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Variations of the AMS have different ways of determining how many party list representatives each party is entitled to. The main difference between systems is whether the constituency representatives are counted when list representatives are allocated to each party.
  • Under the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) or '''Top-Up''' system, the aim is either for the party's total number of representatives, including constituency representatives, to be proportional to its percentage of the party vote, or for the allocation of additional party list seats to offset some or all of the disproportionate result in the constituencies. The party-list vote largely determines the number of representatives the party has in the assembly.

  • Under the Parallel Voting or '''Supplementary Member''' (SUP) system, the party list seats are allocated proportionally within themselves, so any constituency seats the party may have won are additional.

  • Under the French ''proportional system designed to produce a strong majority'', half the seats are given proportionally between party lists and the other half given to the list with a plurality, thus ensuring that a single list wins well over half the seats.


Parallel Voting is the most common variation among Voting Systems Of The World . Small parties will generally win more seats under MMP than '''SUP''' unless there is a threshold of exclusion, such as the 5% or 3 constituencies threshold in Germany, or the 5% or 1 constituency seat threshold in New Zealand.


CRITICISMS


Since the majority party and its coalition partners in an election are likely to win a large number of proportional seats, additional member systems hand additional political power to the leader of government at the expense of regional directly elected representatives. "List" candidates may become figureheads for the party leadership. While minority parties gain seats under additional member systems, majority parties may lose diversity, leading to power concentrating in the hands of fewer individuals than under a Plurality Voting System .


SEE ALSO



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