The election for the Berlin House of Representatives must be repeated in its entirety. The vote in September 2021 was invalid, the Berlin Constitutional Court declared on Wednesday. A series of obstacles made it significantly more difficult for Berliners to vote on September 26, 2021 – in the middle of the corona pandemic.
Because on the same day that 2.45 million voters were called to vote, the Berlin Marathon took place at the same time. The result was long queues at polling stations, hours of waiting and a late voting deadline. Poor preparation also led to incorrect or missing ballot papers, too few ballot boxes and the temporary closure of polling stations.
Some voters voted on hastily copied ballots because supplies were out of stock. In addition to the House of Representatives, the Bundestag and the twelve district parliaments were also elected. There was also a referendum on the expropriation of large housing groups.
New date probably in February
The judges of the constitutional court of the German capital have now drawn the consequences of the series of accidents on Super Election Sunday. They stuck to their first estimate, which court chairman Ludgera Selting had already explained at the hearing at the end of September. You must now call again within 90 days. According to the new state detective Stephan Bröchler, the most likely date is February 12. His predecessor resigned after the election chaos in Berlin last autumn.
Due to the many accidents, Berlin’s highest court had to review the validity of the elections to the House of Representatives and the twelve district assemblies. A total of 35 objections to the assessment were submitted to him, four of which were initially negotiated. It concerned the complaints of the state election authority, the internal administration and the parties AfD and the party.
The federal elections are partially repeated
A repeat of the election for the Bundestag is also necessary – at least for some Berliners: the Bundestag decided last week on the basis of a recommendation from its Election Examination Board with the votes of the SPD, Greens and FDP that it should be repeated in 431 Berlin constituencies. become. However, the parties in the Bundestag assume that the decision will be challenged in the Federal Constitutional Court.
Disruptions such as in September 2021 should no longer occur. At least 38,000 polling station employees will be deployed for the parliamentary elections, instead of 34,000 last year. They need to be better trained and receive significantly higher compensation. Also, there should be more ballot boxes in polling places than last time.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
