A Consensus government is a rare form of government that has thus far been operated exclusively in Canada at a macronational level. A democratic form of government, Consensus government is characterized by non-partisan politics in which standing members of the legislature are elected as independent candidates for their districts through a first-past-the-post system. The legislature in turn elects the national government, as in the case of the Westminster system. In a consensus system is is common for the national government to be at the mercy of Parliament - policies unpopular with Parliament cannot theoretically be advanced.