Leadership election

A leadership election is a political contest held in various countries by which the members of a political party determine who will be the leader of their party.

Generally, any political party can determine its own rules governing how and when a leadership election is to be held for that party. In the United Kingdom, for example:

Leadership elections are generally caused by the death or resignation of the incumbent (that is, the person already holding the post), although there are also formal and informal methods to remove a party's leader and thus trigger an election contest to find a replacement. There is, however, no common procedure whereby the main parties choose their leader.^[1]

A leadership election may be required at intervals set by party rules, or it may be held in response to a certain proportion of those eligible to vote expressing a lack of confidence in the current leadership. In the UK Conservative Party, for example, "a leadership election can be triggered by a vote of no confidence by Conservative MPs in their current leader".^[2]

Specific countries

• Canada
  • Bloc Québécois leadership elections
  • Canadian Alliance leadership elections
  • Conservative Party of Canada leadership election, 2004
  • Green Party of Canada leadership elections
  • Liberal leadership conventions
  • New Democratic Party leadership conventions
  • Progressive Conservative leadership conventions
  • Social Credit Party of Canada leadership conventions
• Ireland
  • Fianna Fáil
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1959
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1966
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1979
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1992
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 1994
    • Fianna Fáil leadership election, 2008
• Japan
  • Liberal Democratic Party
    • Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election, 2006
    • Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election, 2007
    • Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election, 2008
• United Kingdom
  • Conservative Party
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1965
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1975
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1989
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1990
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1995
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 1997
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2001
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2003
    • Conservative Party (UK) leadership election, 2005
  • Labour Party
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1922
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1935
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1976
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1980
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1983
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1988
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1992
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 1994
    • Labour Party (UK) leadership election, 2007
  • Liberal Party, Social Democrats, Liberal Democrats:
    • Liberal Party (UK) leadership election, 1967
    • Liberal Party (UK) leadership election, 1976
    • Social Democratic Party (UK) leadership election, 1982
    • Social and Liberal Democrats leadership election, 1988
    • Liberal Democrats leadership election, 1999
    • Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2006
    • Liberal Democrats leadership election, 2007

References

1. Peter Joyce, Politics: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself (2015), p. 111.
2. Peter Joyce, Politics: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself (2015), p. 112.

See also

• Leadership convention, Canada