Concept and types of elections. Legislation of the Russian Federation on elections

Elections are the election of officials by the population. This procedure is the most important form of civic participation in the political and public life of the country. Today in most states of the world there are some or other elections, thanks to which the legitimate power is being formed and changing.

The Notion of Elections

The suffrage is a key subset of the constitutional rights enshrined in the main law - the Constitution. Without it, it is impossible to imagine a free civil society. Voting - the exercise of active electoral right of the inhabitants of the country (the right to delegate authority to officials).

In its essence, the concept of elections is inextricably linked with the concepts of the electoral system and the electoral law. In each country, regular voting is conducted according to established legislation.

The electoral legislation of the Russian Federation

In modern Russia, the election of elected deputies of the general and local parliaments, the president, mayors of cities and heads of subjects of the Federation. There are several sources of the country's suffrage. These are normative acts (laws) that regulate the conduct of voting.

The concept of elections and their place in the life of the country are determined by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, by the charters of regions, territories, cities, and by the constitutions of the republics that are members of the Federation. This legislation throughout the entire period of modern history of the Russian Federation remains the basis of its electoral system.

There are also specialized normative acts. First of all, this is the Federal Law adopted in 2002. Its key purpose is to guarantee the citizens of the Russian Federation the preservation of their electoral rights. This Federal Law describes the voting procedures, as well as the principles of campaigning. For the years of its existence, the document has experienced several editions and edits. Nevertheless, despite all the modifications, its main essence remained the same.

The change in electoral legislation is cyclical. It is edited as a response to a changing political environment. For example, in 2004, the election of governors was canceled, and a few years later they were returned. Single edits can be made by special orders and decrees of the President of the Russian Federation. Some details of electoral legislation are in the competence of the Central Election Commission and the State Duma. Therefore, the elections also depend on their decisions and decisions.

Direct and indirect elections

Most countries have adopted direct and democratic elections. This means that the civil servant determines directly the citizen. The polling stations work for the voting. A resident of the country fixes his choice in the bulletin. The will of the people is determined by the sum of these papers.

In addition to direct, there are also indirect elections, which are opposite to them. The most famous example of such a system is the United States. In the case of indirect elections, the voter delegates his powers to the electors (and then they broadcast the will of their voters and end the elections). This is a rather complex and confusing system, adopted in different countries in many ways because of adherence to traditions. For example, in the US, the president of the country is elected not by citizens, but by the Electoral College. Similarly, the upper chamber of the Indian parliament is formed in two stages.

Alternative and non-alternative elections

Two systems of elections (alternative and non-alternative) determine the nature of the entire electoral system, regardless of its other features. What is their essence and difference? Alternative assumes that a person has a choice between several candidates. At the same time, citizens prefer diametrically opposed programs and political ideas.

Non-alternative elections are reduced to a single party (or surname) in the ballot. Today, such a system has practically disappeared from the ubiquitous practice. Nonetheless, non-alternative elections remain in countries with a one-party system, where power can be authoritarian or totalitarian.

The majority electoral system

In the world today there are a variety of types of elections. Although each country has its own unique practice, several key trends can be identified. For example, one of the most common electoral systems is the majority system. In such elections, the territory of the country is divided into districts, and each of them carries its own vote (with unique lists of candidates).

A particularly majority system is effective in electing a parliament. Thanks to it, deputies come to the representative body , representing the interests of all regions of the country without exception. As a rule, the candidate is running from the district, of which he himself is a native. Once in the parliament, such deputies will have a clear and clear idea of the interests of the people who voted for them. This is how the representative function is performed in the best form. It is important to comply with the principle that in fact in parliament not a deputy votes, but those who elected him and delegated the powers of citizens.

Types of majority system

The majority system is divided into three subspecies. The first is the principle of an absolute majority. In this case, in order to win, the candidate must collect more than half of the votes. If from the first time such a candidate can not be determined, then additional elections are appointed. They involve two people, in whose assets the greatest number of votes. Such a system is most often characteristic of municipal elections.

The second principle concerns the relative majority. According to him, any mathematical advantage over opponents is enough for a candidate to win, even if this figure does not overcome the threshold of 50%. The third principle concerning the qualified majority is much less common. In this case, the number of votes necessary to win is established.

Proportional electoral system

Common types of elections are based on party representation. According to this principle, a proportional electoral system functions. It forms elective bodies of power through party lists. While being elected in the district, the candidate can also represent the interests of a political organization (for example, communists or liberals), but first of all he offers citizens his own program.

In the case of party lists and a proportional system, the situation is different. Such a vote in elections is guided by political movements and organizations, and not by a separate politician. On the eve of the elections, the parties compose their lists of candidates. Then, after the voting, each movement receives a number of seats in the parliament proportional to the votes cast. Candidates included in the lists get to the representative body. The preference is given to the first numbers: politicians widely known in the country, public figures, popular speakers, etc. The main types of elections can be characterized in another way. Majoritarian - individual, proportional - are collective.

Open and closed party lists

The proportional system (as well as the majority system) has its own versions. The two main subspecies include voting on open party lists (Brazil, Finland, the Netherlands). Such direct elections are an opportunity for the voter not only to choose a party list, but also to support a particular member of the party (in some countries, two or more can be supported). So is the rating of candidates' preferences. In such a system, the party can not alone decide which composition it should nominate to parliament.

Closed lists are used in Russia, Israel, the European Union and South Africa. In this case, a citizen has the right to vote only for the party he likes. Specific people who fall into parliament are determined by the political organization itself. The voter first of all votes for the general program.

Pros and Cons of the Proportional System

All types of elections have their advantages and disadvantages. The proportional system is positively different in that the votes of citizens do not just disappear. They go to the common treasury of the party and influence the political agenda. There is an important circumstance in this rule. In each country a certain threshold is adopted. Parties that do not pass this mark are not included in the parliament. Therefore, the most fair in this case is elections in Israel, where the minimum threshold is only 1% (in Russia 5%).

The disadvantage of a proportional system is the partial distortion of the principle of democracy. List elected ones inevitably lose contact with their constituents. If the party determines the candidates, they do not need to prove their own competence to people. Many experts criticize closed lists for their exposure to various political technologies. For example, there is a "locomotive principle". Using it, parties put ahead of their closed lists of recognizable people (the stars of cinema, variety and sports). After the elections, these "locomotives" abandon their mandates in favor of little-known party functionaries. There are many cases in history where the closeness of parties led to dictatorship within the organization and the dominance of bureaucracy.

Mixed Elections

The electoral system can combine two basic principles (majority and proportional). With this configuration, it will be considered mixed. In Russia, during the election of the parliament, such direct general elections are in force today. Half of the deputies are determined by the lists, the other half by single-mandate constituencies. The mixed electoral system will be applied in the elections to the State Duma on September 18, 2016 (before that it was used in the State Duma elections until 2003 inclusive). In 2007 and 2011, there was a proportional principle with closed party lists.

A mixed system is also called other formats of the electoral system. For example, in Australia, one chamber of parliament is elected by party lists, and the other by single-mandate constituencies. There is also a mixed connected system. According to its rules, seats in the parliament are distributed on a single-mandate majority principle, but voting passes through the lists.

The advantages and disadvantages of the mixed principle

Any mixed system is flexible and democratic. It is constantly changing and offers the country several ways to form a representative body. The polling stations in this case can become the seat of several elections, proceeding according to different principles. For example, in Russia, municipal-level voting is increasingly being conducted in this format.

Mixed direct elections are an important factor in the fragmentation of the political system. Therefore, experts consider it a serious test for countries with a young failed democracy. The fragmented political organizations are forced to form coalitions. In this case, the party majority in the parliament is practically not attainable. On the one hand, this hinders decision-making, on the other hand, such a picture is a vivid example of the versatility of a society in which there are many groups with different interests. The mixed electoral system and a large number of small parties were characteristic of Russia and Ukraine in the 1990s.