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{{Short description|Political arrangement allowing a minority government in parliamentary democracies}}{{EngvarB|date=November 2015}}{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}{{party politics}}In parliamentary democracies based on the Westminster system, confidence and supply is an arrangement in which a party or independent members of a parliament agree to support the government in motions of confidence and appropriation votes. Parties and independent members normally retain the right to otherwise vote in favour of their own policies or on conscience on legislative bills.James Cook, Governments, coalitions and border politics, BBC News, 7 May 2010Why the PM is safe in No 10 for the moment, The Independent, 8 May 2010WEB,www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/IfG%20Insight%20Confidence%20and%20Supply%20final.pdf, StackPath, A coalition government is a more formal arrangement than a confidence-and-supply agreement, in that members from junior parties (i.e., parties other than the largest) gain positions in the cabinet and ministerial roles, and may be expected to hold the government whip on passing legislation.

Confidence

In most parliamentary democracies, members of a parliament can propose a motion of confidenceOtherwise, when it is proposed by the Government itself upon a piece of legislation, “the Chambers are enslaved in the exercise of their principal function just because it was thought that their being master of the fiduciary relationship were to be reaffirmed on each bill”: JOURNAL, Argondizzo, Domenico, Buonomo, Giampiero, Spigolature intorno all’attuale bicameralismo e proposte per quello futuro, Mondoperaio.net, April 2014,www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89210301, 14 March 2016, 1 August 2012,www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89210301," title="web.archive.org/web/20120801002834www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89210301,">web.archive.org/web/20120801002834www.questia.com/projects#!/project/89210301, dead, or of no confidence in the government or executive. The results of such motions show how much support the government currently has in parliament. Should a motion of confidence fail, or a motion of no confidence pass, the government will usually either resign and allow other politicians to form a new government, or call an election.

Supply

Most parliamentary democracies require an annual state budget, an appropriation bill, also called supply bill, or occasional financial measures to be passed by parliament in order for a government to pay its way and enact its policies. The failure of a supply bill is in effect the same as the failure of a confidence motion. In early modern England, the withholding of funds was one of Parliament’s few ways of controlling the monarch.

List of governments currently under a confidence-and-supply agreement

{| class=“wikitable sortable“|+! rowspan=“2” |Country! rowspan=“2” |Head of government! rowspan=“2” |Governing parties! rowspan=“2” |Confidence partners! colspan=“5” |Seats! colspan=“2” |Government!Support! colspan=“2” |Total

Canada}} Canada|Justin Trudeau	Liberal Party of Canada>Liberal	New Democratic Party>NDP|158|46.7%|25|183/338|54.1%

Croatia}} Croatia|Andrej Plenković	Croatian Democratic Union>HDZ – SDSS	Croatian Social Liberal Party>HSLS – Croatian People’s Party – Liberal Democrats	– Croatian Demochristian Party>HDS – Ind.|67|44.4%|10|76/151|50.3%

Denmark}} Denmark|Mette Frederiksen	Social Democrats (Denmark)>A – Venstre (Denmark)	– Moderates (Denmark)>M	Union Party (Faroe Islands)>B – Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands)	– Siumut>S – Ind.|86|48%|4|90/179|50.3%

Pakistan}} Pakistan|Shehbaz Sharif	Pakistan Muslim League-N>PMLN	Pakistan Peoples Party>PPP |108|32.1%|68|176/336|52.3%

Poland}} Poland|Donald Tusk	Civic Coalition (Poland)>KO – Poland 2050	Polish Coalition>KP - NL	Left Together>LT|241|52.39%|7|248/460|53.91%

Spain}} Spain|Pedro Sánchez	Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party>PSOE – Sumar	Republican Left of Catalonia>ERC – Together for Catalonia (2020)	– EH Bildu – Basque Nationalist Party>EAJ/PNV – Galician Nationalist Bloc	– Canarian Coalition>CCa|152|43.4%|27|179/350|51.1%

Sweden}} Sweden|Ulf Kristersson	Moderate Party>M – Christian Democrats (Sweden)	– Liberals (Sweden)>L	Sweden Democrats>SD|103|29.5%|73|176/349|50.4%

Turkey}} Turkey|Recep Tayyip Erdoğan	Justice and Development Party (Turkey)>AKP	Nationalist Movement Party>MHP – Free Cause Party	– Democratic Left Party (Turkey)>DSP|263|43.8%|55|318/600|53.0%

Sub-national

ESP}} {{flag|Asturias}}|Adrián Barbón	Asturian Socialist Federation>FSA-PSOE	United Left of Asturias>IU/IX – IAS|19|42.2%|4|23/45|51.1%

POR}} {{flag|Azores}}|José Manuel Bolieiro	Social Democratic Party (Portugal)>PPD/PSD – CDS – People’s Party	- People’s Monarchist Party (Portugal)>PPM	Chega (political party)>Chega – IL|26|45.6%|3|29/57|50.9%

ESP}} {{flag|Balearic Islands}}|Marga Prohens	People’s Party of the Balearic Islands>PP	Vox (political party)>Vox|25|42.3%|9|34/59|57.6%

ESP}} {{flag|Murcia}}|Fernando López Miras	People’s Party of the Region of Murcia>PP	Vox (political party)>Vox|21|46.6%|9|30/45|66.6%

ESP}} {{flag|Navarre}}|María Chivite	Socialist Party of Navarre>PSN – Geroa Bai	– Podemos (Spanish political party)>Podemos	Izquierda-Ezkerra>I-E|21|42.0%|9|30/50|60.0%

Australia}} {{flagicon|New South Wales}} New South Wales| Chris Minns	Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)>Labor	Alex Greenwich>AG, Greg Piper	, & Joe McGirr>JM)|45|48.3%|3|48/93|51.6%

Australia}} {{flagicon|Tasmania}} Tasmania| Jeremy Rockliff	Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)>Liberal	Jacqui Lambie Network>JLN – Ind. (David O’Byrne	& Kristie Johnston>KJ)|14|40.0%|5|19/35|54.2%

GER}} {{flag|Thuringia}}|Bodo Ramelow	The Left (Germany)>LINKE – Social Democratic Party of Germany	– Alliance 90/The Greens>Grüne	Christian Democratic Union of Germany>CDU|42|46.7%|21|63/90|70.0%

Canada}} {{flagicon|Yukon}} Yukon| Ranj Pillai	Yukon Liberal Party>Liberal	Yukon New Democratic Party>NDP|8|42.1%|3|11/19|57.9%

Examples of confidence-and-supply deals

Australia

Federal

The Australian Labor Party Gillard government formed a minority government in the hung parliament elected at the 2010 federal election resulting from a confidence-and-supply agreement with three independent MPs and one Green MP.NEWS,www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/07/3005028.htm, Labor clings to power, Emma, Rodgers, 7 September 2010, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC News Online,

New South Wales

Following the 2023 New South Wales state election, the Labor opposition reached 45 out of 47 seats required for a majority. Independent MLAs, Alex Greenwich, Greg Piper, and Joe McGirr entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Labor government.

Tasmania

Following the 2024 Tasmanian state election, the incumbent Liberal government reached 14 out of 18 seats required for a majority. The Jacqui Lambie Network, along with Independent MHAs, David O’Byrne and Kristie Johnston entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal government.

Canada

Federal

In November 2008, the Liberal Party and the New Democratic Party (NDP) reached an agreement to form a minority coalition government, with the Bloc Québécois having signed a confidence agreement to support the proposed coalition. However, the proposed coalition and confidence agreement fell apart in January 2009, as a result of an ensuing parliamentary dispute.WEB, www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk,www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/IfG%20Insight%20Confidence%20and%20Supply%20final.pdf, 2, Supplying confidence, Paun, Akash, Hibben, Ashley, Institute for Government, 5 July 2022, June 2017, WEB,www.cbc.ca/news/canada/liberals-ndp-bloc-sign-deal-on-proposed-coalition-1.700119, Liberals, NDP, Bloc sign deal on proposed coalition, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1 December 2008, 5 June 2022, www.cbc.ca, In 2022, a few months into the 44th Canadian Parliament, the NDP agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the governing Liberal Party, to continue the Liberal minority government. The deal will keep the minority Liberal government in power until 2025, with the NDP agreeing to support the government on confidence motions and budget votes. In exchange, the Liberal government is understood to have pledged to advance work on key NDP policy priorities on dental care, pharmaceutical drugs, and affordable childcare.NEWS,www.nationalobserver.com/2022/03/22/news/liberals-ndp-strike-tentative-deal-keep-government-power-until-2025-reports, Liberals, NDP strike tentative deal to keep government in power until 2025: reports, Canada’s National Observer, 22 March 2022, 2 June 2022,

British Columbia

After the 2017 British Columbia provincial election, the Green Party of British Columbia agreed to a confidence-and-supply agreement in support of the British Columbia New Democratic Party.NEWS,www.timescolonist.com/news/local/lieutenant-governor-invites-horgan-to-take-over-rejects-another-election-1.20839483, Lieutenant-governor invites Horgan to take over, rejects another election, Kines, Lindsay, 29 June 2017, Times Colonist, 1 July 2017, The incumbent British Columbia Liberal Party, which held a plurality of seats, briefly tried to form a government, but was immediately defeated in a confidence vote by the NDP and Greens.NEWS, Keller, James, Hunter, Justine, Hager, Mike, B.C. NDP to take power following confidence vote, ending 16 years of Liberal rule,www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/christy-clarks-liberals-lose-confidence-vote/article35500474/, 11 November 2018, The Globe and Mail, 29 June 2017,

New Brunswick

On 2 November 2018 (less than two months after the 2018 New Brunswick general election) the legislative assembly voted 25-23 for a motion, introduced by the Progressive Conservatives, to amend the throne speech to declare no confidence in the government. Subsequently, Premier Brian Gallant indicated his intention to resign the premiership and recommend to the lieutenant governor that PC leader Blaine Higgs be given the mandate to form a minority government: “I will go see the lieutenant governor at her earliest convenience to inform her that I will be resigning as premier, and I will humbly suggest to her honour to allow the leader of the Conservative Party to attempt to form a government and attempt to gain the confidence of the house.” People’s Alliance leader Kris Austin said he would work with the new government “in the areas we agree on,” and reiterated his promise to support the Progressive Conservatives on confidence votes for a period of 18 months. Green Party leader David Coon said he would start working with the Tories in an attempt to ensure his party’s issues were on the government’s agenda.WEB,www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-confidence-vote-liberals-gallant-1.4888347, Brian Gallant’s minority New Brunswick government defeated after losing confidence vote | CBC News, CBC,

Ontario

Twenty-two days after the 1985 Ontario provincial election, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario government resigned after a vote of no confidence, and the Ontario Liberal Party formed a government with the support of the Ontario New Democratic Party.NEWS,link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A165614744/ITBC, NDP, Liberals move non-confidence, Stephens, Robert, 8 June 1985, The Globe and Mail, 0319-0714, The agreement between the two parties was referred to as “The Accord”.NEWS, Minority is working, Peterson, David, 20 December 1986, The Toronto Star, 0319-0781, {{ProQuest, 435524082, }}

Yukon

After the 2021 territorial election resulted in the Yukon Liberal Party and the Yukon Party winning the same number of seats, the third place Yukon New Democratic Party agreed to provide confidence and supply to a Liberal minority government.NEWS, 2021-04-28, Yukon Liberals, NDP make deal to work together in government,www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-liberal-ndp-announcement-government-1.6006387, CBC News,

India

Third Front national governments were formed in 1989 and 1996 with outside support of one of the two major parties, BJP or Congress.The CPI-M gave outside support to the Congress Party from 2004 to 2008, but later withdrew support after the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement.

Ireland

After the 2016 general election, a minority government was formed by Fine Gael and some independents, with confidence and supply (WEB,comhar.ie/iris/77/8/muinin-agus-solathar/, Muinín agus soláthar?, comhar.ie, ) support from Fianna Fáil in return for a published set of policy commitments from the government.WEB,www.fiannafail.ie/confidence-and-supply-arrangement/, Confidence and Supply Arrangement, 2016, Fianna Fáil, 3 August 2016, 27 August 2016,web.archive.org/web/20160827202900/https://www.fiannafail.ie/confidence-and-supply-arrangement/, dead, Fianna Fáil abstained on confidence and supply votes, but reserved the right to vote for or against any bill proposed in the Dáil or Seanad. The deal lasted until the 32nd Dáil was dissolved on 14 January 2020 for a general election to be held in February 2020.JOURNAL, Lehane, Mícheál, 2018-12-12, Fianna Fáil renews Confidence and Supply Agreement,www.rte.ie/news/politics/2018/1212/1016784-politics/, en, WEB, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar calls general election for February 8,www.independent.ie/irish-news/election-2020/taoiseach-leo-varadkar-calls-general-election-for-february-8-38860222.html, 2020-01-26, Independent.ie, 14 January 2020, en,

Italy

In Italy, the equivalent of confidence and supply is called “external support” (). Starting from the 1950s through the 1970s there were various examples of Christian Democratic cabinets being able to govern thanks to confidence and supply agreements with other minor parties. Most famously, the Andreotti III Cabinet was formed in 1976 with a confidence and supply agreement between the Christian Democrats and the Italian Communist Party, referred to as “the historic compromise” (), in which the Communist Party agreed not to vote against the government during confidence votes.The Dini Cabinet, formed in 1995, and the Monti Cabinet, formed in 2011, were technocratic governments which relied on the support of the main parties in Parliament during confidence votes.

Japan

In Japan, the equivalent of a confidence and supply arrangement is called {{Nihongo|“extra-cabinet cooperation“|閣外協力|kakugai kyōryoku}}. The latest such agreement was made after the 1996 House of Representatives election between the Second Hashimoto Cabinet, an LDP single-party government somewhat short of majorities in both houses, and two parties which had formed the governing coalition with the LDP until the election: the JSP and Shintō Sakigake (NPH/NPS/Sakigake). By 1997, the LDP had gained a House of Representatives majority of its own through accessions (see New Frontier Party) and was hoping to regain full parliamentary control in the 1998 House of Councillors election. Instead, the cooperation agreement was ultimately terminated while the government lost seats in the 1998 election, leaving clear control to the opposition, a so-called “Twisted Diet”. The Hashimoto Cabinet resigned to give way for a new cabinet led by prime minister Keizō ÅŒbuchi which entered formal negotiations with other parties to form a coalition government by January 1999 (First Reshuffled Obuchi Cabinet).There is another implicit form of cooperation where (usually very small) parties which are not part of the cabinet join one of the ruling parties in joint parliamentary groups in one or both houses of the National Diet and vote with the government. A recent example were the joint LDP groups with the Party for Japanese Kokoro and New Party Daichi during the 2nd Reshuffled Third Abe Cabinet.

Malaysia

A confidence and supply agreement was signed on 13 September 2021 between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Harapan to strengthen political stability amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first such agreement signed to ensure bipartisan cooperation.WEB, Tan, Vincent, Malaysian government and opposition Pakatan Harapan ink ‘historic’ MOU on bipartisan cooperation,www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysian-government-and-opposition-pakatan-harapan-ink-historic-mou-bipartisan-cooperation-2174116, CNA, 17 September 2021, 13 September 2021,

New Zealand

In New Zealand, confidence and supply arrangements are common due to the MMP system used in the country. The parties providing confidence and supply have a more prominent role than in other countries, with MPs from the support parties often being appointed to ministerial portfolios outside of Cabinet.NEWS,www.newshub.co.nz/home/election/2017/10/what-is-confidence-and-supply-and-how-does-it-differ-from-a-coalition.html, What is confidence and supply… and how does it differ from a coalition?, 2017-04-10, Newshub, 2017-10-19, New Zealand codified the procedures it used to form these Governments in its Cabinet Manual.WEB, CO (17) 10: Labour-New Zealand First Coalition, with Confidence and Supply from the Green Party: Consultation and Operating Arrangements,dpmc.govt.nz/publications/co-17-10-labour-new-zealand-first-coalition-confidence-and-supply-green-party, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 25 June 2018, John Key’s National Party administration formed a minority government in 2008 thanks to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ACT, United Future and the Māori Party.NEWS, Bryant, Nick, Lessons from New Zealand in art of coalition building,news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/election_2010/8665835.stm, BBC News, 7 May 2010, A similar arrangement in 2005 had led to Helen Clark’s Labour Party forming a coalition government with the Progressive Party, with support on confidence and supply from New Zealand First and United Future. After the 2014 election, National re-entered confidence-and-supply agreements with United Future, the ACT Party, and the Māori Party. In 2017, despite National winning more votes than Labour in the election, New Zealand First chose to enter coalition with Labour to help them change the government, with support on confidence and supply from the left-wing Green Party.

United Kingdom

Between 1977 and 1978, Jim Callaghan’s Labour Party stayed in power thanks to a confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberal Party, in a deal which became known as the Lib-Lab Pact. In return, the Labour Party agreed to modest policy concessions for the Liberal Party.NEWS,www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/16/politics-what-is-confidence-and-supply, Politics: what is confidence and supply?, Matthew, Weaver, The Guardian, 16 March 2015, 22 May 2016, NEWS, Election 2017: DUP agrees ‘confidence’ deal with Tories,www.bbc.com/news/election-2017-40236152, BBC News, In the aftermath of the 2017 general election which left Theresa May’s Conservative Party without a majority, a confidence-and-supply agreement was agreed with the Democratic Unionist Party.NEWS, Peck, Tom, Theresa May to enter into ‘confidence and supply’ arrangement with the Democratic Unionists,www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/theresa-may-conservative-dup-confidence-and-supply-coalition-formal-cabinet-positions-northern-irish-a7783741.html, 10 June 2017, The Independent, 10 June 2017,

Devolved government

Confidence and supply deals are more frequent in the devolved legislatures of Scotland and Wales due to the use of proportional representation.{{citation needed|date=September 2019}} The Scottish National Party and Scottish Green Party had a confidence and supply deal in the Scottish Parliament.NEWS,www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-38828873, Scots budget vote passed after Green deal, BBC News, 2 February 2017, The Welsh Labour Party and Plaid Cymru had a similar co-operation deal in the Welsh Assembly until October 2017.NEWS,www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-41526435, Plaid to end Labour co-operation deal, BBC News, 6 October 2017,

References

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External links

• Example of confidence and supply agreement in New Zealand {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222084137www.beehive.govt.nz/release/agreement+confidence+and+supply+between+labourprogressive+government+and+united+future+parli |date=22 December 2009 }}

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