Dispute over election reform: CDU and SPD against smaller parties in Hesse!

Dispute over election reform: CDU and SPD against smaller parties in Hesse!

Today, the Hessian state parliament in Wiesbaden has decided a decisive reform of local election law. This reform, which in particular changes the counting procedure of the votes, comes against the background of the state government's fear that after the municipal elections in 2026, parliaments could occur. The government factions of the CDU and SPD voted for the implementation of this reform, while the opposition groups, including the Greens, the AfD and the FDP, voted vehemently.

A central element of the reform is the change from the previous Hare-Niemeyer procedure to the d’Hondtsch. This new process could have serious effects on the distribution of seats in the municipal parliaments. While the HARE-NIEMEYER procedure multiplies the votes for a party with the number of seats to be awarded and shared by the total number of votes, the number of votes of the parties is divided by 1, 2, 3, etc. in the case of d’Hondsche methods, which means that seats are assigned based on the highest figures.

criticism from the opposition

The opposition sees a clear disadvantage of smaller parties in this reform. Christoph Sippel of the Greens said that these parties can no longer help shape them appropriately. Moritz Promny from the FDP also criticized the black and red state government and described the reform as “pure self-interest.” Experts warn that these changes raise constitutional questionnaires and that larger parties are advised by the new procedure, which could be a risk to political equilibrium.

The reform also provides for the reduction of the hurdles for digital session formats and promptly to abolish the one-person faction in order to improve the functionality of the municipal representative body. Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) defended the reform and emphasized that both procedures, the previous and the new, are legitimate and that the reform ultimately brings with it a relief of parliamentary work.

time frame of the reform and outlook

The draft law will be dealt with in third reading in the upcoming session of the state parliament and is expected to be decided due to the majority of the CDU and SPD. The next municipal elections in Hesse are scheduled for spring 2026, which further limits the time window to implement the reform. The ongoing discussion about the amendment to the Hessian Local Election Act will continue in the coming weeks, especially from the point of view of the effects on the political balance of power in the municipalities.

The Hare-Niemeyer procedure, which had been established in Hesse since 1981, could finally be a thing of the past with this reform. The planned changes are intensively eyed by experts and political actors and could sustainably shape the character of future municipal elections.

The reform process is a clear sign of the dynamic political landscape in Hesse and illustrates the challenging discussions about fairness in the political system, which could still become more important in the coming months.

Giessener Allgemeine reports that the d’Hondsche method could have a significant impact on the future distribution of sitting. Also hna emphasizes that the switch to the new procedure is classified as constitutionally questionable.