Queensland's politicians want to give themselves an extra year before being accountable to their voters. The voters may not be so keen on the idea.
Category: Constitutional law
Please to remember 11 November
More about the 1975 constitutional crisis, and how easy it is to misunderstand the role of the House of Representatives.
Lessons from Victoria
Some recent stories on the Victorian election contain lessons of more general relevance.
Bosnia & Herzegovina: still not looking like a real country
Elections at the weekend in Bosnia & Herzegovina show that ethnic division is still the overriding reality, despite some obvious public dissatisfaction.
Hong Kong’s struggle for democracy
Hong Kong looks like getting the universal suffrage that Beijing promised, but how democratic it will really be remains to be seen.
Notes on a new Senate
With any luck, Australia's latest contingent of new senators will be the last to be elected with automatic ticket voting. The debate shows minor parties to be just as much captives to self-interest as anyone.
Britain vs Europe, yet again
David Cameron is fighting against the likely nominee for the presidency of the European Commission – not just because he thinks it's the wrong choice (although he does), but because he has a different view about the process.
A monarch exits, but not a monarchy
The Spanish king is stepping down, but there is unlikely to be any rapid road back to a republic.
Europe tries to pick a leader
In a parliamentary regime, the election winner gets to be prime minister. In the European Union, things aren't quite that simple.
Understanding the European parliament
Elections for the European parliament are expected to show increased strength for extremists and Eurosceptics. But low turnout and a complex party system will make it a difficult result to interpret.
The World is Not Enough 