- "Amidst the economic panic, an extreme right-wing party took power within Belka, aiming to restore strength and stability to the nation."
- ― Brett Thompson, Warriors and the Belkan War[2]
The Liberal Democratic Party[3] (民主自由党)[4] (LDP) was Belka's ruling political party following the economic crisis of the 1980s. The LDP's primary aims were to stabilize the national economy and restore Belka's diminished political influence within the Osean continent.
The LDP was a populist party comprised of nationalists and warmongers, including Waldemarr Rald, leader of the party's internal Rald Faction. This extreme right-wing group exerted its influence on the LDP, which eventually culminated in the Belkan War's outbreak in early 1995.
Promotional material for Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War referred to the party as the Fatherland Workers' Party (祖国労働者党).[1]
History[]
Rise to power[]
During Belka's economic crisis of the 1980s, the LDP, which was a minority party at the time, spoke out against the existing majority's perceived ineptitude and mismanagement.[1] The ruling establishment's reputation was further tarnished in 1991 after the Great Lakes Resource Development Company was discovered to have been manipulated by Osea in order to destabilize Belka's economy.[1] The resulting political backlash allowed the LDP to win majority control of the government in the following election.[2]
Belkan War[]
Over the next four years, the LDP reformed Belka's government and removed the separation of powers among different branches. Military spending reached new heights, including the development of V2.[5] The Supreme Court, under the LDP, ruled that the Federal Law Review was unconstitutional. As a result, the independence of the territories formerly owned by Belka was ruled invalid. However, this was simply a ploy to justify the acquisition of natural resources, which were believed to be in Ustio.[5]
After an abundance of resources was discovered in Ustio, the LDP authorized an invasion of Belka's neighbors, triggering the Belkan War.[2] Despite the success of its initial blitz invasion, the Belkan Army was ultimately forced into retreat by the Allied Forces. On June 6, 1995, the LDP authorized the use of nuclear weapons on Belkan soil in an effort to prevent the Allies' advance.[6]
Following the devastating loss of life, the LDP negotiated a peace deal with representatives of the Allied nations. Members of the LDP were likely present during the peace accords signing ceremony in Lumen on June 20. As a result of the negotiations between the LDP and the Allies, Belka ceded South Belka to Osea, but retained possession of Nord Belka.[7]
Around this time, the Rald Faction began secretly supporting a group of ideological extremists and military ex-personnel known as "A World With No Boundaries". Waldemarr Rald's ties to the rebel organization were eventually uncovered, leading to his exile from the party and effectively ending his political career.[8]
Trivia[]
- The LDP may be a reference to the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, a far-right Russian ultranationalist party, or to its Belarusian counterpart, the Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 New Submarine. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Scene 02: "A Record of The Belkan War", Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Aces At War: A History 2019, page 012.
- ↑ Aces At War: A History, page 134.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Perfect Guide, page 248.
- ↑ Mission 12: "The Stage of Apocalypse", Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Scene 10: "Six Months of Void", Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.
- ↑ Assault Records #167: Lars Matthaus, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.