A prominent figure within the German Left Party (Die Linke), Gregor Gysi, has ignited a debate concerning the future of German democracy, proposing sweeping reforms to both the judicial system and electoral process. In an interview with “Welt”, Gysi warned that a failure to bolster the appeal and perceived fairness of democratic institutions risks emboldening extremist parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Gysi’s proposals center on measures designed to increase voter agency and diminish the influence of party elites. He advocates for a decoupled voting system, suggesting that voters should be permitted to cast separate ballots for first and second votes, rather than being implicitly required to allocate both to the same political entity. Furthermore, he proposes introducing a weighted voting system for individual candidates in federal elections, allowing voters to up or downvote candidates – a practice currently utilized in local elections. Gysi argues this would disrupt the established system of backroom deals governing list placement, reducing the power of established factions within parties.
Adding another layer of citizen participation, Gysi champions the implementation of mandatory referendums accompanying each federal election. These referendums would allow parliamentary factions to pose constitutionally compliant “yes” or “no” questions, binding the elected chancellor to the outcome for the duration of their term.
Beyond electoral reforms, Gysi, drawing on his experience as a lawyer, criticized the glacial pace of the German judicial system. He points to excessively long processing times, exemplified by the often-years-long resolution of inaction lawsuits against government agencies. Gysi called for a substantial increase in judicial personnel and the establishment of realistic, shorter deadlines to prevent the increasingly absurd complications arising from procedural delays.
Crucially, Gysi’s proposals are framed within a warning about the rising influence of the AfD, which he unequivocally labeled as a “far-right, unconstitutional party”. He voiced particular concern over the growing power of radical figures like Björn Höcke, the party’s leader in Thuringia. Gysi highlighted Höcke’s recent actions, including effectively paralyzing the Thuringian state parliament by obstructing procedural rules, as a potent demonstration of the potential dangers of affording the AfD even a limited degree of power. He cautioned that unless the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) maintains its current course, the AfD could move significantly closer to a position of real influence, a scenario Gysi deemed profoundly concerning for the stability of German democracy.