Political Science

The mixed member proportional electoral formula system includes members elected both from single party members and from party lists.  This system combines, or mixes, the proportional results of a list proportional representation system with the representation of a single party member system.  Under mixed member proportional representation, voters are able to cast two votes, one for the party candidate of their choice and one for the party of their choice.  What does not make sense about the mixed member proportional electoral formula system, such as is implemented in modern Germany, is that by voting for a closed party list, the voter is effectively removed from participating in the direct democratic selection of candidates.

When voters are relegated to participate in mixed member proportional electoral formula systems, they are often cut off from the decision making of who is able to attain a place on the party lists.  By having to vote for a party rather than a party member, the voter is merely able to vote for a set of ideas and hope that the party who is supposed to be supporting these ideas will place competent people into the governmental positions.  Although mixed member proportional electoral formula systems do foster direct voting of party members to a certain degree, such as the 50 of seats awarded to single party members in Germany, there are still 50 of legislative seats who are chosen from closed party lists and not by voters.

The problem with mixed member proportional electoral formula systems is that they proclaim to be democratic while at the same time prohibiting democracy from taking hold.  For example, if in Germany 40 of the people vote for the CDU, 30 for the SPD, and 10 for the Linke, 10 for the FDP, and 10 for the Grne, then the parties get to fill these seats in these proportions for 50 of legislative seats, regardless of how competent or well liked these candidates are.  These candidates are chosen by the closed party and not by the public at large, so many people are not at all familiar with 50 of the legislators coming into office.  In this kind of system, a fully public and democratic vote for all party members is regarded as dangerous, and only a select group of people, usually upper class members of society, participate in selecting party list members.

The mixed member proportional electoral formula system of Germany was established in 1949 and was regarded as a temporary measure to get the government running again smoothly, although it still remains in practice today.  Perhaps voting for a party list was regarded as safer, given the history of extremism in German government, as the allies could perhaps have some influence on who would be able to make it onto the party lists.  However, considering the dangerous aspects of lack of democracy, the idea to vote for party lists rather than party members is a step in the direction of oligarchy rather than democracy.

The only way for people to be assured of their direct participation in government is to actually serve as a government official or to vote directly for one who will represent the interests of the voters as well as the party.  The most important responsibility of government officials is to mean what they say and do what they say, and voters need to have the final decision about whether or not an official will enter and remain in office.  Although parties do provide a general framework within which party members can work, the direct voting of party members by the public is essential to retaining a purely democratic system.