In Berlin, all polling stations should be re-elected. Many politicians are afraid of losing their mandate. And some EU parliamentarians are meeting in Strasbourg under protest.
Monday
It’s high time to let Berliners vote again. For the Bundestag, the Berlin Senate and for the twelve district assemblies. This time under regular conditions to which all citizens have a constitutional right.
The red-green-dark red Senate wanted to deny this claim to the 2.4 million Berlin voters. Above all, the Social Democrats around the Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey wanted to downplay and downplay the glitches and botch of the election a year ago.
According to the proposals of the Senate administration, the election would only have had to be repeated in 14 polling stations in three districts. This attempt was ridiculous and embarrassing as the chaos has affected almost half the city. If the Berlin Constitutional Court has its way, the election will have to be repeated in all 2,256 polling stations.
The nine judges have done a lot of work. They’ve studied the logs from across the city and come to a devastating conclusion.
The state electoral authority and the Senate administration already violated their duty of control during the preparation of the elections. A large number of citizens were unable to cast their votes regularly under reasonable conditions. In a 40-minute lecture, the President of the Court explains why the elections cannot be valid.
She countered the braking maneuvers of illegally elected members of parliament with the sentence: “The interest in correction outweighs the interest in the continued existence.”
In fact, many politicians see their existence endangered by a new election. In plain language: They are afraid of losing their mandate. Changes are possible on all three levels.
In some of the twelve districts, the current mood of change could change the majority. A new coalition is even possible in the Senate. Franziska Giffey fears having to give way to a green mayor.
If the CDU, which is happy about growing poll numbers, enters the government, this will affect the Bundesrat. The four seats of the federal state of Berlin are given a different weight.
In terms of federal policy, Die Linke in particular must fear repercussions. Her existence in the Bundestag depends on winning two of her three direct mandates in Berlin. If one of them is lost, 39 leftists have to leave the Bundestag.
They will not protest further delays, but the public interest demands speed. If trust in democracy is not to be further damaged, elections must be held soon. The Senate and the federal government should think about which deadlines they can shorten.
Tuesday
Yesterday the caravan invaded Strasbourg again. The EU parliamentarians with staff and appendix – about 5,000 people – have left Brussels to meet in the second seat.
Energy has never been as expensive as it is now. But instead of panicking, you should calmly check potential savings at home. As our guide shows, there are many of them.
The waste practiced for 30 years is doubly annoying during the energy crisis. 660,000 square meters of additional office space has to be heated and maintained. German MEPs from the CDU, FDP and Greens protest. They ask for hibernation to save on energy costs in Strasbourg. Good this way. Roberta Metsola, the President of Parliament, should follow the proposal. If we all heat less, the European Parliament should send a signal.
FOCUS founding editor-in-chief Helmut Markwort has been a FDP member of the Bavarian state parliament since 2018.
