German Bundestag Election: The Road to Majority
The German electoral system is based on proportional representation but contains elements of first-past-the-post.
In the Bundestag, the lower house of the German parliament, 299 members are elected by direct vote in single-member constituencies, while the remaining 299 members are elected from state party lists.
To win a majority in the Bundestag, a party or coalition must win at least 270 seats. In the 2021 Bundestag election, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) won 206 seats, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won 152 seats, the Green Party won 118 seats, the Free Democratic Party (FDP) won 92 seats, and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 83 seats.
The SPD, the Greens, and the FDP formed a coalition government, which has a majority of 270 seats in the Bundestag.
Who holds the majority in the Bundestag is crucial to the direction of German policy.
The coalition government has agreed to a number of policy priorities, including:
- Investing in climate protection and renewable energy
- Strengthening social justice and reducing poverty
- Modernizing the economy and infrastructure
- Promoting European cooperation and integration
The coalition government is expected to face a number of challenges in implementing its agenda, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the rising cost of living.
However, the coalition government has a strong mandate from the German people, and it is well-positioned to address the challenges facing the country.
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