Dilemmas Concerning the Macedonian Еlectoral Мodel: From Single Electoral Unit to Open Lists

Abstract

The Republic of North Macedonia has ensured certain legal preconditions for real pluralism, but practice has shown that the current electoral rules significantly constrain these possibilities (especially when it comes to parliamentary representation of the smaller parties). Two substantial proposals for changes in the electoral system have gained traction in the past years: move towards a single (national) electoral constituency instead of the present six; and the move from closed-list proportional representation to preferential voting via open lists. These proposals are backed by the idea that the current electoral system is characterized by a certain deficiency regarding realistic transposing of citizens’ votes in representative mandates, as well as by the fact that smaller political parties rarely achieve parliamentary representation through the present electoral rules. By imploring content analysis of both theoretical and empirical literature, using the primary data of interviews conducted with a small number of small parties’ leaders as well as by using the comparative method, the authors present relevant argumentation for each of the aforementioned proposals and ultimately provide respective solutions that should be further researched and could provide basis for legislative interventions in the Electoral code of the Republic of North Macedonia.