Practice question · Multiple choice
Two countries both use list PR with the same formula, but one has districts of three seats and the other of fifteen. Why will the first be substantially less proportional?
Hints
- Ask how finely three seats can be divided among parties.
- Proportionality rises with the number of seats available to share.
Show the answer
B. District magnitude dictates proportionality, and three seats cannot divide finely
Why
Because magnitude dominates. Three seats cannot represent a party with ten per cent of the vote; fifteen can. This is why the label "PR" tells you much less than people assume, and why Spain's nominally proportional system behaves far less proportionally than Netherlands-style national-list PR.
Practise Electoral Systems
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More questions on Electoral Systems
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