When a parliamentary coalition becomes unpopular, it resists the popular will.
This is doubly true when the majority is narrow.
It’s triply true when the issues become existential, life and death.
We’re seeing this play out in the U.S. and Israel right now.
In the U.S., Republicans have had a very narrow majority since early 2023. It depends on unity to do anything. Or to stop anything.
Those members furthest from the political center wind up driving the train. As the walls close in, moderate members are forced to move to the extreme because they’re now part of the conspiracy. The caucus moves ever-further away from the political center.
The same thing is happening in Israel. The Netanyahu government has a wafer thin majority. Most Israelis want change, or at least a new election. But Netanyahu is dependent on his most radical members to stay in office. Some want a literal genocide against Palestinians. Others demand that the ultra-Orthodox not participate in it. As the walls close in the government moves ever-further away from Israel’s political center. Those once considered moderates become part of the conspiracy because they’re the most vulnerable to change.
What can be done against this legislative intransigence, against this minority rule? Until recently Europe had an answer. Snap elections. But these have disappeared, because elections (and new governments) were rolling over so fast nothing could get done. England was the last to reject snap elections by passing its Fixed Parliaments Act. It’s now almost impossible to force a government out before its 5 year term is up. An unpopular government can do what it wants.
When a government goes against the popular will, people can lose faith in the system. That’s happening today. I wish I had an answer for it.
