▁first ▁time ▁since ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁The ▁ 2 2 3 ▁seats ▁in ▁the ▁lower ▁house ▁the ▁L DP ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁gain ▁was ▁ 5 2 ▁fewer ▁than ▁what ▁the ▁party ▁held ▁a ▁month ▁before ▁and ▁ 3 3 ▁votes ▁short ▁of ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 1 1 - member ▁body . ▁More ▁than ▁fifty ▁L DP ▁members ▁forming ▁the ▁Shin se it ō ▁and ▁the ▁Sak ig ake ▁parties ▁had ▁denied ▁the ▁L DP ▁the ▁majority ▁needed ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁government . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁normal ▁process ▁of ▁coal ition ▁formation , ▁the ▁L DP ▁as ▁the ▁largest ▁party ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁co ales ce ▁with ▁any ▁single ▁party ▁except ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Social ist ▁Party ▁( D SP ). ▁However , ▁in ▁the ▁event , ▁the ▁logic ▁of ▁coal ition ▁formation ▁was ▁over wh el med ▁by ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁the ▁diss atisf ied ▁elect or ate ▁who ▁was ▁demand ing ▁change ▁and ▁would ▁refuse ▁any ▁al liance ▁with ▁the ▁then - inc umb ent ▁L DP . ▁ ▁Although ▁no ▁longer ▁holding ▁a ▁majority ▁in ▁the ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁the ▁L DP ▁remained ▁the ▁strong est ▁party , ▁both ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁the ▁popular ▁vote ▁and ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁seats ▁gained . ▁With ▁its ▁ 2 2 3 ▁seats ▁in ▁a ▁ 5 1 1 - member ▁house , ▁the ▁L DP ▁had ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁real ▁opposition , ▁a ▁very ▁different ▁situation ▁from ▁the ▁past ▁ 3