Political parties in the RTC

This page was copied from http://steen.free.fr/rtc/parties.html and serves primarily as a notebook for it.

The Veneds are a politically conscious people with a longstanding democratic tradition (in fact, one of the oldest democratic traditions in the world). They enjoy discussing politics, and in general they have an opinion about virtually everything, usually a negative one, and would miss no opportunity to ventilate it. The saying goes: "Komód dwu Wenedzi sie okętrą, dzie wieczy naszczą sie trze partie" ("When two Veneds meet, immediately three parties are born"). There is some undeniable truth in this saying. And what is more, the phenomenon seems to have spread over the nationalities who have co-inhabitated the R.T.C. with them, although it must be said that it is less strong among Lithuanians, Ukrainians, and others.

As a result, the R.T.C. has over 700 registered parties. Almost every possible combination of political opinions is represented by at least one party, and what is more: most of these parties are organised nationally. As a result, most Venedic parties have some kind of Lithuanian and sometimes Ukrainian counterpart, or equivalent. Only three parties are trans-national and cover the whole R.T.C.. In other cases Venedic parties cooperate closely with their Lithuanian counterpart, sometimes in the form of a common parliamentary caucus, sometimes simply in the form of mutual sympathy and incidental coordination of plans and tactics.

Of these hundreds of parties, 48 are currently represented in the Sejm. A short description follows below. It should be noted that the number of parliamentary seats is rather instable, as it happens frequently that members of one caucus leave it or join another. The numbers listed are those immediately following the elections of 2001.

Parties encompassing the entire R.T.C.

DPWiL – Demokratka Partia Wenedy i Litwanii and ViLDP – Vendos ir Lietuvos Demokratų Partija (Democratic Party of Veneda and Lithuania). Centrist party, founded in 1932. It favoured a reunification between Veneda and Lithuania when the two were separated. In 1953 most of its members left and founded the UD-DS. (10 seats in the Sejm)

PKRDK – Partia Komynistka Rzeipybiełczej Dwar Krunar (Communist Party of the R.T.C.). Founded in 1901. Operates in Lithuania under the name DKRKP (Dviejų Karūnų Respublikos Komunistų Partija). (21 seats)

UD-DS – Unioń Demokratka / Demokratų Sąjunga (Democratic Union). Centrist party, hesitating between social-democracy, christian-democracy and liberalism. Founded in 1953. Apart from the PKRDK and the DPWiL, this is the only party that encompasses the whole R.T.C. It is currently the largest party in the Sejm. It is led by prime minister Jan Sacz. (88 seats)

Venedic parties

BNSP – Blok Neutrały Sprotu Progrzeszoni (Neutral Bloc for the Support of Progression). Centre-right, liberal, pro-Western party, modelled after the pre-war Blok Neutrały pro Kooperaconi ku Gubernamiętu (BNKG). Strongly in favour of the monarchy. (15 seats)

BR – Blok Rzejpybiełkany (Republican Bloc). Moderately conservative party, founded in 1918. Favours the Venedic-Lithuanian union, supports the Baltic League. Leader of the BR, currently the second largest party in the Sejm, is foreign minister Olwarz Piniatyk. (53 seats)

DN – Demokracja Naconała (National Democracy). Nationalist party, founded in 1881 by the diplomat Ignac Dynacz. Strong emphasis on the Venedic language and on Roman-Catholicism as identifiers of Venedic identity. Favours the idea of a Venedic national state instead of the Venedic-Lithuanian union, and opposes not only the R.T.C., but also the Baltic League. Proposes cooperation with Russia instead. The ND has always been one of the strongest parties in Veneda, although through its extremist views it rarely gained real influence. (49 seats)

KRN – Konfederacoń pro Rzeipybiełczej Niedziepiędzięciej (Confederation for an Independent Republic). Strange mixture of progressive and reactionary features. Since its foundation in 1931, the KRN has always supported the idea of a restitutio ad integrum, a return to the old pre-partitions RTC, not only consisting of Veneda and Lithuania, but also of Belarus and Ukraine. Strongly in favour of the Baltic League and its expansion eastward. Leftist in its economic viewpoints. Leader: Wójt Kramar. (12 seats)

LiD – Liwartać i Demokracja (Freedom and Democracy). Right-wing, liberal party, founded in 1957. Opposes any state interference with the economy, but progressive in ethical matters. Leader: Łyca Dzieławita. (10 seats)

MPR - Momię Pro Rzeipybiełczej (Movement for the Republic). Strongly anti-democratic party, founded in 1951 as a continuation of the Movement for the Fatherland (Momię Pro Patrzy, MPP), which was forbidden in 1948 for its collaboration with the German occupant. Favours the RTC as a "big Veneda". Irredentist tendencies towards Russia and Ukraine. (2 seats)

OC – Olęca Centrała (Central Alliance). Christian-Democratic party, very close to the UChN, but more populist in its behaviour. Founded in 1972 and led by the twin brothers Światoń and Tybierz Anać. (4 seats)

OLD – Olęca Lewy Demokratczej (Alliance of Democratic Left). Founded in 1985 as a loose umbrella organisation for 29 smaller parties, trade unions, and other organisations of socialists, communists, anarchists, syndicalists, etc. (27 seats)

PChD – Partia Chrzeszczano-Demokratka (Christian-Democratic Party). Christian-Democratic party, more moderate and less nationalist than the UChN, but more liberal in its economic views. Founded in 1941. (2 seats)

PKL – Partia Konserwaciwo-Liberała (Conservative-Liberal Party). Conservative party, split off from the BR in 1991. (2 seats)

PN – Partia Naconała (National Party). Similar to WFN, but slightly more old-fashioned in its ideology. Founded in 1937 by former members of the ND in whose opinion the ND was not radical enough. (1 seat)

RPOB – Rzejpybiełkana Partia Omikór Biery (Republican Party of Beer Friends). Started very successfully in 1988 as a fun party, but since then the RPAB has lost most of its support. Over the years, it has developed into a more or less serious and stable party of moderated, centre-right signature. (4 seats)

SOW – Sołodziefięca Ogierzkłór Wenedkór (Self-defense of Venedic Peasants). This is not a real party, and it is not represented in the Sejm, but nevertheless worth mentioning. It was founded in the early 1990s as a militant grouping representing peasants' interests, and has evolved into a mixture of a peasants' trade union and a movement of the discontent in general. Politically, it can be categorised as belonging to the far right, but it does not share the extreme nationalist viewpoints that usually characterise it. Strongly opposed against the Baltic League and against the "exploitation of Venedic peasants by the Lithuanian nobility".

UChN – Unioń Chrzeszczano-Naconała (Christian-National Union). Very conservative, christian-democratic party, supported by a major part of the Venedic clergy. Nationalist tendencies and balto-scepticism, but its economic programme could be categorised as moderate leftist. The UChN, founded in 1967, is the largest party of the scattered, Christian-Democratic right in Veneda. (8 seats)

UKW – Unioń Konserwacistór Wenedkór (Union of Venedic Conservatives). Ultra-conservative party, representing the interests of the rich landowners. Consists mostly of members of the nobility. Founded officially in 1889, although inofficially it has existed since the 1850s. (3 seats, although the UKW has a substantial number of members and sympathisants in the Senate too)

UŁ – Unioń Łoworzy (Labour Union). Social-democratic party that split off from the WUPS in 1971. More centrist than the WUPS. (8 seats)

WFN – Wenedki Front Naconały (Venedic National Front). Extreme-right, nationalist, fascist group, founded in 1994. (1 seat)

Wierdzi (The Greens). Progressive, leftist party with stress on environment protection. Founded in 1979. (2 seats)

WPP – Wenedka Partia Popłarza (Venedic People’s Party). Difficult to categorise. The WPP is basically the party of the Venedic countryside. It embraces Catholic values and represents peasant interests. Economically, it is both anti-socialist and anti-capitalist. The WPP favours the king and the RTC, but is strongly opposed against the influence of the Baltic League. Its was founded in 1903 and is currently led by Waldemar Pawlin. (29 seats)

WWPS – Wenedka Wyniewkata Partia Socalistka (Venedic Unified Socialist Party). Consists of two, more or less integrated, parties: the Venedic Socialist Party (Wenedka Partia Socalistka, WPS) and the Venedic Workers’ Party (Wenedka Partia Łowuratorzór, WPŁ). The latter was founded in 1882 in Warsina as the Partia Socało-Rewoluconarza “Proletariat” and renamed WPŁ in 1905. The WPS was the result of a merger in 1904 between the Partia Socałdemokratka Wenedy i Litwanii (PSDWiL, founded in 1893), and the Unioń Przegrzyna Socalistór Wenedkór (UPSW, founded in 1892). Although the WPS and the WPŁ have traditionally been revolutionary socialists, comparable to the Russian mensheviks and socialists-revolutionaries respectively, they have now developed into a modern, social-democratic party. Leader of the WWPS is minister of culture Katarzyna Parydżanka. (51 seats)

Lithuanian parties

CS – Centro Sąjunga (Centre Union). Centrist party, supported mainly by the Romuva. Founded in 1962. (5 seats)

DKRS – Dviejų Karūnų Respublikos Socialdemokratija (Social-Democracy of the Republic of the Two Crowns). Modern social-democratic party, less radical than the LSDDP and comparable to the Venedic UŁ. Founded in 1953. (3 seats)

KDS – Krikščionų Demokratų Sąjunga (Christian-Democratic Union). Small Christian-Democratic party, supported mainly by members of the small Lithuanian Catholic minority and by Veneds living in Lithuania. Founded in 1921. (1 seat)

LDJ – Lietuvos Demokratų Judejimas (Lithuanian Democratic Movement). Centre-left party with both liberal and social-democratic tendencies. Founded in 1948. (3 seats)

LKL – Lietuvos Konservatorių Lyga (Lithuanian Conservative League). Extremely conservative party of members of the Lithuanian nobility and their sympathisers. Very similar to the Venedic UKW. (1 seat)

LLDP – Lietuvos Liberalų Demokratų Partija (Lithuanian Liberal-Democratic Party). Liberal party, slightly less to the right than the Venedic LiD. Founded in 1963. (7 seats)

LSDDP – Lietuvos Socialdemokratų Darbo Partija (Lithuanian Social-Democratic Labour Party). Lithuanian counterpart of the WWPS, founded in 1896. (11 seats)

LSLP – Lietuvos Socialistų Liaudies Partija (Lithuanian Socialist People’s Party). Lithuanian counterpart of the OLD, with whom it forms a loose caucus in the Sejm. Founded in 1974. (3 seats)

LŽP – Lietuvos Žaliųjų Partija (Lithuanian Green Party). Similar to the Venedic Wierdzie, with whom it forms one common caucus in parliament. (2 seats)

NDS – Naujujų Demokratų Sąjunga (New Democratic Union). Centrist party that proposes radical democratic reforms. In favour of a thorough modernisation of the RTC, especially focused on putting an end to the influence of the nobility. Nevertheless positive about the union with Veneda. Particularly popular among students. Founded in 1991. (3 seats)

Respublikonai (Republicans). Centre-right party of a moderately conservative signature. It was founded in 1948 and modelled mainly after the Venedic Blok Rzejpybiełkany, with whom it cooperates closely. Like the BR, the Respublikonai are strong supporters of the Venedic-Lithuanian union, the king, and the Baltic League. With 28 seats in the Sejm, the Respublikonai are the largest Lithuanian party.

Tautininkai (Nationalists). Lithuanian-nationalist party, founded in the late 19th century. During the Interbellum, the Tautininkai exercised absolute power over Lithuania. After the Second Great War they lost most of their influence, but managed to retain some support among the population. Since then the Tautininkai have always played an important role in Lithuanian politics. Although they accept the Venedic-Lithuanian union for practical reasons, their strategic aim for the future is a fully independent Lithuanian state. In many ways, they can be considered the Lithuanian counterpart of the ND. (14 seats)

TP - Tikratikių Partija (Party of the True Believers). A more radical pagan party in Lithuania, which seeks an official promotion of Baltic paganism over other religions.

'S"LAV" - Sąjūdis "Lietuva Aukščiau Visko" (Movement "Lithuania Above Everything"). A nationalist party, more radical than Tautininkai. It is against union with Veneda and generally considers Lithuanian nation to be superior over the other nations of the world. Advocates for expulsion of people of other nationalities, such as Jews, Veneds, Belarusians, from the Lithuanian majority areas, banning of immigration, occupation of Skuodia, to some extent as well Panbaltism.

VS – Valstiečių Sąjunga (Farmers’ Union). Conservative party, strong emphasis on Baltic pagan values, less on nationalism. Its power base is the Lithuanian countryside. Scepsis towards the Venedic-Lithuanian Union. Founded in 1918. (22 seats)

Galician parties

FUN – Front Ukrajinśkych Nacionalistiw (Фронт Українських Націоналістів; Front of Ukrainian Nationalists). Militantly Ukrainian-nationalist grouping with Galician independence and eventually a unified Ukrainian state as its purpose. Founded in 1956 as a prolongation (or rather, political arm) of the OUN (Orhanizacija Ukrajins'kykh Nacionalistiv). (4 seats)

Nostra Galicja (Our Galicia). Ultra-rightist party of Venedic chauvinists, who despise everything Ukrainian in Galicia. Founded in 1923, immediately after Galicia had been granted autonomy. Closely related to the ND. (9 seats)

SDPH – Socijał-Demokratyczna Partija Hałyczyny (Соціял-Демократична Партія Галичини; Social-Democratic Party of Galicia). Founded in 1909 after the merger of several other Ukrainian socialist groups. Its program is somewhere between the Venedic WWPS and the social-democrats who rule the Ukrainian National Republic most of the time. (6 seats)

SLOB – Slow’janśke Bratstvo (Слов'янське Братство; Slavic Brotherhood). Ukrainian equivalent of the Russian SNOR, founded in 1944. Its Galician branch was launched by the snorist rulers of Russia and Ukraine as a means to get grip on the Ukrainian minority of the R.T.C., but failed. Currently, the SLOB is forbidden in Ukraine, but not in the R.T.C., where it still leads a marginal existence. Strange enough, the SLOB turned out to be more attractive to the Belorussian minority than to the Ukrainian. (1 seat)

UNDO – Ukrajinśka Nacionałno-Demokratyczna Orhanizacija (Українська Національно-Демократична Організація; Ukrainian National-Democratic Organisation). Centrist umbrella organisation of many different Ukrainian political and non-political groups, and by far the strongest Ukrainian movement. It was founded in 1899. It firmly advocates Galicia becoming a separate constituant of the R.T.C. instead of a part of the Kingdom of Veneda, but rejects the sometimes violent attitude of other, more radical Ukrainian groups. Its charismatic leader is the chairman of the Galician Council, Darko Popczuk. (41 seats)

Other regional and minorities' parties

CzC – Czeskaa Cesta (Czech Way). - Exists in Volhynia as a movement since end of 19th cc, as a political party since 1950. They have a mother branch in Bohemia, founded 1868. They are prominent nationalistic party, unifying intelectuals as common people with a feeling for all Czech. They do not co-operate openly with SW, but many time their moves were co-ordinated, although not publicly.

FP – Freyet Preymeren (Free Premaria). Saxon-Nationalist party, founded in 1956. Fights the "illegal occupation" by the R.T.C. of Premaria and seeks (re)unification with the Duchy of Premaria. Until now the party has been able to avoid being banned for terrorism. It enjoys some support among the more militant members of the Saxon minority in Premaria. (2 seats)

MDŚ – Momię Demokratki Ślezanór (in Silesian: Muvmet Demokratek de Slezani; Democratic Movement of Silesians). Grouping established in 1977 to defend the interests of the Silesian minority in Grand-Veneda and Silesia. Most Veneds consider Silesian a dialect of Wenedyk, most of the outside world (including the Bohemian Kingdom, where most Silesians live) considers it a separate language. Obviously, the MDŚ holds the latter view. (1 seat)

ORVIL – Orhanizacija Rusyniw u Wenezi j na Łytwi (Організація Русинів у Венезі й на Литві; Organisation of Ruthenes in Veneda and Lithuania). Founded in 1936. Many Ruthenes consider themselves Ukrainians, and become activists in Ukrainian organisations. A large minority, however, consider themselves a separate nation, and the ORVIL was created to protect it. (5 seats)

RVU – Ruch Volyn’s’kych Ukrajinciv (Рух Волиньських Українців; Movement of Volhynian Ukrainians). Organisation of Ukrainians and Poleshchuks, who advocate Volhynia becoming part of the Ukrainian Autonomous Region of Galicia instead of remaining part of Lithuania, where the Ukrainians enjoy relatively little rights. (3 seats)

SPB – Socatać Prusór Bałtkór (Society of Baltic Prussians). Founded in 1963, defends the interests of the small Prussian minority. (2 seats)

SVP – Sassische Volksparty (Saxon People’s Party). Founded in 1924. Party representing the interests of the Low Saxon population of the R.T.C.. Otherwise most of its program can be categorised as centre-left. (10 seats)

SW – Swobodnaa Wolinj (Free Volhynia). Founded 1968. Mild ideological successor of Swatowaacslawskaa Orlice (Eagle of St. Wenceslaus), SNOR supporting, Czech extreme nationalistic party, which was banned 1949. SW has adopted only strong panslavism, they play rational politics with a strong sense to common (Slavic) man. The party unctuously tries to avoid any link to Orlice, but their radical youth wing (knjraczi - moustachistes) is not afraid of repressions anymore. Like the other main political organisation of Czechs in the RTC, the CzC, the SW sometimes manages to find enough support for one seat in the Sejm, sometimes it doesn't.

WPG – Wyniewkata Partia Grąwenedór (Unified Party of Grand-Veneds). Regional party in Grand-Veneda. (2 seats)

ZBRDK – Zvjaz Belarusau Respubliki Dvach Karon (Звяз Беларусаў Республікі Двах Карон; Union of Belarusians in the RTC). Not distinctively political umbrella organisation of the Belarusian minority in the R.T.C. In 2001 it participated for the first time in the elections, to give the Belarusians a voice in the Sejm. It does not represent any other political views other than the defense of Belarusian interests. (3 seats)

ŽLP - Žemaičių Liaudies Partija (Samogitian People's Party). A political party of the Samogitian people - that is, people speaking the Samogitian language (Samogitian dialect of Lithuanian language). The party seeks to introduce Samogitian as a second official language in Samogitia and otherwise promote the Samogitian identity. It is popular mostly among the rural population, but as well among some educated people; most of Samogitian urban dwellers however considers Samogitian to be a village language and preffers standart Lithuanian (if they could speak Samogitian at all).