The Portuguese government is bringing a new law into force in March that will ban 10 of the 14 current registered Portuguese political parties.
The new law will require all political parties to have a minimum of 5,000 registered members and to provide their names and addresses to the state.
Membership of a political party isn’t something the state needs to know anyway but why must a party have 5,000 registered members? I spot a problem with this law – how does a new political party come into being? Do they have to form with 5,000 registered members on the first day? Do they get a grace period in which they can try and attract support?
Banning political parties for no reason other than the fact that they are a small, probably niche, party is quite disturbing and sets a dangerous precedent. If a similar law came into effect in the UK we would see, I think, every party other than Liebour, the Conswervatives and the Illiberal Dipshits being banned. Regardless of which party you choose to support, banning the opposition for not having enough members if plain wrong.
Technorati Tags: Portugal, Political Parties
What do you mean “If a similar law came into effect in the UK ….”
Don’t you mean “when”? Can’t you just see the EUropean political parties seeing how attractive this could be for them. Let’s pressure the Commission to pass a law…etc..etc.
There, that’s got rid of that nasty UKIP (and the equivalent in other countries)lot, carry on regardless chaps.