Reflections on some proposals for reform of the autonomic electoral systems: From the modification of the size of the Chamber to the application of the German system

Abstract

The article explores the electoral reforms proposed by the People’s Party. These reforms are focused on reducing citizen’s disaffection with the political system. In order to do so, the reform proposals aim at reducing the number of regional deputies. Moreover, in some regions there are proposals to introduce new single-member districts (combined with the existing multi-member districts). Hence, the study analyses how to combine both single-member districts and multi-member districts, within the framework of the Spanish Constitution. At the same time, the article analyses other issues related with the electoral reform (such as the size of the Parliament, the electoral formula, or the eligibility threshold). Thus, there are two alternative possibilities studied here that might be adopted in the Spanish regions: 1) the German electoral system; and 2) the single transferable vote (used in Ireland and Malta). To sum up, the article focuses on the pros and cons of the electoral reforms proposed by the People’s Party, paying special attention to the legal and political difficulties when leading a regional electoral reform.