Electoral Reform: The PR20 Model Proposed by Dave Kissoondoyal

An report titled "Electoral Reform in Mauritius – A Technical and Historical Analysis (1982–2024)" written by Dave Kissoondoyal has been submitted to the Prime Minister's office as part of consultations on electoral reform.

The document proposes a corrective model called PR20, presented as a targeted response to the recurring distortions between the number of votes received and the parliamentary seats allocated in Mauritius.

Based on the analysis of general elections from 1982 to 2024, the report highlights a structural weakness in the First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) system. During this period, several elections resulted in significant underrepresentation, or even the total exclusion from Parliament, of parties or alliances that had garnered substantial national support. The report cites instances where parties received over 40% of the votes but secured only a few seats, as well as cases of complete parliamentary wipe-outs despite having a considerable electoral base.

Electoral Reform: Key Proposals of the PR20 Model

• Maintenance of the current system

Continuing with the single-member plurality voting system (First-Past-the-Post) and the 60 constituency seats.

• Addition of corrective seats

Introduction of 20 compensatory proportional seats, bringing the National Assembly to 80 members.

• National eligibility threshold

Access to proportional seats reserved for parties or alliances achieving at least 5% of the votes nationally.

• Gradual allocation of PR seats

Distribution of seats based on a compensatory formula considering both the votes received and the seats already won.

• Priority for unelected candidates

The first ten PR seats allocated to the unelected candidates with the highest scores, based on the percentage of votes.

• Regulated party lists

The remaining ten PR seats filled from lists submitted on nomination day and made public before the election.

• Objectives of the PR20 model

To correct the vote-seat distortions, prevent parliamentary exclusions, and strengthen representation without undermining governmental stability.