[HoniSoit]

Not unless the SN-RF is a single party.

It has been a coalition for quite a while now.

I thought we are talking about minority government, not single-party government?

[Ombrageux]

The SN-RF has every right to attempt to form a government. It will have to make some serious concessions to find partners though. It might not be too difficult to get the nihilistic THP on board, but to get the SLD, PUC or PNL would require such radical shifts in the SN-RF's position as to lead to its breakup.

[Gnote]

We are. But the first chance to form the government would fall to the largest single PARTY, not the largest coalition. A coalition isn't a coalition until it can show its unanimity in the form of a vote.



I will continue these discussions later, I have to go now.

[Gnote]

Remember - the first chance to FORM government is not the first chance to govern.

If you don't think you can garner enough support, there is really no point in trying.

[Donna]

SN-RF seems pretty content being the opposition at the time being.

[HoniSoit]

We are. But the first chance to form the government would fall to the largest single PARTY, not the largest coalition. A coalition isn't a coalition until it can show its unanimity in the form of a vote.

I don't see why it has to fall to the largest single party if there is already a solid coalition.

[HoniSoit]

SN-RF seems pretty content being the opposition at the time being.

We are ready to be in opposition but it doesn't mean we wouldn't go for forming the government.

[Fasces]

In this case, it was agreed that only a majority government could form.

We could always go the Belgian route if no government does manage to form.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Honi, do you really think that the other parties would vote any of you guys in for anything that you ran for? You would have the support of your own coalition and possibly THP, but everyone else would vote against you and you would not satisfy a simple majority. There is really no point in you guys attempting to form a government.

[HoniSoit]

Honi, do you really think that the other parties would vote any of you guys in for anything that you ran for?

That's what we are playing for, isn't it?

You would have the support of your own coalition and possibly THP

Don't discount many sympathizers to our social and economic policies in the SLD and other centrist parties.

There is really no point in you guys attempting to form a government.

Again, I have no problem if the current multi-party negotiation could lead to a coalition within a couple of days time.

I think there is a time limit before all our patience is running out.

The best way to prevent the SN-RF is thus to get your deal quickly done.

[Cheesecake_Marmalade]

Alright. I wouldn't be opposed to you running, and in fact agree with you that you should get first crack at it before the SLD. The RF-SN beat the center in forming a coalition fair and square. In fact, I'm impressed by your expedience. If only people were so pragmatic in the center.

I think there is a time limit before all our patience is running out.

How about we get an official time limit. 72 hours?

[Fasces]

I doubt the PNL and PoP would have much trouble forming a similar coalition. Similarity makes cooperation quite easy.

[HoniSoit]

How about we get an official time limit. 72 hours?

That sounds reasonable.

I doubt the PNL and PoP would have much trouble forming a similar coalition.

Indeed. The only question is why hasn't?

[Dr House]

I'm impressed by your expedience. If only people were so pragmatic in the centre.

Pragmatic! They're not gonna be in a government because they refused to be pragmatic. Their coalition extends from anti-government far left to pro-government far left. Ours extends from an Old Labourite in denial (Gnote) to a Neolibertarian (Sephardi) and literally everywhere in between.

[Fasces]

We stand against them on some issues, and I personally have no reservation about voting against the PNL and with the SN if the need arises, and the issue they propose is clearly in the wrong.

The PoP, furthermore, stands more to gain from standing apart.

[HoniSoit]

Their coalition extends from anti-government far left to pro-government far left. Ours extends from an Old Labourite in denial (Gnote) to a Neolibertarian (Sephardi) and literally everywhere in between.

I don't think this comparison is fair.

The SLD and PUC, which are about as far apart from each other as the SN and RF, didn't work out a coalition, either.

And in the process, they even lost members and saw the formation of a faction within a party.

[Gnote]

The first chance to seek the confidence of the house needs to lie with the largest single party. Otherwise we will have random collections of smaller parties claiming the capacity to form government without discussing any policy platform at all.

The thought process needs to be something like this:

I am the leader of the party with the most amount of seats. If I go before the house with a proposed platform/budget, am I likely to be granted the confidence of parliament?

After the first election has taken place, a government has been formed, and it comes time for the next election, the first chance to seek the confidence of the house should lie with the last Prime Minister, who will customarily turn down that right if his party does not garner the highest number of seats in the election.

This is essentially the system that the Canadian parliament is currently based around. This proposal has nothing to do with the fact that I am a member of the largest party. As of late, that party has not been very open to my point of view. What do I personally have to gain by making this proposition from a biased perspective?

[ingliz]

What about crossing the floor? Seeing as ours is a representative parliament and our members are not delegates.

[Gnote]

I would think that crossing the floor should be a normal part of the parliamentary system.

The individual representatives should have the right to sit with every party they choose. They would, however, run the risk of not being able to sit in the next government, if the next election saw no change to the party's voter support.