Next Pætlandic general election

The next Pætlandic general election is scheduled to be held on the 2ⁿᵈ November 2025 at the latest. If held to schedule, it would be the ninth general election to be held after the end of the Æþelþegnƿīne dictatorship. Barring unforeseen events, the incumbent Prime Minister of Pætland will be Hereƿard Bældæging, who will be seeking his first re-election.

Background
The previous general election, held in 2020, saw the Progressive-Conservatives displace the Social Democratic Party as the single largest party in the Folceþing and in the Ealdorþing. The Progressive-Conservatives won 66 seats, sweeping traditional Social Democratic seats throughout Miercnaland and south-eastern Ƿestseaxnarīce. Subsequently, the Progressive-Conservatives formed a coalition government with the Civic Alliance, Economic Liberals, Unionist, and Farmers parties. Following their defeat in the election, the Social Democratic Party lost many members to defection, namely to the rising Workers' Party and to numerous splinter parties. This has meant that the Workers' Party has displaced the Social Democrats as the main party of opposition in the country.

Electoral system
The electoral system used in elections to the Folceþing is first-past-the-post, wherein the candidate with the single greatest number of votes wins the election to any one of 204 single-member constituencies. The electoral boundaries shall remain the same as used in the prior election, unless the Census and District Reapportionment and Parliamentary Expansion bill comes into effect, in which case the Folceþing shall be expanded to 350 members. The forthcoming election shall be the first to introduce a voter ID system.

Folceþingmenn not standing for re-election

 * Orrin Ælfƿyrd, Unionist member for Cyngscēapford. Imprisoned.
 * Æbbe Ceorling, Social Democratic Party (Org.) member for Eoforƿic. Retiring, age.
 * Æþelsige af Glēaƿeceaster, Progressive-Conservative member for Glēaƿeceasterscīr. Retiring.
 * Dr. Nguyễn Linh, independent member for Pætland Norþēast (Kinh roll). Retiring.
 * Aldhelm Smiþ, Progressive-Conservative member for Ƿintanceaster. Retiring, misconduct allegations.

Ānlæcanscieldƿeall manifesto
The Ānlæcanscieldƿeall was the first alliance to release a joint election manifesto, which received almost immediate backlash for its comments on medical ethics and sexuality. Given their relative recentness as political issues, Pætland has never had laws concerning such topics as abortion or transgenderism - meaning that Pætland has one of the most permissive legal régimes on these issues of any nation in Tiandi. Although the leading Ānlæcanscieldƿeall coalition partner, the Unionist Party, has taken a softer approach on some related issues (notably supporting gay marriage for the first time in its history) the manifesto has continued to keep to a hardline approach on so-called "medical ethics" questions, including committing to bans on abortion and gender-reassignment surgery - as well as strengthening restrictions & prohibitions on euthanasia, pornography, prostitution and exhibitionism.

Whilst this hardline approach guaranteed some manner of criticism from other political quarters, the abrasive and hostile attitude taken in the text of the manifesto - particularly towards the country's small transgender community - garnered widespread opposition with even Prime Minister Bældæging calling the text "hateful and backwards". Particular concern centred around the fact that the Unionist Party has attempted to moderate its social policy, leading commentators to suggest this part of the manifesto originated within the All-Yoju Students' Union (Legitimist), a coalition partner notoriously hostile to such minorities.

The Electoral Commission opened an investigation into the contents of the manifesto on the 21ˢᵗ of February 2022, which is currently ongoing.

N.D.P. financial irregularities
The Nationalist Democratic Party, a member of the Alliance for Justice and Development, was accused by Workers' Party leader Ƿōden ap Æppelby of financial irregularities on the 6ᵗʰ of February following an exposé in the party's newspaper Geƿinn. The accusations surrounded latent accusations of bribery and corruption following the 2013 Coal and Steel case. The leader of the Nationalist Democratic Party, Eadmund af Eoforƿicscīr, adamantly denied the accusations and himself referred the controversy to the Electoral Commission.

Murchadha hate speech case
The Internal Gwaela Chaonaigh Revolutionary Front, a proxy-party of the military establishment in Pætland, has long been held to spread fear and hatred towards the country's northern neighbour, Talamh Chaonaigh. Formed as it was from exiled opponents of that country's system of government, the I.G.C.R.F. is avowedly anti-clerical and strongly opposed to the domestic and foreign ambitions of the Fiadhic clergy. This uncompromising hostility has frequently found the party's perennial leader, Oengus Murchadha, in trouble with both the Electoral Commission and the law.

Following a rally held at Ƿessex Park, Lincylene-on-þe-Mær, at which Murchadha was recorded stating "the druids are dogs" and "there can only be war, and the Līcteselēomafeoraflēot will run with blood" a criminal investigation was opened by Lindesƿaraland Police. On the 18ᵗʰ March 2022 Murchadha and his party's lone Folceþingmann Diarmaid Súilleabháin were both arrested at their party's headquarters in Ƿitanageburh. This arrest was met almost immediately by protests, called by members of the military hierarchy in Pætland.

Violence
Despite the trend towards free and fair elections within the last decades, Pætland is still a developing country which sees sporadic violence associated with electoral politics. Even years out from the projected date of the election, violence has been recorded related to the event, including a bomb blast reported at Talæsinstīpel and two election workers belonging to the Progressive-Conservatives were beaten in late 2021 outside the urban centre of Cyngestūn.

Alliance for Justice and Development
The Alliance for Justice and Development (Forbound for Rihtƿīsnes and Þungennes) is the official governing coalition. Of the parties that make up the government, the Progressive-Conservatives and Civic Alliance have agreed to renew the alliance. The Unionist and Farmers parties have elected to contest the upcoming elections against the Alliance for Justice and Development, whilst the Economic Liberals have not made any indication of abandoning the Alliance. This alliance is led by Prime Minister Hereƿard Bældæging of the Progressive-Conservatives.

The Progressive-Conservatives are led by Hereƿard Bældæging, Folceþingmann for Bricgstōƿ Ūpland. The party is broadly centre-right, are the direct heir of the United Party, and have continued that party's tradition of business-friendly and non-sectarian, non-tribal politics. The party is business-friendly and is committed to a "forward-thinking, internationally cooperative Pætland". The party nevertheless struggles with a perception of corruption and over-friendliness to corporate interests. The Civic Alliance (联明公民) is a party that represents the Kinh minority. Led by Lê Văn Quyết, the Folceþingmann for Rāþoffa-Rāþdūn, the party has dominated the Kinh list for decades. It is likewise pro-business. The Economic Liberals are a market-driven party and consists of voters who lie between the ideological poles of the two main parties. It is led by Osƿiu af Tomtūn, the member for Lougburh. The alliance has paired up with some smaller pro-government parties.

The manifesto of the Alliance for Justice and Development has not been released: However, it is likely the alliance shall commit to greater defence spending, greater health and welfare spending, and has already committed to finding foreign investors to build a national sports facility.

All-Progressives Congress / Opposition Alliance
The All-Progressives Congress / Opposition Alliance (Ealle-Forþþōht Gesamnung / Ōþerstefn Forbound) is a left-of-centre alliance made up of social democratic and progressive elements. It was formed in the aftermath of the Social Democratic Party's partial disintegration, evolving from the pre-2020-election Opposition Alliance. Constituting the official opposition alliance, the A.P.C./O.A. is led by Ƿōden ap Æppelby, who serves as its chairman in addition to being the party leader of the alliance's biggest constituent, the Workers' Party.

The Workers' Party is a socialist party with its roots in the trade union movement. At the last election it placed second, displacing the longtime party of the centre-left, the Social Democrats. Led by the Folceþingmann for Stōc Ƿest, Ƿōden ap Æppelby, the party is committed to adequate representation for the working-class and the fundamental reorientation of the economy away from business interests. The Progressives was formed after the break-away of former Prime Minister Æþelflæd Nīƿetūn (representing Ūter-Ƿitanageburh Suþƿest) from the Social Democrats. Arguiing that her former party was a "third world vestige", the Progressives are a modern party which seeks poverty alleviation and moderate reform. The Social Democratic Party (Æ) is likewise a breakaway, led by Ælfred Cædƿallason, the member for Beormingahām Norþ. The Communist Party (Renewal) is a moderate and student-oriented faction of the original Communist Party, led by Beōcca Tự Đức. The Green Party is a progressive faction which, like all other Green Parties, is led by two co-chairs - always a man and a woman. The Co-operative Party follows a political ideology almost unique to Pætland, and intends to run joint candidates with the Workers' Party where possible.

This alliance does not intend to release a common manifesto, but has put together a "common minimum programme" intended to satisfy the demands of organised labour, urban voters, suburban voters, and students.

Congress of Leftist and Military Parties
The Congress of Leftist and Military Parties (Gesamnung þæs Leftdangs and Fyrdsdangs) is the largest alliance by number of participating parties. It is essentially led by the Social Democratic Party (Organisation), the Communist Party of Pætland and the Armed Forces Joint Electoral List. As such, the alliance has one president and two vice presidents: The president of the C.L.M.P. is Friđuƿald af Loidis, a career politician who leads the rump of the much-diminished Social Democrats. Formed much to the surprise of onlookers, this alliance consists of an uneasy congress of left-wing parties and military-backed parties, which together aim to reverse the decline of these two factions.

The Social Democratic Party (Org.) is the largest component party, and is made up of the most loyal vote base of that party; mainly kept loyal by continuing access to the networks of patronage and élite largesse the party had accrued whilst in power. Led by Friđuƿald af Loidis, the Folceþingmann for Loidis and Fuđþerland, the party aims principally to retake lost electoral territory from the Workers' Party - readily acknowledged as an uphill task. The Communist Party proper is the core of the communist movement in Pætland, joined in the coming election by two splinter parties. It is led by perennial communist candidate Lê Ēadgār. The All-Yoju Congress is a party which though allegedly espouses pan-Yojuism, is in actuality a vehicle for tribal and religious minorities in the country. Despite being much smaller than the Congress, the Armed Forces Joint Electoral List is more senior in the alliance. It represents the interests of that section of the military unwilling to relinquish power to democratically-elected politicians. Aside from this, it's chief goal is to defend the privileges of public-sector workers such as soldiers and law enforcement. It is allied to - and props up - the Internal Gwaela Chaonaigh Revolutionary Front, which is in essence a puppet organisation staffed by exiled opponents of Talamh Chaonaigh's government.

The Congress of Leftist and Military Parties is in the process of adopting an authoritarian manifesto; promising among other things to reverse the decline of the military's influence, nationalise major industries and resume diplomatic hostilities with the country's neighbours.

Ānlæcanscieldƿeall
The Ānlæcanscieldƿeall is a centre-right to right-wing alliance made up of traditionalist and conservative elements. It is composed of two parties which are currently part of the Progressive-Conservative-led government as well as a minor ally, the All-Yoju Students' Union (Legitimist). It is led by the leader of the Unionist Party, Æscƿine af Gīslflēot, who took over after the imprisonment of prior party leader Orrin Ælfƿyrd.

The Farmers' Party is the largest constituent, at ten Folceþingmenn. Despite this, it is a junior partner and usually defers to its longtime ally the Unionists. The Farmers' Party represents farmers and peasants, and is often said to be the Sæxon equivalent to Cymdeithas y llanciau. It is agrarian and markedly centrist, and is currently led by Hilda af Ƿitanageburh, the member for Sōrageheald and Beorhstede. The Unionist Party, officially the "Unionist Party of Pætlandic Landowners, Farmers and Peasants" is similarly rural-oriented but is markedly more socially conservative and is economically left wing. It primarily appeals to members of the Ēastseaxe tribe and draws the majority of its Folceþing members from Ēastseaxe-inhabited regions. Having earned a reputation for xenophobia and hostility towards Fiadhic people thanks to the tenure of their now-disgraced former leader, the Unionists are currently led by Æscƿine af Gīslflēot who seeks to rebrand the party's image. He is the Folceþingmann for Yeoguþsbēam. These two parties are joined by the very minor All-Yoju Students' Union (Legitimist), which takes an eclectic mix of socially conservative or moderate positions with a progressive-conservative or liberal-conservative economic policy.

The Ānlæcanscieldƿeall has already released its manifesto, as the Unionists and Farmers' Parties have after many decades formed a symbiotic relationship - making these processes quicker and easier. It promises agricultural subsidies and a commitment to a mixed economy. The manifesto has drawn criticism for its commitments on medical ethics and sexuality.

Ein Hunain Alliance
Cymdeithas y llanciau is a Cymbry-dominated party which has consistently contested elections alone, either avoided by chauvinistic Sæxon parties or hated for its past connections to separatist violence. As of early 2022, the party has no allies and is contesting the 2025 election alone under the banner Ein Hunain, which means "ourselves" or "self sufficient". Both the party and the alliance is led by Þorfinn ap Llaennog, who is currently serving as the member for þe Ƿēalaslands, a large rural seat.

As a party primarily representing Fiadhic peoples, namely the large Cymbry minority, Cymdeithas y llanciau is again asking for cultural autonomy, increased language rights and services, and an end to what the party sees as "political persecution of followers of the Gwaelic pagan religion". The party has ten seats, and is hoping to increase this tally at the expense of the Farmers' Party and the Social Democrats.

National Pact
The National Pact (Eþelisc Hæpoc) is a right-wing alliance founded by Eobera Ƿægnƿyrhta. As the Social Democrats were previously the force sceptical of foreign neighbours and their interests, Ƿægnƿyrhta's "People's Movement" eyes an opportunity to net the votes of those who are mistrustful of the country's neighbours. However, their chances at increasing their seat tally are generally estimated at being slim.

This alliance is led by Eobera Ƿægnƿyrhta, television personality-turned-politician. It is based almost entirely in the constituency of Dene af Edoras, Ƿægnƿyrhta's seat. Eobera Ƿægnƿyrhta's People's Movement is joined by the so-called Poorfolk Brigades, a right-wing populist movement which was previously only an anti-corruption force. 2025 shall mark the first time the Poorfolk Brigades run electoral candidates.

This alliance does not intend to release a manifesto.