
Party logo (2003-2007)
Freedom First, commonly abbreviated F1 or less frequently FF, was a major Lovian liberal political party. Founded by Benjamin Harris in 1998 as a loose classical liberal organization, it developed into a full party by 2001, when former Sylvania Governor and then Royal Legislative Council-member Rick Frances became its leader. It became the largest party in the country by membership shortly after, consisting of an alliance between classical liberals (or libertarians) and centrists, supporting both personal and economic freedom. It was the leading party in the newly formed Congress from February 2003 to early 2007. Frances was the nation's Prime Minister for four consecutive Congresses and the Freedom First party led four government coalitions.
Freedom First lost four seats in the Federal Elections, 2007. After a troublesome 2007 Congress, in which F1 was forced to enter a coalition with its rival, the King's Party, popular support for both parties waned. The royal succession issue of 2007 heavily contributed to the loss of popular interest in party politics, and along with the leader Frances announcing his retirement along with several other senior members deciding not to run for re-election, F1 lost a large amount of popularity and decided to dissolve in December 2007. One former member, Patrick McKinley, was re-elected as an independent, but would later resign from Congress.
After the dissolution of the party, most former members went independent, and many later joined to Liberal Democrats, the Walden Libertarian Party, the Liberal Union or the Liberal Arts Party. Some members of the centrist branch of the party, most notably Pierlot McCrooke, elected to join the emerging Progressive Center Party, a centre-left party. In 2012 it was found that most original members of the party were then in the CNP and SLP.
Congress seats[]
Freedom First was the largest party in Congress from 2003 to the 2006 Congress.
- 2003 Congress: 5 seats - David H. Washington, Lambert Cooper, Jeremy A. Johnson, Rick Frances and William Trumbel III
- 2004 Congress: 6 seats - David H. Washington (2), Lambert Cooper (2), Paul Halldane, Pierlot McCrooke, Rick Frances (2) and William Trumbel III (2)
- 2005 Congress: 6 seats - David H. Washington (3), Lambert Cooper (3), Paul Halldane (2), Pierlot McCrooke (2), Rick Frances (3) and William Trumbel III (3)
- 2006 Congress: 7 seats - Jake Kubrick, Patrick McKinley, Lambert Cooper (4), Paul Halldane (3), Pierlot McCrooke (3), Rick Frances (4) and William Trumbel III (4)
- 2007 Congress: 3 seats - Patrick McKinley (2), Maggie Bell and Rick Frances (5)