2001 Panem Federal Election

The 2001 Panem federal election was held on 1 May 1997. The incumbent governing Liberal Party led by Chancellor Daniel Thelen was defeated in a landslide by the Conservative Party led by Joel Clark.

The political backdrop of campaigning focused largely on public opinion towards a change in government and the economic recession caused by the 1999 financial crisis. Conservative Leader, Joel Clark focused on transforming his party through a more centrist policy platform, entitled ‘Compassionate Conservatism', with promises towards social reform, constitutional reforms and fiscal responsibility to respond to and end the economic recession. Thelen sought to rebuild public trust in the Liberals following a series of scandals, disunity in government, and the government’s response to the economic recession, through campaigning on the successes of the Liberal government, including devolution, the strength of the NHS and the generous benefits system that the Liberal government introduced in 1995.