And while the LDP has ruled Japan almost continuously for the last 30 years, it’s now in a precarious position as it prepares tovmote for a new party leader on Saturday – mired in scandal, widely unpopular, and abandoned by longtime supporters who have instead flocked to new right-wing parties. The next party leader could very well become the country’s next prime minister, but even that’s not guaranteed; voters delivered a clear rebuke in the past two parliamentary elections, delivering seats to opposition parties and stripping the LDP of its majority.
fredag 3. oktober 2025
Japan’s ruling party is in crisis as voters swing to right-wing rivals. Can a new leader save it?
Japan’s ruling party is in trouble, and it knows it. The country is rife with political instability, having cycled through four prime ministers in the last five years – all members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
And while the LDP has ruled Japan almost continuously for the last 30 years, it’s now in a precarious position as it prepares tovmote for a new party leader on Saturday – mired in scandal, widely unpopular, and abandoned by longtime supporters who have instead flocked to new right-wing parties. The next party leader could very well become the country’s next prime minister, but even that’s not guaranteed; voters delivered a clear rebuke in the past two parliamentary elections, delivering seats to opposition parties and stripping the LDP of its majority.
And while the LDP has ruled Japan almost continuously for the last 30 years, it’s now in a precarious position as it prepares tovmote for a new party leader on Saturday – mired in scandal, widely unpopular, and abandoned by longtime supporters who have instead flocked to new right-wing parties. The next party leader could very well become the country’s next prime minister, but even that’s not guaranteed; voters delivered a clear rebuke in the past two parliamentary elections, delivering seats to opposition parties and stripping the LDP of its majority.
