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Electoral Systems and Lebanon
IFES Introduction21 December 2009
This document provides a background to electoralsystems within a Lebanese political context. It does not
represent any formal IFES policy.
InternationalFoundationfor Electoral
Systems
Electoral Systems and Lebanon: an IFES overview
What is the role of an electoral system?
An electoral system is of key political and democratic importance as it determines who‘wins’ an election by the method of translating votes into seats.
Why are there different electoral systems?
Elections have different goals for different people:- Should elections give a clear result or reflect the different nuances of public
opinion?- Should seats be won by those with most votes, or should seats be divided
between all those who win votes?- Should elections lead to a strong government or to consensus politics?- Should elected representatives have close and local links to their voters?- Should elections prioritize the equal treatment of all voters?- Should elections ensure minority representation?
The choice between the different electoral systems available reflect how decision-makers wish to answer these and other questions of prime political importance.
What is the best electoral system?
There is no ‘perfect’ system. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages.However, all systems can be seen to have specific advantages and disadvantages, andmay also be prone to specific problems.
The Different Types of Electoral Systems
First Past ThePost
Two RoundBallot
AlternativeVote
Block VoteParty Block
Vote
Parallel Vote
MixedMember
Proportional
ListProportional
SingleTransferable
Vote
Limited Vote
Single Non-Transferable
Vote
OpenList PR
ClosedList PR
Plurality / Majoritarian Systems Proportional Systems
The Different Types of Electoral Systems: by number of seats per district
First Past ThePost
Two RoundBallot
AlternativeVote
Block Vote
Party BlockVote
Parallel Vote
MixedMember
Proportional
ProportionalList
SingleTransferable
Vote
Limited Vote
Single Non-Transferable
Vote
Systems with one seat per district Systems with more than one seat per district
The Different Types of Single Member Plurality / Majoritarian Systems
First Past The Post
Voters can vote for one candidate.The candidate with the highest number of voteswins the seat even if it is not more than 50%.
Two Round Majority Ballot
Voters can vote for one candidate.A candidate must have 50% of votes to win.
If no candidate wins in the first round, there is asecond round with the two candidates who won
the highest number of votes.i.e. voting takes place on two separate days
Voters can vote for more than one candidateand indicate their preference in a rank order.
If no candidate has 50% of first preference votes,the least popular candidate is eliminated and
their second preference votes are added, and soon until one candidate wins a majority of votes.
i.e. voting takes place on one day only
Alternative Vote
The Different Types of Multiple Member Plurality / Majoritarian Systems
Voters have more than vote and can vote for asmany candidates as there are seats available. Thecandidates with the highest number of votes win
the seats even if none gain more than 50%.
Block Vote
Party Block Vote
Voters have one vote only and can vote for onelist of candidates. All seats available are won by
the list with the highest number of votes win theseats even if none gain more than 50%.
Limited Vote
Voters have more than vote but not as many asthere are seats available. The candidates with the
highest number of votes win the seats even ifnone gain more than 50%.
Single Non-Transferable Vote
Voters have one vote only. The candidates withthe highest number of votes win the seats even if
none gain more than 50%.
The Different Types of Multiple Member Proportional Systems
Voters can vote for a list of candidates (e.g. fromone political party). The list receives seats in
proportion to their share of the vote.A formula is used to allocate seats
(the highest average method or the largestremainder method)
Proportional Representation Lists
Closed List PR
Voters choose the list they wish to support.Seats are allocated between candidates by the
choice of the party (usually in the order in whichcandidates appeared in the list).
Open List PR
Voters choose the list they wish to support and/ormay indicate a preference for one or more
candidates on that list. Seats are allocated betweencandidates by the order in which they have received
preferential votes.
Quotas
List PR systems can make it easier to get womenelected, especially through closed list systems.
Single Transferable Vote
Voters can vote for more than one candidateand indicate their preference in a rank order.An ‘electoral quotient’ is reached by dividingthe number of voters who voted by the seatsavailable. All candidates with more votes thanthe quotient are elected. The least successfulcandidates are eliminated and their secondpreferences are re-distributed AND the
second preferences of those elected. Processcontinues until all seats are allocated.
The Different Types of Mixed Systems
The election process is split: some seats areallocated by a plurality-majoritarian system, theothers by a PR list system. Voters vote as many
times as each system allows.e.g.
Parliament has 132 seats66 are elected using a block vote system.
66 are elected using a PR list system.
When allocating seats, there is no correlationbetween the two.
Parallel System
Mixed Member-Proportional System
The election process is split: some seats areallocated by a plurality-majoritarian system, theothers by a PR list system. Voters vote as many
times as each system allows.e.g.
Parliament has 60 seats40 are elected using a FPTP system.20 are elected using a PR list system.
Allocation of seats under PR attempts tocompensate for disproportional results under
the FPTP.
The Different Types of Systems in Practice: FPTP in the United Kingdom
Labour Conservatives Liberal
35.3% 32.5%22.1%
326 seats
(55.2%)198 seats
(30.7%) 62 seats
(9.6%)
Share of thevote
Number ofseats
The Different Types of Systems in Practice: Parallel Voting in Palestine
Fatah Hamas Other
41.4% 44.4%
12.3%
45 seats
(34%)
74 seats
(56.6%)
13 seats
(9.2%)
Share of thevote
Number ofseats
PR
28 BV
17
BV
45PR
29 PR
9 BV
4
Advantages & Disadvantages of different electoral systems
Important Factors in Electoral System Design
ContextWhat kind of political system is there in place?
What kind of historical precedent is there?
DistrictsHow many seats per district?
Can equal suffrage be guaranteed?
Drawing of boundariesHow will the districts be drawn up?
Who will draw the districts?
Guaranteeing RepresentationDo any groups need special protection?
(e.g. Ethnic or minority groups)Do any groups need assistance in getting elected?
(e.g. women)
Complexity and CostAre there issues with literacy, sustainability and logistics?
Political AcceptanceWhat kind of system do the decision-makers want?
What kind of system do the voters want?
Important Factors in Lebanon’s Electoral System
ContextLebanon has had 4 different electoral laws in 20 years (1990, 1996, 2000, 2008).
Always, the system used is ‘block vote’
DistrictsThe constitution requires the electoral system to reflect regional differences.
Drawing of boundariesThere has been no consistent method for drawing boundaries.
The 2008 Law used the ‘1960 Law’ system of qada boundaries (in most places)
Guaranteeing RepresentationThe constitution requires
(a) the electoral system to be 50%-50% Muslim/Christian(b)confessional representation on a proportional basis.
The electorate is 39.2% Christian and 60.7% Muslim(21.4% Maronite; 26.8% Shia’ 27.3% Sunni).
There is traditionally a very low number of women elected.
Complexity and CostLebanon does not use ballot papers
Political Acceptance
Lebanese politicians have no consensus on electoral system preferenceMany stakeholders advocate change
Lebanon’s 2009 Electoral System
128 parliamentary seats
RegionalFactors
ConfessionalFactors
6 Muhafazas26 qadas
11 differentconfessions
ChristianMuslim
Sunni 27Shia 27Druze 8Alawite 2
Maronite 34Orthodox 14
Catholic 8Armenian O 5Armenian C 1Protestant 1Minorities 1
Ak ka r
Min
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Bc h
ar re h
Trip
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Bat ro
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Ko
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J bei l
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a n
Me tn
Baa b
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Ale y
Ch
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Sa id
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Bin
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We st B
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S U 1 S U 1 M A 1 S U 1 M A 1 M A 1 G O 1 M A 1 M A 1 M A 1 M A 1 M A 1 M A 1 S U 1 S H 1 S H 1 S H 1 M A 1 S H 1 S H 1 S H 1 S H S U 1 G O A O 1 S U 1
S U 2 S U 2 M A 2 S U 2 M A 2 M A 2 G O 2 M A 2 M A 2 M A 2 M A 2 M A 2 M A 2 S U 2 S H 2 S H 2 S H 2 M A 2 S H 2 S H 2 S H 2 S U S U 2 G C A O 2 S U 2
S U 3 S U 3 S U 3 M A 3 G O 3 S H M A 3 M A 3 M A 3 G O M A 3 G C S H 3 S H 3 G O S H 3 S U S H 3 G C 1 S H A O S U S U 3
A L S U 4 M A 4 M A 4 S H 1 D R 1 G C S H 4 D R S H 4 G C 2 D R A C S H S U 4
G O 1 S U 5 M A 5 G O 1 S H 2 D R 2 S U 1 G O S H 5 M A M A M A S U 5
G O 2 A L G O 2 D R S U 2 S H 6 G O G O D R
M A G O G C D R 1 S U 1 A O S H
M A A O D R 2 S U 2 G O
M A E V
G C MI
The Lebanese Ballot Paper
How to Vote in Lebanon
Lebanon has a unique electoral system.While mono-confessional districts (e.g. Kerswan has 5Maronite seats) have a ‘classic’ Block Vote, many other
districts have mini-competitions taking placee.g. (Beirut 1 has five FPTP contests).
However, candidates come together to form a singlelist so that one candidate’s supporters can benefit
another. Thus, each list wants the supporters of itsdifferent candidates to vote as a ‘block’ as whichever listhas the highest number of votes is likely to win all seats
in that district.
The list system is made more effective by the absenceof standardized ballots. Each list distributes its own
ballots; a ballot where voters could choose candidatesfrom different lists would undermine the chances of a
list winning all seats. The only district where votes werecast ‘across list’ was Metn.
The system means that there is little relationshipbetween the number of seats won in Parliament and
proportion of the national share of the vote.
In Kerswan, the FPM list won all 5seats with 51%-53% of the vote.
In Beirut 1, the March 14 list won all5 seats with 52-54% of the vote.
Photo from www.qifanabki.com
Possible Alternatives
77 elected using Block Vote
System
Unchanged allocation of 128 seatsbetween 11 confessions
51 electedusing PR List
System
27 BV districtsbased on qada
(1960 law)
6 PR districtsbased onmuhafaza
Voters can votefor as many
candidates asseats in the
district
Voters can votefor one list perdistrict and for
up to twocandidate
preferences
PR lists must include aminimum number ofwomen candidates
The Boutros Commission proposal National PR List
128 elected using PR Listsystem
Voters can vote for onelist.
Regional PR List
128 elected using PR Listsystem
One single nationaldistrict
Confessional / Womenquotas?
Different regionaldistricts
Voters can vote for onelist.
Confessional / Womenquotas?
Single Member Districts
128 elected using FPTP,AV etc
128 different districts
MMP
Similar to Boutros butwith compensatory
elements
Key issues for Lebanon’s electoral system
Has the Block Vote system actually worked inreaching its goals?
What does Lebanon want from an electoralsystem?
How many seats should there be in parliament?
Should there be confessional reserved seats?
Should there be a review of confessional numbers?
Should there be a mechanism for increasing thenumber of women?
What kind of boundaries should there be?
Should ballot papers be introduced?
What kind of electoral system do the politicianswant?
What kind of electoral system and politicians doesthe public want?
Who should decide on theelectoral system?