Question 121 · Federal question
A party wants to enter the German Bundestag. However, it must have a minimum share of…
German original (as asked in the real test)
Eine Partei möchte in den Deutschen Bundestag. Sie muss aber einen Mindestanteil an Wählerstimmen haben. Das heißt …
- A 5%-Hürde. ✓ Correct answer
- B Zulassungsgrenze.
- C Basiswert.
- D Richtlinie.
Translation
A party wants to enter the German Bundestag. However, it must have a minimum share of votes. This means ...
- A 5% hurdle. ✓ Correct answer
- B Admission threshold.
- C Base value.
- D Guideline.
Explanation
In German federal elections, parties must surpass a nationwide electoral threshold of 5% of the second votes (Zweitstimmen) or win at least three constituency seats to enter the Bundestag. This threshold is commonly called the 5% hurdle and aims to prevent excessive fragmentation of parliament.
Tips
- Focus on keywords like “minimum share of votes,” “Bundestag,” and “threshold.” These point to the electoral threshold term.
- Remember the standard German term for the parliamentary threshold is a specific percentage attached to the word “hurdle” or “barrier.”
- Eliminate generic or administrative-sounding terms: policy guidelines and abstract base values are not used for election thresholds; uncommon phrases like “admission limit” are not standard in German electoral law.
- Connect context: proportional representation + nationwide entry requirement = the well-known threshold rule.
Practice in the app
