German coalition faces stalemate over election‑law reform

The CDU/CSU and SPD have failed to reach a compromise on a planned reform of Germany’s electoral law, despite a clause in their coalition contract. CSU regional chairman Alexander Hoffmann warned, “Die Reform des Wahlrechts muss kommen, sie steht im Koalitionsvertrag,” and urged the SPD to honour the agreement.

Key points of dispute include the SPD’s demand for gender‑parity seats in the Bundestag, a proposal to lower the voting age to 16, and safeguards to keep the parliament’s size at the current 630 seats rather than allowing expansion to up to 750. The 2023 “Ampel” law that reduced the Bundestag from 736 to 630 seats also eliminated overhang and compensatory mandates, leaving 23 constituency winners without seats in the 2025 election. The coalition contract mandates a commission to review the law and present reform proposals by 2025. SPD parliamentary manager Johannes Fechner stressed the constitutional principle of gender equality, saying, “Wir haben seit 77 Jahren im Grundgesetz stehen, dass Männer und Frauen gleichberechtigt sind.”