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Dominant-party system
A dominant-party system is a party system where only one political party can realistically become the government, by itself or in a coalition government, because all other parties are too weak.
Dominant-party systems are not to be confused with single-party systems, when other parties cannot compete to become the government because they are banned. Dominant-party systems exist only in states where other political parties are tolerated, but do not receive enough votes to have a realistic chance of winning. However, in some dominant-party systems, opposition parties are subject to varying degrees of official harassment and most often deal with rules and electoral systems designed to put them at a disadvantage or in some cases outright electoral fraud.
Examples of dominant-party systems include National Democratic Party in Egypt, the PRI in Mexico from the 1920s until 2000, the PAP in Singapore, the Democratic Party in the southern United States from about 1880 until the 1960s, and the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan from the 1950s until the present.
Dominant-party systems can occur temporarily. This can often occur when a two-party system is the norm, but one of the two parties sees a massive drop in support, often due to scandal or similar massive upset. An example of this is, arguably, the United Kingdom between 1979 and 1997 (18 years) where the Conservative party won all four elections in that period. Previously, in the post-war period, the government had rotated from Labour Party to Conservative Party five times.
Contemporary Canada would also qualify as a dominant-party system, with the Liberal Party being quite dominant since 1896 ruling almost three quarters of the time in that period, and continuously since 1993. In the party's history, Edward Blake is the only leader of the Liberal Party ever to not have been Prime Minister of Canada at some time. For some of the period, including today, the Liberals have ruled in a minority government.
Though the United States as a whole is characterized by a competitive two-party system, some individual states may qualify as a dominant-party system.
Current dominant-party systems
The following countries are claimed by many to be dominant-party systems:
Angola
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Chad
Congo-Brazzaville
Djibouti
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Popular Rally for Progress
- Rassemblement populaire pour le Progrès (RPP)
- Led by President Ismail Omar Guelleh, in office since 8 May 1999
- In power since its formation in 1979
- Sole legal party, 1979-1992
- Presidential election, 1999: Ismail Omar Guelleh (RPP) 73.9%
- Parliamentary election, 2003: RPP in coalition, 62.7% and 65 of 65 seats
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Ethiopia
Gabon
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Gabonese Democratic Party
- Parti démocratique gabonais (PDG)
- Led by President Omar Bongo, in office since 28 November 1967
- In power, under various names, since independence, 17 August 1960
- Sole legal party, 1968-1991
- Presidential election, 1998: Omar Bongo (PDG) 66.9%
- Parliamentary election, 2001: PDG 88 of 120 seats
The Gambia
Guinea
- Party of Unity and Progress
- Parti de l'Unité et du Progrès (PUP)
- Led by President Lansana Conté, in office since 3 April 1984
- In power since its formation in 1991
- Presidential election, 2003: Lansana Conté (PUP) 95.6%
- Parliamentary election, 2002: PUP 61.6% and 47 of 76 seats
Malawi
Mauritania
- Democratic and Social Republican Party
- Parti républicain démocratique et social (PRDS)
- Led by President Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, in office since 12 December 1984
- In power since its formation in 1992
- Presidential election, 2003: Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya (PRDS) 66.7%
- Parliamentary election, 2001: PRDS 51.0% and 64 of 81 seats
Mozambique
Namibia
Nigeria
Rwanda
Seychelles
South Africa
Sudan
- National Congress Party (NCP)
- Led by President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, in office since 30 June 1989
- In power since its formation, 16 October 1993
- Presidential election, 2000: Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir (NCP) 86.5%
- Parliamentary election, 2000: NCP 355 of 360 seats
Tanzania
- Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM)
- Led by President Benjamin William Mkapa, in office since 23 November 1995
- In power, under various names, since independence, 9 December 1961
- Sole legal party, 1975-1992 (unofficially from independence in 1961)
- Presidential election, 2000: Benjamin William Mkapa (CCM) 71.7%
- Parliamentary election, 2000: CCM 244 of 269 seats
Togo
- Rally of the Togolese People
- Rassemblement du Peuple togolais (RPT)
- Led by President Faure Gnassingbé, in office since 5 February 2005
- In power since its formation in 1980
- Sole legal party, 1980-1992
- Presidential election, 2003: Gnassingbé Eyadéma (RPT) 57.8% (deceased, 5 February 2005)
- Parliamentary election, 2002: RPT 72 of 81 seats
Tunisia
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Canada
El Salvador
Paraguay
East Timor
- Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor or FRETILIN
- Led by Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, in office since May 20 2002
- In power since 2002
- Parliamentary election, 2001: FRETILIN 57.37% and 55 out of 88 seats
Malaysia
Singapore
See also
Last updated: 05-23-2005 10:06:07
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