Do you take in interest in your countries politics?

Alfista Junior

New member
I'll will explain you that when I've got enough time. I'm taking different exams everywhere in the country, I'm travelling so much in one week...


PS: France - Brazil : 1-0 !! :D
 

Alfista Junior

New member
Deweyrules! said:
to try and keep it a bit political, I don't know what you know about the British electoral system; but basically the country is split into 646 constituencies, each with a member of parliament. The constituency votes for a candidate for their representative (Member of Parliament) each poltical party has a candidate standing for that party in each constiuency. Therefore the winning party is the one with the most MP's. Basically, the area in which I live (or constituency) is the only one of about 50 making up the Greater Manchester region that has a Conservative member of parliament- all the others are Labour. The Conservative MP also used to go to my school- so I guess that explains some of my political views :D

Where abouts in France do you live?

So, if I've understood what you said, your prime minister is undirectly elected, right?





The presidential election (L'élection présidentielle):


Actually over here the presidential election is different, you have to pick a candidate directly. There is a first round where you can choose whoever you want. After that there might be a second round depending on whether one candidade's got more that fifty percent of all the votes or not. If no one has got the majority (more than 50%), there is a second round which will oppose the two candidates who have the most of votes..
Nowadays each president will keep his job for 5 years. Before 1997 (I guess) it lasted 7 years.

The president appoints all his ministers including the prime minister.




The National Assembly (L'Assemblée Nationale):

It's similar to your MPs. Your choose in your 'Région' (a sector) a 'Député'. He's elected directly which means it's the same as the presidential election but in 'Régions' instead of all the country. All the 'députés' vote laws and have debate about them. Most of the ministers go to this Assembly and that's here they can be critized and asked for justifications about the politicy they lead. So, actually that's the location where the government discusses with the Opposition (means the parties which are not in power).




The Senate (Le Sénat):

Ballot is indirect. 'Conseillés Régionaux' (I can't translate that!) and other 'Grands électeurs' vote for them. No debate is allowed about the policy the government lead. They vote laws too.


The differences between both groups are probably much more complicated but it's all I remember.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
So the Senators are elected by some "higher ups." Up until 1917, the US Senate was elected by the state government, to be sent to Washington, D.C. NOw both are chosen to the people.

It was because they (Jefferson, Adams, and Washington, ect.) all thought the ordinary people were stupid, and couldn't trust them to make ALL the decisions on who ran the country.
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
Now it's the other way around...the normal people are smart, our government leaders are stupid and can't be trusted(i.e. George W. Bush:D )
 

Alfista Junior

New member
tony_montana said:
Now it's the other way around...the normal people are smart, our government leaders are stupid and can't be trusted(i.e. George W. Bush:D )

I don't know :rolleyes:, we could discuss that. Actually the guys the people choose can't be dumber than us. If they choose somebody silly that's because they're even more silly.... :p



PS: I'm so sad about the World Cup :cool: :cool: Bad time... Good night every1!
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
You know, Alfista, your right now that I think about it....WE are the ones who put Bush in office, so in actuality WE are the dumb ones!:eek:
Actually, that can't be said for me, since I didn't ever like Bush from the start, anyways.:D
 
I'm often of the belief, especially when you look at some of the people eligable to vote, that some decisions are best left to those with knowledge. People complain that there are not enough referenda; I think it is important that there aren't. Imagine if the less knowledgeable masses were to make every decision it would be stupid.

@Alfista, We use the first past the post, simple plurality system in the UK (more a majority system than a proportional one) as such it has caused much controversey as to whether it is undemocratic. It appears that you use the STV or AMS systems with various rounds and rankings. We also have an unelected second camber- The House Of Lords. Made up of peers as chosed by the Primeminister and the queen. However, the second chamber's powers are very limited. They are only able to delay a bill from being passed and suggest changes. They have no true legislative power of their own.

Technically, due to the fact that Britain is a unitary state rather than a federal one, there is in fact little need for any second chamber, like the US. The House of Lords appears to exist soley out of tradition.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
tony_montana said:
You know, Alfista, your right now that I think about it....WE are the ones who put Bush in office, so in actuality WE are the dumb ones!:eek:
Actually, that can't be said for me, since I didn't ever like Bush from the start, anyways.:D


I found this pic, the answer to the problem you describe:
10682545_l.jpg


Please don't take this seriously, I mean only to joke.
 

Murph

New member
(Northern) Ireland's politics are so complicated, I try to follow, but fail quite miserably. I'm a Catholic, som of course I'll be taking Catholics sides over the Protestants, but I think Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, is a moron, who needs to realise that Ian Paisley simply doesn't want an equal Northern Ireland, he wants it to be all British (which, it actually isn't, as the full title is "The United Kingsom of Great Britain AND Northern Ireland), meaning Northern IRELAND is separate.
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
Hey Murph, I didn't know you were catholic. PM me or something. Id like to learn more about the Catholic church(Im a Seventh Day Adventist, by the way).
And Yardgames, that facism pic is hilarious!!:D
 
@Murph Northern Ireland politics is fascinating, very controversial and troubled past, but very interesting. Looking at republican and unionist ideas and how they link to different religions. Then, in recent months there has been the problem with the disagreements and lack progression of the Northern Ireland Assembely, with actually fist fights taking place in parliament. I think views are still to polarised to come to any sort of compramise. Both groups have valid arguments. However, the actions of the former IRA were uneccessary and unwarranted; at least that has ostenciably ended.
 

Murph

New member
Yeah, N.I politics have been messed up lately, particularly today, because every 12th of July, the Orange Order want to march through Catholic area...which I still don'd understand, surely it would be better just to march through areas where you're wanted. Ah well.

Now, over to Tony, I'm not the most devout Catholic, I don't go to Mass EVERY Sunday (mainly the big dates like Christmas, Easter, Psalm Sunday etc.), but I wouldn't hide being a Catholic from anybody :cool:
 

tony_montana

Semper Fidelis
@Murph-Just because you miss mass doesn't mean your faith is any shorter than the most "devout" Catholic.:)
And just want to say, it's nice to have another believer in Christ here.:)
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
@ Sam-You get no credit of mine.

@Tony- I find it hilarious that you find that pic hilarious. Now think about that last sentence I just wrote. Think seriously and then you'll know what I am.
 

NeCoHo

Retired Mod
I'm a fAcIsT... So get over it.

I think you all figured it all out when Tom called me something close to Hitler. But don't start thinking me as an anti-semite. Nazism and facism are too different things. Nazism just takes facism and twists it with social darwinism and a few other things.
 
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