Proportional representation (PR) is an electoral system designed to allocate seats in a legislature in proportion to the number of votes each party receives. This means if a party wins 40% of the votes, it should receive roughly 40% of the seats, ensuring that the composition of the elected body closely reflects the distribution of public support among parties
Key Features of Proportional Representation
- Reflects voter preferences: Unlike winner-takes-all systems (e.g., first-past-the-post), PR ensures minority groups and smaller parties receive representation proportional to their vote share, reducing wasted votes
- Multi-member constituencies: PR systems typically use districts that elect multiple representatives, allowing seats to be distributed among parties according to their vote percentages
- Various methods: There are different ways to implement PR, including party-list systems, single transferable vote (STV), and mixed-member proportional representation (MMP), which combines district-level elections with compensatory seats to correct disproportionalities
Advantages of Proportional Representation
- Produces a legislature that more accurately reflects the electorate's political preferences
- Gives smaller parties and independents a better chance to win seats
- Reduces the number of wasted votes, increasing voter representation and potentially boosting voter turnout
- Encourages coalition governments and consensus-building, which may lead to more inclusive policymaking
Disadvantages of Proportional Representation
- Can lead to fragmented legislatures with many small parties, possibly resulting in unstable or weak coalition governments
- May weaken the direct link between representatives and specific local constituencies, as larger multi-member districts are used
- Sometimes allows extremist parties to gain representation more easily than in majoritarian systems
- The complexity of PR systems can be confusing for voters and may reduce voter engagement
Example: Mixed-Member Proportional Representation (MMP)
MMP combines first-past-the-post district elections with a party-list proportional component. District winners are elected directly, but additional "top-up" seats are allocated to parties to ensure overall proportionality based on the total vote share. This compensates for disproportionalities caused by single-member district results
. In summary, proportional representation aims to create a legislature that mirrors the electorate's preferences by allocating seats in proportion to votes received, contrasting with winner-takes-all systems that often distort representation
