Election right reform in Hesse: South Hesse loses representatives in the Bundestag!

Election right reform in Hesse: South Hesse loses representatives in the Bundestag!

The effects of the latest Election Right Reform in Germany are already in force noticeable. The reform is primarily aimed at reducing the Bundestag and better predictability of its size. The number of deputies is reduced from 733 to 630, while the number of constituencies remains at 299. But the new regulations bring about significant changes.

Why the reform was necessary explains the new law that regulates the distribution of mandates in the Bundestag. Overhang and compensation mandates are eliminated, which leads to a significantly different distribution. A direct candidate can only move into the Bundestag if his party receives enough second votes. As a result, some proven representatives no longer move into parliament, which leads to uncertainty among the population and local politics.

loss of representation in Hesse

The concerns about representation are particularly great in Hesse. Due to the new provisions, only Patricia Lips (CDU) moves into the Bundestag in the constituency of Darmstadt, while the constituency itself remains without MPs. This was a result of an election in which Astrid Mannes (CDU) could not move into parliament with only 26.7 percent of the vote. Their criticism of the reform shows how much the political actors perceive the changed framework conditions and fear the effects on democratic representation in their region.

• The Bundestag was reduced from 733 to 630 MPs.
• in Darmstadt there is now a gap in political representation.
• The CDU won 20 out of 22 constituencies in Hessen, which means that many candidates do not move in.
• only due to the sufficient second voting base can a candidate receive a seat in the Bundestag.

The Reformed rules have also led to complications in Frankfurt: Four MPs from other parties moved into the Bundestag about their state lists, whereas the two CDU candidates who won in their constituencies cannot compete. This means that in certain regions, citizens no longer receive the same support from their directly elected representatives.

suggestions for improvement

In order to cushion the loss of representation, District Administrator Klaus Peter Schellhaas (SPD) suggests the establishment of a regional office in South Hesse, possibly in the Hessian State Representation in Berlin. Mayor Hanno Benz (SPD) also supported this idea and sees the state government as responsibility to improve here. Hildegard Förster-Heldmann (Greens) also shared her support for the initiative. At a time when citizens are increasingly dissatisfied with politics, such an office could become a contact point and source of information.

But the unrest continues: Michael Brand (CDU) expresses that the concerns of the citizens in South Hesse are entitled to the reduced representation. In addition, the worrying effect has already been determined in local politics: delays in projects and funding could be the result of these structural changes.

The new legislation talks about savings and efficiency, but the judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court of July 30, 2024, which largely approved the reform, also classified the five percent blocking clause as unconstitutional. The legislator would now have to make adjustments that also take into account the concerns of smaller parties. It remains to be seen whether these reforms bring the desired results or whether they open deeper trenches between the voters and politics.