The general election on Thursday is a pivotal moment for Britain after 14 years of government by the Conservative Party. The last full parliamentary election was in December 2019, when Boris Johnson won a landslide victory for the Conservatives, propelled by his charisma and a promise to “Get Brexit done” after the country’s decision to leave the European Union in a 2016 referendum.
Here’s what to know about Britain’s parliamentary election.
Why is this election important?
Voters will give their verdict Thursday on five tumultuous years of government that have spanned the coronavirus pandemic, the troubled implementation of Brexit, the “partygate” scandal around rule-breaking during pandemic lockdowns by Mr. Johnson and some of his colleagues and the disastrous six-week tenure of Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Polls suggest that the center-left Labour Party is set to return to power after more than a decade in opposition, which would bring a fundamental realignment to British politics.
How does voting work in Britain?
The United Kingdom — which consists of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — is divided into 650 constituencies.
Voters in each constituency select a candidate to represent them as a member of Parliament, and the political party whose candidates win the most seats usually forms the next government. That party’s leader also becomes prime minister.
To win an overall majority, a party must secure 326 seats. If the top party falls short of that, the outcome is known as a “hung Parliament” and the party can try to form a coalition government with other parties, or reach an informal deal to support what is known as a “minority government.”