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Zweitstimme

second vote (proportional party list vote in German elections)

noun TSVYTE-shtim-eh Rare

Usage Note

Zweitstimme is the proportional list vote cast for a party in German federal elections. Despite the name 'second', it is often considered the more important vote as it determines the proportional share of seats each party receives in the Bundestag. Many campaigns focus on maximising Zweitstimmen.

Examples

"Die Partei verlor fast zehn Prozent ihrer Zweitstimmen gegenüber der letzten Wahl."

Natural Translation

The party lost nearly ten per cent of its second votes compared to the last election.

Literal Translation

The party lost almost ten percent of its second-votes opposite the last election.

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