From BZ/dpa
Berlin’s state returning officer Stephan Bröchler is preparing for the European elections in June 2024 and at the same time is already considering the possible repetition of the elections to the German Bundestag.
If the federal elections in Berlin have to be repeated soon, considerable organizational challenges can be expected, he told the German Press Agency. “As the state returning officer, I have to prepare myself today for the possibility that a decision will be made in Karlsruhe this year.” After that, there were only 60 days left until the election date.
► The Bundestag elections in Berlin, which took place in September 2021 parallel to the House of Representatives elections, are to be partially repeated according to a decision by the Bundestag. The federal election was chaotic in many Berlin polling stations. There were long queues and waiting times, incorrect or missing ballot papers, which is why polling stations had to be temporarily closed. In many places, the polling stations stayed open until well after 6 p.m. to allow those waiting to vote.
State returning officer Stephan Bröchler: “We are motivated” Photo: picture alliance/dpa
Among others, the parliamentary groups of the CDU/CSU and AfD, who are striving for a more comprehensive or complete repetition of the election, have lodged an election scrutiny complaint. The Federal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe still has to decide on this. The elections to the House of Representatives and the district assemblies in Berlin were repeated in full in February.
“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario”
“We are preparing for the worst-case scenario: a full repeat election to the Bundestag in Berlin because we simply do not know how the Federal Constitutional Court will decide,” said Bröchler. “If we were only prepared for the smaller number of polling stations and there were a complete repeat election, then we would have enormous organizational problems,” said the administration scientist.
Together with his office and the districts, he is preparing to hold the repeat election after only 60 days as soon as the Federal Constitutional Court has made its decision. Then not only the polling stations and ballot boxes and enough ballot papers have to be available, but also, for example, enough poll workers.
“It is one of the really big problems that we cannot look for the election workers without knowing the date of the election,” said Bröchler. The districts have already looked at who helped last time and who may also be an option this time.
“Otherwise we have to go public on the day of the verdict and ask Berliners to support us,” said Bröchler. “It’s even more sewn on edge than the rerun of the House of Representatives election when we had 90 days until the election date.”
The former red-green-red Senate had budgeted 39 million euros for organizing the repeat elections to the House of Representatives and the possible repeat of the elections to the Bundestag. The question is whether there is still enough in the pot. “We can’t say exactly how much has already been spent, the districts are still calculating,” said Bröchler. If there is only a partial repetition of the election to the Bundestag, it could work, according to the state returning officer. “There is no longer enough money for a full repeat election.”