New draws planned for constituencies in Rhineland-Palatinate: What citizens need to know

New concept for the fair design of electoral circles in Rheinland-Pfalz

In Rhineland-Palatinate, a redesign of some constituencies is imminent to ensure that the votes in elections have the same weight everywhere. This measure aims to keep the number of voters almost the same in the constituencies and to maintain the principles of equality of voting rights. The planned changes affect six of the 52 constituencies in Rhineland-Palatinate.

scope of the new constituency cuts and effects

Tens of thousands of citizens are affected by the planned new constituency cuts. The planned adjustments are primarily intended to guarantee legal certainty for the 2026 state election. It is emphasized that the changes will be as minimally as possible, but will be as important as necessary in order to ensure the equality of the right to vote. Despite the new assignments, nothing should change significantly for citizens in everyday life.

changes in the law and parliamentary process

The government -bearing factions of the SPD, Greens and FDP as well as the largest opposition party CDU will present a joint change in the law to implement the planned new sections of the constituencies in the state parliament in Mainz in the coming week. The adoption of the law is expected after the summer break in the September plenum. The changes should come into force immediately after the law.

The newly tailored constituencies at a glance

The planned changes include the redistribution of the former community of Gebhardshain from constituency 2 (Altenkirchen-Westerwald) to constituency 1 (Betzdorf/Kirchen-Sieg) as well as the assignment of local communities of the former VG Bad Münster Am Stein/Ebernburg from constituency 17 (Kirn/Bad Sobernheim). Further restructuring concern the assignment of VG Hettenleidelheim to constituency 42 (Bad Dürkheim) and from VG Lambrecht (Pfalz) to constituency 45 (Kaiserslautern II).