the german electoral system and its impact on party politics
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The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics. Fulbright German Studies Seminar Berlin, June 2009 Isabelle Kuerschner , Ph.D. multi-member representation with closed party lists. Elections to the European Parliament. Distribution of seats. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
The German Electoral System The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics and its Impact on Party Politics
Fulbright German Studies SeminarBerlin, June 2009
Isabelle Kuerschner, Ph.D.
Elections to the European ParliamentElections to the European Parliament
multi-member representation with closed party lists
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
Distribution of seats Distribution of seats
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
Elections to the „Bundestag“Elections to the „Bundestag“
Mixed-member-electoral-system
proportional representation and plurality principle
regular number of seats in the Bundestag 598.
◦ 299 for single seat districts
◦ 299 for list candidates.
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
The 2005 Bundestags electionThe 2005 Bundestags election
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
34,2% 222 seats
27,8% 180 seats
7,4% 46 seats
8,1% 51 seats
9,8% 61 seats
8,7% 54 seats
Elections to the „Bundestag“Elections to the „Bundestag“
voters have the right to cast two votes
◦ nominal ballot – first ballot – selects a candidate by
plurality in single-member districts.
◦ list ballot – the second ballot – is the party vote
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
Elections to the „Bundestag“Elections to the „Bundestag“
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
Elections to the „Bundestag“Elections to the „Bundestag“
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
The 2005 Bundestags electionThe 2005 Bundestags election
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
34,2% 222 seats
27,8% 180 seats
7,4% 46 seats
8,1% 51 seats
9,8% 61 seats
8,7% 54 seats
Political Parties in the Electoral Political Parties in the Electoral ProcessProcess
1. Party system (1950ies – 1983)◦ CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP (two-and-a-half)
2. Party system (1983 – 1990ies)◦ CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, Greens (two-and-two-halves)
3. Party system (1990ies – today)◦ CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, Greens, Left Party (two-and-three-
halves)
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner
The German Electoral System and its Impact on Party Politics Dr. Isabelle Kürschner