The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has stated that valuable lessons have been learned to handle a hung parliament more effectively if it occurs again in the future.
Currently, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) have an equal number of seats in the House, with 137 seats each, and an independent lawmaker who collaborates with the NPP.
Speaker Bagbin emphasized that the rules that were applicable in a majoritarian system are no longer suitable in a hung parliament. He made these remarks while launching the Democracy Cup, a historic initiative marking three decades of parliamentary democracy in Ghana.
The Speaker expressed his pride in being part of the democratic process that has shaped the parliament of Ghana since 1993. This experience, he noted, has enabled him to assume the responsibility of Speaker of the first-ever hung parliament in Ghana.
Bagbin acknowledged that this parliament is unique and cannot be compared to previous ones, but expressed confidence that they are better prepared to handle a hung parliament if it happens again. He explained that the rules previously applied were designed for a majoritarian system, where the majority vote carries the day.
However, in a hung parliament, these rules are no longer applicable, and a new approach is necessary. The Speaker also took the opportunity to urge the Electoral Commission to ensure a free, fair, and credible electoral process, and emphasized that parliament will not be relegated to an agent of government under his leadership.
