OT the downside of proprotional representation

[Geoff Parkstone]

The topic is interesting, I've been a fan of PR for a long time but noted the restriction in the Italian horseshoe model as rendering it impractical as a tool for decision making. The Dutch model with so many choices is taking it to an even more absurd extreme it seems. Like giving you a pound and sending you into a poundshop: too much choice, too little cash, and you always end up buying the dime bar

[MadAmster]

I was never a fan until I came to live here. PR makes sure no one party has an absolute majority which means they have to form a coalition. The negotiations to form that coalition end up taking the extreme ideas, the sharp edges, off the table and you end up with basically centrist policy left.

The current one consists of 4 neo-liberal/conservative parties although one of them, under new leadership, has taken steps towards embracing both left and right..... understanding that you need moneymakers to drive the economy but that you also need a social safety net for the "weaker" in society and that the majority of the money needed to fund it should come from the "1%" and the multinationals. Not amounts of tax that would cripple the companies but actually paying current tax levels and maybe a bit more and without deals that end up with them paying (next to) nothing. It's all pointing to the same 4 with maybe 1 or 2 more parties to form the next coalition.

They usually seek sufficient partners to get them to the magic 76 seats which gives them a majority. There is talk this time of a different kind. The current PM has already said he is in the process of makng a "national action plan" to help the country move forward as quickly as possible. He has asked all of the parties to send him suggestions for the plan. There is even talk of, once the results are known, forming a really broad and strong coalition looking for 100+ seats in the 150 seat population. Parties from left, right and centre. That in order to get as much consensus as possible for the necessary steps. A totally different type of politics to that of the UK.