Which of the following is a disadvantage of proportional representation?

Step 1: Analyze the question We need the disadvantage of proportional representation (PR). Watch out: some options describe advantages.

Step 2: Explain the concept Under proportional representation, seats in the legislature are shared among parties according to the percentage of votes each party gets. It is used in countries such as Israel and the Netherlands.

Advantages: it gives fair representation to minority parties, reflects the wishes of voters accurately, and leaves few votes "wasted".

Disadvantages:

• The system is complicated for voters and electoral officials (counting, allocating seats, using party lists).
• It often produces coalition governments, which can be unstable and weak.
• It weakens the link between a representative and a particular constituency.
• It can slow down decision making because many parties must agree.

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Encourages rigging: Not a recognised feature of PR. Rigging is a matter of how elections are administered, not a defect built into the system.
• B. Promotes strong government: This is wrong. PR tends to produce coalitions, so it usually leads to weak government. It is also not a disadvantage.
• C. Makes for easy decision making in parliament: This is wrong. With many parties, decision making is usually harder, and in any case this wording describes an advantage.
• D. Is difficult and cumbersome to operate: This is correct. PR involves complex counting formulas, party lists, and large multi-member constituencies, so it is costly and hard to administer and to understand.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is D.

Exam tip: When a question asks for a "disadvantage," eliminate any option that sounds positive (strong, easy, promotes). For PR, remember the keywords: complex, costly, coalition, unstable.