Determinants of Geographical Representation on Candidate Lists in Flexible-List Systems: Lessons from the Belgian Case

Abstract

Based on a dataset of candidates from 488 party lists for Belgian lower house elections in the period 1987–2010, this contribution analyses the effects of electoral system-related and party-related determinants on the level of geographical representation on party lists. The results show that decentralised candidate selection methods lead to higher levels of geographical representation on the list in its entirety. With regard to realistic slots, it is found that the percentage of female candidates is negatively associated with geographical representation. Additionally, in districts where the largest city is dominant in terms of population size, it is more difficult for selectorates to realise geographical balance.