ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a new interpretation of degressive proportionality, degressive quota variation. Based on this new interpretation, several methods for figuring European Parliament (EP) seat distribution in the context of the Constitution project have been obtained. The chapter describes the mathematical details behind the concept of degressive proportionality. Nevertheless, the project of the Constitution neither specified the methods which should be used to assign the seats to the member states, nor did it define 'degressive proportionality'. It is proven that the concept of degressive proportionality established by the Commission is unacceptable, for sometimes a solution meeting such a condition does not exist. Reasonable requirements that a distribution derived through degressive proportionality must fulfil are stated and method for computing distributions with degressive proportionality is defined. An EP seat distribution in proportion to the square root of the population has also been calculated. Such a distribution differs substantially from one obtained by using the parabolic method and from the current representation.
