Electoral Thresholds

Electoral thresholds are minimum percentage requirements that political parties or candidates must achieve to gain representation in a legislature, such as a parliament. For instance, if a country has a threshold of 5%, parties must secure at least 5% of the total vote to receive seats. This helps prevent very small parties from entering the political system, promoting stability and encouraging larger, more viable parties to form. While it can lead to a more manageable number of parties, it may also limit voter choices and the representation of diverse viewpoints.