Democratic Socialist Party of Rutania

The Democratic Socialist Party of Rutania (DSP) is a left-wing political party in Rutania. A broad alliance of socialists and social democrats, the party was founded in November 3948 by a prominent group of trade unionists and various left-wing activist groups to oppose the National Brotherhood for Prosperity-led coalition's programme of privatisation and deregulation.

The DSP currently has 32 seats in the Rutanian House of Representatives, forming the second-largest party in the ruling New Left Coalition. The DSP is a member of New Left, an alliance of left-of-centre parties in the House, and the founder of the Artanian Socialist Congress at regional level. Internationally, the DSP is a member of the Socialist International.

History
The DSP was formed on 3 November 3948 in the state of Delvar, by a group of trade union leaders unaffiliated to the Workers Front who felt the need for an alternative to that party, which despite being by far the largest party in the House of Representatives, had been kept from power by a right-wing coalition comprising the NBP, the Conservative Party, the Rutanian Monarchist Party, and the Libertarian Party.

The DSP was formed just before the November 3948 Rutanian Elections, and despite lacking a clear structure or manifesto, a last minute decision was made to register and stand candidates, with the main aim of raising awareness of the party. In line with expectations, the days-old party won no seats, and only 0.03% of the popular vote.

In March 3949 the party elected the well-known Aldwin Fletcher, former General Secretary of the Rail Workers' Union, as its leader, and with considerable funding from the trade unions, began to build a clear party structure and attract members. During 3949, the party garnered attention for the submission of several radical proposals, including the formation of a public service broadcaster, restrictions on gun ownership, and reform of schools, mostly attracting the support of the Workers Front and LCP. An early success was the surprise passing of the National Health Board Act proposed by the party, which passed when the bill, supported by the Workers Front and LCP, was unexpectedly supported by the RMP; this led to the creation of the National Health Board, a free universal healthcare provider funded through general taxation. The party also successfully introduced changes to arms export controls, with a bill proposing to give the House of Representatives the final say over all arms deals attracting support from both left and right.

With the party still barely over a year old, early elections to the House of Representatives and the presidency were called for February 3950, and the party prepared to contest its second election. This time, the party's relatively strong presence in the state of Delvar led to the party's first seats, winning over 1.125 million or 9.1% of the vote in that state, and four of the state's fifty seats. The party failed to make the same breakthrough in Rutania's other four states, however, winning no seats in Ardinia, Bozarland, or Kragusrov, and only around 1.239 million votes (1.96%) nationally. The party did not put forward a candidate for the presidency, instead endorsing Sophie Malto, the victorious candidate of the Workers Front.

The party's first significant electoral breakthrough was at the March 3955 general election, in which the party won 13.78% of the popular vote, and 35 of 250 seats in the House of Representatives.

Current Members of the House of Representatives

Ben Carter (Delvar), Jack Collinson (Delvar), Aldwin Fletcher (Delvar), Alison Frankland (Delvar)