With a thin majority in the lower house and a narrow plurality in the upper house (which has adopted a censure resolution against Noda), the DPJ on its own is unable to pass fiscal and other legislation essential to running a government. As a result, the prime minister is barely muddling through – and only by agreeing with the major opposition parties to dissolve the lower house.
民主党重新选举了现任首相野田佳彦为党首，但他的公众支持度很低。民主党在众议院和参议员都只占微弱优势（参议院还通过了针对野田佳彦的谴责议案），无法靠自己的力量通过运转政府所必须的财政和其他立法。结果，野田佳彦只能疲于应付——而且这也得通过与主要反对党形成妥协以解散众议院来实现。尽管野田佳彦并没有明说什么时候会这样做，但民主党政府的末日已经指日可待了。