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Bavarian Elections Explained

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Bavarian Elections Explained Bavarian elections explained The Maximilianeum, a palatial building in Munich, was built as the home of a gifted students' foundation and has also housed the Bavarian Landtag (state parliament) since 1949. GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — October 14 marks election day for The Free Democratic Party follows an economic-liberal policy the Bavarian legislative assembly. and would most likely be the CSU’s favorite coalition partner. But polls show that there is still the possibility that the FDP may Every five years, Bavaria’s parliament, the Landtag with its 180 fail to cross the five percent hurdle and not reenter the Landtag members, is elected. after having been voted out in 2013. This guide tells you what you, as American neighbors to the Ger- The Green Party has also shown that it would like to rule along- man constituents, need to know to make sense of this fall’s cam- side the CSU in case the latter loses its absolute majority. paigning season. Another party which will likely enter the Landtag is the Freie General Aspects Waehler Party. It has shown to be keen on becoming the CSU’s Germany is a federal state consisting of 16 individual states of coalition partner. which Bavaria is the biggest in size and the second biggest in population. The Social Democratic Party has faced big losses in the last federal elections. In Bavaria, it wants to become the second Like all German federal states, Bavaria has its own parliament, its biggest party but may have to fight for this position with the own government and a so-called Minister-President who serves Alternative for Germany. as the state’s leader. The AfD is a right-wing party and managed to attract a lot of In Germany, parties almost never rule alone as they need more people in the last federal elections who in the past have cast than 50 percent of the all votes cast to do that. Therefore, par- their vote for the CDU/CSU, but are unsatisfied with the con- ties cooperate to form a government: Usually two parties whose servatives’ current policy. If the AfD can cross the five percent summed up percentages are more than 50 percent become what hurdle, which is likely, it would enter the Bavarian Landtag for is called a coalition. the first time. Parties in Bavaria The CSU sees it as their mission to win back as many voters Currently, Bavaria’s Minister-President is Markus Soeder and is a from the AfD as it can and has ruled out forming a coalition with member of the Christian Social Union. the AfD. That is why the CSU’s campaign is based on topics like homeland, security and migration, subjects the AfD also treats. The CSU is the “sister party” of the Christian Democratic Union, the party of German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Both parties fol- How the elections affect residents of Bavaria low a conservative policy and cooperate on the federal level. In Germany, some areas like the police, education, schools or cultural policy are the sole responsibility of the federal states. A Bavarian particularity is that only the CSU is up for election here. The CDU does not compete due to the parties’ cooperation. Bills made by the Bavarian government and passed by the Landtag therefore affect all people living in Bavaria, for example The CSU party now holds the absolute majority in the Landtag, if they come into contact with the police. which means it can rule alone, an exceptional position it would like to defend in the upcoming election. Since the CSU plays a big role in federal politics as Chancellor Merkel’s sister party, the Bavarian elections are also closely But according to recent polls, this endeavor may be hard to observed in the whole of Germany. achieve. While the CSU will most likely stay the biggest party, it may lose its absolute majority and end up needing a coalition As election day comes closer, the campaigns will heat up. Fly- partner. Which of the opposition parties could take this position ers, placards as well as radio and internet ads will be distrib- is an open question. uted by all parties and may also reach you, especially if you live off post. Several parties are, in theory, open to forming a coalition with the CSU if they become big enough to be able to achieve a majority Photo Credit: ah_fotobox – stock.adobe.com ah_fotobox Credit: Photo together. | by Johanna Pschierer Bavarian Times | 48 .
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