A new ruling by Germany’s top court could make it easier for the country’s smaller political parties to win seats in May’s European elections.<br /><br />The Constitutional Court has scrapped a rule whereby parties need at least three percent of the vote to be represented in the European Parliament. <br /><br />The government lowered the barrier from five percent last year, but five of the court’s eight judges agreed it should be abolished altogether.<br /><br />Those who might benefit include fringe anti-establishment parties and the far-right NPD.<br /><br />Lawyers for the European Parliament and the German Bundestag had argued that the threshold was needed in order for the chamber – which sits in both Brussels and Strasbourg – to function properly.<br /><br />But it’s argued that unlike in national elections – where in Germany a five percent barrier applies – the European Parliament does not elect a government, and all voters’ views should count.<br /><br />The court agreed that the threshold infringed the right of parties to equal opportunities.<br /><br />Germany will elect 96 lawmakers to the European Parliament, the largest national contingent. Without the hurdle, a score of one percent of the vote will be enough to secure a party a seat under Germany’s proportional representation system.<br /><br />National voting systems for the European Parliament differ across the 28 member states. Most countries, including Britain, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands, have no threshold.<br /><br />Eight nations have a five percent threshold – the maximum allowed under EU law – including the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.
