Most of the readers have probably already received the letter: they are asked to take part in the “social elections”. But what is it actually, and should you take part in it?
What is the social choice?
In social elections, those entitled to vote vote on who will represent them in health, nursing care, pension and accident insurance. The idea: Anyone who pays social security contributions should also have a say in what these contributions are used for. To this end, the voters cast their votes on representatives who stand up for their interests in health, nursing care, pension and accident insurance. These elected representatives work on a voluntary basis.
Social elections have been held every six years since 1953. Around 52 million insured persons are entitled to vote this year. The organizers speak of the third largest election in Germany after the federal elections and the European elections.
How does the election work?
Eligible voters will find the voting documents in their mailboxes between April and mid-May. Anyone who has not received a letter by May 11th can actively request one. The choice is possible for policyholders of Techniker Krankenkasse, DAK-Gesundheit, Barmer, KKH and Handelskrankenkasse hhk as well as the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund. Voters must then have completed the postal voting documents and returned them by May 31 at the latest.
You choose a list: Each health insurance company provides several of these, an overview is available here to find. Trade unions such as Verdi or IG Metall compete, but also non-union groups. The choice is possible from the age of 16 if you are independently insured, people with foreign citizenship can also vote. The results of the election should be available in June.
What’s new this year?
This year, for the first time, voters can also take part in social elections online. They must tick the box by May 31 at the latest; online voting is only possible with health insurance companies. Peter Weiß, the federal commissioner for social security elections, called the election on Thursday in Berlin a “driver to modernize voting in Germany”. The online offer makes voting easier, said Uwe Klemens, chairman of the Association of Substitute Health Insurance Funds (VDEK): “We hope that this will reach as many young people as possible.”
For the first time there is also a gender quota in the social elections this year. At least 40 percent of the places had to be filled by women when the lists were drawn up. The quota is mandatory for the health insurance companies, for the pension insurance it is a “target regulation”.
What exactly do the elected representatives decide?
At the Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bund, the elected representatives have a say in the benefits of the pension insurance. In other words, what benefits does the pension insurance scheme offer to its policyholders? The so-called representative assembly also elects the members of the board and the board of directors and controls the administration. It ensures that those responsible use the contributions paid in the interests of the insured. The representatives also form the appeals committee: if the insurance company rejects an insured person’s application, the committee examines this application.
In the health insurance companies, the elected representatives come together in so-called administrative boards. They also elect the board members and help decide how the contributions of the insured are used. So you determine which preventive services the health insurance company will cover: for example, the costs for special programs for pregnant women or preventive services for dental health. However, the elected representatives do not alone decide on the offers of the social security funds. Politicians determine the legal framework: “In our welfare state, there is an interaction between the legislature, which specifies obligations and many services, and the self-government of the social security funds, which use their leeway,” said Doris Barnett, deputy federal election commissioner for the social security elections on Thursday .
What criticism is there of social elections?
Social elections are expensive. Costs of 59.3 million euros were incurred in connection with the last social election in 2017. Voter turnout was 30.42 percent. Although slightly more people cast their votes than in the previous election, turnout had previously fallen steadily: 30 years ago it was 43.85 percent. Critics ask whether the financial and human effort is worth it with so little participation. Another point of criticism: the candidates put forward are unknown to most voters. They don’t even know who they’re voting for.
Many insurance companies also have so-called “peace elections”. This means that an insurance company, for example, only draws up a single list. If this is the case, their insured persons cannot take part in the social elections: if there are no different lists to choose from, an election makes no sense. “Peace elections” often occur, for example, in the case of statutory accident insurance. They are legal in social elections, but not exactly democratic in the eyes of many.