SEM-IV POL CC-408 (Political Processes and Institutions in Comparative Perspective)

Mixed Representation
Mixed electoral systems attempt to combine the positive attributes of both plurality/majority (or
other) and Proportional Representation electoral systems. In a mixed system, there are two
electoral systems using different formulae running alongside each other. There are two types of
Mixed representation systems. There name with detailed description as follow-

1. Mixed Member Proportional Representation-Mixed-member proportional

representation (MMP) is mixed or “hybrid” because it combines elements
of proportional and single-member plurality systems. Voters have two votes: one for a
candidate contesting the election from their constituency, and a second for a party or a
candidate on a party list. Voters have two ballot papers. On the first is a list of candidates
who want to be the local Member of Parliament (MP). On the second ballot paper is a list
of parties who want seats in parliament. Each party will publish a list of candidates in
advance. A vote for a party is a vote to make more of their list of candidates into MPs.
Hence, MMP provides constituencies with individual representatives for part of the seats
in the House. The rest of the candidates are elected from a list that each party prepares
before the election.

❖ Case Study of Germany which uses Mixed Member Proportional Representation- Currently,
the German parliament (Bundestag) has 656 seats, not including possible surplus seats. Each
voter has two votes. The first vote (Erststimme) is a personal vote, given to a particular
(party) candidate in one of the 328 single-member constituencies. The second vote
(Zweitstimme) is a party vote, given to a party list at the federal state level (Landesliste).
Candidates are allowed to compete in single-member districts as well as simultaneously for
the party list. The candidates who achieve a plurality in the single-member districts are
elected (Direktmandate). However, the second vote determines how many representatives
will be sent from each party to the Bundestag.

On the national level, all the second (Zweitstimme) votes for the parties are totalled. Only
parties obtaining more than five percent of the votes at the national level or, alternatively,
having three members elected directly in the single-member constituencies, are considered
in the national allocation of list PR seats. The number of representatives from each party that
 has passed the legal threshold is calculated according to the Hare formula. Seats are then
allocated within the 16 federal states (Länder).

The number of seats won directly by a party in the single-member districts of a particular
federal state are then subtracted from the total number of seats allocated to that party's list.
The remaining seats are assigned to the closed party list. Should a party win more
Direktmandate seats in a particular federal state than the number of seats allocated to it by
the second votes, these surplus seats ( berhangmandate) are kept by that party. In such a case,
the total number of seats in the Bundestag temporarily increases.

Critical Evaluation of MPP- While MMP retains the proportionality benefits of PR systems, it
also ensures that elected representatives are linked to geographical districts. However, where
voters have two votes—one for the party and one for their local representative—it is not always
understood that the vote for the local representative is less important than the party vote in
determining the overall allocation of seats in the legislature. Furthermore, MMP can create two
classes of legislators—one group primarily responsible and beholden to a constituency, and
another from the national party list without geographical ties and beholden to the party. This
may have implications for the cohesiveness of groups of elected party representatives.

2. Parallel systems- Parallel systems also use both Proportional Representation (PR) and
plurality/majority components, but unlike Mixed Member Proportional Representation systems,
the PR component of a parallel system does not compensate for any disproportionality within
the plurality/majority districts. In a Parallel system, as in MMP, two separate ballot papers, one
for the plurality/majority seat and one for the PR seats, as is done for example in Japan,
Lithuania, and Thailand. Parallel systems have been a product of electoral system design over
the last decade and a half—perhaps because they appear to combine the benefits of PR lists with
those of plurality/majority representation.

❖ Case Study of Japan which uses Parallel System- Japan uses Parallel system to elect members
of the House of Representatives. General elections take place every four years. Just over 60%
of members (289) are elected from single-seat constituencies. These MPs are elected by first
 past the post – voters in a constituency have one vote and the candidate who receives the most
votes wins and becomes the MP. The remaining 176 members are elected by the Party List
system of proportional representation in 11 regional blocs that return between six and 30
members depending on the region’s size and population. In this case, electors vote not for an
individual candidate, but for a party, and the number of seats a party receives is based on the
percentage of votes received. Each party gives its seats to the candidates at the top of its list,
who are ranked from highest to lowest prior to the election. Unlike in the Additional Member
System used in Scotland, Wales and London, the party-list seats don’t compensate for the
disproportionality of the first past the post seats.

Critical Evaluation of Parallel systems - In terms of disproportionality, Parallel systems usually

give results which fall somewhere between pure plurality/majority and pure PR systems. One
advantage is that, when there are enough PR seats, small minority parties which have been
unsuccessful in the plurality/majority elections can still be rewarded for their votes by winning
seats in the proportional allocation. In addition, a Parallel system should, in theory, fragment the
party system less than a pure PR electoral system. However, as with MMP, it is likely that two
classes of representatives will be created. Also, Parallel systems do not guarantee overall
proportionality, and some parties may still be shut out of representation despite winning
substantial numbers of votes. Parallel systems are also relatively complex and can leave voters
confused as to the nature and operation of the electoral system.