In view of the difficulties in forming governments after state elections, the "Mehr Demokratie" association is calling for the five-percent hurdle to be lowered to three percent in the eastern German states. "With the three-percent hurdle, hundreds of thousands of people would finally be represented in parliament," said Ralf-Uwe Beck, spokesperson for the federal board of "Mehr Demokratie". In a joint appeal, the association's East German state associations are calling on the state parliaments to lower the hurdle as soon as possible.
"In the east, voting preferences appear to be more diverse and less fixed," the appeal states. "This diversity should also be reflected in the state parliaments." In the last state elections, many parties failed to reach the five percent threshold and many voters were therefore not represented.
