![\\"logo\\"](\\"/img/logo-dpa-factchecking.svg\\"/) *About ![\\"IFCN](\\"/img/ifcn-certificate.png\\"/) ![\\"EFCSN](\\"/img/efcsn- certificate.png\\"/) # Bundestag election remains valid even with low participation September 1, 2021, 11:21 a.m. (CEST) If less than half of the Germans entitled to vote at the next If you take part in the federal election, it will supposedly be invalid. At least this will be the case claimed on social media. The reason is still valid “Occupier Statute”. ## Evaluation The claim is completely false and fictitious. ## Facts In a Facebook post it is said that what is important in the federal election is “not what is elected, but the voter turnout”. “The occupier statute” says namely that the “foreign administration” comes from the voters through the elections alone was accepted: “If the voter turnout was less than 50 percent, this would be invalid.” That's why it's so important to the elites that voter turnout is high. The AfD was founded “to bring people to the polls”. With Participation in the election legitimizes “the system”. With the claim that there is an “occupier statute” in Germany and a “Foreign administration,” the post reminds us of the so-called Reich Citizens’ Movement. Their supporters deny the existence of the Federal Republic of Germany sovereign state, speak of “foreign administration” on the part of the occupying powers and claim that the German Empire continues to exist. There is no “occupier statute”. Possibly the “Occupation Statute” meant on April 10, 1949 - shortly before the German law came into force Basic Law of May 1949 - was published. The three of them laid there Western powers (USA, Great Britain, France) determined that they were determined Sovereign rights reserved. These mainly related to foreign policy, Demilitarization and reparations. There was also a right of appeal Occupying powers against possible constitutional changes and laws. In this occupation statute there are no regulations regarding the course of Choose. The word "choice" doesn't appear there at all. Therefore exists in There is also no provision in the Occupation Statute that requires at least 50 percent of the Eligible voters must take part in elections if they are to be valid. This became possible with the Paris Accords, which came into force on May 5, 1955 Occupation statute repealed. Last Allied reservation rights regarding the German reunification and the status of Berlin officially existed until on the entry into force of the so-called two-plus-four contract of March 15, 1991. There is also no provision in German law regarding a necessary one Minimum participation in the election. This applies to both the Basic Law and for the Federal Election Act and the Federal Election Regulations. Nowhere in these texts There is a rule that the election would be invalid if less than 50 percent of eligible voters vote. Quite the opposite: the Federal Returning Officer expressly stated on his website recorded, the voluntary decision of a person entitled to vote, not for Voting is not a reason for a contestable election error: “Therefore Even if there is a very low voter turnout, the election is valid if without reason for an election challenge has arisen and what has been established Election results led to the correct personnel composition of Parliament has." (As of: August 31, 2021) ## Links Facebook post (archived) Federal Agency for Political Education on Reich Citizens (archived) Occupation Statute (archived) Basic Law on Elections (archived) Federal Election Act (archived) Federal electoral regulations (archived) Federal returning officer Minimum participation (archived) Contact the dpa fact check team: factcheck-luxembourg@dpa.com powered by dpa-newslab | Imprint | Privacy | About:
Voter turnout below 50 percent creates a legal problem