With good reason, the Basic Law stipulates that a simple majority of the members of the Bundestag is not sufficient to change fundamental provisions.
Innovations that deeply affect the structure of the state or the coexistence of society must be decided with a two-thirds majority and thus with the greatest possible consensus.
The fact that such votes are preceded by compromises is not a democratic flaw.
A cross-party consensus serves to balance interests worthy of protection and thus also to bring about social peace.
The provisions according to which the Bundestag is elected are not part of the Basic Law.
They can be changed with a simple majority.
But their design must stand up to judicial review - which was not guaranteed in the past, even if the electoral law had once again been reformed with a large majority.
Nevertheless, it would have a stale aftertaste if the traffic light coalition drew the logical conclusion to push through a new electoral law in the Bundestag against the will of the CDU/CSU opposition with a simple majority.
Especially since the CDU and CSU can feel like the "losers" of the proposal that is now on the table.
However, the Union would be well advised not to condemn the proposals from the ranks of the traffic light coalition as unconstitutional from the outset.
Both parties are now taking their revenge for deliberately ignoring the warnings of “their” Bundestag Presidents Lammert and Schäuble that the target and actual number of MPs should not be allowed to drift further apart.
If the traffic light now makes a first attempt to cut the Gordian knot called Bundestag electoral law, the Union does not have to applaud.
But she should look honestly.
And in the end, don't close yourself off to a good compromise.