How might we measure the strength of bicameralism in a legislature? What effects does the strength of bicameralism have on the operation and legitimacy of legislatures? Discuss with reference to one example of a strong bicameral legislature and one example of a weak bicameral legislature.

Imagine the following election to a simple hypothetical parliament, electing one (1) district to a unicameral parliament. The share of votes for each political party are as follows:

Vote (%)

The Green Party 35%

The Blue Party 40%

The Red Party 10%

The Rainbow Party 10%

The Grey Party 5%

How many seats should each party win under a ‘proportional representation’ electoral system in which forty (40) parliamentary seats are to be elected? Briefly explain why a proportional representation system should produce this result and what the parties will need to do in order to form a government.