What parties would you be in other countries?

[Khunanup]

Indeed, the Lib Dems are now the best fit for an American libertarian (who aren't social-conservative, war-mongering hypocrites like most Tories and UKIPpers).

From what I hear, the Lib Dems are basically a joke, protest party like the Democratic Alliance, who promise all sorts of wonderful things, but will never, or could never deliver them.

They're an awkward alliance between social liberals and market liberals, compromising, but largely depending on what faction's leading to define what you'd be getting (much like all parties, really). For the first half of the noughties it was led by standard social liberals, however it's been the market liberals turn and they've alienated all but the Rightists, so it's looking like a British FDP for the foreseeable future.

Their ideology was always one of centrism, so the only reason their policies were undeliverable were because a) the voting system never looked likely to deliver them enough seats to govern and b) their leadership are absolutely woeful at negotiating, to the point most people are rightly suspicious - because the neoliberals are leading the party - that they were all too comfortable with a Tory government to bother trying to mitigate it.

But we're all Liberals. It really is a mistake to call those who are on the centre left economically of the party the 'social liberal' wing because what unites the party is social liberalism. The two wings of the party as such are more economically interventionist and less economically interventionist liberals (a mouthful for sure) but almost all (because there's always a minority) socially liberal.

Indeed, for all the members we have lost on the economic left of the party, there are many who have stayed because first and foremost they are liberals, upset as they might be with the things that have been implemented by the coalition.

[Khunanup]

UK: Liberal Democrat

A... bold choice, if I may say so.

Well, what else am I supposed to pick? Running down the list:

Conservatives: Kinda socially conservative, support war in Afghanistan, raised tuition fees, want to continue to maintain current nuclear deterrent, some support death penalty. No.
Labour: Democratic socialists, and Blue Labour seems like it's making them worse. No.
British National Party: HPs and fascists. No.
Respect: Socialists. No.
Green Party: Not a green, not an ecosocialist. No.
UKIP: Pro-voucher, expand the military, opposes same-sex marriage. No.
Liberal Democrats: Anti-ID cards, want to review nuclear deterrent, increase school funding, cut size of Department of Health, educate/train prisoners, regulate CCTV, end DNA collection, treat rather than imprison drug addicts, inquiry into torture, no selling chemicals for use in the death penalty, and wants to reform the House of Lords (which seems to me to be a silly thing that could really be replaced by something like a Constitution/Supreme Court). Yes.

Nice to see a non British contributor work things through rather than regarding the Lib Dems as sell outs because they're in coalition with the Tories. Labour are in coalition with the Tories on local authorities in this country, does that mean that they're unacceptable to some of you now too?

[Khunanup]

Given some of the DUP's recent rhetoric, it's rather interesting that many American right-wingers are saying that they'd support them.

I despise the DUP.

Good call.

Looking at your Political Matrix score, you must be a pretty lonely Republican (I know NH is different, but that different, seriously?). With scores like that you'd be right at home in New Labour over here and surely further left than many Dems in the South over there?

[Khunanup]

Andorra - Liberal Party of Andorra
Argentina: UCR
Australia: Greens
Austria: Liberal Forum (should they contest)
Belgium:

    Flanders - OpenVLD
    Wallonia - MR

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Liberal Democratic Party
Brazil: PMDB
Bulgaria: NDSV
Canada: Liberal (plus Liberal parties in a Provinces/Territories)
Chile: PRSD
Croatia: Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats
Cyprus: United Democrats
Czech Republic: Public Affairs
Denmark: Radikale Venstre
Estonia: Reformierakond
Finland: Swedish People's Party of Finland
France: Parti Radical de Gauche
Germany: FDP
Greece: Democratic Alliance
Hungary: SZDSZ
Iceland: Progressive Party
India: Indian National Congress
Ireland: Fine Gael
Israel: Meretz
Italy: Italian Radicals
Japan: Kizuna Party
Kenya: Orange Democratic Movement
Kosovo: Liberal Party
Latvia: Unity
Lithuania: Labour Party
Luxembourg: Democratic Party
Macedonia: Liberal Party of Macedonia 
Mexico: New Alliance Party
Moldova: Liberal Party
Monaco: National Union for the Future of Monaco
Montenegro: Liberal Party of Montenegro
Morocco: Popular Movement
Netherlands: D66
New Zealand: Labour Party
Norway: Venstre
Poland: Palikot's Movement
Portugal: Hope for Portugal Movement
Romania: National Liberal Party
Russia: Yabloko
Serbia: Liberal Democratic Party
Singapore: Singapore Democratic Party
Slovakia: Freedom and Solidarity
Slovenia: Zares
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
South Korea: Democratic United Party
Spain: Liberal Democratic Centre
Sweden: Liberal People's Party
Switzerland: FDP.The Liberals
Turkey: CHP
Ukraine: Reforms and Order Party
UK: Liberal Democrats (Alliance in NI)
USA: Democratic Party

[Khunanup]

Good call.

Looking at your Political Matrix score, you must be a pretty lonely Republican (I know NH is different, but that different, seriously?). With scores like that you'd be right at home in New Labour over here and surely further left than many Dems in the South over there?

Well, I wouldn't have been entirely unwelcome in New Labor. But New Labor doesn't exist. Now it's Red Ed. Also, I don't think the Blair-Brown government was very good. And I like "big society" Cameronism.

Also, I find the Republican Party a perfect fit. After all, despite his protestations to the contrary, Mitt Romney is probably around where I am. And even if there are probably Southern Democrats more right-wing than I am, they're all probably still tied to far-left interest groups (SEIU, NEA), and a far-left, irresponsible, incompetent, intolerant, kleptocratic national party.

My feelings exactly!

You guys seriously need a multi-party system...

[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.

[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?

[Khunanup]

Argentina: Radical Civic Union (they are all bad, but I'm not voting peronismo ever)
Australia: Australian Democrats
Austria: Social Democratic Party or People's Party (lack of better options)
Belgium (Flanders): OpenVld
Belgium (Wallonia/Brussels): Mouvement Reformateur
Canada: Liberal Party
British Columbia: British Columbia Liberal Party
Quebec: Quebec Liberal Party
Czech Republic: LIDEM – Liberal Democrats
Denmark: B - Radikale Venstre or Liberal Alliance
Finland: National Coalition Party (Centre Party too Eurosceptic)
France: UDI or MoDem
Germany: FDP, perhaps SDP
Greece: Democratic Alliance (DISY)
Hungary: Alliance of Free Democrats
Iceland: Bright Future
Ireland: Fianna Fail
Israel: Kadima
Italy: Scelta Civica
Japan: Democratic Party
Korea: Democratic Party
Mexico: Institutional Revolutionary Party or National Action Party (not a big fitter in my ideology, but the PRI is too establishment and PRD too left-wing)
Netherlands: D66 or VVD
New Zealand: National Party
Norway: Liberal Party or Conservative Party (for their Europeanism)
Poland: Palikot's Movement
Portugal: Social Democrat Party or Socialist Party
South Africa: Democratic Alliance
Spain: UPyD

• Catalonia: Ciutadans
• Basque Country: UPyD
• Galicia: People's Party
• Andalucia: People's Party (PSOE ruled awfully too long)

Sweden: Liberal People's Party
Switzerland: FDP. The Liberals or Green Liberal Party
United Kingdom: Liberal Democrats

• Northern Ireland: Alliance Party

United States: Democratic Party

May I suggest the Swedish Peoples Party in Finland. They are a Liberal Party, more than Centre and are unequivocally pro European. They're not separatist either (which is clearly an issue for you). They're who I'd vote for over there.

[Khunanup]

Quite possibly.

Only some of us, and not me. When I did this last I went for Green. Hopefully the FDP will try to broaden their Liberal appeal in their extra-parliamentary time... Not holding my breath though.