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Social Democratic Union: Difference between revisions
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==History==
===Beginnings===
The SDU was formed on February 9, 1970 by a coalition of social democrats, democratic socialists, and progressive liberals in response to growing political instability and perceived corruption during the presidency of [[Matvei Lukyanov]]. The party framed itself as a potential solution to the issues plaguing Volkian society and as a way to keep Lukyanov's growing power in check. At the time, both houses of the National Assembly had a [[Conservative Party (Volkia)|Volkian Conservative]] supermajority that enabled Lukyanov and acted as his rubber stamp. Opposition parties, while not illegal, had been stifled and did not receive the same support from the establishment that the Conservatives did.
Initially viewed as a "fool's errand," the party found growing support in Volkia's major cities and rallies rivaled those of the ruling Volkian Conservatives. These rallies were met with harassment from the Skopa Special Police Unit (Skopa), a federal police agency that reported directly to Lukyanov. Numerous rallygoers, activists, and political candidates tied to the SDU would be attacked, beaten, or arrested by Skopa for "anti-Volkian activities." A notable example was the [[Valentin Botvinnik|beating of Valentin Botvinnik]] by Skopa officers which sparked the [[1970 Volkgoroda riots]] and further fueled the [[Volkian Revolution]].
Lukyanov himself also brought attention to the group as they grew in popularity, and stated that they were "searching for blue roses" by promising sweeping social reforms. The SDU embraced the image of the blue rose and would go on to be known as the "'''Blue Rose Party'''" in Volkian politics. Political scholars have suggested that Lukyanov played a role in his party's defeat in the 1970 elections by bringing national attention to the SDU, which had previously been largely isolated to [[Volkgoroda]] and the surrounding provinces. The SDU went on to coalition with the [[Liberal Party (Volkia)|Liberal Party]] and [[Socialist Labor League]]
In the [[1970 Volkian elections|1970 elections]], overseen by international election observers, the SDU won nearly 45% of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies and half of the available seats in the Federal Council. Their partners, the Liberals and Socialists, won enough seats in the Chamber of Deputies to give the coalition a supermajority and split the remaining available seats in the Federal Council. The SDU spearheaded the successful [[impeachment of Matvei Lukyanov]] and his ultimate conviction for high treason, anti-Volkia activities, and electoral fraud.
The successful
===1980–1992===
===1992–2016===
===2016–present===
==Ideology and political stance==
The party's platform highlights civil liberties and social equality while maintaining the current capitalist {{wp|welfare state}} with a combination of {{wp|free market}} activity and large state ownership in certain key sectors.
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