The chair of the CSU state group in the Union faction, Alexander Hoffmann, is calling for an urgent reform of Germany’s electoral law. “The electoral reform is hugely important, not only for the CSU but for the entire Union” he told T‑Online. “We need a voting system that everyone can understand – the so‑called ‘traffic‑light’ system is the exact opposite”.
Under current rules, whole constituencies could still produce winners who would not enter the Bundestag. “We must stop this, as we agreed in the coalition treaty” Hoffmann said. “Without that agreement we would not have signed the coalition pact”.
The SPD links its support for an electoral overhaul to a provision that would guarantee gender parity in the Bundestag. Hoffmann noted that the coalition treaty simply allows for a review to see whether such a rule could be implemented. “The Union is contract‑loyal; we will examine everything openly” he added. “In return I expect the SPD to honor the coalition agreement and work with us so that all constituency winners can actually enter the Bundestag”.