Comparison of the political systems of: – United Kingdom, – France, – Italy, – Spain, – The Netherlands, – Nordic countries. Course content • Comparison of: – Constitutional frameworks, – Historical backgrounds, – Executives, – Parliaments, – Party systems. Readings • Timo Behr. Germany After the Elections: A Liberal Dawn? FIIA Briefing Paper 44, 2009. • Toby Archer. No Real Winner? Britain’s Closest Election in a Generation and the Implications for Europe. FIIA Briefing Paper 60, 2010.
Classical 5-party system Coservatives (Moderates) Liberals Rural (Center) Social-Democrats Communists • Since mid-1980s additionally Greens Christian Democrats Sweden • Social-Democrats – first governments in the early 1920s – SD domination starts in 1932, until 1946 with Rural party, furthermore alone – Per Albin Hansson, PM for 14 years – Tage Erlander, PM for 23 years – Olof Palme, Ingvar Carlsson and Goran Persson Sweden • Conservatives/Moderates – strong in the first half of the 20th century – back in office together with Liberals and Center in 19761981, alone in 1991-1994 (Carl Bildt) and together with Liberals, Center and Christ. Dem.
From 2006 (Fredrik Reinfeldt > Alliance of Sweden) • Liberals – strong in the beginning of 20th century and in the 1920s, Thorbjorn Falldin government in 1976-1982 • Rural/Center – mostly in opposition or junior coalition partners • Communists and Greens. – not yet ‘government-eligible’ Denmark Denmark • Classical Danish 4-party system conservatives liberals social-democrats communists/radical left • There is no rural party in Denmark • Liberals are relatively stronger and SDs weaker than in Sweden • Plenty of small parties who become represented in parliament. ‘Earth-quake’ elections of 1973. • Minority governments Denmark • Social-Democrats: – ca 30 per cent after 1973 – Anker Jorgensen (1975-1982) and Poul Nyrup Rasmussen (1993-2002).
The Essay on Main Divisions Within the Democrat Party
There have always been different divisions within the Democrat Party and it has historically been factionalised into two main groups (as seen in the New Deal Coalition). There is the southern conservative wing, made up of Democrats from southern states who hold conservative views on issues including social and economic issues. These Democrats are seldom reliable voters in Congress, often voting ...
Minority governments • Liberals (Venstre)– the biggest right-wing force (government of Anders Fogh Rasmussen 20022009, Lars Lokke Rasmussen 2009 -) • Conservatives – minority government of Poul Schluter in 1982-1993. Norway Norway • Political parties – Main parties: Labour Party – majority governments, currently in office together with Soc. Left. and Center (PM Jens Stoltenberg since 2005) Center Party – anti-EU, cooperating both with Conservatives and SD Conservative Party – only pro-EU party in Norway Christian People’s Party – strongest right-wing party, anti-EU Liberal Party – comparable to Swedish liberals Left Socialists (moderate Communists) – Small parties: Progress Party – anti-tax party Greens (time-to-time in coalition with SD or Communists) Coastal Party Finland Finland
President: president elected by popular vote for a sixyear term; last held in February 2006; the president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority coalition after parliamentary elections Finland • Political parties: Center Party (Keskustapuolue), Christian Democrats, Green League (Vihrea Liitto), Left Alliance (Vasemmistoliitto, communists), National Coalition Party (Kansallinen Kokoomus, conservatives), Social Democratic Party (president Tarja Halonen), Swedish People’s Party – always in coalition, Finnish Nationalist Party (‘the Real Finns’) – new emerging force since 2008 municipal elections. Typical Finnish coalition: ‘Red-Soil coalition’ – Soc. Dem. +Center+Swedes.
The Essay on Party System Government Parties One
A political party is an organized group of people whose ideas are alike about how to govern a country. In some places, like the U. S, anyone can be part of a political party, but in others, like China, only a few select people can join. Candidates are people trying to be elected to lead the government on behalf of their party. If they are elected, they try to get laws that they like passed, and to ...
Current coalition: Center (PM Mari Kiviniemi) +Coalition +Greens +Swedes. Iceland Iceland • President: Largely a ceremonial post, elected by popular vote for a four-year term. Last held 2004 (Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Ind. ).
• Political parties: Independence Party, Progress Party – usually in coalition, now in opposition, Left-Green Alliance (incl. Communists), Liberal Party, Social Democratic Alliance (includes People’s Alliance, Social Democratic Party, Women’s List).
• Typical Icelandic government coalition: Independence Party + Progress Party (until 21st century) • Current Icelandic coalition of Johanna Sigur? ardottir since 2009: Social Democratic Alliance + Left-Green Alliance.