Wales can lead the way and deliver a parliament fit for the 21st Century Reform of the Senedd has been discussed since its inception. When it opened in 1999 it had just 60 members, no government function and limited powers. While the powers of the Senedd and the function... Posted 18 May 2022
How do elections work in Slovenia? The process of democratisation since the collapse of communism has not been uniform across eastern Europe, but some countries, such as the Baltic states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are now drawing level with established... Posted 21 Apr 2022
As Portugal heads to the polls – how do Portuguese elections work? Portugal is holding a snap election at the end of the month after parliament rejected the budget proposed by António Costa’s government last autumn. Posted 04 Jan 2022
What’s the difference between open and closed list proportional representation? When discussing proportional voting systems, or voting systems in general, we usually talk about how they allocate seats to political parties. But parliaments are more than parties and it also matters how they decide which... Posted 15 Nov 2021
How do elections work in Norway? Like most European countries, Norway first adopted proportional representation in the early 20th century, with this October representing 100 years since Norwegians elected their first proportional parliament. Posted 09 Sep 2021
Barriers to entry: How do electoral thresholds work? A common feature of many Party List PR systems is an electoral threshold – a pre-set bar that parties have to reach if they want to win seats. Posted 03 Sep 2021
What is the difference between D’hondt, Sainte-Laguë and Hare? Looking at just Party List systems in western Europe, there is a lot of variation. Posted 27 Jul 2021
The Netherlands is going to the polls, but how do Dutch elections work? Dutch voters have started going to the polls to vote in the general election to elect the 150 members of the House of Representatives, with incumbent Prime Minister Mark Rutte seeking a fourth term in... Posted 17 Mar 2021
How is the European Parliament Elected? Voters across the EU will be heading to the polls this week to elect the 751 representatives to the European Parliament (known as MEPs). Elections will be held in the UK on the 23rd of... Posted 21 May 2019
Which European countries use proportional representation? Of the 43 countries most often considered to be within Europe, 40 use some form of proportional representation to elect their MPs. The UK stands almost alone in Europe in using a ‘one-person-takes-all’ disproportionate voting... Posted 26 Dec 2018