Political parties

Political parties in Talossa have been a source of both strife and support for the nation. For many years, under King Ben, the monarch's political party remained in perpetual majority. Opposition parties were tolerated, but seldom permitted to attain significant political power (aside from very temporary circumstances, such as the brief Peculiar Republic brought about by People United for No King. The currently reigning sovereign of Talossa, King John, has maintained a scrupulous policy of independence from political parties, refusing to endorse, interfere with, or in any way enter into a relationship with a political party. This is intended to help a vibrant democracy continue to flourish and grow, in stark contrast to King Ben's manipulations.

Parties compete for seats in the Cosa at each General Election. Each party receives a percentage of the 200 seats in the Cosa that represents its support by the electorate. Party leaders assign members to these seats, with no single person permitted to hold more than thirty seats.

The party or parties holding a majority of the seats in the Cosa after an election is decided is empowered to instruct the King as to the appointment of a Seneschal, who forms and administers the government.

To register to compete in a General Election, a political party is required to file the name of its a party leader and a statement of no more than fifty words with the Secretary of State. Additionally, a registration fee (Org.6.2.) must be remitted for those General Elections during which the Burgermeister of Inland Revenue authorises the fee. Parties failing to meet these requirements before a deadline set by the Chancery will not be listed on the ballot (but may be written-in). Parties failing to meet these requirements before the end of the first Clark of the Cosa will not be eligible to assign persons to the Cosa seats won by that party in the election, and these seats will be assigned instead by the King.

Political parties also compete at the local level in many provinces, for seats in the provincial legislatures and control of the executive function in these provinces.

Political parties differ along ideological bases, such as derivativism and peculiarism or royalism and republicanism, as well as on specific policies, such as broosking or semi-permeability.

Currently Active Parties

As of the election for the 44th Cosa (July 2012), the active political parties, listed in order of formation, are:

• Rexhalistaes Unificheschti per el Monarc'h es els Popuis (RUMP; Royalists United for the Monarch and the People)
• Common Sense Progressive Party (CSPP)
• Moderate Radical Party of Talossa (MRPT)
• Zefençedeirs dal Republicanismeu Talossán (ZRT; Defenders of Talossan Republicanism)
• C'hríost el Regeu (CeR; Christ the King)

The APT is considered an active party, but did not choose to register for the elections to the 44th Cosa.

Historic Parties

The following parties (listed in no particular order) have, in the past, contested Talossan elections. Some of these (such as the ZPT) were active, then lay dormant, then were revived at later times:

• Talossan Nationalist Party (TNP)
• Front Uni Pour la Nation (FPN; United Front for the Nation)
• People United for No King (PUNK)
• Bob Fights Ticket (BFT)
• Päts Vräts (PV; Real Country), originally known as the Christian Democrats
• Peculiar Way (PW)
• Un-Named Party (UNP)
• Peace and Freedom Party (PFP)
• Progressive Conservative Party (PC)
• Conservative Loyalist Party (CLP)
• Fair Governance Party (FGP)
• King Ben Party (KBP)
• La Mhà Nheagrâ (MN; The Black Hand Party)
• Defenders Of The Throne (DOTT)
• Els Zefençadéirs del Päts Talossán (ZPT; Defenders of the Talossan Land)
• The Royal Democracy Party (RDP)
• The Cybercits' and Cünmilvoc'hteirs' Coalition Party (CCCP)
• The People's Democratic Party (PDP)
• The Common Sense Party (CSP), now merged into the CSPP
• The Progressive Party of Talossa (PPT), originally The Progressive Party (PP), and now merged into the CSPP
• The Garrulous Rambling Uncomprehensible Monologue Party (GRUMP)
• The Cézembre Reunification Organization (CRO), which later became The Reunision Party (TRP)
• La Renaixença Talossan (LRT, "The Talossan Renaissance"), also known as Long Range Talossans
• Noi Steçéu Parti (NSP; We Ourselves)
• El Parti Vandadoûr, Minoritár és Revoluziunár (VMR or RCMP, The Revolutionary Conscientious Minority Party)
• The Talossan League of Centrists/ Talossa's Lone Contractor (TLC)

In the Talossan Republic the following parties (listed in alphabetic order) existed:

• Blue Wave (monarchist, reunionist)
• Cînxh (Change, an alliance of citizens who wanted to reactivate the sleepy Republic)
• El Parti Federalista (federalist)
• Guelph Party (conservative)
• M.R.P. (later renamed MRP), Movement for Republican Peculiarism
• NRP, New Republican Peculiarists
• PSD, Party of Democratic Socialism
• PVZT, Defencist Unity Party of Talossa
• UPT, United Progressive Talossans
• ZRT, Defenders of the Republic of Talossa