Crossing the floor

Some countries like Malaysia, Pakistan, India,[1] Indonesia, the Maldives and Bangladesh[2] have laws that remove a member from parliament due to floor-crossing.

In consequence, MPs who switch from the governing party to one in opposition (or vice versa) also change which side of the chamber on which they sit.

She and eight of her MLAs, all of the Wildrose Party, crossed the floor together to join the governing Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta.

In September 2019, the governing Conservative party lost its working majority when Phillip Lee MP defected to the Liberal Democrats during the first speech of new prime minister Boris Johnson.

[11] On 19 January 2022, Christian Wakeford, Conservative MP for Bury South, crossed the floor to the Labour benches.

In Australia, one of the major parties, the Australian Labor Party requires its members to pledge their support for the collective decisions of the caucus,[13] which theoretically prohibits them from "crossing the floor" in this sense; however, in practice, some Labor members disregard this pledge, despite the disciplinary action which may result.

In the Australian Senate , Senators vote in favor of a motion by sitting on the benches to the president's right (left of photo), and against it by sitting on the benches to the president's left (right of photo)