Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has dissolved the lower house of Parliament, paving the way for a Feb. 8 snap election.
Archived version: archive.is/…/japan-politics-takaichi-parliament-d…
Disclaimer: The article linked is from a single source with a single perspective. Make sure to cross-check information against multiple sources to get a comprehensive view on the situation.
standarduser@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
Is this a common occurrence in the world?
9point6@lemmy.world 2 days ago
We had a bit of it in the UK over recent years. Generally it’s for two reasons.
Firstly, and most commonly: it’s because a leader is polling particularly well compared to the previous election and it’s a gambit to go for a greater share of power
Secondly, the situation where a new leader has succeeded the previous one without election and wants to gain legitimacy by winning an election
standarduser@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 days ago
ah! Thank you for helping me understand.
So is this a parliamentary only thing or are there equivalents for general assemblies or American congress?
skribe@piefed.social 2 days ago
It’s common where the executive (usually the prime minister) can choose to dissolve parliament and hold an election. There are usually time limits and conditions associated with that power, but the PM will generally choose a time that is most favourable. Otherwise, they can run the risk of being forced to hold an election at an inopportune time and risk losing.