proportional representation

noun

: an electoral system in which the number of seats held by a political group or party in a legislative body is determined by the number of popular votes received

Examples of proportional representation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the main parties got around this rule by setting up satellite parties to run on the proportional representation lists and vote with them when they got elected. —Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 12 Feb. 2025

The party would be inspired by resistance to Israel, but chiefly propelled by an agenda for political reforms in Lebanon that broaden its political power, including proportional representation and a lowering of the voting age. —Mona Yacoubian, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2011

Germany’s proportional representation system means no single party is likely to secure enough votes to form a government on their own. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Dec. 2024

France adheres to a two-round vote rather than proportional representation, in which parliamentary seats are determined in proportion to people’s electoral choices. —Colette Davidson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for proportional representation

• deinstitutionalization
• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration