Begrenzung der Bundestagsgröße – ein Blick in den gesetzgeberischen „Werkzeugkasten“ zur Reform des Bundeswahlgesetzes

Abstract

In recent years, the Bundestag election system has turned into a permanent construction site . This is owed to the Supreme Constitutional Court (BVerfG) having ruled on the effect of negative voting weight and overhang seats and has led to the Federal Electoral Law (BWG) being changed a few times . When Norbert Lammert was President of the Bundestag he had already encouraged a reform to decrease the size of the Bundestag . Meanwhile the last reform is much more restrained than many political parties had required it to be and it is not clear whether the 20th Bundestag will decrease in size . Based on surveys, the next Bundestag could increase to an even higher number than today’s 709 seats . The Bundestag will probably once again have to take further action to decrease the number of seats . The new proposal presented here prevents another increase of the Bundestag and guarantees at the same time that every region is represented at least by one Member of Parliament .