This is how PR works. | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: This is how PR works. (none / 0)

Ummm.......you do realize that the Christian Democractic party ruled uninterrupted for over fourty years under PR in Italy?? There were close to fifty governements over those forty years; absoluely extraordinary instablity combined with corruption, mafia-influence, prolifereation of parties, ad infinitum. All of this led ultimateley to Tangentopoli (probably the biggest corruption scandal in the history of Western civilization).

Italian voted overwhelmingly (about 86% in favor) to change to a predominaty majoritarian FPTP system. Things havenìt been perfect, but they have substantially improved as a result.

It is no coincedence that right now, at this very time, Berlusconi and the ex-CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS are trying to pass a law to go back to PR!!

by gilgamesh (expat at 6719 dot it) on Thu Sep 22nd, 2005 at 05:29:14 AM EST

Re: This is how PR works. (none / 1)

Italy seems to be a special case. It often is.

by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Sep 22nd, 2005 at 05:52:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This is how PR works. (none / 0)

Things havenìt been perfect, but they have substantially improved as a result.

Berlusconi.

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Thu Sep 22nd, 2005 at 07:25:30 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This is how PR works. (none / 0)

Politics in Israel has also been pretty screwed up due to influence by small extremist parties needed to make up a majority coalition.

by asdf on Thu Sep 22nd, 2005 at 09:19:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This is how PR works. (none / 0)

In a FPTP system, those small parties would be embedded in major parties as party wings, and could have a weight well above their popular base by taking over positions within that party.

Witness the US Republican Party in the last six years (or sixteen).

_{*Lunatic*, n.

One whose delusions are out of fashion.}

by DoDo on Fri Sep 23rd, 2005 at 08:09:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

This is how PR works. | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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