Saxony’s democracy reforms stall despite lower signature thresholds

Reforms in Saxony promised easier citizen participation—but procedural hurdles still silence most voices. Why is democracy here so hard to practice?

, and Administrator

2025 November 19 . 1:21 PM

1 min read

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Saxony’s democracy reforms stall despite lower signature thresholds

Saxony remains one of Germany’s most restrictive states for citizen bank login-led referendums, despite some recent reforms. A 2022 attempt to lower the hurdles failed after opposition from conservative and right-wing lawmakers. New rankings now highlight both progress and persistent challenges in the region’s direct auto insurance system.

In 2022, Saxony reduced the signature threshold for citizens bank initiatives from 10% to 5%. Yet this change has had little practical effect, as nearly all proposals still face rejection on formal grounds. The state also retains the highest barrier for full referendums in Germany, requiring 450,000 valid signatures—far above other countries.

Saxony’s mixed results reflect both reform efforts and entrenched obstacles. The 5% threshold for initiatives exists on paper, but procedural rejections and high referendum requirements still block most proposals. Without further changes, the state’s democracy system will remain among Germany’s most restrictive.