Electoral systems and the promotion of 'consociationalism' in a multi-ethnic society. The Kosovo Assembly elections of November 2001

Electoral rules can structure political incentives and pay-offs in ethnically divided and post-conflict societies. This article examines the development of the electoral system in Kosovo under the tutelage of the United Nations and the OSCE. It then explores the province wide Assembly elections of November 2001. Electoral engineers deliberately promoted a mildly disproportional relationship between votes cast and seats won in order to encourage 'consociationalism' and promote future governability. The article relates the experience in Kosovo to wider issues relating to choice of electoral systems and concludes by analysing whether Kosovo's electoral system achieved the objectives set for it.