87-558: The Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai ( MDC–T ) is a centre-left political party and was the main opposition party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe ahead of the 2018 elections. After the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005, the MDC–T remained the major opposition faction, while a smaller faction, the Movement for Democratic Change – Ncube , or MDC–N ,
174-448: A clear parliamentary majority but without a formal merger between the factions. International media reported that MDC members and supporters, including prominent activist Tonderai Ndira who was murdered in May, were subjected to arrests, beatings and killings during the campaign period for the second round of the election. On 22 June 2008, Tsvangirai announced at a press conference that he
261-587: A collective concept based in equality rather than an individualist concept. Democratization , the welfare state , public education , and Keynesian economics are all major components of social democratic politics. Social democracy has influenced the politics of nearly every major democracy, though it has historically been most successful in the European Union , where it was the predominant ideology from 1945 to 1973. Sweden in particular has historically been closely associated with social democracy, as it
348-602: A combined majority in the March 2008 parliamentary election . On 3 August 2007 it was widely reported that two officials of the smaller Arthur Mutambara-led MDC formation had defected to the main Tsvangirai-led Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe formation, a week after talks to reunite the two parties had broken down. At a media briefing, former Member of Parliament Silas Mangono and Masvingo Province chairman Shaky Matake announced that they had defected from
435-539: A full 24 hours after his arrest; Uriri also said that he would seek an order from the High Court to release Biti on the grounds that he had been held without charge for more than the allowed 48-hour period. Biti again appeared in court on 18 June; however, this hearing was postponed to the next day because the power failed, meaning that the hearing could not be recorded. He was charged on 19 June. He faced four charges: "treason, communicating falsehoods prejudicial to
522-515: A new law firm. The firm was to specialize in international finance law as well as domestic constitutional issues. Biti fell out with Tsvangirai in 2014, resulting in Tsvangirai announcing Biti's expulsion in April 2014. In 2015 Biti joined other disaffected MDC-T members in a breakaway group, MDC-Renewal, becoming its secretary-general. In September 2015, MDC-Renewal launched as a separate party,
609-575: A period of Pasokification in which social democratic parties saw large declines during the 2010s, largely being replaced by far-left and right-wing populist parties. The centre-left's stance on immigration in Europe was one of multiculturalism, further pushing working class voters from the centre-left to the far-right. In some cases, centre-left and centre-right politics in these countries became less distinct as political cleavages shifted toward populist versus traditional politics. The Arab Spring in
696-580: A prominent form of centre-left politics, beginning with the Australian governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in the 1980s and 1990s. Similar movements developed elsewhere, including in Germany and New Zealand. Centre-left parties in Latin America also shifted from social democracy to social liberalism in a pragmatic attempt to reach voters. The most prominent adoption of Third Way politics
783-470: A reformist alternative to the revolutionary left, arguing that societal improvements within capitalist democracy would better serve the working class. This philosophy became widely popular among the European left after World War I, which had convinced many contemporary leftists that national identity was more important to the working class than class solidarity , which would render Marxism unviable. This
870-459: A school of thought within British and American centre-left politics in the mid-19th century. Early progressive thought developed from modernism and humanism , manifesting as calls for reform. It developed as a political movement in the late-19th and early-20th centuries as it was adopted by social liberal and social democratic parties. Unlike later social democratic movements, social democracy in
957-446: A single MDC candidate for the March 2008 presidential election . Tsvangirai ran for president while Mutambara backed the independent candidacy of Simba Makoni . In the election, Tsvangirai won 47.9% of the vote according to Zimbabwe Electoral Commission results, ahead of Mugabe's 43.2%, necessitating a run-off because neither candidate won a majority. However, Tsvangirai claimed to have won a narrow first-round majority on 50.3% based on
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#17327646505171044-454: Is a reformist offshoot of socialism that supports the modification of capitalist economies rather than their total abolition. It seeks to regulate capitalism to protect social equality , advocating reforms that benefit the entire people and the common good while rejecting the Marxist position of aligning specifically with the working class. Liberty under social democracy is defined as
1131-727: Is not supported by the centre-left in the 21st century. The modern centre-left distinguishes between just and unjust capitalism, advocating for welfare state policies to create what it considers to be just capitalism. Through the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the centre-left has been more likely to benefit electorally during periods of economic growth and suffer electorally in economic downturn. The core objective underlying centre-left economic policies, democratic capitalism , has largely been achieved within many economies, with further policies seeking to merely reform or improve upon this system. These may include measures to reduce poverty or to support lower-wage workers. One common dispute within
1218-705: Is the balance between egalitarianism and pragmatism. The centre-left often faces pressures from working class voters to restrict immigration to prevent competition over jobs and public services. Other centre-left policies can also be negatively impacted by immigration, as a large increase in low-skilled workers can raise concerns about the increased price of public services, prompting spending cuts and roll-backs of centre-left welfare policies. Though positions on environmentalism are not consistent across centre-left parties, they are more likely to support environmentalist policies than centre-right parties. Centre-left parties are popularly associated with environmental policies in
1305-450: Is typically associated with the centre-left ideologies of social liberalism and social democracy, though communist and centrist ideologies have sometimes been involved in progressive politics. There is great divergence within the progressive movement, with disagreement in what reforms should be attempted and how they can be implemented, though redistributive policies are a common theme within progressivism. Progressivism first developed in
1392-425: Is typically considered radical in nature and distinct from centre-left ideologies. The Third Way is a variation of social democratic politics that gained prominence in the 1990s after the decline of traditional social democracy. It advocates reform of the social democratic model to emphasize equal opportunity over equality of outcome . To accomplish this, it supports heavy deregulation and privatization for
1479-602: The 1973–1975 recession and was replaced by neoliberalism . In the 1990s, Third Way politics emerged as a centrist variant of social democracy in Europe, and centre-left politics spread to Latin America during the pink tide . In the 21st century, centre-left politics are challenged by the developments of the Digital Revolution , the subsumption of the lower class into the middle class in developed nations, and an increase in support for populism . The ideologies of
1566-512: The Digital Revolution altered the objectives and demographics of the centre-left, as the working class has been largely subsumed by the middle class in developed nations due to increased living standards and the establishment of a knowledge economy . Of those in service industry careers, class is not a unifying or significant aspect of personal identity. In particular, this shift has caused People's Parties based on mass mobilization to be less viable. These rapid developments in society during
1653-541: The Middle East and North Africa supported ideals often associated with social democracy and the centre-left. Tendai Biti Tendai Laxton Biti (born 6 August 1966) is a Zimbabwean politician who served as Finance Minister of Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2013. He is the second Vice President of Citizens Coalition for Change . He was the Secretary-General of the Movement for Democratic Change and
1740-615: The People's Democratic Party , and Biti was elected president of the new party. In 2020, Biti criticized a three-member delegation from South Africa that was sent to investigate human rights abuses, when they returned to their country without speaking to opposition groups. In February 2019 he was convicted of contravening the Electoral Act for illegally announcing purported results for the 2018 presidential election in Zimbabwe. He
1827-757: The Second Republic and the Second Empire was commonly associated with the Moderate Republicans . Thiers restored the centre-left to prominence in the Third Republic , where it was led by the liberal republican Opportunist faction. Elsewhere in Europe, centre-left movements appeared from the 1860s, mainly in Spain and Italy . In Italy, the centre-left was born as coalition between the liberal Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour and
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#17327646505171914-615: The United Nations considered the New International Economic Order plan that would facilitate social democratic governments in developing nations. Centre-left politics were historically unpopular in Latin America, and left-wing candidates were kept out of power through both right-wing dictatorships and through conservative victories in fair elections. In the mid-20th century, centre-left politics supported state-led development and industrialization in
2001-551: The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions . The party split following the 2005 Senate election , with the main faction headed by the founder leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the other formation headed by Arthur Mutambara . At the Morgan Tsvangirai-led 2006 Congress , Thokozani Khuphe was elected as vice-president, replacing Gibson Sibanda who was now part of MDC-M . The two factions subsequently won
2088-475: The political centre and broadly conform with progressivism . Ideologies of the centre-left include social democracy , social liberalism , and green politics . Ideas commonly supported by the centre-left include welfare capitalism , social justice , liberal internationalism , and multiculturalism . Economically, the centre-left supports a mixed economy in a democratic capitalist system, often including economic interventionism , progressive taxation , and
2175-443: The right to unionize . Centre-left politics are contrasted with far-left politics that reject capitalism or advocate revolution . The centre-left developed with the rest of the left–right political spectrum in 18th and 19th century France, where the centre-left included those who supported transfer of powers from the monarchy to parliament or endorsed moderate republicanism . Early progressivism and left liberalism evolved in
2262-684: The 1970s. It was initially developed in Australia and New Zealand, and it first gained influence in Germany as a response to the Cold War and environmental issues . The presence of green politics in national government is mostly limited to Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, though green political parties briefly held influence during the postcommunist period of Eastern Europe. Green political parties have been most successful in Belgium, Finland, France, and Germany, where they integrated into
2349-512: The 19th century held socialist society as an eventual goal. The first social democratic party was established in Germany in 1863. Social democracy had developed as a major political movement in Europe by the early 20th century as a response to the strength of capitalism. Challenging the idea that capitalism was nearing an implosion , reformist socialists such as Eduard Bernstein rejected Marxist ideas of historical materialism and class conflict , and social democrats established themselves as
2436-586: The Finance Minister in the GNU and sworn in on Wednesday 11 November 2009. After months of in-fighting following Tsvangirai's 2013 presidential bid, a group of party officials purported to suspend Tsvangirai for "remarkable failure of leadership," during a meeting of the National Council. Tsvangirai was accused of creating a divisive atmosphere within the party. Six other leaders were suspended at
2523-598: The Great Depression and World War II . A post-war consensus formed among policymakers in Western Europe that rejected both classical liberalism and democratic socialism in favour of social democratic ideals. With the end of fascism, countries in Western Europe adopted social democracy and liberal democracy. Social democracy was widely adopted and implemented in much of Europe, both by centre-left and by traditionally centre-right parties. Social liberalism
2610-627: The Harare township of Highfield . On 16 June 2007, Biti and Welshman Ncube met with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa and Labor Minister Nicholas Goche , in Pretoria , South Africa. South African President Thabo Mbeki , appointed by the Southern African Development Community , presided over the negotiations which sought to end sanctions on Zimbabwe top ZANU-PF leaders or top government officials. Biti
2697-416: The High Court on the same day. The MDC said that it was "deeply worried" about Biti's welfare and that it had sent a team to police stations across Harare, hoping to determine where he was being held. He appeared in court on 14 June. Biti's home was searched by the police on 16 June, although the police did not take anything out of the home. His lawyer, Lewis Uriri, said that Biti had been interrogated for
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2784-623: The Mutambara-led formation. An opinion poll on 27 September 2007 by the Mass Public Opinion Institute of Zimbabwe found that of the 22% of poll respondents who are supporters of the MDC, 21% backed the main MDC formation led Tsvangirai and 1% expressed support for the smaller Mutambara's faction. The poll takers acknowledged the survey was conducted mainly in the rural areas, traditionally a ZANU–PF stronghold, because
2871-474: The State, insulting President Mugabe and causing disaffection among the defence forces".. Prosecutors argued against granting bail to Biti, noting that the charges against him were so serious that he could be executed. The defence submitted an application to have the charges thrown out, but on 20 June magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe dismissed this application, saying that he believed there was "reasonable suspicion that
2958-456: The US government, saying that the document in question was an unobjectionable statement of the MDC's plans and goals; according to McGee, another, more extreme version of the document existed, but it was forged. Biti's lawyer also claimed that the material in question was forged. On 13 June, Biti's lawyers said that they had not been allowed to meet with him, and they filed an urgent application with
3045-951: The United Kingdom and the United States during the 19th century. Green politics is an ideological movement that advocates a political focus on ecology and nonviolence . It challenges modern industrialisation and institutions through a lens of social justice while rejecting traditional political philosophy and organization. Definitions of the scope of green politics may vary; it may be limited to explicitly environmentalist parties, or it may broadly cover political movements descended from New Left or left-libertarian ideas. Besides environmentalism, green politics often includes support for disarmament , ending nuclear power , decentralized democracy, feminism , and immigration . Green politics developed from various left-wing ideologies, including social democracy and Marxism, in
3132-443: The accused committed the said offence". Biti's next court appearance was set for 7 July, and Guvamombe ordered that he remain in custody until then. On 26 June, Biti was granted bail at one trillion Zimbabwean dollars ; he was also required to surrender his home's title deeds and to report to the police on a weekly basis. Biti's lawyers later filed a petition asking for the return of his passport so that he could attend talks between
3219-624: The appointment of Biti as Finance Minister in the Government of National Unity . Though he has no known history in financial and economic matters, analysts suggest that Tsvangirai really had no other option considering Biti's position in the MDC. In addition, he is known to drive a hard bargain and could be the best person to deal with the Zanu-PF controlled public service. He was sworn in alongside other Ministers on 13 February 2009 in Harare. On 20 November 2013, Biti announced he would be opening
3306-510: The benefits it provides for society, but it also advocates regulations to reduce wealth inequality . It rejects the idea that the upper class seeks to harm or exploit members of society, instead arguing that these are unintentional effects of laissez-faire economics. Left liberalism supports liberal capitalism and a mixed economy , which have been adopted by virtually all liberal nations. Political pluralism and strong social institutions are prioritized by liberalism. Social liberalism
3393-474: The blame for the economic crises, and support for the centre-left declined in favour of conservative neoliberalism . At the same time, the end of several right-wing dictatorships in Southern Europe prompted support for centre-left politics among these countries in the 1970s. A decline in the relevance of trade unions , historically a prominent voter group for social democratic parties, contributed to
3480-449: The burden of welfare from the state to the family. Centre-left politics seeks equal opportunity in society. Centre-left groups are more likely to prioritize issues of long-term or abstract importance than other ideological groups. These include environmentalism, the arts, science, social equality , and foreign aid . Advocates of centre-left politics typically support laws and government programs to support marginalized groups such as
3567-538: The centre-left in Western countries. Promotion of general welfare, supporting members of the family, and the ideal of the Harmonious Society all have implications for centre-left politics. The welfare state of East Asian countries such as Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan are sometimes described as Confucian. These welfare systems have been influenced by Confucian familialism , which shifts some of
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3654-554: The centre-left include social democracy , social liberalism , progressivism , and green politics . Centre-left politics often incorporate elements of libertarianism and occasionally favour limited state intervention. As with all political alignments, the exact boundaries of centre-left versus far-left or centrist politics are not clearly defined and can vary depending on context. Centre-left ideologies are common in stable political systems, which typically allow for political debate with an ideological centre. Social democracy
3741-614: The centre-left is the extent to which centre-left parties should reform markets versus regulating pre-existing markets. Centre-left parties in Europe and the United States have supported corporate governance reform to protect the investments of shareholders . The economies of Nordic countries such as Denmark and Sweden are often upheld by proponents of centre-left economic policies as successful applications of these policies. These economies heavily emphasize international trade as well as collaboration between government, industry, and labour. In post-war Europe, West Germany established
3828-587: The centre-left supported the Plan De Man . During the Great Depression in the 1930s, social democracy became a viable alternative to other left-wing ideologies, and state intervention saw popular support throughout the western world. It was also seen as a potential means to counteract rising far-right movements that were developing in Europe. The centre-left was particularly strong in Sweden, which
3915-565: The centre-right, implemented this foreign policy in Europe during the Cold War, but it has become less prominent due to the rise of anti-globalist far-right parties. The immigration policies of centre-left groups vary depending on the political circumstances of a given country, and they may seek to greatly expand or greatly restrict immigration. In principle, centre-left parties generally believe in multiculturalism and support high immigration. The key issue of centre-left immigration policy
4002-533: The constituency. He serves in the Portfolio Committee on Budget, Finance and Economic Development and is currently the MDC's Secretary General. In his legal career Biti has handled labour and human rights litigation representing large trade unions such as the Post and Telecommunications Trade Union. He was arrested in 2007 with many others, including MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai , after a prayer rally in
4089-451: The elderly, the handicapped, and the unemployed. Measures to this effect include financial assistance and anti-discrimination laws . Liberal internationalism is associated with the centre-left through its idealism , constructivism , and progressivism. Liberal internationalists seek cooperation between nations, often including support for common security and arms control between nations to facilitate peace. The centre-left, along with
4176-467: The election, the three member parties who were splinters of the original MDC (MDC-T, MDC-N and PDP) reunited to form a single political party under the name MDC-Alliance. Nelson Chamisa was elected president of the party at the MDC Congress held in May 2019. Then on 28 May 2020, the court ruled that MDC-A is a party. In April 2020, Khupe is recognized as MDC-T by Supreme Court. In December 2020 Khupe
4263-581: The end of the decolonization period, which had been dominated by far-left politics. Most post-colonial African political parties adopted some form of socialism or social democracy, though social democratic policies have seen limited success due to the unstable nature of democracy in Africa. By the beginning of the 21st century, the centre-left had almost entirely overtaken further left groups in politics globally, with other forms of left-wing politics seeing little support in democratic nations. Globalization and
4350-597: The focus on free markets. Labour-government relations and the right to unionize have been less prominent ideas in East Asia. Centre-left politics often involve transfer payment systems, such as welfare and early childhood education , with the goal of creating higher employment while avoiding a welfare trap . Closely associated with this is the implementation of a progressive tax , in which higher earnings are taxed at higher rates. Some early centre-left groups supported gradual reform toward socialism, but this position
4437-556: The government. This document, which was called "The Transition Strategy" and was said to have been written by Biti on 25 March, included purported plans to rig the election in favour of the MDC. Bvudzijena said that Biti would additionally be charged with making false statements "prejudicial to the state" due to his announcement of election results prior to their release by the Electoral Commission. United States Ambassador James McGee expressed deep concern on behalf of
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#17327646505174524-522: The grounds that a trial date should have been set and the police investigation should have been completed. On 27 August 2008, Chioniso Mutongi, a magistrate in Harare, rejected this request, saying that Biti had not been on remand long enough for its removal to be appropriate. In 2018 following Zimbabwe's disputed elections, he was arrested and denied asylum in Zambia. On 10 February 2009, MDC leader and Prime Minister-designate Morgan Tsvangirai announced
4611-672: The inclusion of previously excluded groups in society through citizenship and its associated rights . Income inequality also became a major focus, and centre-left parties in the region promote redistributive policy . Liberalism in Latin America has historically been conservative and oligarchic rather than a centre-left liberalism of progressivism or egalitarianism. Several centre-left parties supported reforms toward economic liberalism in line with those supported by their right-wing counterparts, in some cases leading to backlash that saw incumbent centre-left leaders replaced by far-left populists. Ideological diversity developed in Africa after
4698-448: The late-19th and early-20th centuries in Western Europe and the United States, while social democracy split from revolutionary socialism , which became associated with communism , and advocated reformist socialist positions. Social democracy became the dominant ideology in Western Europe during the post–World War II economic expansion and it spread to Africa after decolonization . Centre-left economics declined in popularity following
4785-532: The liberal-nationalist Movement Party . The centre-left was Orléanist , but supported a liberal interpretation of the Charter of 1830 , more power to the Parliament , manhood suffrage and support to rising European nationalisms . Thiers served as Prime Minister for King Louis Philippe I twice (in 1836 and 1840), but he then lost the king's favour, and the centre-left rapidly fell. The centre-left during
4872-449: The limited success of centre-left politics in the 1980s. Furthermore, centre-left policies faced new challenges that necessitated a reconsideration of the welfare state, including population ageing that threatened pension programs and women in the workforce that heavily altered the job market . Green political parties first became prominent in the 1980s when they became influential in European politics. Third Way politics developed as
4959-423: The majority of the population lives there. It polled 1,202 of eligible voters. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) mandated South African President Thabo Mbeki to mediate between ZANU-PF and the MDC in April 2007 to create conditions for free and fair elections for the 2008 polls. Mbeki appointed Sydney Mufamadi , South Africa's Minister of Provincial and Local Government, and director-general in
5046-475: The mandatory posting of votes counted at polling booths. In the simultaneous parliamentary election , both factions contested most seats, with the Tsvangirai faction winning 99 and the Mutambara faction 10, compared with 97 for Zanu PF, 1 independent, leaving 3 vacancies caused by deaths of candidates. On 28 April 2008, the two factions of the MDC announced that they were reuniting, thus enabling them to have
5133-615: The minds of voters, which earns them support in good economic conditions but loses them support in poor economic conditions. Environmentalism is a major component of green politics. Centre-left groups generally support a mixed economy with moderate economic interventionism . Keynesian economics has historically seen support among the centre-left. This is an interventionist economic philosophy that emphasizes income rather than pricing. These ideas have since declined in popularity in favour of balanced budgets and low government spending. Closely related to centre-left politics are concepts of
5220-437: The national party system. In addition to the most common centre-left ideologies, other ideologies are sometimes described as centre-left or have centre-left variants. Democratic socialism supports the abolition of capitalism in favour of socialism, though it opposes the creation of a communist state . It was historically seen as a centre-left position, and may sometimes be described as such, but modern democratic socialism
5307-548: The parties in South Africa, and as a result his passport was returned to him on 9 July, enabling him to go. He led the MDC-Tsvangirai delegation to the talks, which began in Pretoria on 10 July, although according to Tsvangirai the purpose of this was only to set the MDC-Tsvangirai's conditions for participating in the talks, not to actually participate in them. Uriri applied for the removal of Biti's remand on
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#17327646505175394-476: The political spectrum, with centre-left and centre-right variants both being common. Christian democrats often support the welfare state, and social justice has been a frequent theme among Christian democracy parties in Latin America. Christian democracy in Europe is not usually associated with the centre-left, instead favouring the centre-right. Though it is often associated with conservatism, some elements of Confucianism invoke ideas that are associated with
5481-430: The presidency, Frank Chikane , as the main mediators in the talks. All parties agreed to refrain from commenting on the progress of the talks in the media. Due to the media silence, it is relatively difficult to judge the progress of these talks, but both parties have agreed to constitutional amendments and the revision of certain key media and security laws. The MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai threatened to pull out of
5568-661: The progressive Urbano Rattazzi , the heads respectively of the Right and Left groupings in Parliament. This alliance was called " connubio " ("marriage") for its opportunist characteristics. Liberalism was typically associated with the centre-right in the late 19th century, but liberal parties in France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom adopted left liberal policies through coalitions of middle and working class voters that survived until World War I . Progressivism developed as
5655-419: The purpose of increasing economic growth to fund public goods such as education, healthcare, and pensions. The Third Way may be defined as centre-left or as centrist . Christian democracy is an ideology that incorporates Catholic social teaching into a secular political philosophy. Though most enduring Christian democratic parties are centrist, those in Latin America have historically ranged across
5742-447: The region, which allowed redistributive and socially inclusive policies to be implemented. In East Asia, interventionism and developmental policy were adopted by right-wing parties rather than centre-left parties. Keynesian economics declined in popularity after the end of the post-war consensus, spurred by the 1970s energy crisis and the subsequent recession . The centre-left parties that had held power to that point received much of
5829-591: The same time, furthering the political split within the MDC. Douglas Mwonzora, a spokesperson for the party and one of the suspended leaders, accused former Finance Minister and MDC general secretary Tendai Biti of helping Mugabe oust Tsvangirai. Tendai Biti and others involved in the incident went on to form the MDC-Renewal, which became the People's Democratic Party (Zimbabwe) . The MDC-T survived to see Mugabe removed from office in November 2017, but Tsvangirai
5916-580: The signing of the power-sharing agreement, brokered by Mbeki. At the Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare , Mugabe and Tsvangirai signed the deal to resolve the crisis. According to the deal, Mugabe will remain president, Tsvangirai will become prime minister, the MDC will control the police, Mugabe's ZANU–PF party will command the Army, and Mutambara will become deputy prime minister. Tendai Biti was confirmed as
6003-482: The socioeconomic model of a social market economy , a regulated market economic system that promoted free markets and fair competition with regulation for social policies and a welfare state . The centre-left is descended from left-wing politics, which originated in the French Revolution and in the response to early capitalism. In France, the early centre-left was led by Adolphe Thiers , head of
6090-466: The subsequent Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T) political parties and a Member of Parliament for Harare East until he was expelled from the party and recalled from parliament in mid-2014,before winning the seat again in 2018. Biti was born in Dzivarasekwa , Harare , and he is the eldest in a family of 6 children. From 1980 to 1985 he attended Goromonzi High School , where he
6177-465: The talks if the conditions were not created in which free and fair elections can take place. In July and August 2008, the MDC and ZANU–PF entered into negotiations to settle electoral disputes and to reach a compromise. The talks were both mediated by the South African president, Thabo Mbeki . On 15 September 2008, the leaders of the 14-member Southern African Development Community witnessed
6264-414: The turn of the century caused distress among voters, including increased perceptions of social inequality and fear of change, causing voters to move away from traditional centre-left ideologies toward populism . The Great Recession exacerbated this trend, bringing significant challenges to the rule of centre-left parties, particularly those with social democratic leanings. In Europe, this brought about
6351-631: The welfare state and regulated labour markets . In the 20th century, trade unions and their working class constituency were closely associated with social democratic and labour parties, especially in Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, and former British colonies in the Pacific. These associations generally lessened by the end of the century as union membership declined and centre-left parties shifted toward Third Way politics, which introduced elements of neoliberalism into centre-left politics, increasing
6438-630: The youngest partner by the age of 26. Biti lost his father in his early 30s. In 1999 he helped found the MDC. He was elected Member of Parliament for the Harare East constituency in 2000. During the Fifth Parliament he served as a member of the Parliament Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water Development, Rural Resources and Resettlement and that on Defence and Home Affairs. In March 2005 he retained
6525-571: Was afflicted by colon cancer and died on 14 February 2018. Nelson Chamisa became acting president of the party and contested as the party's presidential candidate in the 2018 Zimbabwean general election under the MDC Alliance electoral pact. On 22 April 2018, Thokozani Khuphe was elected unopposed as the President of her MDC-T faction at an extraordinary congress in Bulawayo . After
6612-518: Was appointed deputy head boy in 1985. He enrolled in the University of Zimbabwe law school as a freshman in 1986. In 1988 and 1989, Biti was Secretary General of the University of Zimbabwe Student Representative Council, with Terry Mhungu as SRC President, which led student protests against government censorship in academia. After school, he joined the Law firm Honey and Blackenberg, where he became
6699-415: Was developed in the United Kingdom by liberal politicians such as John Maynard Keynes and William Beveridge , who advocated market restrictions to the benefit of the public. Keynesian economics became the mainstream in Western Europe during the 1950s and 1960s, while the social market economy was developed by social democrats in Germany at the same time. As social democracy became influential in Europe,
6786-486: Was developed in the United Kingdom in the mid-20th century, where it took the form of new liberalism . The identification of centre-left ideologies as "liberal" is most common to the United States. Liberalism is less common in regions such as Africa and Asia, where there is no individualist or liberal democratic tradition. Progressivism is the support of continuous social reform to improve society gradually , opposing revolutionary or conservative politics. It
6873-452: Was immediately arrested at the airport in Harare. Before his departure from Johannesburg , Biti said that he had already learned that he would be arrested, but maintained that his only crime was "fighting for democracy" and said that it was necessary for him to return to participate in the MDC's struggle. Following Biti's arrest, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said that he would be charged with treason, based on an MDC document about changing
6960-491: Was led by Welshman Ncube . The Movement for Democratic Change was founded in 1999 as an opposition party to the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) party led by President Robert Mugabe . The MDC was formed from members of the broad coalition of civic society groups and individuals that campaigned for a "No" vote in the 2000 constitutional referendum , in particular
7047-626: Was re-elected to the House of Assembly from Harare East in the March 2008 parliamentary election . According to official results, he received 8,377 votes against 2,587 for the ZANU-PF candidate. In the period following the election, he stayed outside of Zimbabwe (mainly in South Africa), along with Tsvangirai, amidst a post-electoral situation that was marked by serious violence against MDC supporters. Biti returned to Zimbabwe on 12 June 2008 and
7134-559: Was reinforced by the wave of democracy that followed, allowing socialists to participate in electoral politics. Social democrats made up the centre-left during the interwar period in Europe, advocating government regulation and intervention in opposition to the passive policies of the predominant Marxist and classical liberal parties. The centre-left and the centre-right in this period were primarily divided by their stance on trade unions, with social democracy advocating greater powers for unions in collective bargaining. In Western Europe,
7221-584: Was removed from the position of party president by Douglas Mwonzora amid strong claims of violence and cheating from her fans. In September 2021, Douglas Mwonzora took over of MDC Alliance. In January 2022, Chamisa founded the Citizens Coalition For Change (CCC). He is backed by Welshman Ncube and Tendai Biti . In March, Khuphe urged Zimbabweans to vote for the CCC in that month's by-election. Tsvangirai and Mutambara failed to unite on
7308-449: Was that of New Labour in the United Kingdom. Centre-left politics remained unpopular in much of Continental Europe at this time. Third Way politics lost support among the centre-left after the early 2000s, and neo-Keynesianism regained popularity. Centre-left ideologies were among those uplifted by the pink tide in Latin America in the late 1990s. Early centre-left politics and progressivism in Latin America has focused heavily on
7395-457: Was the first country to be led by a social democratic party, and social democrats in Sweden continued to be relevant even after the ideology lost influence in other countries during the 1970s. Social democracy also became a popular ideology in many African governments after the decolonisation of Africa . Social liberalism, or left liberalism, overlaps significantly with social democracy. This form of liberalism argues in favour of capitalism and
7482-633: Was the only country at the time to have ruling party that was explicitly social democratic, the Swedish Social Democratic Party . Other European countries with social democratic governments included Denmark, Norway, and Czechoslovakia. The Democratic Party in the United States also implemented centre-left policies with the New Deal , as a lack of ties to socialist groups allowed for a stronger centre-left relative to other countries. Centre-left ideas proliferated rapidly after
7569-403: Was withdrawing from the run-off against Mugabe, due to be held on 27 June, describing it as a "violent sham" and saying that his supporters risked being killed if they voted for him. He vowed that the MDC would ultimately prevail and that its victory could "only be delayed". Centre-left politics Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to
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