The Constitutional Democratic Party Sweeps House of Representatives By-Elections, Signaling Shift in Political Landscape

Votes were counted in the three House of Representatives by-elections held on April 28, and candidates supported by the Constitutional Democratic Party won in all three by-elections. Journalist Kaori Onaka said, “The third victory of the Constitutional Democratic Party is very important. “Write a government election between the two main parties, the Liberal Democratic Party vs. Constitutional Democratic Party.” “I guess.”

The stronghold of the “strongest conservative kingdom” has collapsed

In the three by-elections for the House of Representatives (Tokyo 15th ward, Shimane 1st ward, and Nagasaki 3rd ward) where votes were counted on April 28, candidates supported by the Constitutional Democratic Party won in all constituency. The Liberal Democratic Party was unable to field any official candidates in Tokyo and Nagasaki, and was bound to lose by default, and as announced on the 16th, it was decided that the party would lose the a big loss in Shimane, the conservative kingdom, strengthening the idea of ​​”a big constitutional victory and a terrible loss for the Liberal Democratic Party.”

Some people joke that there was no direct conflict between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitution in the two elections, saying that “sensible action is not three wins”, but for the Liberal Party Democrat, “losing without a fight. ” means “fighting and losing everything together.” This is even more embarrassing. To underestimate the constitutional impact of this period can only be seen as an observation of politics.

“Count” each of the three sub-selections

Each of the three selections can have a different meaning.

Shimane 1st Ward was the only contest between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Constitution in this by-election, and it was supposed to be a prelude to the next election at the House of Representatives. Although this election alone cannot predict the next election in the House of Representatives as a whole, the victory of the Constitution in the “strongest conservative kingdom” means that the composition will change election of the next House of Representatives from “Liberal Democratic Party with one strong party against a weak opposition party” to “Liberal Democratic Party against Constitutional Democratic Party” It was clarified that the government had moved to an election to form a government election between the two main political parties.

In the third ward of Nagasaki, the Constitution won the duel between the Constitution and the Meiji Reformation. This effectively ended the “contest for the main opposition party” between the two parties, which had been simmering for a long time since the last House of Representatives election in the fall of 2021. At least in the next House of Representatives election, it has become clear that the Constitutional Party will be “one of the two main political parties” that will face “the election of the government” by the Liberal Democratic Party.

By opposing Shimane’s election, the Constitution was clearly aware that it was facing a “government election” by the Liberal Democratic Party. On the other hand, Ishin’s relationship with the Liberal Democratic Party is so strong that he calls himself the “second Liberal Democratic Party,” and since there was no direct conflict with the Liberal Democratic Party in this by-election, the Ishin party was still committed to the “battle as the biggest opposition party against the Constitution” until the end I could not shake the feeling. The Ishin Party lost out on the changing political level and they dropped out of the race for the largest opposition party.