National Progressive Party

National Progressive Party Parti Prokresast Farḍamast
Abbreviation	PPF
Chairman	Draıčren Armǎk
Deputy Chairman	Asmin Rǎrıem
Founded	13 May 1952 (1952-05-13)
Split from	Communist Party of Terranihil
Headquarters	Minaltar, Terranihil
Youth wing	Progressive Youth
Armed wing	Progressive Guard
Membership (2021)	27,000,000
Ideology	• National progressivism  • Sentanism  • Authoritarianism
Colors	Red, black, white
Seats in parliament	455/480
Party flag
Politics of Terranihil Politcal parties of Terranihil Elections

The National Progressive Party (Vaktrian: Parti Prokresast Farḍamast), abbreviated as PPF, is the dominant political party in Terranihil that promotes national progressivism, an authoritarian Astrian Vaktrian ultranationalist ideology. Arkašter Emvǎran founded the party on 13 May 1952 after the Progressive Coup, in which army officers led by Emvǎran took control of the communist dominated Revolutionary Command Committee and declared that the Communist Party of Terranihil would be restructured into the PPF.

National progressive originates from the writings of Žapre Virǎt, an ex-communist professor and activist, who became an influencial figure in the PPF as its head ideologue. founded the party on January 4th, 1923 after leaving the Secularist Party. The party has dominated all aspects of the Terranilian government and military since the Progressive Revolution in 1941.

History

Foundation

Žep Virát (born on September 8, 1890) was a journalist and member of the Secularist Party. He was active within the party but never held a high position because of his anti-democratic views. Virát, a nationalist and totalitarian, had grown discontent with the Secularists who focused on promoting atheism through the established democratic process. Many party members shunned him for his authoritarian and revolutionary sympathies.

Žep Virát in 1948

He decided to leave the party in June of 1923 and then founded the National Progressive Party (NPP) on January 4, 1923. Žitham Lornif, Virát's close friend from the Secularist Party, helped him established and grow the party. Several other Secularists left and joined. Virát also started Progress Magazine, which helped promote his ideology.

Elections of the 1920s

The party campaigned for the 1924 midterm elections with Virát and other Progressives running for the House of Representatives and local government positions. Virát was the only Progressive to win a seat in the House of Representatives. During his term, he pushed for laws that favored Terranilian atheists over Muslims, Christians and ethnic minorities.

In October of 1926, several Secularist Party leaders were arrested for corruption. The party began to fall apart as a power struggle for leadership ensued. Many of the Secularist Party's members left for the NPP, including Governor Hesa Rintiep of Hinchivozh. Virát considered running for president in the 1926 presidential election, but he decided he did not have enough support to gather attention. Mariam Chithoik, a Conservative, won the election for president.

Governor Rintiep, a descendent of the Rintiep royal family, appointed Virát and Žittham Lornif as deputy governors in 1928 to serve in the House of Deputies. The NPP also won ten seats in the House of Representatives in the midterm election. The party's membership and political influence had significantly increased, but the NPP was still considered a radical fringe group.

Elections of the 1930s

In the 1930 presidential election, Virát ran for president. He knew that he and his party did not have enough support to win but wanted to make his name more well known regardless. The NPP heavily campaigned, including through the Progressive Magazine which had entered the top twenty political magazines in Terranihil. After elections, incumbent President Chithoik recieved 40% of votes and won a second term, while Virát won 6% of votes.

The NPP began a propaganda campaign against Chithoik mainly through Progress. Virát was arrested on June 22, 1931 for defamation against Chithoik and sedition against the Republic. The arrest was very controversial and was a major topic on national news. Virát denied an attorney and famously defended himself in court. He was found not guilty. The incident significantly increased Virát and the NPP's popularity among voters, making it the third-largest party.

Virát and Lorniff were both elected Governors in the 1932 midterms, along with two other members of the NPP, and each appointed two deputies so that the House of Deputies had a total of eight Progressives. The NPP also won twenty-five seats in the House of Representatives. Virát ran for president again in the 1934 presidential election, gaining 22% of votes, but losing to Republican Egedzak Stebo, a Póniepan.

A scandal involving Simvain Cuth, the Conservative Speaker of the House of Representatives, in which he was accused of corruption and having sexual relations with a minor, erupted in 1935. The NPP and Virát were very outspoken against Cuth. Many Conservatives became discontent with their party after the scandal. This allowed the NPP to make significant gains in the 1936 midterm election, in which they won 56 seats in the House of Representatives and 20 seats in the House of Deputies. The NPP had become a major threat to the Conservative and Republican parties, which had dominated Terranilian politics since the beginning of the Republic.

In October of 1937, the Póniepan Rebellion began and lasted until June of 1938. President Stebo, a Póniepan himself, refused to take strong action against the rebels until April of 1938. This caused a rift in the Republican Party; many Republicans who had supported Stebo in 1934 lost hope in him. He also lost support from the Póniepan Solidarity Party.

Virát, for a third time, ran for President in the presidential election. The many scandals within the main parties had lowered Republican and Conservative membership, while the NPP continued to campaign and grow. Virát received 31% of votes, a plurality. He won the election and became the first Progressive President.

Progressive Revolution

Main article: Progressive Revolution

Building in Guršaun burns four days into the Progressive Revolution

Virát attempted to pass laws that would benefit atheists and increase the power of the president. However, both houses of Parliament were controlled by Republicans who tried blocking Virát's bills and executive orders. Terranilian nationalism and the NPP continued to grow in popularity. The NPP used the attack on Virát's residence and the possible involvement of Conservatives in the attack as a way to destabilize the Conservative Party even further. Virát also worked to build up the armed forces. Virát formed the Progressive Guard, a paramilitary group under direct orders of the NPP.

The 1940 midterm election, known as the Final Election, solidified the NPP's power on the government. The NPP won pluralities in both houses of the Parliament. On December 31st, 1940, at 9 PM, the NPP, with support from most of the Terranilian Armed Forces, began the Progressive Revolution, in which the Progressives attempted to gain complete control of the government and eliminate any opposition. Virát declared a state of emergency which allowed him more executive powers. Guršaun was taken that night. Fighting in major cities throughout Terranihil, including Avergís and Hégeis.

Some defectors from the armed forces organized into the New Republican Army in an attempt to restore democracy. However, they were easily defeated by the stronger and better organized forces of the NPP on January 20th, 1941. About 26,000 were killed. The Progressive Guard carried out attacks on the opposition, killing government officials, journalists and previous presidents Stebo, Amin Thezmar and Remlaun Berón. The revolution had led to the complete domination of Virát and the NPP over Terranihil.

Post Revolution

The constitution was amended by parliament to abolish term length limits. Parliamentary and local elections were kept, however only approved members of the NPP ran for office. The Progressive Guard was maintained as the special police of the Chairman and NPP. Muslims and Christians were expelled from Guršaun. Póniepa remained neutral in the conflict and was allowed to keep its autonomy after the revolution. Government issued propaganda became widely spread, compulsory military service was reinacted, and religious rights were diminished.

Virát remained in power until his death on May 25, 1954. He was given the largest funeral in Terranilian history. Succession for the Chairman position was not explicitly outlined in any form. Virát's right-hand man, Deputy Chairman Žittham Lornif, took over. This set a precendent of the Deputy Chairman succeeding the Chairman.

Several terrorist organizations, mainly the Terranilian Muslim Freedom Fighters and Free Christian Army, formed in opposition to the authoritarian government in what is known as The Troubles.

Modern Times

In 2006, Jon Krizhor became the sixth chairman and fifteenth president after Žiel Igevin died. Krizhor was Igevin's deputy chairman, so his succession was expected. Draıčren Armǎk, the Director of Internal Security at the time, was also a strong candidate for the position, but Krizhor had the support of most of the National Progressive Party. Krizhor was liked as president by the NPP and general populace from the beginning of his regime until early 2009. Krizhor began removing military officers and department leaders because of personal resentment towards them in February and March of 2009.

Draıčren Armǎk on April 8, 2009, after the announcement of his rise of power

Much of the NPP secretly turned against Krizhor for his impulsive removals of high ranking party members. Armǎk and several other members of the NPP, including Director of External Security Remlaun Voktiep, began meeting in secret to plan the removal of Krizhor. The conspirators gained support from the military.

On April 7th, 2009, Armǎk and his supporters initiated a coup d'état. The divisions of the Progressive Guard who supported Armǎk, agents of the DIS and DES, and special forces units from the army carried out raids in which they captured and killed Krizhor, his deputy Themsor, and other pro-Krizhor party members. It became known as the Silent Coup because the conflict happened almost unbeknownst to the public. About 1,000 people were killed. Draıčren Armǎk succeeded in becoming the chairman of the country.

The NPP has maintained its complete control over the nation. Currently, Draıčren Armǎk is the Chairman and President, with Asmín Klairšon as his deputy.

Ideology

The National Progressive Party describes itself as Virátist. It follows the political ideology of Žep Virát, which he outlined in many of his writings. The NPP has been described as fascist, but the party has never used the word to describe itself.

Progressivism

The meaning of progressivism in Terranihil is unlike that of the rest of the world. Virát believed his nationalist and atheist ideals could lead Terranihil into a new age of prosperity. Virát defined progressivism and his other ideals in his popular book, The New Ideal.

"To be progressive is to strive towards prosperity for the nation, towards the good health and strength of Terranilians, towards the elimination of that which prevents our country from truly becoming great. We can achieve this only by prioritizing Terranilians, for our language, culture and blood is what makes this nation great. The greatness of Terranihil has been continually smothered for hundreds, even thousands of years, by religion and liberalism. This nation will achieve greatness only if we are steadfast towards progress."

— Žep Virát, The New Ideal

Eleventh edition of The New Ideal

Nationalism

The NPP believes in ethnic Terranilian nationalism, which prioritizes Terranilians over other ethnic groups. The NPP has often been described as ultranationalist for its persecution of ethnic minorities, primarily Malgans. The party has limited membership and even citizenship to only ethnic Terranilians. Malgans and other minorities are strictly prohibited from joining the NPP.

However, Póniepans are the exception. Póniepans, a small ethnolinguistic group living primarily in the semiautonomous governorate of Póniepa, are ethnically very similar to Terranilians and have a similar language. Póniepans are also predominantly pagan, following Atrienism or neo-Ayreoshubic paganism. The NPP allows Póniepans into the party and Póniepa is allowed to mainain its autotnomy.

Some Progressives have expressed beliefs of racial superiority; however the party generally does not consider other races to be inferior. The Party emphasizes that it only wants to preserve Terranilian heritage in Terranihil, and is open to relations with foreigners of other ethnicities.

Atheism

The NPP is strictly atheist and does not allow religious people (with the exception of Atriens) into the party. The party opposes religion because they believe it is false and because religious values are detrimental to the nation. Religion is thought to spread ignorance and stupidity. Religious values and morals are considered weak and unnatural by Progressives, who generally still beleive in the values passed down by their pagan ancestors. The NPP is more willing to cooperate with religious foreigners than with religious Terranilians.

Authoritarianism

The NPP believes an authoritarian government is the most effective because a one party dictatorship can act faster than a democratic nation. The party beleives in the suppression of opinions that are in opposition to the party. Progressives regard the Chairman of the party as the ultimate authority.

Socialism

Virát's economic values outlined in The New Ideal are the primary source of the parties economic beleifs. Virát believed that both capitalism and communism are a threat to the progress of Terranihil. He thought capitalism, altough highly productive, leads to corruption and the destruction of culture. He beleived consumerism would replace Terranilian culture if the state did not intervene in the economy. Virát was also opposed to communism. He beleived communism is mob rule and anarchic. He also stated that communism destroys culture and replaces it with a herd mentality focused on labour. The NPP has also banned unions because it fears communist sympathies may spread through them.

Society

Members of the NPP continue to be influenced by the values of their pagan ancestors. Progressives and Terranilian atheists in general are accepting of homosexuals and bisexuals; the bisexuality rate in Terranihil is one of the highest in Terraconserva. The party is also open to recreational drugs; use of Marijuana and psychedelics is accepted. Propaganda against the NPP commonly calls it the "Alán Vailu" or "Mushroom Party". The NPP supports gender equality and allows abortion.

Although these societal beliefs may be considered progressive in its standard definition, Terranilian progressivism only encompasses nationalism and atheism. These values on sexuality, gender and drugs originate from ancient Terranilian culture and are not new.