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So far, overhang mandates in the minimum 400 (1949) to 656 (1990, 1994, 1998) seat Bundestag have been rare, though more common lately:

  1. 16
  2. 5(+2)
  3. 13
  4. 16
  5. 6
  6. 0
  7. 2
  8. 1
1976, 1972, 1969, 1965: 0
  1. 5
  2. 3
  3. 2
  4. 2

Obviously, overhang mandates are likely when even the largest party is well below 50%, that is, when there are numerous parliamentary parties. With the PDS in East Germany, overhang mandates became much more likely (and as you can see, when they failed on the 5% in 2002, overhangs were temporarily reduced).

Overhang mandate melting would count as real problem only when the government majority is hair-thin.

I note that in the diary I simplified the system. In truth even the seats apportitioned for the individual states ars not fixed: there is a compensation system between the states, primarily with the aim to shuffle fraction votes. This can reduce overhangs. (And then there is the 5% limit, and rules for parties under 5% with direct mandates, and the fraction rounding that reduces the minimum number of seats...)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Fri Jun 8th, 2007 at 07:05:50 PM EST
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