The Unfortunate Failure: BSW Falls Short of Bundestag Entry despite Recount
Inconsistent voting outcomes do not secure BSW's entry into the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) - Despite the vote correction, the BSW was unable to secure a seat in the Bundestag
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In spite of the revised results, the left-wing BSW party, headed by Sahra Wagenknecht, still couldn't secure a spot in the German parliament, the Bundestag. The new figures, confirmed by the Federal Election Committee in Berlin, designated 4,277 valid secondary votes to the party, bringing their total to 4.98 percent, yet missing the essential 5 percent marker.
After this outcome, the 21st German Bundestag's overall composition and constituency distribution remained the same. The CDU/CSU garnered 28.5%, the AfD 20.8%, and the SPD 16.4%. Meanwhile, the Greens and the Left amassed 11.6% and 8.8%, respectively. The FDP failed to enter the Bundestag with 4.3% and hence, no seats were assigned to them.
Subtle Adjustments in Vote Counts Across Parties
Not just the BSW, but several other parties experienced minor adjusted vote counts, like the CDU, which gained 1,674 votes, the SPD adding 840, and the AfD with 1,632 additional votes. Conversely, the FDP saw a decrease of 121 votes. According to Federal Returning Officer Ruth Brand, the primary cause of these changes was the correction of preliminary second vote results in Lower Saxony (plus 3,271), Bavaria (plus 932), and Baden-Württemberg (plus 912).
Election Irregularities and Double Voting Incidents Reported
Brand also unveiled various inconsistencies during the election. In Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, some voting materials for Berlin-Pankow were found to be invalid, causing 15 voters to miscast their ballots unknowingly.
Furthermore, voting materials were accidentally sent out twice in certain cases across several federal states. Despite immediate measures taken to avoid double voting, three such instances were detected. For instance, in Eichsfeld-Nordhausen-Kyffhäuserkreis, Thuringia, an individual distracted a polling station, enabling another person to seize a second ballot and cast two votes. Similar occurrences happened in Hamburg-Wandsbek and the Saxon constituency of Erzgebirgskreis I. In all three cases, authorities filed a criminal complaint.
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- BSW
- Bundestag
- Sahra Wagenknecht
- Bundestag Election
- CSU
- Despite Sahra Wagenknecht's leadership, the BSW party missed the 5 percent marker required for entry into the Bundestag, despite revisions in the vote count.
- The adjustments in vote counts affected not only BSW but also other parties such as the CDU, SPD, and AfD, with minor changes in their tallies.
- In the Bundestag election, various election irregularities were reported, including instances of double voting in Hamburg-Wandsbek, Eichsfeld-Nordhausen-Kyffhäuserkreis, Thuringia, and the Saxon constituency of Erzgebirgskreis I, resulting in a criminal complaint being filed in all three cases.
