- Germany’s top court has greenlit a plan to reduce parliamentary seats from 733 to 630.
- The reform, supported by the government, faces criticism from smaller parties.
- Changes include eliminating extra seats and altering representation rules.
Germany’s highest court has given the green light to a significant reform aimed at shrinking the country’s parliament. The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, upholds a plan to reduce the number of seats in the Bundestag from 733 to 630. This decision comes despite objections from smaller parties who argue that the changes are biased against them.
The reform, passed by the Bundestag in March 2023, is designed to address the growing size of the parliament, which has expanded due to a complex voting system. This system awards seats based on both constituency wins and party vote shares. The new rules will eliminate additional seats given to parties that win more direct mandates than their share of the vote entitles them to.
Under the revised plan, some candidates may lose their seats despite being directly elected in their constituencies. The government also aimed to remove a rule that allows parties to remain in parliament even if they secure less than five percent of the vote, provided they win at least three constituency seats.
This reform has sparked criticism from the conservative CSU and far-left Die Linke, who challenged the changes in Karlsruhe. Despite these challenges, the court’s approval signifies a major shift in Germany’s parliamentary representation.
