The coalition governance system is becoming phenomenal as alternative governance is in the hands of opposition political parties contesting power. Heywood (2019:264) defines a coalition as a grouping of rival political actors brought together either through the perception of a common threat or through the recognition that their goals cannot be achieved by working separately. Thus, coalitions are political alliances of distinct political parties. Special focus was given to post-conflict nations, who experimented with a coalition as an ideal model to deal with diverse ideologically, ethnically, regionally, religiously, and politically. Thus, countries that went through conflict and wars benefit from coalition arrangements. The previously conflict-ridden nations such as Germany, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, etc are classic examples. They represent success stories of coalitions that went through protracted negotiations and consensus based on grand issues that affected most people. Coalition governance has become a helpful solution in countries with diverse ethnic, regional, religious, political, and low-trust societies. In societies like South Africa, governing parties are expected to be inclusive, and considerate of political, ethnic, language, regional, and local differences. Coalitions have, thus, become critical in countries rebuilding after war, ethnic conflict, and civil war, amongst others. For instance, after the Second World War, Germany went through periods of coalition governance where parties with differing ideologies and religions teamed together to rebuild the country, foster national unity, and improve industrial recovery. This inclusivity benefited dominant and minority parties to be part of governance. Coalitions, in this instance, have not only the ability to bring the dominant-minority parties together but also keep voters abreast of the plans and responsibilities of their parties.
Evidence shows that establishing coalition governments as transitional arrangements in nations bedevilled by conflicts is a solution to peaceful governance. The ‘empty place of power’ theory espoused by the French political philosopher Claude Lefort was used to embody democracy as a contradictory contestation of power through electoral processes. In the ‘place of power,’ no individual or group can hold power. This is symbolic of multiparty electoral processes that include as many contesting parties and interests as possible and have, for years, been dubbed as important building blocks for peace and smooth transition, especially in countries devastated by civil wars or violence.
Role of coalitions
- By nature, coalitions are a convergence of weak opposition, however, in post-conflict scenarios all parties affected become active participants.
- Coalition governance can be a useful mechanism to avert tensions among diverse parties
- They have become critical in countries rebuilding after the war, ethnic conflicts civil wars, etc.
- Parties with different ideologies and religions team together to rebuild their countries, foster national unity, and improve industrial recovery
- Minority parties participate in the formation of coalitions and their governance to deliver in their otherwise excluded constituencies
The presentation argued that single-party governments make governing straightforward and keep the executive/legislatures fully accountable to voters, as the incumbent governing party has nobody else but itself to blame for poor performance. While multi-party governments involve a form of bargaining that is informed by compromises on the interests of voters, coalition bargaining is fashioned more on the interests of the leaders and actors at the bargaining table. In Third World countries, especially those experiencing violence or civil wars, exogenous superpowers, mainly from the West, are quick to broker coalition governance with externally imposed rules as a panacea for progress. Where coalitions fail, instability in governance reigns. For example, failure to establish rules and responsibilities for each coalition partner can quickly transform into chaotic and unsustainable governance. South Africa has a long history of coalitions dating back to the Union of South Africa formation in 1910. However, the success of these was based on discriminatory laws. Post-apartheid South Africa saw the re-emergence of coalition governance at the local level. The different ideologies and party dominance in these coalitions undermine democratic governance in all spheres of government. Various political parties have thus, far, been formed to contest the 2024 national multi-party elections with coalition pacts touted for elbowing the dominant ANC party. In this instance, coalition formations could include independent candidates as per the recent electoral reform.
This presentation further argued that externally imposed coalition formations and rules more often than not benefit the outside superpowers’ interests than citizens’ domestic interests. While endogenously crafted, formulated, and implemented coalition processes are more likely to benefit the domestic interest of the people than outside powers. The presentation obtained information from academic journals and scientific research papers to gather data and insight related to the research question of choice. This presentation focused on South Africa’s coalitions as a panacea to a more prosperous and peaceful society conducive to upholding human rights, especially those of children.
Ndwakhulu Tshishonga (Tshishonga@ukzn.ac.za) The University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
This presentation is part of the seminars organized by the Global Citizenship and Children’s Rights Network (GLOCCRIN). It was presented on the 19th of February 2024.