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lijstduwers

A lijstduwer is a person who is placed on a political party’s electoral list primarily to attract votes for the party, rather than with the intention of winning a seat. The concept relies on name recognition, popular appeal, or public visibility to boost turnout and the party’s overall vote share.

In proportional representation systems, voters can cast a vote for a party list or for a specific

Practically, lijstduwers are often well-known figures, such as celebrities, athletes, or local personalities, who lend their

Overall, the lijstduwer mechanism is a strategic tool used by parties to maximize votes, while remaining distinct

candidate
on
that
list.
A
lijstduwer
can
help
increase
the
number
of
votes
the
party
receives
without
actively
seeking
office
himself
or
herself.
While
a
lijstduwer
may
end
up
elected
if
they
receive
a
large
number
of
preference
votes,
their
typical
role
is
to
contribute
to
broader
appeal
rather
than
to
serve
as
a
leading
candidate.
name
to
a
party
for
a
particular
election
cycle.
They
usually
appear
somewhere
on
the
list
that
signals
a
willingness
to
support
the
party’s
campaign
rather
than
a
commitment
to
take
a
seat
if
elected.
The
use
of
lijstduwers
can
influence
campaign
dynamics
by
broadening
demographics
reached
and
increasing
voter
engagement,
but
it
can
also
provoke
debate
about
the
focus
of
political
campaigning
on
personalities
versus
policy.
from
the
party’s
core
lineup
of
elected
representatives.