Electoral System Design and Political Stability: A Comparative Study of Indonesia, India, and Brazil
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Abstract
This research analyzes the relationship between electoral system design and political stability in three large non-Western democracies: Indonesia, India, and Brazil. this study examines three main elements of electoral systems—districting, electoral formula, and parliamentary threshold—and their impacts on party system structure, coalition patterns, and post-election performance of political institutions. Using a qualitative approach with a comparative study design, data were collected through literature studies and analyzed descriptively-comparatively. The results show that the majoritarian system in India is able to produce high executive stability and solid government coalitions, while the open proportional systems in Indonesia and Brazil trigger legislative fragmentation, political personalization, and coalition instability. This study emphasizes that there is no completely ideal electoral system model, but rather a trade-off between representation and government effectiveness. Therefore, electoral engineering reforms based on local contexts and empirical data are needed to create a balance between inclusiveness and stability in democratic systems. This study provides conceptual and practical contributions to the design of adaptive electoral systems in developing democracies.
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