Lists

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Lists

Advantages

  • only potentially 'pure' system of PR and is therefore fair to all parties - e.g. in Israel there is a national lists system which means if they get 40% votes they get 40% seats
  • tends to promote unity by encouraging electors to identify with a region instead of a constituency
  • system makes it easier for women and minority candidates to be elected if the party chooses to put them higher on the list

Disadvantages

  • can lead to smaller parties being represented in institutions - e.g. BNP get seats in European Parliament with the lists system
  • tends to produce coalitions - e.g. Italy 2008, 3 party coalition and Belgium 2010, multi-party coalition
  • link between representatives and constituencies is weakened and may be broken altogether - e.g. Israel
  • parties become more powerful as they can decide the pplace of candidates on the list - e.g. Mark Reckless who has rebelled in 9.4% against his party would perhaps have been punished by moving down the list

Evaluation

overall, this does allow minority groups to become more involved in politics and produces coalitions, meaning more views are represented, however is not beneficial for the constituents themselves as it encourages party delegation - severed link between constituency and representation and through giving party more power to control rebellious MPs

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