Hacker News Reader

Comment by drzaiusapelord | Hacker News Reader

60/40 from 60% of eligible voters is far, far from a strong mandate. This is a very contentious issue within Greece as well. Its a majority win of course, but its certainly not 90/10 or even 80/20.

View on HN

But when Merkel wins in 2013 with 41.5% with a voting age population turnout of 66%, with 1.5% invalid, it's ok, eh?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/merkel-wins-thir...

http://www.idea.int/vt/countryview.cfm?CountryCode=DE

Elections and referendums are very different things. Especially in European style parliamentary/coalition governments.

A popular referendum leans HEAVILY on one side. 60/40 shows that this issue is very contentious in Greece as well as many Greeks are sick of the poor classes voting in "hand outs" Marxist politicians instead of reforming and fixing corruption, being fiscally responsible, and collecting taxes.

You don't pay attention to many elections do you? 60/40 is a blowout for the popular vote, and 60% turnout is large.

Also, 60 is 50% more than 40.

Elections and referendums are very different things. Popular referendums often go way very high towards one side. 60/40 in that context just isn't impressive and there are many, many Greeks who see the current leadership as reckless and dangerous.

The popular vote of an election is exactly the same metric as a referendum. They can be compared directly.

There have been many extremely close but critical referendums:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Maastricht_Treaty_refer...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_Maastricht_Treaty_refer...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_referendum,_1995

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_referendum,_1980

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_European_Union_members...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwegian_European_Union_membe...

60% is decisive, and a clear mandate.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com