A number of countries have eccentric political parties, such as the UK's Official Monster Raving Loony Party, who put forward joke policies. If voting became compulsory then many people might consider voting for them rather than simply spoiling the ballot paper.

There is a danger that, if people are sufficiently disenchanted with what is in offer from the mainstream parties, some of their candidates might get elected. It happened in Denmark in 1979 when Danish-Faroese comedian Jacob Haugaard, of the Union of Conscientiously Work-shy Elements, found himself often having the deciding vote in a hung-parliament.

DC