How can fair representation be promoted in societies that are deeply divided along ethnic, religious, caste and class bases? This study from the United Nations Development Programme looks at local democracy in Asia. It argues that evidence from the design of systems for representation and elections in divided societies suggests that an appropriately crafted framework can help nurture the accountability and commitment of political parties, while an inappropriate system can harm the process of democratisation. While focus is often on electoral systems, the choice between direct and indirect representation to higher tiers, the functioning of political parties and other elements usually have a stronger impact on the inclusiveness and accountability of the democratic institutions.
The framework for representation is an important mechanism that shapes local democracy. The rules and procedures through which votes cast in an election are translated into representation determine the democratic nature of a society. The choice of electoral system itself also determines the extent to which local decision-making bodies are genuinely democratic, inclusive and gender-sensitive. They can influence other aspects of the political system, including the development of political parties. They are important for linking citizens and their leaders to create more political accountability, representation and responsiveness. They also influence the social and economic outcomes of decentralised governance.
No electoral system is perfect, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. What may work in one context may not yield the same outcomes in another context.
- The electoral system has important implications for the way in which local councils conduct their political affairs and the roles and functions that they can perform.
- The balance between representation and accountability is important. Representation ensures that those who are elected reflect the choice of the electorate. Accountability ensures that voters can call their representatives to account for decisions made in their name.
- Concerns for representation focus on proportionality, ensuring that political, gender, minority, regional, population and other concentrations are equitably represented.
- In a democratic society, representation should be inclusive, and accountability vertical and horizontal; however, the type of electoral system in place usually means some kind of tradeoff between these (and other) considerations.
- The two most popular electoral systems used for local level elections in the Asia-Pacific region are First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Representation/PR-List.
- Block Vote systems are also used for local elections in the region.
In order to be more effective in designing inclusive and accountable local democratic institutions in the Asia-Pacific region, it is important to:
- Determine the outcomes of different electoral systems, in terms of who gets elected and how, how different systems are subject to manipulation, and how they affect the machinery of day-to-day local government;
- Understand the ways in which political parties interface with local electoral systems and what the representational outcomes of that encounter are;
- Establish the options of different electoral and representational systems for implementing measures that result in the weak being able to wield power that is proportionate to their numbers;
- Find ways of mainstreaming affirmative action such that it becomes less contentious; and
- Explore the ways in which the legitimacy conferred by local custom and tradition can be harnessed to improve local representational arrangements without diluting fundamental democratic principles and rights.
