Overview

• The Verfassungsgerichtshof in Münster struck down the July 2024 municipal election law for violating equal voting rights and disadvantaging smaller parties.
• The invalidated law allocated rounding gains exclusively to larger parties, potentially granting CDU, SPD, and Greens around 500 additional seats in local councils.
• Parties including Volt, FDP, and Die Linke challenged the law through a successful organ dispute lawsuit, emphasizing its unfairness.
• The court’s decision reinstates the previous proportional seat-allocation system, ensuring fairer representation for smaller parties in the upcoming municipal elections on September 14, 2025.
• Coalition leaders respected the ruling but defended the intent of the reform, while opposition figures called the verdict a victory for democracy and pluralism.