The principle that the majority should rule is widespread and well established internationally, accomplished by proportional voting in legislative elections and majority voting in presidential elections.

Chile elected its first female president on January 15th after Michelle Bachelet triumphed over a rival in a second round of counting. Finland also entered a runoff on January 30th after the vote fragmented across three major lines during the first election.

On a more dramatic note, thousands of Haitians took to the streets of Port au-Prince after the February 7th elections, when frontrunner Rene Preval appeared to just miss the majority threshold. Later recounts narrowly avoided a runoff.

[ More on these 2006 presidential elections ]
[ Comparison: Which countries use majority runoffs? ]
[ IRV vs the runoff ]