Bavaria: Only AfD supports the FDP's demand for a smaller state parliament

Munich (dpa / lby) - With its demand for a significant reduction in the size of the Bavarian state parliament, the FDP is largely isolated among the parliamentary groups.

Bavaria: Only AfD supports the FDP's demand for a smaller state parliament

Munich (dpa / lby) - With its demand for a significant reduction in the size of the Bavarian state parliament, the FDP is largely isolated among the parliamentary groups. Only the AfD called the referendum announced by the FDP a "step in the right direction" during the debate on Thursday. She rejects "bloated parliaments" all over Germany and calls for more direct democracy.

On the other hand, the FDP had to listen to massive criticism for its initiative and in particular its choice of words. Horst Arnold (SPD), for example, said that the flimsy application created a mood against a constitutional body. At the same time, it is cynical to arbitrarily set the number of MPs. Hubert Faltermeier (free voters) spoke of an application in the pre-election campaign that hides constitutional concerns.

Toni Schuberl (Greens) emphasized that instead of tackling the big issues in the country, the FDP was mobilizing the entire population of Bavaria for an issue with the cost of a bypass in the Bavarian Forest. According to the FDP, a smaller state parliament could save around 50 million euros in five years. "Let's discuss the right to vote, but don't abuse it for populism. Because you may not be able to get rid of the spirits you call up."

Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) avoided evaluating the application because it is not up to the state government to decide how many MPs it wants to be controlled by. However, he also accused the FDP of not dealing properly with the facts. In Bavaria, for example, one member of the state parliament has 64,000 citizens, only in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg does one member of parliament have to look after even more citizens. This is very demanding, said Herrmann.

For months, the FDP has been demanding a significant reduction in the size of the "XXL state parliament," as it calls it. According to the Bavarian constitution, 180 parliamentarians should meet here, but currently there are 205 due to equalization mandates. Without a reduction in the number of constituencies, and thus the number of MPs, a "further increase" is to be feared. After the debate, FDP parliamentary group leader Martin Hagen said that after the majority of the parliamentary groups opposed the plans, the only way to go was through the referendum. The FDP is supported by the Bavarian Association of Taxpayers.