September 4333
The Luthorian Gazette
Social Democratic Union "enthusiastic" about upcoming election, leader says
Despite the radical overhaul of the party a positive future lies ahead, according to Gladys Armstrong
Gladys Armstrong has said she is "extremely ethusiastic and positively hopeful" about the party's prospects ahead of the upcoming election in December this year. The SDU leader admits however that "some caution is needed" in regards to what she describes as a "massive shift in the party's platform".
Armstrong is right to be cautious. It is less than three years ago since the far-left Communist Party of Luthori reformed itself, becoming the Social Democratic Union, or SDU, following years of underlying tensions between internal factions and a power vacuum that emerged following the death of its beloved General Secretary, Chester Greerson.
The Communist Party's internal infighting often spilled into the public sphere highlighting the tensions and divisions faced by the Luthorian left. The hard line Communist faction despised the moderate Socialist and Social democratic members who flocked to the party following the collapse of the Social Democratic Party in 4316. The public spats between the different factions worsened by the influx of new party members during this period proved devastating for the party. Between 4316 and 4327 support for the party slumped. Over four million voters were shed.
The death of Chester Greerson in 4330 rocked the party. A well-liked politician who acted as a source of stability, Greerson came to recognise the need to capture more than just Communists if Luthori's left were to make a serious attempt towards entering government. In what would be his final speech as General Secretary, Chester Greerson had fittingly called for "peace and reconciliation" between those on the left of Luthorian politics.
Gladys Armstrong campaigned on Greerson's call for unity in her leadership bid and played a major role in reforming the party. According to her, "spats between rival left-wing groups only helped the right-wing parties. It was a major turn-off for potential voters and ruined our public image." Right-wing newspapers and other media outlets seized upon this and derided the party as a threat to 'stability and national security'.
"Now that is in the past. The SDU has united the left, we recognise that if we are to win we must put our differences aside and work towards achieving our common goals", she adds. "Not only this, but we now have a positive platform and a message of hope which makes us attractive to other more centrist voters - something which we've never had before."
There is a positive vibe around SDU headquarters and a sense of vibrant enthusiasm fuelled by new younger members which the old Communist Party lacked. However, behind closed doors senior party officials were keen to talk down their party's electoral prospects. Some within the SDU are worried that despite the shift towards the centre and the significant rebranding of the party the newly formed Luthori Republican Party and in particular, the Luthori People's Party, will be serious challengers in terms of capturing the left-wing and progressive vote.
One source said that "we will either come out of it as the largest party or we'll be absolutely ravaged by the newcomers, it is that unpredictable. The alliance with the Progressives will be of the utmost importance, both now and for the foreseeable future."