Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Berlin state elections must be repeated, court rules

Berlin state elections must be repeated, court rules

Last year’s regional elections in the German capital had ‘serious systemic flaws.’
Last year’s regional elections to the Berlin state parliament must be repeated, the German capital’s constitutional court ruled Wednesday.

In a damning verdict for authorities in the German capital, the court declared the election results for the Berlin House of Representatives and local district councils invalid. However, the decision does not affect the outcome of Germany’s general election, which took place on the same day.

Citing “serious systemic flaws” in the preparation of the elections, presiding judge Ludgera Selting ruled that the election must be repeated within 90 days, describing the situation as “unique … in the history of elections in the Federal Republic of Germany.” State Election Commissioner Stephan Bröchler said February 12, 2023 was the most likely date for the re-run.

On September 26, 2021, four votes were held on the same day in Berlin: the general election for the German federal parliament, the regional election for the Berlin city-state, local district elections, and a referendum on bringing some housing under government control.

Berlin was also hosting a marathon that day, and the result was chaos.

There were incorrect, missing or hastily copied ballots, too few ballot boxes, long lines with waiting times that sometimes lasted for hours, and votes cast after the closing time at 6 p.m.

According to the court, the standard of democratic elections was not met, and therefore a re-run is needed.

New elections are likely to change the political equilibrium in the state parliament, where the current mayor Franziska Giffey leads a coalition of her center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) with the Greens and the far-left Die Linke. According to current polls, the SPD is head-to-head with the Greens and the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU).

Should the state government change as a result of the repeated elections, it could also affect the political balance in the Bundesrat, the upper house of the German parliament.

Berlin’s CDU group — the largest opposition party — said the court ruling was a “heavy defeat” for Giffey.

“It is a low point for Berlin’s reputation in Germany and the world,” local CDU Secretary-General Stefan Evers said.

The Berlin SPD, meanwhile, sought to shift away the blame from Giffey toward former SPD mayor Michael Müller, who was in charge of overseeing the previous election, and argued that such failures would not happen under the new leader.

“There will not be a flawed election like last time with governing mayor Franziska Giffey,” the party said on Twitter.

Although Wednesday’s decision does not affect the votes in the general election that were cast in Berlin that day, the deficiencies that hampered elections in Berlin will likely lead to political consequences.

Last week, the German federal parliament voted to partially repeat the federal election in the capital. Citizens in 431 out of 2,257 Berlin electoral districts will again have to cast their first and second votes.

However, this could still be challenged by opposition parties before the Federal Constitutional Court in order to force a repeat of the general election across all of Berlin. As with the Berlin regional elections, it is expected that the final decision will rest with the court.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
EU Majority Demands Hungary Reverse Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws
Top Hotel Picks for 2025 Stays in Budapest Revealed
Iron Maiden Unveils 2025 Tour Setlist in Budapest
Chinese Film Week Opens in Budapest to Promote Cultural Exchange
Budapest Airport Launches Direct Flights to Shymkent
Von der Leyen Denies Urging EU Officials to Skip Budapest Pride
Alcaraz and Sinner Advance with Convincing Wins at Roland Garros
EU Ministers Lack Consensus on Sanctioning Hungary Over Rule of Law
EU Nations Urge Action Against Hungary's Pride Parade Ban
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
U.S. Considers Withdrawing Troops from Europe
Russia Deploys Motorbike Squads in Ukraine Conflict
Critics Accuse European Court of Human Rights of Overreach
Spain Proposes 100% Tax on Non-EU Holiday Home Purchases
German Intelligence Labels AfD as Far-Right Extremist
Geert Wilders Threatens Dutch Coalition Over Migration Policy
Hungary Faces Multiple Challenges Amid EU Tensions and Political Shifts
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Any trade deal with US must be based on respect not threats', says EU commissioner
UK Leads in Remote Work Adoption, Averaging 1.8 Days a Week
Thirteen Killed in Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
High-Profile Incidents and Political Developments Dominate Global News
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Ukraine and Russia Conduct Largest Prisoner Exchange of the War
×