Baden-Württemberg's municipal councils are to become younger. And young people should also have a say in the town halls after the next local elections. The government wants to change the electoral law - Baden-Württemberg would be a pioneer.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) - With a new right to vote for the cities and municipalities, Baden-Württemberg wants to break new ground nationwide and pave the way for younger people into politics. According to dpa information, the cabinet decided on Tuesday that 16-year-olds can also stand and be elected as municipal, local and district councilors in the next local elections. The legislative process for a corresponding reform of Baden-Württemberg's local electoral law, which also includes the right to stand as a candidate from the age of 16, should be completed by March, it said.
The green-black government coalition is thus implementing another project from the coalition agreement. The state parliament still has to decide on the plans.
As a 16-year-old, young people can already vote in local elections, which is referred to as active voting rights. So far, however, they have not been allowed to run for office themselves (passive right to vote).
Age limits should not only be changed downwards. According to the reform paper, the previous maximum age limit of 67 for mayoral candidates is to be dropped, as is the requirement that mayors must retire at the latest at the age of 73, even if their term of office has not yet expired at the time. At the same time, applicants for the top of the town hall should no longer only be eligible for election at the age of 25, but as early as 18 years of age.
The electoral reform that has now been decided in the cabinet should also affect the runoff elections: According to the plans, there should be a runoff between the two candidates with the highest number of votes in the second ballot if in future none of the candidates receives more than 50 percent of the valid votes in the first ballot . However, the application cannot be withdrawn after the first ballot. So far, a new round of voting is necessary, in which new candidates can also compete.
Another change: In order to attract more applicants for the mayor's office, former civil servants, judges and state employees are given the right to return, so their jobs are kept free. In addition, homeless people in the municipalities, districts or the Stuttgart Region Association should also be able to vote in local elections in the same way as they do in state elections.
