United Democratic Party (Kalopia)

The United Democratic Party (Ενωμένη Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα, ΕΔΗK), commonly known by its acronym EDIK is a social-democratic political party in Kalopia.

The party's leader is Spyro Xenophon, who was elected to that position during the party's founding congress in 3712.

The EDIK was founded on 10 January 3712 as a merger of various left-wing and centrist parties which had been part of the United Democrats opposition coalition between 3706 and 3711. While several parties merged into the EDIK, its bulk was formed by the Democratic Left Party and the Center Union.

Shortly following its founding, the United Democratic Party was joined by eight members of the Vouli, the national legislature.

United Democrats
In 3606, a group called the National Unity Party seized power in Kalopia. The party was strictly authoritarian, and altered the constitution of the republic in order to suit its needs. In order to counter the new government, a homogenous group of political parties and associations banded together to form the United Democrats, a loose confederation of anti-government forces. The secretary general of the Kalopian Communist Party, Spyro Xenophon, soon became the unofficial spokesperson of the alliance, and was elected as its chairman in 3608.

Following a congress in 3711, six parties in the alliance, including the Communists, the Democratic Left Party and the Center Union decided to field common candidates for the upcoming January 3712 elections.

Party founding
Shortly after the launch of the list, five MPs for the ruling National Unity Party expressed their intention to run on the United Democrats common list. By 8 November 3711, the organisation had registered 12,000 members.

Following this series of initial minor successes, the leadership of the United Democrats showed an increasing interest in the formation of a new, united party comprising all the member parties of the alliance. A congress was held on 10 December in an attempt to find common ground for the parties, with the aim of a fusion. Congress participants included Spyro Xenophon, Communist secretary general; Eleni Zoidarou, environmental protection advocate; Stavros Kakliamenas, deputy chairman of the Democratic Left Party, and Nicos Xatzigiannis, former deputy prime minister of Kazulia.

The new party was finally registered as the United Democratic Party on 10 January 3712, after what has been described as a successful founding congress in December the previous year.

The congress led to the election of Xenophon as party president, the adoption of a common social-democratic platform, and the election of over 40 candidates for the 3712 elections, among other things.