Partners & FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

We have a beautiful vision for the future of our region and the country as a whole, and we believe that can best be achieved by embracing four main tenets: Self-Determination, Integrity, Democracy, Empathy, and Sustainability. Our Platform outlines our meaning behind each point and describes what our candidates would work towards if elected to office. If you share our vision for a country we can truly call our own, join us today.

How do I get involved?

That depends on what kind of involvement you'd like to have! We run new member orientation sessions once a month if you have questions and want to learn more about the organization, you can join the next meeting of your state's party and get involved with on-the-ground activities your state party is putting together, or if you're pressed for time you can donate. There's no right or wrong way to engage, we're just happy you're here!

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What's in a Name?

We are the Yankee National Party.

Why "Yankee"? In the United States, "Yankee" is defined as "an inhabitant of New England or one of the northern states." While we encompass the whole of New England, we are also open and encouraging of other northeastern states that wish to join our movement to do so. Therefore, instead of limiting our scope by using the term "New England" in our name and cutting out other New England States, we have adopted the term "Yankee" as a more inclusive descriptor of the whole northeast. It's not perfect, but it's where we've landed right now. Suggestions on our name can be sent to [email protected]. Note that the New England National Party name is already taken by a fringe right-wing group that we do not associate with.

Why "National"? A "nation" is defined as "a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory." We, in the northeast, feel that we are a nation of our own - and that our nation is culturally different from the rest of the United States. Our Party is established to advocate for the needs of that nation.

Why a Party? While there are many organizations promoting and protecting New England values and rights, we are the only organization that is doing so in the form of direct political action. We are not just here to advocate and make our voices heard, but to get people elected to office that can make real, substantive decisions with their political power. While we work closely with our non-party affiliates, we feel that having an active party is important for the advancement of the movement.

Our Partners

Looking for State Party information? Click here.

The Yankee National Party is a member of the Coalition of Independence & Autonomy Organizations (CIAO). Other member organizations include:

While each of these organizations has a different approach to promoting one's right to self-determination, each has been a steadfast partner and has been supportive of our message and values. We will work to share information about what actions and initiatives each of our Partners is undertaking with our membership as that information becomes available.

We're always looking for new partners! Please click here to fill out our partnership form if you'd like your organization to be listed as a supporter of the YNP movement.

Why can't I find you online anywhere?

We don't know - we're certainly accessible! In today's day and age, it's hard to remember what you do and don't see in a day, even if you're looking for us. To help you connect with us, follow these links:

How is the YNP different than other political parties?

Why vote YNP when you have other options? The answer is simple: we're the only political party dedicated to greater autonomy for the northeast, promoting common-sense human services like single-payer healthcare, and combatting the rise of fascism at the federal level.

If you're looking for more reasons, however, we have a 32 page comprehensive platform that has been adopted that outlines our position on most issues that we invite you to read and consider.

For a quick glance at how we further differ from other political parties, please review the table shown here, and click here for a more comprehensive, comparative look at even more political parties.

Are you anti-fascist? Anti-racist?

YES. We are unequivocally anti-fascist and anti-racist. We stand for democratic principles and against discrimination on any basis. This is clearly outlined in our 30-page Platform.

What about anti-capitalist?

Our party adheres to the principles of social democracy, which by definition means that we support tenets of both capitalism and socialism in the pursuit of a society that supports those in need and puts people before profits. There are some members of our party that identify as capitalists, some as socialists, and others along the spectrum in between. We all, however, believe that laws and the government should be in place to protect and support people, not corporations or the capitalist class.

Given the limited number of states you represent, you will never have enough electoral votes to win the Presidency. What's your strategy to achieve your goals?

We are not working to elect another President of the United States - our goal is to have a united front within our federal legislative delegation and within our various state legislatures to help pave the way for autonomy and our policy goals. We will work with others, including the California National Party and related center-left groups, to further our goals. We believe that the best governments are those that are formed by coalition, and we will work across party lines to ensure that our voice is as strong as it needs to be to find success in our state, national, and federal pursuits.

In 2025, we are focused on gaining ground in local elections to demonstrate that we have buy-in and viability across the northeast. Help us spread this movement and succeed in the 2025 local elections - nominate yourself or someone else to get the YNP endorsement for this coming election.

Are you the same as the New England National Party?

NO, we are not! The NENP is a small, fringe group founded in Clinton, CT, in 2025 that is right-wing in nature. Their platform calls for "medical freedom" in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is slanted against community and human service nonprofits that serve the most vulnerable in our communities, it is slanted against diversity and equity, and they consider themselves to be nativists, standing against immigrants and immigration. The YNP supports none of these regressive, horrific policies.

Furthermore, the New England National Party is not founded on the principle of independence - in fact, their platform calls for more cooperation with ICE and the federal administration.

We reject the right-wing, anti-science, and anti-empathy approach that the "New England National Party" brings to the table.

When you say "Self-Determination" - what do you mean?

The YNP is very sensitive and aware of the current political landscape both within the northeast and at the federal level, and we know that independence means many different things to a variety of people. We have a three-step approach to the question of Self-Determination:

We will support is the creation of more robust cooperative agreements between the northeastern states in an effort to standardize more laws and regulations and present a united front on policies and decisions at the federal level.
The second, more comprehensive step that we support is creating a regional government for the northeast, much like the Scottish Parliament in the United Kingdom (UK), that can make cohesive policy decisions for the states of the northeast without overreach and overwhelming interference from other states in the union and the federal government. This will allow the northeast to chart its own course for the future and contribute to the United States while protecting its own needs and self-interests.
Lastly, should public opinion support the effort to a considerable extent, we will seek to hold a fair and free referendum to determine whether the northeast should formally separate from the United States to create its own country. While we will always seek to be allied and cooperative with our sister states to the south and west, at the core of our Party there is a belief that we must protect the rights and opportunities of our citizens first. Continuing our federal association with states that would restrict those rights and opportunities is no longer tolerable in the eyes of many of our party members.

We will first work to implement Step 1 and proceed from there based on public opinion and dialogue. If you support independence for New England and the northeast, we recommend that you make your voice heard both publicly and to your elected officials - discussion about separation must be normalized, and our officials need to hear that separation is desired?

Can the Northeast ever be truly independent?

Yes.

If Greater New England were to become independent, it would be the 26th (out of 196) largest in the world by population, 88th largest by land area, and 3rd largest by GDP (as calculated by the IMF in 2025), behind only China and the remaining United States. Our region - our nation - is larger in land size and population and higher in GDP and the Human Development Index (HDI) as compared to most countries on Earth. We have the means and the ability to self-govern, to produce what we need, and to sustain ourselves as an independent country. The question is not IF we can be independent - the question is whether we will choose that destiny for ourselves or not.

Legally, we feel that Greater New England already has the right to pursue independence if it so chooses. Many will point to the fact that the US Constitution does not explicitly provide for a mechanism for states to leave the union as a reason for independence to be illegal. On the contrary, we assert that the US Constitution's failure to even mention the subject of independence means that states are not barred from choosing to exit the union of their own free will.

Beyond this, we do not accept the findings of Texas v. White (1869), and we further assert that the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights Article 21, Section 3, which states that "the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government," affirms our right to self-determination. The Declaration of Independence also outlines numerous reasons why Greater New England

Despite the fact that we already hold this right, the YNP is committed to pursuing the following two goals as stepping stones towards a possible independence in the future:

Securing devolved powers and a regional congress/parliament to manage those devolved powers; and
Adopting an amendment to the US Constitution clarifying each state's right to separate.

We feel that these steps reflect a cautious, conservative approach to considering independence and will help ease tensions as these conversations continue.

What's with the red, green, and white in your marketing materials?

New England flag, adopted circa 17th century.

New England red ensign with St. George's cross in the canton. Flown at the Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775.

Another variant of the flag that was possibly used at the Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775. Sometimes called the Bunker Hill Flag.

Blue ensign, field defaced with six stars. Flag of the New England Governor's Conference.

The colors most commonly associated with New England are red and green; this is often seen in depictions of the region's flag, where a red background is typically paired with a green pine tree symbolizing the region's forests.

Red: Represents the "red ensign" which was a common flag used by British colonies, including New England, and is often the dominant color on a New England flag.
Green: Represents the pine trees which are prevalent in the New England landscape and are frequently featured on flags alongside the red background.
White: Comes from the background of the flag of England, which depicts a red cross over a white field.

Many variations of a New England Flag exist, and some examples are shown above. We choose to honor those who came before us and who died for the flag of New England by adopting the colors of red, green, and white.

Have ideas for how our party should better brand and market itself? Sign up to join the Party today and join us for conversations at our meetings!

Have another question?

Email us at [email protected] to ask - we'll answer you directly and then post the question and answer here!

Frequently Asked Questions & Partners