Total Representation: an electoral system to resolve Italy's democratic crisis

Total Representation is an electoral system based on the premise that every single vote cast in an election has to end up with representation in parliament, whether directly or indirectly.

It avoids the most serious defect of the constituency first-past-the-post system, under which votes cast for the successful candidate are represented while all the rest of the votes cast for the unsuccessful candidates are left unrepresented.

The proportional representation system (PR), on the other hand, does allow representation to all votes cast but it encourages small political parties and splinter groups, resulting in weak coalition governments where factional rather than national interests take over.

Its greatest deficiency, however, is the lack of a direct link between the voters and their individual representatives in parliament; it transfers this link to the political parties.

Total Representation (TR) offers a solution by combining the positive elements of both systems: i.e. the dominant element of representation in proportional representation and the direct link with the voter of the constituency first-past-the-post system.