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Explaining party systems

Explaining party systems. The role of electoral systems. Core explanations. Party systems are a product of cleavage and cleavage structure OR Electoral systems shape party systems. Impact of cleavages. Cleavage structure matters, but.. Not all cleavages are politicized or organized

palmer-maxwell
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Explaining party systems

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  1. Explaining party systems The role of electoral systems

  2. Core explanations • Party systems are a product of cleavage and cleavage structure OR • Electoral systems shape party systems

  3. Impact of cleavages Cleavage structure matters, but.. • Not all cleavages are politicized or organized • Some parties organize around cleavages (cleavage-based parties) while others try to bridge or blur them • What parties and other entities do makes a difference

  4. Alternate supposition: • Electoral systems determine the number of parties (stronger version) OR • Electoral systems influence the number of parties (more muted, weaker version)

  5. The impact of electoral laws: • Duverger’s law: • Single member plurality (SMP) > two party system • PR > multiparty system • Is it valid? • Factors to consider: • District magnitude • Effective thresholds

  6. Varieties of electoral laws: • District systems: • Single member plurality (SMP, first past the post) • Single member majority: • Double ballot or runoff systems – e.g. France • Abs. majority required on 1st ballot; lower candidates dropped • Plurality on 2nd ballot • PR • Single transferable vote (STV) – used in Ireland, Malta, proposed for British Columbia • List systems

  7. Single transferable vote (STV) • Multi-member districts (in Ireland 3-4 members) • Voters express 1st, 2nd. 3rd preferences • To be elected a candidate must • Secure a minimum quota: Droop quota = V/(s + 1) • Surplus votes for winning candidates transferred to 2nd choices, candidates securing quota are elected… • Surplus votes transferred again. • If no candidate has a surplus, the lowest candidate is eliminated and his/her votes transferred • Process continues until all seats are filled

  8. PR List systems and their variants: • Impact of district magnitude • Counting formulas • Highest averages • Highest remainders • St. Lague system (Scandinavia – uses special divisors • Pooling arrangements; tiers – e.g. Denmark, Sweden –to deal with remainders • Formal Thresholds: • Germany 5% • Sweden 4% • Denmark 2%

  9. Alternate member (AMS) or mixed-member proportional systems (MMP) Germany: • Half the Bundestag elected in single member districts, via SMP • Second half elected in 2nd, simultaneous ballot: • Results of 2nd ballot used to make the final distribution of seats proportional to the vote received by parties which have either • won 5% of the vote in the second ballot or • won 3 seats on the first (constituency) ballot

  10. New Zealand

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