FRANCES MILLARD is a Professor in the Department of Government at the University of Essex. Her recent books include Polish Politics and Society, The Anatomy of the New Poland, and Embodying Democracy: Electoral System Design in Post-Communist Europe (with Sarah Birch, Marina Popescu, and Kieran Williams). She has written widely on communist and post-communist political and social developments.

Winner of the BASEES George Blazyca Prize , in recognition of the outstanding contribution to the field of East European Studies For more information see the prize website: http://www.basees.org.uk/blazycaprize.html

• Preface List of Tables List of Party Acronyms Representation, Political Parties and the Quality of Democracy The Concept of Representation Political Parties and Their Evolution Voters and the Electoral Mechanism Voters and Electoral Outcomes Political Parties and Party Systems Standing for Office: Parties and their Candidates The Representation of Women The Political Representation of National Minorities Conclusion: Elections, Parties and Representation