Kryfona parliamentary election, 2011

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Kryfona parliamentary election, 2011
Kreifonswies.png Turnout
72.99%

2005  ←
1 October, 2011
→ 2017

All 81 seats of the Kryfonsparliszaiye
41 seats needed for a majority
 
  United Kryfona Party Kryfona Royalist Party Kryfona Loyalist Party
  UKPlogo.png KRPlogo.png KLPlogo.png
Leader Dajeila Zasane Yaszika Awaseq Czesikna Kazna
Leader since 1990 2002 1996
Leader's seat Teras Azsaeh Volziszca
Seats before 23 seats 18 seats 18 seats
Seats won 25 17 13
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 1 Decrease 5
Popular Vote 14,553,276 12,594,442 8,342,008
Percentage 32.17% 27.84% 18.44%
 
  Yaraan Kryfon's Movement Pažem Tuszkeya Aryela Party
  YaraaFlag.png PTlogo.png APKlogo.png
Leader Uyseila Livaqiyats Rožha Keräň Layăn Togirika
Leader since 1999 2004 1985
Leader's seat Drzseil 1st Hiy Aryela
Seats before 13 seats 7 seats 2 seats
Seats won 12 12 2
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 5 Steady 0
Popular vote 3,831,714 4,342,911 1,574,305
Percentage 8.47% 9.6% 3.48%
 

2011 Seats.png

Districts carried by each party
 
Legislative Leader before election
Darenaz Tezec[note 1]
United Kryfona Party
Elected Legislative Leader
Darenaz Tezec
United Kryfona Party

The 2011 Kryfona parliamentary election was conducted on 1 October, 2011, to elect 81 members to the 48th Assembly of the Kryfonsparliszaiye. The 2011 election was the 48th in the history of the Kryfona Kingdom. It was anticipated that, like the previous two elections in 1999 and 2005, there would be a close race between the top three parties—the United Kryfona Party, the Kryfona Royalist Party, and the Kryfona Loyalist Party—for seats, and a coalition would have to be struck to acquire a majority.

In an unforeseen event, the Pažem Tuszkeya was the biggest beneficiary of the election, taking five seats and solidifying control of the seats of Vyfarla for the first time since their high-water mark in 1975.[1] The UKP also gained two seats (Reasz and the 2nd Moszejye constituency) from the elections, bringing their seat total to 25.[2] The Aryela Party retained its two seats of Aryela and Middle Seuyastazal with large and small majorities respectively; the KRP and the Yaraan Kryfon's Movement both lost single seats. The big loser of the election was the KLP, which lost 5 seats, mostly because of the Pažem Tuszkeya's clean sweep in Vyfarla.[1] The KLP, which entered the election with 18 seats, ended the day with just 13, the lowest for the party since the 2nd Assembly in 1735. As a result of the election, the UKP-Secessionist bloc increased its official majority from 2 seats to 8 seats, and brought its working majority to 10 seats with the inclusion of the Aryela Party's 2 seats. It was the first official or working majority to control 50 or more seats in the Kryfonsparliszaiye since the 40th Assembly in 1963.[3]

Background

Political environment

With the election of 23 UKP MPs, the 2005 elections marked the first time in over half a century that a party other than the Kryfona Royalist Party held either a majority or a minority government in the Kryfonsparliszaiye. It had been hard fought—the UKP, having spent the entire previous period between 1999 and 2005 being tethered to the KRP, had great difficulty distancing itself from the policies of the KRP at the time, and managed only to win a plurality of the seats through two virtual coin-flips in traditionally-royalist Tirsim and Tauba. Nonetheless, the UKP wasted no time in forming an alliance with the Secessionist bloc of the YKM and the Pažem, which going into the 2011 elections it retained.

The UKP was lucky to inherit a well-run, well-off Kryfona Kingdom with the 2005 election; unlike the previous few "xiszuierasi" (the term used to describe the six year periods between elections), between 2005 and 2011 there were effectively no major crises within the Kryfona Kingdom and no major terrorist attacks. A small scandal occurred at the height of 2007 when it was revealed that a member of the UKP, the Uszyaa district leader, had possibly bribed several people for low-level favors, but the party dealt with the situation fairly quickly. Public approval—which for the party's coalition was hovering in the high 60s at the time—dropped by only a few points,[4][5] and rose again shortly thereafter; for the most part, the UKP/Pažem/YKM platform was a popular, big-tent platform, and members of the public were quick to reaffirm support when the small scale of the bribery became clear.

Beyond the scandal, the first Kryfonsparliszaiye under the UKP was a very quiet affair. Their legislative platform, popular with the people and scantly controversial in the Kryfonsparliszaiye, meant they led the legislature almost on cruise control. Not all of their legislation was quietly passed, however; in 2009 the party's coalition attempted to force through an act to outlaw the Oszej ideology on the basis of effectively being Impurism and failed. The act drew heavy criticism both from the public at large and the MPs of the KRP and the KLP—in particular, the KRP objected to the legislation as a 'targeted attack'[6] against them—and was ultimately voted down by a margin of 45-36, 3 of the deciding nay votes coming from UKP members.[7] The party lost around 5 percentage points of favorability as a result of the failed act.[8]

The UKP and its coalition won a large victory in the xiszuiera elections of 2008, serving as something of a bellwether to the 2011 elections. The UKP won 56 additional seats on their total of 47 provincial seats, while the Pažem Tuszkeya and the YKM combined for 30 seats on their total of 32 provincial seats. In all, the three parties combined for a net gain of 86 provincial seats. The KRP and KLP meanwhile lost a total of 18 seats—not a crushing defeat, but certainly not a good showing for either party. In many respects, the results of the 2008 local elections were a rejection of the opposition, despite the scandal of the UKP just a year earlier. Although the KRP and KLP at the time had approval ratings comparable (and in some cases higher than) the UKP, voters en masse gave the UKP a mandate to govern over the opposition.

Party polling going into 2011 suggested a very close race between the three parties nonetheless. Although the UKP rode high on the back of its provincial and federal mandates, its leads in the opinion polls throughout early and mid 2011 were well within the margin of error. The KRP, seeing the polls, would spend the most money campaigning in their history during 2011, as would the KLP. The UKP, Pažem Tuszkeya, and YKM would also spend almost record setting amounts of money in the lead-up to and during the campaign of 2011.

Electoral system

A total of 299 candidates stood for election during the 2011 election, slightly lower than the previous election's 302. Three parties (the UKP, KRP, and KLP) had candidates in every district, the YKM had candidates in 24 districts, the Pažem Tuszkeya had candidates in 22 districts, and the Aryela Party had candidates in 10 districts. These parties were the only parties to stand for election, as under Kryfona law only a set number of the largest parties ("federal parties") can officially contest federal elections per the Majority Party Act of 1839 and its 1902, 1962, and 1981 amendments. This is to ensure that majority governments are possible and prevents the Kryfonsparliszaiye from fragmenting into a large number of parties that then cannot form coalition governments. The number of parties able to stand for federal election was most recently changed from 5 to 6 during the 43rd Assembly in 1981. Independents are also allowed to stand for election, but for the first time since 1921, no Independents stood for election.[9]

Early voting for Kryfona citizens living abroad began 1 September, 2011 and began for domestic Kryfona citizens on 15 September, 2011. Both periods of early voting ended of 25 September, 2011. Poll voting began on Friday, 30 September between 7AM Nylzsryf time and 9PM Nylzsryf time, and also occurred between the same times on Saturday, 1 October to facilitate the needs of working Kryfona. Because one of the voting days was a weekend, a holiday was not declared by the government.

MPs not standing for reelection

A total of 15 incumbent MPs announced their retirements during the xiszuierasi, stating they would not contest their seats during the 2011 elections. 5 incumbents for the KLP retired, 4 retired for the UKP, 3 retired for the KRP, 2 for the YKM, and a single MP retired for the Pažem Tuszkeya.

Constituencies where the incumbent MP retired or stood down for the 2011 elections.      represents retiring UKP incumbents,      represents retiring KRP incumbents,      represents retiring KLP incumbents,      represents retiring YKM incumbents and      represents retiring Pažem incumbents.

United Kryfona Party

Kryfona Royalist Party

  • Sarage Zadinzs, 1981-2011 (Outer Azsaeh), announced 2 November, 2006
  • Majan Goroza, 1999-2011 (Yaravneid West), announced 12 June, 2010
  • Jari Kazszx, 1993-2011 (Yaravneid North), announced 1 December, 2008

Kryfona Loyalist Party

Yaraan Kryfon's Movement

Pažem Tuszkeya

Contesting political parties

All six federal political parties in the Kryfona Kingdom contested the election, having announced their intention to run for seats on 2 October, 2005 (UKP, KRP, KLP, and Pažem Tuszkeya), 10 October, 2005 (YKM), and 1 December, 2005 (Aryela). Independents can also choose to run for single seats, however no independents stood for election in 2011.

The UKP, KRP, and KLP were the three major parties of the election, with the YKM, Pažem Tuszkeya, and Aryela Party taking the role of secondary parties. It was anticipated that the major parties would take between 75 and 85 percent of the vote and about two-thirds of the seats, with the minor parties taking the rest. This system has been the case since the 1981 election, when the UKP catapulted to the third party of the Kingdom and the Aryela Party was founded. The general consensus on the current political situation in the Kryfona Kingdom is that it is an alternating two- and three-party system, although some political experts describe it as a fluid alliance system moreso than a true party system.

Potential coalitions

In the past hundred or so years, coalitions have dominated the Kryfona political landscape. The last majority government by any party was formed in 1933 when the KRP won 41 seats. Since then, every government in one way or another has been a coalition government. The formation of a coalition in the Kryfona Kingdom is unique in that coalitions do not necessarily have to be formed between parties, but can be formed between individual members of one party and the leadership of another. These coalitions are known as patkoalizasi, and have been the basis for most of the coalitions formed between 1939 and 1957, as well as several since. Most of the coalitions since 1957, however, have been proper coalitions between two parties.

  • The UKP, which after it won a plurality of seats 2005 announced an alliance with the Secessionist bloc, announced on 25 September, 2011 that it would seek a renewed alliance with the bloc if it retained its plurality. The party also said that it was not unwilling to work with the KRP, with whom it formed a split government in the aftermath of the 1999 election.
  • The KRP announced its intention to align itself with the KLP on 20 September, 2011, after the first series of negotiations between the two parties since their failed attempt in 2009 to form a coalition against the UKP and what the two parties deemed to be "parliamentary overreach." Although opposed, the KRP also stated on 20 September that it was not adverse to working with the UKP again, despite statements by party leader Yaszika Awaseq that he and several of his fellow MPs would not work with the UKP while Dajeila Zasane ran it.
  • The Aryela Party, which had never previously been a part of any government coalition, renewed its commitments to neutrality on 15 September, 2011 in a statement delivered by party leader Layăn Togirika, although he stated that the party intended where possible to support the agenda of the UKP and the Secessionist bloc.

Campaign

Campaign laws dictate that federally, campaigning cannot begin until four months before the day on which in-person voting begins. Because voting began on 30 September, 2011, this date fell on Thursday, 30 June. Parties began to buy advertisements and spots on this day. A day later, on 1 July, 2011, the United Kryfona Party announced its 81 candidates, followed by the Pažem Tuszkeya and the Yaraan Kryfon's Movement announcing their candidates on 2 July, 2011. The Aryela Party announced its candidates in the early morning of 3 July, 2011, while the KRP and KLP announced later that day.

Possibility of a swing in power

Although the UKP and its alliance rode into the 2011 election with an approval rating well above 50%, polling suggested that the race between the big three parties of the UKP, KRP, and KLP would be very close, and potentially lead to a swing of power back to the KRP or even possibly to the KLP. The UKP lead in almost every poll conducted in the early part of the campaign sat well within the margin of error–in a few cases, the UKP even fell behind the KRP, with the KLP in tow just a point or two behind. As such, parties found themselves preparing for potential KRP and KLP governments, in addition to the possibility of a continued UKP mandate.

In general, most parties agreed that they would work together with most other parties, with the obvious exception of the politically neutral Aryela Party. Nonetheless, the UKP expressed a significant preference for working with the Secessionist bloc over the KRP or KLP, and likewise the KRP and KLP resolved that they would prefer to work with one another than work with the UKP or the Secessionists. Only the Pažem Tuszkeya openly stated that it would in no circumstance work with the KRP or the KLP, in part because of their perceived racist ties and their history with Tuszkean issues. The YKM, although it did not release a similar statement, saw many of its MPs personally reject a possible agreement with the two parties. Party leadership nonetheless did not rule the possibility out if push came to shove.

It was primarily in Tuszkean and Yaraan constituencies that the Pažem Tuszkeya and the YKM campaigned on the idea of preventing a swing in power. Although the UKP to an extent riled up its base in an effort to keep power from swinging in the direction of the loyalists and the royalists, in many places members of the Secessionist bloc actively campaigned on the idea of preventing a swing in power. YKM advertisements and spots warned of the consequences of such a swing, saying that the ability of Yaraans to influence government would cease to exist overnight if such a thing happened. Similar pitches were given to Tuszkeans by the Pažem Tuszkeya. These pitches likely influenced turnout–which was up by several points in Reriskzeiy, Yaraa, and Vyfarla in 2011–and galvanized the voting base of the alliance, ultimately giving it victory over the KLP and KRP.

General campaign focuses

The campaign of the UKP, Pažem Tuszkeya and the Yaraan Kryfon's Movement was one primarily based on hope for the future and positivity in the present. The alliance pointed to the lack of scandal and the lack of economic crisis between 2005 and 2011 as proof that not only could a non-KRP government run the country, but proof that it could run it better than the KRP. Each party paid special attention to a certain region of the nation during the campaign. The UKP, having long dominated in the Southwest Kingdom, pointed to the region's success and booming industry as proof that the party knew what it was doing. Members of the Pažem Tuszkeya focused heavily on Vyfarla, and how the party was working to make it a more prosperous and desireable place that would no longer rely on government handouts to survive. In particular, the Pažem promised that Vyfarla would, if it reelected the UKP-Secessionist government, experience prosperity it had not seen since its days as a territory. The Yaraan Kryfon's Movement, although well grounded in Yaraa, focused their campaigns there when it became clear they were not going to do well in the local elections. A smaller campaign focused on the two seats the YKM held in Kghelias.

In stark contrast, the campaign of the KRP and KLP was one of failure on the part of the governing parties. The KRP and KLP decried the efforts of the UKP-Secessionist bloc to ban Oszej and Neyuoszej through the precedent of the act which banned Impurism in 1976, as well as its efforts to raise wages to levels that the parties considered "unprecedented" in 2010. Much attention was also given to the low-level scandal in which the Uszyaa district leader for the UKP had reputedly bribed people for favors, despite the UKP dealing with the allegations quickly and distancing themselves from the district leader. In general, the campaign of the KRP and KLP was very negative–in many respects intentionally so–and very possibly the parties alienated large swathes of the public in running such a campaign. The issues, many newspapers criticized, took a backseat for both parties to gossip and scandal, and in the process the two parties made themselves appear mean-spirited to voters in contrast to the hope and positivity message being spread by the UKP and the Secessionist bloc. Nonetheless, the KRP and KLP remained and continued to run close behind the UKP throughout the duration of the campaign.

The Aryela Party, not having to worry much about a general campaign, focused on keeping their small part of the country intact throughout the coming government. The party made pledges to continue giving back to the communities which made up their constituencies, and hoped to continue to fight for progress, the equality of all citizens, and an Aryelaist economy in the Kryfonsparliszaiye.

Debates

Main article: Kryfona parliamentary election debates, 2011

A total of five debates were held between the leaders of the six major federal parties between 15 August and 5 September, 2011 by the Commission of Federal Elections. The 2011 debates were the 7th such series of debates between the federal parties since the tradition was established in 1969. The 2011 debates were watched by an estimated 49,000,000 Kryfona (roughly 60% of the Kingdom's population), the largest number in the history of the debates.

Opinion polling

Polling during the final 8 months of the xiszuierasi. Despite a tight race between the major three parties, the ultimate outcome of the election was not especially close, and the UKP unexpectedly expanded its majority.

From the beginning of the 2005 xiszuierasi, it was clear that the Kryfona Kingdom was entering new, and potentially unprecedented territory. The election of the UKP to a minority government came as a surprise to many people in the Kryfona Kingdom despite the party's split government with the KRP in 1999, and just as people resented this sudden change, there were many who supported it wholeheartedly. Opinion polling in late 2005 opened with the UKP ahead of the KRP and KLP by margins just outside of the margin of error, and polling showed a similar trend of a UKP minority throughout the remainder of 2005. The Pažem Tuszkeya and YKM saw their expected share of the vote slowly increase throughout most of the rest of 2005, while the KRP and KLP flatlined, but remained close behind the UKP.

Starting in 2006, the UKP began a rising trend that, for most of 2006, would persist. The UKP topped out at around 40% of the vote in August of 2006, an unprecedented number in the six-party era. The Pažem and YKM both hovered around 10% most of the year, with the Aryela Party consistently polling at about 5%. The KRP and KLP traded places and continually split the remaining percentage points; generally, however, it was the KRP which polled ahead of the KLP. Gradually, as 2006 began to wind down, the two parties began to rise again in polling, and the UKP's anticipated share of the vote eventually dropped to a more realistic, but still rather high 33%.

Polls held steady until about mid-2007, when the low-level bribery scandal shook the polling up and dropped the UKP down into second behind the KRP. Although the scandal was quickly handled, the UKP continued to poll behind the KRP for the rest of 2007, usually inside the margin of error but sometimes as far behind as five points. The Pažem and YKM share of the vote also dropped in response to the scandal, but owing to their loose ties with the UKP, both parties saw a rebound after about two months. The KLP and Aryela Party held firm in their polling throughout the year.

In early 2008, the UKP again retook a polling lead, and over the course of the year they rode a second rising trend back up to about 40% of the vote. Their prospects in the parliamentary election (as well as those of the Pažem and the YKM) were seemingly helped when the coalition won a massive victory in the local elections, gaining 86 provincial seats. The KLP and KRP, comparatively, lost 18 seats in what appeared to be a foreshadowing of the coming federal elections. Despite this defeat, the UKP saw a second gradual decline as 2008 closed, and by the end of the year they were back to hovering around 34%, with the KLP and KRP both polling at about 27% each.

Throughout 2009 and 2010, very little changed in the polls. Although the KLP and KRP continued to switch positions in the polls, neither seemed to definitively be gaining on the UKP, and the UKP seemed to have stalled out between 31% and 34% of the vote. A very slow decreasing trend developed in the UKP's anticipated share of the vote that gradually brought their polling down to between 30% and 32% of the vote, but as late as December of 2010, some polling still anticipated that the UKP would win just over 33% of the vote.

Over most of 2011, polling tightened to such a degree that the 2011 campaign season was the most expensive in the history of Kryfona elections. Although the UKP began the year with an average of around 31% in the polling, by the beginning of the campaign in late June of 2011, they were statistically tied with the KRP. Although for virtually the entirety of campaign season polls showed the UKP winning the popular vote, their lead was always well within the margin of error, and both the KRP and KLP maintained similar polling numbers. In early July the KLP surged suddenly in the polls and became the second place party in most polling; although they only briefly remained this way, they traded this position with the KRP through August, while the UKP held mostly steady. Gradually in the late stages of the campaign, the UKP opened up a small, but sustained lead on both parties in the poll, peaking in late August and early September. A late-stage tailspin in polling by the KLP, not aided by an average performance in the debates just a month and change before voting began, also led the Pažem and YKM to jump in the polls. After 1 September, 2011, the UKP sustained a roughly two point lead on the KRP, with the KLP an average of eight points back of the latter. In the final week of polling, their roughly two point lead shrank to a single point, and the last polls, taken on 29 September, 2011, suggested anywhere between a dead heat and a five point lead for the UKP.

Final polling and predictions

By Kryfona law, the last day on which polls can be conducted before the election is the day before voting opens. In 2011, this day fell on Thursday, 29 September. The last day of polling is commonly known as "Prediction Day" because it is the day on which electoral predictions are historically released. By this point, most polling was showing an effective tie in terms of the popular vote between the UKP and the KRP; however, because the Kryfona Kingdom uses a first-past-the-post system, the popular vote is not a particularly good way of determining seat number. Despite the extremely close race, it was anticipated by virtually every election forecast that the UKP would either form a split government with the KRP or narrowly retain its minority government. Whether it would be able to form a majority government, however, was subject to some debate. Despite the late polling bumps of the Pažem and YKM, it was anticipated that at most, the two parties would combine for a single gained seat; several fringe forecasts predicted that the two would actually lose seats, potentially complicating the UKP's chances of forming a majority. The final forecasts by eight major election forecasters are summarized as follows:

Party Seat predictions summary
Nylzsryfa Azsaeha Lawvsgara Times Yadysima CFE Forecast Paszema Elyunessia Kryfona Forecast
United Kryfona Party 24 24 23 25 23 21 22 23
Kryfona Royalist Party 19 19 18 17 21 22 21 20
Kryfona Loyalist Party 16 17 18 17 16 17 17 17
Yaraan Kryfon's Movement 13 12 13 13 12 12 12 12
Pažem Tuszkeya 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7
Aryela Party 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Total 81 seats

Exit polling

At the end of voting at 9PM Nylzsryf time, 1 October, exit polling out of Vyfarla greatly surprised many forecasters. Although the Pažem had been forecast to retain all of its seats but gain none, the exit polling suggested the party might actually sweep the entirety of Vyfarla from the Loyalists,[17] despite Vyfarla being seen as a solidly loyalist province. Ultimately, the results out of Vyfarla were stunning: the Pažem annihilated every other party in the province, and its lowest majority there was 160,061 in the Eiwena constituency. The massive failure of polling in Vyfarla was ultimately blamed on the lack of local polling for the province's constituencies; as the province was seen as solidly loyalist, virtually no serious polling was conducted there during the 2005 xiszuiera or the 2011 campaign.

Results

For a list of MPs elected, see List of MPs elected in the Kryfona parliamentary election, 2011.

25 12 12 17 13 2
United Kryfona Party Pažem Tuszkeya Yaraan Kryfon's Movement Kryfona Royalist Party Kryfona Loyalist Party Aryela


Party Leader MPs Votes
Of total Of total
United Kryfona Party Dajeila Zasane 25 30.86%
25 / 81
14,553,276 32.17%
32.17 / 100
Kryfona Royalist Party Yaszika Awaseq 17 21.00%
17 / 81
12,594,442 27.84%
27.84 / 100
Kryfona Loyalist Party Czesikna Kazna 13 16.04%
13 / 81
8,342,008 18.44%
18.44 / 100
Pažem Tuszkeya Rožha Keräň 12 14.81%
12 / 81
4,342,911 9.60%
9.60 / 100
Yaraan Kryfon's Movement Uyseila Livaqiyats 12 14.81%
12 / 81
3,831,714 8.47%
8.47 / 100
Aryela Party Layăn Togirika 2 2.46%
2 / 81
1,574,305 3.48%
3.48 / 100
Vote share
UKP
  
32.17%
KRP
  
27.84%
KLP
  
18.44%
PZT
  
9.60%
YKM
  
8.47%
ARY
  
3.48%
Parliamentary seats
UKP
  
30.86%
KRP
  
21.00%
KLP
  
16.04%
PZT
  
14.81%
YKM
  
14.81%
ARY
  
2.46%

Incumbents losing reelection

Defeated incumbents by party and province (2011)
Party Province Electoral District Incumbent Defeated by
Loyalist Peiretsaja East Peiretsaja Vorzi Kagnai   Jezarge Kozinenzka
Taharlsqov Reasz Derszanbe Rayha   Meira Gosazsir
Vyfarla West Vyfarla Koja Mazines   Siane Magris
East Vyfarla Azigin Mailas   Gadiž Kene
Jiviheda Varyaze Hayiszem   Pagýe Saruýaň
Eiwena Anieba Farely   Peňogazs Dreimas
Yaravneid Upper East Yaravneid Gyenyiz Mehro   Kaighazs Danz
Royalist Seuyastazal 2nd Moszejye Przeina Hargozin   Karovoda Fayzser
Yerljasqar Maszje Izri Gizkapils   Vusinye Sarharie
Gelaa Voszije Varely   Danavos Garyniszx
YKM Fyranasaa North Fyranasaa Saros Gabori   Barin Maýka

Results by province

Provinces voting for the UKP
Provinces voting for the KRP
Provinces voting for the KLP
Provinces voting for the Pazem
Provinces voting for the YKM
Provinces voting for the Aryela Party
United Kryfona Royalist Loyalist Pažem Tuszkeya Yaraan Kryfon's Aryela Margin Total
Province # % # % # % # % # % # % # % #
Areimsede 401,221 61.17% 164,558 25.09% 90,099 13.74% - - - - - - 236,663 36.08% 655,878
Azsaeh 54,810 3.80% 1,295,741 89.94% 91,660 6.36% - - - - - - 1,204,081 83.58% 1,442,211
Elesaqa 129,457 9.59% 162,142 12.00% 1,058,627 78.40% - - - - - - 896,485 66.40% 1,350,226
Fyranasaa 72,778 7.33% 69,356 6.99% 326,114 32.86% 204,119 20.57% 320,187 32.26% - - 5,927 0.60% 992,554
Iyarzalhne 980,226 52.82% 454,118 24.47% 421,557 22.71% - - - - - - 875,673 28.35% 1,855,901
Kghelias 159,410 11.38% 55,081 3.93% 507,498 36.24% - - 678,229 48.44% - - 170,731 12.20% 1,400,218
Lawvsgara 5,112,401 51.35% 1,895,608 19.04% 2,948,211 29.61% - - - - - - 2,164,190 21.74% 9,956,220
Peiretsaja 229,547 26.04% 522,863 59.31% 129,210 14.66% - - - - - - 293,316 33.27% 881,620
Reriskzeiy 681,027 18.99% 9,183 0.003% 11,047 0.003% 2,884,154 80.44% - - - - 2,203,127 61.45% 3,585,411
Rsza 685,229 76.02% 118,296 13.12% 97,834 10.86% - - - - - - 566,933 62.90% 3,585,411
Seuyastazal 809,115 68.86% 61,084 5.20% 52,981 4.50% - - - - 251,902 21.44% 557,213 47.42% 1,175,082
Szaras 243,484 15.86% 1,203,157 78.39% 88,280 5.75% - - - - - - 959,673 62.53% 1,534,921
Taharlsqov 451,298 16.37% 492,584 17.87% 296,148 10.74% - - 193,787 7.04% 1,322,403 47.98% 829,819 30.11% 2,756,220
Tauba 856,229 37.63% 968,204 42.55% 451,078 19.82% - - - - - - 111,975 4.92% 2,275,511
Vrlxsena 1,298,661 71.16% 236,879 12.98% 289,571 15.86% - - - - - - 1,009,090 55.30% 1,825,111
Vyfarla 57,925 6.43% 28,443 3.16% 21,471 2.39% 759,912 84.41% 32,487 3.61% - - 701,987 77.98% 900,238
Yaraa 2,045,121 25.48% 1,854,220 23.10% 1,024,871 12.78% 494,726 6.16% 2,607,024 32.48% - - 561,903 7.00% 8,025,962
Yaravneid 227,902 7.07% 2,786,296 86.49% 207,484 6.44% - - - - - - 2,558,394 79.42% 3,221,682
Yerljasqar 57,435 11.44% 216,629 43.12% 228,267 45.44% - - - - - - 11,638 2.32% 502,331
Kingdom Total 14,553,276 32.17% 12,594,442 27.84% 8,342,008 18.44% 4,342,911 9.60% 3,831,714 8.47% 1,574,305 3.48% 1,958,834 4.33% 45,238,656

Outcome

Despite expectations that the UKP and its alliance would end with roughly the same seats as in 2005, the alliance won seven additional seats: 5 by the Pažem Tuszkeya, and 2 by the United Kryfona Party. The Yaraan Kryfon's Movement lost a single seat, which was one picked up by the Pažem Tuszkeya. What had been a razor thin 43 seat majority before the election became a solid 49 seat majority after the election, plus two seats controlled by the Aryela Party which almost always voted with the alliance. The 25 seats held by the UKP were the most controlled by a single party since the Kryfona Royalist Party won 25 in 1981.

The United Kryfona Party outperformed both its anticipated popular vote number and anticipated number of seats, and continued its streak of six elections in which it has gained seats. The party retained the 23 seats it had won in 2005 and won the 2nd Moszejye constituency and the Reasz constituency, despite most predictions saying it would either lose several seats or gain none in the election. Leader of the party Dajeila Zasane was elected by his largest majority ever in the Teras constituency, winning by 829,972 votes.

The sweep of Vyfarla by the Pažem Tuszkeya was a stunning event which had not been predicted by any forecast; what had previously been solidly loyalist constituencies suddenly became routs for the Pažem Tuszkeya. Their lowest majority in the province was in Eiwena, where 27-year-old Peňogazs Dreimas won by 160,061 votes, a swing of well over 200,000 votes. A combination of every loyalist Vyfarlan MP retiring in 2011 and the Pažem's massive campaign, which encompassed five provinces in all, played a role in the swing. A total of 12 Pažem MPs were elected to the Kryfonsparliszaiye, the most since 1975 for the party, and the 5 MP jump was the largest jump in MPs for the party since 1969, when it also gained 5 MPs.

The YKM did not do exceptionally well in the election, although it retained 12 of its 13 seats in the Kryfonsparliszaiye. Although turnout was higher than usual in Yaraa, the party won most of its "safe" seats by rather concerning margins, some of which were less than 70,000 votes, and it lost its seat in Fyranasaa to the Pažem Tuszkeya by about 15,000 votes. Uyseila Livaqiyats called the party's results "disappointing," and resolved that the party would attempt to do much better in the 2017 elections.

The election did not go as planned for the Kryfona Royalist Party, who had anticipated they would win at least 20 seats. Although the party lost just one seat, it lost the popular vote by a margin of over four percentage points, indicating that its ideas were not as popular as the polling had suggested. Although Yaszika Awaseq won his seat by a majority of over 900,000, he considered the election results to be "very unfortunate" and pledged that the royalists would continue their policy of fighting the perceived political overreach of the UKP.

The election was an abject catastrophe for the Kryfona Loyalist Party, who lost five seats and dropped to their lowest number of seats since 1735. It was the biggest drop in seats for the party since it lost 11 seats in 1963. The disaster severely hampered the KRP-KLP alliance and its agenda, not least because it reduced their number of seats to just 30 against the 51 effective seats of the UKP-Secessionist alliance. Czesikna Kazna, the party's leader, was prepared to resign over the results when it became clear that the party had been handed a crushing blow, but ultimately opted against doing so at the behest of his adviser.

Aftermath

In the immediate aftermath of the election results being released, there were a number of domestic and foreign responses to the election. Although small factions of the international conservative and royalist movements lobbied serious criticisms toward the election, internationally they were widely praised as a rejection of the continuation the Kryfona Kingdom as an effective one-party state under the leadership of the Kryfona Royalist Party.

International reactions

Most of the leaders in the Old World praised the elections and supported their outcome. King Radima Sehel of the Arieles Kingdom expressed his surprise but support of the election results, calling them "a clear call to end the [KRP's] hegemony over the nation."[18] Sehel's sentiments were echoed by Edazoran president Yahagar Izos, who called the election "the will of the people, and [a] sign of changing times." Lune Razanat, the leader of the Adborthos Republic, spoke of the elections as the "beginning of a true multi-party system."[19]

Among lower level responses, the Edazoran Palidaja unanimously passed a resolution, ER 173, on 2 October which praised the election as "democracy in action." The Adborthosi Palidaija passed a similar resolution on 3 October which expressed support of the outcome. The Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Arieles Kingdom, Vadriă Serhara, published a letter in support of the elections which was signed by virtually every member of the Arieles government. Head of the Yogetapapalidaija Gopesin Dabarejin circulated and published a similar letter out of Dashevodnaiye in the unincorporated Lyoonos.

Sub-nationally, the Progressive Parties Union, of which the Kryfona Loyalist Party is a member, called the elections "wonderful, although disappointing for our ideology" in a statement released on 2 October. Head of the Union Pahisa Dasomiha spoke later that day in an interview that "[the election] was unfortunate for the progressive ideology [in the Kingdom]" but that it would recover from the event. The Edazora-based Edazoran Unified Party and Arieles-based Party of the Territories released a joint statement saying that despite the result, "the Union has never been stronger" and expressed their hopes that the KLP would resurge in 2017. The Kryfona-based Progressive Party and its affiliates did not release a statement on the elections, instead opting to sign on to the EUP-PT joint letter. The Social Populist Group, while not officially supporting any major party in the election, announced on 2 October that it was "very pleased by the results" and hoped the UKP would work to continue its agenda. The Old World Social Populist Union (IVSPZ) released no statement on the matter, but the IVSPZ-affiliated Arieles Party of the Populists backed the results, saying that they would "gladly support" the UKP-Secessionist agenda insofar as it could. The Old World Conservative Union, while "disappointed with the results" and the electoral system of the Kryfona Kingdom, stated it would accept the outcome and work with its allies in the Kryfona Conservative Party and the Kryfona Royalist Party toward a "more conservative Kingdom."

Domestic reactions

The outcome of the election was surprising to a large swathe of the public, and to many of the politicians in the Kryfona Kingdom. Although the polls had suggested a close race and an even closer seat total, the UKP and its alliance outdid the polls considerably. In a survey conducted a week after the election, almost 45% of the respondents expressed that they were "surprised" or "very surprised" by the outcome. Similar trends were found among those who followed the election internationally. The gain of seats by the UKP and the Pažem Tuszkeya in particular took many of the major news outlets–who had expected a close race and in some cases even KRP victory in seats–by surprise. Partly because of this seat discrepancy, and partly because of the large difference in opinion polling versus final results, in the year immediately following the election, many of the larger pollsters evaluated and subsequently changed their polling methods for Kryfonsparliszaiye elections.

Despite the UKP being center-right in ideology, the election results were hailed by left-wing parties (particularly the liberal, secessionist, and minority parties) as a victory for democracy and the silent, overlooked minorities in the Kingdom. Among parties who praised the election were the Progressive Party and its affiliates, the Minority Party, the Adborthos Caucus, the Aryela Front, the Homaitist Movement, the Patriotic Secessionists, Revolutionaries, Rýfeližem, and the Yaraan Minority. The nominally left-wing Progressive Union was one of the few parties to not do so, releasing no statement on the matter.

Right-wing and conservative parties were much more split on the elections, with some such as the Republican Movement, Majority Party, and Anti-Tyranny Party calling it a small victory for the right and a fair election, and others such as the Kryfona Conservative Party, Royalist Alliance, and Kryfona Alliance expressing disappointment or anger at the results. The Kryfona Conservative Party, the largest of the sub-national right-wing parties, released only a short announcement on the election's results, saying they had been "very disappointing for the conservative movement" and expressing the hope that the right-wing parties would fare better in the coming xiszuiera elections and the 2017 parliamentary election. The Republicans, Majority Party, and Anti-Tyranny Party all signed on to a joint statement calling the election the "best news for right-wingers in decades," and "proof that the right-wing can consistently win an election even without the KRP."

Anger was the predominant emotion expressed in the fringe camps of the Royalist and Kryfona Alliance parties. Although the party leadership in both parties remained relatively quiet on the matter, lower ranking members of the party were furious with the results and in fringe cases went so far as to call the election as a whole "rigged." A controversy erupted in this wing of the parties when, on 2 October, the relatively small Rauyalisima za Kghelias paper published allegations that there had been "voting irregularities" in several close constituencies such as Tivras. Although the government officially put out a statement denying any sort of interference or rigging of the election, around 500 members of the Royalist and Kryfona Alliance parties, as well as some members of the Kryfona Conservative Party, protested the results outside the Kryfonsparliszaiye on 2 and 3 October. The protests were peaceful and broke up without incident on both days. Nonetheless, anger against the "tainted results" prompted a petition to the government by Royalist Alliance leader Sazsadi Morgins, in which he sought to have the government declare the election void and hold a new one on 1 October, 2012. The petition was denied by the government on 5 October on the grounds of being frivolous.

Aborted resignation of Kazna

Among the most noteworthy storylines in the aftermath of the election was the attempted and then aborted resignation of KLP leader Czesikna Kazna. Kazna, who had been the leader of the part for 15 years by the time the 2011 election occurred, had like many of his contemporaries anticipated a much better showing by the party than what ultimately occurred. Although Kazna was optimistic going into the night of 1 October, by the time the morning of 2 October arrived and it was clear that the KLP would be reduced to just 13 seats in the Kryfonsparliszaiye, Kazna was almost completely broken. In his own words, Kazna described the event as "similar to getting run over by a truck."[20] At around 8AM on 2 October, Kazna penned up a hasty speech of resignation, and went to his advisers with the intention of resigning from his position as leader of the party. However, Kazna found that none of his party advisers wanted him to resign, despite the terrible showing by the party under his watch, and they attempted to talk him out of resigning from the party on the grounds that there were no real replacements for him if he actually did. Subsequently, Kazna decided he would defer the decision for a time and come to a final conclusion by the end of the day. He ultimately, despite the collapse of the party, chose to not resign.

A day after it happened, the story was "leaked" to the press, and it was placed on the front page of Nylzsryfa's Monday edition, as well as the front page of Azsaeha and the Lawvsgara Times. The KRP officially refused to comment on the matter, and released no statement to the press about the incident, but Kazna resolved to hold a press conference on the matter, and did so that afternoon. Kazna stated that, while he "considered resigning from the [KLP]," he "ultimately chose not not to for the good of the loyalist movement and the KLP."[21] Kazna was praised for his openness on the matter, despite the party's refusal to confirm or deny the incident to the press, although some members of the KLP considered his decision to come out on the subject something of a mistake. When asked about the subject several days after it happened, KLP MP Kalgos Madri stated Kazna's press conference on the subject was "ill advised" and "[the conference] should have never happened in the first place."[22]

Financial markets

Financial markets in both the Kryfona Kingdom and Arieles Kingdom skyrocketed as a result of the election, with the Daeszr rising against the Arieles Õrailan considerably.[23] The Õrailan itself also rose, but not as much as the Daeszr.[24] The stock markets in both countries rose by nearly record amounts, and share prices for most all traded companies rose with them. Despite promises by the UKP to support the continued decentralization of the Kryfona banking system, which in ordinary circumstances would have likely caused a downturn in the markets, their over-performance in the election seemingly demonstrated that voters still trusted the party and that there would be stability in the Kingdom.[25]

Notes

  1. The legislative leader (and incidentally this is true of all other group leaders in the Kryfonsparliszaiye) does not necessarily have to be the party leader and, owing to the responsibilities of party leaders, typically is not. Darenaz Tezec was appointed to hold the position by Dajeila Zasane on 1 October, 2005.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Awaseq, MESZAGHAN: Pažem Tuszkeya wins every seat in Vyfarla; Loyalists shaken in historic outcome. Azsaeha. 2 October, 2011.
  2. Eizem, VARIA: Pazem Tuszkeya big winner in election with 5 new seats; UKP with 2 in victory for alliance. Lawvsgara Times. 2 October, 2011.
  3. The 40th Assembly was a KLP-KRP alliance assembly. The parties controlled 22 and 29 seats, respectively.
  4. Mezcsyari, VANDYS: Possible bribery incident does not affect UKP approval, say pollsters. Nylzsryfa. 13 July, 2007.
  5. Mezcsyari, VANDYS: UKP holds strong despite dip in the polls. Nylzsryfa. 17 July, 2007.
  6. Lilyas, ANŽARI: Awaseq calls Oszej abolition act a ‘targeted attack’ against KRP. Lawvsgara Times. 18 May, 2009.
  7. Yerisz, MEIZAT: UKP-backed Oszej abolition act fails in the Kryfonsparliszaiye. Nylzsryfa. 19 May, 2009.
  8. ib Seihe, OMARASI DAARGA: UKP tumbles in polls after failed Oszej abolition act. Areimsedeza. 20 May, 2009.
  9. Melgy, HORINZS: For the first time since 1921, no independents will run for seats. Nylzsryfa. 6 July, 2011.
  10. Yalui, GARYI: Dezsi Mazinai will not seek fifth term as Vrlxsena MP; to resign in 2011. Terasa. 2 October, 2005.
  11. Voja, JENS: Kagrizjem speaks: “I will be vacating my seat in 2011.”. Uszyaaza. 22 May, 2009.
  12. Kyszx, GANES: Osinyza out—UKP MP retiring at the end of historic sixth term. Galaszyza. 2 October, 2005.
  13. Yazinas, SESIEM AWASEQ: Jazinsz Lazinat to end career; will not seek another term. Nylzsryfa. 3 October, 2007.
  14. Svariyantina, VENSI: Mailas resigns? Vyfarlan MP ‘will not stand’ in next elections due to ‘familial troubles’. Eiwenasa. 2 October, 2005.
  15. Nadar, VOSI: Gari Salo apparently calls it quits; says ‘this is my last term’ in statement to press. Aarŭsa. 12 September, 2009.
  16. Madri, VIZÖN: Jiön Arges to retire; will finish his term as MP of West Keszanetaa. Zarjeňehu Tuzkeya. 2 October, 2005.
  17. Lweskija-Sarhem, EIS VEIHEN: Exit polling suggests big win for Pazem in Vyfarla. Azsaeha. 1 October, 2011.
  18. Vedyns, ARISA: Sehel stirs controversy with hegemony remark; praises end of KRP rule in the Kingdom. Foreign Events. 2 October, 2011.
  19. Berhares-Keita, YISA: Razanat speaks on Kryfona elections; calls them birth of ‘true multiparty system.’. Ratinethosi. 3 October, 2011.
  20. Editorial Board, AZSAEHA: "Interview with Czesikna Kazna, part 1". Azsaeha. 5 October, 2011.
  21. Editorial Board, AZSAEHA: "Interview with Czesikna Kazna, part 2". Azsaeha. 5 October, 2011.
  22. Verilzs, DANAAN: Madri calls Kazna press conference “ill advised,” expresses displeasure about it. Vyfan Desert Sun. 7 October, 2011.
  23. Nasmin, HELIA: Surprise as markets rise with UKP victory; Daeszr stays strong. Eko. 2 October, 2011.
  24. Tenes, JESA AIMIA: Daeszr, Oerailan both climb on wings of UKP election victory. Nasje. 2 October, 2011
  25. Tagriw, JEZSNA: A vote for stability wins the day: UKP elected back to the A Wing Tivrasa. 2 October, 2011.

See also