Committee in district district permits Bürgerpartei GL in election proceedings
Citizens' Party Admitted to Municipal Election Despite Criticism and Regulatory Gap
In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the citizens' party GL has been granted admission to the municipal election on September 14, despite criticism from the CDU, SPD, and Greens. The county electoral committee voted unanimously for the party's admission, despite concerns about the party's charter and procedural issues.
The citizens' party, initially established in 2014, is considered an established voter community and thus was admitted without presenting a current charter. However, the party only presented excerpts from a new charter from 2024, leading to a regulatory gap. This has sparked criticism from the opposition parties, who have expressed indignation at the party's behaviour.
The nomination meeting for the citizens' party took place in the living room of the party's chairman, Frank Samirae, and was attended by only five members for the direct candidates' nomination and three for the mayoral candidate nomination. The party's trustee, Frank Samirae, was represented by a lawyer at the meeting.
The county electoral committee followed a statement by the lawyer of the citizens' party, which was shared by the election officer of the city of Bergisch Gladbach and confirmed by the election officer of the county. This decision aligns with standard practices in many German states, where voter groups only need to submit a complete charter once for initial registration, but subsequent participation can be streamlined to reduce administrative burden.
However, the process has raised concerns about democracy and transparency. Kreisdirektor Markus Fischer summarised the debate, stating that the legal basis has been met, but the entire process does not align with the general understanding of democracy and transparency. Uli Heimann (CDU) described the behaviour of the citizens' party as a "slap in the face." Gerhard Zorn (SPD) referred to the regulation he considered illogical, that the election office can request a charter from a voter group but is powerless if this requirement is ignored.
Despite these concerns, the rules provided by the citizens' party's charter were fulfilled, and there is no legal basis for refusing admission. It is important to note that the fraction of the citizens' party in the city council had since dissolved, but this was deemed irrelevant for the current decision.
The citizens' party's mayoral candidate, Thomas Klein, had promised an end to "backroom politics" in a voter letter. However, the party's behaviour in the nomination process has openly displayed such politics, leading to further criticism from the opposition parties.
In conclusion, the citizens' party GL has been admitted to the municipal election in North Rhine-Westphalia despite criticism and regulatory concerns. The party's decision to only present excerpts from a new charter from 2024 has raised questions about transparency and democracy, with opposition parties expressing their disapproval. The legal basis for the party's admission has been met, but the process has sparked a debate about the role of voter groups in local elections and the importance of adhering to democratic principles.
The citizens' party's admission to the municipal election in North Rhine-Westphalia, despite concerns about policy-and-legislation and transparency, follows a regulatory gap in their charter presentation, prompting criticism from opposition parties. The party's behavior in the nomination process, contrary to their promise of ending backroom politics, has sparked controversy in the realm of politics and general-news.
