Proportional representation - SS1 Government Lesson Note

The proportional representation is a method of voting in which the number of seats a political party wins is proportional to the number of votes it receives. This means that if a political party receives 25% of the votes, it should win 25% of the seats in the legislature.

For example, in a hypothetical election, if there are 100 seats in the legislature and three political parties run, Party A receives 40% of the votes, Party B receives 35% of the votes, and Party C receives 25% of the votes, Party A would win 40 seats, Party B would win 35 seats, and Party C would win 25 seats.

The proportional representation electoral system allows for smaller political parties to have representation in the legislature, which can provide a more diverse range of voices in government. However, it can also result in coalition governments, where multiple parties must work together to form a governing majority.

Proportional representation can be done in various ways, such as through party lists or single transferable vote systems. It is commonly used in countries with parliamentary systems, such as Germany and Israel.