A former minister in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Karl-Josef Laumann, has expressed concerns that the German Bundestag no longer represents a diverse cross-section of society. Laumann, who was first elected in 1990, recalled that the parliament once had a broader representation of the population, with individuals from various professions and backgrounds, including farmers and small business owners.
Today, he claims, the Bundestag is dominated by academics, with a significant presence of jurists. Laumann, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), believes that this lack of diversity is a problem, particularly for a Volkspartei, or people’s party, which is meant to have a broad base of support and diverse perspectives. While acknowledging that the current politicians are well-educated and honest, Laumann argues that the party is missing a vital element of diversity.