3021 Liberal Conservative Leadership Election

The 3021 Liberal Conservative Party Leadership Election was announced on 10 December 3020 when incumbent leader and Prime Minister Sonya Inyo announced she would seek the presidency in the 3021 Wiltshire Presidential Election. In the event of her election, Sonya Inyo announced she would resign as Prime Minister and as Liberal Conservative Party leader. On 12 December 3020, the Liberal Conservative Party National Committee announced the guidelines for the election.

The election will begin on 10 January 3021 with the opening of nominations.

Background

The October 3020 election resulted in a landslide victory for the Liberal Conservative Party and, since the election, Prime Minister Inyo has seen historic and record-breaking popularity. This position put her in a prime position to succeed incumbent President Gaius Selan, who announced in November 3020 that he would not seek a second term as President of the Republic.

While some Liberal Conservatives did try to seek the office, many worried that they would not have the national popularity to beat Kurt Antonov, the front-runner in the election. On 10 December, Inyo announced she would seek the presidency.

Process

The process and timetable of election was formalized, following the 3020 Liberal Conservative Leadership Election. The process is as follows;

• Formal nominations open on 10 January 3021;
• Formal nominations close on 12 January 3021;

Successfully nominated candidates (who received at least 10% of the nominations) would go to a successive balloting system. The last place candidate in each ballot would be eliminated, as well as any candidate who fails to reach the threshold (of 15% in the first ballot, increasing by 5% in each successive ballot).

• First ballot on 14 January 3020;
• Successive ballots being held on successive days until a single candidate wins a majority of support in the caucus.

Candidates

Candidate		Date announced	Previous roles
	M Fitzgerald	12 December 3020	Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly for Richland (October 3020 until present)
	Brian Turner	12 December 3020	Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly for Shipley (June 3020 until present) Home Minister (September 3020 until present)
	Glenn Callaghan	13 December 3020	Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly for Hague and West Centre North (June 3020 until present) Chairman of the Assembly Defence Committee (October 3020 until present)
	David Loynd	24 March 3021	Prime Minister of Wiltshire (January 3015 until January 3016) Leader of the Conservative Party (January 3015 until January 3016)

Suspended candidates

Candidate		Date announced	Date suspended	Previous roles
	Luke Ford	11 December 3020	21 December 3020	Housing and Communities Minister (April 3020 until June 3020) Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (February 3020 until present)
	Marisa Wilder	12 December 3020	21 December 3020	Member of the Wiltshire National Assembly (October 3020 until present)
	Aaron Ashford	15 December 3020	16 January 3020	Minister for Trade (September 3020 until November 3020) Deputy Leader of the Liberal Conservative Party (February 3020 until November 3020) Chancellor of the Exchequer (February 3020 until June 3020)
	Iman De'Ath	20 December 3020	30 March 3021	Leader of the National Assembly (February 3020 until June 3020) Foreign Minister (September 3020 until October 3020) Utilities Minister (since October 3020

Candidate positions

Luke Ford (suspended)

• Increase power of the DUOD / promote DUOD military creation
• Increased powers to local government (devolution)
• Introduce a new Immigration Act to grant citizenship to EFR refugees
• End LibCon/Stability Coalition

M Fitzgerald

• Promote the resumption of Wiltshire's membership of the IDO
• Continue Wiltshire's DUOD membership "as is"
• Secure the border with increased powers to immigration forces
• Take greater action against NCR aggression
• No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

Marisa Wilder (suspended)

• Introduce new Education Act to "revolutionize" public education
• Introduce a second Conservation Act and fulfil election promise to build bio-diversity sanctuary in Minevgrad
• Promote the construction of the Wiltshire Harbor, including the construction of canals in Newton to allow for greater commercial shipping - reduction in military base at Eddington Point
• General reduction in military spending in favour of public works projects
• No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

Brian Turner

• End unsanctioned immigration, introduce "green card" system
• Make "Wiltshire Day" a national public holiday
• Continue the building up of Wiltshirian military forces
• Withdraw Wiltshire from the DUOD and campaign against "new Novanite organizations"
• Lower the minimum wage
• Continue LibCon/Stability Coalition

Glenn Callaghan

• Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
• Eliminate Wiltshire's budget deficit "as soon as humanly possible"
• Promote the construction of the Wiltshire Harbor, including the construction of canals in Newton to allow for greater commercial shipping without reduction in military base at Eddington Point
• Campaign for unification with Rockfield
• Make "Wiltshire Day" a national public holiday
• Continue Kenny Rushmore's Education reforms
• No announced position on LibCon/Stability Coalition

Aaron Ashford

• Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
• Increase taxes on the richest Wiltshirians to pay for public work programmes
• Maintain the nationalized status of Wiltshire Trams
• Campaign for the re-nationalization of Wiltshire Oil
• Block the privatization of education
• Campaign for fewer immigration controls
• End LibCon/Stability Coalition

Iman De'Ath

• Continue Wiltshire's membership of the DUOD
• Create Wiltshirian water and gas corporations
• Maintain the nationalized status of Wiltshire Trams
• End LibCon/Stability Coalition

Nominations

In order to appear on the election ballot, candidates require 10% of the Assembly LibCon caucus (5 members). Nominations as of 21 December 3020 is as follows;

Candidate	Electorate	Announced nominations	Nominated
Glenn Callaghan	Hague and West Centre North	16/47	Yes
Brian Turner	Shipley	12/47	Yes
M Fitzgerald	Richland	5/47	Yes
Aaron Ashford	Purton Stroke	5/47	Yes
Iman De'Ath	Pomeroy	5/47	Yes
Marisa Wilder	List	2/47	No
Luke Ford	Estaire East	1/47	No
Total		46/47