Mixed Member Proportional/New Zealand + Germany

  • New zealand is unicameral and unitary (about 120)

    • 72 from electorate, about 48 from party list

    • elections every 3 years

  • Germany is bicameral and unitary (630 fixed)

    • 299 from district and 331 from party list, but the way these numbers are distributed can change

MMP Pros

  • retains the proportionality benefits from PR

  • ensures that voters get geographical representation

  • voters get two votes (1 for party and 1 for local MP)

MMP Cons

  • vote for local MP is far less important

  • can create two different MPs (one loyal to district, one loyal to party)

New Zealand Story Time

  • 2017 election

    • nationals 56

    • labor 46

    • new zealand first 9

    • green 8

    • ACT 1

    • Labor, NZF, and Green form a coalition with the head of labor, Jacinda Arden as PM

  • 2020 election'

    • labor 65

    • national 33

    • green 10

    • NZF 0

    • ACT 9

    • Maori 2

    • this was the first time a coalition was not necessary

  • 2023 elections

    • national 49

    • labor 34

    • green 15

    • act 11

    • NZF 8

    • maori 6

      • these caused overhang seats

    • National, ACT, and NZF for a coalition

    • PM is National Christopher Luxon

Germany Story Time

  • 2021 election

    • they fixed the seats for the next election at 630 (no more overhang)

  • february 2025 election

    • CDU/CSU 29% 208

    • AfD 21% 152, won in 49 constituencies in east germany

    • SPD 16.4% 120

    • Greens 11.6% 85

    • coalition between CDU and SPD with CDU Friedrich Merz is PM