The Saridani Voice is an independent Luthorian-speaking online news podcast hosted in Saridan, with transcripts also available in Duntrekaans and Canrillaise.
Interview with Storm Clark, Leader of Forward Saridan
May 11, 4640
Storm Clark pictured above in 4636, courtesy of Forward Saridan.
Q: Did you expect to win a majority during the last election?
Clark wrote:Definitely not. We had very, very modest expectations—not even close to a minority. The last election win actually caused a great deal of anxiety. We started off less than two years prior as just a small party that was practically unknown. Then, the very first election we participate in, we are suddenly handed the keys to the country. It was a shock for everyone.
Q: Why did your party demand so little cabinet seats in the coalition government?
Clark wrote:The reason relates closely to the fact that we are a very new party and up until the last election, did not have many experienced candidates. I think now after serving about three years in the cabinet and legislature, that our party will have more confidence to serve in additional cabinet positions in the future. Keeping in mind, it is our goal to share power rather than hoard it, so you'll never see a situation where we occupy the entirety of a government cabinet unless that is what the other parties have decided will be the case.
Q: In your view, how has the coalition with the Federal Party gone thus far? Do you plan to work with them in the future?
Clark wrote:The coalition has gone very well, I wouldn't say there are any concerns at this point. I think it really helps that both our parties are quite aligned in what we overall want for Saridan. And we definitely plan on working with them in the future, as we would with other political movements.
Q: Your party has run on a platform of bipartisanship, how do you see that evolving in the future?
Clark wrote:We talk a lot about the need for bipartisanship and how compromise can lead to solutions that work for more people and groups rather than just a few. What I have seen evolve with our government coalition with the Federal Party is a postpartisan state. For the past few years the Saridani government has effectively ruled with the efficiency of a one-party state, but with the methods of a multiparty liberal democracy. I would say that the present political situation we are in is very ideal and is something other nations should certainly strive for. I mean, when was the last time you saw a political attack ad or seen politicians act like bullies on a school playground in the Federal Assembly? Even the media environment is cordial. Yet, this is not the result of censorship, but rather a nation currently in a state of democratic unity. It's no longer "us vs. them", it's just people working to make the country a better place.
Q: Will you be running as a presidential candidate in the upcoming election?
Clark wrote:Only if recommended by our coalition partner, but for now, we don't have any plans to field an opposing candidate. Our nation has benefited greatly from the reforms made under van Bogge's leadership. When he retires come next term, he will leave a positive lasting legacy that moved our nation away from authoritarianism. As a humanist party, we obviously have no disagreements with the integration of human rights into the constitution, so we intend fully to support successor plans that the Federal Party has in regards to national leadership.
Q: There have been voices in your party that have expressed disagreement with conscription, do you have plans to change the existing policy?
Clark wrote:It's not really a matter of "disagreeing" with conscription in principle, it wasn't introduced for ideological reasons in the first place by the Federal Party. Simply put, the military was facing shortages in man-power and conscription has proven to be the way to solve that. I can't speak much of the future as I think we have to remain adaptive to the needs of the present and put our own idealistic preferences aside. So, yes. On principle, we don't agree with conscription in general, but we have to be pragmatic. Already, we introduced a reform that received bipartisan approval to conscription that has excluded certain members of society from conscription: those with disabilities, pregnancy, and or people actively caring for—without pay—children and vulnerable adults. I think there are good elements to conscription, the military has a way of breaking down ethnic, socioeconomic, and other social barriers. Rich and poor serve alongside each other, men, women, black, and white. Maybe sometime in the future conscription won't be necessary, but for now it is.
Q: What is your party's platform for the upcoming election?
Clark wrote:We don't provide specific promises to the electorate when it comes to policy: we have to be dynamic and respond to changing situations. However, we do plan on addressing substance abuse, obesity prevention, and mental health. In that category, we hope to make the most out of modest proposals as current legislation seems adequate for harm reduction. Address climate change and working to transition our nation to more sustainable practices is definitely also a future goal. Thanks to bipartisan support with the Federal Party, we have already made significant progress in agricultural sustainability and ensuring workplaces are safe to breathe in. Overall, we hope to complement the plans of our coalition partner.
Q: Will you continue to lead your party in the upcoming term?
Clark wrote:Probably. We function on sociocratic organizational methods, so I am not entirely sure who the party will decide to lead. It really depends on the situation and who would be best suited. On a personal note, my husband and I have been trying for a second child for sometime, so if we succeed in that, I'll step down if I'm not replaced before then.