Tuesday, October 18, 2011

NDP Leadership Candidate Proposing Joint Nominations

At least one NDP leadership hopeful is proposing that the Liberals and NDP join forces in the next election to nominate a single opposition candidate in Conservative ridings. The goal is to maximize the probability of defeating Stephen Harper without actually officially merging the two parties. The downside being that it would decrease the probability of either the Liberals or the NDP winning a majority government, likely resulting in the need for a power sharing agreement in a minority government situation. If the Liberals run 220 candidates instead of 308, it will be more difficult to win 155 seats (70% of Liberals would have to win their seats to win a majority).

So are the Liberals going to diminish their probability of winning a majority just to remove Stephen Harper from power? It's plausible, and will be debated when the Liberals finally get around to beginning their own leadership race. Will it happen? I'm not convinced, but a limited non compete would be the first stop on the road to a merger.

3 comments:

  1. So, if the coalition parties don't have to compete against each other in 162 ridings, how would they compete against each other in the rest of the ridings. I can see the ads already, why vote for the libs or ndp, when they have given up the fight in 160 ridings. Or maybe, the coalition is alive and well in 160 plus ridings. Why take a chance on a coalition govt.

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  2. I say they should go for it. This would only result in a huge Conservative majority.
    Why does this dipper believe that a Liberal would automatically vote NDP if there were no Liberal candidate or vice versa?

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  3. The coalition is very much alive Maryt, but....shhh... they don't want you to know not yet-in fact, not ever. the media will see to that.
    The battle between the two parties for a cabinet position imo is in proceedings-just in case the need to use which frankly Maryt, they are at it already as you can see and hear for yourself, the same tune they play as if they were 'one' party.

    Don't be fool by their individual antics as if they were separate; all that is just for show.

    The 'signs are already written on the walls'.

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