Vishnu Elpis

Vishnu Elpis was a major Terran political party formed in the early 26th century    

Origins

Vishnu Elpis was founded on Mars in 2515 as a "moderate Valtinist" political party. It has a broadly socially liberal platform but is fiscally conservative and hawkish.   Party Platform Vishnu Elpis's party platform, established during the 2520 election cycle was:  

• Socially liberal
• Fiscally conservative
• Pro business
• Pro military
• Supports the rule of law

The merger with the Centrist Party saw the party platform further clarified with support for "a balanced budget" and becoming more "pro-business"  

Leadership

Vishnu Elpis was originally organized around a central executive committee, with a chairman elected by the party but having nominal powers.   The merger with the Centrist Party saw the party change structure to have a more formal structure, with a chairman appointed for the Republic and "non-Republic" side of the political divide  

Electoral Performance

General Assembly

• 2520 Republic Election - 7%
• 2530 Republic Elections -12%
• 2540 Republic Election - 19%
• 2550 Republic Election -20%
• 2560 Republic Election -16%
• 2580 Republic Election - 13%

Senate

• 2520 - None
• 2530 - Two Senators
• 2540 - One Senator
• 2550 - Nine Senators
• 2560 - Ten Senators
• 2580 - Thirteen Senators

 

Merger with the Centrist Party

In 2540, the Centrist Party announced a formal merger with Vishnu Elpis, forming a new moderate party in the centre-ground of Republic politics.   Since the merger, Vishnu Elpis is now divided into four distinct factions:

• Liberal religious - formed from socially liberal Valtinist members of the party, this wing of the party has a fair amount of "cross-over" with the SDP on social issues
• Moderate religous - formed from the more socially moderate or pro-Hansa Valtinist members of the party that tend to be much more aligned with the center ground of the political spectrum
• Liberal Secular - the smallest overall faction, formed from former Centrists who are socially liberal. There is a fair amount of overlap with SDP
• Moderate Secular- formed from former Centrists who are secular and pro-Hansa or more socially conservative. there is a fair amount of overlap with Valiant

Emergence of the Republican Centrist Party

Around 2560, a new political party attempted to claim the title of the Centrist Party. As the old Centrist Party had merged with VE, then they denied the trademarked name Centrist Party. Therefore the new party renamed itself as the Republcian Centrist Party, a centre to centre right secularist, federalist and fiscally conservative party.   This was later boosted by the breakaway of Valiant's moderate wing.

The end of Vishnu Elpis

In the leadup to the 2590 Presidential election, Vishnu Elpis was split in two. A majority of the party, including Princess Anastacia Valane and Grover Grumman, merged with the Valiant Party to form new party Onyx. The remainder of the party initially announced they would still stand in the election, but eventually announced that they would merge with the Social Democratic Party under their banner.