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Strong debates about the date of early elections in Germany

2024-11-10 23:42:07 / BOTA ALFA PRESS

Strong debates about the date of early elections in Germany

The opposition demands that the elections take place as soon as possible. How long does it take to organize them? The date of early parliamentary elections is accompanied by strong debates in Germany.

The main question that preoccupies Germany these days is when will the early elections take place? After the dissolution of the government coalition, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) initially set January 15 as the date when he will ask for a vote of confidence, but after pressure from the parties CDU/CSU and FDP, but also from the Greens, who are still coalition partners, the chancellor Scholz said he was ready for an earlier date.

CDU Chairman Merz wants Chancellor Scholz to ask for a vote of confidence this Wednesday so that early elections can take place on January 19.

Chancellor Scholz said that we should discuss the election date as calmly as possible. According to him, it would be good to first "reach an agreement between the democratic parliamentary groups in the Bundestag on which laws can be approved this year".

The chancellor also said that he is ready to talk about an earlier date, but on the condition that the CDU/CSU support the proposals of the governing coalition for some new laws. But the leader of the opposition Friedrich Merz (CDU) rejected this offer and said: first the motion of no confidence is needed, then the talks on the laws.

60 days are needed to prepare the elections

The reactions of the head of the Central Election Commission are now included in the political debate about the date of the elections. The head of this office, Ruth Brand, has sent a letter to Chancellor Olaf Scholz in which she calls on him not to rush the date for new elections. For organizational reasons, this is dangerous, election director Ruth Brand wrote in the letter to Scholz.

The letter is titled: "Challenges and risks of early elections in January or February 2025". According to Ruth, "in general, in this case I see a high risk of undermining the cornerstone of democracy and trust in the integrity of elections."

For a well-organized election, the period of 60 days from the dissolution of the Bundestag should be fully utilized. "If the dates and deadlines fall during the Christmas season or the New Year period, the very short period of 60 days would be significantly shortened," writes Brand.

She will meet with her colleagues on Monday (11.11.) to discuss the problems of organizing early elections.

Unforeseen risks?

According to Brand, this can lead to "unpredictable risks at all levels". A number of tasks must be completed in a short time: Securing the IT infrastructure at the federal, state and local level, including security measures against hybrid threats; Preparation of voting materials such as ballots, which is difficult due to current supply constraints; Appointment and training of election workers; Organization and equipment of suitable voting rooms.

Brand also fears that election proposals under time pressure may have errors, leading to disapproval and new problems. For example, inexperienced parties needing to collect supporting signatures would be under even greater time pressure. Overcrowding of election offices can result in postal voting documents not being delivered on time, especially overseas.

Brand calls on Scholz to consider the mentioned risks when considering early elections and to support the authorities in the proper preparation and implementation of the elections./ DW

 

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