Parliamentary Elections Consolidated: A Comprehensive Overview

German Politician Proposes to Consolidate Elections for a More Sustainable Political Cycle

German Bundestag Vice-President Omid Nouripour has put forward a proposal to revolutionise the German political landscape by suggesting that all state parliaments (Landtage) should be elected on the same day in the future, bundling their elections together with municipal elections at one point during the Bundestag’s five-year legislative period.

Currently, the Bundestag is elected every four years, while state parliaments (except for Bremen) are elected every five years. Nouripour's proposal does not specify individual state names but includes all states except Bremen, which already has five-year terms.

In an interview with German newspaper "Bild", Nouripour stated that politics and party headquarters are "completely breathless" due to the constant election campaigning. He hopes that this change will reduce the "breathlessness" in politics by reducing the frequency of elections.

Under Nouripour's proposal, the elections for state parliaments would take place halfway through the Bundestag’s term. This would mean that the German parliaments' elections would be bundled into only two terms. The maximum time between two election campaigns in Germany, according to Nouripour, is six months.

The term of the Bundestag could be extended to five years under Nouripour's proposal, providing more time for those in charge to implement their ideas. The proposal combines the election of the Bundestag with municipal elections, aiming to reduce the "breathlessness" in politics by reducing the frequency of elections.

However, the hurdles for implementing Nouripour's proposal are high due to the need for cooperation between federal and state governments and constitutional changes. Changing the term of the Bundestag would require a basic law amendment.

In the coming year, there will be five state elections on four different dates in March and September. If Nouripour's proposal is accepted, all state elections could take place on one day halfway through the Bundestag’s term, marking a significant shift in the German political calendar.

For now, the proposal is under discussion, and its future remains uncertain. However, Nouripour's proposal highlights the need for a more sustainable political cycle in Germany, one that allows for effective governance and reduces the constant pressure of election campaigning.