Eliminasjonsmekanisme

Eliminasjonsmekanisme is a type of voting system used in parliamentary systems, particularly in Norway and Denmark. It is designed to prevent parties from gaining too much power and influence.

In an eliminasjonsmekanisme system, voters rank candidates or parties in order of preference. For example, they may select their first choice, second choice, and so on. The system is designed to ensure that no single party or candidate receives more than half of the total votes.

When the votes are counted, the candidate or party with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated from the contest. This process is repeated, with the eliminated candidate or party removed from the list and their second-choice votes redistributed. This process continues until a candidate or party has received more than half of the total votes.

The goal of eliminasjonsmekanisme is to promote coalition-building and prevent any one party from dominating the parliament. It also allows voters to express their nuanced preferences by ranking candidates or parties in order of importance.

Eliminasjonsmekanisme is used in various forms in Norway, where it has been employed in several parliamentary elections. It has also been experimented with in other countries, such as Denmark and Germany. Critics argue that the system can lead to complex and unpredictable outcomes, which can be difficult to analyze and interpret.

Proponents of the system argue that it encourages cooperation and coalition-building, which is essential in consensus-driven political systems. Eliminasjonsmekanisme has become a key feature of Norwegian politics and continues to be used in various forms in the country.