08-12-2025, 11:56 AM
One Flag leadership: Giudice, Calafato & Despott in - Benaglia out
6 January 5325
Party chairman Adon Solimella has confirmed that three candidates have put their name forward for the party leadership
Prime Minister Alec Benaglia has not put his name forward for the leadership of Bandiera Wahda/One Flag (BW) in a shock twist in the race to succeed ousted leader Denzilee Depares. Despite near-unanimous expectation that he would be among the front-runners, Benaglia ultimately told party members on social media that he wanted to focus on his job as head of government rather than spending time running for another position. This leaves the three other main candidates in the running: Defence Minister Margerita Giudice, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Yan Despott and Science and Technology Minister Ġann Calafato.
Giudice is the moderate choice; an unmistakable pivot to the centre. Her experiences on the receiving end of Depares's ire have made her a hero to conservative women and softened her image to liberals. She is from Nabul in Jilrit and is a Hosian Qildari. As Defence Minister, she oversaw the passing of the controversial Balanced Defence Act which instituted a "don't ask, don't tell" policy for homosexuals in the military. She has also tightened rules around conscientious objectors so that they may only be given leave for religious reasons. Though evidently right-of-centre, she would be the first woman to lead the party and has spoken of the need for 'more understanding' across ethnic, social and economic divisions. She has a strong base of support among the party's elected officials - who make up 50% of the leadership vote total - but is unpopular among traditionalists for a variety of reasons including her spat with Depares. She is probably the favourite to win at the moment because of her name recognition and competent reputation as a minister.
Despott is neither a moderate nor a hardliner, instead he brings a unique pitch as an ethnic Hebilean and former businessman. He is from Tanegzart in Aheblun. One of the wealthiest men in Cildania before entering politics, Despott has been accused of having ties to organised crime from his time managing a tobacco production company. He has many friends in the business world and would bring the party into competition with the Constitutionalists for the pro-business vote. He is neither particularly pro- or anti-Depares. Despott also has a history of highly publicised extramarital affairs despite his professed Hosian faith, which could become an electoral liability. His ethnicity may appeal to the party's disproportionately Hebilean base but he is less popular than Giudice with the public at-large.
Calafato is, in his own way, the 'continuity candidate'. A close personal friend of Denzilee Depares, Calafato defended Depares when few others would. This has earned him the support of the conservative loyalists who still back the party founder and former minister, but makes him a more toxic choice for the rest of the party electorate. He is a calm, unmarried man from Ramal in Gilzon - often called 'boring' by his detractors. Among his policy proposals is to bring back criminal punishments for homosexuality and abortion, which would make any continuation of the all-party coalition fraught and difficult.
Il Bandiera Indipendenti is a political and current affairs newspaper aligned with the Bandiera Waħda movement in Cildania. It has a religious, conservative and pro-Hebilean editorial stance.
Originally posted by Pragma on 30 Jun 2023.
6 January 5325
Party chairman Adon Solimella has confirmed that three candidates have put their name forward for the party leadership
Prime Minister Alec Benaglia has not put his name forward for the leadership of Bandiera Wahda/One Flag (BW) in a shock twist in the race to succeed ousted leader Denzilee Depares. Despite near-unanimous expectation that he would be among the front-runners, Benaglia ultimately told party members on social media that he wanted to focus on his job as head of government rather than spending time running for another position. This leaves the three other main candidates in the running: Defence Minister Margerita Giudice, Infrastructure and Transport Minister Yan Despott and Science and Technology Minister Ġann Calafato.
Giudice is the moderate choice; an unmistakable pivot to the centre. Her experiences on the receiving end of Depares's ire have made her a hero to conservative women and softened her image to liberals. She is from Nabul in Jilrit and is a Hosian Qildari. As Defence Minister, she oversaw the passing of the controversial Balanced Defence Act which instituted a "don't ask, don't tell" policy for homosexuals in the military. She has also tightened rules around conscientious objectors so that they may only be given leave for religious reasons. Though evidently right-of-centre, she would be the first woman to lead the party and has spoken of the need for 'more understanding' across ethnic, social and economic divisions. She has a strong base of support among the party's elected officials - who make up 50% of the leadership vote total - but is unpopular among traditionalists for a variety of reasons including her spat with Depares. She is probably the favourite to win at the moment because of her name recognition and competent reputation as a minister.
Despott is neither a moderate nor a hardliner, instead he brings a unique pitch as an ethnic Hebilean and former businessman. He is from Tanegzart in Aheblun. One of the wealthiest men in Cildania before entering politics, Despott has been accused of having ties to organised crime from his time managing a tobacco production company. He has many friends in the business world and would bring the party into competition with the Constitutionalists for the pro-business vote. He is neither particularly pro- or anti-Depares. Despott also has a history of highly publicised extramarital affairs despite his professed Hosian faith, which could become an electoral liability. His ethnicity may appeal to the party's disproportionately Hebilean base but he is less popular than Giudice with the public at-large.
Calafato is, in his own way, the 'continuity candidate'. A close personal friend of Denzilee Depares, Calafato defended Depares when few others would. This has earned him the support of the conservative loyalists who still back the party founder and former minister, but makes him a more toxic choice for the rest of the party electorate. He is a calm, unmarried man from Ramal in Gilzon - often called 'boring' by his detractors. Among his policy proposals is to bring back criminal punishments for homosexuality and abortion, which would make any continuation of the all-party coalition fraught and difficult.
Il Bandiera Indipendenti is a political and current affairs newspaper aligned with the Bandiera Waħda movement in Cildania. It has a religious, conservative and pro-Hebilean editorial stance.
Originally posted by Pragma on 30 Jun 2023.
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