What parties would you be in other countries?

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Australia: Liberal
Austria: OVP
Belgium: CD&V or CdH, perhaps Open VLD
Canada: Conservative
            Alberta: PC
            British Columbia: BC Liberal
            Sask: Sask. Party
            Quebec: Liberal
            Yukon: Yukon Party
Denmark: Venstre
Finland: National Coalition
France: UMP
Germany: CDU
Greece: ND
Iceland: Independence
Italy: People of Freedom or Civic Choice
Ireland: Fine Gael
Luxembourg: CSV, maybe DP
Mexico: PAN
Netherlands: CDU, maybe VVD
New Zealand: National
Norway: Conservative
Portugal: PSD
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
Spain: PP
Sweden: Moderate
Switzerland: FDP or CVP
UK: Conservative
       NI: UUP or Alliance
US: Republican

[Zuza]

racist Melenchon

Why do you consider him racist?

[batmacumba]

France: FASE, Les Alternatifs (I know they're both non-existent parties; I could support a non-dumb centrist)

So you'd vote for the FG. The FASE and Alternatifs don't run separately from the FG anymore besides in a few local elections or some dissidents.

That's a front, not a party. Or am I that wrong about the French political system? I have my qualms with the PCF and I gave up the PG after Melenchon's comments on Breton language issues.
Anyway, what would you say about the MdC? Too much authoritarian tendencies, or something?

If you want to be pedantic, yes, the FG isn't an actual party - it's a quasi-permanent coalition of many parties (most of which probably have like 2 members). In electoral terms, since the FG's components almost always support one candidate (except in some local elections, or like in the 2010 regionals when the PG ran lists with the NPA in places where the PCF had allied with the PS), it is pretty much a single political party. It makes little difference if you dislike the PCF, PG and like the FASE.

The 'MDC' has been known as the MRC since 2002. I guess if you're a Eurosceptic and Jacobin left-republican, the MRC is a fine choice. But the MRC doesn't matter all that much anymore, since most of the time they ally with the PS by the first round anyhow (how do you think they win their seats?).

Mmmmm...
Well, I can't really decide if I'm a Jacobin Left-republican or if I'm a 68's libertarian-christian-left Bobo. Depends on my mood. In the end I just skip the center-left and vary between the center and the extreme left avoiding to stop in the middle.
I thought that FASE and Les Alternatifs would be PSU's clear inheritors. Was I that wrong?

[batmacumba]

Well, after this, I think I need to do one of these:

 Spain: IU if in Castilla. Any regional leftist otherwise. (is equo a national party?)

Well, there is more than Castile in what's the rest of Spain (I mean, outside our 'historical nationalities': Catalonia, Basque Country and Galicia). I guess that Equo is a 'national' party, though it didn't run lists in Catalonia because Iniciativa per Catalunya-Verds is its 'sister' party, member of the European Greens. In  the Valencian region (País Valencià or Comunidad Valenciana) they made a coalition with Compromís (a mix Valencian nationalists, former IU members and greenies) and in the German colony known as Balearic Islands with the Partit Socialista de Mallorca-Entesa Nacionalista. Also Equo went with some small local parties in the Western Canaries.

I know, I know!
But Cantábria, Extremadura, Aragon, Andaluzia, all have their options. I think only La Rioja and Múrcia would be simplified to Castilla in my scheme.
BTW, very admirable by you spaniards to allow German states to participate in your elections.

[Khunanup]

This needs an update.


Argentina: Civic Coalition
Australia: Probably Liberal, but Shooters and Fishers when possible
Austria: Stronach (but maybe Hans-Peter Martin's List in EU Parliament elections)
Belgium: VLD or MR, depending on my language
Brazil: Uh… Democrats or PMDB.
Canada: Liberal
Colombia: Colombian Liberal Party
Czech Republic: Maybe TOP 09?
Denmark: Liberal Alliance or Danish Social Liberal Party or Venstre
Egypt: Egyptian Bloc
Finland: Meh, maybe Centre? Otherwise Nat'l Coalition
France: MoDem, PRG, or anything from UDI.
Germany: FDP (or Pirates)
Greece: Recreate Greece
Iceland: Independence Party
India: Nationalist Congress Party?
Israel: Probably Yesh Atid
Italy: Civic Choice
Ireland: Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil
Japan: Democratic Party
Luxembourg: Democratic Party
Mexico: New Alliance
Netherlands: D66
New Zealand: National Party
Norway: Liberal Party
Pakistan: Muttahida Qaumi Movement
Portugal: PLD or PSD
Russia: Yabloko, Civic Platform, maybe Right Cause
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
South Korea: Democratic United Party
Spain: UPyD (assuming I'm not Catalan or Basque or Canarian or anything)
Sweden: Liberal People's Party
Switzerland: FDP
Taiwan: Taiwan Solidarity Union
Turkey: Republican People's Party
UK: Liberal Democrats, maybe UKIP
US: Libertarian or Democratic
Venezuela: Justice First

UKIP are increasingly socially conservative. Your scores are pretty close to mine so you'd fit we'll in the Lib Dems.

[politicus]

Correct me if there's anything here that looks silly. Party's share of vote in most recent election shown and underlined if party is a part of its country's government:

A Just Russia has some decent people, but is also filled with nationalists and authoritarians, not really your kind of leftists.

[後援会]

Correct me if there's anything here that looks silly. Party's share of vote in most recent election shown and underlined if party is a part of its country's government:

• Canada: New Democratic Party (NDP) - 31%
• UK: Labour Party - 29%
• Australia: Australian Labor Party (ALP) - 38%
• France: Radical Party of the Left (PRG) - 2%
• Germany: Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) - 23%
• Italy: Civic Choice (SC) - 8%
• India: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)  - 6%
• Russia: A Just Russia (CP) - 13%
• Japan: Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) - 23%
• Turkey: Republican People's Party (CHP) - 26%
• Poland: Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) - 8%
• Ukraine: Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) - 14%
• Egypt: Egyptian Social Democratic Party - 5%
• Austria: The Greens - 10%

Unless there's something about the DPJ that you particularly really like, I believe you are seriously overestimating their "center-left" credentials. Certainly far more right-wing than the French Socialists (who you appear not to be a fan of).

On the other hand, it's not that much more to the right of the ALP (one of the more centrist major center-left parties), so it's not inconsistent or silly or anything.

Also, I love your share of the vote thing.

[後援会]

Don't mind if I shamelessly steal pay homage to your format here...

Australia: Swing Voter (ALP or Coalition)
Canada: Conservative Party - 39.6%

• Alberta: Progressive Conservatives (PC) - 44%
  British Columbia: BC Liberals - 45.8%
  Ontario: Progressive Conservatives (PC) - 35.4%
  Quebec: Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) - 31.2%
  Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan Party - 64.3%

Czech Republic: Civic Democratic Party (ODS) - 20.2%
Estonia: Reform Party - 28.6%
Germany: Alternative for Germany (AfD) - N/A
Greece: New Democracy - 29.7%
Hungary: Fidesz - 52.7%
Iceland: Progressive Party - 24.4%
Israel: Likud - 23.3%
Japan: Japan Restoration Party - 20.5%
Korea, South: Saenuri - 42.8%
Malaysia: Pakatan Rakyat - 46.8%
Mexico: Swing Voter (PRI or PAN)
New Zealand: National Party - 47.3%
Norway: Progress Party - 22.9%
Philippines: Lakas–CMD - 37.0%
Poland: Law and Justice (PiS) - 29.9%
ROC (Taiwan): Kuomintang (KMT) - 44.6%
Singapore: People's Action Party - 60.1%
South Africa: Democratic Alliance - 16.7%
Sweden: Christian Democrats - 5.6%
Turkey: Justice and Development Party (AKP) - 49.8%
United Kingdom: United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) - N/A

[politicus]

You got a strange mix of centrist and right wing parties. What principle are you going by?

[後援会]

You got a strange mix of centrist and right wing parties. What principle are you going by?

In some countries, I think the centrist party has better policies. In some countries, I think the right-wing party has better policies. And in a few countries, I think the center-left has better policies, like Malaysia.

That being said, my European preferences get skewed heavily by strong Euroskepticism. Willing to overlook a few...iffy policies in exchange for Euroskepticism.

[Khunanup]

You got a strange mix of centrist and right wing parties. What principle are you going by?

In some countries, I think the centrist party has better policies. In some countries, I think the right-wing party has better policies. And in a few countries, I think the center-left has better policies, like Malaysia.

That being said, my European preferences get skewed heavily by strong Euroskepticism. Willing to overlook a few...iffy policies in exchange for Euroskepticism.

Why is Euroscepticism so important to you?

[Marokai Backbeat]

This isn't dramatically different from my list over a year ago, but I support I could lightly update it.

Australia: Australian Labor Party
Brazil: Partido dos Trabalhadores (Workers' Party)
Canada: New Democratic Party

• Alberta: Progressive Conservatives
  British Columbia: BC New Democratic Party
  Ontario: Ontario New Democratic Party
  Manitoba: Manitoba New Democratic Party
  Quebec: Québec Solidaire in theory. Parti Québécois in practice.
  Saskatchewan: Saskatchewan New Democratic Party

Finland: Left Alliance
France: Parti Communiste Français
Germany: Greens
Greece: SYRIZA
Ireland: Labour Party
Israel: Israeli Labor Party
Italy: Italian Democratic Party (There are very few good options here.)
Japan: Japanese Communist Party
Korea, Republic of: Democratic United Party
Mexico: Partido de la Revolución Democrática
New Zealand: New Zealand Greens
Norway: Norwegian Labour Party
Russia: A Just Russia
Spain: Spanish Socialist Workers' Party
Sweden: Swedish Social Democratic Party
Switzerland: Social Democratic Party of Switzerland
Ukraine: All Ukrainian Union – Fatherland (The options there suck.)
United Kingdom: Labour Party
United States: Democratic Party

[RogueBeaver]

Australia: Liberal Party
Canada: Conservative Party
BC: BC Liberal Party
Alberta: Wildrose
Ontario: Ontario Progressive Conservative Party
Quebec: Independent.
France: Union pour une mouvement populaire (UMP)
Germany: Christian Democratic Union
India: Indian National Congress-voting Independent.
Italy: Partito Democratico-leaning Independent.
Japan: Liberal Democratic Party
Mexico: National Action Party
Russia: Independent opposition supporter.
Spain: Partido Popular.
UK: UK Independence Party.
US: Republican Party.

[Hash]

The French Socialist Party is a bit far to the left for my tastes, but my real problem with them is that they're ineffective and poor at governing.

Yet, by choosing the PRG, you're effectively choosing the PS. The PRG is, for all intents and purposes, basically indistinguishable from the PS - except that they tend to be a bit more pro-European than the PS (but even then...). All of their elected officials only got there thanks to the PS, and they only run enough candidates in legislative elections to qualify for the first fraction of public financing. If the PRG had not been allied to the PS since the 1970s, they would about as relevant as the countless tiny far-left outfits out there.

[fondue_knight]

UK: Liberal Democrat
US: Democratic
France: MoDem
Germany: No idea, I don't like their FDP. Maybe Pirates?
Canada: Liberal
Malaysia: Pakatan Rakyat
New Zealand: ACT
Australia: I don't like any. I liked Australian Democrats
Northern Ireland: Alliance
Irish Republic: Fianna Faìl, if I had to choose.
Netherlands: VVD
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
Japan: Democratic Party of Japan
Italy: Italian Radicals

[fondue_knight]

MoDem and PRG are both members of the liberal faction in the European Parliament (although PRG doesn't have seats any more...)

[lincolnwall]

UK: Liberal Democrat
US: Democratic
France: MoDem
Germany: No idea, I don't like their FDP. Maybe Pirates?
Canada: Liberal
Malaysia: Pakatan Rakyat
New Zealand: ACT
Australia: I don't like any. I liked Australian Democrats
Northern Ireland: Alliance
Irish Republic: Fianna Faìl, if I had to choose.
Netherlands: VVD
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
Japan: Democratic Party of Japan
Italy: Italian Radicals

I'm sure I don't fully understand your politics, but based on your other choices, why ACT in NZ? They're essentially a right-wing social conservative party, and the last choice of any left-winger in the country. (If you're going by Wikipedia, their page does a great job of making them appear almost the opposite of what they really espouse.)

[lincolnwall]

New Zealand: Labour nationally, Greens locally. Greens can only come into power nationally in coalition with a ruling Labour government.

Argentina: Radical Civic Union
Australia: Greens (Labor in the past, but can't stand the major parties currently)
Brazil: Workers' Party
Canada: NDP
Chile: Party for Democracy
Finland: Social Democratic Party
France: Socialist Party
Germany: The Left
Greece: Coalition of the Radical Left
Iceland: Left-Green Movement
India: Indian National Congress
Indonesia: Indonesian Democratic Party – Struggle
Isreal: Hatnuah
Italy: Left Ecology Freedom
Mexico: Party of the Democratic Revolution
Netherlands: Labour Party
Northern Ireland: SDLP
Poland: Palikot's Movement
Republic of Ireland: Sinn Féin
Russia: A Just Russia
South Africa: African National Congress
South Korea: Unified Progressive Party
Spain: United Left
Turkey: Peace and Democracy Party
UK: Liberal Democrats
US: Democratic

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Did you not hear about the whole coalition thing?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The French Socialist Party is a bit far to the left for my tastes,

It's rhetoric is traditionally about twenty degrees hotter than its actual position, which is the French way.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Point scored.

[Hatman 🍁]

• Alberta: Progressive Conservatives
  
  

Ick. I understand why, but ick!

No way I'd support the Tories. [/list]

[Peter the Lefty]

racist Melenchon

Why do you consider him racist?

His attitude toward the Breton people and their language is quite clearly bigoted.

[Hash]

The French Socialist Party is a bit far to the left for my tastes, but my real problem with them is that they're ineffective and poor at governing.

Yet, by choosing the PRG, you're effectively choosing the PS. The PRG is, for all intents and purposes, basically indistinguishable from the PS - except that they tend to be a bit more pro-European than the PS (but even then...). All of their elected officials only got there thanks to the PS, and they only run enough candidates in legislative elections to qualify for the first fraction of public financing. If the PRG had not been allied to the PS since the 1970s, they would about as relevant as the countless tiny far-left outfits out there.

So is there any point at all in stepping outside the UMP/PS duopoly? There doesn't seem to be many non-awful parties that aren't tied to one coalition or the other.

I guess there is a point, though obviously I would be one to argue that given that the first round candidates I've voted for have won no more than 2%. It's just that the PRG is inextricably tied to the PS in all but a few instances, which is not the case for EELV (greens) who are capable of being independent and will run their own candidates in most elections (even if, in all but a few cases back in 2011, they will drop out of the runoff if they are qualified behind another left-wing candidate). Of course, EELV is becoming more and more tied up to the PS these days...

There's always the MoDem, of course, but I don't see why anybody would vote for them considering that at this point it's an empty personalist cult run by and for Bayrou. Bayrou might have a few good ideas, but he's an opportunistic moderate hero whose platform largely consists of whining about the PS/UMP duopoly and not proposing any coherent alternative besides what would probably be some horrible Third Force-type wet dream. You would probably find a few UDI politicians (Borloo, Jégo, Jouanno, Lagarde) pretty acceptable since they're socially liberal, moderately right-leaning on economic issues, not xenophobic sh**ts like most of the UMP and a bit environmentalist on the side. But at the same time the UDI is a useless party which is full of horrible bland right-wingers.

[Hash]

Australia: Australian Greens - 11.8%
Austria: The Greens - 10.4%
Belgium (Flanders): Groen! - 6.9%
Belgium (Wallonia/Brussels): Ecolo - 12.3%
Brazil: depending on personality, likely Workers' Party - 17.1%
Canada: Liberal Party - 18.9%

• Alberta: Alberta Liberal Party - 8.9%
• British Columbia: Green Party - 8.1%
• Ontario: Ontario Liberal Party - 37.6%
• Manitoba: Manitoba Liberal Party - 7.5%
• Quebec: Québec Solidaire - 6%
• Saskatchewan: Green Party - 2.9%

Chile: Concertación - 44.4% (by default)
Croatia: Kukuriku coalition (SDP-HNS-IDS) - 40.4%
Czech Republic: Green Party - 2.4% (since they all suck)
Denmark: B - Radikale Venstre - 9.5%
Finland: Green League - 7.3%
France: Europe Écologie – Les Verts - 5.5% (party I most closely identify with)
Germany: The Greens - 10.7%
Greece: Democratic Left (DIMAR) - 6.3%
Hungary: Politics Can Be Different - 7.5%
Iceland: Left-Green Movement - 10.9%
India: Indian National Congress - 28.6% and most other UPA parties
Ireland: Labour Party - 19.5% (even if they're horrible)
Israel: Meretz - 4.6%
Italy: Sinistra Ecologia Libertà - 3.2%
Japan: Japanese Communist Party - 6.2%
Korea: Democratic United Party - 36.5%
Mexico: Institutional Revolutionary Party - 31.9% (I know, but at this point I'm optimistic about EPN)
Netherlands: D66 - 8% or GroenLinks - 2.3%
New Zealand: New Zealand Greens - 11.1%
Norway: Liberal Party - 3.9% or Norwegian Labour Party - 35.4%
Poland: Palikot's Movement - 10%
Portugal: Left Bloc - 5.2%
South Africa: Democratic Alliance - 16.7%
Spain: Equo - 0.9%

• Catalonia: Initiative for Catalonia Greens - 9.9%
• Euskadi: Basque Nationalist Party - 34.6%
• Galicia: Galician Left Alternative - 13.9%
• Valencia: Coalició Compromís - 7%

Sweden: Centre Party - 6.6%
Switzerland: The Greens - 8.4%
Taiwan: Democratic Progressive Party - 34.6%
Turkey: Democratic Left Party - 0.3%
Ukraine: All Ukrainian Union – Fatherland (The options there suck.)
United Kingdom: Labour Party - 29%

• Cornwall: Mebyon Kernow
• Northern Ireland: SDLP - 13.9%
• Scotland: Scottish National Party - 44%
• Wales: Plaid Cymru - 17.9%

United States: Democratic Party

[Niemeyerite]

• Galicia: Galician Left Alternative - 13.9%

Are you sure? Even for me they are too left-wing, although I'd cheerfully vote for them if I lived in Galicia, specially after this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbmnx6sBXXk