Wednesday, May 11, 2016

How real parliaments work



"The prime minister will leave the chamber....  He is to be treated no differently from any other member."

The speaker of the New Zealand parliament ejects prime minister John Key for repeatedly abusing the rules of the legislature.  (The action is at the end of the clip, around 5.30)

New Zealand has a long tradition of caucus control over leaders and hence -- the one leads to the other -- parliamentary control over the executive branch. That has been eroded by proportional representation, since list MPs are encouraged to see themselves as agents of their party.  But the tradition endures.

 
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