Home > 3.2 Proportional systems > Report on Proportional Electoral Systems: The Allocation of seats inside the lists (open/closed) lists
 
 
 
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Paragraph 64
 

Proportional representation is carried out in multi-member constituencies, either with the whole country as a single constituency, like in Slovakia and the Netherlands, or with the country divided in a number of geographical constituencies. With the exceptions of Denmark (under one of the defined options) and Romania, the candidate lists correspond to the constituencies. If the whole country is a nationwide constituency, there is no guarantee that there are candidates from all over the country, and in some areas, the voters may not know the candidates, even though the incentives for proportional representation are to be inclusive. The open-list option may be then less efficient; otherwise there is no difference in applying open-list systems to local constituencies or to the country as a whole.