Mehrheit oder Verhältnismäßigkeit?; Majority versus proportionality?: Trajectories of electoral reform in the Mediterranean; Die Entwicklung von Wahlrechtsreform im Mittelmeerraum

In: Zeitschrift für vergleichende Politikwissenschaft: ZfVP = Comparative governance and politics, Band 16, Heft 3, S. 365-379

Abstract

AbstractThe study of electoral system reform is often focused on consolidated democracies. This special issue on electoral reforms in the Mediterranean region selects both consolidated democracies and moderate authoritarian systems. It analyses reforms under the aspects of how they deal with the dilemma between improving 'governability' by majoritarian instruments versus increasing proportionality of representation. While governability also depends on other factors, public debates are frequently structured along this dichotomy, which also affects the outcome of the reform process. The Mediterranean focus reflects the higher degree of reform activities in this policy area (for instance compared to the Nordic countries), which helps to focus on drivers, scope, direction, and vested interests of electoral reforms.