The election of the Supreme Chancellor in 96 BBY was an election that saw Merix Valorum elected for a second term with an increased level of support.
Prelude[]
Following Merix Valorum's election in the previous election, he implemented a series of reforms to rebuild the Republic institutions and scale back its military capabilities. With the funds from the military paying for Valorum's policies, his administration grew in popularity and over the years his party won control of the Senate. With the peace that had followed the Mezzilenic War, the galaxy seemed to be recovered from the tyranny of Signet Mezzileen.
Campaign[]
Merix Valorum's campaign centered on his government's success over the last four years and the promise of more to come if he was re-elected for a second term. His rivals in the Democratic Republican Party argued that Valorum was not going far enough and that they would completely strip away central government and promised more democracy for the people of the galaxy. The Rim Party promised that it would give more influence to the Rim Worlds but part of the inequality had already been resolved by Valorum's reforms so support began to drain away from them. The Core Party was more conservative in its approach, with its leader Maz Durasa trying to take the party away from its roots in Mezzileen's regime but still stick to its key policies of strong central government.
Results[]
Valorum increased his share of the vote in the election, receiving over fifty percent outright and therefore allowing him to form a government without the aid of other parties. The Democratic Republican's candidate Arf Fey'lya's vote decreased slightly but he still held over forty percent of the vote. The Core Party's share held firm but it still hovered at around four percent while the Rim Party's candidate Botto slipped into fourth place, just behind the Core Party.
Aftermath[]
The immediate aftermath of this election was very limited as Valorum carried on with his reforms and Fey'lya and Durasa were able to hold on to their positions as leaders of the Democratic Republicans and Rim Party respectively. Botto resigned shortly after the defeat but this only served to further the divide within his party, which was continuing to loss support to both the Alliance and the Democratic Republicans. However this election allowed Valorum's downsizing of the Republic armed forces to go on unchecked which came under scrutiny when the Republic became involved in the Thirteenth Serennoan Civil War, the first armed conflict since the Mezzilenic War.