Social Democratic Party (Bijan)

The Social Democratic Party (Esperanto: Socialdemokratia Partio, SDP) is a democratic socialist political party in Bijan, and one of the country's major parties. The Social Democratic Party is currently the senior partner in a coalition government consisting of Together for Bijan and the Bijani Greens. Jakovo Ostaras, the leader of the Social Democratic Party, has been Chief Minister of Bijan since 2009.

History
Founded in 1944, and a participant in every general election to date, the Social Democratic Party was the longtime runner-up to the Liberal Democratic Party, and formed the backbone of the Bijani political opposition.

In 1973, the Social Democratic Party became the largest party in the Bijani House of Representatives for the first time, with 62 of the 173 seats, and formed a minority coalition government with the New Bijan Party and the Alliance of Dutch Voters, with commitments on confidence and supply from smaller parties. Lansen Naprem became the first Social Democratic Chief Minister of Bijan, serving from 1973 to 1977.

The Liberal Democratic Party returned to power in 1977, ending four years of Social Democratic-led government, but not before a Social Democratic, Arĝin Mekavisol, was elected President of Bijan. The Social Democratic Party spent the next 32 years in opposition.

In the 2009 general election, both the Social Democratic Party and the Liberal National Party (which succeeded the Liberal Democratic Party in 1993) won 87 seats in the House, but poor results of the LNP's traditional coalition partner One Nation compared with the SDP's partners, Together for Bijan and the Bijani Greens, allowed them to form a majority government under Jakovo Ostaras. The tri-party coalition was returned to office in the 2013 general election with an increased majority.