Switching Political Parties: Far-reaching Consequences

D emocracy allows for the freedom of association and this includes political affiliations. Decamping from one political party to join another is an accepted choice in democratic societies, though there are conse­ quences that come with such moves. The reasons for the change of political parties vary per politician, as sometimes announced in their various resignation letters, but the impact on the population is almost the same in the various cases. From observations and analysis, voters or the community choses to rally behind a politician based on a specific mani­ festo, an ideology or a set of promises. When a politician constantly switches sides, it can feel like the public has been tricked or ignored. To an extent, the constituents feel betrayed and their trust in the politician declines. The situation becomes a little uglier if the person won a sit during a local electoral operation and then crosses carpet when the mandate has not come to an end. Members of the consti­ tuency are left confused as some read the resignation on social media. This frustration and confusion sometimes lead to the ballot box where voters from their original party view the move as disloyal, while voters in the new party remain sceptical of their true motivations. In some situations, there is loss of credibility in the personality of the politician as the change of party sug­ gest that the protagonist’s decision could be driven by personal ambition, self-interest, or survival rather than core values or public service. It is in­ terpreted as capitalising on personal interest and sailing in the boat of hi­ ghest bidder when the opportunity shows up. To some people, this signals self-ser­ ving ambition rather than ...