Eastern Germany Calls for Three-Percent Threshold in State Elections
Coalition Pushes for Lowering Five-Percent Voting Threshold - Advocacy group urges reduction of the 5% threshold
In an effort to better represent diverse voting preferences in the eastern states of Germany, the association "Unleash Democracy" has requested a reduction of the five-percent threshold to three percent in state elections. "With a three-percent threshold, hundreds of thousands of citizens would finally have a say in parliament," said Ralf-Uwe Beck, federal board speaker of "Unleash Democracy". The association's eastern state affiliates have joined forces in an appeal to local legislatures to make the change promptly.
Eastern Germany tends to have more fluid and less traditional voting patterns, with a variety of party preferences. "This diversity should also be mirrored in our state parliaments," the appeal states. Many parties failed to meet the five-percent threshold in the last state elections, leaving numerous unrepresented votes on the table.
The five-percent threshold aims to prevent overly fragmented parliaments. However, the association "Unleash Democracy", which champions increased direct citizen involvement in government, argues that the threshold could itself contribute to instability, as demonstrated in the recent state elections in Saxony, Brandenburg, and Thuringia.
For instance, in Thuringia, the AfD is currently the sole opposition party. "By lowering the threshold, we would have a powerful tool to help regain trust in our democratic system," Beck noted.
Controversy surrounding the so-called threshold clause is not a new affair. Just last month, the Constitutional Court in Thuringia dismissed a complaint from the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP) calling for a review of the threshold. The small party had failed to meet the threshold in the previous state election.
According to the association, 14.3% of the votes in Brandenburg's last state election were disregarded. They also advocated for the implementation of a so-called substitute vote. If a voter's main party falls short of the three-percent threshold, they could use their second choice to cast a substitute vote.
State elections are scheduled for Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the coming year.
Unleash Democracy
- Unleash Democracy
- Germany
- Reduced Threshold
- State Elections
- Eastern Germany
- Magdeburg
- Brandenburg
- Thuringia
- The association "Unleash Democracy" advocates for a reduction in the five-percent threshold to three percent in state elections across Eastern Germany, arguing that this policy change would allow hundreds of thousands of citizens to have a say in parliament, as well as better reflect the diverse voting patterns in the region.
- In the context of state elections in Germany, the association "Unleash Democracy" is pushing for a reduced threshold, stronger representation of various party preferences, and the implementation of a 'substitute vote' system to ensure disregarded votes in regions like Brandenburg are accounted for, in an effort to build trust in the democratic system.
