MACEDONIAN ELECTORAL SYSTEM FOR ELECTION OF MPS

A STABILIZER OR A CREATOR OF THE POLITICAL CRISЕS IN THE MACEDONIAN POLITICAL SYSTEM?

Abstract

The electoral system is one of the basic subsystems of each political system. Having
that in mind, it is easily noticeable that the legal and political theory is filled with
authors, who analyse the influence of the electoral system over the functioning of the
political system. In this regard, it is entirely expected that the electoral system for
election of the Macedonian MPs affects the whole functioning of the Macedonian
political system, as well. Starting from 2002, up until present day, for elections of
Macedonian MPs, the proportional electoral model is used with the application of the
D’Hondt method and closed electoral lists when choosing the Macedonian MPs.
Created in this way, although it is a proportional electoral model, which according to
all rules has the capacity to fragment the party system in one society, still in the end,
the impression is that the predicted solutions contribute to stabilization of the
Macedonian party system and functionality of the Macedonian political system.
However, since 2008, up until present day, the Macedonian society quite often was
affected by political crises, which ultimately led to early parliamentary elections.
Within the last political crisis, related to the wiretapped telephone conversations, the
opinion that reigned the Macedonian society was that the electoral system for election
of MPs contributes to development of authoritarian tendencies in the Macedonian
society. The thing that was mostly emphasized towards such a contribution is the
bigger chance for success of the bigger parties, and not the smaller ones, as well as the
influence of the closed electoral lists over the power of the political leaders. Thus, in
the period of the political crisis, different actors had many different ideas to change
the electoral system for parliamentary election. Certain political actors advocated a
return to the majority electoral model, others, on the other hand, advocated using the
proportional electoral model, but with open electoral lists or, by creating the whole
territory of the country one constituency. In that direction, this paper will try to find
an answer whether the current electoral system for parliamentary election contributes
or has contributed for the development of political crises or, such political crises are a
result of other matters. Moreover, this paper will try to give an answer to whether the advocated solutions during the political crisis could contribute to creation of more
democratic and more functional political system.