Articles and Insights

Accessible commentary and insights from the Electoral Reform Society, on the issues shaping our democracy.

Featured Articles Latest Insights Polling & Public Opinion The Basics of First Past the Post Speaking up for Voters How our Country Works Global Perspectives

Featured Articles

The main stories selected by the Electoral Reform Society's team.

Electoral Reform in Westminster

In Andy Burnham we have the first prime minister who openly backs proportional representation

July 20, 2026

Andy Burnham’s rise to Downing Street means that for the first time in modern history we have a prime minister who is openly committed to proportional representation. In recent years the new Labour leader has become one of the most passionate advocates for reforming Westminster’s electoral system.

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I am a strong supporter of electoral reform
Electoral Reform in Westminster

What has Andy Burnham said about the voting system?

June 25, 2026

Westminster has, once again, been engulfed in high theatre. The Prime Minister stood aside on Monday announcing a two-week departure timetable.

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Electoral Reform in Westminster

Keir Starmer’s resignation is the latest product of the chaos of First Past the Post

June 22, 2026

Today Keir Starmer announced he will be resigning as Prime Minister. It is hard to overstate how remarkable that is.

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Electoral Reform in Westminster

Frontrunners declaring for proportional representation crystallises the growing support in the Labour Party

June 3, 2026

We have seen a number of events in recent days that have crystallised the long build-up of momentum in the Labour Party for proportional representation. Firstly, over the weekend, Andy Burnham, who, if he wins the Makerfield by-election, is considered the frontrunner to be the next Labour leader, restated his support for scrapping First Past the Post (FPTP) for Westminster and moving to a proportional system.

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Latest Insights

The latest articles and insights from the Electoral Reform Society's team.

To create a change that lasts, the process needs to be trusted
Electoral Reform in Westminster

What does an independent commission on electoral reform need to succeed?

August 6, 2026

The idea of an independent commission on electoral reform has been gaining traction lately, with nearly 200 MPs calling for...

There is only a 13 point 9 point gap between the 1st and 5th placed parties
Electoral Reform in Westminster

What do the UK political polling averages for July 2026 point to?

August 5, 2026

July saw the transition from one UK Prime Minister to another for the fifth time since 2019. Andy Burnham stepped...

A seat in the House of Lords lasts a lifetime
House of Lords

Anas Sarwar’s appointment exposes the problem at the heart of the House of Lords

August 5, 2026

Andy Burnham began his Premiership with promises of change and a break with the past way of doing politics. Which...

healthy democracies depend on strong communities
ERS Scotland

Denmark’s three-day democracy festival that attracts over 65,000 visitors

July 30, 2026

I had the opportunity to visit Denmark’s democracy festival, Folkemødet, (translated as the People’s Meeting), this June. Representatives from Perth and...

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Polling & Public Opinion

Analysis of the latest polling from the Electoral Reform Society's research department.

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The Basics of First Past the Post

Discover how we are let down by the way we elect MPs to Westminster.

The majority of people are represented by an MP they didnt want
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Why First Past the Post leaves most of us without voice in parliament

January 15, 2026

We live in a country where each constituency has a single MP. Yet for most people this means the MP...

Why reach out when you can win a majority on just 30 percent of the vote
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How First Past the Post turns politics into tribal warfare

December 10, 2025

Poll after poll and headline after headline in the U.K may leave you with the impression of a country more...

First Past the Post doesn’t care how narrow or extreme a party’s agendas is
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How First Past the Post lets people with fringe views slip through the net

November 13, 2025

Britain’s First Past the Post system was designed for a two-party age. One that pretty much everyone agrees we no...

The real fights aren’t across the floor of the Commons but inside the ruling party itself
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Why single-party governments under First Past the Post fail to get things done

October 29, 2025

For all the talk of “strong government,” the reality of single-party rule under First Past the Post (FPTP) often looks...

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Speaking up for Voters

Read the latest articles from the Electoral Reform Society's spokespeople

Darren Hughes

Chief Executive

Jessica Garland

Director of Policy and Research

Jessica Blair

ERS Cymru Director

Willie Sullivan

Senior Director, Campaigns and Scotland

How Our Country Works

Discover how power functions in the UK.

To create a change that lasts, the process needs to be trusted
Electoral Reform in Westminster

What does an independent commission on electoral reform need to succeed?

August 6, 2026

The idea of an independent commission on electoral reform has been gaining traction lately, with nearly 200 MPs calling for...

The global ultra-rich can effectively buy political parties outright
Money in Politics

What political finance changes are coming in?

July 29, 2026

Back in 2015 we published Deal or No Deal which looked at public attitudes to political finance following the failed...

Electoral Reform in Westminster

The problem with tactical voting in Britain’s multi-party politics

July 15, 2026

At election time, millions of us arrive at the polling station in a conflicted state of mind – do I...

Manchesters next mayor will need a broad coalition of support
Mayors

What is the Supplementary Vote, and why is it being used in Manchester?

June 24, 2026

On Thursday 30 July, Greater Manchester will be electing a new mayor. The by-election follows Andy Burnham’s decision to return...

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Global Perspectives

Discover how countries around the world run their elections.

All 🌍 Australia 🇦🇺 Austria 🇦🇹 Belgium 🇧🇪 Brazil 🇧🇷 Canada 🇨🇦 Denmark 🇩🇰 Estonia 🇪🇪 Fiji 🇫🇯 Finland 🇫🇮 France 🇫🇷 Germany 🇩🇪 Greece 🇬🇷 Guernsey 🇬🇬 Hungary 🇭🇺 India 🇮🇳 Ireland 🇮🇪 Italy 🇮🇹 Jamaica 🇯🇲 Japan 🇯🇵 Jersey 🇯🇪 Latvia 🇱🇻 Lebanon 🇱🇧 Malta 🇲🇹 Netherlands 🇳🇱 New Zealand 🇳🇿 North Korea 🇰🇵 Norway 🇳🇴 Poland 🇵🇱 Portugal 🇵🇹 Romania 🇷🇴 Slovenia 🇸🇮 South Africa 🇿🇦 Sweden 🇸🇪 Switzerland 🇨🇭 Turkey 🇹🇷 United States of America 🇺🇸
There is no denying that Germany’s system has done a better job of reflecting the wishes of voters than the FPTP system
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Exploring the proportional outcome of Germany’s 2025 Federal election

February 24, 2025

With around 84.5 million inhabitants, Germany is the most populous country in western Europe. A German Federal election, where representatives...

Elections in the German states are hugely important
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How do elections work in the German States?

May 9, 2022

Fresh off the heels of voters in Germany’s northernmost state of Schleswig-Holstein, this Sunday 15th May it is North-Rhine Westphalia’s...

other countries have powerful regional representatives, Britain remains the odd-one-out
House of Lords

How are the members of upper houses chosen around the world?

January 27, 2022

Many countries use a bicameral political system – meaning that they have two chambers in their parliament. These parliaments are...

There are many ways party leaders and prime ministers are chosen across Europe
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How are Prime Ministers chosen around the world?

January 19, 2022

With pressure mounting on Boris Johnson, it’s looking increasingly possible that Britain could well soon have a new Prime Minister....

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How are Presidents elected around Europe?

January 5, 2022

2022 is a big year for presidential elections in Europe – with the Italian, German and French presidencies all open...

This election marks the fifth change in Germany’s head of government in the last 50 years
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Germany’s 2021 election: How Germans vote

September 23, 2021

This Sunday (26th March), Germany goes to the polls to elect its national parliament – the Bundestag. With Angela Merkel...

Polling Station
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Barriers to entry: How do electoral thresholds work?

September 3, 2021

A common feature of many Party List PR systems is an electoral threshold – a pre-set bar that parties have...

Which countries in Europe use PR_
Electoral Reform in Westminster

Which European countries use proportional representation?

December 26, 2018

Of the 43 countries most often considered to be within Europe, 40 use some form of proportional representation to elect...

Proportionality and fairness makes this an improvement on Westminster
Electoral Reform in Westminster

How does proportional representation work in Germany?

December 18, 2018

[Note: Germany updated their voting system for the 2025 election, and introduced new rules. You can find out about that...

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