2200 United Nations Presidential Election (Per Aspera Ad Astra)

The 2200 United Nations Presidential Election was the first decennial presidential election in the United Nations of Earth, held on Wednesday, January 1st, 2200. In an electoral upset, the Constitutional Federalist ticket of former President of the United States James Hailstone (2189-2197) and Senator for the United States Steven Silvervail defeated the People's Restoration ticket of Senator for Great Britain Stephanie Prescott and French Parliament member Louis Montfront.

Hailstone, a popular figure at home and abroad, emerged after his presidency as the central conservative figure in global politics during the Global Constitutional Convention, in which the creation of a central office to govern the UNE was debated. The debating lasted from Unification in 2187 to 2199, when the idea was ratified by most of the globe. With this, Hailstone declared his intent to run for President of Earth, and gained widespread support from conservatives across the world.

Hailstone won the nomination of the Constitutional Federalist Party by August, and selected Steven Silvervail, the Senate Majority Leader, as his running mate. In the People's Restoration Party, Prescott narrowly prevailed against a wide field of candidates, and was expected to lose to Xi Wang, the President of China and a popular figure. Prescott clinched the nomination after a series of sex scandals destroyed Xi's popularity. For her running mate, Prescott chose Louis Montfront, a centrist French MP.

However, many progressives were dissatisfied with Prescott's moderate beliefs, and defected to rally around Christian Armin, an Assembly member from Germany and prominent progressive activist. Armin's running mate was Jaime Van Overveldt, a green activist from Holland.

In the general election, Hailstone campaigned on family values, Christianity, militarism, and a military-first space policy. He promised to expand child tax credits and money to families, while going after monopolies and expanding the military. Prescott campaigned for increased multiculturalism, social democracy, regulated capitalism, and a space policy focusing on science. Armin, finally, campaigned on abolishing nation-states, solidifying New York's control of Earth, democratic socialism, and disarmament.

While Prescott was widely expected to win, her chances were severely hampered by multiple gaffes made on the campaign trail, supposed links to radical groups, and Hailstone's superior use of television ads, social media, and campaign optics. On election day, Hailstone won by 8 points, and his coattails led the Federalists to keep their Senate majority and capture the Assembly. His victory was seen by Federalists as an affirmation of conservatism's power in the world, while Prescott's supporters blamed Armin for supposedly spoiling the election.

Hailstone took office on January 25, 2200, as the first President of Earth. With this election, the Federalists and Restorationists became the two central parties in Terran politics.

Background
Since the signing of the New York Accords in 2187 and the subsequent semi-unification of Earth, many had petitioned for the creation of a central office to govern the nation, a motion that passed in 2199. Per the Terran Constitution, Presidents of the United Nations serve a ten-year-term, with re-election allowed only once.