Dundorf

[Drax]

NDZP DOES NOT SEE PROBLEM ON CHANCELLOR SELECTION METHOD
 
ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER
 
Presidential Palace, May 29, 5683: According to ODERVELD – LEUCHTFEUER sources in the Presidential Residence, Bundeskanzlerin Frieda Gimbel of Neue Dundorfische Zentrumspartei (NDZP), met with Bundesprasident Wolfgang Prawius to discuss whether a constitutional amendment or legislation was necessary or desirable on the issue of which party gets the first chance to form a government after an election.
 
In the wake of the most recent election which produced a freak result of 315 seats in the Bundestag for the “Left” and 315 for the “Right,”  Since the current governing coalition led by Lorena Oberlitz as Chancellor did not have a majority after the election and since NDZP had the most seats in the Bundestag, the clear precedent was for Prawius as President to ask the NDZP Leader to see if she could form a government.  Which she did.
 
There have  been instances in the past where the existing Chancellor still had the votes if the coalition chose to stay together, so the question arises whether the President should first ask the Chancellor or first ask the Leader of the party with the most votes.
 
Legislation states the President first asks the Leader of the party with the most votes. The Constitution still says any party can nominate a slate for election of the Federal Council of Ministers.  Prawius and Gimbel recalled this was originally a provision to oust a Chancellor from indefinitely thwarting change of government.  They further noted when the legislation was passed for the President to ask first the Leader of the party with the most votes, the constitutional provision was retained so that a President or party Leader could not indefinitely delay a change in government by inaction as had occurred from time to time.
 
Although a President asleep at the wheel or a party leader refusing to act or step aside is much less likely today, Prawius and Gimbel agreed that it was a safeguard which should remain in place and agreed that the legislation would be interpreted to mean the President would move expeditiously to install a Federal Council of Ministers first asking the leader of the party with the most seats but not limited to making other contacts thereafter.
 
It thus seemed to them no amendment to the Constitution or additional legislation was necessary at this time.


Presidential Residence