article_snippet: Five years ago the coalition deal was agreed in just five days, but with a hung parliament likely again, the coalition deal is expected that any power-sharing agreement could take much longer, possibly even several weeks.
article_snippet: Polls suggest both Labour and the Tories will fall short of securing an overall majority at the general election on May 7.
article_snippet: With the SNP on the rise in Scotland, the Lib Dems defending 57 seats and Ukip predicting the Lib Dems will win more than 10 seats, it is possible that no two parties would be able to form a majority.
article_snippet: A coalition deal between three or more parties would take much longer to agree, and could prove unstable.
article_snippet: Sir Jeremy said it would be a 'bad mistake to drag' the Queen into any decisions or negotiations that would need to be taken if no party has a clear majority after the election, even if there if two coalitions were formed of equal numbers, telling the committee it was a decision for politicians.
article_snippet: Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have all introduced new processes since the last election to take factor in the possibility of a hung parliament.
highlights_snippet: Coalition talks between multiple parties could last for several weeks .
  