Italian General Election 2012 ?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I think it's possible that there will be a new election sooner rather than later, so let's keep this thread here. I (or you) can always change the title if needed anyway.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In Canada when Brian Mulroney got really unpopular in the early 90s - his approval numbers fell into single digits - and he wasn't even having sex with children!

Post of the day, probably.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

In Italy there is high correlation between being a church-going Catholic and voting for the right - how can anyone who calls themself Catholic not be nauseated by a man who is a serial statutory rapist??? 

In fairness it isn't nearly as high as it was in the old days, what with the bizarre diffusion of Italian Christian Democracy (the principle successor party to the DC's ended up in the postcommunist party!)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

You must also realize Italy is full of ignorants,and of people who benefit from Berlusconi's "policies".

Anyway,his approvals have decreased some 40% in the last 2 years.

Also, you know, he owns half the telly (or whatever disturbingly high percentage it is) and has done for ages. And, as a result, cannot have not helped to shape social attitudes towards (for example) women.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Of course they support a vaguely majoritarian system with a degree of personal electoral accountability; hasn't that been one of the causes of reformers in Italy since the Clean Hands business?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As criticizable as the current system is, it's an improvement compared to the previous one.

How so? Rigged PR systems are about the worst things possible. Unless you like performing monkeys.

Edit: do you mean from the point of view of being opposed to political fragmentation?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I find it funny how in Italy left-wingers support majority and right-wingers support PR, while it's more or less the contrary everywhere else.

In Sweden as well. The Social Democrats historicly favourd single-member constituencies, while the centre-right has been strongly opposed. Considering the political geography of the country it's hardly surprising though 

This is one of those lists that gets longer and longer to the point at which... ah... maybe it is not such an obvious general rule after all...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I find it funny how in Italy left-wingers support majority and right-wingers support PR, while it's more or less the contrary everywhere else.

In Sweden as well. The Social Democrats historicly favourd single-member constituencies, while the centre-right has been strongly opposed. Considering the political geography of the country it's hardly surprising though 

This is one of those lists that gets longer and longer to the point at which... ah... maybe it is not such an obvious general rule after all...

Well that was sort of what I wanted to acomplish. I don't think there is a general rule that the right supports unproportional electoral systems and the left proportional, rather I'd say the general rule is that political parties will support the system that would benefit them the most. It's not really an ideological issue. 

Indeed. And I was agreeing with you. Hey, the harder parts of the Labour Left have traditionally been ardent supporters of fptp.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That might be harder than it looks.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

That might be harder than it looks.

What's that? Putting a leash on Lega Nord? Of course it will be difficult. I'm just saying that it should be done.

The problem is that they might respond to leashing with 'fyck off'. As you know.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The problem, Phil, is that a large part of the Right's most loyal voters (however defined) defected en masse to the League in the early 90s and have shown no sign of switching back into the mainstream. It isn't as though they can be scared with the threat of Communism now.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

At least those are competent guys

How do you know that? Because they say they are?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I've never heard anybody denying it (even those who talk about the evil bankers' conspiracy didn't question their competence AFAIK).

But if they've never run a country before, we have no idea whether they are competent or not.