First results in from Dutch elections: we're @#$%ed

[Hueij]

First results: Christian Democrats are the real winners, so we can kiss goodbye our euthanasia laws, lax drug laws and everything else that makes our small place on earth a special place...

A dead man that left behind a political party with no program and no experienced people becomes leader of the second greatest party...

Social Democrats have the smallest amount of votes since WW2...

Same goes for the Liberals (for Americans: Conservatives )

One positive point: the Socialist Party doubles it's seats in parliament, 5 before, 10 now

In short, we won't get a government that will last the full four years...

[Provost Harrison]

Christian Democrats? From what you describe that sounds like a real step backwards. If they try and take back your rights that you have fought for all this time, take to the streets!

[faded glory]

hehe silly dutch. I dont understand how it all works, coalitions, break-up governments after awhile. You call our system stupid?

[Imran Siddiqui]

It won't matter, they won the election .

[Hueij]

Originally posted by faded glory
hehe silly dutch. I dont understand how it all works, coalitions, break-up governments after awhile. You call our system stupid?

Yep, maybe not stupid, but definitely undemocratic... Just two parties which are (at least from our pov) undistinguable (sp?)... Over here there is no way one party will get a majority so every one who wants to get in has to compromise, so it is guaranteed that everyone's opinion is reckoned with...

Until now that is, over here we "live in interesting times"...

[Provost Harrison]

Speaking about Dutch politics, the name Ruud Lubbers always gave me a bit of a giggle

[Locutus]

PH, how about Kok?

[faded glory]

Na, I think you guys are just a bit ignorant. Thats why you call it stupid. It isnt just 2 partys. Its many parties lumped into two.

Republicans are just a coalition of Fascists, Conservatives, Traditionalists, and Moderates. Dem's are all that and to the left. If your a communist, you could join the communist party. But that only has 10,000 members.....soo your better off joining the democrats and reforming the party within.

[Locutus]

Don't worry, Heij, I predict new elections within 18 months

[Hueij]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Speaking about Dutch politics, the name Ruud Lubbers always gave me a bit of a giggle

PH, you know I always loved you, so please don't spam my thread, okay? I only start threads about things I care about so leave this one alone...

[faded glory]

how does a government break up? Do political blocks break off until there is no majority. Enlighten me.....

[Hueij]

Originally posted by faded glory
Na, I think you guys are just a bit ignorant. Thats why you call it stupid. It isnt just 2 partys. Its many parties lumped into two.

Republicans are just a coalition of Fascists, Conservatives, Traditionalists, and Moderates. Dem's are all that and to the left. If your a communist, you could join the communist party. But that only has 10,000 members.....soo your better off joining the democrats and reforming the party within.

I'm looking at it from a Dutch pov. Over here it's inimaginable that Fascists, Conservatives, Traditionalists, and Moderates would get together in one party.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes... a government breaks when the coalition splinters.

[Hueij]

Originally posted by faded glory
how does a government break up? Do political blocks break off until there is no majority. Enlighten me.....

If I understand you correctly, the answer is no...

A coalition breaks up when the parties that make up the government decide to break it up (great sentence, this one ) for electoral or ideological or whatever reason.

[Ecthy]

As for "interesting times" - same here, same all over Europe. Alas, the peoples of the EU have lost their faith in the social democrats, so it means we're all being reverted into damn conservative bourgeois catholics.