This project aims to model and simulate the impact of the various electoral systems (such as First-Past-The-Post, List Proportional Representation, Mixed-Member Proportional Representation, Single Transferable Vote, and Two-Round Systems) across Europe. Using data from seven European democracies, the project analyses how different voting systems can influence voter representation, party representation, and governance stability. The goal is to provide insights into the effects electoral system reforms could have on party dominance, and political stability.
These countries have been chosen carefully, to represent a variety of electoral systems and political environments:
- United Kingdom: The birth place of First-Past-The-Post (FPTP), one of the simplest electoral systems used since the Middle Ages.
- Ireland: A leading example of the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference and ensuring proportional representation.
- France: A semi-presidential framework is in place where executive power is shared between the President and the Prime Minister. Both are elected through its two-round system.
- The Netherlands: Chosen for its nationwide Proportional Representation (PR) system with a very low electoral threshold, leading to complex coalitions. Voters vote for a party and their preference for individual candidates in that party.
- Sweden: A stable democracy with regional PR, where multi-party coalition governments are the norm, ensuring broad representation across the political spectrum. Voters vote for party only.
- Germany: Home to the Mixed-Member Proportional Representation (MMP) system, which combines direct constituency seats with a nationwide proportional vote using the complex compensatory mechanisms to ensure proportionality, adjusting for overhang seats and maintaining overall proportional representation.
- Italy: Frequent changes in Italy's electoral system reflects its ongoing efforts to balance stability with proportional representation. Currently uses a Mixed-Member Majoritarian system which directly combines constituency seats with a regional party vote, using the d'Hondt method, to assign party-list seats with no compensation for constituency votes.