Moderate Party of Dorvik


 * For the Mordusian party, see Moderate Party.

Non-leftist middle class and liberal wealthy such as doctors, teachers, police officers, civil servants, entrepreneurs and businessmen had started to worry that their voice wouldn't be properly heard at politics of Dorvik due to restrictive moral & civil rights views in addition to militarism of the Allied Conservative Party of Dorvik and strong federalism & influence of youth in Green Coalition (VolksUnie). William Harper, junior executive at HOB TECH and member of Fairfax city council at independent ticket, came forward and talked about social progressivism, economic liberalism and moderacy & cooperation in politics at the meeting of local politicians, representatives of entrepreneurial organizations and some upper middle-class residents at Fairfax Conference Center in March 2343. The Moderate Party of Dorvik  was formed.

Current Status
The Moderate Party has 22 of 299 Senate seats, and it's the minority member of the governing coalition with the National Progress Party and Allied Conservative Party of Dorvik. New party chairman Greg Wietersheim has announced "New MPD" political agenda which will move the party deeper into political right.

Consistency of the Party and Ideology
The membership of the Moderate Party comes from various sections of people, mostly from upper middle-class and government employees. Recently, during Harper's second term as chairman (2346-2349), the party has got divided into two main factions: hard-liners (Wietersheim, Stohlberg, Dean) who believe on free market, devolution, social conservatism & small government and pragmatists (Corell, Baker, Lauren) who believe into regulated market economy, unitarism, social progressivism and big government. Hard-liners are relatively new group where as the pragmatists can be regarded as party's "founding fathers".

There are also some farmers, clerical & office workers and service employees amongst the supporters of the Moderates. The Moderate Party has slowly got foothold amongst young people which party chairman William Harper is putting his hopes on in the long term.

The Moderate Party of Dorvik is moderate center-right party and its party platform generally promotes:


 * Free market with only a few regulations
 * Strong spirit of enterpreunership & value of the hard work
 * Fair & motivating taxation system
 * Responsible, open individuality of the people.
 * Equality of chances for all citizens of Dorvik
 * Effective public & private healthcare
 * High valuation of education, science and technology
 * Secularism, religion has no place in the modern society
 * Strong international cooperation
 * Respect of civil rights and nature
 * Effective & supportive central government
 * Truly democratic & participating society

The issues concerning market economy, centralization and respect for civil rights are especially important for the party. However, due to tensions between the two factions, the party's views regarding market economy, centralization and civil rights may occasionally vary.

Promintent Moderates

 * Party Chairman Greg Wietersheim, Minister of Finance and part of hard-liner faction of the party. Greg Wietersheim enjoys high personal support within his faction and strong support as party chairman. Wietersheim is outspoken & stubborn politician who trusts more on his authority than cooperation between equals and vice chairman John Corell is his main opponent in the party. The supporters see him as determined leader whereas critics regard him as sneaky opportunist.


 * Party Vice Chairman John Corell, Minister of Education & Culture and a member of the pragmatist faction of the Moderates. John Corell is a popular figure in the party due to his charisma, intelligence and excellent work moral, and also because of his will to cooperate. Chairman Greg Wietersheim is his main opponent in the party. Corell represents moderate "third way" solutions for political issues and promotes cooperation with all parties.


 * Party Secretary Morgan Dean, Minister of Trade & Industry and part of hard-liner faction of the party, also being an ally of chairman Wietersheim. Dean is generally regarded as polite, silent workhorse who always thinks the best of the party. His propably biggest attribute in addition to his politeness is his expertise in military & infrastructural issues. Wietersheim made his as minister of trade & industry because this would place an ally into important cabinet position (according to the Moderates) but especially because he could call the shots due to Dean's inexperience and silent working style.

Future of the party
In January 2352 elections the party lost 1% popular support, dropping it to just 5% and lost two seats, number of senators dropping from 17 to 15 at 299-member senate. However couple of months later at called early elections in April 2352 due to the collapse of the Socialistic Left, the Moderates managed to achieve 7,5% popular support and raised their seat number in the senate from 15 to 22 senators.

At September 2352 the newly elected party chairman Greg Wietersheim announced his "New MPD" plan which would shift MPD's politics deeper into right and sharpen up party's image in politics as distinct, powerful choice. It's expected that the new MPD will propose various bills concerning free market, individuality and devolution and there have also been talks that Wietersheim would start his project for common Artanian currency if the majority of the Dorvik senate will approve the plan.

It's yet to be seen if vice chairman John Corell challenges Wietersheim at February 2355 party assembly at Chippenham, Kordusia.