Lithuania currently uses a mixed electoral system whereby 71 MPs out of 141 are elected in single-seat constituencies while rest are elected according to proportional representation.
According to the proposed changes, the number of MPs would remain the same, but the borders of the 10 districts, where voters would be voting for party lists, could be adjusted to make sure they are equally-sized.
Lithuania’s top court ruled this week that the country’s current division was unconstitutional, since it allowed for two great a variation in the number of voters across constituencies.
The leader of the Liberal Movement Party Eligijus Masiulis criticised the idea and said it would be wrong to make such radical changes one year until elections.
Conservative Jurgis Razma said that the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats supports constituency border adjustments, but thinks the proposal is not serious enough.
The head of the Central Electoral Commission Zenonas Vaigauskas said that abolishing single-seat constituencies would benefit smaller parties.
Mr. Vaigauskas noted that the Social Democrats, the biggest party in the current parliament, stand to lose more than any party, if the electoral system was changed.
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