The Impact of Assembly Size on Representativeness

• Autores: Ulrik Kjaer, Jorgen Elklit
• Localización: The Journal of legislative studies, ISSN 1357-2334, Vol. 20, Nº. 2, 2014, págs. 156-173
• Idioma: inglés
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen

  • Choosing the number of seats in a legislature is a balancing act between efficiency and representativeness. This article focuses on representativeness and hypothesises that the larger the assembly, the higher the vote-seat proportionality, the higher the number of parties represented, and the higher the representation of otherwise under-represented groups. An approach using simulations of elections is introduced and applied in testing the hypotheses in the case of Danish local elections. Two thousand six hundred and forty-six elections are simulated, and a positive, but non-linear, relationship is demonstrated between number of seats and proportionality, number of parties, and percentage of women councillors.