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| Binominal electoral system | |
|---|---|
| Name | Binominal electoral system |
| Type | Electoral formula |
| Used by | Chile |
| Introduced | 1980s |
| Abolished | 2015 |
Binominal electoral system
The binominal electoral system was an electoral formula used to allocate seats in multi-member districts, notable for its implementation in Chile during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It provoked debate among figures such as Patricio Aylwin, Ricardo Lagos, Augusto Pinochet, and institutions including the Concertación coalition and the Independent Democratic Union. The system intersected with legal frameworks like the 1980 Constitution of Chile and political events such as the 1988 Chilean national plebiscite and the 1999–2000 Chilean presidential election.
The binominal system assigned two seats per electoral district, producing outcomes shaped by party lists and vote totals in contests involving coalitions such as the Alianza por Chile and the Nueva Mayoría. Its design influenced electoral strategies of politicians like Sebastián Piñera, Michelle Bachelet, Joaquín Lavín, and parties including the Socialist Party of Chile, Christian Democratic Party (Chile), and National Renewal (Chile). The system became entangled with political processes like the Chilean transition to democracy and institutional debates in the National Congress of Chile.
Under the system, each two-member district typically awarded one seat to the highest-polling list and a second seat only if a list doubled the vote of the runner-up, affecting campaigns of candidates such as Andrés Allamand and Claudio Orrego. Vote aggregation occurred at list level, prompting coordination among parties like the Christian Left (Chile), Radical Party (Chile), and the Humanist Party (Chile). Electoral administration bodies including the Servicio Electoral de Chile and legal actors from the Supreme Court of Chile adjudicated disputes tied to counting and thresholds established during the Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990).
Critics argued the binominal system entrenched dominance by coalitions, creating incentives for prominent figures—such as Joaquín Lavín or Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle—to form electoral pacts with parties like Unión Demócrata Independiente or Party for Democracy (Chile). Commentators linked the formula to reduced pluralism, disadvantaging smaller groups including the Communist Party of Chile, Green Ecologist Party (Chile), and indigenous movements like the Mapuche conflict stakeholders. Analysts from institutions such as the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and scholars referencing cases like the 1991 Chilean parliamentary election highlighted distortions in proportionality and representative fairness compared with systems used by Germany or Spain.
Chile represented the principal national case where the binominal system shaped legislative composition from the 1989 Chilean parliamentary election through the 2013 Chilean parliamentary election. Key episodes involved leaders like Ricardo Lagos and Patricio Aylwin, electoral maneuvers by Julio Ponce Lerou-era interests, and debates during constitutional reform efforts led by figures such as Evelyn Matthei and Guillermo Teillier. Comparative historical episodes invoked study of earlier practices in countries like Bolivia and discussions in academic venues including Universidad de Chile and Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.
Scholars contrasted the binominal mechanism with alternatives like proportional representation, first-past-the-post voting, and mixed systems such as the Additional Member System used in contexts including United Kingdom devolved assemblies and the German mixed-member proportional representation model. Comparative analysis referenced reforms in jurisdictions like New Zealand, electoral scholarship from centers linked to Harvard University and London School of Economics, and legal comparisons invoking instruments like the European Convention on Human Rights in debates on representation.
Reform campaigns culminating in legislative change involved actors such as Camila Vallejo, Marco Enríquez-Ominami, Alfredo Moreno, the Citizen Agreement and advocacy by civil society groups including Movimiento Autonomista. The 2015 electoral reform in Chile replaced the binominal system with a proportional method ahead of the 2017 Chilean general election, a process shaped by negotiations in the Chilean Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Chile and supported by international observers from organizations like the Organization of American States.
Category:Electoral systems