"Partially Repeating Elections Bolsters Democracy" - Cheered Up Left, Satisfied Ampel: Responses to the Berlin Bundestag Redo
The 2021 federal election in Germany had to be repeated in 455 of its 2256 constituencies in Berlin, as decrered by the Federal Constitutional Court last Tuesday. The court's decision stretched beyond the Bundesrat's original plan, which had only proposed a redo for November 2022. The election rerun is now scheduled for February 11th, according to the state electoral officer, Stephan Bröchler, who made the announcement in Karlsruhe.
The left-leaning CDU/CSU parliamentary group had gone further than required by the Bundesrat in its initial resolution. They had appealed to the Constitutional Court to guarantee a re-vote for the party lists in the half of Berlin constituencies affected. However, the court declined this more extensive request, as well as a full-scale re-election across Berlin.
The first reactions from the capital were quick in coming.
Left Party Celebrates Court Verdict: "We Will Remain in the Parliament"
The Left Party welcomed the ruling, with former parliamentary group leader Dietmar Bartsch telling the German Press Agency that the decision confirmed that they would continue to serve in the parliament as the social opposition. Bartsch noted that the rerun would not affect the outcome in the two constituencies where the Left had won direct mandates, allowing representatives Gesine Lötzsch, Gregor Gysi, and Sören Pellmann to retain their seats in the Bundestag. The results also guaranteed the securement of seats for the 39 MPs currently affiliated with the Left Party, as well as any who had later departed, including the Wagenknecht faction.
If the election had been held city-wide, a different outcome could have emerged: One of the direct mandates could have been lost, and with it, all the seats allocated to the Left Party and the Wagenknecht faction through the party lists in 2021. The party now escapes this possibility. "We have managed to overcome a small but significant obstacle," said Bartsch. The next step is to secure the recognition of the remaining 28 Left Party MPs as a separate faction.
SPD Confirms Legal Opinion
Overall, there was widespread agreement among politicians that the partial rerun would not significantly alter the composition of the Bundestag. This would not impact the existing majority, stated SPD MP Johannes Fechner in Karlsruhe.
SPD leader Saskia Esken also welcomed the ruling, stressing that it supported their legal position. Above all, it was essential to ensure that the election strengthened trust in democratic structures, Esken explained in an interview with the German Press Agency. Esken's party also praised the court's decision for emphasizing that electoral errors should have consequences, regardless of their nature.
"This decision will reinforce democracy and once again confirms that electoral blunders are not a trivial matter, but must be addressed under doubtful circumstances," said FDP federal deputy leader Wolfgang Kubicki in the Rheinische Post.
The Berlin Greens Call for Investigation and Improvement
The Green Party's regional chairs, Nina Stahr and Philmon Ghirmai, urged further investigation into the issue and advocated for constant enhancement of election preparation and conduct. "Ensuring a fair and transparent election process is crucial in a well-functioning democracy," they said.
For the Berlin AfD, state leader Kristin Brinker lauded the ruling, emphasizing the importance of upholding election results that are untainted by any suspicion of manipulation in a democratic system.
Berlin's Mayor Predicts Smooth Rerun
Berlin's CDU mayor, Kai Wegner, expressed confidence that the following partial re-run of the Bundestag elections in the capital would proceed smoothly. He voiced trust in state electoral officer Stephan Bröchler, stating that he had full confidence in Bröchler's ability to conduct elections efficiently.
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- Dietmar Bartsch, the former leader of the Left Parliamentary Group, stated that the decision by the Federal Constitutional Court would allow the Left to continue its role as social opposition in the Bundestag.
- The Constitutional Court's ruling ensures that the composition of the Bundestag shall not change significantly, and the SPD hailed its confirmation of their legal opinion.
- Saskia Esken, the leader of SPD, emphasized the importance of the ruling in strengthening public trust in democratic structures.
- The CDU/CSU had originally proposed a full re-election, but the Constitutional Court chose to conduct a partial rerun in half of the affected Berlin constituencies.
- The Greens in Berlin called for a thorough investigation into the matter and advocated for continuous progression in the preparation and oversight of elections.
- Kai Wegner, the CDU mayor of Berlin, expressed confidence in the smooth conduct of the rerun elections due to the work of the state election officer and the collaboration between the Senate and the official.
- The AfD in Berlin welcomed the ruling, highlighting the necessity of free and ample election results without any doubt of manipulation in democratic societies.
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The decision by the Federal Constitutional Court was influenced by the glitches found in the 2021 Bundestag election in Berlin, which impacted 455 out of its 2256 constituencies. Though the ruling did not directly affect the electoral system or the threshold for party representation in the Bundestag (requiring at least five percent of the vote or a minimum of three constituencies to enter the Bundestag), it did impact the specific results of the 2021 election in the affected constituencies. The court's ruling aimed to maintain trust in democratic structures and ensured the fairness of the voting process. The actual impact on the composition of the Bundestag would depend on the results of the rerun elections, but it would not alter the underlying rules governing party representation in the Bundestag.
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