Sanctus – New Sanctaria Party founder, and former Sanctarian Conservative Party Deputy Prime Minister, Andrew Silk announced late last night that he was standing down as leader of the New Sanctaria Party effective immediately. Silk, who only founded the NSP in 2019 did not give a reason for his immediate resignation.
Under Silk’s federal leadership and organisation, the NSP gained many hundreds of seats in last years inaugural state elections, with the NSP going into government with the Christian Union Party in Terra Monticularum. Generally considered an effective, if not extremely abrasive politician, Silk is very popular with the NSP grassroots and parliamentarians across both the federal and state political stages. What his departure will mean in the short and medium term for the party he founded remains to be seen; many commentators have suggested a big reason for NSP success in some states was his personal popularity amongst conservative voters.
Despite NSP success with conservative voters, however, the party has consistently been lagging in polls in the western states, and federally too. Sanctarian Conservative Party leader, and official Leader of the Opposition, Kate Cruz has also been consistently ranked as a better party leader, better candidate for Chancellor, and better opposition leader than Silk in these polls too.
However poll numbers are unlikely to be the sole reason for Silk’s departure, with the NSP still in a better place in many states, particularly in the east, than they were in 2020, and the NSP remains a solid favourite amongst the influential conservative and pro-life lobbies, ensuring they have a core voting base. Sources within party leadership have said they were “blindsided” by his resignation letter last night, which is said to be “two lines long” and omitted the usual thanks to party faithful for their support that is common in party leader resignation statements. Calls to Silk’s staff and office remain unanswered.
JOEY SESSIONS, Political Editor
