Chancellor majority
Chancellor majority is an informal term for a certain majority of the members of the German Bundestag . The term is used in the media and in political discussion. In the constitution , this majority is described as the “majority of the members of the Bundestag” and in Article 121 of the Basic Law (GG) it is defined as “the majority of their statutory number of members”. Thus, the majority of the Chancellors is an absolute majority of all - not only those currently present - MPs.
Without overhang seats , the German Bundestag in accordance with § 1 1 Sentence first BWahlG 598 seats; at least 300 votes are then required for the chancellor majority. In the case of overhang mandates, the number of votes required increases accordingly. This distinguishes the Chancellor majority from the simple majority , which is the majority of those who vote (regardless of the number of members and abstentions), and the two-thirds majority .
The Chancellor majority is initially required for votes that directly affect the Federal Chancellor:
- Election of the Federal Chancellor (except in the third ballot; lack of a Chancellor majority gives the Federal President the right to dissolve the Bundestag)
- Deselection and simultaneous re-election of the Federal Chancellor ( constructive vote of no confidence )
- Vote of confidence
The term chancellor majority is derived in particular from the need for an absolute majority, which is not specifically named in the legal text, for the election of the Federal Chancellor .
In addition, the Bundesrat's objection to laws that do not require approval can be rejected by a majority of Chancellors ( Art. 77 GG), provided that the Bundesrat has only resolved this objection with an absolute majority and not with two thirds of the votes. Changes to the territory of the federal states in accordance with Article 29 (7) of the Basic Law also require an absolute majority within the meaning of Article 121 of the Basic Law, as does the establishment of federal central and subordinate authorities ( Article 87 (3) sentence 2 of the Basic Law) and the repeal of an international resolution Organ in the event of tension ( Article 80a, Paragraph 3, Sentence 2, Basic Law).
For other votes, the majority of the MPs present is usually sufficient ( simple majority , cf. Art. 42 (2) sentence 1 of the Basic Law). In some cases, however, the Basic Law also requires a majority of two thirds of the voters (e.g. for determining the case of tension, Article 80a, Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 of the Basic Law) or - as the highest hurdle - of the members of the Bundestag (in particular for the amendment to the Basic Law, Article 79 (2) of the Basic Law).
In order to achieve a chancellor majority (except in the case of a minority government ), the votes of the members of the governing parliamentary group or the parliamentary groups of the governing coalition are sufficient . For the political work of the parliament it is seen as important that a government can actually dispose of a stable chancellor majority on important issues and that this is formed by the members of its own parliamentary group (s). Is this because of a lack of group discipline or z. B. is no longer guaranteed because parliamentarians have left parliamentary groups, this can lead to a government crisis, because important government decisions could be dependent on votes from the opposition.
See also
Web links
- Augsburger Allgemeine: K for majority of Chancellors from September 8, 2009
- Election of the German Chancellor
- Focus: The Chancellor Election (1994)
