The United Kingdom is trying its hand at coalition government for the first time in many a year. At the same time, talk swirls in Canada about a heretofore-phantom coalition of Liberals and New Democrats. Something that Brian Lee Crowley recently pointed out lacks one major element… a reason.
All this coalition chatter is totally understandable in countries where there are minority governments. They give the chattering classes and the media something to prattle on about, usually to the detriment of real problem-solving.
But… what is one to make of a situation where a sitting majority government party is about to turf a sitting national leader? Reports out of Australia say that is exactly what is about to befall Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. It looks likely that the Aussies could have their first female PM, Julie Gillard, as the governing Labour Party turfs the man who won a majority at the last elections.
