Well, 5% is among the highest thresholds (usually they are between 1% and 5%), but it is quite common in Europe - Germany uses 5%, I think Austria, too, and so do many other countries. The highest legal threshold in PR that I know of is in Austria at regional elections - it is 10%. And this is in Charintia, where there is Slovenian national minority with just below 10% of population. If threshold was set to let's say 4%, Slovenian party might win a seat.
But, on the other hand, in United States the threshold is at between 40 and 50% per district, right? :) > In Belgium, a 5% thresold was introduced in the proportional system at > almost all level of election. > > This is of course ridiculous and will proof to be anti-democratic if the > "Groen!" (Dutch speaking green party) get 4,9% as currently expected > less than 40 days before European Election. > > Also it changed the shape of the political landscape in the Dutch > speaking side by having all small party merging with the BIG one. > > I don't have a clue on why such a limit was introduce, but when you > consider electronic voting in use here and this 5% limit, one can > consider the lack of democracy in Belgium. > > 5% in Brussels regional election, it mean about 4 elected > representative!!! So it is 4 or 0. > > I had a chance to talk with a representative of one of the 2 BIG party > in the French speaking region (we cas say there are 2 BIG and 2 small) > and he said he favour a system where there is only LEFT against RIGHT so > he was favouring the disparition of any small entity. > > Those 5% are not even efficient to block the extremist party on the > dutch speaking side, because they are way above that limit!!! > > Do you have any advocacy reference against those limit? > Any other country with such silly limit? > > David GLAUDE > > Dave Ketchum wrote: > > >> Presently we vote for the parties that comprise the Knesset separately > >> from the PM. I should like to see voter ratings of 1 - 120 (120 > >> corresponding to the number of seats in the Knesset) for the parties > >> that are contending for seats in the Knesset. Thus, theoretically, > >> one party could hold every seat in the Knesset (of course this > >> scenario is well nigh impossible, but the possibility should exist). > >> This voting procedure would not only determine which parties will > >> comprise the Knesset, and how many seats they will have, but will do > >> away with the present system of parties having to pass a 1.5% thre > >> shold of votes in order to have any representation at all (see > >> http://tinyurl.com/22woe). > > (in case tiny URL disapear: > http://www.knesset.gov.il/description/eng/eng_mimshal_beh.htm) > > > If I read the 1.5% correctly, it says a party too weak to elect two > > members should have none. Seems like a political question we should duck. > > > > Also, I see no need to disturb the proportional representation presently > > in use. Anyone wishing to change this needs to explain the expected > > benefits. > > > > I read of a variety of methods of creating party lists. > > Demanding that all change would likely be most successful at > > inspiring enemies. > > If some methods are ugly, perhaps these could be improved. > > ---- > Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info ---- Election-methods mailing list - see http://electorama.com/em for list info
