electoral system analysis

• What is a coalition government?

  Formed by multiple political parties sharing power
• What defines a minority government?

  Rules without a parliamentary majority
• What does pluralism refer to in politics?

  Power distributed among diverse interest groups
• What are the strengths of elections in a democracy?

  • Legitimise government authority through public consent
  • Ensure accountability and enable political change
  • Encourage representation of societal views
  • Provide a clear mandate for the winning party
  • Regulated by independent bodies
  • Typically produce strong majority governments under FPTP
• What are the weaknesses of elections in a democracy?

  • FPTP can waste votes and discourage smaller parties
  • Some view elections as symbolic rather than effective
  • Campaigning may foster adversarial politics
  • Low voter turnout since the 1950s
  • Frequent elections may cause voter fatigue
  • Many “safe seats” limit electoral competition
  • FPTP can create disproportional outcomes in seat share vs. vote share
• What electoral system is used in UK general elections?

  First Past the Post (FPTP)
• What is the typical outcome of FPTP in UK elections?

  Usually leads to single-party majority governments
• What coalition existed in the UK from 2010 to 2015?

  Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition
• What is a notable feature of FPTP regarding public mandate?

  Supports stability and reflects public mandate clearly
• How do proportional systems affect government formation?

  Likely lead to coalitions or minority governments
• What are the functions and importance of elections?

  • Allow citizens to choose leaders
  • Hold elected officials accountable
  • Define the role of political parties
  • Provide a mandate for the governing party
• What electoral system is used in the Northern Ireland Assembly?

  Single Transferable Vote (STV)
• What electoral system is used in the Scottish Parliament?

  Additional Member System (AMS)
• What was Labour's 1997 manifesto promise regarding electoral reform?

  • Promised electoral reform
  • Jenkins Commission proposed AV+ system
  • Reforms were dropped due to concerns about Labour's dominance
• What impact did devolution have on electoral systems in the UK?

  Led to STV and AMS for devolved assemblies
• How does FPTP affect party systems in the UK?

  • Fosters a two-party system (Labour vs. Conservatives)
  • Makes it hard for smaller parties to gain seats
  • Tactical voting reinforces major party dominance
• What are the characteristics of voter behavior under different electoral systems?

  • Increasingly pluralist with support for smaller parties
  • FPTP reinforces major parties' dominance
  • PR systems encourage wider representation
• What were the results of the English Local Elections in 2023 under FPTP?

  • Turnout: ~32%
  • Labour +637, Lib Dems +407, Greens +241, Conservatives -1063
  • FPTP allows dramatic swings in control
• What were the results of the Northern Ireland Local Elections in 2023 under STV?

  • Turnout: 54.7%
  • Sinn Féin became the largest party
  • STV ensures proportionality, rarely produces clear majorities
• What were the results of the Welsh Senedd Elections in 2021 under AMS?

  • Turnout: 46.6%
  • Labour won 30 of 60 seats
  • AMS balances constituency representation with regional list proportionality