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Electoral systems at the national level and candidate selection methods at the party level are connected, maybe not causally but they do influence each other. More precisely, the electoral system constrains and conditions the parties' menu of choices concerning candidate selection. Moreover, in light of this relationship, when a country reforms its electoral system, there will be consequences for the parties' candidate selection methods. This article outlines the possible connection between electoral systems and candidate selection. It elaborates the main dimensions for analyzing candidate selection methods, focusing on inclusiveness and decentralization, delineates their variation across representative democracies and describes their determinants. The current situation regarding candidate selection within the Dutch political parties receives special attention, as do the possible ramifications on Dutch politics …