Oslanburg Democratic Party

The Oslanburg Democratic Party (Oslanbjerg Demokratiske Parti) is a major political party in Oslanburg. It is the main center-right party in the country and is the largest party in the Folteking, Regional Seats and Municipal Seats. It also the largest party in Oslanburg by total membership, having nearly 478,000 registered members.

History

The Oslanburg Democratic Party is the oldest party in Oslanburg still in roughly it's original form. Conservatives stood without party affiliation, in contrary to liberals who had established the Progressive Party (Which merged into the United Labour Party in 1512). Following the 1397 constitution coming into force, establishment and right wing interests joined together in 1399 to found the party, although a small faction of reactionaries had previously established the Monarchist Party in opposition to the new constitution. The party first won a majority in parliament in the 1406 snap general election, remaining in office until 1416. During this time, the party pursued an imperialist foreign policy and was instrumental in maintaining Oslanburg's colonial empire. It would remain the dominant force in Oslanburgan politics; between 1406 and 1438, they held the Prime Ministership for nineteen (19) out of thirty-two (32) years.

The party remained out of power for nearly two decade until late 1460, when the party secured a minority government under Ib Thomassen. The government pursued a strict fiscally conservative and protectionist economic policy and was blamed for compounding the hardships of the sharp recession of those years, and lost the confidence of parliament in 1469, forcing a new election which they soundly lost. The party remained in the wilderness until regaining the premiership in 1495, lasting until 1500 before regaining it again in 1507. After being turned out again in 1512, they would remain in the wilderness for two decades.

During that time, the party somewhat moderated it's policies, making peace with the strong welfare state established by the Social Democrat governments and toning down it's rhetoric on social issues. When Filpe Kumar took the premiership for the party with the support of the Greens in 1532, he governed as a social moderate and an economic neoliberal, privatizing or reorganizing many state owned enterprises, including Gunfrid Shipyards, Scholden Luftearks, and Rivende Tog. While he was unseated in 1541, his United Labour successor Mikeal Lurik adopted similarly neoliberal policies, and he is recognized as a major influence on Oslanburgan politics in the ensuing three decades and credited for reviving the party's fortunes; since then the Oslanburg Democratic Party have held the premiership two times; 1546 to 1556, and 1564 to 1568; though the latter term was cut shot by a coup on the then government.

Ideology

The present day Democratic Party has substantially moderated in the past four decades, and while still considered center-right on the Oslanburgan political spectrum, it is at it's core a liberal-conservative party, and has largely accepted the predominant political orthodoxy on the safety net and social policy.

Economic Policy

The ODP main focus has been on economic issues, as on social policy they take only marginally more conservative than the other two main parties in Oslanburg. The party strongly supports free markets, free trade, and has driven much of the deregulation and privatization that has occurred in Oslanburg since the 1530s. While it has embraced the welfare state, it advocates for aggressively eliminating waste and inefficiencies in health and welfare programs and privatization and reorganization of pension funds. The party advocates market-based approaches to environmental protection, such as emissions trading.

Social Policy

Social issues are where the ODP have shifted most dramatically since the beginning of it's revitalization and also where it is the most divided. The currently dominant modernizing faction has embraced social liberalism, while a traditionalist faction has remained a force in the party. The party advocates a stronger stance on law and order by increasing police funding and providing legal protection to people who defend themselves from trespassers. The party supports the rights of fishers and hunters and opposes strong restrictions on civilian long gun ownership.

The party has been critical of state supported multiculturalism and lenient immigration standards, although supporting the maintenance of a strong asylum and refugee program. The party advocates stronger measures be implemented to integrate immigrants into the wider society, but wholeheartedly rejects racism and discrimination.

Defence and Foreign policy

Since it's inception vocally supported a strong national defence, and currently advocates a platform of retaining present levels of active duty troops and defence spending as well as maintaining all arsenal levels and procurement of advanced weapons systems. The party's foreign policy is interventionist and internationalist, supporting international peacekeeping and human rights efforts and a strong Oslanburgan presence on the world stage.