Minority Governments in Comparative Perspective

Abstract

Abstract This volume explores the politics of minority government. Approximately one-third of parliamentary democracies are or are typically ruled by a minority government—a situation where the party or parties represented at cabinet do not between them hold a majority of seats in the national legislature. Minority governments are particularly interesting in parliamentary systems, where the government is politically responsible to parliament, can be removed by it, and needs (majority) support in the parliament to legislate. The volume analyzes the formation, functioning, and performance of minority governments, what we term the why, how, and how well of minority governments. Beginning with an overview of the concept of and puzzles surrounding minority governments in parliamentary systems, establishing the current terms of the debate, the volume presents thirteen in-depth case studies by leading country experts that provide rich, contextualized analyses of minority governments in different settings—covering Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The concluding chapter draws broader, comparative-based conclusions from the country studies that pushes the literature forward and, we hope, sets a path for subsequent research on minority governments.