The countdown is on for the municipal elections, as the deadline for submitting candidates is a week away.
The country’s political parties agree on the difficulties of putting together balanced lists, with small parties struggling more than larger ones. Citizens’ lists made up of independent candidates have grown in popularity in smaller municipalities, particularly in the ten municipalities which switched from the majority system to the proportional system this year. Candidates on these citizens’ lists can belong to a political party, but can also operate independently without party affiliation, as the latter can cause issues at work.
This year’s elections will take place using the proportional system in 56 municipalities, and the majority system in 46 municipalities.
Should a municipality switch to the proportional system as soon as it has 3,000 inhabitants?
The transition to the proportional system automatically takes place once a municipality has 3,000 registered residents. However, many critics say this threshold is too low. Party politics is often of secondary concern in smaller municipalities, where voters are more likely to elect people they know. For a small party, the signature of a municipal councillor or the 50 voter signatures required to run a list often pose problems. The question then arises, are these signatures still appropriate in modern times?
The official deadline for submitting candidatures for the municipal elections is 12 April ahead of the elections on 11 June.
