German Politician Proposes Overhaul of Election Calendar
Elections of the Parliament consolidated in one location, according to Nouripour's stance
In a bid to provide more time for governing and reduce the "breathlessness" in politics, Omid Nouripour, Vice President of the Bundestag and former Green Party chairman, has proposed a reorganization of the German election calendar.
Nouripour's plan includes extending the term of the Bundestag to five years, aligning all state elections in Germany on a single date, and bundling Bundestag and municipal elections on the same day, with state elections taking place halfway through the Bundestag's term.
To implement this proposal, cooperation is needed primarily among federal parties represented in the Bundestag, including the Greens (Nouripour's party), CDU/CSU, SPD, and possibly others, as well as the state governments of the Länder where Landtagswahlen (state elections) occur. Consensus and legal changes require negotiations between these parties at both federal and state levels.
The hurdles for implementing Nouripour's proposal are high, requiring cooperation between the federal government and the states. The proposal would require collaboration between the federal government and the states, as the election dates of state parliaments are currently regulated at the state level. Changes would need to be made to state constitutions, and a basic law amendment would be necessary to change the term of the Bundestag.
Currently, the Bundestag is elected every four years, and state parliaments (except Bremen) every five years. If implemented, the term of the Bundestag could be extended to five years. The former Green Party chairman notes that Germany currently has a maximum time of six months between two election campaigns.
Next year, there will be five state elections on four different dates in March and September. The timing of these elections is complex, and Nouripour plans to combine the election of the Bundestag with municipal elections to simplify the process. He suggests that this reorganization would give those responsible "the time to implement their ideas".
Nouripour hopes that this reorganization will reduce the "breathlessness" in politics, allowing for more focused and effective governance. The elections of the German parliaments, according to Nouripour, would be bundled into only two dates, providing a more streamlined and efficient election process.
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