Prominent politicians from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Green Party are advocating for an extension of the Bundestag’s legislative period. Thomas Strobl, the State Parliament President of Baden-Württemberg and a CDU member, told the weekly magazine “Die Zeit” that most state parliaments and the European Parliament operate on a five-year cycle. He noted that many European countries follow this five-year voting period, making Germany an exception on the federal level due to its four-year mandate. Strobl added, “I believe it is sensible to extend the Bundestag’s term of office to five years.”
Bundestag Vice President Omid Nouripour (Greens) shares this opinion. According to him, extending the legislative term to five years would be beneficial for democratic culture, serving as a contribution to overcome the “shortness of breath” in political debates. Nouripour had previously proposed standardizing the dates for state elections, a suggestion that met with criticism. Strobl also opposes such a standardization.
