Confusion in the constituency: New reform plans affect Loitz and the surrounding area!

Confusion in the constituency: New reform plans affect Loitz and the surrounding area!

Constituencies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania are being put to the test. The tense situation is particularly clear for the city of Loitz, which has been part of the Vorpommern-Greifswald district since the district reform in 2011, but is part of a state parliament constituency that includes large parts of the neighboring Mecklenburg Lake District district. This situation unsettles citizens who have to vote for candidates from a constituency that is not in their district of residence. As OpenPR reports, initial discussions have begun with regional representatives about reforming the constituency structure.

Around 17% of those eligible to vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania live in constituencies that extend beyond district borders. These structural inaccuracies not only make political representation more difficult, but also lead to citizens becoming increasingly distant from political processes in rural regions. The wish is clear: in the future, the state parliament constituencies should be aligned more closely with the district boundaries, which makes political responsibility more understandable and strengthens regional identity.

Federal election and electoral law reform

The traffic light government has also caused a stir on the federal political stage. The most recent electoral law reform reduced the size of the Bundestag from 736 to 630 members. The Federal Constitutional Court declared this reform to be constitutional, but with certain restrictions. A central element of the reform states that constituency winners are only allowed to enter the Bundestag if their party has achieved a sufficient result in the second votes in their federal state. This could result in up to 36 constituency winners losing out if their parties do not receive enough votes. This problem particularly affects contested constituencies, where candidates with only around 25 percent of the vote may find themselves without a seat in parliament, as ZDF describes.

In order to address these challenges, the Union is already planning to change the electoral law again. One proposal envisages reducing the constituencies from 299 to 250 and also introducing federal lists. The aim is to find a solution that visibly resolves the problems described and improves political representation.

Process and forecasts for the 2025 federal election

The federal election is scheduled for February 23, 2025. According to NDR, voters will continue to have the opportunity to cast two votes in the future: a first vote for direct candidates and a second vote for parties. What is new is that direct mandates no longer automatically guarantee seats in the Bundestag; They now decide on the seats based on the votes received. The basic mandate clause also remains, which means that parties with at least three direct mandates can enter parliament without the 5% hurdle. Forecasts indicate that the number of MPs from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is likely to fall because, for example, the AfD could possibly win several constituencies, but will only enter the Bundestag under certain conditions.

It remains exciting to see how the constituency structure and the entire electoral system in Germany will develop. The reforms were necessary to meet the challenges of the political landscape. This brings both risks and opportunities, especially for rural regions like Loitz. The debate about electoral law reform clearly shows that it is time to make the political processes more transparent and understandable for citizens.