Question 13
What percentage of the second votes must parties receive at least in order to be elected to the German Bundestag?
German original: Wie viel Prozent der Zweitstimmen müssen Parteien mindestens bekommen, um in den Deutschen Bundestag gewählt zu werden?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- 3%
- 4%
- 5% — Correct answer
- 6%
Explanation
The 5-percent threshold ensures that only parties with at least 5 percent of second votes enter the Bundestag. This prevents the fragmentation of parliament into many small groups.
Key terms in this question
- Federal Parliament — The Bundestag is the national parliament of Germany, made up of elected representatives. It passes laws and elects the Federal Chancellor.
- German (female) / German — 'Deutsche' refers to a person who holds German citizenship or originates from Germany.
- elected — Having been chosen for a position or role through a vote or election. For example, members of parliament are elected by the citizens.
- must / to have to — 'Müssen' is a modal verb expressing necessity or obligation. It means that something is required and there is no choice.
- political party — A party is an organization in which people with similar political goals join together to participate in elections and influence political decisions.
- Germans — 'Germans' is the plural of 'German' and refers to all people who hold German citizenship.
- Germans — 'Germans' is the plural of 'German' and refers to people who hold German citizenship or originate from Germany.
- Political parties — Political parties are organizations that bring together people with similar political goals and ideas. They participate in elections to gain influence over government and political decision-making.