Republican Party (Solentia)

The Republican Party is a radical leftist political party in Solentia. It was founded as the Republican Alliance, an electoral coalition, in 3442, and assumed its current form in 3443. Since 3444, the Republican Party has been one of the two major parties in the country. It's leader is Edward Black.

Party platform
The two main issues of the Republican Party, according to its manifesto, are pacifism and socialism. It describes itself merely as a vanguard party of the peaceful socialist revolution, aiming to allow for workers to more easliy take control of the workplace through democratic legislation. Despite this reformist line, as stated, the practical democratic socialism of the party serves only as a tool to make the revolutionary struggle easier for the working class itself. The party stated in 3446 that over five hundred small businesses, following the implementation of some of the co-operative friendly economic policies of the party, had become worker-managed. Because of its staunch pacifism, the party opposes all forms of armed conflict, and has since its entrance to parliament in 3444 sought to ban all guns and end their production.

In later years the Republicans have also adopted environmentalist policies, despite it not being mentioned in the party manifesto. However, it was added to the party's electoral programme in 3447, and has been there in some form ever since. Other issues on which the party has had strong opinions is gay rights, of which it is in favour, as well as being pro-choice in the abortion debate, and pro-multiculturalism and internationalism. State secularism has also always been one of the main aggressive issues of the party, despite a relatively large amount of Republicans claiming to be Buddhist socialists.

Founding and breakthrough
The Republican Party was founded in 3442 by Edward Black and several former members of the left-wing of the Democratic Party. Black himself was elected leader of the party immediately, at the first Republican Congress. The party was first allowed onto a televised minor party leader debate later that year; until then the party had polled up to 2% support. However, following the debate, the support of the party surged to 7%, which resulted in them being invited to the debates ahead of the national elections in 3444. The support of the party grew rapidly, with several trade unions and environmental organisations donating money to the party for its campaign. The long-lasting and aggressive campaing of the party resulted in an electoral result of just under 30% of the votes cast, only two years after the party's founding.