Parliamentary Rights Regarding Voting Privileges
The German government is set to propose a new election law reform, aimed at ensuring every constituency winner will have a seat in the Bundestag. The proposed changes come after the February 2025 Bundestag election, which resulted in a new government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz from the CDU/CSU in coalition with the SPD.
Although the specific details of the proposed reforms have not been explicitly detailed, the political context surrounding the 2025 Bundestag election and government changes provide insight into ongoing governance challenges and reform debates.
One of the key issues under discussion is the devaluation of the first vote due to the current election law. Julia Klöckner, Bundestag President, has criticised this issue, arguing that someone investing personal time, reputation, and money may win a constituency but not secure a seat in the Bundestag.
To address this concern, the new reform will examine ways to ensure the equal representation of women in parliament, as well as potential changes to the election law to eliminate the first and second vote system or restore the first vote.
The traffic light coalition (SPD, Greens, FDP) has already reduced the number of seats in the Bundestag from 735 to 630, achieved by abolishing surplus and equalization mandates. However, this reduction has resulted in three constituencies in Baden-Württemberg and one in Hesse not being represented in the Bundestag at all.
Despite the proposed changes, not everyone is in favor of the reform. A YouGov survey found that only 34% of the population favor a renewed reform of the election law, while 47% support the current election law. Among those who voted for the CDU or CSU, 50% are in favor of keeping the existing election law.
The commission responsible for presenting proposals for the new election law reform is expected to do so by the end of this year, according to the coalition agreement. The Union and SPD have agreed to work together to change the election law again, but the Union has so far rejected lowering the voting age to 16. However, they could potentially compromise with the SPD on this issue, as part of the new reform.
The parliament is intended to "basically remain at the current size" as part of the new reform. While there is no direct mention of specific changes to the election law itself, political developments — including government transition, foreign interference concerns, and judicial appointments — set the stage for potential forthcoming reforms to election law to safeguard democratic processes and adapt to new challenges.
In light of the ongoing discussions about the devaluation of the first vote and the need for women's equal representation in parliament, the new election law reform proposal by the German government could potentially involve changes to the election law, including the elimination or restoration of the first and second vote system. However, a significant portion of the population seems to favor keeping the current election law, with only 34% supporting a renewed reform, as revealed by a YouGov survey.
