Voting System, Indigenous Representation in Parliamentary Institutions and Decolonization
This article begins by raising a question in the context of the electoral reform project in Quebec: could changes in the direction of better representation of Indigenous people in democratic institutions share in the decolonization process? By a detailed description of the New Zealand situation, in particular the advances made by M ā ori in recent years through political parties and the ballot box, this article aims to nourish reflection on indigenous political representation and decolonization. The recent repositioning of M ā ori on the New Zealand political scene – thanks to a change in the voting system (1996) and the success of the M ā ori Party – as well as the results of the 2017 and 2020 elections are revealing of a gradual shift in the struggles for self-determination: increased confidence is placed in electoral democracy and in parliament.