Bundestag and voting right: Klöckner penetrates the reform of the Bundestag voting law again

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner insists on a new reform of the election right that has only been changed in the past legislative period. “I asked the factions to take on the topic. The work order is also included in the coalition agreement,” said the CDU politician of the German Press Agency in Berlin.

However, she does not want to present her own proposal. “I can make every suggestion that has already been rejected. But that’s not very creative. There are enough suggestions on the table.” Perhaps there is now also knowledge gains and a willingness to agree on a model that had previously been rejected.

Voting right reform of the traffic lights clearly reduced Bundestag

The traffic light coalition of the SPD, Greens and FDP had reached a reduction in the parliament from 735 to 630 seats with a change in the Bundestag voting law. This was achieved through the painting of overhang and compensation mandates.

One consequence, however, was that after the early Bundestag election in February, 23 election group winners did not receive their direct mandate, because their party lacked the necessary two -part trial. Three constituencies in Baden-Württemberg and one in Hesse are not even represented with a MP in the Bundestag.

Klöckner criticizes devaluation of the first voice

“Who do you even want to convince to compete in a constituency that has many candidates, which means that the first vote result is lower for everyone?” Said Klöckner. “Someone invests personal time, personal reputation, personal money, even wins and then does not come to the Bundestag.”

In this way, the first vote will be devalued, the Bundestag president criticized. “Either you have to say that we want a different right to vote, no more and second voice. Or you have to help the first vote back into its own.”

It is good and correct that the Bundestag now has fewer MPs. “But as the right to vote is now, we have a legitimation problem towards the population and a problem of representation,” said Klöckner, referring to the 23 constituent winner and the four orphaned constituencies.

According to the survey, citizens want to keep the right to vote

The Bundestag president had already said in the inaugural speech after her election at the end of March: “It must be possible to combine the goal of the voting right reform – a significant reduction in the Bundestag – with an understandable and just right to vote.”

At the same time, however, 47 percent of those surveyed spoke in a YouGov survey on behalf of the German Press Agency to maintain the current voting right. Only 34 percent supported a new reform. 18 percent had no opinion. Among those who chose CDU or CSU on February 23, even 50 percent voted to adhere to the existing right to vote.

Change of the right to vote in the coalition agreement agreed

In their coalition agreement, the Union and the SPD had agreed to change the right to vote and to use a commission to submit proposals this year. The aim is therefore that every constituency winner comes back to the Bundestag. In addition, the parliament should “basically remain in the current size”.

In the course of the new reform, according to the coalition agreement, it should also be checked how the equal representation of women in parliament can be guaranteed, and whether the election age should also be reduced to 16 years for federal elections. The Union has so far rejected this. Here she could accommodate a compromise of the SPD when looking for a compromise.