Upgrade Holyrood π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπ³οΈ
25 Sep,
20 tweets, 5 min read
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Holyrood and the Bundestag π©πͺ
A comparison of Scotland's Additional Member System (AMS) and Germany's Mixed-Member Proportional system (MMP).
*A thread as Germany goes to the polls today *
#GermanElection2021 #wahl2021 #ProportionalRepresentation
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A comparison of Scotland's Additional Member System (AMS) and Germany's Mixed-Member Proportional system (MMP).
*A thread as Germany goes to the polls today *
#GermanElection2021 #wahl2021 #ProportionalRepresentation
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The Scottish Parliament has 129 seats in total.
73 of these are single-member districts where the candidate with the most vote wins.
The other 56 are list seats designed to reduce the inherent disproportionality of the FPTP element.
Voters get one ballot for each.
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73 of these are single-member districts where the candidate with the most vote wins.
The other 56 are list seats designed to reduce the inherent disproportionality of the FPTP element.
Voters get one ballot for each.
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Scotland is divided into 8 electoral regions with each region providing 7 list MSPs, meaning that everyone in Scotland is represented by 8 MSPs.
The list seats in each region are distributed once all the constituency seats in that region are counted.
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The list seats in each region are distributed once all the constituency seats in that region are counted.
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They are calculated via the D'Hondt method, however, they also take into account the number of constituency seats won by each party in that region.
This ensures broadly proportional outcomes overall. It is a mechanism to ensure that regional votes match regional seats.
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This ensures broadly proportional outcomes overall. It is a mechanism to ensure that regional votes match regional seats.
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In practice this means that parties overrepresented in constituency seats (as in their seat share exceeds vote share) pick up fewer regional seats.
π‘ The SNP do extremely well in constituencies but other parties get their fair share in regional seats π΅ π΄π’π
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π‘ The SNP do extremely well in constituencies but other parties get their fair share in regional seats π΅ π΄π’π
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The broad proportionality of AMS makes the system more representative that the appalling First Past the Post system used at Westminster π¬π§ and in Canada on Monday π¨π¦.
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However, AMS does have a number of faults including:
βͺ The proportionality mechanism only ensures regional not national broad proportionality.
βͺ Voter power is limited (party lists are completely closed)
βͺ Parties could "game the system" due to two-vote divergence
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βͺ The proportionality mechanism only ensures regional not national broad proportionality.
βͺ Voter power is limited (party lists are completely closed)
βͺ Parties could "game the system" due to two-vote divergence
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π©πͺ The German system is very similar but also has significant differences.
Both Scottish AMS and German MMP combine FPTP with a compensatory element to ensure a level of proportionality.
Although not perfect, they can be classed as forms of Proportional Representation π³
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Both Scottish AMS and German MMP combine FPTP with a compensatory element to ensure a level of proportionality.
Although not perfect, they can be classed as forms of Proportional Representation π³
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Unlike Scotland, Germany does not have a fixed number of seats.
299 seats are elected via FPTP (the CDU/CSU and SPD dominate these).
There are also a further provisional 299 list seats.
Like in Scotland, German voters get two ballots, one for each element.
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299 seats are elected via FPTP (the CDU/CSU and SPD dominate these).
There are also a further provisional 299 list seats.
Like in Scotland, German voters get two ballots, one for each element.
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Germans vote for their lists in each of the 16 states like the 8 Scottish regions. These seats are allocated accounting for constituency seats to ensure proportionality.
However, the system has a further mechanism to ensure overall seats match overall votes in each state.
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However, the system has a further mechanism to ensure overall seats match overall votes in each state.
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Parties often win more constituency seats that they are entitled to under a hypothetical distribution of list votes.
Other parties are allocated additional seats to level this out and further seats are added to ensure that the party list vote matches seat distributions π©πͺ
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Other parties are allocated additional seats to level this out and further seats are added to ensure that the party list vote matches seat distributions π©πͺ
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This means that the size of the Bundestag (German parliament) changes in size after each election. This has faced some criticism but it does ensure a high degree of proportionality.
In contrast, Holyrood is fixed at 129 members.
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In contrast, Holyrood is fixed at 129 members.
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There is also a 5% threshold for *most* parties to win list seats.
This is not the case in Scotland but there is an unofficial threshold at around that amount due to there only being seven list seats to allocate in each region.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπ©πͺ
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This is not the case in Scotland but there is an unofficial threshold at around that amount due to there only being seven list seats to allocate in each region.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπ©πͺ
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The main advantage Gemran MMP has over Scottish AMS is that extra commitment to proportionality.
However, this has a major drawback as it can create incredibly large chambers. More politicians is not exactly popular with voters generally.
The outgoing Bundestag has 709.
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However, this has a major drawback as it can create incredibly large chambers. More politicians is not exactly popular with voters generally.
The outgoing Bundestag has 709.
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The Bundestag also has other problems associated with AMS notably the two types of member and closed party lists.
The prospect of gaming the system is limited by additional seats allocated to ensure that party list votes match seats won by each party.
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The prospect of gaming the system is limited by additional seats allocated to ensure that party list votes match seats won by each party.
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π©πͺ Germany's commitment to proportionality is commendable.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Scotlandβs AMS has done a reasonable job for 21 years but it definitely needs reform.
Holyrood could learn from Gwrmany and add levelling and overhang seats. Could also learn from Bavaria and have open lists.
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π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ Scotlandβs AMS has done a reasonable job for 21 years but it definitely needs reform.
Holyrood could learn from Gwrmany and add levelling and overhang seats. Could also learn from Bavaria and have open lists.
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These could be positive steps, however, Holyrood could go one step further adopt a superior voting system.
STV or Open List Proportional Representation would improve representation and empower voters.
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STV or Open List Proportional Representation would improve representation and empower voters.
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TLDR:
π©πͺπ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ have similar π³ systems that ensure a strong element of proportionality.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ fixed at 129 members but π©πͺ is flexible to ensure better proportionality overall.
Both have done well but both have flaws and improvements can be made.
#wahl2021
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π©πͺπ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ have similar π³ systems that ensure a strong element of proportionality.
π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ fixed at 129 members but π©πͺ is flexible to ensure better proportionality overall.
Both have done well but both have flaws and improvements can be made.
#wahl2021
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You can sign the petition to improve Scotland's broadly proportional but imperfect voting system here πππ
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petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE19β¦
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petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE19β¦
These 5 reforms will improve Scotland's democracy π΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώπ³ππ
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upgradeholyrood.com/2021/09/11/5-rβ¦
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upgradeholyrood.com/2021/09/11/5-rβ¦
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