Question 117 · Federal question
What percentage of second votes must parties receive at a minimum to be elected to the…
German original (as asked in the real test)
Wie viel Prozent der Zweitstimmen müssen Parteien mindestens bekommen, um in den Deutschen Bundestag gewählt zu werden?
- A 3%
- B 4%
- C 5% ✓ Correct answer
- D 6%
Translation
What percentage of second votes must parties receive at a minimum to be elected to the German Bundestag?
- A 3%
- B 4%
- C 5% ✓ Correct answer
- D 6%
Explanation
In federal elections, the distribution of seats in the Bundestag is determined by the second votes (Zweitstimmen). A party must clear the five-percent threshold nationwide (or win at least three constituency seats via direct mandates) to receive seats from the party lists. This "Sperrklausel" is meant to prevent excessive parliamentary fragmentation.
Tips
- Look for the keywords "Zweitstimmen" and "Bundestag" to recall the national threshold rule (Sperrklausel).
- Remember that the percentage threshold applies nationwide and is tied to party-list allocation, not to individual constituency wins.
- Use elimination: very low values suggest easier entry that would increase fragmentation; very high values would be unusually restrictive in a proportional system.
- Don’t confuse federal parliamentary elections with state, local, or European Parliament elections, which can have different thresholds.
- Knowing terms like "Sperrklausel," "Fünf-Prozent-Hürde," and "basic mandate clause" helps anchor the correct concept.
Practice in the app
