What would happen if there was an election and they couldn't agree on a Government?

Syth · 09-10-2012 09:50AM #1

Another theoretical legal question. What would happen if there was a general election, no party had majority but they couldn't agree to a coalition? Is there some sort of constitutional time limit on that?

This has happened in Greece recently, and Belgium a few years ago. I thought there was something in the constitution which said they (the Dáil) needed to form a Government/choose a Taoiseach, however I looked and couldn't find anything. So what, legally, could happen if the TDs couldn't agree on a coalition?

Or would this be a constitutional crises?

afatbollix · 09-10-2012 09:52AM

We go back to the polls.

Peregrinus · 09-10-2012 10:10AM

Yup, we go back to the polls. And since the electorate would hate this, and would punish the party (or parties) perceived to be responsible, the parties have a strong incentive to come up with a coalition deal.

And so far they always have; no Irish general election has returned a single-party majority since 1977, and every time a government has emerged.

Predalien · 09-10-2012 10:59AM

It has certainly become a distinct possibility given the rise in popularity of Sinn Fein and the state of Fianna Fail.

Syth · 09-10-2012 03:40PM

Oh I know that in practice, there'd be another election, and in practice they'd find a way to form a government, even if it falls after a few months.

However what's the legal situation? How long before there has to be an election? What if the only possible coalition were stuck negotiating for ages, like 3 months? Is there a point at which some automatic clock ticks over and an election is forced?

Since Ireland has a relatively modern constitution, I'd have thought they'd have written things like this down, but I can't find anything.

Kosseegan · 09-10-2012 04:02PM

Syth wrote: »

Oh I know that in practice, there'd be another election, and in practice they'd find a way to form a government, even if it falls after a few months.

However what's the legal situation? How long before there has to be an election? What if the only possible coalition were stuck negotiating for ages, like 3 months? Is there a point at which some automatic clock ticks over and an election is forced?

Since Ireland has a relatively modern constitution, I'd have thought they'd have written things like this down, but I can't find anything.

The legal position is that office holders continue until their replacements are appointed. It happened before, in 1989. No nominee for Taoiseach was elected. The members of the old government carried on as before - Taoiseach, ministers etc. Eventually after a number of days a Taoiseach was elected after FF and the PDs agreed a coalition. If it had continued on for much longer there would have been an election.

Our man in Havana · 09-10-2012 07:42PM

1982. There were 3 elections in quick succession.

What would happen if there was an election and they couldn't agree on a Government?

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