Dundorf

[TheNick]

DSDP Says Dundorf Should Return to a Direct Election of Presidents
October 5684

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The entrance to Karlottenberg Schloss, the official residence of the Federal President.

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Dunburg - While the grand-coalition Government of Freda Gimbel continues to work within the framework the two governing parties, NDZP and DSDP, set before entering this coalition agreement, the individual parties are beginning to make moves to differentiate from each other eyeing the Presidential Election set for next year and the Federal Election set for 5686. Matthias Werner, a Bundestag member for the Social-Democrats (DSDP) has proposed yesterday in the Bundestag commission for Constitutional Affairs a proposal to amend how our country votes for its Federal President. Currently, the Head of State is elected by the Bundestag in an indirect election: voters choose the members of Bundestag every four year, and those members, every five years, meet to elect the Federal President. Mr. Werner's amendment would restore the direct election of the Federal President by Dundorfian voters, a practice that was in place from the restoration of the Republic in 5218 until Rudolph Kaltenbrunner's election as President in 5624. Sixty years later, a proposal to go back to what it was. But why?

We interviewed the Hon. Matthias Werner to ask him directly why he proposed this amendment:

[...] the matter of the fact is that our party, the Social-Democratic Party, believes in the power of the people to choose directly its representatives, even for the highest office in the country. My proposal would allow anyone to launch their candidacy for President, provided they get signatures from a minimum of 5% of the registered voters in each Bundesland, or they get nominated by at least 5% percent of the members of the Bundestag, which amounts to 32 members. This would allow parties to retain some power in selecting their own nominees for President, but would give minor or alternative candidates a chance to get on the ballot. Our current system wouldn't allow them to run for President because parties nominate and endorse people who are already in the high ranks of politics. All candidates compete in the first round, and the two most voted people will advance to a run-off election where endorsements are allowed. The person which gains a majority of the votes already in the first round of voting is elected President. I believe this is a very common sense reform and something that would empower citizens even more, that's why I am optimistic that this amendment gets passed.

Vice-Chancellor and DSDP Leader Lorena Oberlitz said that she will vote in favor of this bill but also reminded that this is not a proposal of the Federal Government: "we are thinking about other issues at this moment, but this is a very good proposal", she said. Chancellor Gimbel (NDZP) has not yet released a statement, while an ally to her party, the Konservative Bundespartei (KBP), has expressed its approval saying in a statement: "This amendment would empower people and not politicians, we commend Mr. Werner for including a clause that would require a minimum of signatures in each state, so that all territories are represented in this process." The Greens are more cautious: "the current system is an ironclad guarantee against extremists being elected to Karlottenberg Schloss, but Matthias Werner included some clauses to prevent that. We will have a frank discussion in the Bundestag and decide together."

The Justice minister, Anna Leesdorf (DSDP), said that an eventual constitutional reform on the process of election of the Federal President would not become effective in time for next year's Presidential election, which then will be held as an indirect election. She explained that a constitutional law requires 2/3 of the members of Bundestag to vote in favor in order to directly adopt the amendment. In case the bill is only approved by a simple majority, a longer process is required: a confirmative Referendum following the final passage. The confirmative Referendum, in order to pass, must have 50% +1 positive votes and the "Yes" side must be prevailing in four out of five states. This whole process would require "at least 2 years", and would become effective for the 5690 Presidential election.