Electoral Systems - Topic 3.3

Question 1

The impact of electoral systems:

What has been the impact on the governments?

Answer 1

• Wales and Scotland have both been able to legislate successfully over their own regions. As a restult, both countries have been pressed for further power to be devolved to them, as seen in subsequent Scotland and Wales Acts
• For Wales this meant gaining primary legislative powers and chanign from a ‘conferred matters’ model, meaning it could make law only on policy areas it had been given, to a ‘reserved matters’ model. The ‘reserved matters’ model of government had been used in Scotland and allowed it to make laws on anything not ‘reserved’ for Parliament at Westminster
• For Scotland, this meant pressure for independence and an independence referendum. The outcome of the referendum initially quelled this pressure. However, given the result of Brexit, the issue of Scottish independence was reignited

Question 2

The impact of electoral systems:

What has been the impact on parties and party systems?

Answer 2

The number of parties successfully competing in elections are forming governments has increased as a result of proportional systems. In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, nationalists or unionist parties have gained influence and been able to be part of governments in their respective countries or provinces. These systems have also allowed notable success for other parties. The Tories have performed poorly in Scotland since Thatcher. Under AMS, they have been able to pick up seats, becoming the second-largest party.

In some devolved bodies, small parties may have been over-represented. Small parties can become ‘king-makers’, meaning they exercise power far beyong that which their electoral success suggests they should. These successes have had a wider impact, leading to the recognition and success of more minor parties. Televised leaders’ debates have had a visible impact, with 7 different party leaders in 2024, with 2 regional parties being represented.