In the present Opinion, the Venice Commission and ODIHR do not examine the overall legal framework related to elections in Germany. The Opinion only deals with the amendments of the German Federal Election Act (Sections 1 – 6, 48), which reform the electoral system for the elections to the Low Chamber of the German parliament (Bundestag). These amendments are primarily intended at ensuring a fixed number of seats at the Bundestag by changes to the system of “personalised proportional representation” combining two votes (on proportional lists and in one-member constituencies) leading to possible non-representation of some constituencies. They also suppress the possibility for parties having obtained at least three seats in one-member constituencies but less than 5 % of the total votes to take part in the allocation of list seats.