Political Parties of Rusana

This articles discusses the political parties of the Republic of Rusana, with or without representation in the National Assembly, at the State or local levels or in state legislatures. Current legislation greatly facilitates the creation of political parties with minimal paperwork, financial requirements or even proof of a minimum of adherents. Parties catering to particular ethnicities and religious affiliations are permitted under Rusani law.

Rusana Patriotic Alliance
Main Article: Rusana Patriotic Alliance

The Rusana Patriotic Alliance is a big tent party created in the 1970's during the Rusani civil war. Initially a coalition composed of the most important eastern tribes ideologically opposed to the islamist government of the time, they attracted more support from urban middle classes and some ethnic minorities by advocating for a relaxation of religious restrictions on public life, supporting free market economics and lower taxes for businesses and by championing the language rights of Rusana's minority groups.

After the ceasefire that ended the civil war, the RPA gained legal status and defeated the islamist camp in the 1978 election. The RPA then initiated a political and security crackdown on islamist parties that included legal threats of outlawing them entirely. The party is mainly funded by donations from wealthy donors, including many Corummese billionaries. The party supports a continued robust economic relations and a political alignment with Corumm. Critics say the party is just a vehicle for eastern elites to keep their power and for foreign Corummese interests to run rampant.

Jamaat-e-Islami
Main Article: Jamaat-e-Islami (Rusana)

Jamaat-e-Islami is an islamist political party advocating the centrality of Islam and Sharia law in the governance of the State. Founded by a group of notable islamic scholars in 1960 as a splinter from the now defunct Islamist General Congress, the party seeks to make Sharia law the only source of legislation as the law of God transcends any laws made by man. It also supports the banning of alcohol, pornography and strict abortion regulations. In government from 1974 to 1978, the party's polarizing stances led to the outbreak of the brutal Rusani civil war which ended in a Corummese brokered ceasefire and free elections, in which Jamaat was electorally trounced by its secular rivals.

Out of government, Jamaat has worked to slowly reconstruct its electoral base from the opposition benches. Most of the party's support lies comes from poor urban Sunnis and people from western rural areas who feel neglected by a government dominated by eastern elite groups. The party is staunchly anti Corummese and has proposed in the past to deport anyone who self identifies as an ethnic Corummese unless they take an oath of loyalty to Rusana.

Party of God
The Party of God is a Shi'a political party that supports the implementation of the principle of velayat-i feqi, that is political rule by islamic jurists. The party maintains that since in their view an Ayatollah stands above islamic scholars from any other sect, Ayatollah Mojtaba Golchin should be appointed as Supreme Leader to rule the country according to sharia law. The party supports the implementation of sharia based punishments such as lashes, stoning, maiming and decapitation for crimes and the use of the full body burqa for all women regardless of religious affiliation. The party funds a system of religious madrassas across northern Rusana from where it draws most of its support. Most of Rusana's Shiite population favor the Rusana Patriotic Alliance with the Party of God only drawing in the most ultraconservative and religiously strict voters. Its the only party that fields clerics as candidates, all of which are vetted by a council of ulama to guarantee their religious and ideological credentials.

Party of Rusani Democrats
The Party of Rusani Democrats is a small, centrist political party advocating for maintaining a strong strategic alliance with Corumm to ensure Rusana's security and interests. The party models its organization after its Corummese counterpart, the Party of Corummese Democrats. The party advocates the abolition of all political parties but itself, shutting down the national assembly and the creation of a police state. Its leader Kaveh Meskini styles himself as the Brother Leader and he is rumored to be an active Corummese intelligence agent. The party is funded entirely by Meskini, who owns some of the largest soap factories in the country for which its also called the Soap Party. The PRD has its own security force that it deploys to guard its political rallies, protect Meskini himself and his soap factories and picket and disrupt islamist and communist events.

Kassar Front
The Kassar Front is an ethno-regional political party that represents the interests of the Kassar people in Rusana, who are mostly concentrated in four districts. Formerly a militia group named the Kassar Self-Defense Brigades, they limited themselves to defending the four majority Kassar districts during the civil war. Their political program lists among its chief objectives the institution of Kassar language schooling up to university in the four districts, funding for a Kassar language local radio station, the creation of a government commission to regularize unrecognized Kassar villages and extra budget allocations to provide more police for Kassar settlements. The Kassar Front maintains an armed ethnic militia that doubles as an unofficial police force in the four districts, being a source of tension between the party and the central government. The Kassar Front has refused to disarm its militia until its political and budgetary demands have been met.

Christian Defense Party
The Christian Defense Party is a political party catering to the Christian minority. Formed under the auspices of the Patriarch of Tabish, the party only runs candidates in Christian majority districts. The party supports government decentralization to promote cultural and political autonomy for Rusana's ethnic minorities, the adoption of secularism by the State so as not to favor one religion over others, the disarmament of ethnic and religious groups, a policy of strict neutrality in international affairs and modern market oriented economic policies.