Ampel is not planning any further changes to the electoral law
The judges' decision in Karlsruhe has sparked debates in Berlin's political scene. However, a new electoral reform is not necessary, at least according to the ruling traffic light coalition.
The traffic light factions do not want to further adjust the electoral law after the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. "Since the Federal Constitutional Court has secured a smooth and legally admissible election for the Bundestag next year through an order, we have agreed that there should be no changes to the electoral law," the German Press Agency learned from coalition circles. The "Rheinische Post" had also reported this.
Previously, the faction leaders of the SPD, Greens, FDP, and the oppositional Union had exchanged views on the ruling. There were basically different assessments between the traffic light coalition and the Union, which could not be resolved in the remaining time before the Bundestag election, it was said. The next Bundestag election is scheduled for September 2025.
The Federal Constitutional Court had declared the abolition of the so-called basic mandate clause in the new electoral law unconstitutional and temporarily reinstated this regulation. This means that parties can still enter the Bundestag in the strength of their second vote results if they fall below the five percent hurdle but win at least three direct mandates.
On the other hand, the Karlsruhe judges confirmed another core element of the electoral reform, the limitation of the Bundestag to 630 members and the abolition of the so-called overhang and equalization mandates. This means that in the future, the number of seats in parliament will be determined solely by the second vote result of a party - even if it has won more direct mandates. In this case, the winners of the constituencies with the worst first vote results will not receive a seat.
The ongoing discussions in Berlin's political scene regarding the judges' decision in Karlsruhe have not led to a consensus among all factions about the necessity of a new electoral reform. Despite the disagreements, the traffic light coalition maintains that no adjustments to the electoral law are needed after the Federal Constitutional Court's ruling secured a legitimate Bundestag election next year.
