Before election - Alliance Germany wants to contest state elections in Saxony
The German Party Bündnis Deutschland feels disadvantaged prior to the Saxony election on September 1st and intends to contest it due to the rejection of two professional designations on their Landeslist. "We don't want to be at a disadvantage against incumbent Landtag members, so we will challenge the Saxony election due to the rejection of two professional designations on Bündnis Deutschland's Landeslist," said Steffen Große, the party's spokesperson and federal chairman, to the German Press Agency. "It's about principles and the state of our democracy."
Background is the decision of the Saxony Electoral Commission from yesterday. They approved the Landeslists of 19 parties for the Saxony election, including that of Bündnis Deutschland. The lists, including the names, professions or positions, birthplaces, birth years, postal codes, and locations in the Saxon Gazette, will be published on July 15, 2024, in a special print.
For Große, who is a referatsleiter in the Saxon Ministry of Culture, the electoral commission changed the professional designation to "employee." For another candidate, the title "personnel leader" was not recognized.
Große stated that voters are increasingly focusing on the qualifications of candidates, especially since several candidates have been elected despite incomplete studies or higher political offices. "It's important for us to present qualified personnel and make this clear to the voter."
Bündnis Deutschland holds the view that there is a significant difference whether one is an employee with a vocational training or a referatsleiter, which requires a university degree. The same applies to the personnel leader. Parliamentarians, however, can lead as Landtagsabgeordnete, even though there is neither a vocational training nor a study required for this.
"One gets the impression that the members of the Electoral Commission, who are appointed by the parliamentary parties, are selecting the best candidates for themselves and presenting less favorable competitors. This is a calculated electoral disadvantage, which we will not accept," said Große.
An appeal against the decisions of the Electoral Commission can be filed in writing with the Landtag within one month after the announcement of the final election results, according to Paragraph 2 of the Saxon Electoral Code.
The German Party Bündnis Deutschland aims to be the swing voter in the Saxony election. However, it played no factual role in the European election with a voter turnout of 0.6%. Große locates the party, founded at the end of 2022, as liberal and conservative. According to his statements, there are currently approximately 1,000 members nationwide in 15 state associations, in Saxony there are 80.
- Despite the approval of their Landeslist by the Saxony Electoral Commission, Bündnis Deutschland feels disadvantaged due to the alteration of two professional designations, leading them to contest the September 1st state election.
- Große, the federal chairman of Bündnis Deutschland, expressed concern that the altered designations, such as changing "referatsleiter" to "employee," might negatively impact their candidates during the state election.
- The German Party Bündnis Deutschland believes that there is a critical distinction between having a vocational training, like being an employee, and holding a university degree, as in the case of a referatsleiter, which highlights the importance of presenting qualified personnel.
- Parliamentarians do not necessarily need a vocational training or higher education to lead as Landtagsabgeordnete, raising questions about the criteria used by the Electoral Commission to approve candidates for the state election.
- In response to the perceived electoral disadvantage, Bündnis Deutschland intends to file an appeal within one month of the announcement of the final election results, as outlined in Paragraph 2 of the Saxon Electoral Code.
