Around 52 million people in Germany are likely to receive mail in the coming days - the documents for the 2023 social elections. "I can only ask you: Go vote," said Gundula Roßbach, President of the German Pension Insurance Association, at a press conference. "We notice that self-government is an important social link between the people and the administration."

In the case of pension insurance, for example, the rehabilitation services would be designed by self-government. "We elect the board members, we control the board members," said Uwe Klemens, chairman of the Association of Substitute Funds, with a view to the importance of the bodies.

With social insurance - for example health, nursing care, pension or accident insurance - there is the special democratic principle of self-administration. In the case of social elections, insured persons and pensioners can vote on the self-governing bodies until May 31st. The elected should then shape in the interests of the insured.

There are two new features in this year's election: On the one hand, online voting is possible for Techniker Krankenkasse, DAK-Gesundheit, Barmer, KKH and Handelskrankenkasse hhk. On the other hand, there is a women's quota of 40 percent on the health insurance companies' electoral lists. For the other branches of social insurance, the 40 percent quota is only a recommendation.

"Women get sick differently, have different needs," said Doris Barnett, deputy federal election commissioner for social security elections. "That's why it's good that we introduced gender quotas." Hopefully this would also convince more women to take part in the elections.