HC Deb 14 October 1946 vol 427 cc615-6
61. Mr. Zilliacus

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what electoral system is being used in the British zone in Germany, in view of the fact that in the recent elections an average of roughly 235 votes was sufficient to return an independent candidate, whereas 320 were required for a Christian Democrat, 430 for a Social Democrat and 3,400 for a Communist.

Mr. J. Hynd

The electoral system used is based on the principle of direct election as in the United Kingdom, with varying modifications for the Gemeinde and Kreis elections. As my hon. Friend will be aware, direct election does not give the same mathematical results as election by proportional representation methods. In the recent Gemeinde elections, electoral areas varied between 200 and 20,000 voters; and in the smaller parishes, where party influence is not yet greatly developed, many candidates—especially independents—were returned unopposed. In the Kreis elections, which took place yesterday, and where parochial and personal issues were less predominant, party alignments will no doubt have been more clearly marked, and the number of seats gained by the respective contestants should show a closer relationship to the total number of votes cast in their favour.

Mr. Zilliacus

Do I understand my hon. Friend to say that this electoral system is a straight, direct election, and is there not also an admixture of the transference of votes in the proportional system? If it is a straight, direct electoral system, does it not work very unfairly where there are at least four or five parties?

Mr. Hynd

The electoral system was based on the principle of the direct election, with several different modifications in the case of the Gemeinde and Kreis elections, where it is provided that a small proportion of seats in each case is allotted to a pool—about 25 per cent. in each case —to which the balance of votes is transferred, and those three or four seats are allocated to particular parties in relation to those votes.

Mr. Zilliacus

Have votes been transferred from one independent to another as if they were members of the same party, and are the results not a travesty of the will of the German people? Would it not be far better to introduce straight proportional representation?

Mr. Hynd

Far from being a travesty of the will of the German people, the scheme was worked out by the advisory council representing all three political parties and other German representatives.

Mr. McAllister

Would he say how many so-called "independents" were actually members of the Nazi Party?