By Stephen Peter
First the election chaos, now the trouble about a possible new election.
The bomb burst on Thursday evening: the Bundestag’s Election Review Committee recommends a repeat of the election in large parts of Berlin! The committee representatives and the parliamentary directors of the traffic light coalition had agreed on this.
However: Greens and FDP are surprised that SPD chairman Johannes Fechner (49) immediately blurted out the decision in “Spiegel” and spoke of 400 affected electoral districts. “It wasn’t agreed,” said a coalition partner to the BZ. “The 400 districts are just the maximum.”
Johannes Fechner sits for the SPD in the election examination committee Photo: Picture Alliance
BZ answers the most important questions about redialing:
►Who decides that anyway?
The decision of the traffic light representatives in the committee is merely a recommendation. It must first be written down with legal certainty, then it goes to the Bundestag. He should make a decision in October. Complaints against this can be brought before the Federal Constitutional Court.
►What does it depend on in how many constituencies a repetition actually takes place?
That depends on the severity of the breakdowns. According to the traffic light coalition, a maximum of 429 of the 2,300 polling stations are affected – in the districts of Pankow, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Mitte and Reinickendorf. It has to be decided e.g. B. whether a brief closure of the polling station was an obstacle to voting or just an annoyance. CDU/CSU even want a repeat election in 1200 polling stations!
►When would the new election date be?
Experts expect this to happen in March/April next year at the earliest.
►Will there be another election campaign then?
Yes, but probably only in the affected constituencies. In the case of a re-election, the names on the ballot paper remain the same.
This is how the BZ reported the day after the chaos election Photo: BZ
►Does the Bundestag vote affect the elections to the House of Representatives?
Very likely – and also wanted by the Bundestag. There they want to put pressure on the Berlin Constitutional Court. At the end of September, he negotiated the objections to the elections at state level. He could order a partial or complete replay.
►Who benefits from a redial?
The Greens are currently leading in the polls – but because of the energy crisis, that could soon be over. “If the reserves are running low and Habeck doesn’t allow any alternatives, the mood will change,” opposition politicians believe.
►What are the reactions of the Berlin politicians?
CDU, FDP and AfD welcome the possible re-election. The SPD is very reluctant, although it supports the decision at the federal level: “The Berlin SPD is not taking part in speculation and is waiting for final decisions to be made.” The Senate Chancellery said only briefly: “We are not commenting on that.”
Pascal Meiser (47, Left): “Should there be a repeat election, we will do everything we can to improve our result so that we still reach the symbolically important 5 percent hurdle nationwide.”
The Greens say: “A systematic, accurate and orderly investigation of the incidents can restore some trust in democratic institutions.”
