UNINOMINAL VOTING Romania November 25, 2007 – Two Choices Compared

UNINOMINAL VOTING – Two Choices Compared

Prepared by HotNews.ro November 20, 2007

Five young researchers from the Babes Bolyai Political Science University in Cluj in collaboration with HotNews.ro discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of the two systems. They point out the lessons to be learnt from other countries’ experiences.

The voting system delineates the main lines of conflict between the two most important men in the state. If Basescu puts forward a tough version of uninominal voting, Tariceanu supports a milder one that keeps some of the characteristics of the current system.

Romanian President Basescu’s referendum proposal

The President’s version of the uninominal voting system is actually an electoral formula rather than a new electoral system. If applied, the Parliament may very well come to have only three political parties.

The system is majority-based, with two rounds of polls in which the winner obtaining an absolute majority wins all the votes. The constituencies will have only one mandate.

Advantages
• The two rounds system is based on the principle of efficiency. A chosen representative is due to respect the wishes of the citizens but the final decision pertains to his own judgement
• The citizen can evaluate the work of the representative by re-electing him or replacing him at the end of his term
• Representatives are thus more responsible and parties cannot impose their own will
• The system encourages the two-three party system as opposed to the multi party system Romania has right now

Disadvantages
• Small parties and other ethnic minorities loose any representation at national level
• The system allows a maximum of three parties in the Parliament
• The costs of organizing elections are higher and the process is complex

Romanian PM Tariceanu’s version of the uninominal system

The version put forward by the Romanian government plans to change the electoral system as it also puts forward the actual organization of the elections.

It is a single-round uninominal system. Therefore, half of the mandates are distributed directly to the uninominal constituencies while the other half will be reported at the level of the electoral constituency.

The system presupposes a proportional relation between the electoral support of every party and the number of mandates that it gets from each constituency.

Advantages
• It also supports the small parties even though the distribution vote process is very complex
• The system does not resemble the German practice as said by some Romanian analysts and politicians because the Germans have a much simpler and transparent system
• Every voter casts two votes: one for a candidate chosen directly and another one for a list of candidates proposed by the party – as it is the normal practice in Romania

Disadvantages
• The proportional system is thought to be impersonal and avoids any responsibility of the candidates
• The mixed system is very complex and rigid.
• Parties still impose a list of candidates
• Some parliamentarians are thus avoiding accountability
• The distribution system is very complex and hard to understand

The President’s version follows the French model and is used in 19 countries across the world, ten of which are authoritarian regimes like Congo, Togo, Belarus and North Korea. Tariceanu’s version is used in several countries like Albania, Bolivia, Germany, Lesotho, Mexico, Hungary.