Parties and Election Systems

1
Parties and Election Systems

• Ways of electing leaders and how election systems
  affect political parties

2
A Thesis

• There is a correlation between the system used to
  select leaders and the number and strength of
  political parties that develop

3
China

• Basically, China is a one-party state
• There is dual rule in China rule by the
  government and rule by the CCP
• There are eight other officially recognized
  parties, serving the function of interest groups
• One party rule means the absence of opposition

4
Elections in China

• People vote for representatives of the Peoples
  Congresses, who select members of the National
  Party Congress
• It is a rubber stamp legislature
• So, the election system in China doesnt have
  much impact on the party system

5
Parties in Iran

• Parties were legalized in 1998
• They are weak and still developing
• Factions exist reformist, technocrats,
  conservatives

6
Elections in Iran

• Elections are competitive, with high voter
  turnout
• Iran uses a FPTP/SMD system
• Candidates must be approved by the Guardian
  Council

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Comparing China and Iran

• In what respects are the electoral systems in
  Iran and China alike?
• Why dont electoral systems matter as much in
  Iran and China?

8
FPTP/SMD Systems

• Winner-take all
• One winner per district
• Majority vote is not needed to win
• In some systems, there is a run-off election

9
Elections in the US

• Congress is selected using FPTP/SMD
• There is one winner in each House district,
  whomever wins the most votes
• The is one winner per election for the Senate,
  whomever wins the most votes

10
Parties in the US

• There are two major parties
• FPTP/SMD encourages this
• So does the Electoral College

11
Elections in the UK

• The House of Commons is selected using a FPTP/SMD
  system
• The PM is chosen by the House of Commons, from
  the majority party
• This is a parliamentary system

12
Parties in the UK

• There are two main parties Conservative and
  Labour
• The Liberal Democrats serve as a third party
• There are regional parties

13
Elections and Parties in the UK

• What has been the impact of FPTP/SMD in the UK?
• Who would want to maintain this system?
• Why?

14
Parties in Nigeria

• There are two major parties The Peoples
  Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Nigeria
  Peoples Party (ANPP)
• The Alliance for Democracy (AD) is a weak third
  party

15
Elections in Nigeria

• The Senate is elected with three senators per
  state
• The House of Representatives uses SMD
• The president must receive a majority of the
  votes, and 25 in each region
• What is the reason for this requirement?

16
Proportional Representation

• Votes are cast for a party, not a candidate
• Parties are awarded vote based upon the
  percentage of votes received
• If many parties gain representation, coalitions
  form

17
Parties in Russia

• United Russia--Putins party, the strongest
  political party
• CPRF--Communist Party, still garners much support
• Liberal Democrats--racist and nationalist
• Numerous smaller parties

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Elections in Russia

• In 2003, 225 seats in the Duma were proportional
  and 225 seats were SMD
• In 2007, a party/list proportional system was
  instituted, with a 7 threshold
• Why did the Putin administration suggest this
  change?

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Mixed Systems

• Many countries combine elements of SMD with
  Proportional Representation

20
Parties in Mexico

• PAN is the National Action Party, which is
  conservative and pro-business
• PRD, the Democratic Revolutionary Party, is
  leftist and favors social welfare programs
• PRI, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, used
  patronage to maintain control

21
Elections in Mexico

• The Chamber of Deputies is elected using a mixed
  system
• 300 seats are winner-take-all
• 200 seats are proportional
• Why did the PRI establish this mixed system?

22
Testing the Thesis

• How do our six countries prove or disprove our
  thesis that there is a correlation between
  election systems and parties?
• What is that correlation?