Germany has the largest parliament in the world after China. There are currently 733 members of parliament in the Bundestag – instead of the intended 598. This is set to change. The Bundestag passed a new electoral law in 2023. It will apply for the first time in the election on February 23, 2025.
The Bundestag is to become smaller
According to the new electoral law, a maximum of 630 members of parliament will sit in the Bundestag in the future. Voters will continue to have two votes. What is new is that from now on, the number of seats a party gets in the Bundestag will be determined solely by the number of second votes. Previously, candidates who received the majority of first votes were automatically elected to the Bundestag: the direct candidates.
A large parliament is expensive
The old electoral law led to many overhang and compensation mandates. As a result, the intended number of members of parliament was exceeded. This had consequences: a large parliament costs taxpayers a lot and makes work in the committees or in plenary more difficult.
Three direct mandates are enough
In federal elections, there is a hurdle. Parties must receive more than five percent of the votes nationwide. Only then can they send representatives to Berlin. But this rule has an exception. If a party has won at least three direct mandates, it can enter the Bundestag.
Information about the Bundestag in plain language:
https://www.bundestag.de/leichte_sprache
and about the electoral reform:
https://www.bundestagswahl-bw.de/wahlrechtsreform
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