A major delay is emerging in the German coalition government’s review of electoral law, threatening to derail a previously ambitious timeline. According to sources cited by the “Rheinische Post”, the joint Union (CDU/CSU) and SPD commission tasked with evaluating the electoral system is unlikely to deliver results as initially planned.
The delay, reportedly, stems from a deliberate linkage by the ruling coalition. The Union’s desire for a rollback of recent electoral law modifications has been effectively tied to the SPD’s push for reform of Germany’s stringent debt brake, a contentious fiscal policy. The coalition agreement, signed in 2021, stipulated proposals for a revised electoral law should be presented by 2025.
While CDU/CSU officials publicly express optimism, the reported entanglement raises questions about the coalition’s commitment to electoral reform and hints at a strategic maneuver to leverage the process for broader political gains. CSU parliamentary group leader Alexander Hoffmann, a member of the commission, stated a hope for results in February, adding a provocative critique, characterizing the current electoral law – enacted by the previous “traffic light” coalition – as “undemocratic” and “partially unconstitutional”. This rhetoric underscores the intense partisan divide surrounding the existing system.
Steffen Bilger, First Parliamentary Managing Director of the Union parliamentary group, confirmed the commission is actively working towards a resolution, emphasizing the core challenge: ensuring all electoral districts are represented in parliament without expanding the Bundestag’s size. This central issue highlights a fundamental tension between equitable representation and maintaining a manageable legislative body.
However, the SPD maintains a different prioritization. Johannes Fechner, Parliamentary Managing Director of the SPD parliamentary group, underscored the significance of limiting the size of the Bundestag while simultaneously increasing the proportion of female representatives. He indicated continued discussions surrounding achieving this goal, suggesting a potentially conflicting agenda within the commission itself.
The intertwined nature of electoral reform and fiscal policy underscores a critical aspect of German coalition politics: the tendency to leverage political reforms as bargaining chips, potentially at the expense of timely and decisive action. The delayed timeline and conflicting priorities within the commission raise concerns about the integrity and effectiveness of the review process and whether the outcome will truly address the underlying issues with the electoral system or simply reflect a compromise driven by political expediency.
