How do elections work in Slovenia? The process of democratisation since the collapse of communism has not been uniform across eastern Europe, but some countries, such as the Baltic states, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, are now drawing level with established... Posted 21 Apr 2022
How do elections work in Hungary? Hungarian voters are just days away from electing a new parliament. The country has, of course, become known for its democratic backsliding under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán – being the only EU member state not... Posted 01 Apr 2022
Labour win marks over 100 years of the Single Transferable Vote in Malta Sunday mornings may be associated with big-name political interview programmes, but perhaps not the declaration of an election result. Nonetheless, that was exactly what the people of Malta woke up to on Sunday 27th March... Posted 29 Mar 2022
For local democracy to flourish our representatives need the power to deliver New ERS research finds over two-thirds of councillors feel they lack the powers to represent the needs of their local community. Local government is at the front line of our democracy. It’s the closest level... Posted 10 Mar 2022
Duvager’s law – more guidelines than actual rules? Wherever there are two dominant political parties, there is a steady stream of new parties hoping to break the system. Britain has had several over the years and America’s latest is the Forward Party of... Posted 09 Mar 2022
Democracy Made in England: Where Next for English Local Government? In the context of the changing nature of UK governance, England remains an anomaly. While the centres of power in the rest of the UK have shifted away from Westminster over the last two decades,... Posted 09 Mar 2022
IWD: Why proportional representation can be a driving force for political equality A driving force for most people who believe in electoral reform is the belief that seats should match votes and that the broad and diverse communities that make up the United Kingdom should have their... Posted 08 Mar 2022
Does proportional representation lead to higher turnout? A healthy democracy requires healthy levels of democratic participation – the most crucial element of which is turnout at general elections. But Britain has one of the lowest turnout rates in the west – a... Posted 10 Feb 2022
The Single Transferable Vote means every vote counts in New South Wales’ local elections In the closing days of 2021, I braved the scorch of the blistering Australian summer sun, walking through the streets of a leafy Sydney suburb and dropping flyers into letterboxes for the Sutherland Shire Council... Posted 07 Feb 2022
ERS in the Press: January 2022 Scandal and crisis at the heart of government have dominated the news as we begin 2022. Yet in a packed news cycle of covid regulation breaking parties in Downing Street, and a pantomime-esque will-they-won’t-they over... Posted 04 Feb 2022