Project Brief:
This study aims to investigate the reasons behind the apparent failure of coalition governments in Pakistan at the federal level between 2008 and 2024. This failure is multifaceted, resulting from a complex interplay of military intervention, political opportunism, a fragmented party system, and the disproportionate influence of smaller regional parties. These factors contribute to unstable governments. In multiparty elections, no single party wins a majority in parliament, which leads to multistage negotiations overseen by the military establishment. Consequently, smaller parties end up with a larger share of government positions without taking responsibility for policy formulation and its political consequences. Having received an excessive share of governmental roles and funding, these smaller and regional parties often criticize the government to maneuver for influence, keeping the option of a graceful exit open. As a result, mainstream parties, such as the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, the People’s Party, and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, struggle to deliver a reformist agenda due to their inability to convince coalition partners.
Public Policy Relevance:
The findings of this research project will address the questions: “What are the governance challenges in coalition governments?” and “How can coalition governments address these challenges?” The results may attract the attention of politicians, legislators, and the powerful ruling elite, including the civil-military bureaucratic oligarchy. These outcomes could prompt them to reconsider the multiparty system of parliamentary democracy, which has placed them in a challenging position with limited capacity to govern effectively. There may be a consideration for introducing political, electoral, and party system reforms in other areas. Furthermore, this research could encourage voters to choose a strong and stable government. Ultimately, this study will contribute to the existing literature on the subject, addressing a gap that is currently lacking.
Team Details:
Principal Investigator
Dr. Samee Lashari
Professor of Government
Houston Community College, USA
Co-PI
Dr. Mazhar Abbas
Assistant Professor
GC University Faisalabad
Research Associate
Ms. Hadaiqa Sardar
PhD Student
GC University Faisalabad