Hamburg Considers Merging Election Dates Amid Cost Concerns

The Hamburg Senate is debating whether to combine the state and federal elections to reduce logistical challenges and expenses.

Hamburg's Senate is open to discussing the possibility of combining the Bürgerschafts- and Bundestagswahl elections, originally scheduled for February 23 and March 2, respectively.
The CDU, FDP, and Linke parties, along with the Bund der Steuerzahler, support the idea to streamline election processes and cut costs.
Hamburg's Mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) initially favored separate dates, emphasizing the importance of focusing on state issues during the Bürgerschaftswahl.
Legal concerns exist within the Senate about the potential impact on smaller parties, which might face challenges with a shortened preparation period.
Any decision to change the election dates would require approval from both the Senate and the Bürgerschaft, following a potential Bundestag dissolution by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.