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Adraco · 06-05-2009, 06:26 PM

I'd say that European politics are somewhat easier on the party members involved, in the way that there's a lot of respect for each other on both sides. It is more of a consensus based leadership, one where side A know they can lose power to side B, so the big decisions are usually a consensus. If not formally and officially - at least there is a backside understanding which might not be publicly communicated but the rules and regulations won't be changed even if the government would.

Also, in almost all European countries the President or the Prime minister is also the party leader. So you are really first elected party leader, or President of party X, and then the public vote for their specificly favoured party, not person. And when one party wins a majority or can form a coallision to gain majority in the Parliament, then that party leader automatically becomes President or Prime minister.

In short, one could say that in Europe you vote for a party, which has its values and standpoints already in place. So the elected party leader (elected only by party members) doesn't really get to put their own sign on important/hot topic subjects like say for example abortion. So Europe votes for a party, whereas US vote for a person. It is so much more about character and charisma in a US election and US politics in general.

Aslo, most European countries have more than two parties. They are usually grouped as left wing or right wing, where left wing would roughly equal the US Democratic party and the right wing the Republicans. Often more than one party has to join forces to gain a majority in that country's Parliament. it is easier to work alongside with another party in "your" right wing/left wing group, than it would be to work accross those borders but sometimes the voting results go that way that the only feasible alternative is for the two largest parties on each side to join forces. During World War II many European countries had some kind of joined forces govenments and still leave that option open for eventual future use during extremely hard and presuring times.

06-05-2009, 06:26 PM
Adraco Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: May 2009 Location: Onboard an airplane around the globe Posts: 3,735	I'd say that European politics are somewhat easier on the party members involved, in the way that there's a lot of respect for each other on both sides. It is more of a consensus based leadership, one where side A know they can lose power to side B, so the big decisions are usually a consensus. If not formally and officially - at least there is a backside understanding which might not be publicly communicated but the rules and regulations won't be changed even if the government would. Also, in almost all European countries the President or the Prime minister is also the party leader. So you are really first elected party leader, or President of party X, and then the public vote for their specificly favoured party, not person. And when one party wins a majority or can form a coallision to gain majority in the Parliament, then that party leader automatically becomes President or Prime minister. In short, one could say that in Europe you vote for a party, which has its values and standpoints already in place. So the elected party leader (elected only by party members) doesn't really get to put their own sign on important/hot topic subjects like say for example abortion. So Europe votes for a party, whereas US vote for a person. It is so much more about character and charisma in a US election and US politics in general. Aslo, most European countries have more than two parties. They are usually grouped as left wing or right wing, where left wing would roughly equal the US Democratic party and the right wing the Republicans. Often more than one party has to join forces to gain a majority in that country's Parliament. it is easier to work alongside with another party in "your" right wing/left wing group, than it would be to work accross those borders but sometimes the voting results go that way that the only feasible alternative is for the two largest parties on each side to join forces. During World War II many European countries had some kind of joined forces govenments and still leave that option open for eventual future use during extremely hard and presuring times.