Dilemmas Concerning the Macedonian Еlectoral Мodel: From Single Electoral Unit to Open Lists
Journal
Annual of the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Bojana Naumovska, Milka Dimitrovska
Abstract
The Republic of North Macedonia has ensured certain legal preconditions for real
pluralism, but practice has shown that the current electoral rules significantly constrain these possibilities (especially when it comes to parliamentary representation of the smaller parties). Two substantial proposals for changes in the electoral system have gained traction in the past years: move towards a single (national) electoral constituency instead of the
present six; and the move from closed-list proportional representation to preferential voting
via open lists. These proposals are backed by the idea that the current electoral system is
characterized by a certain deficiency regarding realistic transposing of citizens’ votes in
representative mandates, as well as by the fact that smaller political parties rarely achieve
parliamentary representation through the present electoral rules. By imploring content
analysis of both theoretical and empirical literature, using the primary data of interviews
conducted with a small number of small parties’ leaders as well as by using the comparative method, the authors present relevant argumentation for each of the aforementioned proposals and ultimately provide respective solutions that should be further researched and could provide basis for legislative interventions in the Electoral code of the Republic of North Macedonia.
pluralism, but practice has shown that the current electoral rules significantly constrain these possibilities (especially when it comes to parliamentary representation of the smaller parties). Two substantial proposals for changes in the electoral system have gained traction in the past years: move towards a single (national) electoral constituency instead of the
present six; and the move from closed-list proportional representation to preferential voting
via open lists. These proposals are backed by the idea that the current electoral system is
characterized by a certain deficiency regarding realistic transposing of citizens’ votes in
representative mandates, as well as by the fact that smaller political parties rarely achieve
parliamentary representation through the present electoral rules. By imploring content
analysis of both theoretical and empirical literature, using the primary data of interviews
conducted with a small number of small parties’ leaders as well as by using the comparative method, the authors present relevant argumentation for each of the aforementioned proposals and ultimately provide respective solutions that should be further researched and could provide basis for legislative interventions in the Electoral code of the Republic of North Macedonia.
Subjects
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