Fptp

First-past-the-post (FPTP) is an electoral system used in many parliamentary democracies. In FPTP, a country is divided into geographic districts, each of which elects a single representative to the legislature. In each district, voters cast one vote for a candidate. The candidate who receives the most votes in the district—whether or not they achieve an absolute majority—wins the seat. The legislature is then formed by aggregating the winners from all districts.

FPTP is typically associated with single-member districts and is often used in countries with a colonial or imperial heritage in which a strong link between representatives and local constituencies is valued. Notable examples include the United Kingdom and Canada; India uses FPTP for its Lok Sabha elections, while many other countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean have employed it at various times or continue to do so.

Advantages of FPTP include its simplicity, speed of results, and a relatively direct accountability link between MPs and specific local areas. It can contribute to stable governments and clear majorities in legislatures, especially when one party has broad geographic support.

Critics point to several drawbacks. FPTP can produce a mismatch between the national vote share and the number of seats won, leading to disproportional representation. It tends to favor larger parties and can marginalize smaller parties or regional interests. It may encourage tactical voting and can be sensitive to how district boundaries are drawn (gerrymandering). It also often results in the over- or under-representation of certain regions relative to overall support.