For the first time in 15 years, the Liberal Democratic Party and its ruling coalition partner, Komeito, have lost their Lower House majority, following a clear rout in Sunday¡¯s general election ¡ª a shift that opens up a potential path for the opposition to steer the lower chamber¡¯s agenda if they can act cohesively.
The loss of its majority was likely to prompt Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to seek a third party to join the coalition in order to remain in power ¡ª a move that would necessitate negotiations, or even concessions.
Negotiating with a third party for its backing in parliament for every bill would exacerbate political instability and drastically reduce the LDP¡¯s authority over the coalition, making Ishiba¡¯s administration even shakier. The policymaking process would inevitably become more fragmented and laborious, requiring a great deal of political capital from the government.
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