Sub-National Electoral Systems and Minority Parties in the European Community
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
University of Plymouth PEARL https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk 04 University of Plymouth Research Theses 01 Research Theses Main Collection 1996 SUB-NATIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND MINORITY PARTIES IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY HARRISON, LISA SHEILA http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/1659 University of Plymouth All content in PEARL is protected by copyright law. Author manuscripts are made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the details provided on the item record or document. In the absence of an open licence (e.g. Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher or author. SUB-NATIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND MINORITY PARTIES IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY by USA SHEILA HARRISON A thesis submitted to the University of Plymouth in partial fulfilment for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Applied Social Science August 1996 T77/S copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with its author and that no quotation from the thesis and no information derived from it may be published without the author's prior written consent Signed: ^ /W/Uo Dated KlcOCV_(^)ejir 3R0TaYFIARa!J LIBRARY STORE REFERENCE ONLY UNIVERoJTV OF Pl <MOUTH Item No 900 nOG018l^ Date 1 9 NOV 1996 Oats No. Contl.No. 90 0306018 4 SUB-NATIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEMS AND MINORITY PARTIES IN THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY by USA SHEILA HARRISON This thesis analyses the extent to which particular electoral system features and rules affect the opportunities for, and proportionality of, the representation of certain far right and regionalist at various sub-national levels in key European Community member states. The thesis employs data provided in a unique data base at the University of Plymouth. This data includes a wealth of information concerning shares of the votes and shares of the seats for as many identifiable parties as possible in a range of sub-national elections in the post World War Two period and measures the proportionality of elections using three indices of proportionality. Various authors have previously attempted to Identify which electoral features are primarily the cause of disproportionatty at the national electoral level. Within this thesis we will test their claims at various sub-national levels in several west European states. We will also assess the impact of these electoral features upon the representation opportunities of certain far right and regionalist parties, as we have examples of these parties being both *smair and Marge' at the sub-national level. Page Number Copyright Statement Title Page Abstract i List of Contents 11 Acknowledgement vi Author's Declaration vii Chapter One - Why Compare the Fortunes of Minority Parties in West European Sub-National Elections? 1 1.1 Studying Small Parties in Western Europe 1.1.1 The Background to this Thesis 1.1.2 Produdng the Data 1.1.3 Aims an Objectives 1 .Z Electoral Change and Volatility in Western Europe 1.3 The Relationship Between Electoral Systems and New and Small Parties 1.4 Why Study Second Order Elections? 1.5 The Decline of the Central State 1.6 Conclusions Chapter Two - An Analysis of Electoral Systems and Rules in Western Europe 30 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Electoral Rules and their Affect Upon Party Representation 2.2.1 District Magnitude 2.2.2 Supplementary Seats 2.2.3 Thresholds 2.2.4 Compulsory Voting and Turnout 2.3 The Classification of Electoral Formulae 2.3.1 Plurality 2.3.2 Majoritarianism 2.3.3 Proportional Representation 2.3.3a The d'Hondt System 2.3.3b The Modified Sainte-Lague System 2.3.3c The Hare-Niemeyer System 2.3.3d The Droop (Hagenbach-Bischoff) Quota 2.4 Ballot Systems 2.4.1 Categoric Voting 2.4.2 Single Transferable Voting 2.4.3 List Systems 2.5 Defining and Measuring Proportionality 2.5.1 The Loosemore Hanby Index D 2.5.2 The Rae Index 2.5.3 The Least Squares Index 2.5.4 The Sainte-Lague Index 2.5.5 Rose's Index of Proportionality 2.6 Conclusions Chapter Three - Parties and Party Systems in Western Europe; Traditions, Transformations and Small Parties 66 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Defining Political Parties 3.2.1 The 'Effective* Number of Parties 3.3 Changing Party Systems in West Europe 3.4 Defining 'New' and 'Minority' Parties 3.4.1 Parties of the Far Right 3.4.1a Germany 3.4.1b The Netherlands 3.4.1c Belgium 3.4.1 d Britain 3.4.2 Far Right Electoral History in Four Case Studies 3.4.2a Germany 3.4.2b The Netherlands 3.4.2c Belgium 3.4.2d Britain 3.4.3 Regionalist Parties 3.4.3a Belgium 3.4.3b Italy 3.4.3c- Spain 3.4.3d Britain 3.4.4 Regionalist Party Electoral History in Four Case Studies 3.4.4a Belgium 3.4.4b Italy 3.4.4c Spain 3.4.4d Britain 3.5 Conclusions Chapter Four - Analyzing The Proportionality of Contemporary Sub-National Electoral Systems: The Framework for Analysis 106 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Severi European States - A Brief Electoral Profile 4.2.1 Belgium 4.2.2 Germany 4.2.3 Republic of Ireland 4.2.4 The Netheriands 4.2.5 Great Britain 4.2.6 Spain 4.2.7 Italy 4.3 Variations in Sub-National Party Systems 4.3.1 The Netheriands 4.3.2 Belgium 4.3.3 Germany 4.3.4 Republic of Ireland 4.3.5 Great Britain 4.3.6 Spain 4.3.7 Italy 4.4 Variations in Turnout and Party Support in Sub-National Elections 4.4.1 The Netherlands 4.4.2 Germany 4.4.3 Republic of Ireland 4.4.4 Uncontested Elections 4.5 District Magnitude and Proportionality 4.5.1 The Netherlands 4.5.2 Germany 4.5.3 Republic of Ireland 4.5.4 Belgium 4.5.5 Great Britain 4.6 The Impact of Constitutional Thresholds Upon Proportionality 4.6.1 Germany 4.7 De Facto Thresholds and Proportionality 4.7.1 The Netherlands 4.7.2 Belgium 4.7.3 Republic of Ireland 4.8 Seat Distribution Method and Proportionality 4.8.1 Germany 4.8.2 Great Britain 4.9 Conclusions Chapter Five - The Representation of Far Right Parties in European Sub-National Eiections 173 5.1 Introduction 5.2 The Impact of District Magnitude Upon Far Right Representation 5.2.1 Germany 5.2.2 The Netheriands 5.2.3 Belgium 5.2.4 Great Britain 5.3 The Impact of De Jure and De Facto Thresholds Upon Far Right Representation 5.3.1 Germany 5.3.2 Belgium 5.4 The Second Order Hypothesis and Far Right Support 5.4.1 Germany 5.4.2 The Netheriands 5.4.3 Great Britain 5.5 The Impact of Seat Distribution Upon Far Right Representation 5.5.1 Germany 5.5.2 the Netheriands 5.5.3 Belgium 5.5.4 Great Britain 5.6 Conclusions IV Chapter Six - The Representation of Regionalist parties in European Sub-National Elections 215 6.1 Introduction 6.2 The Impact of District Magnitude Upon Regionalist Party Representation 6.2.1 Belgium 6.2.2 Spain 6.2.3 Great Britain 6.3 The Impact of De Jure and De Facto Thresholds Upon Regionalist Party Representation 6.3.1 Spain 6.3.2 Belgium 6.3.3 Great Britain 6.4 The Impact of Seat Distribution Upon Regionalist Party Representation 6.4.1 Belgium 6.4.2 Italy 6.4.3 Great Britain 6.5 Conclusions Chapter Seven - Conclusions 255 7.1 Sub-National Party Systems n Western Europe 7.2 The Second Order Hypothesis and Far Right Support 7.3 Compulsory Voting and Turnout 7.4 District Magnitude and Proportionality 7.5 Thresholds and Proportionality 7.6 Seat Distribution and Proportionality 7.7 Prescriptions for the Future of New and Small Parties Appendix A 286 Appendix B 289 Appendix C 293 Bibliography 308 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis was completed as part of a Polytechnic Central Funding Council (PCFC) research Initiative entitled "Local Electoral Systems in the European Community". The research programme commenced in 1992 and has three specific components. The first was to identify the differing electoral systems which have been employed at ail levels of directly elected sub-national government in the twelve European Union member states. The second was to create a unique data base of the election results at the various sub-national levels in these countries. The third was to employ a sdectlon of this data to test assumptions which have been made about electoral rules at the national election level. In order to do this we used two particular party families - the far right and regionalist parties. These parties are often overiooked in national election studies because of their 'minority' status. This thesis could not have been completed without assistance from several areas. First, I am grateful to the PCFC for their financial support. This included a grant for three years, and also additional funds to purchase necessary resources and fund trips. Second, I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Michael Thrasher (Director of Studies) and Dr. Colin Railings of the University of Plymouth for their role as supervisors. They have consistently offered advice throughout the production of the thesis. I am a!so indebted to Paul Jeffery who for a whole year was instrunriental in turning data into spreadsheets. A last acknowledgement goes to the many colleagues, too numerous to mention, who have listened to and read conference papers of 'work in process* and have responded with many comments of advice and support throughout the research process.