August 4463New competition for established partiesFor decades, the main political contest in Noumonde has been between the Canrillaise-dominated National Party and the Malgy-dominated Alliance for Progress. Now, with Constitutional Convention elections fast approaching, that seems set to change.
Two new parties have registered with the Noumonde Electoral Commission, and appear to be receiving significant support.
On the ultra-conservative Canrillaise right, the
Front Canrillaise or Canrillaise Front has been formed as a breakaway group from the National Party, which has become more moderate and centrist under the leadership of Leon Cormier. Many of its leading figures played a prominent role under General Blanchard's dictatorship, and some of them, including its leader, former Defence Minister Count Henri Beaumanoir, face possible trial over abuses they were alleged to be involved in. The Canrillaise Front is taking a hard-line approach to the constitutional talks, vowing to do everything it can to block any arrangement perceived to dilute the Canrillaise hold on power.
Meanwhile, on the Malgy side, a new group called the
Antoko Politika Malgy or Malgy People's Party has emerged to represent the interests of the poorer and more "traditional" Malgy who live outside the cities and towns, and are more likely to work in agriculture, follow the traditional Malgyist religion (OOC: Madagascan paganism) rather than Hosianism, and to feel their traditional way of life is threatened by economic and cultural change. They are strongly opposed to the influence of the Aurorian Patriarchal Church in Noumonde, and are also vigorously opposed to the House of Demitreous remaining on the throne.
In principle, the Malgy People's Party supports what it calls a "Malgy Monarchy", although it does not seem decided on who it thinks that monarch should be, or how such a monarchy should work. However, there is a growing surge of support within rural Malgy communities, and also within the Malgy People's Party, for the infamous former Kalkalistani Empress,
Lakshmi "the Black" to be crowned as "Queen of the Malgy". There are rumours that some Malgy village elders and senior Malgyist priests have been in contact with Lakshmi and are trying to persuade her to travel to Noumonde to support their cause.
Barijaona Rahantasoa, Leader of the Malgy People's PartyThe Malgy People's Party is led by Barijaona Rahantasoa, a highly revered traditional Malgyist healer, who comes from a long line of traditional healers. Journalists who have met Rahantsoa say he is very friendly and approachable, but something of a novice when it comes to politics. They also say the Malgy People's Party is a far more disparate and disorganised movement than the other 3 parties, and that Rahantsoa is not able to give his party the same sense of central direction which the other 3 party leaders give to their parties.