Democracy is "Byzantine"?

Came across this earlier today, the article is about a financial analyst's view of the effect of the Italian election on the Eurozone. However I noticed this silpped in, what you might not realize he is saying is that democracy is old fashioned (Byzantine he says).

Q: So now the elections are under way, what are investors afraid of?

A: Italy's Byzantine election laws could mean many different outcomes. The worst result would be no party or coalition being able to form a government, leading to new elections.

Researcher Vincenzo Scarpetta at the Open Europe think tank says the probability of this is "very low" but that re-run elections could mean "potentially, huge market pressure, which Italy can hardly afford." This pressure would come in the form of rising interest rates on government debt.

Another possibility could be a parliament so divided that it can't govern effectively, or a shaky coalition of parties with clashing agendas — meaning that any policies would be the result of endless compromise and back-room deals. A badly split parliament "would surely affect investors' confidence as Italy's political future would remain unclear," said Aul and Ashley.

So he is saying that a system that allows mulitple parties and people to vote for whoever they want is old-fashioned because then these elected representatives have to then engage in politics to get anything done. I know it is an inconsequential interview but the fact that it was just slipped in unnoticed is alarming. Is this a common view out there?

www.google.com... dnews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqBTDMQJtIr5oliUjrWQCpxN4eFA?docId=9326e45d6363440eb2092820e29b6c6e

reply to post by Cinrad


what i think he was saying is that italies election methods are a little out of date and could lead to bad times econoically. not that democracy is byzantine. democracy is and always will be a fair and just system of government. i dont think anybody would dare attack democracy like that. not since the cold war