Overview
- Die Linke formally filed a Bundestag motion on May 26–27, 2026 asking that legally resident non‑citizens who have lived in Germany for at least five years be allowed to vote in federal elections and that the federal government work with the Länder to enable the same at state and local levels.
- Legal experts point to a decisive 1990 Bundesverfassungsgericht ruling that ties most voting rights to German citizenship and say the Linksfraktion’s proposal would probably require a two‑thirds amendment of the Grundgesetz or a reversal of Karlsruhe’s interpretation to be implemented.
- Political reactions in the days after the filing have been sharply divided: Green MPs signalled openness to the idea while CDU/Union and AfD leaders condemned it as incompatible with the constitution and rejected the proposal outright.
- Die Linke justifies the move with demographic data and naturalisation limits, citing roughly 14 million people without German citizenship in 2025 who live in Germany on average about 15 years and arguing recent 2024 citizenship reforms left procedural and income hurdles that block many from naturalising.
- The motion puts a long‑running debate back on the agenda: lawmakers must now weigh the practical and legal routes forward, including possible Bundestag debate, court challenges, and comparisons to the 1992 municipal voting right granted to EU citizens.