Electoral Systems of the Western European Countries

Elections are the basis of democratic governance. If they are held in free and fair manner then the population has greater chances to be heard and feel part of exercise power. Electoral systems play a significant role in the political process in a state because they determine how votes cast for political parties or coalitions are translated into parliamentary mandates. The total number of votes gained by a political party can result in the victory of the said party under an electoral system, or defeat under another electoral system. This article describes and classifies the electoral systems in Western Europe. Most countries in Western Europe use proportional representation rules for the election of their parliament. We will focus on the presentation of the features of the proportional electoral system, which changes in different countries, depending on the specifics of the country itself. We will study the problems or successes, which this electoral system brings to these countries