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Wednesday 25 November 2009

Election News

Much has been discussed since the Ipsos Mori poll recently reignited fears of a hung parliament. Many have risen to speak adversely on the idea: no kind of half decent government could emerge from such a result, the sky would fall in, and decisions could not be made in the normal way.

Over on the European mainland, this happens from time to time, and yet the world does not end: Germany hasn’t had one party with more than 50% control of the legislature in the recent past, yet it carries on – rather well. The latest EU member to join this club is Portugal.

Prime Minister José Sócrates and his PS (Socialist Party) won a majority in the 2005 elections, gaining 121 of the 230 seats in the Assembly of the Republic. In September this year, they won only 97. But, again, there was no single party with that coveted majority, so the PS, being the largest party, carries on. They will inevitably have to make alliances and do deals. But their world will not end, the sky will not fall in, and the work of Government will continue.

This should not be a difficult concept to understand: after all, it is only reflecting the will of the electorate as expressed through the democratic process

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