The election of the country's president should help take the post to a person whose candidacy is really approved by the majority of the population. Therefore, under certain conditions, a second round of voting is appointed.
Instruction manual
1
According to the legislation of the Russian Federation, a candidate can win the first round only if he receives more than 50% of the vote. However, there is no threshold for voter turnout. But if not a single candidate for a high post scored the required number of ballots in his favor, a second round is held. Two candidates with the maximum number of votes are invited to participate in it. Thus, at the second stage, decision-making depends largely on those people who supported unsuccessful candidates. The one for whom they will vote is more likely to become president.
2
In the history of Russia, the second round of presidential elections was held only once - in 1996. The current head of state, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, and the Communist Party leader Gennady Andreevich Zyuganov, claimed the post of president. The president, already in power, won.
3
Similar legislation related to elections applies in many other countries, such as France. Due to the nature of the political system of this country, a second round is held in almost every presidential election. This is due to the presence of several strong political parties, between whose representatives the votes in the first round are often distributed almost evenly. Only the second round allows you to identify the final leader of the presidential race.
4
In the United States, a completely different situation can be observed. Since the 18th century, a rather archaic two-stage system of elections has been preserved there. Under it, the population does not vote directly, but determines electors, who in turn cast their votes for one of the presidential candidates. The second round is not provided for such a system because of the historically established bipartisan system - candidates from third parties do not constitute worthy competition for Republicans and Democrats, therefore the first round actually turns into a struggle between the nominees of the two main parties.
