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(1) Pursuant to the detailed provisions of the statutes, the competent bodies of the party shall freely decide on the admission of new members. No reasons need to be given for rejecting an application for admission. Neither general nor temporary bans on admission shall be permissible. Persons who have been deprived by judicial decision of their eligibility for office or of their right to vote may not become members of a party.
(2) Party members and delegates in the party bodies shall have equal voting rights. Pursuant to the detailed provisions of the statutes, the exercise of voting rights can be made dependent on members having paid their membership fees. A member may resign from the party at any time without notice.
(3) The statutes shall contain provisions stipulating
1. permissible disciplinary measures against members;
2. the reasons for such measures;
3. the party bodies which may initiate disciplinary measures.
If a member is deprived of party offices or of the qualification to hold such offices, the reasons for such a decision must be stated.
(4) A member may only be expelled from the party if he deliberately infringes the statutes or the principles of discipline of the party, thereby inflicting serious damage on the party.
(5) The arbitration court defined as competent under the arbitration procedure code shall decide on expulsions from the party. The right to appeal to a higher arbitration court must be guaranteed. Decisions must be justified in writing. In urgent and serious cases calling for immediate action, the executive committee of the party or a regional branch may exclude a member from exercising his rights until the arbitration court has reached a decision.