Bavarian Parliament rejects AfD proposal for term limits

The Bavarian State Parliament has rejected a legislative proposal from the AfD aimed at imposing term limits on the Minister-President. The motion was defeated with a large majority, receiving support from the CSU, Free Voters, Greens, and SPD, while only the AfD voted in favor.

In addition to the AfD's legislative attempt, the ÖDP is pursuing a separate initiative through a popular referendum to limit the Minister-President to a maximum of two legislative periods. The ÖDP argues that term limits strengthen democracy by encouraging fresh ideas and preventing long-term stagnation.

During the parliamentary debate, Green Party representative Toni Schuberl criticized the ÖDP's referendum attempt as ‘destructive populism,’ arguing that the constitution should not be altered for specific individuals. While the CSU previously supported term limits in 2018 under Markus Söder's own initiative, the party now cites constitutional concerns regarding the current proposals.