Mixed Systems - different experiences.

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s a number of former Union republics, including Russia, have adopted what has been termed a mixed-member electoral system. Different from the 'pure' plurality and proportional representation systems, mixed systems are characterised by the fact that they combine the former two principles of representation.

According to Maurice Duverger (1959), there are two main principles, according to which elections are conducted, namely plurality (first-past-the-post) elections and proportional representation (PR). Whereas plurality systems are expected to produce two-party systems and a majority government and proportional representation is likely to result in multipartyism and minority or coalition governments, mixed systems allegedly create a representative government that is able to rule by majority.

The nine countries in my study are Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Hungary, Croatia, Albania, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. These countries are relatively new states currently undergoing an extensive democratisation process. Realising the importance of elections in the transitional phase, and the fact that mixed-member systems have received surprisingly little attention in the electoral system literature, I chose to make a comparative study of these nine mixed systems, starting with a comparative study of the Russian electoral rules.

As the results are relatively contradictory and to a great extent disconfirm my hypotheses, I introduce a fifth hypothesis, investigating the relationship between super-presidential and non-presidential states. Does the governing structure rather than the electoral system explain party system fragmentation?