Germany's New Hybrid Voting System Sets the Stage for a Unpredictable Election

Germany's upcoming election introduces new voting rules to reduce the size of parliament, making outcomes more unpredictable. The system blends single-member constituencies with proportional representation. With parties navigating a 5% vote threshold, the election promises a dynamic and uncertain political landscape.

Germany's parliamentary election on February 23 signals a new political era as the nation adopts fresh rules to tackle its oversized parliament. The innovative voting system aims to merge single-member constituencies, akin to Britain or the USA, with the proportional representation found in much of Europe, making election outcomes more uncertain.

The previous system expanded parliament to match parties' vote shares, resulting in a massive assembly of 735 seats in 2021. The new regulation caps the Bundestag at 630 seats, ensuring seats are distributed proportionally to the national vote, even if some constituencies are left empty, especially those where margins of victory are smallest.

The election landscape is shifting with the 5% vote entry requirement back in place, after a court ruling. Observers suggest the ballots cast in this election could create either the most concentrated parliament since 2017 or one of the most diverse in Germany's recent history, reshaping the distribution of power in Bundestag.

(With inputs from agencies.)