Freedom Front Plus voters the most amenable to coalition governments

About 80% of FF Plus voters are open to the idea of political parties forming a “grand coalition” where there is no clear winner.

This is revealed by a study conducted by the Social Research Foundation which also found that ANC voters were the most sceptical about coalition governments. 

According to the study, eight in 10 FF+ voters were not opposed to the “idea of opposition parties coming together in some formalisation of a grand coalition”.

This while just above 50% of ANC voters are entertaining the idea.

In the red berets, six in 10 of their voters are OK with coalitions while the DA has 70% of its voters in support of coalition governments. 

The final analysis reveals that white voters are overwhelmingly pro-coalitions while their black counterparts are not so convinced.

However, in the overall picture of those who actually vote amid voter apathy — mostly white — 80% agree that coalitions are the future. 

“When that and other data is distilled, it is the foundation’s opinion that almost 80% of registered voters are in favour of a coalition future or could, with the right messaging and examples of coalition success, become strongly in favour of a coalition future,” found the study.

“That the prospect of a coalition future triggers majority positive sentiment makes this an exception, even where that sentiment is tempered by scepticism at the ability of political leaders to co-operate sufficiently.

“Perhaps what the data reveals is an echo of the now often derided, but then immensely politically influential, ‘rainbow nation’ sentiment of almost 30 years ago and that this has survived deep in the country’s public psyche.”