New Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes has said he will be free to speak out for his party from the backbenches rather than be bound by government responsibility like Nick Clegg.
Mr Hughes, elected by MPs on Wednesday night, stressed he is a supporter of the coalition but said the right balance for the Lib Dems is to have the leader in government and his deputy outside.
Mr Hughes told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "There's a particular benefit I hope in having a leader who's in government and a deputy leader who's not a minister so the whole of the Liberal Democrat party, our message and our views, can be heard clearly.
"There will be an ability to say things that are about the position of the Liberal tradition of the Liberal Democrats, which by definition Nick can't do in the same way because he is in a coalition government, of which we are of course supporters."
Mr Hughes, former party president, beat his only rival, Tim Farron, as Lib Dem MPs gathered in the Commons to choose a successor to Vince Cable, who quit the post after becoming Business Secretary last month so that he could concentrate on his government job.
There has been speculation that Mr Hughes, who did not take a job in the Tory-Lib Dem coalition government, could become a figurehead for those in his party unhappy with the alliance.
But he played down any suggestion he did not support the coalition.
"I'm not only supportive of it, Nick and all my colleagues will testify I spoke in favour of it at our meeting, I voted in favour of it at our conference," he said.
"Of course there are risks, of course there are challenges, and of course some party members and supporters were nervous, but bold decisions are always nervous.
"The alliance between the Liberals and SDP was a difficult decision to make. I supported it, it was the right decision. The coalition is the right decision."
