Our country now has a so-called electoral quota, which represents the number of votes needed to obtain a seat (approximately 0.67% of the votes for the House of Representatives). Many respondents believe that this electoral quota does not prevent the fragmentation of the political landscape. No fewer than 27 parties are participating in Wednesday’s national elections and according to polls there may be several parties with only one or two seats in the House of Representatives. The multitude of ‘small’ political parties is not considered a democratic asset by most participants. For example, one participant states: “The country is now becoming ungovernable due to all the motions submitted by all the clubs. It is impossible to move forward!” Moreover, this makes the formation of a cabinet very complicated, most of the respondents expect.
Many participants echo Telegraaf columnist Annemarie van Gaal, who proposes in her column (Tel. 27/10) to set an electoral threshold of five seats. The 150 parliamentary seats are then divided among the parties that obtain five or more seats. Then a stable coalition will be within reach again, she believes. Most respondents also think this way: “Gain at least five seats, otherwise not in the House of Representatives. The larger political parties can then finally take action.”
It is also a thorn in the side of many participants that politicians can take a parliamentary seat with them after they split from their party. The dissident in question often sets up a one-man party. “I resent the fact that MPs take their seats with them when they leave the party,” is regularly said in the responses.
However, a small proportion of participants are reluctant to set a (high) electoral threshold. These respondents would like to see (religious) minorities in our country also have a (political) voice in parliament. For example, one of them reasons: “The mere fact that the SGP disappears from the House at an electoral threshold of five seats should be reason enough not to introduce an electoral threshold. In a sense, this also applies to a party like Denk.”
Some find it alarming that studies show that trust in politics is extremely low and they fear a lower turnout at the ballot box. These respondents, just like in Belgium, advocate compulsory attendance for voting. “Make voting mandatory again, now people with a low level of education often stay at home and if they have to vote then you get a better picture of what is going on in society.”
Other participants are angry about the exclusion of parties. “What do I care about politics now? They don’t listen, they just argue among themselves, while the whole country is already screwed up,” he said. And: “Excluding another party means excluding the party that does this,” says another participant. Nearly eight in ten participants find the exclusion of political parties undemocratic.