Roots Party

Roots Party
Leader	Collective leadership
Founded	11 June 2013
Dissolved	23 February 2014
Merger of	Strawberry Party (xAM) Free Suyu Front (FSF)
Merged into	Left Alliance (R) Convergence (A)
Headquarters	Salisse
Ideology	Environmentalism Anti-Bleuberrism Pashqari people's rights
Political position	Centre-left to left-wing
National affiliation	Progressive Coalition
Colors	Predominantly teal

The Roots – Earth Party (Old Sabian: Acırai – Emə Mekən; Old Pashqar: Asirär – Väa Mälik), commonly known as the Roots Party or by its Sabian acronym, AEM, was a short-lived left-leaning green political party in Sabia and Verona. It was formed when the ecologist Strawberry Party and the anarcho-surrealist Free Suyu Front merged together on 11 June 2013.

During most of its existence it was part of the Progressive Coalition, alongside the Initiative for Democracy and the Pashqari People's Party. Like the other members of the Coalition, the Roots Party sought to appeal to voters who were unhappy with the bipartisan model that had been established by the Socialist Party and the Unity Party. Following the failed coup d'état attempt on 25 July 2013, the party took a severe anti-Bleuberrist stance.

The party was dissolved when its two internal factions, the leftists and the moderates, formed two different parties in February 2014: the Left Alliance (which included the Communist Party and the remnants of the Socialists), and Convergence and Amity, which later became known as Bakinn. In 2016, Bakinn merged into the Left Alliance, uniting the party once more, albeit under a different name.

History

On June 6, FSF leader Hidram Cerwyn announced he had been talking with the leadership board of the Strawberry Party with intentions of merging the two political organisations and forming a larger political party. He however gave little details. On June 10, 2013 a dual party congress was held in Elinore. In the congress, leaders of both parties spoke about the increasing possibility of forming a sole larger, stronger political organisation. During the congress, members of the party voted the proposal, with the option of "merge" winning by a large percentage. That same day, the two political parties officially merged and the new joint party was registered under the name of "Roots - Earth Party", name also voted in the party congress. "Roots" represents the foundations of social ecology, green politics and socialism. On the other hand, "Earth Party" remarks the party's position as an ecologist organisation.

The party soon joined the Progressive Coalition (PA-NT) alongside the Initiative for Democracy and the Pashqari People's Party. For the emergency elections of September 2013, the PA-NT nominated AMD and Coalition leader Ann Stefanović as their candidate. Following a successful campaign, Stefanović won 75% of the vote, becoming First Secretary and gaining seven seats for Roots.

The party's policies were a mixture of beliefs of the Free Suyu Front and the Strawberry Party. It stood for the protection, preservation and enlargement of general green areas, especially in the Sabioveronese region. It supported the idea of establishing rights for the Pashqari people, apart from the officialisation of the Pashqar language. In terms of foreign policy, Roots set out on the course of openness and pacifism, and the expansion of ecologic ideas and green principles. Among the party's policies, the establishment of eco-friendly transportation systems, the reduction of energy consumption and the promulgation of environmentalism in education were especially remarked. Culturally and socially, the party sook a more open-minded view of general issues.

It counted with seven seats in the Courts of Sabia and Verona and three Ministers in the People's Cabinet, Petyr Cohen (Regional Identity), Ryam Piper (Environment) and Donnel Seaworth (Economy). Right after the creation of Roots, almost all XAM and FSF members in the government agreed to have a redirected Roots membership. Thanks to this, Roots became the second largest political party in Sabia and Verona almost automatically. Most of the party's support was focused in Tegula and Elinore, meaning it has widespread in both Sabia and in Verona.

Electoral results

Election year	# of votes	%	seats won	+/-	Government	Ref.
2013 II	50†	75%†	7 / 20	▲ 2	coalition gov't

• †: In the September 2013 election, the Roots Party ran as part of the Progressive Coalition, alongside Initiative for Democracy and the Pashqari People's Party