Abstract
Since 1926, when the paper ballot finally replaced the lead ballot throughout the country, Greece has seen 22 parliamentary elections and 17 electoral systems, which fall into three categories: plurality systems, ‘simple’ proportional representation, and ‘reinforced’ proportional representation. In this chapter we will explain the characteristics of the three categories, detail the similarities and differences among the various versions of each category, and evaluate the electoral systems’ effects on seat distribution as well as on the evolution of political forces and on government formation. We will also argue that the frequent changes of the electoral laws were mostly due to three reasons: the search for government stability (53 cabinets in 50 ‘democratic’ years), the marginalization of ‘undesirable’ political forces, and minimization of the outgoing governments’ potential seat losses.
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© 1994 Policy Studies Organization
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Dimitras, P.E. (1994). Electoral Systems in Greece. In: Nagel, S.S., Rukavishnikov, V. (eds) Eastern European Development and Public Policy. Policy Studies Organization Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-23366-3_10
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-23366-3_10
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