Klöckner Calls for Electoral Law Reform to Ensure Constituency Representation

Bundestag President Julia Klöckner is advocating for a renewed reform of Germany's electoral law, emphasizing the need to restore the significance of the first vote. The current system, resulting from a recent reform by the coalition, reduced the Bundestag's size from 735 to 630 seats, a change that has led to representation issues. Klöckner highlights that many constituency winners have been excluded from the Bundestag due to inadequate party vote shares, which has left some constituencies without direct representation.

Klöckner is not proposing her own reform plan but is instead encouraging parliamentary factions to engage with the issue. The coalition agreement mandates that proposals be submitted this year to ensure that every constituency winner is represented in the Bundestag. Despite her calls for change, public opinion is divided, with a notable portion of the population supporting the current electoral system. Klöckner's push for reform aims to address legitimacy and representation concerns within the parliament, as well as to uphold the fundamental democratic principle that every constituency winner should secure a seat in the Bundestag.