The CSU has never cut a good figure in the debates on the reform of the Bundestag electoral law, which has repeatedly been called for by the CDU/CSU to be overdue. At first, she considered the idea put forward by the yellow-red-red opposition to reduce the number of Bundestag constituencies to be an attack on the constitution, only to finally agree to a corresponding bill by the CDU/CSU and the SPD.

Now she regards the idea of only assigning a direct mandate to as many constituency winners as are covered by the main votes for the respective party as the devil's work. And by Friday, the CSU must also consider what arguments it puts forward against the planned abolition of the basic mandate clause by the traffic lights.

It does not have a good hand, and not only because an expert appointed by the Union did not leave a good hair on this clause. This time, the CDU/CSU has no ally in the SPD, as the Social Democrats sense the chance to make the Left Party meaningless in federal politics.

Curiously, the clearest words in favour of the clause come from the camp of the lawyers who have advised the traffic light so far: What is constitutionally possible is far from being constitutionally wise. Does the traffic light really want to risk that the next coalition with a simple majority changes the electoral law again?