AI fighting for and against the PR system in Election
In a rural setting, three men are seen talking. One asks, “How does an election under the PR system work?” Another replies, “I voted in Sandwip and got an MP from the Maldives.” Then all three burst into laughter. This satirical portrayal of the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system appears in a video circulating on social media. However, the people in the video are not real—they were generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
In Bangladesh, there has been growing advocacy both for and against the adoption of the PR system in the next national election. AI-generated videos have become a key tool in these campaigns on social media. Between 29 June and 3 July, Dismislab identified at least 13 such videos. Many were created using Google’s video generation tool, Veo. Among them, three videos support the PR system while 10 oppose it.
Following the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024, proposals for electoral reform included the PR voting system as a key recommendation. Public debate on the issue gained momentum after Islami Andolan Bangladesh presented a 16-point demand during a mass rally on June 28, which included a call for PR-based elections. In this context, these AI-generated videos are being circulated as part of the ongoing campaign.
What AI characters are saying in favor of the PR system
The earliest AI-generated video supporting the proportional representation (PR) electoral system found by Dismislab was posted on 29 June. The 40-second video was shared by a page called “Voice of Rubel.” It features dialogues across four different scenes, each promoting the PR system in a positive light.
In one scene, an AI-generated character says, “Proportional means seats are distributed based on votes,” to which another replies, “Oh really? That sounds fair.” In another scene, a character says, “If it were proportional, we would still have a voice in parliament even if we lost the vote.”
Another pro-PR video was posted on 30 June from a page titled “Joypurhat Ek Asoner Khobor.” (News of Jaypurhat Seat One) The 24-second video includes three scenes. In the first, a young man tells an older man, “Brother, I vote every time, but my vote goes to waste.” The older man responds, “That’s happening because we don’t vote under the PR system. In PR, every vote counts, and every party gets representation in parliament.”
In the next scene, an elderly man, standing slightly elevated, addresses a group, saying, “PR means the number of seats a party gets is equal to the percentage of votes it receives.” One listener responds, “So my vote won’t be wasted anymore? Then PR elections seem better. What do you think?” Others agree with him.
The following scene shifts to English. A young man tells an elderly man, “Brother, every time I vote, the vote goes to waste.” A group of people approaches, and one of them responds in English, “Because we’re not voting in the PR method. If there is an election in the PR method, everyone’s vote is counted.”
Each scene lasts eight seconds, indicating the use of Google’s AI video tool, Veo, which currently allows a maximum of eight seconds per video clip.
One video not only praises the PR system but also criticizes political parties opposing it. Posted on June 30 from a profile named “Abu Bakar Siddik,” the video begins with three young men walking and talking. One says, “If there were a PR system, the election results would be more accurate.” Another replies, “And no one could become a dictator with sole power. Now everyone wants PR—except BNP.” In the next scene with different setup and characters, one of the characters says, “Because BNP wants to hold onto its exclusive power—just like the Awami League.” Then another young man adds, “We won’t let that happen, Inshallah.” The Veo logo is visible in the bottom right corner of the video.
What Arguments Are Being Made Against the PR System?
Artificial intelligence is also being used to create videos opposing the proportional representation (PR) electoral system, which are being shared across social media. Unlike the pro-PR videos, which typically feature multiple scenes, most anti-PR videos are created in a satirical tone and contain only a single scene with one conversation.
One such video was posted on 1 July by a page named “BNP’s People Movement.” In it, a man says, “The unqualified are forming alliances, asking for votes under the PR system. You’ll vote in Noakhali, but your MP will be from Patuakhali.” The Veo logo appears in the bottom-right corner of the video.
A similar video was posted the same day by the same page, showing three men having tea. One asks, “How does an election under PR work?” Another responds, “I voted in Sandwip, and got an MP from the Maldives.” This video was also shared by other users (1, 2, 3).
These videos argue that under the PR system, voters in a specific constituency won’t be able to directly choose their Member of Parliament. Instead, parties would assign seats based on their total share of the national vote.
A video posted on 2 July by a page named “Youth Network” mocks the PR system by comparing it to passing the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams despite failing individual subjects, as long as the average score meets the requirement. In the video, a group of students are seen protesting and chanting, “We want to take the HSC exam under the PR system.” One student, holding a microphone, says, “Even if you fail five subjects, you pass as long as your average is 33.” For context, 33 is the passing mark in HSC. The group then chants, “We want PR, we want PR.” The Veo logo is visible in the bottom-right corner.
Some videos also criticize political parties like Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Jamaat-e-Islami for supporting the PR system. In a video posted by a page called “Maghbazar,” an elderly man and a young man are seen conversing. The older man asks, “Brother, the Pir (religious leader) of Charmonai (An union in Barisal) is talking about PR voting. What is this really about?” The other replies, “If you marry and have a child, you’re the father — that’s regular voting. But if a child has five fathers — that’s PR voting.”
Another video mentions Jamaat by name. Three men are seated while others stand around listening. One elderly man says, “I heard Jamaat wants a PR system in the next election.” A voice asks, “Master, why would they want that?” Another responds, “Because even if most of their candidates lose their security deposits, with Allah’s mercy, they’ll still get 5–10 seats.” The Veo logo also appears in the bottom-right corner of this video.
What Is Proportional Representation (PR)?
Proportional representation (PR) is an electoral system in which the number of seats held by a political group or party in a legislative body is determined by the number of popular votes received.
PR systems are used in various countries around the world, though the models and implementation methods vary. For example, the Netherlands uses a fully list-based national PR system where voters cast ballots for parties, and candidates are selected based on party lists. In contrast, Germany uses a mixed-member system where voters cast one vote for a candidate and another for a party, combining elements of both proportional and first-past-the-post systems.
Supporters of PR argue that it creates a more representative parliament, with a closer alignment between vote share and seat share. It is said to enable greater participation by smaller parties, minority groups, and underrepresented social communities. Advocates also note that PR recognizes political diversity and encourages compromise, while minimizing vote wastage—allowing parties with fewer votes to still win seats.
Critics argue that PR often leads to coalition governments, which may slow decision-making and result in political instability. In some cases, even parties with a very small share of the vote can influence policymaking, increasing the risk of legislative gridlock. Additionally, PR reduces voters’ ability to choose individual candidates directly, concentrating nomination power in the hands of party leadership.
Globally, how PR is applied varies depending on a country’s political structure, constitutional provisions, and election commission rules. In some systems, voters can select individual candidates from party lists, while in others, they vote only for parties, which then select candidates internally. Some countries also impose thresholds—such as Germany’s 5% rule—where a party must receive a minimum percentage of the vote to gain any seats in parliament.
In the context of Bangladesh’s upcoming elections, AI-generated videos are already being used in political campaigns. A Dismislab research published on 30 June found that political content in favor of and against different parties was being produced using Google’s Veo-3 video generation model.
According to the report, “What makes these videos different from earlier uses of AI in politics is their fully synthetic construction. All the faces, voices, and settings are generated mostly using Veo (a text-to-video model developed by Google). Most of the analyzed videos did not disclose they were AI-generated, and appeared without any labels. Particularly on Facebook, automated systems also failed to detect them.” Experts warn that such videos blur the line between fact and fiction, and without adequate digital literacy and regulation, public opinion could be easily manipulated.
