Indigo
 * Michelyne Bryan
 * Sonia Diaz-Núñez
 * Lucretia Kavanagh
 * Barry Goldvogel
 * Jerilyn Boasso-Kneale
 * Xenophilius GrandPré

Leaders of the Purple Democratic Alliance

 * Crystaline Dais GrandPré
 * Troia Gladwyn

Leaders of the Liberal Party of Baltusia

 * Theresa Rootian
 * Laura Cantwell
 * Hanna Gry Ashbaugh
 * Tendaji Kofi Olympio
 * Menzies Judge
 * Walt Isenhower
 * Oliver Frederick
 * Priya Bhutto
 * Wil Tiahrt-Cardin

Leaders of the Baltusian Democratic Party

 * Harold Ashbourne
 * Bari Shankfelder
 * Oliver Frederick

Hall of Liberals
On August 23, 2508, Party President Walt Isenhower created the "Hall of Liberals." The Hall was created to honor a very special group of Liberal politicians, who, for some reason or another never reached the party leadership. When the Hall was created, Isenhower selected 12 Liberals to join the Hall. The Hall of Liberals is composed of Liberals, past and present.