Question 18
What is the "5% threshold" in Germany?
German original: Was ist in Deutschland die "5%-Hürde"?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- Voting regulations in the Bundestag for small parties
- Attendance control in the Bundestag for voting
- Minimum share of votes to get into parliament — Correct answer
- Attendance control in the Federal Council for voting
Explanation
The 5-percent threshold is the minimum vote share a party needs to enter the Bundestag. It prevents the fragmentation that caused instability during the Weimar Republic.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- 5% threshold — The 5% threshold is an electoral rule in Germany that requires a political party to receive at least 5% of all votes cast in order to enter parliament. It is designed to prevent too many small parties from entering parliament and making it harder to form a stable government.
- German — German is the official language of Germany, Austria, and part of Switzerland. It is the native language of approximately 100 million people.
- hurdle / barrier — A hurdle is an obstacle or difficulty that must be overcome to reach a goal. In a political context, it often refers to a minimum requirement, such as the 5% threshold in elections.