As of: February 3, 2024, 4:47 a.m
By: Stefan Krieger
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Split
Bavaria will get another constituency for the next federal election.
The Free State has concerns.
It's not a matter of if, but of how.
Munich - The Bavarian Ministry of the Interior expresses criticism of the planned changes to the Bundestag constituencies by the traffic light coalition in Berlin.
The proposed adjustments were made “deviating from previous state practice” without prior coordination with Bavaria.
According to the ministry, they are not sustainable in the medium to long term.
In addition, there would be a much more suitable option for an additional constituency in Bavaria, the ministry adds.
The Bundestag is scheduled to vote on the draft law from the traffic light coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP this Thursday (February 1st).
It envisages that Saxony-Anhalt will lose a constituency to Bavaria in the next federal election because of its shrinking population.
An additional constituency (Memmingen-Unterallgäu) is to be formed there from parts of the previous constituencies of Augsburg-Land, Neu-Ulm and Ostallgäu.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz sees “the right to vote once again manipulated” © IMAGO/M.
Popov
Reform of the constituencies: There is a risk of further changes in the next electoral period
The Bavarian Interior Ministry argued that constituencies should “form a coherent and well-rounded whole whose citizens represent a regional political unit.”
The new constituency and the adjacent Ostallgäu constituency would have “high negative deviation values” in the future.
It is foreseeable that these constituencies will have to be redesigned in the next electoral period.
The proposed division therefore contradicts the principle of constituency continuity.
In addition, the draft law completely ignores the fact that a more obvious solution would be available, namely the formation of an additional constituency in the state capital Munich.
CDU leader Friedrich Merz announced on Monday that the new layout was intended to ensure that the Augsburg-Stadt constituency “does not have too many CSU voters” and that Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (The Greens) “has hers in the next federal election in Augsburg City can keep the constituency”.
“The right to vote is once again being manipulated.”
The traffic light coalition reacted indignantly to the accusation.
In fact, Roth has never directly won a constituency in Bavaria.
SPD criticizes Merz: “Any agreement is blocked”
Dirk Wiese, deputy chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, urged the CDU leader to exercise moderation.
“Merz, with his irresponsible half-knowledge, damages the credibility of our democracy when he falsely speaks of electoral manipulation,” said Wiese.
Since June 2023, at least six rounds of voting, including the CDU/CSU, have taken place to adjust constituency boundaries.
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Wiese criticized the Union for “ultimately blocking any agreement” instead of taking part in compromises.
The traffic light coalition is now implementing “what the Federal Ministry of the Interior proposed in coordination with the Federal Election Commission”.
With regard to the upcoming preparations for the federal election next year, it is crucial to now ensure legal certainty.
(skr/dpa)