Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal

The article proposes a new way to combine the “proportional” and “majoritarian” visions of democracy. The proposal blends elements of mixed electoral systems, parliamentarism, presidentialism and bicameralism. Voters are given a single vote to make two simultaneous choices: one about the proportiona...

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Main Author: Steffen Ganghof
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2016-08-01
Series:Research & Politics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168016665640
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spelling doaj-446ce5ca276c4b55bfa3e02786249f5e2020-11-25T02:50:02ZengSAGE PublishingResearch & Politics2053-16802016-08-01310.1177/205316801666564010.1177_2053168016665640Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposalSteffen GanghofThe article proposes a new way to combine the “proportional” and “majoritarian” visions of democracy. The proposal blends elements of mixed electoral systems, parliamentarism, presidentialism and bicameralism. Voters are given a single vote to make two simultaneous choices: one about the proportional composition of the legislature and one about the two top parties forming a majoritarian “confidence chamber” embedded within the legislature. Only the majority in this chamber has the power to dismiss the cabinet in a vote of no-confidence. The proposed system virtually guarantees the feasibility of identifiable and stable one-party cabinets governing with shifting, issue-specific majorities in a highly proportional legislature. It is illustrated with respect to the 2013 federal election in Germany.https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168016665640
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Steffen Ganghof
spellingShingle Steffen Ganghof
Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
Research & Politics
author_facet Steffen Ganghof
author_sort Steffen Ganghof
title Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
title_short Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
title_full Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
title_fullStr Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
title_full_unstemmed Combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: An institutional design proposal
title_sort combining proportional and majoritarian democracy: an institutional design proposal
publisher SAGE Publishing
series Research & Politics
issn 2053-1680
publishDate 2016-08-01
description The article proposes a new way to combine the “proportional” and “majoritarian” visions of democracy. The proposal blends elements of mixed electoral systems, parliamentarism, presidentialism and bicameralism. Voters are given a single vote to make two simultaneous choices: one about the proportional composition of the legislature and one about the two top parties forming a majoritarian “confidence chamber” embedded within the legislature. Only the majority in this chamber has the power to dismiss the cabinet in a vote of no-confidence. The proposed system virtually guarantees the feasibility of identifiable and stable one-party cabinets governing with shifting, issue-specific majorities in a highly proportional legislature. It is illustrated with respect to the 2013 federal election in Germany.
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2053168016665640
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