[Grizzly]

The Dutch government has collapsed over disagreements within the governing coalition on extending troop deployments in Afghanistan.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8525742.stm

The consequence is that there will not be any dutch troops in Afghanistan after the current term ends, because the decision was wether to extend the current mission or not. Since the goverment has now fallen, it can no longer decide that the mission should be extended, so it ends...

I hate politics.

[Blue Lion]

I don't think I'll ever understand coalition governments

[iamzack]

..huh?

[Blue Lion]

People vote for their party in parliamentary systems. Since one group rarely gets a majority, they form coalitions to get work done since there is kind of a blur between executive and legislative branches. When the groups in the coalition fight over an issue, like this one, the group breaks up and they no longer have majority rule to work. Usually this means forming a new coalition or having new elections.

But this is all probably very wrong since I'm just spouting what I remember from politics class.

[The E]

Nope, it's very correct. Except for the part with the blurring of Executive and Legislative branches.

[Blue Lion]

I know that it works, I'm just often wondering how. Not that our system is better, but I sometimes look at countries and think "How do you get anything done?"

Again, very much aware of the US system's faults.

[Blue Lion]

Except for the part with the blurring of Executive and Legislative branches.

Isn't the executive branch selected by the legislative? I was under the impression that's how that worked.

[The E]

That's the way it works here in Germany, but it all comes down to the simple fact that a government cannot govern effectively without a friendly parliament.

[Bob-san]

..huh?

MY understanding is that minority parties need support from each other in order to pass legislation. When disagreements happen between temporary political alliances, those alliances break and thus the government loses its effectiveness. In effect, nothing of legislative consequence is passed until either a new alliance is struck or an election forces the issue.

[Mongoose]

I know that it works, I'm just often wondering how. Not that our system is better, but I sometimes look at countries and think "How do you get anything done?"

Again, very much aware of the US system's faults.

Agreed.  We have our issues too, but there is something to be said for a system where a clash over a particular issue can't lead to the essential dissolution of an entire branch of government.

(Granted, partisanship can often achieve something like the same result without a formal collapse, but that's a whole other story...)