Why a grand coalition is a terrible idea

Audrey Young has done a column looking at what a grand coalition between National and Labour could look like. Grand coalitions always sound good in theory – the two centrist parties working together in the country’s interest, shutting out the parties on the margins.

But what his overlooks is governments always become unpopular over time. And if the government consists of the two main parties, then the disgruntled will go to the parties further out, eventually propelling them to power.

In Germany the two main parties are now polling only 38% between them.

In Austria they are also at 38%, Netherlands 40%, Ireland 34%. They all had grand coalitions.

So a grand coalition is a great way to destroy the two main parties, and boost the other parties.