What can parliaments do to increase the representation of minorities?
Parliaments can make their institutions open to minorities (through electoral systems or other methods of choosing representatives) and by passing laws which allow marginalized groups to play a fuller role in government and politics. The chief and quickest way a parliament can increase the number of minorities is through the electoral system. The key variables are whether the system is proportional or majoritarian, how many members are elected from each district, whether there is an imposed threshold for representation, whether voters can choose between candidates as well as parties, and where minority voters live (are they clustered together or geographically dispersed). Special mechanisms such as reserved seats, quotas or mandated multi-ethnic or gender sensitive “slates” will also determine who makes it into parliament. Parliaments can require minorities to be included on each partys slate of candidates (as in Singapore) or can allocate a certain number of seats to specific minority
