The author advocates a reform of the election system in favour of multi-nominal constituencies (see ZParl, no . 4-2019, p . 906 ff .) . It has to be noticed, however, that the political debate shows strong inertia in the present system, which has prevailed since 1949 and which consists of one-person-constituencies and Land candidate lists . Therefore, a secondbest solution seems to be to continue the system as such but to organize the assignment of constituency seats in double constituencies . Each double constituency would assign two seats to the strongest or the two most-strongest parties within its area, applying the methods of d’Hondt or Sainte Laguë . Tentatively calculated on the basis of the federal election results of 2017 and 2021, the suggested reform would not produce overhang seats (“Überhangmandate”) . If this proposal were combined with a reduced number of constituencies, the probability of overhang seats would drop further . In this proposal single constituencies might not have a direct representative in Parliament . Directly elected MPs of neighbouring single constituencies or elected MPs of the Land candidate lists would become their co-representatives .
