Esabelle de Pourbaix began her political career as an Independent City Councillor in Palmyre. After five years on the City Council, de Pourbaix was elected Mayor at the age of 32. In the middle of her term as mayor, de Pourbaix resigned in order to form the Free Democrats of Baltusia. The party began as a fringe movement that soon caught the attention of other Councillors across the country. By the time she officially launched the party manifesto in January 3111, over 380 city councillors were members of the party and were standing for Parliament.