The way the chamber of deputies is formed - by an open-list proportional representation system - makes it easier for celebrity candidates to win office.

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Post-apartheid South Africa uses a list system of proportional representation (PR) and it has had various coalitions since 1994.

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Just as predictably, his weaknesses were stultifying rhetoric (phrases such as "net inward migration" and "proportional representation list system" abounded) and an inability to think on his feet (he struggled to respond to Mr Cameron's frequent attacks on his tax plans).

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But Mr Obuchi's party is now saying that, if it has to sacrifice some of its own single-seat incumbents to make room for Liberal candidates, it will have to find seats for those displaced on the proportional-representation list.

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The government has decided that there should be a single national list, with each party or combination of parties winning seats by proportional representation.

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The election is based on a proportional representation system that requires voters to select a party's list of candidates rather than one specific individual.

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