2402 Empherias general election

The 2402 Empherias general election was held on 28 March 2402, to elect 600 members to the Empherian House of Parliament. It was the first general election since the 2395 Revolution and subsequent appointed Populist government in 2397. It resulted in the incumbent Populist party losing their parliamentary majority, short 13 seats for a majority, although they did not seek a formal coalition - believing that the Socialist party would support most of their acts of government. Regardless, the Prime Minister Felix D'laminet was re-elected for a second term.

This election in particular sees the first election for many political parties running for office. No royalist parties ran, the first time this had ever occurred in Empheri electoral history, although they weren't banned from doing so. The two major political parties from before the revolution, the Liberal Party, and the Conservative Party, both ran under reformed policies and governments after their ideologies had shifted from the revolution. No party was in favour of returning to a pre-revolution situation. New parties included the left-wing parties of the incumbent People's Populist Party (dubbed PPP), and the People's Socialist Party (dubbed PSP), which split the left wing vote. The Green party, originally named not for it's later environmental views, ran for the first time and was considered a more radical alternative to the Socialists. The final new major party was the Nationalist party which advocated for more militarism and national pride.

The results were a plurality victory of the Populists winning 288 seats. Second place Conservatives, led by Josef Martinique, received 198 seats; followed by the Socialists, led by Elizabeth Rose, receiving 50 seats; the Liberals, led by Gregorik Daise, receiving 42 seats; the Green party, led by Henry Patterson, receiving 16 seats; and the Nationalists, led by Henry Artenflower, receiving just 6 seats. This makes this one of two modern elections where all parties receiving more than 5 seats, the other being the 2468 election. Other parties, such as the Traditional Ankrank Party, Centrist Initiative Party, and the Bokanist Values Party, ran but did not receive any seats or significant votes.

There were no resignations from any party leaders following the election as it mainly established the foundations and many did not know what were good and bad election victories yet. This election saw the highest turnout for the country in history comparatively to population, not eligible to vote, but this would later be broken.

Background
Triggered by the Prime Minister, followed by a 6 week campaign window, to be held on 28 March 2402. It was to take place five years after the previous election, but instead it took place five years after the appointment of the Populist government in 2397.

GENERAL SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS TERM

DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT AND CALLING THE ELECTION

STATE OF THE COUNTRY

OPPOSITION LEADERSHIP CONTESTS, ETC

Contesting political parties and candidates
Most candidates are representatives of a political party, which must be registered with the Electoral Commission's Register. Those who do not belong to one must use the label "Independent" or none, but occasions where an independent has won a seat in the house is extremely rare.

WHEN EDITING TEMPLATE TOMORROW, CHANGE THIS FROM UK -> EMPHERIAS. MOVE THE PREVIOUS ELECTION STUFF TO HERE.

Campaign and endorsements
MORE STUFF PRE-ELECTION