Populists

The Populist Movement, usually simply called the Populists (in Istalian: Movimento Populista and Populisti), is an istalian political and populist movement who wants to promote the interests of the common man.

The Populists was founded in 4682 by Giusto Zani, a sociopolitical philosopher and military officer, after he saw the rising distancing of the government from the common people. They entered the National Assembly in early 4684 with over 6% of the votes and 44 seats. They became part of their first government in 4685, that being the Larocca's Cabinet III and was for the first time part of the opposition from 4688 to 4693.

Founding
The Populists were founded as a political movement on the 18 February 4682 by Giusto Zani, together with his long time friend Romero Geraci. The movement registered to local and national elections on the 19 February 4682. At the time of its foundation, the Populists were a loose movement and not so much of an organized party.

In early September, the same year, the Conservative Republican Party of Likatonia contacted the Populists to express their desires for the newly formed istalian movement to join the Fair Tax Coalition. Zani responded to CRP leader Phillip Virgil, about their growing interest in joining the organization. The Populists applied for membership on the 13 September 4682.

The movement held its first organized party congress in late October 4682. During the meeting, it was decided that the Deputy leader were to be Romero Geraci and that a leadership body were to be formed called the Populist High Council. At the time, only the Leader and Deputy leader were sitting in the Council.

In early 4683, the National Alliance motioned a bill in the defense of corporations, this bill was criticized by the Left Bloc and their spokesperson Marco Gotti, who said that they would have no problem in "punishing" the rich. This immediately caused an uproar among the right-wing parties of the National Assembly, but especially by the Populists who used the lefts words "Punish the rich" as one of their main campaigning tools against the leftist government. Giusto Zani gave a message to the National Assembly and the Left Bloc's spokesperson through a rally in Genevia were he said his famous words "The people are not the 99%, the people are the 100%".

On the 5 September 4683, the Populists formed all of the regional movements for the party, and decided over who was to become the regional leaders. On the same day, they were all officially included in to the Populist High Council as well.

Entering the National Assembly
The party entered the National Assembly after the election of February 4684, with 44 seats, or roughly 6% of the vote. They also became the second largest party in Padagna.

The first bill, the Populists motioned was by Giusto Zani, to reform the Infrastructural levels of the society, this was however defeated. During the same time, the Left Bloc, who had reached the position of largest party sought to form a new government. This intended government, included either the separatist Alaria National Party or the Populists. Zani and Left Bloc's Minerva Larocca negotiated concerning the Populists infrastructural reforms, after some time, a agreement was reached and the Populists joined in the then, newly formed Larocca III government. In the agreement, it was decided that a compromise of the Populists infrastructure reforms were to be made.

Leaving the FTC
After heavy debates by the Populists concerning the international Fair Tax Coalition, it was decided that a process of leaving the organization were to take place, this was do to a lot of influence from the leftist-government, the Populists had entered in, but also because of a new set of ideas of national self-determination. Zani, informed the decision to the FTC and withdrew from it with immediate effect on the 31 January 4687.

Formation of party affiliated organizations
On the 5th February 4687, the Populists formed during the party congress, the Union of Young Populists (in Istalian: Unione di Giovani Populisti) or simply just the Young Populists, with a Chairman to head it. The Populist National Congress has considered to put the Chairman of the Young Populists on the High Council, but has put the idea on hold.

In late January 4689, the High Council formed the National Popular Student League (in Istalian: Lega Studentesca Popolare Nazionale) or simply just the Popular Students and/or Populist Students. At the same congress, two days later, the Populists formed another organization which purpose was to bind all the party affiliated organizations in the country, known as the National Organization of Populist Unions (in Istalian: Organizzazione Nazionale delle Unioni Populiste) or simply just ONUP and the Populist Unions. The position of Chairman of the ONUP was established as a representative for all the populist organizations on the Populist High Council.

First time as a opposition party
After the 4688 election, the Populists were kind of disappointed at the results and their loss of two seats in the National Assembly, but also because of the formation of the cabinet of Roncato and how the new government parties did not consider the Populists at all in the government choice at least not publicly.

After the 4692 election, the Left Bloc immediately starts on a cabinet which included the Populists, however, the left did not anyway issue any government program, which made the Populists start to reconsider their options. At the same time, the National Alliance approached the Populists with a proposition to include the small movement in a Conservative led government, in exchange to motion more business friendly and economic policies, this was accepted a day later by the High Council.

Cabinet of Roberto Gori
On the 1 March 4693, Gori's Cabinet was accepted by the National Assembly and the Populists managed to receive two ministers in the cabinet, these being the former Minister of Education and Culture for the Larocca's III cabinet, Alfio Imbrogno as the Minister of Education and Culture again and the Ministry of Justice with Giusto Zani himself as the Minister of Justice.

Between 15th and 20th May 4694, the Populists held what political commentators have stated as their most important party congress as of yet. During the congress they created the so-called 4700 Plan, a plan with 17 points of legislation they wish to start working on from the year 4700. They also declared an "ideological expansion" and officially incorporated a somewhat of an ideology, that being pragmatism. During the congress, the Populists officially announced Estella Belli as the Camber leader in the National Assembly for the movement.

Election of 4696
The 4696 national election was a major success for the Populists, who received 63 seats in the National Assembly. Regional wise the Populists became the third biggest party in Sarregna, which was celebrated as a major victory in the region, where they usually have had low results in the past elections. The biggest disappointment and loss for the Populists was in the region of Padagna where the party has its seat of power and has usually had strong results since the movements formation in 4682, but this time only got 170 thousand votes of 10 million and received only 2 seats, where they in 4684 had 24 seats. With this loss in Padagna, the regional leader for the Populists there, Fabio Perata who was seen as a possible future face of the Populist movement decided to announce his resignation on the 18 February 4696, there are however speculations that he was forced out by the High Council. Perata was succeeded by Donato Varriale as the new regional leader for Padagna and candidate for its governorship on the 22 February, he also got Perata's position in the High Council.

Party organization
The party leader of the Populists is the Leader of the Movement (in Istalian: Capo del Movimento) or simply just Cademo. The main executive body of the party is the Populist High Council (in Istalian: Alto Consiglio Populista), on the council the Leader, the Deputy Leader, all five of the regional leaders and the First Representative of the ONUP sits.

The Regional leaders each have jurisdiction over their respective regional movements, were they choose the party's regional leaderships, however, each member of the leaderships chosen by the regional leaders must be approved by the Populist National Congress.