One of the longest-running arguments against proportional representation voting systems has been that they aid and abet ‘extremist’ parties into legitimate political voices. Yet, with only four MPs, Reform UK are dominating in opinion polls for the next UK election.

This paper, authored by Stuart Donald, provides comprehensive analysis of how PR systems actually do the exact opposite – acting as a balancing force to tame the Populist-Right.

Drawing on extensive case studies from the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, and Finland amongst others, it is demonstrated that, by forcing Populist-Right parties into coalition governments, their extreme policies are watered down and their ‘us-against-them’ narratives no longer hold weight, destroying their credibility and electoral popularity.

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Media coverage of this report:

• ‘Keir Starmer’s legacy could be electoral reform – or Farage as prime minister‘, Polly Toynbee, The Guardian, 1st September 2025