Parliamentary Democracy
POL 103
Wednesday
Jan 26
Parliamentary Democracy
Parliamentary Democracy
Executive: in charge of carrying out laws.
Two distinct roles:
- Head of state.
Symbolic, embodiment of the people.
Sometimes conducts international affairs.
- Head of government.
Makes national policy.
Directs officers, ministers.
Leader of current government.
1. Governments
Example: United Kingdom.
Head of state Head of government
The Monarch The Prime Minister
1. Governments
Example: The United States.
Head of state Head of government
1. Governments
Parliamentary Democracy
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
How do votes become seats?
Two different principles:
Proportional Representation.
- Parties gets seats in proportion to votes.
- Voters vote for a party.
- Often districts with more than one member.
- Parties often must share power in coalitions.
Winner-take-all (or "Majoritarian")
- Party or candidate with the most votes wins all.
- Voters usually vote for individual candidates.
- Little power-sharing, small parties ignored.
Relationship between votes and seats...
Imagine a place with two parties, �orange and green
Voters:
60% green
40% orange
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Relationship between votes and seats...
In a pure PR system, seats are allocated as a proportion of votes, so in the legislature: �
60% green
40% orange
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
In a majoritarian system, seat allocation often depends other factors, such as districting.
For example, if there are five districts...
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
In a majoritarian system, seat allocation often depends other factors, such as districting.
For example, if there are five districts��drawn like this:
The Green party wins 3,
The Orange party wins 2
As it happens, this is
proportional (60% / 40%)
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
In a majoritarian system, seat allocation often depends other factors, such as districting.
For example, if there are five districts��drawn like this:
Green wins 5,
Orange wins 0
This is not proportional
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
In a majoritarian system, seat allocation often depends other factors, such as districting.
For example, if there are five districts��drawn like this:
Green wins 2,
Orange wins 3
This is not proportional
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
In many majoritarian systems, disproportionate results are common.
Examples from the U.S. that change majority:
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Example: the United Kingdom….
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Example: Wisconsin in 2018….
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Majoritarian:
Vote for individual members by district. Those members take seats in the parliament (example: the United States, UK, Australia)
Proportional Representation:
Vote for parties. Parties take seats by proportion of votes (example: Israel, India, South Africa, France*, Germany*, Japan*)
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Example: Cambodian election ballot
Choose a party
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Example of a party list ballot from South Africa:
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Example of a party list ballot from Israel:
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Germany does a little bit of both...
1. Vote for candidates by district.
then...
2. Add extra seats, with extra at-large members, until it is proportional
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Germany does a little bit of both...
1. Vote for candidates by district.
then...
2. Add extra seats, with extra at-large members, until it is proportional
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Advantages of PR:
Advantages of majoritarianism
1. Forces parties to become large coalitions
2. People in rural areas like it because it often skews political power in their favor
2.1. PR versus majoritarianism
Parliamentary Democracy
Two kinds of PR -
Closed list:
the party decides who the candidates for the party are; voters choose the party
Open list:
voters choose the candidates and the party
2.2. Closed and open lists
Closed list:
More examples
Nepal
2.2. Closed and open lists
Closed list:
More examples
Guinea-Bissau
2.2. Closed and open lists
Closed list:
In Argentina, they print the list
2.2. Closed and open lists
Closed list:
In Argentina, they print the list
2.2. Closed and open lists
Advantages to closed list:
2.2. Closed and open lists
Open list: example, El Salvador
2.2. Closed and open lists
Advantages to open list:
2.2. Closed and open lists
Parliamentary Democracy
2.3. District Magnitude
District Magnitude: the number of representatives chosen from each district
Examples:
2.3. District Magnitude
Why does it matter?
2.3. District Magnitude
Thresholds in a PR system
Limits to how small parties can be
2.3. District Magnitude
Small M: few parties
Big M: lots of parties
United States Netherlands
Parliamentary Democracy
3. Parliamentary coalitions
Fusion of powers through a single path of delegation
citizens
parliament
state
parties
ministries
prime minister
Members of Parliament vote in party blocs
Occasional exceptions
3. Parliamentary coalitions
Does one party have an outright majority?
3. Parliamentary coalitions
What is a coalition?
Two or more parties jointly decide to form a government. Divide up positions.
Example: Germany today
3. Parliamentary coalitions
When do elections happen?
Whenever leaders decide
3. Parliamentary coalitions
Governments can attach confidence vote to anything they want, usually important stuff
3. Parliamentary coalitions