The Best at the Top? Candidate Ranking Strategies Under Closed List Proportional Representation

Under closed-list proportional representation, a party's electoral list determines the order in which legislative seats are allocated to candidates. When candidates differ their ability, parties face trade-off between competence and incentives. Ranking decreasing of ensures that elected politicians most competent. Yet, party lists create incentives for may push not rank order. We examine this game-theoretical model candidate on list, choose campaign effort, election is team contest multiple prizes. show depends candidates’' objective environment. In particular, if value enough post-electoral high offices or media coverage focuses at top list.