According to Hülya Düber, the current chairwoman of the Petitions Committee, more petitions were received by the Bundestag last year than in the preceding year. Düber stated during the presentation of the committee’s new annual report that a total of 12,399 petitions had been received, compared to 9,260 in 2024.
This increase was accompanied by 512,000 signatures supporting these submissions. “Overall, this represents a 34 percent increase compared to the previous year,” Düber noted, adding that approximately 50 petitions averaged daily. Nearly 5,800 of these entries were submitted through the online petition portal, which currently has 5.5 million registered users. Düber commented that this platform is now “the Bundestag’s most successful internet offering in years.”
Eight petitions successfully met the quorum of 30,000 signatures and were consequently discussed in public sessions attended by the federal government. These petitions requested various reforms, such as a restructuring of the Gema collective bargaining framework, strengthening general practitioner services, or setting a minimum age of 16 for social media use. The petition themes primarily focused on domestic affairs, labor and social matters, and justice, though submissions to the Foreign Office also saw a significant rise. In conclusion, the Petitions Committee handled 10,298 submissions, which included carry-over cases from the previous year.
Regarding the reason for the rise in petition numbers, Düber told the dts news agency that the committee had set a goal to genuinely market the opportunity to submit petitions to the Bundestag publicly. “We are represented at all Bundestag fairs, we distribute information brochures, and we speak with people. We hold panel discussions on the topic.” Düber expressed strong confidence that this effort is bearing fruit. She stated that people are trusting parliament and addressing the Bundestag when they identify a legal gap or have a personal concern, viewing this as a very positive development that makes the 34 percent increase in petitions a success.
However, the CDU politician also discussed a “changed culture of involvement,” referencing public petition platforms and the work of various associations. She acknowledged that these external offerings put the Bundestag in some form of competition. While a petition on a public platform might achieve some visibility, she cautioned that nothing is necessarily accomplished. “And with us, it is enough that a person submits a petition for it to be addressed by us.” She stressed the need for the committee to improve its communication and become more digital and faster in the future.
Corinna Rüffer (The Greens) added that this trend towards changed participation might also be becoming more noticeable within the Petitions Committee itself. For instance, she mentioned that on a recent Monday, two public consultations were held, each backed by over 300,000 petition signers. While these individuals could have chosen other platforms, they ultimately chose the Bundestag in the hope that such overwhelming support and debate would lead to a serious decision.
