Green Party Wins Mock Election Debate

The Green Party, led by Sam Dwyer, won a mock parliamentary debate sponsored by the students in Government 112: Introduction to Comparative Politics. The debate was held in the fictitious country of West Europa on April 17 and was the capstone of a semester-long project in the course taught by Assistant Professor of Government Sharon Werning Rivera.

Six party leaders faced a lively and enthusiastic audience as they debated issues pertinent to real European countries, such as immigration policy, unemployment, regional separatism, and the war in Iraq. In addition to Dwyer, debate participants included Heather Prigg, Ricky Bottini, Steve Mello, Sophie Boehm, and Joe Buicko. Parties ran the gamut of Western Europe's political spectrum, from neo-fascist to communist, and included—aside from the Green Party—the Conservative Revolutionist Party, Progressive Economic Party, United Socialist Party, New Workers’ Party, and Cultural Preservation Party.

The panel of expert judges, which decided the winner based on the content and delivery of the presentations, included Professor of Communication Catherine Phelan, Visiting Assistant Professor of Government Shelley McConnell, Visiting Assistant Professor of Government, Oral Communication Lab Peer Tutor Ntokozo Xaba '08, and David R. Foster '10.