People's request Limit state parliament: Citizen participation remains weak!

People's request Limit state parliament: Citizen participation remains weak!

In the Black Forest Baar district, it is bubbling: A referendum to reduce the state parliament causes excitement and discussions. If you want to participate in this initiative, you only have to make your signature. A form for this is available online and the administrations are obliged to collect the votes. As the Südkurier reported, only 72 citizens have expressed their support in Donaueschingen until October 31, 2024. In view of over 17,000 eligible voters, this is a rather sobering result.

The participation is similar in the surrounding cities. Only 54 people have entered Hüfingen, while in Bräunlingen the number of supporters is 19. The question of why interest is so low remains open. Citizens may be political violations or are skeptical about the project. The FDP actively supported the referendum, but the response remains behind the expectations.

a complicated process

The hurdles for participation in the referendum are not high. The official collection takes place in the town halls during the usual opening times. If you want to register online, you can download and submit the form. But despite these simple options, the number of supporters remains low. The deadline for the official collection ends on December 10th, while the free collection runs until February 11, 2025.

The discussion about the size of the state parliament is further fueled by the upcoming elections in 2026. According to the Staatszeiger could lead. The FDP has already submitted proposals to reduce the constituencies, but they also encounter little interest.

The future of the state parliament

The reforms that come into force from 2026 could further influence the number of deputies. The new voting right provides for a two-vote system that changes the allocation of the mandates. Critics fear that this could not reduce the number of seats in the state parliament, but even increase. Above all, the CDU and the Greens could benefit from overhang mandates, which makes the discussion about reducing the state parliament even more explosive.

The question remains: Will the referendum be found enough support to actually cause changes? Time is pushing and the citizens are challenged to actively participate in the design of their political landscape. Because only through broad support can the plan to reduce the state parliament, become a reality.