AfD on democracy and the state

The AfD wants to make direct democracy in Saarland much easier: fewer signatures, longer deadlines and no approval quorum for referendums. Popular initiatives should also be allowed on financial matters. The party sees this as a corrective to what it regards as rule by parties.

The AfD wants citizens to vote on laws themselves more often. Fewer signatures should be needed for this. Citizens should get more time to collect them. They should also be allowed to vote on money matters.

The required number of signatures is to drop to one third in every procedure, and sign-up periods are to be six months or one year. The 25 percent quorum of eligible voters in referendums is to be dropped, following the Swiss model; constitutional changes would need a two-thirds majority. Financial matters are to be allowed, with only the budget law excluded. Before votes, a brochure with pro and con arguments and TV spots are to inform voters. In the long run the AfD aims for electronic voting procedures and also wants more transparency and early public debate, including through digital media.

The AfD wants to abolish the 30 percent approval quorum for local referendums. Limits on topics should largely be dropped, and land-use planning should also be open to a local vote.

The AfD wants to make votes in towns and cities easier. Today a large share of all eligible voters must say yes. This hurdle should go. Citizens should also be able to vote on building plans.

Local petitions and referendums should be possible on all matters that local councils may decide, unless laws or the constitution say otherwise. The platform explicitly names Bauleitplanung (municipal land-use planning). Before a vote, brochures with arguments for and against the proposal are to be distributed. Switzerland serves as the model.

The AfD wants to replace the fixed party lists in state elections with lists on which voters can influence the order of candidates. This is meant to give citizens more say in relation to the parties.

In state elections, parties set the order of their candidates. The AfD wants to change that. Voters should be able to give votes to single candidates on the list. That way they help decide who enters parliament.

Voters would be able to cast preference votes within their party's list and thereby change the ranking. The platform notes that Bavaria, Bremen and Hamburg already allow this kind of say. With fixed lists, Saarland is in the minority internationally, it says. The goal is to strengthen citizens' rights of participation in relation to the parties as well.

The AfD wants the federal and state governments to fund municipalities well and to strictly observe the Konnexitätsprinzip. Under that principle, the level of government that assigns a task must also pay for it. Access to social assistance is also to become simpler and less bureaucratic.

The AfD wants more money for cities and towns. The federal and state governments should pay when they give towns new tasks. This rule is called the Konnexitätsprinzip. People in need should get help more easily. Offices should ask for less paperwork.

According to the platform, the welfare state mainly takes effect at the local level, and only financially strong municipalities can ensure equal living conditions. The AfD wants to examine whether certain municipal social spending can be deducted from tax revenue before it is divided between the federal and state governments. Anyone in existential need should receive help. To that end the party cites less red tape, effective social counseling and agencies that see themselves as service providers. It also wants to promote volunteer work.