The benefits and perils of a Parliamentary system:
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said Monday that he will resign to ease political gridlock that is making it difficult to govern the country.
“If it will help even a little bit to make the parliamentary session go smoother, I decided that it might be better for someone other than me to lead,” he said in a televised speech.
Parliament is split between his ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which controls the lower house, and the opposition, which controls the upper house.
The opposition parties have been blocking the Liberal Democrat’s legislation, including finding a new governor for the central bank.
“I felt that we must particularly stress the importance of the economy,” Fukuda, 72, said in his speech.
His resignation followed the unveiling last week of an $18-billion economic stimulus package, which includes assistance to small businesses and funds earmarked for better medical care, ecological technology, housing loans and education.
Fukuda did not say when he would leave, but the last time a leader resigned, it took the Liberal Democratic Party about two weeks to pick a new head.
Fukuda is not popular. A poll Monday showed his support had sagged to 29 per cent over the past month.
Reminds me of BB Bell. Everytime the Korean dog barked that it was time for the Koreans to step up and run things he would reply, “sure, tomorrow OK with you?” They must have found him enormously frustrating. I’m sure Pervez Musharaf is also thinking, “stupid morons, let them get what they demanded and see how they like that for a change.”
Wow! Just noticed I have a ruby ring identical to Fred’s. Maybe I’m a former senator.