States possess extensive discretionary authority in determining their electoral system. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has argued that as long all electors have by their vote the possibility of affecting the composition of the legislature, the choice of the electoral system falls in the state’s margin of appreciation. In this regard, the Court’s aims have been to determine whether the effect of electoral legislation is to exclude some persons or groups of persons from participation in the political life of the country, whether the discrepancies created by a particular electoral system can be considered arbitrary or abusive or whether the system tends to favour political parties or candidates by giving them an electoral advantage at the expense of others.