Could a coalition government not include the plurality party?
Back during the German elections, I remember a bunch of parties saying they would be unwilling to form a coalition with AfD. That made me wonder--what if AfD had won the most votes without getting a majority, but no party was willing to form a coalition with them? Could some number of the minority parties that would add up to a majority form a coalition despite none of them getting a plurality of seats? Similarly, such a scenario could happen in the UK right now, though it would require an unlikely (?) coalition of everyone against the conservatives.
parliament majority
add a comment |
Back during the German elections, I remember a bunch of parties saying they would be unwilling to form a coalition with AfD. That made me wonder--what if AfD had won the most votes without getting a majority, but no party was willing to form a coalition with them? Could some number of the minority parties that would add up to a majority form a coalition despite none of them getting a plurality of seats? Similarly, such a scenario could happen in the UK right now, though it would require an unlikely (?) coalition of everyone against the conservatives.
parliament majority
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16
add a comment |
Back during the German elections, I remember a bunch of parties saying they would be unwilling to form a coalition with AfD. That made me wonder--what if AfD had won the most votes without getting a majority, but no party was willing to form a coalition with them? Could some number of the minority parties that would add up to a majority form a coalition despite none of them getting a plurality of seats? Similarly, such a scenario could happen in the UK right now, though it would require an unlikely (?) coalition of everyone against the conservatives.
parliament majority
Back during the German elections, I remember a bunch of parties saying they would be unwilling to form a coalition with AfD. That made me wonder--what if AfD had won the most votes without getting a majority, but no party was willing to form a coalition with them? Could some number of the minority parties that would add up to a majority form a coalition despite none of them getting a plurality of seats? Similarly, such a scenario could happen in the UK right now, though it would require an unlikely (?) coalition of everyone against the conservatives.
parliament majority
parliament majority
edited Dec 16 at 20:04
Alexei
15.1k1784161
15.1k1784161
asked Dec 16 at 19:53
eyeballfrog
1135
1135
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16
add a comment |
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
Yes.
The general requirement for a government in a parliamentary system is that they can win motions of confidence. Even if one party holds a plurality in parliament, if it cannot win a motion of confidence it cannot form a government. Contrariwise, if two or more minority parties agree to work together, they can form a majority in parliament that will win a confidence motion.
However, coalitions that form only in opposition to a third force tend to be unstable and may not be able to agree on a legislative program or consistent economic strategy.
By way of example, in Spain, the current government is lead by the PSOE and their allies. But the People's Party hold a plurality (but not a majority) in parliament. The PP lost power following a confidence vote earlier this year.
In the particular case of the UK, following a general election, the largest party would normally be allowed to make the initial attempt to form a government, and a coalition (or minority government) of minority parties would be considered only after the party with the plurality had failed.
After a no-confidence vote in the PM in parliament, there would then be 14 days for the various other parties to attempt to form a government before a general election is called.
add a comment |
Quite simply yes… and it actually happened in Germany before, between 1969 and 1972 (first Brandt cabinet) and between 1976 and 1982 (second and third Schmidt cabinets). In both cases, the CDU/CSU was still the largest group in parliament but it did not have an outright majority without the FDP, which chose to form a coalition with the SPD instead.
add a comment |
This happened recently in New Zealand: the plurality party is out of power, because the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest parties formed a coalition government.
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "475"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fpolitics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f37163%2fcould-a-coalition-government-not-include-the-plurality-party%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
Yes.
The general requirement for a government in a parliamentary system is that they can win motions of confidence. Even if one party holds a plurality in parliament, if it cannot win a motion of confidence it cannot form a government. Contrariwise, if two or more minority parties agree to work together, they can form a majority in parliament that will win a confidence motion.
However, coalitions that form only in opposition to a third force tend to be unstable and may not be able to agree on a legislative program or consistent economic strategy.
By way of example, in Spain, the current government is lead by the PSOE and their allies. But the People's Party hold a plurality (but not a majority) in parliament. The PP lost power following a confidence vote earlier this year.
In the particular case of the UK, following a general election, the largest party would normally be allowed to make the initial attempt to form a government, and a coalition (or minority government) of minority parties would be considered only after the party with the plurality had failed.
After a no-confidence vote in the PM in parliament, there would then be 14 days for the various other parties to attempt to form a government before a general election is called.
add a comment |
Yes.
The general requirement for a government in a parliamentary system is that they can win motions of confidence. Even if one party holds a plurality in parliament, if it cannot win a motion of confidence it cannot form a government. Contrariwise, if two or more minority parties agree to work together, they can form a majority in parliament that will win a confidence motion.
However, coalitions that form only in opposition to a third force tend to be unstable and may not be able to agree on a legislative program or consistent economic strategy.
By way of example, in Spain, the current government is lead by the PSOE and their allies. But the People's Party hold a plurality (but not a majority) in parliament. The PP lost power following a confidence vote earlier this year.
In the particular case of the UK, following a general election, the largest party would normally be allowed to make the initial attempt to form a government, and a coalition (or minority government) of minority parties would be considered only after the party with the plurality had failed.
After a no-confidence vote in the PM in parliament, there would then be 14 days for the various other parties to attempt to form a government before a general election is called.
add a comment |
Yes.
The general requirement for a government in a parliamentary system is that they can win motions of confidence. Even if one party holds a plurality in parliament, if it cannot win a motion of confidence it cannot form a government. Contrariwise, if two or more minority parties agree to work together, they can form a majority in parliament that will win a confidence motion.
However, coalitions that form only in opposition to a third force tend to be unstable and may not be able to agree on a legislative program or consistent economic strategy.
By way of example, in Spain, the current government is lead by the PSOE and their allies. But the People's Party hold a plurality (but not a majority) in parliament. The PP lost power following a confidence vote earlier this year.
In the particular case of the UK, following a general election, the largest party would normally be allowed to make the initial attempt to form a government, and a coalition (or minority government) of minority parties would be considered only after the party with the plurality had failed.
After a no-confidence vote in the PM in parliament, there would then be 14 days for the various other parties to attempt to form a government before a general election is called.
Yes.
The general requirement for a government in a parliamentary system is that they can win motions of confidence. Even if one party holds a plurality in parliament, if it cannot win a motion of confidence it cannot form a government. Contrariwise, if two or more minority parties agree to work together, they can form a majority in parliament that will win a confidence motion.
However, coalitions that form only in opposition to a third force tend to be unstable and may not be able to agree on a legislative program or consistent economic strategy.
By way of example, in Spain, the current government is lead by the PSOE and their allies. But the People's Party hold a plurality (but not a majority) in parliament. The PP lost power following a confidence vote earlier this year.
In the particular case of the UK, following a general election, the largest party would normally be allowed to make the initial attempt to form a government, and a coalition (or minority government) of minority parties would be considered only after the party with the plurality had failed.
After a no-confidence vote in the PM in parliament, there would then be 14 days for the various other parties to attempt to form a government before a general election is called.
edited Dec 16 at 21:39
answered Dec 16 at 20:55
James K
33.6k8101142
33.6k8101142
add a comment |
add a comment |
Quite simply yes… and it actually happened in Germany before, between 1969 and 1972 (first Brandt cabinet) and between 1976 and 1982 (second and third Schmidt cabinets). In both cases, the CDU/CSU was still the largest group in parliament but it did not have an outright majority without the FDP, which chose to form a coalition with the SPD instead.
add a comment |
Quite simply yes… and it actually happened in Germany before, between 1969 and 1972 (first Brandt cabinet) and between 1976 and 1982 (second and third Schmidt cabinets). In both cases, the CDU/CSU was still the largest group in parliament but it did not have an outright majority without the FDP, which chose to form a coalition with the SPD instead.
add a comment |
Quite simply yes… and it actually happened in Germany before, between 1969 and 1972 (first Brandt cabinet) and between 1976 and 1982 (second and third Schmidt cabinets). In both cases, the CDU/CSU was still the largest group in parliament but it did not have an outright majority without the FDP, which chose to form a coalition with the SPD instead.
Quite simply yes… and it actually happened in Germany before, between 1969 and 1972 (first Brandt cabinet) and between 1976 and 1982 (second and third Schmidt cabinets). In both cases, the CDU/CSU was still the largest group in parliament but it did not have an outright majority without the FDP, which chose to form a coalition with the SPD instead.
answered Dec 16 at 22:29
Relaxed
16.4k3558
16.4k3558
add a comment |
add a comment |
This happened recently in New Zealand: the plurality party is out of power, because the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest parties formed a coalition government.
add a comment |
This happened recently in New Zealand: the plurality party is out of power, because the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest parties formed a coalition government.
add a comment |
This happened recently in New Zealand: the plurality party is out of power, because the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest parties formed a coalition government.
This happened recently in New Zealand: the plurality party is out of power, because the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest parties formed a coalition government.
answered Dec 17 at 1:07
Tony Kelly
111
111
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Politics Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fpolitics.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f37163%2fcould-a-coalition-government-not-include-the-plurality-party%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
I sense that the answer is generally yes, but the details are surely different from a country to another. Is your question a general one or targeting UK?
– Alexei
Dec 16 at 20:00
@Alexei It's more of a general one.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 16 at 20:03
"...despite none of them getting a plurality of seats?" Where is the problem with that as long as the coalition has a majority of seats? Or the other way around, why must a coalition include the largest party? The question should motivate more the actual problem, if there is one, or is this just asking for a clarification? If so, then yes, it's possible.
– Trilarion
Dec 17 at 12:51
@Trilarion It seemed quite possible that the coalition could be required by (possibly unwritten) parliamentary rules to include the plurality party. Judging by the answers, this is not the case.
– eyeballfrog
Dec 17 at 14:16