Türkiye’s Electoral System: Electoral Threshold’s Impact on the Electoral Composition and Outcomes

In a democracy, every vote matters until an electoral threshold silences millions. This paper explores the rationale behind Türkiye’s adoption of a plurality system, considering representativeness and accountability as key drivers. In particular, the introduction of the “corrective measure” electoral threshold and its impact on minority representation, especially the Kurdish accession to the Turkish Parliament, will be investigated. Notably, thresholds serve as explicit entry barriers in proportional representation systems, with most countries setting them anywhere between 1% and 5% to prevent excessive party fragmentation. For example, in Germany, only parties winning 5% of the list votes or three single-member constituencies qualify for list seats. Türkiye’s 10% threshold, however, remained one of the highest in the world up until 2022, shaping both political representation and the viability of opposition parties. This essay acknowledges the need to analyze electoral systems and their origins to understand electoral behaviors and outcomes comprehensively. Before delving into an examination of the Turkish electoral system, it is essential to establish a clear understanding of what constitutes an electoral system. An electoral system is “a set of rules that structure how votes are cast at elections for a representative assembly and how these votes are then converted into seats in that assembly.” The significance of electoral systems transcends mere election outcomes, extending to the very fabric of political life. Electoral systems wield overwhelming influence over critical aspects, including the party systems’ structure, government formation dynamics, voter accountability mechanisms, and, ultimately, the quality of governance.