Poll results
Should the barring clause be lowered to 3% to make it easier for small parties to enter the Bundestag?
Support
Reject
Don't know
PolitPro Community – 3496 respondents – 21.09.2023-28.09.2023
Poll information
Should the barring clause be lowered to 3% to make it easier for small parties to enter the Bundestag? 30% voted in favor of lowering the barring clause to 3% to make it easier for small parties to enter the Bundestag, while 66% voted against.
:undecided% chose the answer "Don't know". The survey was conducted among 3496 users of the PolitPro app during 21.09.2023-28.09.2023. The results are not representative, but may give a rough idea of the political mood around the issue.
Pros - What's in favor?
- Democratic diversity: Lowering the barring clause to 3% would promote democratic diversity in parliament. Small parties would have a better chance to represent their political positions and concerns. This would lead to a broader political discussion and ensure that a wider range of opinions and interests are represented in the Bundestag.
- Equality of opportunity: lowering the blocking clause would give small parties a fairer chance of converting their votes into political mandates. A 5% blocking clause can result in many votes being lost, as smaller parties receive some support but cannot garner enough votes to enter the Bundestag. Lowering it to 3% would take into account more votes and improve equality of opportunity.
- Strengthening representative democracy: Lowering the threshold clause would help the Bundestag better reflect the diversity of the political landscape. This would strengthen representative democracy and promote citizens' trust in the political system. A greater diversity of parties in parliament could also lead to increased citizen participation and political activity.
Cons - What's against it?
- Stability and governability: Lowering the barring clause could make stability and governability more difficult. Small parties with only a few seats in the Bundestag could have difficulty forming majorities or participating effectively in government. This could lead to political instability and affect the government's ability to make effective decisions.
- Fragmentation and fragmentation: lowering the threshold clause could lead to further fragmentation and fragmentation of the parliament. Many small parties could emerge, possibly representing different interests and positions. This could make it more difficult to form stable governing coalitions and complicate political decision-making.
- Efficiency of the political system: Lowering the barring clause could affect the efficiency of the political system. Negotiation and compromise between different parties could be made more difficult, as a larger number of parties would be represented in the Bundestag. This could slow down decision-making and delay political reforms and measures.