Grève Rouge: Coalition collapses amid infighting
Following Margaret Stonemason's divisive election as Président, the monarchist coalition has officially ended amid turbulent cabinet walk-outs and major party realignments.
After Charles Chevalier's abrupt resignation as leader of the MRN, after a dire showing in the presidential election, polling in last place with 10.22% of the vote, the party erupted into bickering. A clash between the moderates, under Chevalier's leadership, and the radicals within the party, controversial politician Alexandre Arceneau emerged to reform the party into the Partie Populiste Nationale de Kanjor (PPN).
Derided by critics as a racist and political rival of Chevalier for the ideological soul of the party, Arceneau made clear his party would no longer consider co-operation with the KCP, whom they had criticised previously for dominating the cabinet and refusing to compromise.
Arceneau's criticisms of the KCP, and Stonemason in particular, prompted a mass walkout of PPN and PRN ministers, who refused to collaborate any longer in a coalition.
"The situation became very volatile," explains Pierre Buchard, former PRN Education Minister, who had resigned previously. "Stonemason had been elected on a republican ticket, supported by the liberal Parti d'Maison. That put to rest any hopes that the KCP would support re-establishing the monarchy, and made appearent that they were only using the coalition in order to promote their dreams of a free-market. The PRN would not be used any longer."
Despite Stonemason's pleas to reforge the coalition, whipping up anti-communism in order to convince her former allies, the PPN and PRN remained stead-fast that they would not be fooled into a coalition under false pretences.
Paul Beaumont, former MRN Foreign Minister, insists, "The anti-communism excuse was feeble. It was clear that Stonemason was merely attempting to ensure that her free-market reforms were not backtracked on, now that there was not a coalition to preserve them."
A further blow was dealt to Stonemason and Quick's authority after high-profile KCP member, Alexander Montague, Defence Minister, resigned in protest to Stonemason's handling of the situation.
"Our party leader has alienated the rest of the government," Montague told L'Assemblée in his resignation speech. "Only a new direction for the KCP can save it's government."
From the moderate centrist wing of the KCP, Montague had the respect of liberals within his party, and his resignation marked a significant blow to Stonemason's appeal within her party. Previously a popular figure, the perception of Stonemason as a schemer and manipulator, promoted by the press, has damaged her opinion polling figures drastically.
In Le Gardien opinion poll conducted this month, only 46% of respondents believed that Margaret Stonemason was 'trustworthy', with 35% believing her to be 'untrustworthy', and 19% 'unsure'. Before her illness, 58% of respondents believed Stonemason was 'trustworthy'.
"The coalition is dead," states Prof. Henri Lechart, Head of the Political Science Dept. at L'université de Sovalt. "Whether or not Stonemason has back-stabbed her allies is irrelevant. The clash on interests between the KCP and their allies was too much; simple anti-communism cannot bind together statist conservatives and free-market moderates. In years to come, I believe that it was Chevalier who held this coalition together. With his departure, it could not survive."