Many international organizations and prominent political scientists support proportional representation (PR) as the fairest and most viable electoral system for nations undergoing a transition to democracy. But is proportional representation truly more democratic than an American-style system? How do the perceived advantages of PR match up against the challenges nations in transition face—especially emerging democracies and ethnically divided societies? Does PR enhance institutional stability and effective governance, or does it sow the seeds for future discord?

Experts will examine these questions at a two-panel AEI conference. The first panel will discuss the theory of PR and the state of recent scholarship on the subject. The second panel will examine the experience with PR in Germany, Eastern Europe, Australia, Israel, and Iraq. Judy Van Rest, executive vice president of the International Republican Institute, who has advised on and observed elections across the globe, will deliver concluding remarks about the unintended consequences of PR systems.