Home Letters Only country to have a successful motion of no-confidence be unsuccessful
Dear Editor,
The term “no-confidence” motion is not an alien term to me. I pursued (and completed) a political science degree at York University. During my time there the then Prime Minister Steven Harper faced a No-Confidence Motion which led to early elections.
A No-Confidence Motion is not unique to Guyana’s Constitution. It is in all parliamentary democracies, as a method to keep the Government in check. Britain, from where we inherited our Constitution, saw Margaret Thatcher, then Leader of the Opposition, bring a motion of no-confidence on March 28, 1979. She won by a single vote, and they held elections on May 3, 1979, thirty-seven (37) days after the motion passed.
Canada in 2011 saw a motion of no-confidence passing on March 25, and elections were held on May 2, thirty-nine (39) days later. It should be noted that the Prime Minister actually prorogued Parliament twice before returning and finally facing the No-Confidence Motion.
In the year 2018, we saw multiple motions of no-confidence brought forward. Greece kicked off the show on January 16, 2018, however, their Government was able to withstand the motion of no-confidence. Spain’s motion was brought on May 25, 2018, debated on May 31 and June 1 – the Government resigned June 5. In a matter of four days, the Spanish Government faced the consequences of falling to a motion of no-confidence. Sweden’s Prime Minister lost a vote of no-confidence on September 25, 2018, and immediately complied with the Constitution. He was eventually confirmed on January 18, 2019, as the Prime Minister again. Sri Lanka, on November 14, 2018, elections held January 5, 2019. Sri Lanka’s Government, after fifty-three (53) days, complied. Guyana saw her motion of no-confidence in the year of no-confidence and the consequences are still to be faced.
Just this year, the Austrian Chancellor (Head of Government) was voted out of office by a motion of no-confidence on May 27, (2019). On May 28, a caretaker Government was appointed and elections were scheduled for September 29, 2019.
The motion of no-confidence was brought to Parliament two hundred and eighty-five (285) days ago, debated and passed two-hundred and forty-nine (249) days ago. This was the first time a motion of no-confidence was filed and debated on by National Assembly. The Government decided to challenge its legality on three different fronts and after a myriad of court cases, it was determined that the motion was successful. Seventy (70) days have now elapsed since the Caribbean Court of Justice ruled that to the motion of no-confidence carried.
Guyana seems to be the only country to have a successful motion of no-confidence be unsuccessful.
Regards,
Nalinie Singh