The Karachay-Cherkessia parliament has refused a mixed electoral system in favor of party lists. Deputies of the republic think that this way all ethnic groups will be represented in the parliament, "Kommersant" reports.
A proportional electoral system will work in almost all regions of the North Caucasus Federal District with the exception of Stavropol and North Ossetia. The Karachay-Cherkess Parliament rejected a mixed system of elections last week. The corresponding bill was introduced by 63 deputies and supported by all of them.
"In a multi-ethnic country, this factor plays a very important role in ensuring stability and harmony," a deputy Ahmad Ebzeev said, adding that apart from the four major ethnic groups - Karachai , Cherkess , Russians and Abazins - representatives of other nationalities also live in Karachay-Cherkessia, who "also want to have representation in the government," portal IuGA quotes him.
According to the deputies of the republic, the new system will help to avoid conflicts on ethnic grounds, because representatives of different ethnic groups will be in the parliament.
Elections exclusively by party lists have been conducted in Dagestan since 2006, in Chechnya since 2008, in Ingushetia - since 2007, and in Kabardino-Balkaria - since 2008. The new parliament of Karachay-Cherkessia will be elected by party lists in September.
