The combined support for the three main parties has fallen from 80% in the late 1990s to a bare majority now.

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Whereas 78% of American Jews voted for Obama in 2008, today a bare majority of 51% approve of his performance in office.

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In the North, Arabs comprise a bare 52% majority.

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Although the technical membership of the UPFA may now be approaching the bare minimum of legislators needed to maintain a majority in the 225-seat parliament, the government is likely to be able to find a comfortable number of MPs to back its legislative agenda from among the numerous smaller parties in Sri Lanka.

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