A Two Thirds Majority in Parliament: A Pros and Cons Debate 20th October 2024

Our parliament should be the supreme institution that fosters the highest levels of constructive debate, using evidence-based information to make the most beneficial and logical decisions for national growth. Furthermore, significant constitutional changes are necessary to reverse several detrimental amendments from the past and promote a more democratic election process and decision-making system within parliament. In the election system, it is crucial to promote regional democracy during both candidate nomination and elections, ensuring regional representation by the people, for the people. This will enable diverse communities in each region to contribute to an inclusive governance structure that is acceptable to all and productive. Collective decision-making in parliament is essential and should be achieved through open, constructive debate on various proposals, including constitutional reform. For these reasons, voters should avoid granting Parliament a two-thirds majority, especially when a ‘passive’ parliamentary structure is created for the next five years, further worsened by the biased allocation of bonus seats and national seats to the winners—an issue introduced by previous constitutional amendments.