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	POPULIST PARTY

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The Populist Party is based around the idea that members of the government should always support whatever the majority of the population wishes, regardless of their own beliefs. This contrasts with the basic position (whether official or unofficial) of all other parties, which say that members of the government should openly promote their views, allowing the public to choose between them on the basis of these views. According to the Populists, politicians should compete for office by demonstrating that they will be more effective at implementing the people's will, not by convincing people that their ideology and policies are worthy of support. The Populists see the ideal politician as "nothing more than a mouthpiece for public opinion". A vote for the Populists, the party often says, is a vote for a genuinely representative government.

The Populist Party currently holds two Senate seats. Its leader is Lucio Caristo, the wealthy businessman who founded the party. Its deputy leader is Siana Vereza (currently outside the Senate), its other Senator is Jacuelina Felueza, and its secretary is Claudio Dibo.

Colour and Emblem

The official colour of the party is a light shade of green. Its symbol is a repeating pattern of small dots, representing the population at large. The party's official logo has the party's name surrounded by these dots, representing that the party is "among the people".

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The party's official name in Lendian is "lo Partido Povisto, from the word povoso, meaning "people". However, it almost always refers to itself merely as "los Povistos", considering itself to be more of a movement or association than a political party. It would not have used the term "Party" in its official name had electoral regulations not required it.

Quote

"We are told that we live in a democracy, but if we do, it is an imperfect one. Democracy is more than simply the ability to choose your own rulers - it is the ability to rule yourself. Politicians style themselves as leaders, whereas in fact, they should always be followers. All politicians, regardless of their own personal views, should endeavour to follow the people's will."

Key Policies

The Populist Party is unusual among Lendosan political groups in that it does not put forward proposals for how the country should be run. Rather, it simply says that it will follow public opinion on every single issue. The party claims that "a vote for the Populists is not a vote for any particular ideal or goal - it is a vote for a government that actually does what the people want, whatever that may turn out to be."

Issues Facing the Party

The Populist Party, having no policies, would not be expected to have policy disputes. Nevertheless, there is a small amount of disagreement over whether there are any "basic" policies which may be inferred from the party's philosophy. For example, some supporters of the party believe that Populist philosophy requires that the party work towards a "more democratic" electoral system, such as the return of referendary democracy. Others argue that even basic policies such as these are unacceptable, and that the party should simply act as a "weathervane" for public opinion.

There is also a certain amount of disquiet from some sectors over the role of Lucio Caristo, the founder of the party. Caristo, a billionaire, has remained deeply involved in the party, and remains its public face. Some complain that Caristo's high profile obscures the party's basic message, and that to many, the Populists are simply "the Lucio Caristo party".

Subparties

The Populist Party does not have any official subparties.

History of the Party

The idea for the Populist Party was first put forward as early as 255 AP, when a university professor attempted to establish a group based on the principle. The attempt failed, but the idea was taken up by others, and there were a number of other abortive attempts to implement it. In 288 AP, an Association for Populism was founded, advancing the same basic platform. It was not until 306 AP, however, that a party based on the idea was actually launched.

The driving force behind the creation of the Populist Party was Lucio Caristo, a billionaire who had made his fortune in property investment. Caristo had supported a number of political parties over the course of his life, including the Communists (in his university days), the Liberals, the Capitalists, and the Libertarians. In the end, however, he became disillusioned with the entire political process, believing that all the parties he had joined were more interested in "converting people than actually listening to them". In 306 AP, just two weeks from the election, he reached an agreement with the then-moribund Association for Populism to found a Populist Party. Despite most political analysts saying that the party was launched too late to have any effect, the Populists won two seats in the Senate.

List of Past Leaders

• Lucio Caristo (306 - )