New Zealand to have new centre-left government
A new, three-party government will be formed in New Zealand after balance-of-power party New Zealand First chose to side with the opposition Labour Party rather than the governing National Party. … Continue reading
UK Conservatives’ early election call cost them majority
Had UK Prime Minister Theresa May waited several months to call an election, her Conservative government might have retained its House of Commons majority in a smaller Parliament, even on … Continue reading
Elections highlight role of PR in coalition-building
Overnight election results in Austria and the north German state of Lower Saxony have highlighted the impact of proportional representation systems in forcing political parties to form joint governments. Voting … Continue reading
Final German election for 2017 may buck right-ward swing
After three earlier state elections and a dramatic federal election, the northwestern German state of Lower Saxony rounds out the nation’s 2017 electoral year this Sunday. And the signs are … Continue reading
Dutch, Germans, Kiwis edge towards governments
Government formation in nations using party list proportional representation is proceeding at very different rates in three countries which held elections during 2017. The Dutch, which held their parliamentary elections … Continue reading
Far-right set to influence Austrian government again
Voters in Austria have their turn this Sunday to determine the role of the far-right in yet another European parliament. Historically the nationalist, populist and conservative Freedom Party of Austria … Continue reading
Bundestag expands by over 100 seats
One extraordinary result of Sunday’s election in Germany is that the Bundestag will expand by over 100 seats to ensure that each of seven political parties has a strictly proportional … Continue reading
Snap Japanese election will not be normal competition
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called a snap early election for the Shugi-in, the lower House of the Japanese parliament – but don’t expect a normal contest. The election … Continue reading
Germans elect complex six-party parliament
Angela Merkel will remain as Chancellor of Germany, but Sunday’s Bundestag elections have seen a historically strong result for the nation’s minor political parties. The combined popular vote share of … Continue reading
New Zealand parties will need to negotiate coalition government
As usual, New Zealand’s new Parliament will not produce a majority government, after the incumbent National Party fell backwards slightly at yesterday’s election. The choice of government will largely lie … Continue reading
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