The electoral‑law change that the CDU/CSU-SPD coalition agreement set out is on the brink of failure. In a conversation with “Stern”, CSU leader and Bavarian premier Markus Söder warned that a proposal to halve the number of constituencies and enforce mandatory gender parity would collapse on constitutional grounds. His remarks directly contradict the SPD’s view that parity is essential for any reform.
SPD parliamentary manager Johannes Fechner explained that the Social Democrats insist on mandatory parity for party lists at the state level. “An important step would be to make parties required to put forward parity‑balanced state lists” he told “Stern”. Earlier, Labour Minister and SPD co‑leader Bärbel Bas had said in the Bundestag that a new electoral law could only be adopted if it included parity.
Fechner pointed out that the Union already implements parity lists in some state associations. “So we don’t understand why they are opposed to a legal regulation” he said. The SPD representative warned that it would be disappointing if the talks on electoral reform ultimately proved fruitless.
According to a “Stern” report focusing on the Union caucus leadership in the Bundestag, statutory parity rules are viewed as “unthinkable and not feasible by majority” even within the CDU. The dispute gets more complicated because the SPD also sees it linked to the commission’s work on reforming the debt‑breach rule. Söder stated that the party’s goal is that “every constituency winner must actually enter the Bundestag” arguing that this aligns with common sense and democratic transparency. He added that, therefore, the party will not open the so‑called “debt gate” calling such a move disproportionate.
