[EM] What's wrong with the party list system?

[Kristofer Munsterhjelm]

Kathy Dopp wrote:
> Someone from Europe on this list recently said that they did not like
> the party list system.  Why not?  Party list seems like a fair, simple
> system of electing legislators who represent people in approximately
> the same proportion that they exist in the electorate.  I have not
> found a better-sounding proportional system yet. So, what's wrong with
> the party list system?

I'm from Europe and, well, although I wouldn't go that far, I say that 
there are definitely methods that are better than party list. My problem 
with party list is that first, it makes political parties formally a 
part of the political system, and second, it gives a lot of power to the 
party leadership.

First, to use party list means that you have to have some sort of party, 
and that the proportionality is on the basis of parties. This grants 
power to that sort of organization. It becomes more difficult to reject 
the choices already presented in favor of one's own choice: one can't 
just stand as a candidate, but has to be part of a party or less formal 
list. The latter is in itself a sort of a hack: in local elections here, 
some areas (particularly the smaller ones) have candidates that think 
local issues are more important than partisan association. These then 
form "county lists" that are parties-that-aren't, more or less: they fit 
into the system like parties but aren't formal organizations.

Second, in party list PR, the order of the list is decided ahead of 
time. In a closed party list PR system, the voters have no chance to 
alter the ordering within the list, so the party leadership can reward 
loyal members by moving them up the list. In an open party list system, 
the voters can, to some extent, change the ordering, but it is quite 
hard. Usually, unchanged party list votes are counted as votes in favor 
of the default list, so it takes a strong concerted effort to alter the 
order.

Party list increases the choice given to a voter by enabling third 
parties to survive. However, it can reduce variety within each party, 
because those who set the list have great power, and it is, by its 
nature, biased against independents.